Chapter 177: This Woman Is Really Naughty

Five minutes later.

Jiang Ning was sitting on the sofa, legs crossed, eyeing the slightly nervous young man.

“You said you saw Meng Qing go out for a delivery and she hadn’t returned for a long time.”

“You were worried about her safety, so you got the address and came looking?”

Upon hearing this—

The young man glanced at Meng Qing, who was sitting on the adjacent sofa with a frown, saying nothing.

He nodded slightly.

“Didn’t your team leader tell you she took the afternoon off?”

The young man kept silent.

Seeing this, Jiang Ning couldn’t help but chuckle.

“What’s your name?”

“Zheng Ming.”

“Do you work full-time as a delivery guy?”

“No, I’m in my first year at Second High School.”

“First year at Second High? Then you’re…”

“Yeah, classmates.”

That gave Jiang Ning a bit of a pause.

She turned her head and glanced at the demure girl beside her.

Just so happened to meet those bright, lively eyes.

Seeing Meng Qing nod, Jiang Ning said nothing more, only smiled and shook her head.

She sighed.

“Alright, now that you know Meng Qing is fine, you’d better head back.”

“I’ve heard the fine for skipping work is pretty steep.”

At that, the young man glanced at Meng Qing again.

Seeing she ignored him—

He could only drop his head, mutter a “Sorry for bothering you,” and turn to leave Jiang Ning’s place.

After the door closed.

Before Jiang Ning could say anything—

Suddenly—

Meng Qing scooted over to her side, tugging on her arm.

Like a child who’d done something wrong.

Eyes wide and glossy, lips pouting, she softly murmured:

“Queen~~~”

Oh my little heart…

Seeing Meng Qing’s pitiful look—

Those big, glistening eyes—

Suddenly—

Jiang Ning was reminded of a news story from her past life.

It was about a place where people lived quite well—

Where “moe culture” was all the rage.

Many young girls around Jiang Ning’s age dressed up in that super cute style.

And one day—

A 17-year-old girl, while buying candy, sweetly asked the guy next to her also buying candy:

“Can you… buy me some chocolate, big bro~?”

That man, upon hearing this, shouted:

“Too cute!”

And immediately collapsed.

He was rushed to the hospital but couldn’t be saved.

Autopsy revealed the cause of death: acute arrhythmia.

Clearly, it was a moe-induced cardiac shock.

When Jiang Ning first heard the story, she thought it was a joke.

But now, seeing Meng Qing like this—

She genuinely felt her heart skip a beat.

Good lord.

Is this the power of a moe girl?

No wonder that guy chased her all the way here, worried sick.

“You know he cares about you, right?”

At that—

Meng Qing’s eyes showed a bit of panic, maybe even grievance.

“I already told him.”

“Told him what?” Seeing the poor little thing in front of her, Jiang Ning suddenly felt playful.

“You agreed?”

“No! I didn’t!” Meng Qing’s eyes welled up, anxiously explaining:

“I told him not to follow me anymore.”

“I won’t agree to it…”

“Eh? But if you already turned him down, why is he still…” Jiang Ning didn’t finish her sentence.

But her meaning was clear.

Obviously, Meng Qing understood too, but she didn’t seem to know how to explain.

She just pouted—

Lowered her head, muttering:

“I don’t know either.”

Then, like remembering something, she looked up, eyes firm as she stared at Jiang Ning.

“Anyway, I won’t go with anyone else.”

“Why?”

Jiang Ning asked, sensing something deeper behind her words.

Meng Qing hesitated for a long time before stammering:

“I have you, like a mom… and Tian Nu, like a dad…”

“I’m not going with those bad people.”

???

Mom?

Jiang Ning opened her mouth.

Really wanted to ask why she couldn’t be the dad instead.

But thinking of Li Yang’s formidable presence—

She kept quiet.

Still, after a moment.

Jiang Ning couldn’t help but ask:

“Actually… a big brother’s kind of the same, too.”

——

The whole afternoon—

Meng Qing stayed snuggled next to Jiang Ning watching TV.

Just like a little daughter.

So well-behaved and obedient.

She even occasionally brought Jiang Ning sliced fruit.

And Jiang Ning’s way of rewarding her was simple—

A pat on the head.

Which made little Meng Qing squint with delight, then lean back against her side.

Until after five in the afternoon—

When Wang Jianguo’s call came in—

Meng Qing seemed to realize something.

Her face flushed, head down, silent—

Like a child who’d done something wrong.

“Yeah, she’s at my place.”

“Come pick her up.”

“Got something to ask you, too.”

“Don’t get all mushy, come over and get your ass kicked!”

