Аdmittеdlу, Ning Zhеng certаinlу didn't knоw thаt Wu Мangmang had еvеn taken аdvantagе оf his gооd friеnd Lu Sui, сalling the Gоd of Wealth her "good littlе sоn."
But sрeаk оf thе dеvil, and hе shаll аррeаr.
Ning Zheng's phonе bеgan tо vibrate. Hе glancеd at it—it was Lu Sui—sо hе hаd tо stаnd uр, givе Wu Mangmаng а slight bow, аnd stер out tо takе thе call.
"Whеrе arе you?" Lu Sui's voiсe camе thrоugh thе reсeiver.
"At thе роlicе stаtiоn," Ning Zhеng rерlied.
"I thоught уou wеre sо scarеd of Shеn Yuаnzi thаt yоu'd еvеn stаnd me up," Lu Sui chuсkled lightly.
Ning Zheng didn't want to tаlk about Shen Yuаnzi and chаnged thе subjеct instеad. "Aren't you going to ask why I'm at the police station?"
"Why else?" Lu Sui retorted. "Hurry up and get over here. We're all waiting for you."
What a terrible friend.
Why else? They must all think he was here because of a woman.
He had indeed been to the station a few times before, but this time was truly different.
In the past, it was him taking risks for a beauty; this time, it was a beauty taking risks for him.
The feeling was quite novel, and the taste wasn't bad at all.
The statement was quickly recorded. As Ning Zheng and Wu Mangmang walked out side by side, he asked, "Want to go horseback riding with me this afternoon?"
"Huh?" Horseback riding? More like being ridden, right?
It wasn't that Wu Mangmang's thoughts were impure, but judging by Ning Zheng's past playboy history, the probability of being "ridden" was at least 95%.
"No, I'm a bit tired," Wu Mangmang decisively refused.
But Ning Zheng had no intention of letting her off. Of course, his interest was one thing, but the most important reason was that he had to bring a woman to face Shen Yuanzi.
Shen Yuanzi had been pushing for marriage lately, acting like the rightful wife. Although both families had intentions of an alliance, Ning Zheng wasn't ready to settle down yet.
Since Shen Yuanzi acted as if she didn't care about his philandering and still wanted to marry him, Ning Zheng didn't mind taking things a bit too far.
That's just how men are!
Having witnessed Wu Mangmang's fierceness today, Ning Zheng felt confident that she wouldn't be at a disadvantage if he took her to face Shen Yuanzi. It was a perfect two-for-one deal.
So, it's not good for girls to be tough—they're easily pushed out as shields, and no one worries about them getting hurt.
If you were a delicate little bird, how would he dare to send you into the wolf's den?
"It's not the suburban riding club; we're going to Lu Sui's private riding club," Ning Zheng said.
If Wu Mangmang were smart, she'd know that getting involved with people in their circle could only bring benefits, not harm.
Lu Sui's riding club? That made her even less inclined to go. Wu Mangmang shook her head again.
Ning Zheng was exasperated. This girl was simply unyielding.
"What are you afraid of? That I'll eat you?" Ning Zheng said angrily. "Didn't you go on a yacht trip with Shen Ting on your first blind date?"
How could he compare? That was a blind date arranged by her mother, Ms. Liu.
Although Ms. Liu wished Wu Mangmang would marry tomorrow, her taste in potential sons-in-law was still trustworthy. At least, in all her blind dates, Wu Mangmang had never encountered a scoundrel.
Besides, aloof men had always been Wu Mangmang's hobby—she loved teasing them for fun.
Wu Mangmang remained silent.
Ning Zheng sighed. "I thought you were quite open-minded."A provocation? Unfortunately, Wu Mangmang wasn't falling for it. She turned directly to Ning Zheng and said, "Since you insist on going horseback riding, I won't stop you. I'll just take a taxi back myself."
Ning Zheng swiftly grabbed Wu Mangmang's arm. "Alright, alright, I give up. Chasing you is harder than chasing the sun. How about this—invite Lu Qingqing along. That way, you won’t have to worry about me devouring you, right?"
Wu Mangmang stopped in her tracks and looked Ning Zheng up and down, thinking to herself, Is my charm really that irresistible?
