Chapter 113
Tonight's awards ceremony undoubtedly brought a wave of public frenzy. Trending topics remained high on the charts, and the news of Ning Manqing and Li Chu's suspected official announcement spread like wildfire.
CP fans rejoiced, countless new fans joined the shipping ranks, and most of the individual fans of both actresses held a tacitly approving attitude. A small portion still believed it was just a good friendship and didn't count as an official announcement, but these voices were largely drowned out.
Few fans unfollowed; instead, most offered their blessings. Both actresses were known for their acting prowess and rarely engaged in hype. Their achievements were solid and not propped up by fan economies. Coupled with their clean reputations, the public perception was quite positive.
Actually, compared to the fans, Tang Congnan, Li Chu's agent, was the most dumbfounded.
One second he was happily enjoying someone else's gossip, the next he was informed by his assistant that Li Chu had gone to the awards ceremony and was sitting in Ning Manqing's seat.
Finding the gossip had landed on his own doorstep, Tang Congnan could almost foresee the coming media storm. Heartbroken, he wished he could crack open Li Chu's head to see what tofu dregs were inside. Even if her relationship with Ning Manqing was innocent and purely platonic, it wouldn't withstand the speculation and rumors.
But after hearing Li Chu's speech, Tang Congnan was numb.
The clown was actually himself.
Who would believe they weren't an item after that? Tang Congnan suddenly recalled past details, remembering his trust in Ning Manqing, and felt a pang in his chest.
His precious cabbage had been unknowingly taken by a pig… Tang Congnan thought about Ning Manqing's beauty and current net worth, and couldn't help but feel another pang of heartache. His fresh, vibrant cabbage had been taken by another, equally impressive cabbage.
After Li Chu finished her speech, Tang Congnan's WeChat and phone were blowing up, everyone asking if it was true.
Tang Congnan wasn't sure. While he felt it was likely, he still held a sliver of hope. Even if it were true, he couldn't say it outright. So he prevaricated and evaded a few questions. Seeing the sheer number of inquiries flooding in, his phone nearly dying, Tang Congnan quickly adjusted his settings, feeling utterly desolate.
He only had one thought: Kill Ji Yun.
If Ji Yun hadn't sworn up and down that Ning Manqing and Li Chu's pheromone compatibility was extremely low, how could he have been so at ease letting them interact?!
What was this?! Leading a lamb to the slaughter!
Regarding this matter, Ji Yun also felt deeply wronged.
He genuinely believed what he'd said. After watching the live broadcast tonight, he was also dumbfounded, earning San Qiu's schadenfreude laughter.
"No wonder people say your romance scenes are trash, Director Ji. Your eyes and brain are truly hopeless."
Ji Yun widened his eyes, looking accusingly at his long-time partner. "You knew and didn't tell me!"
"Wasn't it obvious during filming? Why would I tell you? Their feelings were already ambiguous. If you, a loudmouth and a blockhead, had known, what would have happened? It doesn't matter, you know now, don't you?"
Ji Yun remembered what he had said to Li Chu's agent and gulped nervously.
As Ning Manqing's agent, Ran Yanru also received inquiries, some even from outside the entertainment industry. The Ning family was currently in the midst of a power shift, and Ning Manqing was likely to be the next successor. However, Ning Manqing was a tough nut to crack, difficult to sway or gain favors from. Some people were trying to find other inroads.
Ran Yanru ignored them all. Ning Manqing hadn't spoken, so it wasn't time to reveal anything yet.
At the private hospital, Ning Manqing stood outside the ICU, flanked by Ning Haoyuan and Ning Yunzhi. Their expressions varied, and the air was thick with tension.
Ning Manqing sat down, watching a saved video of Li Chu's speech and actions on the stage, a smile curving her lips. Li Chu's words made her happier than winning any award.
"You can still smile at a time like this? It seems you're hoping Mom and Dad die in surgery so you can seize all the power for yourself."
Seeing this, Ning Haoyuan spoke sarcastically.
Ning Manqing's smile faded. She looked up at Ning Haoyuan, her expression cold.
"You'd better have a clear conscience."
Ning Manqing's gaze swept coldly over her brother and sister. Although she didn't have much familial affection for her parents, maintaining a relationship based on thin blood ties and mutual benefit, she never intended to harm them. This incident was definitely not done by outsiders. She just didn't know if it was Ning Haoyuan or Ning Yunzhi, or if they had colluded.
Ning Manqing could even guess their motives: nothing more than a cornered animal lashing out. Her parents intended for her to be the successor, and Ning Haoyuan and Ning Yunzhi wouldn't be content with being cut off from the vast family fortune. The resources they had been forced to hand over had already diminished their power. They wanted to regain control, and their parents, who controlled the group, were merely obstacles.
They were probably thinking that as long as their parents died, and they shifted the blame onto her, they could easily reclaim what they had lost.
The derision in Ning Manqing's heart was evident on her face. Such a plan was both vicious and foolish.
She hadn't intended to fully incorporate the Yuanhe Group into her own empire. Even if she left Yuanhe, she could still build her own success. It wasn't impossible for them to manage it together, but they lacked the mind of a leader and still coveted that position, not to mention the actions they took to achieve it.
