Ning Bingyu, who was directly named, had a cold glint in his eyes.
His face remained gentle and refined. He didn't answer her question, but instead smiled leisurely: "Manfei, what's wrong? You don't even call me Brother Yu anymore. Are you so angry?"
Ning Manfei is the second daughter of the first wife.
Unlike Ning Man'an, the gentle and profound eldest sister who controls Ning's Real Estate, Ning Manfei is a spoiled young lady who only knows how to enjoy herself. Does she even deserve to raise her voice in front of him?
Ning Bingyu's seemingly gentle words, though carrying a reprimanding tone, made Ning Manfei's face stiffen.
She's here representing her father and the eldest son's family, what's there to be afraid of!
Then, Ning Manfei raised her chin, touched her ornate bracelet, and sneered—
"Isn't it because this little sister looks like my eldest sister? I could tell at a glance. I don't know what's wrong with Brother Yu. Is he afraid that he doesn't want to acknowledge his little sister back and is afraid that she will take a share of the family property?"
Upon hearing this, the surrounding air seemed to chill under the sudden, icy aura emanating from Ning Bingyu: "Manfei, watch your words!"
Ning Yuan hid behind Rong Zhaonan, her big eyes darting around. Oh wow, is it this exciting as soon as she arrives?
The representatives of the first and second branches of the Ning family had a huge fight right in front of her? Isn't that too sudden?!
TVB dramas really do live up to their reputation!
Rong Zhaonan glanced at the girl who instinctively grabbed his sleeve.
Seeing that her initial stiffness and unease had vanished as the situation before her disappeared, her eyes sparkled with interest.
A hint of a smile flashed in his cool, aloof eyes. It was good that she could relax; this was the little wife he knew.
Ning Bingyu glanced at Rong Zhaonan and Ning Yuan out of the corner of his eye, and seeing their amused expressions, he felt a surge of anger.
His eyes instantly turned so dark they seemed to drip water—
Ning Manfei is talking nonsense!
The fact that they can immediately recognize Ning Yuan as a member of the Ning family is based on the fact that they have already verified Ning Yuan's identity, which in itself is suggestive and indicative.
That's why they would compare Ning Yuan's facial features, eyebrows, and face to their own family members!
But if it were just any random passerby with thick eyebrows and big eyes, would they make such comparisons?
Ning Manfei was deliberately trying to sabotage him and sow discord between Ning Yuan and the second branch of the Ning family!
Seeing Ning Bingyu giving her a cold look, Ning Manfei simply snorted, "I was just joking."
Ning Bingyu's gaze was cold and gloomy. He was about to speak when he sensed someone watching him from his mother's direction.
He glanced around and saw Wen Huifang frowning at him, shaking her head slightly to signal him not to get angry.
Ning Bingyu suppressed his anger, gently pushed up his newly replaced frameless glasses, and said calmly, "It's best not to make these kinds of jokes. We're all family; saying them will hurt our feelings."
Cha Meiling smiled and took Ning Manfei's arm, giving Ning Bingyu a charming glare: "Alright, why are you so serious, big brother? Second sister has always been straightforward and doesn't mean any harm."
Ning Manfei belonged to the first wife's family and was not originally in the order of birth among the siblings of the second wife's family.
But Cha Meiling was always good at interpersonal relationships, and she addressed Ning Manfei and Ning Man'an directly as "elder sister" and "second sister."
Ning Manfei did not push away Cha Meiling's arm, but looked at Wen Huifang and said sarcastically, "Today is Second Aunt's good day, so hurry up and go recognize the daughter you've been longing for."
Looking at Ning Manfei's arrogant demeanor, Ning Yuan narrowed her big eyes. This second cousin of the eldest branch of the family really dared to argue with everyone and everything.
Is he truly arrogant and spoiled, or does he have ulterior motives?
After this whole commotion, Wen Huifang sighed inwardly. She knew that if the eldest son's wife had sent Ning Manfei, a troublemaker, to the mainland on their behalf, the trip wouldn't have been pleasant.
She walked up to Ning Yuan, and as if afraid of startling her, softened her tone even more: "Ning Yuan, right... Can I call you Ning Ning?"
Ning Yuan could sense the cautiousness emanating from the gentle lady in front of her, and her heart was in turmoil.
No one had ever spoken to her like that before, like they were coaxing a little girl.
Wen Huifang saw that Ning Yuan didn't speak, her dark grape-like eyes fixed on her. She was a petite and thin girl.
Remembering the investigation about Ning Yuan's early life that Ning Bingyu had shown her, and knowing that the girl had not had a good life, she couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness, and her eyes reddened.
Afraid of bursting into tears, she quickly lowered her eyes, suppressing her emotions, and called out, "Assistant Ye."
The tall, sharp-looking man standing behind Ning Bingyu immediately walked over and handed Wen Huifang a Hermes crocodile skin handbag.
She took a brocade box out of her handbag and carefully handed it to Ning Yuan: "This... is for you, just a small gift. You... open it and see if you like it."
Although Rong Zhaonan blocked most of the probing view, Cha Meiling could still see Wen Huifang's expression from her angle.
She couldn't help but sigh inwardly—her godmother had always been gentle, steady, and shrewd; she had never seen Madam Ning like this before.
For Madam Ning, her biological daughter was ultimately irreplaceable by her goddaughter.
Ning Yuan glanced at the brocade box, her mind in turmoil, and subconsciously looked at Rong Zhaonan.
