His concern and anxiety for Ming Zheng were independent of Ming Zheng's strength.
It was uncontrollable.
A worry from the heart.
He couldn't imagine what he would do if something this perilous happened again.
Ming Zheng responded lazily.
"You close your eyes and rest for a while. I'll wake you when we arrive," Chi Xian said, glancing at the girl's tired face.
When she leaned back against the chair listlessly.
She looked especially delicate, lazy, and obedient.
It made his heart go numb.
Ming Zheng's father and Ming Tingxu returned to the Ming family with grim expressions.
Ming Yanlun was the first to greet them, his gaze lingering on the two behind him: "Dad, Big Brother, you're back. Where's Ming Zheng?"
Upon mentioning Ming Zheng, Ming Zheng's father's expression immediately darkened.
He looked like he was suppressing his anger and didn't want to say more.
"That girl refuses to come back?" Ming Zheng's mother asked with a cold face. "As expected, she's heartless. Her own father personally invited her home, and she's still putting on a show?"
"Mom... maybe, maybe Ming Zheng just has something to do tonight..." Ming Xiujin, sitting at the dining table, couldn't help but interject and try to explain for Ming Zheng when he heard his mother's angry words.
Ming Tingxu had already spoken coldly: "She simply didn't want to eat with us and got into the Chi family head's car right in front of us."
He unbuttoned his suit jacket and handed it to a servant.
Then he took his seat at the dining table. "She doesn't consider us family at all, so why should we warmly embrace a cold shoulder?"
"The Chi family head?"
Ming Zheng's mother's delicate eyebrows immediately furrowed. "When did that little slut get involved with the Chi family head?"
What was so good about that little slut?
Besides that face.
In what way could she compare to Rou'er?
They had tried to introduce Rou'er to the Chi family head,
But they couldn't even get a glance from him.
Yet that little slut could so easily get into the Chi family head's car?
Ming Zheng's mother couldn't understand it at all.
Why, ever since Ming Zheng left the Ming family.
Had everyone around her been people they themselves couldn't even associate with?
At first, she got involved with a Capital Director.
Then, she was able to latch onto some sugar daddy and moved into "Biyun Xianju," a place worth its weight in gold.
Now, she had a close relationship with President Ning of Zhengrong Group and President Bai of Zhengtu Group, even making Ming Zheng's father bow his head to Ming Zheng for it.
And now, the Chi family head!
That little slut.
She was truly good at seducing people!
"Mom, Ming Zheng and the Chi family head are unmarried, so if they do get together, it would be respectable," Ming Yanlun found his mother's almost insulting words towards Ming Zheng a bit grating.
He hadn't felt anything before.
But now, everything felt wrong to Ming Yanlun.
Ming Zheng was, after all, Ming Zheng's mother's biological daughter.
She was their own sister.
How could a mother use such language to insult her own daughter?
"Fifth, what's wrong with you?" Ming Zheng's mother asked with a cold face, turning to Ming Yanlun. "Ever since you came back from the hospital, you've been speaking up for Ming Zheng. Did she cast a spell on you?"
"How badly has our Ming family been harmed by Ming Zheng? And she, hooking up with this person and that, living so carefreely! Completely disregarding the Ming family!"
"Even when your father was bullied at Zhengrong Group, she remained indifferent!"
"Also, when your father and eldest brother personally went to pick her up, she didn't give them any face!"
"In the end, isn't it just because she's hooked up with a rich sugar daddy that she looks down on our Ming family?"
Ming Zheng's mother became more and more indignant, her pupils filled with anger. "Fifth, you remember this, your only sister is Rou'er!"
Ming Yanlun moved his lips.
He and Ming Xiujin exchanged a glance.
They both lowered their eyes.
Looking at Ming Zheng's mother's furious face, they finally said nothing more.
Ming Zheng's mother was currently in a fit of rage.
No matter what he said.
It would only make Ming Zheng's mother believe he was being deceived by Ming Zheng.
It would only lead to her taking out her anger on Ming Zheng.
"Mom, don't be angry."
Ming Zhi Rou came downstairs and gently leaned beside Ming Zheng's mother, speaking softly and obediently, "Sister might not want to come back just because... just because of me."
"And don't be angry with Fifth Brother. After all, Sister is Fifth Brother's biological sister, and your biological daughter. You have a blood relationship, so it's normal for Fifth Brother to care about Sister."
"In the end... it's all my fault..."
As she said this, Ming Zhi Rou lowered her eyebrows slightly, a look of loneliness appearing on her face. "It's my existence that makes Sister unhappy. I shouldn't have stayed in this home..."
"Rou'er! How can this be your fault?"
Ming Zheng's mother wanted to embrace her precious daughter, but her weakness made her look at Ming Zhi Rou with heartache. "Don't say such things! You are my An Youran's daughter, the Ming family's daughter!"
As she spoke, she glared at Ming Yanlun. "Fifth, look, what have you driven Rou'er to? I'm telling you, don't mention that little slut again! Rou'er is your real sister!"
"Mom, don't be angry, don't be angry. Since Sister doesn't want to come back for dinner, then... then we'll eat ourselves," Ming Zhi Rou soothed softly, forcing a smile that made her look pitifully obedient.
Then, she turned her gaze to Ming Yanlun. "Fifth Brother, you and Third Brother specially rushed back from the hospital, wanting the family to have a good meal together... but since Sister is unwilling to come back, we can't let Mom and Dad go hungry..."
Ming Yanlun's brows furrowed slightly.
In the past, when he heard Ming Zhi Rou say these things.
He felt deeply moved.
He even felt that Ming Zheng was ungrateful.
And then he would scold Ming Zheng along with his mother.
But...
The more he listened now, the more he felt something was wrong.
Although Ming Zhi Rou constantly spoke to appease Ming Zheng's mother.
Every word was designed to evoke their pity for her.
And it repeatedly emphasized that it was Ming Zheng who was unwilling, who refused to come back and eat with them.
Her words.
Were undoubtedly fanning the flames.
And Ming Zheng's mother was indeed fanned into a rage.
Ming Yanlun's mind suddenly recalled the scene he saw on the surveillance footage where Ming Zhi Rou watched her race car being tampered with but still gave no warning.
Even now, she hadn't mentioned it once.
Instead...
She deliberately misled everyone.
Making everyone misunderstand that the brake failure in his race car was related to Ming Zheng.
Such scheming...
Was truly terrifying.
Ming Yanlun's gaze made Ming Zhi Rou feel inexplicably flustered.
Before, as long as she showed weakness or acted wronged.
Everyone in the Ming family would cherish her like a treasure and protect her.
They wouldn't let her suffer any grievance.
But now...
Third Brother and Fifth Brother hadn't said a word.
Thinking about how she had secretly heard Third Brother and Fifth Brother speaking up for Ming Zheng upstairs earlier.
She felt an inexplicable sense of resentment and a panic that things were gradually slipping out of her control.