Returning to the Villain Omega's High School Days - Chapter 13

After Xie Ning finished chatting with Nanny Zhang, Uncle Ling and Su Wan’s mother, Fang Lingyu, hurried out of the neighborhood. Xie Ning asked them, “What happened?”

“Xie Ning,” Fang Lingyu said anxiously, forcing out a smile, “I want to borrow Uncle Ling for a bit. My two children still haven’t come back, and my husband is out of province for a meeting. I’m not very good at driving, so I’ll have to trouble Uncle Ling to help me look for them.”

Xie Ning asked, “You couldn’t get through to their phones?”

“I got through to Xingheng’s, but Jin’er’s phone still won’t connect,” Fang Lingyu said. “Xingheng said someone told him on the way back that Su Jin didn’t head home, but went toward the street with the internet cafés. He searched for a while and couldn’t find her. When he called to ask me, I didn’t know where Jin’er was either. She still isn’t back now. Usually, she would’ve been home long ago. That street is full of delinquent youths. Right now, I’m just afraid something happened to Jin’er!”

“Auntie, don’t panic,” Xie Ning comforted her. “It’s good for you to go look with Uncle Ling. I’ll wait at your house.”

This suited her perfectly. She wanted more time to spend with Su Wan.

“All right, all right. Thank you so much.” Fang Lingyu paused, then said, “Also, there’s still one person at home…”

“I’ve already met that younger sister,” Xie Ning said with a smile curving her lips. “I know how to get along with her.”

“Good, that’s good.” Fang Lingyu smiled and lowered her head to wipe the corner of her eye. “These children all have their own tempers. These past few days, I’ve been so worried I can’t sleep properly. I’ll call your mother once I get in the car and tell her you’re having dinner at our house tonight, so she won’t worry.”

“Thank you, Auntie,” Xie Ning said politely. “Then I’ll go back inside and wait for you.”

Mother Su and Uncle Ling drove off. Nanny Zhang followed behind Xie Ning, leading the way and opening the door for her. As soon as they entered the house, she brewed hot tea and brought it to Xie Ning, not daring to say a single word of nonsense.

The French man was still in the kitchen, seriously cooking and plating the food. Nanny Zhang went over to help him, only to be driven out again in less than a few minutes.

Nanny Zhang felt there was nothing to do. That was not a big deal in itself, but her many years of nanny experience told her that when the master and guest were present, she had to make herself look very busy.

She walked all over upstairs and downstairs, picking up clothes the owners had carelessly tossed aside and putting them into the washing machine. Then she ran into Su Wan washing clothes at the sink and immediately blurted out, “Aiya, you little thie—”

The moment she said it, she realized Xie Ning had appeared soundlessly behind her, leaning against the doorframe, holding tea, calm and composed.

She truly looked like she was idle with nothing to do. Nanny Zhang was honestly impressed by her. Remembering what had been said earlier, her expression changed, and her tone became gentle. “Wanwan, leave these clothes to me. You go take a bath first. I’ll go fill the bathtub with water for you…”

Su Wan’s movements paused slightly, but she did not make a sound.

“Go on. Go get your clothes,” Nanny Zhang smiled attentively and said kindly. “I’ll draw hot water for you, ah.”

Hearing this, Su Wan immediately dropped the dirty clothes in the sink, turned around, and ran off.

But she did not listen to Nanny Zhang. She ran to her room, took out a change of clothes, and quickly went into the bathroom to shower.

The sound of water from the showerhead fell. Nanny Zhang muttered a few complaints. Seeing Xie Ning watching nearby, she walked over, shook her head, and whispered to Xie Ning, “Her temper is too strange. You saw it too. Can this be blamed on me?”

Xie Ning did not comment, but she could roughly guess a thing or two.

Nanny Zhang probably had not realized how ridiculous the decision to let Su Wan take a bath was.

The bathtub upstairs was exclusively for the mistress of the house. Although the downstairs bathtub was shared, only Su Jin used it. If Su Jin found out that Su Wan had used the bathtub, she probably would not let it go for a very long time!

Moreover, Su Jin’s whereabouts were currently unknown, and the whole family was worried about her safety. If Su Wan went to take a bath at a time like this, once the others came back, who knew what they would say about her?!

Nanny Zhang thought she had done well, but Su Wan thought she wanted to harm her, so she immediately took a quick shower instead.

Xie Ning returned to the sofa to watch TV. She watched Su Wan enter the bathroom with her clothes, and by the time Xie Ning picked up the remote control and changed channels, Su Wan had already finished washing and come out.

Her movements were very light, as if she was afraid of disturbing people. She wore a pair of oversized slippers that did not fit, and her top and pants were also carelessly mismatched. However, after washing, her little face did look a bit fairer.

Xie Ning only glanced once before shifting her gaze back to the TV screen.

If she looked at Su Wan any longer, Su Wan would become guarded again.

At seven-thirty, Fang Lingyu called Nanny Zhang and gave a few instructions, then asked to speak with Xie Ning.

Xie Ning took the phone. The woman’s voice was mixed with the sound of wind and was not very clear. Xie Ning turned on speaker and placed the phone on the coffee table—

“Xie Ning, I’m really very sorry. We can’t come back for the time being. You all eat first. Don’t wait for us.”

“Still haven’t found Su Jin?” Xie Ning asked.

