What’s Wrong with Being a Mama’s Girl in a Rich Family?! Chapter 16

When Cen Meng fainted, most netizens assumed it was a physiological reaction to extreme shame and her inability to defend herself, finding the situation utterly absurd.

[What? She just passed out?!]

[I’ve already thought of the headline: "Cen Meng Collapses in Shame After Being Exposed for Scandal"]

Some even believed Cen Meng was faking it.

[Is she just pretending to faint because she can’t think of an excuse?]

Only Cen Meng’s fans remained steadfast in their defense of her.

[She must have fainted from sheer distress, poor thing.]

[Do you people have no heart? She’s already collapsed, and you’re still slandering her!]

After Cen Meng, Ning Yuxuan and Jiang Ning'an exited the villa one after the other. When Cen Meng fell to the ground, Ning Yuxuan was just a few meters behind her.

As Cen Meng collapsed, several fans and staff members rushed to check on her. However, the leading fan didn’t immediately tend to Cen Meng—instead, she scanned the surroundings and locked eyes with Ning Yuxuan.

It was all Ning Yuxuan’s fault! If not for her, their beloved Mengmeng wouldn’t have faced such vicious backlash or fainted!

Filled with rage, the fan suddenly charged at Ning Yuxuan, raising her arm—

The next moment, the fan was on her knees.

The audience: ???

What just happened?

It took a few seconds for viewers to realize—Cen Meng’s fan had tried to slap Ning Yuxuan, but Jiang Ning'an swiftly intercepted her.

It wasn’t just a simple block; Jiang Ning'an redirected the force, causing the fan to lose balance and fall.

[Wow, did Jiang Ning'an just do that?]

[So cool! No wonder her fight scenes are sharper than most male actors!]

The last to leave the villa were the three mothers.

Ning Fei and Qin Man, witnessing the scene at the entrance, hurried over.

Ning Fei immediately shielded Ning Yuxuan, glaring at the fallen fan. "What were you trying to do to my daughter?"

Qin Man also approached Jiang Ning'an. "Are you alright?"

[This is the first time I’ve heard Teacher Ning speak so sternly… it’s oddly touching.]

[Same here. The usually gentle and elegant Ning Fei actually showed her protective side.]

[Both mothers are amazing, each caring for their daughters in their own way.]

The production team hadn’t anticipated such a violent incident. After a brief delay, more staff rushed in.

Once the aggressive fan was escorted away, Ning Fei turned to her daughter. "Yuxuan, are you hurt?"

Ning Yuxuan smiled. "I’m fine."

She then thanked Jiang Ning'an.

Jiang Ning'an shook her head. "No problem. But… was that Cen Meng’s fan? What happened?"

Glancing at the commotion around Cen Meng and the fan being dragged off, she looked utterly confused.

Jiang Ning'an had been walking a few steps behind Ning Yuxuan and hadn’t caught the earlier drama. She’d simply seen someone lunging at Ning Yuxuan and acted on instinct.

Her reflexes, honed by martial arts training and action scenes, were far quicker than most.

Ning Yuxuan replied calmly, "Probably couldn’t accept the truth about her idol and needed someone to blame."

Jiang Ning'an nodded, though she still seemed unsure.

Since the guests’ phones were confiscated during filming, Jiang Ning'an had no idea about the trending scandals or the online frenzy.

But the live-stream audience immediately grasped Ning Yuxuan’s implication.

[!! Is this the official confirmation?]

[To summarize: Cen Meng fainted, Ning Yuxuan confirmed the rumors, so the truth is clear now.]

[This drama is officially over. Pack it up, folks!]

As the first episode wrapped, clips of Cen Meng’s collapse and Ning Yuxuan’s indirect admission spread rapidly online.

Following the 24-hour crisis management rule, any attempt by Cen Meng to explain herself after this point would fall flat.

But since the director had kept the trending scandals from her until after the live broadcast, Cen Meng had missed her chance to respond in time.

