Uncle Si squinted, then suddenly grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth: "Pretty girl, you speak very eloquently. This antique business isn't just about talking. You have the skills, but I don't know if your connections are strong enough."
The old man rubbed the walnuts in his hands, his eyes gleaming with a scrutinizing gaze as he scanned Ning Yuan.
Ning Yuan also smiled: "What kind of path does Fourth Uncle want?"
Uncle Si slowly tapped the table: "In the antique business, you need connections and influence. Although I, this old man, have some goods, I need to find the right buyers to sell them. Are you capable? Do you have a source of goods or a buyer who can sell them?"
He knew that Ning Yuan was a daughter the Ning family had just recognized. Although she was adopted, in a place like the Ning family, even a dog would have an air of nobility.
Ning Yuan smiled slightly, her expression calm and composed, showing no anger at being slighted.
"Fourth Uncle is right. I was just recently recognized by the Ning family, and my connections are fairly clear, after all, I share the surname Ning. If Fourth Uncle really has something to sell, I might be able to help."
She paused, a sly glint in her eyes: "Of course, the price has to be right."
Fourth Uncle looked at Ning Yuan and snorted, "Alright, little girl." His tone was slightly mocking. "Want to learn from me? Sure. First, come work in my shop. Serving tea and water, sweeping the floor and wiping the tables—you'll have to do everything. As for cooperation, we'll talk about that later."
Ning Yuan wasn't annoyed at all; instead, she gracefully agreed, "Then thank you very much for your help, Fourth Uncle."
Ah Heng watched in stunned silence.
After leaving the shop, she tugged at Ning Yuan's sleeve and couldn't help but ask, "Xiao Ning, are you really going to work in this shabby shop? This old man is obviously trying to take advantage of you!"
Ning Yuan patted Aheng's hand and gave her a reassuring look: "It's okay, I know what I'm doing."
Back at the Ning family home, Chu Hongyu was curled up on the sofa in Ning Yuan's room, engrossed in some documents. Seeing Ning Yuan return, she immediately put down the documents and stood up: "Xiao Ning, you..."
"I plan to stay with my fourth uncle for a while and help him with his work." Ning Yuan poured two cups of hot tea and handed them to Aheng, then took a sip herself.
Chu Hongyu frowned: "You're pregnant. If you really want to do something, why not wait until after you give birth? If you really want to do something, why not... Young Master Ning definitely has a suitable position for you."
Ning Yuan shook her head: "If I want to join the Ning family, there's no need for me to go to my fourth uncle. You can't be indebted to someone just because they feed you." She didn't intend to end up like Ning Bingyu and Ning Man'an.
Chu Hongyu sighed, "You always have so many clever ideas. But seriously, are you really not going back to the mainland? What about the Tenth Department Store project? What about Hua Zi, Sister Manhua, Grandma Xia, and Grandpa Tang?"
Mentioning these things, Ning Yuan's smile faded slightly. She gently stroked her still flat stomach, and her tone softened.
"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing. I've already trained Sister Manhua; she can handle things on her own now. I'm confident in entrusting the school's Epoch Heart to her. She just needs a little more experience in terms of overall perspective and management, so you'll have to help her out in those areas. As for the counter at the Tenth Department Store..."
She paused for a moment, then said, "I've already arranged the counter design and merchandise at the Tenth Department Store. Could you keep an eye on it for me?"
“Me? I don’t have time. I don’t speak a word of Cantonese, and I’m busy learning it right now.” Chu Hongyu looked troubled. “Besides, Young Master Ning is too busy with his own affairs…”
The key point is that Young Master Ning said he wanted her to stay with Ning Yuan.
Ning Yuan gently took her hand: "Who told you to be my best friend? I'll give you a manager's position and shares, how about that? Pretty generous, right?"
Chu Hongyu sighed helplessly, "Fine, I knew you'd pull this. You've got me completely under your thumb!"
Ning Yuan smiled and said, "And Yangyang, if she's willing, she can come in and help too. I'll feel more at ease if the two of you are together."
Chu Hongyu poked her forehead: "Alright, you've arranged everything, Ning Yuan, boss! What can I say? What about Grandpa Tang and Grandma Xia? You really don't plan to go back and see them? They're waiting for you to come back for the New Year."
As soon as she finished speaking, she realized she had said the wrong thing.
Ning Yuan's face immediately darkened. She paused and said softly, "If I go back alone, they will be sad to see me like this. I won't stay in Hong Kong forever. I'll wait until I give birth here before making any decisions."