“No. It’s so dark now. We’ve searched the street with the internet cafés, but didn’t find her. Someone said she went to the riverside, but we’re not sure. It’s too dark. We walked along the river and still didn’t see anyone.” Fang Lingyu was full of worry. “I’ve already called the police, but the police said they can’t open a case right now. We’re still by the river, so we probably won’t be back until very late. You all eat first. Don’t go hungry.”

Xie Ning glanced at the others in the room. Nanny Zhang stood at the kitchen door, long since starving. Su Wan poked her head out from the bedroom, also listening to the call.

She wore a very strange pair of socks. The cuffs were uneven, one side high and the other low, and the colors were not the same either, one grass green and one dark green. They looked like two different pairs of old socks pieced together into one.

Xie Ning stared at the floor. Her gaze unconsciously lingered for a few seconds on those strange socks. When she came back to herself, Su Wan had already gone back into the room.

She probably also wanted to know the situation with Su Jin, but she would not take the initiative to ask. So Xie Ning deliberately turned the speaker volume up a little, letting her hear clearly.

While Fang Lingyu was speaking, Su Xingheng cut in and asked loudly, “Xie Ning, when school ended, did you say something to Su Jin?”

Fang Lingyu took back the phone and scolded Su Xingheng for being rude. Xie Ning, however, openly admitted it. “I asked her about some things, because I heard rumors at school…”

Fang Lingyu froze. “Xie Ning, what did you ask her?”

“About your family’s recent situation,” Xie Ning said apologetically. “I’m sorry, Auntie. I was really too curious at the time.”

“It’s all right, Xie Ning,” Fang Lingyu said, her tone still fairly gentle. “I can understand. This isn’t your fault.”

Xie Ning then asked where they were. Fang said they were by the river near Sanliu Bridge. Xie Ning said, “The three of you searching is too slow. There’s one of our malls near Sanliu Bridge. There are probably one or two thousand employees inside, and they haven’t gotten off work yet. I’ll tell my dad and have the employees come out to help you look.”

Fang Lingyu was flattered. Before this, she had still been complaining—

The Su family’s connections were not enough, and the acquaintances they had in the public security department happened to be off duty, so there was no way to send police out to help them search.

But Xie Ning’s words suddenly opened her mind. She really had not expected there to be such a method!

“Is that okay?” Fang Lingyu hesitated. “Wouldn’t it be too much trouble…”

“Auntie, give me two minutes. I’ll call my dad right now!”

Xie Ning called her father and described the Su family’s situation very seriously, saying that Su Jin might be unable to think things through and had jumped into the river, and that they had to find her as soon as possible, immediately!

And so, President Xie immediately notified the mall, telling the employees to get off work early and organizing them to search by the river. He also promised a ten-thousand-yuan reward to whoever found Su Jin!

Now, the efficiency of the search instantly increased.

But for Su Jin, this was completely an experience of social death.

She was by the river, enjoying the wind, wiping her tears, and thinking about Su Xingheng. The more she thought, the sadder she became, until she had cried herself haggard.

Around seven-fifty, she saw a great, imposing crowd suddenly appear on the opposite bank of the river, using their phone flashlights while calling out one after another:

“Su Jin!”

“Su Jin, where are you?”

“Student Su Jin, your mother is very worried about you!”

“Su Jin, this world is still very beautiful. You’re so young. Don’t do anything foolish!”

“What’s the big deal about heartbreak? There are so many good men out there. Don’t hang yourself on one tree!”

Hundreds, thousands of voices filled the entire riverbank!

Su Jin: “…”

At eight-oh-five, a girl with a high ponytail found her first. She shone her phone flashlight over Su Jin, then said in wild delight, “You’re Su Jin? Sixteen years old, wearing a school uniform, same as the description. It should be you! Great! I found her! Ten thousand yuan!”

Su Jin really had only gone to the river to enjoy the breeze. She had deliberately turned off her phone to make her family worry, especially to make Su Xingheng worry! She simply never expected that her mother would actually hire more than a thousand people to search for her?! This had completely exceeded her expectations.

Su Jin’s mood was extremely complicated, but no matter what, seeing Mother Su worry about her this much made her heart relax slightly. She no longer needed to be constantly anxious about being driven out of the house!

After this incident, not only was Xie Ning not blamed, she instead became someone Mother Su was grateful to. Fortunately, Xie Ning had come up with this idea, allowing them to find Su Jin smoothly.

After Su Jin returned home, she did not throw another tantrum. Mother Su stayed by her side the whole time, stewing soup and bringing it to her, giving her all kinds of beautiful promises. Su Xingheng also kept apologizing, apologizing for his negligence after school. Neither of them mentioned Xie Ning.

That entire night, everyone’s attention was on Su Jin. She had successfully achieved her purpose.

But the cost?

In one night, Su Jin’s name spread. While Su Jin was still feeling pleased about holding onto the Su family’s hearts, rumors about the Su family rose everywhere. Paper could no longer contain the fire.

Before Xie Ning left the Su family, she still had not managed to hear Su Wan speak to her.

When she left, Fang Lingyu walked her to the courtyard gate.

The car turned through the bend, exited the neighborhood gate, and drove onto the main road. Xie Ning turned her head and looked outside through the window, just in time to see the Su family’s house.

There was one room with only a single window lit up. A thin, small figure stood by the window, looking in her direction.

Xie Ning recognized her. It was Su Wan.

She had already gone this far, yet Su Wan was still looking at her?

Xie Ning stretched her hand out the window and blew her a kiss.

She was certain Su Wan saw it clearly, because Su Wan fled.

Good night, my girl.