Chapter 21: The Best Birthday Gift [Part 1]

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"Xiao Rou, come back to me," Jing Nuo’s quick reflexes stretched out his long arm, immediately blocking the escaping Xiao Rou and forcefully throwing her onto the sofa.

Caught completely off guard, Xiao Rou’s back slammed against the sofa’s armrest, the pain making her gasp sharply. Her mind went blank in an instant—Jing Nuo actually resorted to violence against her. Fear crept into her heart. Jing Nuo was almost a head taller than her; what if he really hit her next? She would surely suffer greatly.

"What exactly did I do wrong?" Xiao Rou huddled her body against the sofa’s backrest, tears welling in her eyes as she looked at Jing Nuo and asked. She had just taken a trip to the resort, just gone to see a few celebrities—was it really worth losing his temper like this?

"Try stepping through the Jing family gate one more time without my permission," Jing Nuo said, somewhat confused himself about why he was so inexplicably angry.

"And then? Am I supposed to be a third-class citizen here? Waiting to eat, waiting to sleep, waiting to die?" Xiao Rou stared at his handsome, imposing face as it twisted into a grimace, her heart freezing. He was draining all hope from her life.

"Xiao Rou, don’t delude yourself into thinking you’ll have a second chance. From the day you vowed to guard this wealth and luxury, living a life of ease, you must also prepare yourself to grow old alone. No betrayals allowed." In Jing Nuo’s eyes, Xiao Rou was merely trading her entire life for the vanity of becoming the young mistress of the Jing family. Naturally, he would never allow her to legitimize that title.

"I don’t want to hear your nonsense," Xiao Rou snapped, too angry to care about the pain in her back. She quickly stood up from the sofa and shouted at him before fleeing the scene.

"Miss Rou, are you alright? I heard voices outside, sounded like an argument," Aunt Liang said, standing at the door with a worried expression just as Xiao Rou opened the bedroom door.

"I'm fine!" Xiao Rou forced a smile. She had only been pushed by Jing Nuo—what could be wrong? But inside, she felt deeply distressed, so much so that she wanted to escape the Jing household immediately. She wanted to prove to Jing Nuo that she wasn’t after the Jing family’s fortune or the position of the young mistress. Although the Jing family was a wealthy and powerful clan rivaling nations, she truly had no intention of taking a single cent from them. Being wronged by someone she cared for was humiliating and suffocating.

In the small study within the bedroom, Xiao Rou locked herself away, her brow furrowed in worry. She made a flimsy excuse to avoid dinner. Her relationship with Jing Nuo was worsening, always souring over trivial matters. Xiao Rou felt like she was being driven mad, gradually shifting from unwavering devotion to increasing oppression. She longed to escape and find peace.

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"Hello! This is Xiao Rou," her phone rang in the dark, utterly quiet study. She was surprised—few people had called her in recent years, especially after marriage.

"Mrs. Jing, hello, I’m Fei’er. You should know me," came a polite and pleasant female voice from the other end.

"Fei’er?" Xiao Rou frowned, racking her brain for the name. After a brief moment, it clicked—Fei’er was the actress rumored to be Jing Nuo’s lover. How did she have Xiao Rou’s number? Xiao Rou couldn’t help but be astonished.

"Yes, Fei’er," the girl repeated.

"Is there something you need?" Xiao Rou remained courteous, curious that Jing Nuo’s mistress was reaching out to her. This was quite unusual and oddly entertaining.