At that time, she was only three years old and didn’t fully understand the reasoning behind things, nodding vaguely in response.
That was also the last time she saw her great-grandfather and great-grandmother. That year, her great-grandmother fell ill, and her great-grandfather resigned from his official position to accompany her to Linzhou, retreating to the mountains to recuperate in peace.
The Xie family had many descendants, and the great-grandfather had always been distant and stern toward the younger generation. Even little Sang Ning was afraid of him back then.
But once, while playing around, she peeked through the window and saw the usually austere great-grandfather holding a bowl of medicine, coaxing her great-grandmother gently, "Wanwan, there’s just half a bowl left. Can you finish it?"
---
Sang Ning skipped dinner, settling for a piece of bread to tide her over before returning to her studies.
A knock came at the door, followed by Aunt Chen’s voice.
"Young Miss, the master asks for you in the study."
Sang Ning finished the last bite of bread in her hand, chewing slowly before closing her book and standing up.
In the study.
Nan Zhenming was already waiting for her, his face dark.
"Dad, you wanted to see me?" Sang Ning pushed the door open and stepped inside.
Nan Zhenming’s expression was stormy. "Do you really not know why I called you here?"
He slammed his hand on the desk. "Don’t think that just because you fooled Grandfather today, this matter is over! Was what your Aunt said true? Did you really kick Siya into the pond?"
Sang Ning’s voice was cool. "Instead of questioning Aunt, who keeps contradicting herself, you keep interrogating me? Do you really trust her that much? I doubt it. Before, she testified for me, but now that her stock investments have failed, she’s accusing me out of spite. Can’t you see she’s deliberately retaliating?"
Nan Zhenming stiffened, his face darkening further. "But Siya also said it was you!"
"If I did it, why wouldn’t I admit it? When have you ever seen me shirk responsibility? I didn’t deny it when I accidentally pushed Siya down the stairs the day before."
Her calm and composed tone left Nan Zhenming momentarily speechless, making him feel as if he were being petty.
But frustration simmered in his chest—this daughter of his was too unruly. He snapped, "Then what about you deliberately misleading your Aunt, causing her to lose tens of millions?!"
Sang Ning lifted her gaze, her glass-like eyes seeming to pierce through him. "Aunt lost most of her fortune. Shouldn’t you be happy about that?"
Nan Zhenming’s expression froze. "Y-You… what are you saying?"
"You know very well that Aunt and Third Uncle are in cahoots, both eyeing the Nan family’s assets. Even though you hold the title of eldest son and have Grandfather’s favor now, there’s no guarantee they won’t team up to pull you down."
She had sensed this dynamic the moment she first stepped into the Nan household.
Nan Zhenming’s face shifted rapidly. These were things he and his siblings understood implicitly—they had always fought in the shadows, never voicing it aloud. How could this girl, who had only been back for a few days, already know?
Sang Ning watched him calmly. "Aunt works for Third Uncle. If she invested in Jifeng Automobile, then Third Uncle must have too—he just couldn’t make a scene about it. My little ‘misinformation’ should have made things easier for you."
Nan Zhenming had recently bungled two company projects, forcing the old master to swallow his pride and pull strings to clean up the mess.
Because of this, Nan Zhenming was already under immense pressure. His ambitious siblings were just waiting for an opportunity to push him out of the Nan Group’s board of directors.
Now that Nan Wenyue and Nan Zhenxing had eagerly invested in Jifeng Automobile and suffered heavy losses, it had inadvertently cleared some obstacles for Nan Zhenming.
When he first learned of it, he had secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
But now, faced with his daughter’s piercing gaze—as if she could see right through him—he felt deeply unsettled.
"What does a child like you know? Stop spouting nonsense!"
Knowing Nan Zhenming’s pride, Sang Ning didn’t press further. She simply said, "Is there anything else you wanted to discuss?"
Nan Zhenming faltered again.
