A Happy Ending with my Fiancée's Arch-enemy - Chapter 22.1

Lin Yanqing saw emotions in Yu Ning’s eyes she had never witnessed before coldness, sarcasm, disgust.

Though Yu Ning was right before her, Lin Yanqing felt an immense distance between them at that moment.

“What’s wrong? Weren’t you going to apologize?”

Yu Ning was still somewhat weak, her face pale, with white gauze wrapped around her head and hand. The slightest movement sent waves of pain through her not sharp agony, but a persistent, gnawing sensation like ants crawling over her skin.

Medically speaking, escaping a stage fire and a car accident with only minor injuries was considered fortunate.

Her soft-spoken words left everyone in the room stunned.

Yu Ning’s mother marveled at how her daughter had finally matured and learned to value herself.

The Lin family, meanwhile, concluded that Lin Yanqing’s actions had truly crossed Yu Ning’s bottom line, provoking even the usually compliant Yu Ning to make such a demand.

Lin Yanqing stared at her, searching for any hint of pretense. Rather than believing Yu Ning had suddenly changed, she was convinced this was Yu Ning’s way of throwing a tantrum angry that she hadn’t been rescued first and deliberately making a scene while both families were present.

With that thought, Lin Yanqing felt the situation became much more manageable.

Softening her tone, she repeated, “Don’t be angry. Next time, I’ll save you first.”

To Yu Ning’s surprise, this was one of the rare moments she witnessed Lin Yanqing lowering her guard. The first memorable instance was when Lin Yanqing had gently persuaded her with sweet words to agree to their engagement a stark contrast to the cold demeanor she later displayed.

Only then did Yu Ning realize that the engagement was merely a means for Lin Yanqing to secure the Lin family inheritance; she needed the Yu family’s shares.

Otherwise, she couldn’t compete with her younger sister.

So, no matter how Yu Ning treated her, Lin Yanqing would have insisted on marrying her in the end.

Unfortunately, a deceived heart could never comprehend why someone who had just proposed marriage could turn so cold in an instant.

An innocent soul could never anticipate how treacherous human hearts could be.

Clearly, Lin Yanqing was that treacherous soul.

She had used Yu Ning, yet still trampled upon her dignity.

But Yu Ning was no mere fantasy, nor was she a supporting character in some melodramatic novel. She was simply Yu Ning a Yu Ning who would not be controlled by fate.

Whatever was taken from her, whatever she was owed, must be returned.

“Mom, will I experience another stage fire next time? Or another car accident?”

Yu Ning’s voice was faint, her words broken by pauses. Her mother’s heart ached with pity.

Amid her heartache, she also felt anger at Lin Yanqing’s earlier remark.

“No, no, our Ningning will always be healthy and safe.” Afraid of hurting her, Yu Ning’s mother dared not touch her. Instead, she sat on the edge of the hospital bed, clutching the sheets and gazing at her daughter as if to soothe her.

When Lin Yanqing heard Yu Ning’s words, she froze completely.

If the first remark was just venting anger, what was this? Leaving her no way to save face, even humiliating her?

“Yanqing, aren’t you supposed to be smart? How could you speak to Ningning like that?”

Yu Ning’s mother’s usual fondness for Lin Yanqing had always been based on her daughter’s affection for her. That fondness paled in comparison to her precious daughter.

Hearing this, the Lin family immediately signaled for Lin Yanqing to apologize again.

Before Lin Yanqing could process Yu Ning’s sudden change in attitude, she felt a push from behind.

“Apologize again,” Lin Yanqing’s Alpha mother said sternly.

Everyone knew how much Yu Ning usually liked Lin Yanqing. Even Lin Yanqing’s strict Alpha mother held Yu Ning in high regard.

What could cause someone who had always liked you to suddenly speak out and make things difficult?

It could only be that her bottom line had been crossed.

“Aunt Lin, there’s really no need to apologize,” Yu Ning coughed twice, her body aching as she moved. She let out a hiss of pain but forced herself to sound fine. “Just three kowtows will do!”

Her innocent expression made it seem as though three kowtows were an especially easy thing to do. Yu Ning’s face was already pale, and she wore a weak smile, her eyes filled with gentleness. Her expression seemed to say: Aren’t three kowtows an easy thing to do? See how understanding I am.

