654 A Million Times for You 16 (2/2)

She was even deprived of the freedom of calling her parents.

There was no one for her to confide in at all in this ancestral hall.

Mo Li's lips curled into a lopsided smile. She yearned to have a man who will protect her. However, it seemed she could only depend on herself.

She envied An Xiaoning for being able to live well even without Jin Qingyan. Yet, she did not have the courage or bravery to divorce her husband.

Mo Li recalled the cheerful and bubbly girl she used to be before she met Ye Xiaotian.

She used to be a chatterbox who could not stop talking.

However, she had become a completely different person once she met Ye Xiaotian. Reality had shaped her into the person she was today.

She did not like her present self at all.

Pathetic and deplorable.

Mo Li's vision began to turn blurry. She hugged her legs and buried her face in her knees while tearing up silently.

——

An Xiaoning proceeded to have lunch after leaving Beijia Bay, followed by returning to Sanqiao Estate.

Gu Beicheng had recommended two renowned interior designers to An Xiaoning, and they came up with a design sketch of a secret chamber based on the layout of her mansion in less than an hour.

They were highly efficient. An Xiaoning was pleased after taking a look at the sketch and immediately transferred their due wages to their bank accounts.

An Xiaoning then began her search for a team of contractors and finally settled on a prestigious construction team after meticulously browsing through her choices.

She handed the sketch to the construction team, who asked for a hefty sum, though they promised to build the secret chamber according to her demands and expectations. However, they would require some time since it was tougher to work in the winter.

An Xiaoning did not give them a time limit and merely demanded to see the results she wanted once construction was over.

Needless to say, she had her own reasons for building the chamber.

After having dinner, An Xiaoning began taking a stroll along the streets.

She shopped around and bought some trinkets she fancied.

She passed by a stall, which had on display thick cardigans made of a plethora of fabrics and designs. They were all exquisite and pleasant.

However, she already had several similar ones at home and did not need any for the time being.

She would usually refrain from buying things she did not need.

Thus, she left after taking a few glances.

After walking around for a while, An Xiaoning realized that there was nothing much left to look at. Thus, she walked past a stall and returned via another route.

She was exceptionally slow in her pace while window-shopping. Being the sharp and alert person she was, she turned around abruptly to take a look the moment she sensed that someone was shadowing her.

Was it Shi Xiaoyu's bodyguards?

They would usually tail me from a distance away, why are they so close by this time?

Could it be…

She picked up her tracks and continued walking quickly.

Just as An Xiaoning was about to walk toward her car when she reached the end of the street, she turned around again to see a few men dressed in plainclothes walking in her direction. However, upon noticing that she had turned her head, the men hurriedly zoomed toward a nearby stall and pretended to be buying something.

She frantically whipped out her car keys, which were soon snatched away from her forcefully. ”Get in,” said a deep-sounding voice.

Greatly taken aback, An Xiaoning stared at the man beside her who popped out of nowhere and got into the backseat. He then got into the driver's seat and began driving away.