He watched his wife, his eyes unblinking.
The crowd: "..."
What he said was too venomous. Not only did it paint Mark as a heartless philanderer, but it also conveyed his devotion to his wife. A two-birds-with-one-stone move!
Mark's face turned ashen. These two, husband and wife, were each more vicious than the other! "Don't talk nonsense, Ning Su and I have no relationship!"
"But you're living together."
"That's because she wanted to stay at my villa, saying it would be more convenient to discuss matters!"
"So you're still living together."
Mark: "..."
Beside them, Ning Xin put down her wine glass and looked up, her eyes warning both Shen Qing Qing and her husband, "I don't want to get involved in your affairs, but don't drag my sister into this."
Shen Qing Qing raised an eyebrow slightly, "Then you should warn Mark. If he hadn't been living with Ning Su and said things that caused misunderstandings, things wouldn't have escalated to this point."
Ning Xin cast a cold glance at Mark.
Mark jumped up in anger, "This is a clever tactic, shifting the blame!"
Shen Qing Qing smiled faintly, unruffled.
"Thank you for the compliment."
Mark was so angry he laughed. They were indeed a couple; their words were so similar! He stormed off.
Shen Qing Qing watched his retreating back, feeling exceptionally good.
"Shen Qing Qing, that was excessive."
Shen Qing Qing turned back to look at Ning Xin. Her expression was frigid, but Shen Qing Qing was unfazed, saying unhurriedly, "If people don't offend me, I won't offend them. If they offend me..."
She didn't finish the sentence.
Ning Xin's cheeks tightened, "But you shouldn't have involved my sister. I've already confined her to home, she won't come looking for you."
Shen Qing Qing was noncommittal, "That sounds very familiar."
As if she had said something similar before.
Ning Xin froze. She had indeed said similar things before, and not just once or twice, but none of those times had truly kept her sister in check. After a long silence, she said, "In short, I don't want to hear any slander against my sister in public from now on."
"Are you threatening me?"
"No, it's advice." Ning Xin adjusted the watch on her wrist, "After all, you have something important in my possession. What if I were to neglect it because of my sister and lose that item..."
"Threatening me, are you?" Shen Qing Qing chuckled. She knew this necklace would be exploited by Ning Xin, so she wasn't surprised at all. "I am, however, curious about one thing. I hope Miss Ning can enlighten me."
"You tell me."
"How did you convince Mr. He to give you the necklace?" Shen Qing Qing picked up a nearby glass of wine and took a sip, the red wine releasing its mellow fragrance between her lips and teeth. "As I recall, Mr. He once said that this necklace belonged to a deceased friend he valued highly, and he wouldn't sell or lend it."
"Why don't you guess?" Hearing this, Ning Xin felt like she had gained an advantage and her mood instantly improved.
"If you don't want to say, then fine. I don't necessarily need to know." If she were to be controlled by this matter, then she, Shen Qing Qing, would truly be a fool!
"Are you really that composed?" Ning Xin's eyes remained fixed on Shen Qing Qing, wanting to see a certain expression on her face.
Unfortunately, there was nothing. She seemed genuinely uninterested, merely asking casually.
Ning Xin couldn't believe it, "Don't you have any interest in that necklace? As far as I know, it's an heirloom left by your mother."
Shen Qing Qing raised an eyebrow, "My mother's heirloom only has value in my hands. In someone else's hands, it naturally loses its value. After all, it's not your mother's heirloom, is it?"
Ning Xin's face turned cold. She stared at Shen Qing Qing for a long time, then suddenly smiled, "Mark was right about one thing, your mouth is truly beyond ordinary people's ability to contend with."
Shen Qing Qing smiled radiantly, "Thank you for the compliment."
Ning Xin found it a waste of time to bicker with her any further. She spoke directly, "We are both intelligent people, so there's no need to beat around the bush. I'll be straightforward, Shen Qing Qing, if you want the necklace, I can give it to you."
Shen Qing Qing raised an eyebrow.
"However, I have conditions." Ning Xin said slowly, "I don't want money, nor do I want projects. I only want you..."
She paused for a moment, her eyes turning cold.
"To apologize to my sister."
This was Ning Su's heart ailment. The doctor said that if her heart ailment wasn't resolved, her mental illness would not improve, and she might be insane for life. Ning Xin would never allow that. She wanted her sister to be well and live a happy, normal life!
Shen Qing Qing flatly refused, "Impossible."
Ning Xin wasn't surprised and hadn't expected her to agree on the first try, "Then we'll just have to wait and see who compromises in the end."
Shen Qing Qing nodded, "Fine. I will get my mother's heirloom in my own way, but I will never compromise my principles."
Ning Xin endured it, then endured it again, but still couldn't suppress the anger and indignation in her heart, demanding, "Asking you to apologize to my sister is compromising your principles?"
"Yes."
Ning Xin could no longer stand it and gritted her teeth, "Are your principles more important than a person's life?"
She glanced around, unwilling to attract more attention and become a laughingstock. She lowered her voice.
"My sister is very ill right now. You could save her just by apologizing and saying a few words, but you refuse."
"Me saying a few words?" Shen Qing Qing found it somewhat incredulous, "If she's sick, she should see a doctor. I'm not an immortal who can heal people with a few words. If I could, I would have ascended to heaven already."
Ning Xin was rendered speechless by the retort.
Shen Qing Qing looked at her with disappointment, shaking her head, "Ning Xin, asking me to apologize is absolutely impossible. If you have this much energy to waste on me, you might as well find a doctor for your sister and stop being unreasonable here."
She didn't bother looking at Ning Xin's displeased expression, linking arms with Fu Jing Shu and turning to leave.
Ning Xin's face was expressionless as she crushed the wine glass in her hand.
Shen Qing Qing whispered, "I think whoever Mark likes must be very important, perhaps it's the reason he returned to the country."
Fu Jing Shu hummed, "I'll investigate."
"Remember, don't alert the snake."
"Don't worry."
Fu Jing Shu turned his head and gently kissed her cheek, disregarding the occasion and the surrounding crowd. He was always like this, never stingy with his affection and love for his wife, at any moment.
Shen Qing Qing gently pushed him away, but the smile on her face was bright and radiant. Then, she thought of something, stood on her tiptoes, and whispered a few words into Fu Jing Shu's ear. Her voice, accompanied by warm breath, brushed against his ear. His eyes deepened. He subtly pulled his wife closer, bending down slightly.
After speaking, Shen Qing Qing tilted her head, "Let's proceed according to my plan."
Fu Jing Shu nodded, "Alright."