She hadn’t informed her agency about her relationship with Gu Yunhao, leaving them unable to issue a statement on her behalf.

Her last hope had been to craft a plausible excuse when confronted by fans—something to at least placate her supporters, if not the public.

Now, even that slim chance was gone. The internet erupted in mockery.

…

When Ning Yuxuan and Ning Fei returned home, they found Ning Shiyue standing stiffly, lips pressed into a thin line.

"Who upset you?" Ning Yuxuan raised a brow.

Ning Shiyue spoke through gritted teeth. "If someone attacks you, why didn’t you dodge?"

He’d finished work early and tuned into the live stream of Moments with Mom.

Within minutes, he saw Ning Yuxuan nearly get slapped outside the villa.

Ning Yuxuan chuckled. "But nothing happened."

Ning Shiyue’s expression darkened. "Only because Jiang Ning'an was there. Otherwise—"

Ning Yuxuan cut in, "Otherwise, I’d have fought back myself."

Ning Shiyue scoffed, unconvinced.

He doubted her words but didn’t want to press further, knowing she’d already been through enough.

Ning Fei, still shaken, added, "The show’s security was clearly lacking. They need to tighten measures to prevent this from happening again."

After two days of filming, Ning Fei was exhausted. She retreated to her room to rest, leaving the siblings in the living room.

Seeing Ning Shiyue still fuming, Ning Yuxuan teased, "Ning Shiyue."

He shot her a glare. "What?"

Ning Yuxuan smirked. "Didn’t someone once say they wouldn’t care even if I died?"

Ning Shiyue stiffened. "When did I—"

Then it hit him.

He had said something like that—back when Ning Yuxuan was humiliated by Gu Yunhao but still clung to him.

That time, Ning Yuxuan had spent a month meticulously preparing for her birthday party, only for Gu Yunhao to receive a call about Cen Meng feeling unwell—without a second thought, he abandoned Ning Yuxuan and left.

At the time, Ning Shiyue watched as Ning Yuxuan hid in her room, crying while dialing Gu Yunhao’s number, and couldn’t contain his frustration. "I really don’t understand why you’re still calling him. Can’t you stop begging him? Have some self-respect and just break up with him already!"

Ning Yuxuan shook her head through her tears. "No, you don’t understand… I love him!"

Ning Shiyue was so angry he felt dizzy. The words burst out before he could stop them: "I don’t understand! All I know is that if you don’t break up with Gu Yunhao this time, even if he ruins your life someday, I won’t lift a finger to help you!"

……

Ning Shiyue remembered how, after that argument, he and Ning Yuxuan hadn’t spoken for a long time.

Occasionally, they’d cross paths, only to avert their eyes in silence.

Looking back now, Ning Shiyue couldn’t help but feel a twinge of regret.

Back then… he might have gone too far.

"Why so quiet?" Ning Yuxuan’s curious voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

Ning Shiyue’s gaze drifted slightly. "I…"

The apology lingered on the tip of his tongue, but he couldn’t quite bring himself to say it.

When they were kids, roughhousing with Ning Yuxuan always ended with her in tears—she’d been unusually delicate.

But back then, all it took was a quick "I’m sorry" and a few comforting words to make her smile again.

Those three simple words, so effortless in childhood, had somehow become impossibly difficult as adults.

Ning Shiyue took a deep breath and finally steeled himself. "Sor—"

Ning Yuxuan cut him off. "Are you feeling super guilty right now? Like you owe me a huge apology for saying such awful things to your own sister? Maybe even want to grovel and beg for forgiveness?"

Ning Shiyue: "?"

The emotions he’d just mustered evaporated instantly, leaving his expression comically blank.

Ning Yuxuan smirked and continued, "Luckily for you, your sister is incredibly magnanimous. I’ll let it slide!"

Ning Shiyue: "……"

"Alright," Ning Yuxuan waved a hand. "I’m going to rest for a bit. See you at dinner."