The Lin family naturally couldn’t allow their own child to kowtow to Yu Ning, who was not only of the same generation but also her fiancée. If the two were to marry in the future, wouldn’t Lin Yanqing be unable to hold her head up in front of Yu Ning?

“Well, Ningning, let’s discuss this properly. We’ll be family in the future. Although Yanqing did do something wrong, isn’t making her kowtow to you a bit too much?”

The speaker was Lin Yanqing’s Omega stepmother.

Yu Ning examined her carefully. It was hard to tell that someone like her would later embezzle funds and flee, causing turmoil in the Lin family. After hearing Lin Yanqing’s few words, Yu Ning would beg her mother to help the Lin family, only to end up with her own family ruined and scattered.

The timeline was set for after her nineteenth birthday next year.

What a pity. According to the script, she would still have to watch Lin Yanqing live and jump around for a whole year.

Disgusting.

Lin Yanqing once again felt the undisguised disgust in Yu Ning’s eyes.

She didn’t understand. Was it really necessary to make such a big fuss just because she had saved Jiang Shuangshuang instead of her?

Was it really that serious?

“Aunt Wu, in the past, even when I had minor scrapes, you would worry about me for a long time. How come.” Yu Ning sounded hurt, her voice growing weaker. “Actually, you’re right. Lin Yanqing and I are only engaged. I’m not her responsibility. What I almost lost was just my life, while Yanqing almost lost her dignity. Perhaps we should.”

Before Yu Ning could finish, Aunt Lin’s stern voice cut her off: “Kneel down and apologize.”

Lin Yanqing pressed her lips together. She knew that once her mother gave an order, she would never take it back. She had grown up under her mother’s strict discipline all these years.

She looked at Yu Ning, hoping to see her try to stop this.

In the past few years, Yu Ning had only complained to her family about her when they first got engaged and she didn’t understand her family situation. But after seeing her punished by her mother, Yu Ning felt sorry for her and never complained again.

After a long moment, Yu Ning’s eyes remained cold and indifferent, as if everything happening had nothing to do with her.

“I’ll say it one more time. Kneel down and apologize.”

Yu Ning had always known how strict Aunt Lin was, which was why she never complained to her about Lin Yanqing.

But now, all Yu Ning felt in her heart was that Lin Yanqing deserved it, and she wanted to applaud in celebration.

Lin Yanqing lowered her gaze and knelt down beside the hospital bed, her back straight as a rod.

“Kowtowing really isn’t necessary, is it? Ningning is fine now. Wouldn’t this make things awkward for the two children in the future?” Lin Yanqing’s Omega stepmother continued to plead.

Awkward? It wouldn’t be awkward for her.

If it was going to be awkward, wouldn’t it be better to just not see each other at all?

“I heard you saved Jiang Shuangshuang? So you two are that close. Right, I actually forgot last time on my birthday when I asked you to visit the flower market with me, you said you had plans. It was to accompany her, wasn’t it? I really envy an Omega like her, loved by everyone. Unlike me, I can’t even keep my own fiancée. Since that’s the case, why don’t we.”

Before the words “break off the engagement” could leave Yu Ning’s lips, she was interrupted again by Aunt Lin’s voice: “Kneel and apologize.”

Although Aunt Lin had always been strict with Lin Yanqing in the past, never before had her voice alone sent such a chilling tremor through one’s heart.

But none of this concerned Yu Ning.

Yu Ning rarely saw Lin Yanqing lower her noble head. It was always Yu Ning chasing after her, speaking softly and humbly. Lin Yanqing’s expression toward her was perpetually cold less like indifference and more like the dismissiveness one would show a mere tool.

In Lin Yanqing’s eyes, she was nothing more than a few percentage points of company shares.

The sound of a forehead hitting the floor was entirely different from the noise Yu Ning made when she collapsed on stage or on the road. This sound was crisp and pleasant, soothing to the heart.

Sigh, it was hard to believe. All she wanted was to bring up the topic of breaking off the engagement, how did she end up effortlessly trampling Lin Yanqing’s dignity underfoot?

Yu Ning met Lin Yanqing’s glacial gaze but responded with only a weak smile.

Sorry, but she was immune.

When I loved you, you were a god. Now that I don’t, who do you think you are?

Besides, before this, she had been forced to follow the plot, with only the memories of the past few years clear. Everything else was hazy. Her entire world had revolved around Lin Yanqing, and as a supporting character, her memories didn’t matter.