"Please trouble Sister Hongyu and Sister Yangyang to look after Grandpa Tang and Grandma Xia."
Chu Hongyu felt a pang of self-reproach; she had inadvertently touched Ning Yuan's most vulnerable spot.
She casually put her arm around Ning Yuan's shoulder and said, "Fine, what can I do? I'm your sister. But you have to promise me that you'll prioritize your health and not push yourself too hard."
Rong Zhaonan's sacrifice left Ning Yuan and her child as orphans, and they didn't know what the future held... If work could improve Ning Yuan's mental state, she would wholeheartedly agree.
Ning Yuan smiled and said, "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."
There was a knock at the door. Aheng got up and opened the door, and saw Ning Bing'an standing there. He was wearing a smart overcoat, which made him look even more refined and elegant, like a gentleman who had stepped out of a traditional Chinese ink painting.
He nodded slightly to Aheng, then looked at Ning Yuan and asked in a gentle tone, "Little sister, is it convenient for us to talk alone?"
Ning Bing'an's voice was gentle yet cool.
Ning Yuan was taken aback. This was the first time she had seen Ning Bing'an since returning to the villa from the Treasure Shop.
Upon hearing this, Ah Heng's alarm bells went off immediately. She recognized this guy.
Although the captain's fate is currently unknown, we cannot allow other men to take advantage of the situation until we are certain that the captain has truly perished!
She stood in front of Ning Yuan, staring at Ning Bing'an warily, and said in a deep voice, "I am Miss Ning's bodyguard, and I must protect her every step of the way." As she spoke, she clenched her fist in a show of defiance.
Ning Bing'an was not angered by Aheng's rudeness. He simply raised an eyebrow and said calmly, "Do I look like a dangerous element who might suddenly explode and hurt someone?"
Seeing this, Chu Hongyu quickly stepped in to smooth things over. She politely called Ning Bing'an "Young Master," and then pulled Aheng outside, saying, "Aheng, come with me for a moment, I have something to tell you."
Ah Heng looked unwilling, but Chu Hongyu still forcibly dragged him away.
Ning Yuan invited Ning Bing'an in. Ning Bing'an sat down, looked at Ning Yuan, and examined her expression: "Little sister, how are you feeling? Have you been doing well lately?"
Ning Yuan remained calm and composed, saying, "I wasn't feeling well for a while, but I'm much better now. Thank you for your concern, Brother Bing'an." With that, she got up and poured Ning Bing'an a cup of coffee.
Ning Bing'an took the coffee but didn't drink it. Instead, he looked directly into Ning Yuan's eyes and calmly said, "Little sister, you're pregnant, so drink less coffee."
Ning Yuan's hand trembled slightly, and she almost spilled her coffee. She hadn't expected Ning Bing'an to be so direct, and for a moment she didn't know how to answer.
She looked up and met Ning Bing'an's deep gaze in his phoenix eyes. His eyes seemed to hold a hint of knowing everything, which made her feel a little strange.
"I..." Ning Yuan began to speak, but Ning Bing'an interrupted her. Ning Bing'an said calmly, "My second aunt has already told the old master, my father, and my second uncle about this a few days ago."
Ning Yuan straightened her back slightly, her slender fingers unconsciously stroking her lower abdomen, her tone indifferent—
"So what? I didn't intend to hide it. I will definitely give birth to this child."
She hadn't expected her mother to be so assertive, directly confronting the old man. She had originally planned to act first and inform him later, but who knew her mother was even more ruthless!
“Grandpa and Daddy are very angry.” Ning Bing’an’s tone remained gentle, as if he were stating a trivial fact.
He sighed softly, "It was all agreed that you and I would marry, representing a marriage alliance between the first and second wives. Now... although I don't know what happened, a few days ago, my elder brother said that your husband in the mainland... has passed away?"
Upon hearing the word "passed away," Ning Yuan's heart clenched as if gripped tightly by an invisible hand.
"So what if it is or it isn't?" After a while, Ning Yuan lowered her eyes and gently stroked her lower abdomen with her fingers.
Ning Bing'an keenly noticed the change in her expression, and he frowned slightly: "Little sister, what are your plans?"
Ning Yuan took a deep breath, suppressing the sadness in her eyes, and put on a cold mask: "My plans? What plans could I possibly have? Just take good care of the pregnancy and give birth to the child."
Ning Bing'an lowered his eyes, took a sip of coffee, and suddenly said calmly, "How about you really consider marrying me?"
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