Ning Manfei greeted Madam Ning with a smile.
She wore a Chanel tweed suit that accentuated her snow-white skin, sported the trendy Hepburn-style short haircut, had alluring red lips, and her eyes conveyed a shrewdness and arrogance.
She was followed by two assistants carrying large bags and dragging luggage, clearly indicating that they had just returned from a shopping spree.
"Manfei is back. Have you eaten?" Madam Ning asked gently.
"I ate on the plane. I came straight here to see my second aunt and younger sister as soon as I got off the plane," Ning Manfei said, her gaze falling on Ning Yuan.
A complex look flashed in her eyes: "Little sister, it's been a long time. You've grown more and more beautiful."
Ning Yuan smiled calmly: "Sister Manfei is joking. You are the one who is getting more and more beautiful."
A year ago, Ning Manfei represented the eldest branch of the Ning family and came to Shanghai with Ning Bingyu and Ning's second wife.
At the time, she was somewhat hostile and disdainful towards this suddenly appearing "cousin," so why is she suddenly being so "affectionate" towards her now?
Ning Bingchao, resting his chin on his hand, asked with a grin, "Second Sister, what nice things did you buy on your trip to Paris? So many bags, aren't you tired?"
Ning Manfei is only one month older than Ning Bingchao.
Ning Manfei chuckled softly, sat down gracefully, and pulled down her silk gloves: "The Xiang family invited VIC to visit their jewelry workshop, and also showed him a special show for VIC. He also pre-ordered some of their new styles for next year."
Ning Bingchao glanced at the large and small bags, shook his head and sighed—
"Second sister, you go out to watch fashion shows and buy clothes and handbags every quarter. Some of the handbags and clothes that look strange and unusual are ones that you have never even used or worn. Every year, you have to get rid of a batch of expensive old items in your wardrobe."
Ning Manfei ignored Ning Bingchao, but looked at Ning Yuan, smiling and drawing out her words—
“Hey, little sister, the women of the Ning family in Hong Kong don’t look at the price when they buy small things like bags and clothes. They only look at what they like in the season and what catches their eye.”
As she spoke, she casually took three Chanel shopping bags from her follower and placed them in front of Ning Yuan: "Little sister, these clothes are for you. Welcome home."
Ning Yuan stared blankly at the three shopping bags.
Although I was just an ordinary person in my past life, I knew that these luxury brands definitely offer alteration services for VIC (brand super VIP) clothing, and even custom-made alterations.
Ning Manfei is taller and more slender than her, and her clothes would definitely look terrible on her.
But she said she would give herself these clothes that were the wrong size?
If I accept these custom-made clothes, I'll become the servants' laughingstock tonight, and it'll be a joke tomorrow.
She raised an eyebrow slightly: "Sister Manfei, these clothes don't suit me."
Ning Manfei paused, then smiled indifferently: "What, you don't like it? It's okay, I'll take you to the fashion show, and if you see any clothes or handbags you like, just buy them."
"Don't be like those second-rate people who can't afford brand-name clothes every season and rely on buying a few luxury handbags to show off their wealth—they even consider the resale value of a handbag or watch before buying it."
Ning Manfei paused, then smiled and said, "In our Cantonese, we call this kind of person 'a dead chicken trying to fill a rice bowl.' They're pretentious, arrogant, and servile, insisting on acting like they're upper class. Don't you think they're cheap? Little sister?"
No one present was a fool. These words were a veiled insult, implying that even if Ning Yuan became a young lady of the Ning family, she would still be an outcast and a country bumpkin.
The men at the table had different expressions, but they all shared one thing in common—they were all watching with great interest how Ning Yuan would handle the situation.
After her divorce from her wealthy ex-husband, the eldest sister became more composed, but the second sister became more sharp-tongued and mean-spirited after her divorce from her British husband.
Madam Ning's expression instantly turned cold: "Manfei..."
“Sister Manfei is right. Someone like me, a poor person from the mainland, can’t pretend to be a rich and high-class lady.” Ning Yuan put down the fruit fork in her hand.
She knew that Ning Manfei had always harbored a strange hostility towards her, and it wasn't a misperception she had back in Shanghai.
Ning Yuan raised an eyebrow in a calm tone, but her words were clear: "Unlike Sister Manfei, who was born with a silver spoon in her mouth and has been living a life of luxury since childhood, she naturally buys whatever is expensive, good, or trendy."
Ning Yuan wiped her lips with a handkerchief: "Well, I have low standards and I'm materialistic. When I see these designer brands, I want to invest the money I would have spent on them to make more money."
"Hmm, that sounds like something a member of the Ning family would say!"
An aged voice, accompanied by the dull thud of a wheelchair rolling over the carpet, came from the restaurant entrance.
The housekeeper and the nurse pushed a sprightly, serious-looking old man out in a wheelchair, one on each side.
Ning Manfei froze.
The old man looked very old, with gray hair, but it was combed very neatly.
Although his face was covered with wrinkles, his eyes were bright and deep, exuding the majesty of someone who had long held a high position.
Everyone immediately stood up, and the younger generation, including Ning Bingyu, Ning Binglun, Ning Manfei, and Ning Bingchao, bowed slightly and called out "Grandpa" in unison.
Grandpa Ning's gaze swept over everyone, finally settling on Ning Yuan.
His eyes, which had seen the world, were as sharp as a hawk's, as if they could see through people's hearts.
Grandpa Ning's gaze lingered for a moment on the jade chili pepper on Ning Yuan's neck, a complex light flashing in his cloudy eyes.
Upon seeing this, Madam Ning immediately stepped forward, gently took Old Master Ning's arm, and said softly, "Dad, didn't you say you weren't feeling well and were resting?"
Ning Yuan didn't expect her cheap grandfather to show up. Wasn't he too lazy to even see her?
Old Master Ning scrutinized Ning Yuan for a while before turning his gaze to Madam Ning, and asked in a calm tone—
"I asked Lao Tian to push me out for a walk. Is this the little daughter you mentioned who was left behind?"
Madam Ning nodded hurriedly: "Yes, Dad, this is Xiao Ning."
Ning Yuan looked at the old man and nodded slightly: "Grandpa."
The old man didn't speak, but stared sharply at Ning Yuan, as if trying to see right through her.
After a long while, Old Master Ning finally looked away, his tone revealing neither joy nor anger: "Now that you're back, just stay home and relax."
After saying that, he coldly swept his gaze over Ning Manfei's guilty face: "My little sister is only twenty-two. How old are you? Your child is already in elementary school abroad. And you're still trying to intimidate your little sister?"
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