Ch 31: Shameless
The Zhuang Family manor is located in the suburbs; it takes an hour’s drive from the city district.
The manor’s tall, ornate iron gate slowly opened, and a black sedan slowly drove into the courtyard. Passing the long poplar tree avenue, a wide-open space suddenly appeared—a small parking lot.
A large lawn, a fountain, and several adjoining European-style villas were visible not far ahead. Further back, a vast expanse of continuous, overlapping mountains stretched out, with snow-covered mountains and verdant pine forests forming a magnificent backdrop.
After Zhuang Lingyun got out of the car, he glanced at the two sedans in the adjacent parking spaces.
A silver-gray Maybach and a red Porsche, their license plates consecutive: 888/999.
He frowned slightly. In the Zhuang Family’s vast manor, only Zhuang Hao and Zhong Lingxiu resided. Zhuang Hao’s taste in cars was quite bold; he preferred vehicles like off-roaders or pickup trucks.
These two luxury cars were too delicate. Were they Zhong Lingxiu’s? She had always been resourceful; a little coquettishness and charm could easily get her whatever she wanted.
Now it’s Father; before, it was him…
A sneer flickered across Zhuang Lingyun’s cold face. Seven years. Since she married into this family, his relationship with his father had deteriorated, almost severed during their five years in New Zealand.
He couldn’t get over this hurdle; the thought of it made him nauseous, sick to his stomach.
Therefore, he had never been willing to set foot here. If it weren’t for retrieving his mother’s relics, he wouldn’t have returned.
He locked the car, a fluffy black rabbit keychain clutched in his palm, and strode towards the villa.
The soft, fluffy texture of the black rabbit felt like a gentle hand caressing his heart, silently comforting him. It was a couple’s keychain, the same style as Xiao Yao’s.
The servant waiting at the door saw a tall figure striding towards them from afar and hastily turned back into the house. Soon, the servant came out again, this time with a sensual and glamorous woman behind them.
“Lingyun.”
Zhong Lingxiu was dressed up; a bodycon dress accentuated her curvaceous figure. Her full breasts stretched the fabric taut, almost bursting out. They trembled slightly with every step, truly a magnificent sight.
She wore heavy, glamorous makeup—fiery red lips—and called out “Lingyun” with a soft, melodious voice.
Zhuang Lingyun, however, ignored her, looking directly at the servant behind Zhong Lingxiu. “Where are my mother’s relics?”
“I put them away.”
Before the servant could speak, Zhong Lingxiu interjected: “They are some precious photo albums, diaries, and some handmade ceramic ornaments. I was afraid the servants wouldn’t take good care of them, so I kept them for you.”
Zhuang Lingyun’s face instantly darkened. His voice was icy. “Who told you to touch my mother’s things?”
“I was just being kind, don’t misunderstand,” Zhong Lingxiu hastily stepped forward, carefully taking the corner of his sleeve. “I deeply respected your mother, you know that, right? Don’t worry, I’ll take you to get them, okay?”
“I’ll wait here. You go get them,” Zhuang Lingyun withdrew his hand, his expression unchanged.
“Okay, then. Have a seat in the living room,” Zhong Lingxiu bit her red lip, looking aggrieved, turned and went upstairs, glancing back repeatedly.
The servant watched the scene, their heart pounding. Seeing Zhuang Lingyun’s cold gaze, they quickly lowered their head and went to the water dispenser to pour a glass of water, presenting it to him.
“Is my father not here?” Zhuang Lingyun asked.
The servant hastily stopped, carefully replying: “Mr. Zhuang is away on business. He left last night.”
Sure enough, Zhuang Lingyun’s face was cold as ice.
After drinking half a glass of water and sitting on the sofa for about ten minutes, a loud crash of a heavy object falling came from upstairs, followed by Zhong Lingxiu’s exclamation of distress.
Zhuang Lingyun abruptly stood up from the sofa, his face dark, and rushed upstairs.
Whether it was due to haste or a slippery floor, halfway up the stairs, he almost tripped. He quickly grabbed the handrail; his forehead felt tight, and his vision seemed to blur. He frowned, shook his head, and continued walking.
At the bedroom door, ceramic shards scattered everywhere. Zhong Lingxiu was facing away from him, frantically picking them up.
His mother loved pottery and often made flower pots, bowls, and decorative ornaments. Later, she was emotionally unstable before her passing, smashing many things, leaving very few behind.
Every remaining item was treasured by Zhuang Lingyun as a reminder of his mother’s presence.
Seeing the scattered shards, Zhuang Lingyun strode forward, roughly pulling Zhong Lingxiu aside and kneeling down to pick up the pieces one by one.
“Crash—”
The bedroom door slammed shut behind him.
Before Zhuang Lingyun could turn around, a curvaceous figure suddenly threw themselves into his arms. The bed was right behind them, and their intertwined bodies fell heavily onto the soft bedding.
A strong fragrance filled the air. Zhong Lingxiu raised her head from his chest, playfully poking his lips. “Silly, it was on purpose. I broke my vase, don’t be nervous.”
“Get off!” Zhuang Lingyun roared.
“Why are you yelling? Didn’t you used to love hugging me? You said I was thin but had lots of meat on me, making me the most comfortable to hug.”
“Do you know what you’re doing?”
Zhuang Lingyun’s face was so dark it seemed to drip water. He grabbed the woman’s arm and forcefully pulled himself away. He got up, his face grim and terrifying, his anger unrestrained. “Zhong Lingxiu, do you have any moral bottom line? You are my stepmother; how can you do something so shameless?”
“So what!”
That word, “shameless,” instantly brought tears to Zhong Lingxiu’s eyes; a dull pain pierced her heart. Nothing hurt more than being humiliated by the man she loved most.
However, she had heard all kinds of harsh words over the years, honing her ability to remain unfazed. Zhong Lingxiu turned sideways, forming an alluring “S” curve with her body, lightly sliding her fingers along her hip, her seductive and teasing gaze following him relentlessly.
“Didn’t you already know what kind of person I am? That’s right, I’m your stepmother, but I was also the woman you loved most.”
“You have the nerve to mention it?” Zhuang Lingyun narrowed his eyes, pressing on his throbbing head; waves of cold sweat mixed with inner heat swept through him like a whirlwind.
“Why not? I’m innocent. You were the one who wronged me; you and Yu Fei wronged me, so I retaliated. Look, I crippled Yu Fei, ensuring he’ll never be a man again; I paid a terrible price. But I still couldn’t bring myself to hurt you. Even when I targeted your father, I still took care of him and showed him concern because he was your family. But you didn’t appreciate it; you shouldn’t scold me. I did all this for you.”
Zhuang Lingyun scoffed, his cold smile full of sarcasm. “Your ability to distort the truth is getting better and better. So, I should thank you for your dedication and sacrifice? You put countless green hats on my head, making me the laughingstock of everyone, and I should thank you?”
“I didn’t!”
Zhong Lingxiu immediately retorted, her excited expression gradually turning into an indifferent smile. “So many years have passed; what’s the point of talking about this? Anyway, you’ve never believed me. But it doesn’t matter, I have you in my heart. I won’t let you go…”
Before she could finish, Zhuang Lingyun grabbed her collar and pulled her closer. His face flushed, his eyes bloodshot; he roared furiously: “What the hell did you give me to drink?!”
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