She turned and walked toward her room, but just as she reached the door, she heard her name called softly from behind.

Ning Yuxuan glanced back.

Ning Shiyue kept his head down and muttered three words under his breath.

Ning Yuxuan arched a brow. "What was that? I didn’t hear you."

"Good things aren’t said twice!" Ning Shiyue turned away. "If you missed it, too bad."

Meanwhile, in the car heading back to her apartment, Cen Meng sat with her assistant.

As she fainted in front of everyone, her last thought was: If only everything could just be a bad dream when I wake up.

But there were no "if onlys."

Truthfully, Cen Meng hadn’t completely lost consciousness—just a sudden rush of dizziness and weakness in her legs.

Caught off guard, she knew that reacting poorly would only escalate the situation.

Between her failing body and crumbling composure, instinct drove her to escape.

By the time she was in the car, Cen Meng had slowly regained her senses.

The half-hour ride gave her just enough time to claw back a sliver of hope from the despair.

This battle? Ning Yuxuan might have won the first round.

But the war wasn’t over yet.

Only Cen Meng and her assistant remained in the car; Qiao Yazhen had vanished, not that Cen Meng cared.

She pulled out her phone. Among the many missed calls, she selected one and dialed back.

The moment the line connected, Cen Meng steadied her voice. "Sister Gao."

Her manager’s furious tirade exploded through the receiver.

Cen Meng bit back her retorts.

This mess was her fault, and without the full backing of the Gu family yet, she couldn’t afford to burn bridges with her agency.

Only when the scolding finally ended did Cen Meng speak. "Sister Gao, tonight I’ll post an apology video explaining that I had no idea about the affair rumors. Please have the company help with damage control. Can we do that?"

……

After the call, Cen Meng returned alone to her private apartment in Beicheng.

The first thing she did was call Gu Yunhao.

Hearing him pick up eased some of the tension in her chest.

"Yunhao, I—"

Before she could continue, Gu Yunhao’s voice cut in, stern. "Mengmeng, this time you’ve really gone too far."

Tears welled up instantly at his reproach.

"Yunhao!" Cen Meng’s voice trembled with a sob. "How can you say that to me? I had no idea things would turn out like this—I’m a victim here too!"

Gu Yunhao hesitated for a few seconds. "You… really didn’t know? The rumors online—they didn’t start because of you?"

Earlier, his mother had berated him harshly, blaming Cen Meng for the scandal and demanding he cut ties with her immediately.

So when he answered this call, Gu Yunhao had been ready to end things.

But hearing Cen Meng’s tearful plea, his resolve wavered.

Her voice quivered, fragile and pitiful. "Yunhao, after all this time, don’t you know what kind of person I am? Even when you were with Ning Yuxuan, I never forced you to break up with her right away. Someone’s targeting me—that’s why this is happening!"

Gu Yunhao wavered. "But…"

Sensing his hesitation, Cen Meng cried harder. "Yunhao, do you really not believe me anymore? Please, no matter what, just come see me. I have nothing left… only you!"

Silence stretched over the line.

Then—

"…Alright."

Half of Cen Meng’s anxiety dissolved.

Good. As long as he’s willing to come, there’s still a chance to fix this.

An hour later, Gu Yunhao arrived at her apartment door, disguised in a mask and hat.

The moment she saw him, Cen Meng threw herself into his arms.

She looked up at him, eyes glistening. "You came… I thought even you were going to abandon me!"

The familiar scent of her perfume, the warmth of her in his arms—Gu Yunhao’s resistance crumbled further.

Cen Meng pressed on, whispering, "Yunhao, you’ll never leave me, right?"

Gu Yunhao clenched his jaw.

"Mengmeng…" His voice was heavy. "I don’t want to leave you. But my mother—after hearing about this, she’s furious. She’s forcing me to break up with you."

Cen Meng blurted out, "Then just don’t tell her!"