Rong Zhaonan caught a glimpse of Madam Ning's pleading eyes out of the corner of his eye. He paused for a moment, then nodded lightly, "It's alright, take it and have a look?"
He took the opportunity to change his position, standing in front of Ning Yuan and Wen Huifang, blocking most of the onlookers' curious or inquisitive gazes.
Ning Yuan then took it, and said somewhat stiffly in a soft voice, "Thank you..."
Even if she had expectations for her biological mother, she couldn't bring herself to be very excited in front of a stranger she hadn't seen for over twenty years.
Ning Yuan looked at the velvet box in her hand, feeling a strange mix of emotions.
Ning Jinyun had never given her a gift since she was a child. Only her eldest brother remembered her birthday and would secretly slip her an extra egg or two fruit candies on her birthday.
This is the first time I've received a gift from a blood relative.
Ning Yuan opened the velvet box under Wen Huifang's expectant gaze.
Inside lay an exquisite Art Deco-style platinum bracelet.
Rubies, sapphires, emeralds, topaz... each one-carat exquisite gemstone is surrounded by small diamonds and set in a geometrically bold platinum gemstone base.
The bracelet is also engraved with "NY"—the abbreviation of Ning Yuan's name.
At first glance, it looks like... that colorful style that little girls like.
With a little attention, you'll find that the bracelet isn't actually extravagant; on the contrary, it's full of metropolitan artistic flair, clearly a high-end custom jewelry piece by a renowned designer.
Ning Yuan looked at the Bulgari logo at the end of the bracelet, then looked at Wen Huifang.
In Madam Ning's heart, she was still a little girl, which is why she commissioned such a striking bracelet from Bulgari.
But since I'm already twenty-one, I asked the designer to redesign it into a metropolitan art style that can be worn by people in their twenties and thirties.
This gift... was really thoughtful.
"Do you like it? If you don't, that's okay, I've prepared other things too," Wen Huifang asked gently.
Looking at the caution and eagerness in her eyes, it was like patiently coaxing a child.
Ning Yuan felt a strange pang of sadness in her heart, and her eyes reddened slightly. She took a deep breath and remained silent.
Seeing that she didn't express her opinion, Wen Huifang assumed that she didn't like it and felt somewhat worried and at a loss: "Assistant Ye..."
Ning Yuan shook her head sullenly: "This gift is very nice."
Wen Huifang was stunned, almost thinking she had misheard: "Really?"
Ning Yuan nodded, and said somewhat awkwardly, "Thank you, this is the first time I've received such a gift."
Upon receiving a thank you, Wen Huifang paused for a moment, then tears instantly streamed down her face: "You're welcome, you're welcome, I'm glad you like it, I'm glad you like it..."
She couldn't help but grab Ning Yuan's hand, fighting back tears, afraid of frightening Ning Yuan again—
“Every year, the family gives you a birthday present, little sister. Besides Mommy… besides mine, your brothers also prepare them. Shall we make up for it?”
Ning Yuan stared blankly at Wen Huifang, and said somewhat awkwardly, "Mm."
Seeing this, Cha Meiling stepped forward and naturally took Wen Huifang's arm.
She smiled gently at Ning Yuan and said, "Godmother has been looking forward to a reunion for so many years and has finally found her little sister. Why don't you call her Mommy or, as is the case in mainland China, Mom?"
Wen Huifang looked at Ning Yuan with expectant eyes: "..."
Ning Yuan hesitated for a moment, glancing at Ning Bingyu out of the corner of her eye.
Seeing his calm expression, it seemed he had already anticipated that she would be eager to acknowledge her ancestors today.
She ignored Cha Meiling and suddenly changed the subject: "Young Master Ning, do you still remember what you promised me back then?"
Wen Huifang was taken aback and looked at her eldest son.
Ning Bingyu paused, holding the teacup, and looked up to meet Ning Yuan's gaze for a moment. This girl was indeed quite troublesome.
He didn't say anything, but simply instructed the tall, thin man in his forties standing next to him: "Tony, give it to her."
Tony then turned around, grabbed a briefcase, opened it, and took out two medical test reports.
One copy was machine-printed, and the other was handwritten.
"This is a blood type report for all the members of the Ning family's second branch, from a lab report issued by the University of Hong Kong Hospital."
"The other one was done by Mommy and me at the Yangcheng Military Region Hospital this time, as you requested."
Ning Bingyu tapped the table with his long fingers.
Ning Yuan reached for the report and began to read it.
Ning Manfei, standing to the side, gave a disdainful sneer and took a sip of tea: "Pretentious."
She didn't explain what she meant by that sentence.
But everyone present knew she thought Ning Yuan was being hypocritical. A girl found in the countryside should be grateful, but instead she acted aloof and didn't acknowledge her family, asking for a blood type report.
Wen Huifang frowned.
The eldest son's second niece is a troublesome and difficult person. She has always been dissatisfied that her father, Ning Bingkun, did not designate her younger brother as the successor of the group, but instead gave it to Ning Bingyu.
Ning Manfei often acts as a pawn when there are conflicts between the two families, which is both troublesome and frustrating.
Good upbringing made Wen Huifang not want to cause any more trouble, especially during such a happy moment as reuniting with her daughter.
Ning Yuan ignored her and continued reading her report, confirming that all members of the Ning family shared the same blood type as her. She wanted Ning Bingyu to know that she hadn't actually begged to be his sister.
I won't feel that I shouldn't do what I'm supposed to do just because others ridicule me.
However, Rong Zhaonan suddenly raised his narrow eyes, coldly swept them over Ning Manfei, and scoffed, "Pretentious."
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