It wasn’t her fault for thinking this way. No matter how clever she was, she couldn’t have guessed there was also the matter of Shěn Yuànzǐ involved.
At this moment, Ning Zheng’s persistence felt like a great compliment to a woman. If she continued to refuse so firmly, it would seem almost unkind.
Besides, someone like Ning Zheng probably wouldn’t resort to force or underhanded tactics when pursuing a woman.
But these weren’t the main reasons. The main reason was that Ning Zheng had mentioned Lu Qingqing.
Wu Mangmang still owed Lu Qingqing a favor. Although she had already gifted her a bag, Lu Qingqing had truly helped her immensely and had proven herself to be a loyal friend.
If Lu Qingqing wanted to visit Lu Sui’s horse ranch, Wu Mangmang wouldn’t mind going along to catch a glimpse of the "luxurious" world.
Wu Mangmang knew that Lu Qingqing had always wanted to get closer to her distant uncle, but the path was too difficult. Back then, Lu Qingqing had gone to great lengths to help her.
This was a favor she couldn’t simply ignore.
"Then I’ll ask Qingqing," Wu Mangmang said, lowering her head to send Lu Qingqing a WeChat message.
Almost as soon as the message was sent, Wu Mangmang received Lu Qingqing’s reply: "OMG" — short for "Oh my god."
When typing on a phone, convenience always comes first.
Soon, a long voice message came through.
"Oh my god, are you serious? We can really go to Uncle’s horse ranch? Only relatives or close friends are allowed there—ordinary people can’t get in at all! I’ve seen photos, and the scenery is absolutely breathtaking! Hahaha, I want to go, I want to go, I want to go—important things must be said three times!"
It was too noisy and too loud. Wu Mangmang had to move her phone away from her ear.
And so, it was settled.
Ning Zheng drove Wu Mangmang back to get her riding gear. "Why is it that almost every time I see you, you’re dressed so plainly in a T-shirt and jeans?"
Though Wu Mangmang looked good in this outfit, it lacked a certain feminine charm. Ning Zheng still preferred girls in dresses.
Thinking of this, Ning Zheng couldn’t help but flick Wu Mangmang’s ponytail with his right hand. She looked so simple and youthful—it almost felt wrong to make a move.
Wu Mangmang tilted her head away, avoiding this overly familiar gesture. "It’s not about being plain. It’s because there are too many creeps on the subway."
After she said this, both of them fell silent for a moment.
Wu Mangmang felt a bit annoyed. She hadn’t meant to imply anything when she said that.
But she worried the listener might read too much into it.
When they arrived at Wu Mangmang’s apartment building, she didn’t invite Ning Zheng upstairs for a drink or to use the restroom.
Leaning against the car door, Ning Zheng tried his best to maintain a gentlemanly smile. It seemed this girl really did see him as some kind of pervert.
"We might have to stay overnight and come back tomorrow. Bring some spare clothes—both formal and casual wear," Ning Zheng said.
Wu Mangmang turned back, gritting her teeth in frustration. How cunning! If Ning Zheng had mentioned staying overnight from the start, I would have refused no matter what.But now that she had agreed and Lu Qingqing was already on her way to Nanshan Temple, Wu Mangmang had no chance to back out.
Nanshan Temple was the location of the city’s private airport, where Ning Zheng’s private jet was parked.
As soon as Lu Qingqing stepped into Ning Zheng’s private jet, her eyes widened. Although private jets had become almost a necessary status symbol among the wealthy these days, few were as extravagant as Ning Zheng when it came to interior decoration.
A luxurious lounge, a marble bathroom, and even gold ornaments. The pillows and cushions were all custom-made from high-end brands. Lu Qingqing immediately whipped out her phone and started snapping photos.
Wu Mangmang was a bit more considerate and asked for the owner’s permission. How could Ning Zheng refuse?
Young girls loved to show off. Although Ning Zheng didn’t approve, he understood.
Lu Qingqing was already tapping to send the photos.
“Ah, I’d love to see Long Xiujuan’s face in person,” Lu Qingqing sighed.
Recently, Long Xiujuan had been flaunting her newly engaged fiancé all over Weibo and her social media—today a designer bag, tomorrow a diamond ring, and the next day some exotic trip—sparking widespread resentment.
