Chapter 3 A Startling Identity

• I shook my dizzy head and squinted to check for sure. My brain became somewhat clear for an instant.
• It’s really him. He was drunk.
• Because it’s Song Meiqian’s wedding day? An indescribable sense of irony rose in my heart.
• —"Ning Jing, Jinghao was only using you to anger me. Don't think too highly of yourself."
• I clenched my fists hard. Song Meiqian’s words suddenly echoed in my mind.
• Just to anger her, was it? In that case, it should be done thoroughly.
• I wasn’t sure if whether it was the influence of alcohol or the vengeance that wanted to retaliate, but after I knew for sure that he was drinking alone, I left.
• I went to ask a friend to send Manfan home, then proceeded to look for the boss of Night Scene, to drug Cheng Jinghao's drink.
• Everything that happened afterward was just a matter of course...
• The moment we entered the hotel room, he pressed me against the door as if he was going to devour ourselves.
• His fiery palms were pressing hard on my clothed body as they were not happy about the barrier between our skins. A strange sensation swept over me and almost swallowed me completely.
• "... Cheng Jinghao, let me go." My head felt dizzy. I pushed hard against his sturdy chest, wanting to push him away.
• I regretted this. I was afraid of what was going to happen, and I was also afraid that he would hate me once he sobered up.
• He did not budge. His actions toughened, and his heavy breathing fuzzy next to my ear, making my whole body feeling scorched. My body's response made me embarassed, but I could not resist it.
• Forget it.
• At least, he was someone that I had feelings for. I would only need to take a few photos after he had fallen asleep and make my way out. Anyway, he was drunk. He would most likely forget all of it when he’s awake.
• All of a sudden, a ripping pain spread through my body. It was so painful that even my toes curled up.
• He sneered. His voice sounded dull as he mocked me softly, "No? You don't want to but you decided to drug me—are you worried I’m not good enough?"
• I really, really regretted drugging him, because I eventually passed out from exhaustion.
• Once I regained my consciousness, my whole body was aching. The soft sound of his constant breathing rang in my ears, causing my nerves to tense up. At once, I took a couple of scandalous looking photos and sent them.
• "He..." he suddenly mumbled.
• I was so startled that my heart felt like it was going to leap out. I didn’t hear it clearly—Qian?
• He must had really loved Song Meiqian, even when he was sleep-talking, he would be calling out her name.
• There was a momentary ache in my chest. When I thought that him and I would never see each again, my heart felt like it was torn into pieces. It was an unbearabe pain.
• I got down from the bed and put on my clothes, which were wrinkled beyond recognition. I forced myself to stand on my shaky legs and tiptoed out of the room.
• As I left the hotel, an incredulous feeling enveloped me. I actually did such a preposterous matter. My mind must had really been completely muddled by alcohol and anger.
• After I went back to the apartment I had rented temporarily, I took a bath and changed my clothes before I went to the hospital to visit my mother.
• It happened that my mother was awake, I really wanted to ask her who sent those photos.
• However, I was worried that bring this matter up would trigger her again, so I could only drop the matter for the time being.
• It was Monday. Only two days away from the day of the surgery.
• When I arrived at the company, it was only 8.30 in the morning. I sat at my desk and took out my cell phone to call Manfan, as I needed money urgently and could only borrow from her first.
• In the end, it turned out that all of her credit cards were froze by her father, she could only transfer her secret stash to me, but the amount was still slightly less than thirty grand.
• It was far away from two hundred grand. Thus, I spent the whole morning in a rather absent-minded state.
• Approaching lunch break, my shoulder was suddenly tapped by someone from behind. I was startled, "Is there something the matter?"
• It was a colleague who got along quite well with me, Chen Yun. With a shocked expression on her face, she asked, "Jing, you're actually the lady of Nings’ Corporation?"
• I was stunned. A frown forming on my face, "Where did you hear that?"
• The start-up funding of Nings’ Corporation was my maternal grandparents' pension money. Back then, my father was dirt-poor. My grandparents did not approve of their marriage, but they eventually compromised as my mother persisted,
• Today, the Nings' had become a rather reputable corporation in Nancheng County. It was just that I never mentioned my family background to others.