She immediately realized her own impropriety and quickly rephrased: "What I mean is, if your mother doesn’t approve of us, I can temporarily forgo any formal recognition. As long as you still love me, I’m willing to make sacrifices!"

Back when Gu Yunhao had just broken up with Ning Yuxuan, Cen Meng’s greatest desire was for him to formally introduce her to his friends and family, to become the official girlfriend of the Gu family’s eldest grandson.

But now, things had reached this point, and Cen Meng understood that the most crucial thing at the moment was to keep Gu Yunhao steady.

As long as this man still loved her, given enough time and fading rumors, others would eventually come to accept her.

Hearing Cen Meng’s words, Gu Yunhao was taken aback. "You… really mean it?"

Cen Meng nodded emphatically. "I do."

Gu Yunhao fell silent for a moment before nodding. "Alright, I promise you. As for my mother, I’ll tell her we’ve broken up. But there’s one more thing…"

Cen Meng looked at him eagerly. "What is it?"

Gu Yunhao cleared his throat. "My mother already knows about the Golden Water Bay villa I arranged for you and your family. So, you’ll have to move out immediately."

At this, Cen Meng paled. "What… did you say?"

Gu Yunhao avoided her gaze.

When he had first gifted the Golden Water Bay mansion to Cen Meng, he had done so under his own name, even boasting that she could stay as long as she liked.

Now, after barely a few days, he was suddenly demanding its return. Gu Yunhao felt deeply ashamed.

But he didn’t dare disobey his mother. Clenching his fists, he muttered, "Mengmeng, I’m sorry."

Cen Meng refused to accept this. "But—"

She had only just finished renovating the villa, and the library had barely been decorated.

With only one prelude episode filmed, being forced to move now would render all her preparations meaningless.

Moreover, the production team had already informed her that the second episode would be filmed in each guest’s home.

Her original home was just an ordinary three-bedroom apartment.

If the prelude showed her living in a luxurious mansion, only for the next episode to reveal a modest residence, what would the crew think? What would the audience say?

Biting her lip, Cen Meng pleaded, "Yunhao, I understand, but… could you give me a little more time?"

Tears welled in her eyes as she raised a hand. "Just ten days. In ten days, I’ll move out without fail!"

No matter what, she had to hold on until the second episode was filmed.

Gu Yunhao hesitated for a few seconds.

Ten days wasn’t too long.

Besides, he already felt guilty about abruptly asking her to leave.

"…Fine," he agreed. "Ten days it is."

Cen Meng finally smiled through her tears. "Yunhao, you’re the best!"

---

Meanwhile, at a private club in North City.

Gu Yunhao’s childhood friend Qi Ang had gathered a group of buddies for a night of revelry.

Inside the private room, the crowd buzzed with gossip about the Gu family.

"Ang!" A young man in a purple shirt called out. "That Young Master Gu really made a fool of himself this time, huh?"

The gathering consisted of North City’s wealthy second-generation elites, all close friends of Qi Ang.

In public, they fawned over Gu Yunhao, the privileged heir of the Gu family.

But privately, they looked down on him—a man with no real ability, coasting solely on his family name.

Now that Gu Yunhao had embarrassed himself, they were eager to witness his—and his family’s—downfall.

Qi Ang smirked. "Absolutely. Falling for some minor celebrity, then getting outplayed by his ex-girlfriend."

After mocking Gu Yunhao, the conversation shifted to Ning Yuxuan.

The purple-shirted man mused, "After this mess, Gu Yunhao won’t let that ex of his off easy, right?"

Another man in a white T-shirt chimed in, "What’s the deal with that Ning woman anyway? I heard even President Xie greeted her at the birthday banquet the other day. Does she have some hidden connection to the Xie family?"

Qi Ang flicked his cigarette ash dismissively. "I asked Gu Yunhao. There’s no connection."

The purple-shirted man grinned. "Then this show’s about to get even more entertaining. I can’t wait to see how the mighty Young Master Gu deals with the woman who humiliated him."