Wu Mangmang was also annoyed. Long Xiujuan was about to get married, while she herself remained unnoticed.
Watching Long Xiujuan’s Weibo followers skyrocket, Wu Mangmang had gone offline for a few days, only to be mocked by Long Xiujuan, who joked about whether she had gone missing after a night run.
The two girls in their twenties chattered back and forth, their fingers glued to their phones, leaving Ning Zheng feeling like a wallflower.
Wu Mangmang sighed, “Private jets are great—they even have Wi-Fi, so you don’t have to turn off your phone.”
Ning Zheng wished there were no Wi-Fi at all.
After an hour of flying north, they reached their destination. Lu Sui’s villa had two private runways, making it incredibly convenient for landing.
Wu Mangmang and Lu Qingqing exchanged a glance and immediately picked up their phones to take more photos.
Afraid of being asked to delete the photos again, Wu Mangmang uploaded them before even stepping off the plane.
Below the plane stretched a scene of “vast skies and endless plains, where the wind bends the grass to reveal cattle and sheep.” From the air, they had seen a river winding through the grassland like an emerald belt, curving into a lake in the distance where waterfowl nested—a breathtakingly beautiful landscape.
Wu Mangmang even forgot to take pictures.
As soon as they arrived, the villa’s owner and guests were notified and came riding over on horseback. Leading the way was a striking beauty—Shěn Yuànzǐ.
Shěn Yuànzǐ reined in her horse in front of the three of them, slowly removed her hat, and shook her head, sending her waterfall-like curls cascading like seaweed.
The charm and elegance of a mature woman were perfectly embodied in Shěn Yuànzǐ.
Sitting high on her horse, Shěn Yuànzǐ gave a slight nod to Wu Mangmang and Lu Qingqing. People like her, though looking down on most, never lacked basic courtesy.
“You’re late—you’ll have to be punished,” Shěn Yuànzǐ teased, leaning down to tap Ning Zheng’s shoulder with the handle of her riding crop.
Wu Mangmang’s neck ached from looking up, so she pulled Lu Qingqing aside to take photos. With her wide-brimmed hat, silk scarf, and sunglasses, she could strike a hundred different poses without repeating a single one.Never underestimate this skill. Think back to your own photo-taking experiences—aren’t you always troubled by not knowing what pose to strike? All your photos end up looking the same, and you can’t help but flash a peace sign?
Ning Zheng smiled as he watched Wu Mangmang tossing her hat into the air.
When she arrived, Wu Mangmang had changed into a white chiffon maxi dress with a floral print. The straps crossed at her chest and tied behind her neck, and the print had an ethnic flair, making her look both charming and alluring.
This girl knew exactly how to highlight her strengths. The dress was high-waisted, perfectly accentuating the fullness and graceful shape of her bust.
The wind carried the unrestrained laughter of the young girl—far more pleasing to the eye than Shen Yuanzi’s face.
Shen Yuanzi had already dismounted and was standing shoulder to shoulder with Ning Zheng. "So you stood me up this morning for her?"
It turned out that Wu Mangmang’s encounter with Shen Yuanli and Xiao Gugong at Spring Square wasn’t without reason. The Shen sisters had arranged to have breakfast on the 25th floor of the square, each bringing their boyfriends for a double date. Unexpectedly, Ning Zheng called at the last minute to say he had something to do and never showed up.
Shen Yuanzi had even made excuses for Ning Zheng in front of Shen Yuanli, never imagining he had broken their date for such a trivial thing.
Ning Zheng didn’t look at Shen Yuanzi, speaking indifferently instead. "Yuanzi, do you really want to marry someone like me?"
"I don’t care what kind of person you are, as long as you’re the eldest son of the Ning family," Shen Yuanzi said bluntly.
Ning Zheng had to admit that his pride was slightly wounded at that moment. He had thought Shen Yuanzi had some affection for him.
"In that case, why don’t you just marry Lu Sui? His status and wealth are a better match for you, Miss Shen," Ning Zheng mocked.
Before Shen Yuanzi could reply, Ning Zheng added in a sarcastic tone, "Oh, I get it. Lu Sui’s parents are no longer around, so you can’t force anyone to pressure him into marriage, right?"
Shen Yuanzi gave a cold, sharp smile. Ning Zheng had a knack for hitting people where it hurt. She snorted disdainfully. "How childish."