• She looked at me with a complicated gaze and directed the screen if her cell phone towards me. "Look, this is you, right?"
• —The lady of Nings' Corporation, Ning Jing, spending the night with mysterious man suspected to be gigolo.
• The massive headline stung my eyes, with content portraying my private life to be rotten beyond description.
• Along with that article were the photos I sent to Song Meiqian this morning. For the sake of infuriating her, I was leaning very close to Cheng Jinghao and even showed the hickeys on my shoulders on purpose when I was taking those photos.
• As for Cheng Jinghao, he was even called out as a gigolo.
• I had a complete meltdown. My whole body froze and all of my blood rushed straight to my head.
• Photos... I only sent them to Song Meiqian!
• My cell phone rang, and I quickly picked up the call. On the other end, Song Meiqian spoke mockingly, "How is it? Do you like the gift from me?"
• The anger in my heart flared up. "It was you! It was you again!" I said.
• She laughed, "Right, it was me. I know you took those photos on purpose, to anger me as a revenge for your mother, and I don't deny I like Cheng Jinghao. However, I do like money more."
• I ground my teeth and took a deep breath, "Is feelings really that worthless to you?"
• She said contemptuously, "Things like feelings, the value of it depends on the strings attached to. Cheng Jinghao's just a vice president of a small company. If you like him, you can have him. Miss Ning, you can consider your reputation ruined."
• I simply could not believe my ears. I asked in gritted teeth, "Does ruining my reputation bring you any good?!"
• She laughed even more complacently, as if a victor. She said, "You've let the Nings become a laughingstock—your dad's so angry he wants to sever ties with you. As for me, I'm pregnant. Once your dad breaks off his relationship with you, the Nings will be mine. There’s only one path for you and your pathetic mother!"
• She was pregnant!
• I had a complete mental breakdown. Fury spread from my heart and I was near breaking point,
• "Song Meiqian, you're a despicable, shameless woman... You're absolutely scheming! Real heartless of you!"
• For a moment, I wished I could kill her.
• I grabbed the purse next to me and ran to the elevator. There was only one thought filling my mind—to withdraw the headlines as soon as possible.
• Not only would it affect Cheng Jinghao, but it might also affect my mother's condition if she knew about it.
• I was frantic. I walked while giving calls to a friend of media expertise. In the end, I was only told that it was too late.
• Right after I hung up, another news popped up on my screen: the startling identity of the "gigolo" spending the night with Lady Ning...
• After I’d read the content, I was so shocked that my hands went all limp. My cell phone fell to the ground with a loud thud.
• I was stunned on the spot. This was impossible. How could... That was too outrageous.
• I refused to believe, but I had to admit, based on his noble and elegant temperament, he couldn’t only be a vice president of a small company.
• It might be possible that Cheng Jinghao was really what the news described him to be—the only son of Cheng Family of Nancheng County.
• The Chengs possessed at least 80% shares of Dongchen Corporation, and Dongchen Corporation mastered over half of the businesses in Nancheng County. One could well imagine how influential the Chengs were.
• Compared to theirs, my father's company was rather pathetic.
• Song Meiqian must have seen this news too, right? She had lost a watermelon just to pick up a sesame seed—I wondered if her intestines had turned green from regret.
• I suddenly wished all of these were true. There was even a sliver of delight growing in my heart.
• I snapped out of my thoughts and crouched down to pick up my cell phone. A black Buick drove over at high speed, catching me off guard and causeing me to stumble one step back. It took a suddenly brake and stopped before me.
• The car window was lowered. Cheng Jinghao cast an indescribable gaze at me from the corner of his eyes, he raised his chin and said, "Get in."
• I steadied my body, took a deep breath and got into the car. I took the initiative to explain, "I'm sorry. I've never thought the photos would..."
• He smirked coldly. "Retaliating right? Ning Jing, you're the first person that dared to toy me like that."
• I clenched my hands, completely uncapable of refuting. A long time later, I said fearfully, "Rest assured, I'll definitely solve this matter as quickly as I can, and I would not cling onto you because of this. You used me once in Nings' house. This time, just take it as..."
• While tapping the steering wheel with his slender finger, he cut me off coldly, "We're getting married."