The room erupted in laughter, everyone eagerly anticipating the drama to come.

---

That evening, at a restaurant in North City.

A man in a black shirt rose with a grin as the private room door opened.

"Zhiyan—no, President Xie," Jiang Shao greeted. "Getting a meal with you these days is no easy feat!"

Xie Zhiyan removed his suit jacket and stated matter-of-factly, "You said you were returning two days ago. I’m here tonight."

"True, true!" Jiang Shao nodded. "I should thank you, President Xie, for not making me schedule this through your secretary two weeks in advance—out of respect for our old friendship!"

The two had studied abroad together years ago. But after the sudden upheaval in the Xie family, Xie Zhiyan returned home, while Jiang Shao left for his family’s North American branch.

Jiang Shao visited China about once a year, always making time for a meal with Xie Zhiyan. Over these years, he had witnessed Xie Zhiyan’s meteoric rise—

In just five years, Xie Zhiyan had not only secured absolute control over the Xie conglomerate but elevated the entire family to unprecedented heights, leaving peers like Jiang Shao—still grinding in their family businesses—far behind.

Still, Jiang Shao believed that behind Xie Zhiyan’s ruthless, ice-cold reputation lay a man who valued old ties.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have agreed to meet on such short notice.

The food had been pre-ordered. Jiang Shao snapped his fingers at the waiting server, signaling for the dishes to be served.

As they sat, Jiang Shao began, "Zhiyan, care to guess why I’m back this time?"

Xie Zhiyan shot him a look. "Get to the point."

Jiang Shao dropped the act. "I’m getting married."

Xie Zhiyan’s hands paused on his tie. "No wonder you’re so cheerful."

Jiang Shao had been grinning like an idiot since he walked in.

Chuckling, Jiang Shao added, "We’re planning the wedding in Europe. But my fiancée’s parents are from North City, so this trip is mainly to meet them."

Xie Zhiyan offered a simple, "Congratulations."

Jiang Shao beamed, gulping down a mouthful of tea.

Noticing Xie Zhiyan’s glance, he explained cheerfully, "My fiancée’s orders—no alcohol unless absolutely necessary."

"Oh, and—" Jiang Shao added, "The wedding’s tentatively set for next autumn. Once the date’s finalized, I’ll send you an invite. If you’re free, do honor us with your presence!"

The fiancée placed great importance on the wedding and began preparations over a year in advance. Jiang Shao knew Xie Zhiyan had a busy schedule and didn’t insist that he must attend.

Xie Zhiyan agreed.

The dishes arrived quickly, and Jiang Shao couldn’t help himself—he ended up sharing several more anecdotes about his fiancée.

Then he asked, "Zhiyan, after a year apart, you’re still the same? Not only no plans to marry, but not even a girlfriend?"

Xie Zhiyan picked up a piece of greens but didn’t respond.

Jiang Shao continued, "Auntie Zheng knew I was meeting you today and specifically asked me to persuade you. Even if you’re not in a hurry to marry, at least consider dating someone."

Joy makes a man bold, and Jiang Shao was feeling particularly emboldened by his own happiness.

Under normal circumstances, even as old friends, he wouldn’t dare meddle in Xie Zhiyan’s personal affairs.

Xie Zhiyan finally lifted his gaze.

One look was all it took for Jiang Shao to realize he’d overstepped. He waved his hand dismissively. "Alright, alright, forget I mentioned it."

Jiang Shao mimed zipping his lips, signaling he wouldn’t bring it up again tonight.

Still, he couldn’t help thinking to himself: With Xie Zhiyan’s attitude, by the time his own child could run errands, Xie Zhiyan would probably still be unmarried.

What kind of woman could possibly handle this "otherworldly" friend of his?

She’d have to be a goddess herself.

Since the previous topic was a dead end, Jiang Shao recalled a piece of gossip he’d heard recently.

"Zhiyan, have you heard?" Jiang Shao said. "The Gu family’s been dealing with a minor scandal lately. Everyone’s having a laugh at their expense."