After a few words—

Jiang Ning hung up, turned around smiling, and said:

“Don’t mind it.”

“Let this girl run around more.”

“Always whining about getting fat but refuses to move.”

“What about the electric bike?” Meng Qing mumbled.

“Just leave it downstairs at my place. Nobody really realizes those batteries are worth anything yet.”

Jiang Ning was being honest.

Before e-bikes became super common—

Not many people thought the batteries were worth much.

More accurately—

Nobody wanted to take them.

No demand means no one’s stealing.

Half an hour later.

Wang Jianguo arrived.

Carrying a bunch of groceries in hand.

As soon as she stepped in, she announced:

“Boss!”

“Say no more.”

“Today, you’ll taste the cooking of Chef Wang!”

Heh.

This woman is really naughty now.

Jiang Ning had actually planned to scold her a bit.

But with that entrance—

She couldn’t bring herself to do it. Arms crossed, she watched Wang Jianguo greet Meng Qing, then charge straight into the kitchen.

“She knows how to cook?” Jiang Ning couldn’t help but ask.

“Should be…” Meng Qing’s uncertain answer made Jiang Ning frown.

“So who usually cooks at home…”

“Aunt Hu does.”

Of course.

Jiang Ning slapped her own forehead.

She’d kept Aunt Hu around to make the villa feel less empty.

Since she wasn’t living there herself.

Now Aunt Hu had become Wang Jianguo’s full-time caretaker.

This employee…

Living more comfortably than the boss.

Better dock her living expenses someday.

Can’t let this woman live like a carefree immortal.

Just as she was muttering—

Suddenly came a loud crash from the kitchen.

Jiang Ning’s heart jumped.

She quickly walked over—

And saw Wang Jianguo hacking away at a crucian carp with a cleaver.

Chopping fiercely, leaving deep cuts on the board—

But the aim was way off.

Seeing this—

Jiang Ning immediately shouted:

“Stop!!!”

And as Wang Jianguo stood frozen in confusion—

She stepped forward, picked up the carp that was twitching in its final moments.

“The innards are already removed, what are you still hacking at?”

“I saw it was still moving… thought it wasn’t fully dead yet…”

Hearing Wang Jianguo muttering softly, Jiang Ning felt her blood pressure spike.

With a face full of disdain, she waved at her secretary.

“Go be my assistant!”

So Miss Jiang had no choice but to do it herself.

She began preparing the carp soup.

After a while, once the fish was in the pot, she turned the heat to low and asked the secretary beside her:

“Do you know Zheng Ming?”

Wang Jianguo was stunned for a moment, then nodded.

“Yeah. He’s Xiao Meng’s classmate, also working part-time at our ‘Shi Ning Ji.’”

Hearing that, Jiang Ning adjusted the flame and, without turning her head, asked:

“Then do you know about him and Meng Qing?”

“Uh…” Wang Jianguo hesitated, sneaking a glance at her boss’s expression.

“Yes.”

“Then why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because…”

“Because I told her not to.” Meng Qing had somehow appeared behind them in the kitchen.

Well then.

Jiang Ning turned to glance at the cute girl behind her and sighed helplessly.

Then she shot a glare at her silly, giggling secretary—its warning obvious.

One hour later.

At the entrance of the residential complex.

Watching the tractor roll away into the distance, Jiang Ning couldn’t help but sigh.

Meng Qing was the kind of girl who deeply lacked a sense of security.

If not for the presence of Li Yang and herself in her life, with how eye-catching her looks were, she would’ve easily been taken advantage of by some smooth-talking boy under the guise of love—cheated out of her food, money, even her body.

Then eventually dumped under the excuse of “we’re not compatible.”

With Meng Qing’s personality, she wouldn’t be able to handle it.

A mental breakdown would be the inevitable end.

No wonder…

In her past life, the last news of her was from a psychiatric hospital…

Sigh…

She’d need to find a way to properly pave a future for this girl.

Just as she was deep in thought.

A voice that sounded vaguely familiar to Jiang Ning suddenly called out from behind.

“Huh?”

“Isn’t this our little queen of Emo?”

“What are you doing here?”

???

Jiang Ning really wanted to cover her face and tell the middle-aged barber behind her that he had the wrong person.

But years of upbringing had her keeping a polite smile.

She turned around and sweetly greeted him.

“Hello, uncle.”

“I was just dropping off a friend…”

“Now I’m about to head home.”

Seeing she was about to leave, the chubby uncle chuckled and waved his hand.

“Perfect timing.”

“I just developed a new hairstyle, called ‘You Don’t Understand Love.’”

“Want to give it a try?”
(End of this chapter)