kvmb Chapter 36 Charity Ball, Head-to-Head
Chapter 36 Charity Ball, Head-to-Head
After verifying their names on the invitations at the door, Ning Yao and Chen Xuezong boarded the cruise ship together.
There are many cabins on the cruise ship, and each invited guest will be assigned a suite and escorted there by a staff member.
The person who received Ning Yao was Wen Tingye's trusted assistant, who was very respectful to Ning Yao, even to the point of being obsequious.
Being by Wen Tingye's side, observing his words and expressions was a basic skill. He could easily see that Wen Tingye treated Ning Yao specially. At least Wen Tingye's interest in Ning Yao was far greater than that of the eldest daughter of the Lian family.
Ning Yao was assigned a deluxe suite, which is much more luxurious than a regular room. The suite has a small garden and outdoor swimming pool, a loft design, a spiral staircase leading directly to the second floor, an open-plan king-size round bed, a study for office use, fitness equipment, and everything else you could need. There are also dedicated bodyguards outside the door to ensure the safety of distinguished guests in case of any special circumstances.
The room is spacious and equipped with high-tech conveniences. The air is fresh and natural, so even people prone to seasickness won't feel stuffy. The comfort level is perfect.
In contrast to Ning Yao's luxurious treatment, Chen Xuezong was taken to a regular room where ordinary guests usually stay.
Before the banquet officially began, the assistant finished introducing the features of the presidential suite, then left the space to Ning Yao and withdrew.
Ning Yao walked to the edge of the small garden, leaned against the railing, faced the salty sea breeze, slowly closed her eyes, and memories flooded her mind.
Memories of the sea and the ship's cabin are not pleasant.
Back then, both the Ning and Wen families were tracking her whereabouts. With nowhere to hide, she had no choice but to board a cargo ship.
When her daughter accidentally fell into the sea, she panicked and, even though she couldn't swim, jumped into the water to try and save her.
She barely managed to grab Xiao Liu, but was swallowed by the sea and couldn't even get her head above water. She desperately tried to use her hands and feet to lift Xiao Liu to the surface, but she couldn't overcome the weightlessness and pressure of the seawater.
Mouthfuls of seawater blocked her nose and mouth, even filling her lungs, making it difficult for her to breathe and causing her to lose consciousness.
The little girl in her arms had long since stopped moving. Ning Yao was filled with despair and pain, constantly blaming herself for her dereliction of duty as a mother. She hadn't taken good care of the little girl, letting her fall into the sea and forcing her to face the fear of death at such a young age.
The scene before her eyes became increasingly blurry, until finally Ning Yao had no strength left to struggle. She was too weak to resist, and she held the child tightly as the seawater pounded against her body, making her rise and fall.
The feeling of drowning was something Ning Yao would never forget.
Fortunately, a kind crew member rescued the mother and daughter. However, Xiao Liu developed autism as a result. She would draw every day but refused to speak or communicate with others, immersing herself in her own world.
Ning Yao consulted countless psychologists and spent a long time accompanying Xiao Liu, finally helping Xiao Liu gradually improve. However, she was still much more reserved than ordinary people, rarely speaking, and often feeling uneasy.
Now, Xiao Liu has disappeared into the vortex of time and space, and as a mother, she has failed in her duty once again.
Ning Yao unconsciously gripped the cold ship railing tightly, her knuckles turning white.
Chen Xuezong came to the presidential suite to find Ning Yao and saw her staring blankly at the sea. Her back looked lonely and helpless, and he felt a pang of heartache. He suppressed his emotions and slowly walked to Ning Yao's side.
"It's all in the past, don't overthink it. Xiao Liu has never blamed you."
“Sometimes I really feel like I’m not fit to be a mother. I can’t protect them, and they have to live a life of hiding and suffering with me.” Ning Yao lowered her eyes, her dark, curled eyelashes glistening with tears.
She thought of Xiao Liu, and the four children who had been taken away by the time vortex, and felt extremely sad.
"There is no perfect mother in this world. Everyone makes mistakes. It is impossible to be perfect in every aspect. You are a human being, not a god."
Chen Xuezong spoke with conviction, hoping that Ning Yao would not be too hard on herself and get caught up in endless negative emotions.
Ning Yao is both a mother and a father, raising her child alone, so the pressure is inevitable. She needs a man by her side, a man who can protect her and her child.
Chen Xuezong wished he were that man, but felt he hadn't been strong enough or qualified enough before.
Ning Yao deserves to be treated well by the most outstanding man in the world. He may not be worthy of Ning Yao even if he tries his whole life, but he is willing to try.
"The banquet is about to begin, let's go in." Ning Yao composed herself and made her tone as relaxed as possible.
The banquet hall was magnificent, and the ship had a large natural flower garden that was regularly maintained by florists, filling the room with the fragrance of flowers.