He had prepared a long lecture, but now, not a single word came out. Just as Nan Sangning had said, her "misbehavior" had spared him a great deal of trouble.
"If there’s nothing else, I’ll return to my room."
After waiting a moment and receiving no response, Sang Ning stood and took her leave.
Nan Zhenming didn’t stop her, letting her go in silence.
As Sang Ning opened the study door, she nearly collided with Nan Siya and Nan Muchen, who had been eavesdropping outside. Caught off guard, their faces betrayed their panic.
She walked past them without a word, long accustomed to such antics.
Nan Zhenming spotted the two outside and scowled. "What are you doing here?"
Nan Siya’s eyes were red with indignation. "Dad, you’re just letting Nan Sangning go? What about what she did to me?!"
She had been waiting outside, hoping to see her father punish Nan Sangning. Even if Grandfather had intervened to keep her in the family, she should at least have faced some consequences!
But instead, after listening for so long, there hadn’t even been any shouting—Nan Sangning had walked out unscathed!
What about the injustice she had suffered?
Nan Zhenming frowned. "Let’s leave the past in the past. I won’t have this household in chaos, nor do I want to trouble Grandfather."
"But she kicked me into the pond—"
"It was a misunderstanding. Siya, you and Sangning need to get along. Don’t make a fuss over trivial matters. I’m busy with company affairs and don’t have time to listen to your complaints every day."
Sang Ning never complained. In fact, she had even solved a problem for him.
Comparing the two, Nan Zhenming found himself growing impatient with this daughter who only knew how to whine and tattle.
Nan Siya stood frozen, her face pale.
Her father… thought she was annoying?
She had always been her parents’ little princess, doted on and cherished, never made to endure the slightest grievance. Now, for the sake of that outsider, he was dismissing her concerns?
Nan Muchen, who had been hoping for some drama, muttered, "Boring," before turning and leaving.
Nan Siya wanted to argue further, but seeing the faint impatience in Nan Zhenming’s expression, she bit back her tears and swallowed her words, retreating to her room in silent resentment.
---
Back in her room, Sang Ning checked her phone. A message from He Siyu waited for her.
[Tomorrow, 6 PM, Qilian Pier]
Sang Ning blinked.
The pier?
An auction on a ship?
Originally, He Siyu had offered to send a car for her, but she had refused, deciding to go on her own. She knew the Nan family too well—if they found out she was connected to He Siyu, they would scheme endlessly to exploit the relationship for their own gain.
Not that she minded exploiting connections, but if she was going to, she’d do it for herself.
The next morning, the Nan household had returned to its usual tranquility, as if the previous day’s drama had never happened.
Sang Ning spent the day studying, having recently taken to online lectures. Reviewing difficult topics through recorded lessons proved far more convenient.
By 5 PM, she was ready to leave.
She changed into a beige tailored suit dress that cinched perfectly at the waist, with the hem falling just above the knees, looking both polished and effortlessly elegant. The outfit had been a gift from Ji Yan, whose taste was impeccable.
Sang Ning stepped out, opting not to use the family car and instead hailed a taxi straight to the pier.
The moment she exited the cab, the howling sea wind sent her hair whipping wildly around her face.
Only one yacht was docked at the pier. A waiter approached briskly, asking, "Miss, do you have an invitation?"
Sang Ning retrieved a black invitation from her bag.
The waiter nodded. "This way, please."
Guided by the waiter, she climbed the steps onto the yacht, her eyes wide with wonder—it was her first time seeing a vessel so grand.
As she stepped onto the deck, her gaze immediately landed on a man leaning against the railing on the second floor, his back turned to her.
Dressed in a deep blue satin shirt and black trousers, his sleeves were casually rolled up, revealing toned forearms as he rested them lazily on the railing. He tilted his head slightly, the sea breeze tousling the strands of hair over his forehead, yet doing nothing to diminish the striking profile of his handsome face.
A faint, careless smile played on his lips as he spoke to a tall, refined woman beside him.