Ning Manqing would not forgive anyone who harmed Li Chu.
Ning Haoyuan and Ning Yunzhi felt a chill under Ning Manqing's gaze. Their expressions shifted, and with a hint of indignant self-justification, they began to defend themselves.
At this moment, no one thought to inform Ning Yuxi, who had been sent abroad. Ning Haoyuan and Ning Yunzhi stared at the operating room door, as if trying to see through it, to confirm whether their parents were dead or alive.
Due to brake failure, the car crashed into the guardrail. The driver died on the spot, and Ning's father, sitting in the position that bore the brunt of the impact, was in a more critical condition.
After hours of rescue efforts, the operating room light turned from red to green. Ning's father's injuries were too severe; he didn't make it. Ning's mother needed to be transferred to intensive care. If she could survive the night, she would be fine. If not, she might join her husband.
Ning Manqing watched the subtle relaxation in Ning Haoyuan and Ning Yunzhi's bodies upon hearing of their father's death, the gloom in her eyes deepening.
She opened her phone, saw Li Chu on her wallpaper, calmed down slightly, and closed her phone again.
Ning's mother didn't survive the night. She passed away at 3 a.m.
With the passing of both heads of the Ning family, a new round of turmoil began.
Upon learning the news, Li Chu was stunned for a moment.
When she returned from the awards ceremony, she was subjected to Tang Congnan's questioning. Li Chu didn't hide anything. When Tang Congnan asked if they planned to go public with their relationship, Li Chu said there was no rush.
She briefly explained Ning Manqing's current situation and troubles to Tang Congnan, telling him not to worry about the online chatter and not to do anything. When she needed him to act, she would let him know.
Tang Congnan didn't say anything more. If it only involved Li Chu's career, he would have planned carefully, but this involved a wealthy family's internal conflict, and those matters could be put aside for now.
Besides Tang Congnan, Li Chu also received messages from Ming Zhi, Zhao Zhichun, and a series of other friends in the industry. Li Chu only replied to Ming Zhi and Zhao Zhichun, putting the others on hold for the time being.
Then came a long wait. Ning Manqing waited at the hospital, and she waited at home.
Li Chu learned the news because Ning Manqing called her.
When the call connected, there was a long silence on the other end. Li Chu didn't speak, listening to Ning Manqing's breathing, accompanying her in the silence until Ning Manqing spoke.
"There might be a PR battle next, but it won't be difficult to handle."
"Mm," Li Chu responded. "I'm waiting for you at home. Don't hold back, Teacher Ning. Do what you need to do."
If she could, Li Chu wanted to see Ning Manqing right now and give her a hug.
"Okay."
Ning Manqing wasn't overly saddened by her parents' deaths, only somewhat melancholic. But the void in her heart had already been filled.
A media storm erupted unexpectedly. One day it was Ning Manqing and Li Chu's suspected relationship reveal, the next it was the death of Ning Manqing's parents, followed by accusations of murder from her siblings, and then Ning Manqing's counterattack. This wealthy family's drama, mixed with the romance of a Best Actress and a popular actress, turned netizens into gossip-hungry netizens, feasting until they forgot who and where they were.
Many people flocked to Li Chu's Weibo, asking for the truth. Li Chu simply reposted Ning Manqing's statement and made no further comments.
She truly didn't care about the online chatter. Paying attention to Yuanhe Group's stock price was much more meaningful.
A week later, the storm subsided.
Ning Manqing not only found evidence of her siblings' involvement in the murder but also presented evidence of bribery, tax evasion, and illicit business dealings, leading to their imprisonment.
The board of directors sided with Ning Manqing, and she undoubtedly became the new head of the Ning family.
Her parents were murdered by her siblings, her siblings were in jail, her younger brother was abroad. The once flourishing Ning family was now down to just Ning Manqing.
Unfettered, Ning Manqing reorganized and purged the Yuanhe Group. She removed the parasitic old guard who were corroding the company's vitality, cut off unnecessary business chains, and formed a powerful alliance with her own company and Mu Xiao's Tiange Group. After the upheaval, Yuanhe Group was stronger than ever.
Public opinion was in an uproar. Who didn't love a good, wealthy family power struggle? Ning Manqing gained even more fans from all walks of life.
@GuardianOfNingManqingUnitedNationsAmbassadorToTheGalacticEmbassy: I was so anxious this week. I didn't expect that as a career fan, I'd have to worry about not only my idol's resources but also whether she could become the CEO. She's truly amazing!
@ObsessedWithMyQing: My mom always says I'm wasting my time chasing stars. I pointed to the group CEO being interviewed on CCTV Finance and said, "This is the Best Actress I stan." My mom was silent for a moment and then told me to study hard and see how awesome other people are, hahaha, it's crazy. As her fan, I'm incredibly proud!
After seven days of mourning, the bodies of Ning's father and mother were cremated and buried. Many people attended the memorial service.
A few media outlets allowed to film arrived early and waited at the venue. When Li Chu appeared in a black dress, wearing a white flower, arm in arm with Ning Manqing, public opinion went wild.
@IHaveAQingLiTree: Holy crap, holy crap, I'm losing it, I'm losing it! Is this attending as family? Is the scope of my CP a bit too wide now?!
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