901 A Million Times for You 263 (1/2)
”Your father and I have never dared to harbor desires for such a lifestyle. Xianxian, aren't we living well now? We've become affluent and can live comfortably. It's not that easy being a wealthy man's wife. That An Xiaoning didn't get to where she is just because of her looks. When your father and I were working in the estate, we heard from our colleague that she's the daughter of the former president. She's royalty, and she has the Gu family to back her up. How can you compare yourself to her?”
”We're both humans, why can't I compare myself to her? Is she encrusted with diamonds or gilded with gold? Who cares if she's the former president's daughter? I've already seen it all over the news. The current president of the nation is not on good terms with An Xiaoning at all. Well, at the end of the day, they don't share the same biological mother. They don't get along as well as they seem to on the surface.”
Breathing erratically, Mrs. Bu said, ”Does that mean I was right? You claim to have stopped harboring feelings for Nick and that you've already given up on him. But in reality, you still haven't lost hope or given up on him yet.”
Bu Xianxian picked up her bathrobe and walked toward the bathroom, completely ignoring her mother.
—
”The elderly man in R Nation has passed on and I've already buried him in his ancestral graveyard,” Gu Beicheng said while stirring his coffee with a spoon.
”Got it, I'll inform Rongyan about this,” said An Xiaoning, sounding a little gloomy.
Gu Beicheng continued slowly, ”I heard a piece of news, though I'm not sure if it's real. That treasure map is said to still be in V Nation, and many people have flocked there in a bid to find it.”
”Regardless of where it is, I have no interest in it at all. You'd better not think of getting your hands on that thing too. The person who has it now is definitely not one to be trifled with. None of the three thousand elite soldiers or special agents that Tuoba Gucheng have sent managed to return alive. That just shows that it takes a great deal of power and capability to obtain it. Anyway, I don't feel like going there at all,” said An Xiaoning.
”After having several close shaves with death, Mingxi and I no longer place that much emphasis on money and material possessions. I no longer have plans to acquire it either. I'm just worried that Tuoba Gucheng would set you up for a trap again. He probably has plans to mess with you again since you made it back in one piece from V Nation.”
Hugging her knees while seated on the couch, An Xiaoning held her cup with both hands and said, ”Does he think it's that easy to lure me into his trap? Once bitten, twice shy. I'm not going to let him manipulate me so easily again. Besides, the person who holds the treasure map has already warned me strictly not to interfere. I don't want to put my life at risk again.”
”Good that you've thought about everything clearly.”
”Those fools have no idea what awaits them in V Nation. They'll never make it back alive and they're just going to become food for those cannibals.” An Xiaoning took a sip of her coffee before continuing, ”I truly got an eyeopener when I went to V Nation. I only understood then that anything is possible in this world. I think those blood-drinking tribes are closely similar to vampires, minus the various paranormal abilities that vampires possess. However, the very fact that they feed off human blood is terrifying enough. It's better not to provoke them.”
”Thank heavens you managed to come home unscathed.”
”Where did Mingxi go?”
”To my mother-in-law's place.”
An Xiaoning put her cup down and grabbed her bag while rising from her feet. ”I have to make a trip down to the martial arts academy and visit my sons.”
…
Fifteen minutes later, she appeared outside the martial arts academy.
An Xiaoning then called both her sons to come out. She did not plan to hide the truth about the elderly man's death from Rongyan, for she thought that it would be better for Rongyan to learn and understand clearly that he no longer had any family in this world apart from them.
”Rongyan, Mommy's going to tell you something today. Don't feel too upset after you hear what I have to say,” said An Xiaoning.
”Did Grandpa pass away?” he asked.
What a sensitive child.
An Xiaoning nodded and said, ”I've already had him buried beside your parents.”
”Grandpa,” Rongyan muttered softly while tearing up uncontrollably.
He was rather silent while weeping and did not bawl loudly at all.
An Xiaoning hugged him and patted his back gently. ”It's alright, you still have us. We're your family.”