This wasn’t entirely Ning Zheng’s fault. You can’t force a cow to drink water by pushing its head down, let alone a person. Shen Yuanzi had taken the route of appealing to Ning Zheng’s parents, so it was no wonder he resisted.
But the head of the Ning family was still Ning Zheng’s father, an old man with stubborn, conservative views. So Ning Zheng could only try to make Shen Yuanzi back down on her own.
Little did he know that Shen Yuanzi was an exceptionally clear-headed woman. Ning Zheng sighed helplessly. "Aren’t women supposed to prioritize love? Don’t you want to find a man you love who also loves you?"
Shen Yuanzi smiled as she looked at Ning Zheng. "Men are essentially all the same. Your advantage is that you never hide your playboy nature, so I won’t have any expectations of you. If it were another man, I might end up experiencing the pain of hope followed by despair. I don’t have the patience for that."
At some point, Wu Mangmang and Lu Qingqing had walked back, just in time to hear Shen Yuanzi’s brilliant commentary. Wu Mangmang gave Shen Yuanzi a thumbs-up—what a sharp and insightful woman.
Wu Mangmang decided she would buy every issue of the magazine Shen Yuanzi edited from now on.
Lu Qingqing nudged Wu Mangmang with her elbow. "Are you playing the homewrecker again?"
What kind of talk was that? What did she mean by "again"?Wu Mangmang was furious. Before coming, she had no idea she was here to play the role of a "mistress" for free, okay? Who would have thought a woman like Shen Yuanzi could fall for a playboy like Ning Zheng?
Last time on the cruise, Shen Yuanzi was clinging to Ning Zheng's arm one moment and leaning affectionately against Lu Sui the next. Who could have guessed she was Ning Zheng's fiancée?
Back then, Wu Mangmang had assumed they were just good buddies and childhood friends enjoying a threesome.
It's said that threesomes bring immense satisfaction to women, because men usually can't attend to both the top and bottom at once. But with three people, it's perfect—they can cover all fronts: top and bottom, front and back.
She had even imagined Shen Yuanzi's blissful life back then and silently gave it a thumbs-up in her heart: the upper class really knows how to have fun, living out all the fantasies of us middle-class losers.
Of course, Wu Mangmang couldn't take the blame for Ning Zheng. She immediately recounted what she had seen on the cruise last time, seizing the opportunity to declare that if it weren't for Lu Qingqing, she wouldn't have come today.
Lu Qingqing affectionately wrapped her arm around Wu Mangmang's shoulder. "Alright, alright, I know you truly love me."
Wu Mangmang decisively moved Lu Qingqing's hand away. Repaying a favor was one thing, but offering herself in return was an outdated and toxic tradition.
"By the way, what do you mean by 'playing the mistress again'?" Wu Mangmang's heart had sunk the moment she heard those words. Could it be that the incident where she played the mistress and got beaten up last time had been exposed?
That would be disastrous.
"Shen Yuanli sent us a private message with your photo, saying you looked familiar and asking if we knew you," Lu Qingqing betrayed Shen Yuanli. "She also said you were interfering between her and Xiao Gugong, calling you a mistress over and over."
Damn it, what kind of girlfriend did Xiao Gugong find? Wu Mangmang wanted to cry.
"Nonsense! Xiao Gugong is my cousin. He asked me to act as his girlfriend to reject Shen Yuanli, but now she's managed to win him over. I'm so annoyed," Wu Mangmang complained, feeling wronged with nowhere to vent.
Lu Qingqing laughed. "Xiao Gugong is your cousin? Your family really has a unique taste in names, haha..."
Wu Mangmang felt compelled to explain for Xiao Gugong. "His father has a lifelong love for the Forbidden City, so he named him Gugong as a sign of his affection." But thinking about it, it was indeed a bit funny, and Wu Mangmang couldn't help but laugh too.
At that moment, Shen Yuanzi glanced at the two young women laughing like fools, turned around, and gracefully mounted her horse. With a gentle squeeze of her legs, the horse began to trot away.
As soon as Shen Yuanzi left, before Wu Mangmang could distance herself from Ning Zheng, she saw Lu Sui, Shen Ting, and the others riding over on their horses.
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