The upper class has always been extravagant and ostentatious, indulging in extreme pleasures. Everyone smiles at each other, but they are unaware of whether the smiles are genuine or not.
Ning Yao and Chen Xuezong were hardly the focus of the banquet. Almost no one came up to greet them. People without status, no matter how eye-catching their clothes were, would just be seen as wearing knock-offs to show off.
Ning Yao raised her wine glass and clinked it with Chen Xuezong's, her smile unrestrained, completely unconcerned about the opinions of others.
She attended the dinner party only to please her child; she didn't need to please anyone else.
"It's you again, you shameless woman!"
Ning Yao had just taken a sip of wine when she heard a familiar yet annoying voice. Turning her head, she saw Shen Jiangyuan.
Shen Jiangyuan came with Lian Jiaorui. Before meeting Ning Yao, she was very attentive and smiling, following Lian Jiaorui around and asking about her well-being.
Unlike Ning Yao, Lian Jiaorui received an invitation personally from Old Madam Wen, not from Wen Tingye.
Even more coincidentally, Lian Jiaorui was also wearing a blue dress tonight, similar in style to Ning Yao's gown. The diamond necklace she wore was a priceless gift from Old Madam Wen.
With Madam Wen's support, Lian Jiaorui became even more arrogant, like a peacock spreading its tail high, wishing everyone in the room could see the diamond necklace around her neck.
"Show some respect when you speak." Chen Xuezong frowned and looked at Shen Jiangyuan, his tone icy cold, completely lacking his usual gentlemanly manners.
Seeing Chen Xuezong's fierce attitude towards her, Shen Jiangyuan felt a surge of grievance. She pointed at Ning Yao and asked, "Brother Xuezong, what is your relationship with her? Why do you always speak up for her?"
“Yaoyao is a very important person to me, while Miss Shen is just someone I met by chance.” Chen Xuezong didn’t want to explain, but the other party was clearly expressing that she had a close relationship with him, and he didn’t want Ning Yao to misunderstand.
When Ning Yao heard Chen Xuezong emphasize the word 'important,' she didn't think much of it; instead, a slight smile appeared on her lips.
She saved Chen Xuezong's life; to Chen Xuezong, she was his savior, and a savior is naturally important.
Ning Yao could tell that Chen Xuezong had no feelings for Shen Jiangyuan, so she didn't mind helping Chen Xuezong out and acting as his shield.
Ning Yao used her free hand to link arms with Chen Xuezong's arm. The two looked intimate and well-matched.
Seeing this, Shen Jiangyuan could no longer hold back her temper and was about to lash out, but was subtly stopped by Lian Jiaorui.
Shen Jiangyuan was someone she brought with her. Lian Jiaorui didn't want her to cause trouble and embarrass herself at the banquet, which would displease Old Madam Wen and cause her to have a negative opinion of her.
Lian Jiaorui glared at Shen Jiangyuan, her warning clear.
Fearing that Lian Jiaorui would be unhappy, Shen Jiangyuan suppressed her inner bitterness and kept quiet.
Seeing that Shen Jiangyuan was obedient, Lian Jiaorui sneered and looked Ning Yao up and down without any politeness.
"Miss Ning, you really have some tricks up your sleeve. This ordinary-looking face of yours has managed to capture men's hearts time and time again."
"Thank you for the compliment, Miss Lian," Ning Yao replied indifferently, her tone distant and polite.
"It's a pity that Miss Ning's methods only work on men; she's not very popular with women." Lian Jiaorui smiled meaningfully, and anyone with a brain could tell that she was mocking Ning Yao.
"It seems Miss Lian doesn't understand me well enough. My worst problem isn't my luck with women, but my luck with animals. Any animal that sees me will want to pounce on me and bite me. When you take your cats and dogs out for a walk, the owner has to keep a close eye on them, otherwise what if they bite someone? Miss Lian, don't you think so?"
Ning Yao spoke softly, but her words were unusually sharp, directly targeting Shen Jiangyuan and calling her Lian Jiaorui's pet dog.
Those around them marveled, secretly cursing Ning Yao for courting death.
It's worth noting that Lian Jiaorui is the leading lady of this charity banquet. Old Madam Wen specifically requested her to attend and even gave her such an expensive diamond necklace as a gift. She's probably using this opportunity to publicly announce that Lian Jiaorui is Wen Tingye's fiancée.
Ning Yao had no choice but to mess with a woman with such a powerful backer; she really had no sense of right or wrong.
Shen Jiangyuan took a while to react. When she heard someone next to her chuckling and teasing her about being a Pomeranian, her anger flared up instantly.
Even Jiao Rui was angered by Ning Yao's arrogant attitude and didn't want to care about Shen Jiangyuan anymore. With no restraint, Shen Jiangyuan immediately picked up the hot cream mushroom soup next to her and was about to splash it on Ning Yao.