Xie Zhiyan replied indifferently, "No."

He’d been negotiating an important project for his company, shuttling between three cities in two days, leaving no time to pay attention to anything outside work.

Even if he’d had the time, he likely wouldn’t have bothered.

Jiang Shao explained, "It’s about the Gu family’s eldest grandson, Gu Yunhao. He cheated with a minor celebrity named Cen Meng. The video got leaked online, and netizens tore him apart."

With his meeting with his future in-laws scheduled for the day after tomorrow, Jiang Shao had spent the whole day idle, indulging in the drama.

Xie Zhiyan listened quietly, offering no opinion.

To Jiang Shao, the lack of interruption meant Xie Zhiyan was at least somewhat interested.

Eagerly, he continued, "Speaking of the girlfriend Gu Yunhao cheated on—you actually know her. It’s that girl you used to tutor, Ning Yuxuan."

It had been years since they’d last seen her, and Jiang Shao had nearly forgotten Ning Yuxuan’s name until today, when he remembered she was the girl they’d met at the Xie family home back then.

Truthfully, Jiang Shao was only five years older than Ning Yuxuan.

But when he first met her, she was fourteen—a child in the eyes of the already-adult Jiang Shao.

So when he heard about Gu Yunhao and Ning Yuxuan’s mess, his first reaction was: That bastard Gu Yunhao actually preyed on a young girl!

Only later did he realize that, by now, Ning Yuxuan was probably around twenty-five.

Jiang Shao had rambled on, but Xie Zhiyan remained silent, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

It wasn’t until Jiang Shao mentioned "Ning Yuxuan" that Xie Zhiyan’s expression finally shifted.

He frowned slightly. "Why are you telling me this?"

Jiang Shao realized he’d gone off on a tangent. A little gossip was fine, but Xie Zhiyan definitely wouldn’t care for a lengthy discussion.

He chuckled awkwardly. "No reason, just thought of it suddenly."

With that, Jiang Shao gulped down two more mouthfuls of tea.

He had a habit—whenever his emotions ran high, whether from excitement, joy, or awkwardness, he’d drink water incessantly.

After two seconds of silence, Xie Zhiyan suddenly spoke. "Is Gu Yunhao’s scandal all over the internet now?"

Jiang Shao was taken aback. Weren’t you not interested?

But since Xie Zhiyan had asked, he answered promptly, "Yeah, multiple hashtags blew up. Too bad Gu Yunhao himself didn’t get dragged directly. The video didn’t show his face clearly, so he’s probably hiding at home, terrified of being exposed."

Jiang Shao had never liked Gu Yunhao, even as kids. Back then, when their group played together, Gu Yunhao was the only one who constantly threatened to "tell Mom and Dad."

Thanks to Gu Yunhao’s tattling, Jiang Shao had endured plenty of beatings from his father.

Still, since this involved the Gu family, Jiang Shao wouldn’t expose Gu Yunhao’s identity over childhood grudges—though he couldn’t help feeling a little disappointed.

"Anyway, it’s been wild," Jiang Shao said gleefully. "Apparently, Gu Yunhao gave Ning Yuxuan’s book to that minor celebrity—some famous British-Chinese author’s work. The girl bragged about it on a show, and that’s how the whole thing got exposed."

Xie Zhiyan: "..."

After dinner, Ning Yuxuan returned to her room to rest.

A new message popped up on her phone.

Xie Zhiyan: [That book you asked me about yesterday—did you give it to someone else?]

Ning Yuxuan: "..."

Why was he suddenly bringing this up?

Could Xie Zhiyan, of all people, have watched the livestream?

No way.

She played dumb. [No, why?]

Gu Yunhao had taken the book himself. While she hadn’t guarded it well, she couldn’t exactly say she’d given it away.

Xie Zhiyan: [No reason.]

Xie Zhiyan: [Once I gave it to you, it was yours to do with as you pleased.]