She understood Chen Nan's intentions.
He had never concealed his inner thoughts from her.
Just last time.
He had even suggested taking a shortcut.
But she had refused.
In her opinion.
Even if it was as Chen Nan suggested, it would be equivalent to betraying her husband.
"How about this, tonight our Wu family will host, inviting the two young masters to dine at Xijiang Yue." Wu Ningshi was, after all, a woman. If she were to dine alone with Chen Nan and Liang Jian, she would undoubtedly be gossiped about.
However, she did not want to miss the opportunity to forge connections with Chen Nan and Liang Jian.
Although she was unsure of Chen Nan's background.
She had met the young master of the Liang family before.
"Alright, we'll have a simple lunch first, and then a big meal tonight!" Chen Nan agreed with a smile, understanding Wu Ningshi's thoughts.
Climbing onto the Liang family's "big tree" to gain some standing within the Wu family.
To put it bluntly.
She didn't know when her husband would die.
If he died tomorrow, she certainly wouldn't be like this.
Once he was dead, she would be kicked out of the Wu family.
And she wouldn't have to rack her brains to help the Wu family connect with influential people.
But if he lived for another three to five years, or more than a decade.
Befriending important figures would solidify her position within the Wu family.
Wu Ningshi's thoughts aligned with Chen Nan's.
However.
Her heart was complex.
Extremely conflicted.
Because she desperately wished her husband would die tomorrow.
Then she could escape this "fiery pit" of the Wu family.
After all, she had no presence in the Wu family and was often cursed at.
Especially when her husband was in a bad mood.
He would treat her as a punching bag.
If he died.
She would gain freedom and be with Chen Nan, doing as she pleased.
After bidding farewell to Chen Nan.
Wu Ningshi happily headed towards the Wu family.
She intended to inform her husband about the dinner invitation for Chen Nan and Liang Jian that evening.
However.
As soon as she returned to the Wu family, she saw her husband sitting in a wheelchair, his face contorted with ferocity.
In addition, several other Wu family disciples had furious expressions.
As if they wanted to swallow her whole.
Wu Quan suppressed his anger and beckoned to her, "Come, kneel and speak!"
Wu Ningshi nervously knelt before her husband, Wu Quan.
Due to his paralysis, Wu Quan could only move in his wheelchair.
And he disliked looking up when speaking to others.
Therefore.
Every time in front of Wu Quan, Wu Ningshi had to kneel.
Although she had once proposed squatting halfway, she was brutally beaten by him.
Thus.
She had grown accustomed to speaking while kneeling before Wu Quan.
*Slap!*
The moment she knelt down.
Wu Quan slapped her across the face.
"Husband, did I do something wrong? Why did you hit me?" Wu Ningshi clutched her stinging right cheek, her eyes filled with grievance and pain.
*Slap!*
Wu Quan slapped Wu Ningshi's face again, his voice chilling, "Do you understand now why I hit you?"
"I truly don't understand what I did wrong." Wu Ningshi held back her tears, her disappointment in this man reaching its peak.
She wished he would drop dead immediately.
A middle-aged man roared, "Ning Yinqiu, our Wu family's printing business has been established for a century. Although it hasn't seen much success, we have always conducted ourselves honestly."
"But you, without even verifying if the other party's publication number was correct, rashly signed a contract with him and even printed sixteen thousand copies of books."
"This has put our Wu family on the brink of bankruptcy. Tell me, do you deserve to be hit?"
He was Wu Yuanzhong.
Wu Quan's second uncle.
He had been eagerly awaiting Wu Quan's demise.
Wu Quan had no heir.
Once he passed away, the position of Wu family patriarch would inevitably fall to him.
"Father, is beating someone like this enough? In my opinion, she should be drowned in a pig cage. No, no, she should be sold to a brothel to earn money for our Wu family to repay our debts." Wu Yuanzhong's son, Wu Zheng, said playfully, a lewd glint flashing deep in his eyes.
He had long desired Ning Yinqiu.
But because his cousin was not dead,
He dared not act rashly.
It was different now.
The family was on the verge of bankruptcy because of Ning Yinqiu. He dared to say any disgraceful words in front of Wu Quan.
"Before selling her to a brothel, let the brothers in the family have a taste of what 'sister-in-law' tastes like!" A young disciple of the Wu family openly expressed his thoughts.
*Pfft!*
Wu Quan was so enraged that he spat out a mouthful of blood. His face turned extremely pale, but his eyes were filled with boundless fury. "I'm not dead yet. Are you all showing me this little respect as the patriarch?"
He knew these people had always harbored intentions towards his wife.
But he never expected them to be so brazen.
This was practically slapping him in the face!
Wu Yuanzhong let out a heavy snort, "Our Wu family is almost finished. What does it matter if you're not dead yet? Can you possibly raise thirty-two thousand taels of silver for the fine?"
Wu Quan felt as if his throat was being constricted.
He remained speechless for a long time.
The Wu family's business had been declining for years.
Although the Wu family printing business brought in some income, it was barely enough to cover the family's expenses.
Let alone raising thirty-two thousand taels of silver.
Even if they sold everything, they couldn't come up with five thousand taels.
*Slap!*
Wu Quan ferociously slapped Ning Yinqiu, causing fresh blood to ooze from the corner of her mouth. Like a maddened lion, he roared, "It's all your fault, you slut! If not for you, how could my Wu family face such a disaster?"
Ning Yinqiu gave a tragic smile, her eyes filled with bitterness. "Yes, blame me when something goes wrong. But when we made money, you never praised me once."
"They say hearts are made of flesh. Ever since I married into your Wu family, Ning Yinqiu has been working for your Wu family day and night."
"Even if I don't have merits, I have labor, right?"
"But how have you treated me?"
Tears streamed down her face, her hair disheveled, she let out a heart-wrenching scream, "You all treat me like an outsider, like a plaything. Is this what I owe you?"
"Don't forget, all your daily expenses."
"Are all from the money I earned by putting myself out there!"
"You spend your days indulging yourselves with money earned by women, and you have the nerve to blame me?"
At these words.
The Wu family members were enraged.
Wu Yuanzhong even kicked Ning Yinqiu several meters away, roaring, "Are you getting too bold? How dare you accuse us?"
Wu Quan said angrily, "Second Uncle, beat this slut soundly on my behalf."
Wu Yuanzhong grinned, "Gladly."
Ning Yinqiu raised her head, her face pale. She laughed wildly, "The Wu family has fallen to this state, and all of you present bear irrefutable responsibility!"
"You are all useless!"
"No, you're not even worth being called useless."
"You only know that I've caused the Wu family to face huge compensation."
"But have you ever considered one thing."
"I was already handcuffed and taken away by the officials."
"But why am I back here completely unharmed?"
The Wu family members all frowned in unison.
Right.
Why had she returned?