But lately, perhaps because she had read the book, even before realizing she was just a cannon-fodder female side character, she had developed a rebellious consciousness on her own, saving herself a lot of trouble.

“Ningning, how are you feeling now? Are you still angry?” Lin Yanqing’s Omega stepmother asked.

“There’s one more thing.”

As soon as Yu Ning spoke, she drew everyone’s attention, especially Lin Yanqing’s Omega stepmother, whose eyes seemed to say, “What more do you want?”

How could she possibly be satisfied? Today was only the beginning. From now on, she would repay Lin Yanqing double for everything she had done to her. She would trample her dignity underfoot and ensure that everything Lin Yanqing desired remained out of reach.

Lin Yanqing, in particular, wore an expression of nothing but coldness and impatience: “I’ve already apologized. What more do you want?”

No sooner had she spoken than Yu Ning saw Aunt Lin push her from the side: “Did I say you could speak?”

Lin Yanqing had always been in awe of Aunt Lin since childhood. Combined with Aunt Lin’s usual unsmiling demeanor, she exuded an aloofness that ran bone-deep.

“Ningning, if there’s anything you’re still unsatisfied with, just say it. This time, it really was Lin Yanqing’s fault.”

Aunt Lin had always treated her quite well. Hearing this, Yu Ning pretended to hesitate before bringing it up: “A while ago, I noticed that Yanqing seems to have fallen for the Omega she saved. I’ve been thinking I shouldn’t be so selfish, clinging to the position of fiancée and standing in the way of her love for someone else. Aunt Lin, why don’t we just call off the engagement?”

Yu Ning spoke with an exceedingly well-behaved demeanor, looking as though she genuinely had Lin Yanqing’s best interests at heart.

Everyone had witnessed how Yu Ning treated Lin Yanqing. No matter who heard it, they wouldn’t believe Yu Ning was speaking sincerely they’d only think she was venting her anger.

Lin Yanqing slightly opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but when she caught the icy glare from Aunt Lin, she immediately fell silent.

“Ningning, marriage isn’t something to joke about in anger. Both families agreed to this back then, and Grandma Lin is still waiting for you to visit.”

Aunt Lin did her best to keep her voice gentle. In her heart, she treated Yu Ning almost like a daughter. This child, who had always followed Lin Yanqing like a little shadow and often asked if the wedding date could be moved up, how could she possibly bring up breaking off the engagement?

Love can indeed be measured by comparison. Aunt Lin was genuinely good to her, but when it came to interests, she would always side with Lin Yanqing.

In truth, Yu Ning knew that not only Lin Yanqing but even Aunt Lin hoped to gain the Yu family’s support to elevate the Lin family’s business.

Here, aside from her own mother and mama, no one would truly and wholeheartedly care for her.

“Lin Yanqing, what do you say?”

“I’m sorry, it really was my fault. Can you please stop making a scene?”

In the past, Lin Yanqing had always used breaking off the engagement as a threat against Yu Ning. Whenever Yu Ning made a fuss, she would tell her to go ahead and call off the engagement.

But Yu Ning never dared. She had never truly brought up breaking off the engagement in front of her family. This was the first time the matter was being discussed so seriously.

Lin Yanqing couldn’t detect even a hint of pretense in Yu Ning’s eyes. She vaguely sensed that perhaps Yu Ning really wasn’t putting on an act.

Compared to earlier, Lin Yanqing’s tone had softened considerably now.

Yu Ning found it rather amusing. In the past, she had always been afraid that Lin Yanqing would break off the engagement with her, but in reality, the one who truly didn’t dare to end it was Lin Yanqing herself.

Using her was one thing, but to act all high and mighty while trampling on her feelings that was another.

“Explain the situation with that Omega.” Aunt Lin assumed Yu Ning was speaking out of anger because Lin Yanqing had been ambiguous with another Omega.

Lin Yanqing pursed her lips, reverting to her cold and indifferent demeanor as she replied, “She’s just a classmate. She happened to be sitting next to me when she got injured by a prop, and she wasn’t close to anyone else.”

Yu Ning nodded obediently, “Mm-hmm, closest to you, so close that she just happened to be sitting right beside you.”

Lin Yanqing grew somewhat angry. She had already explained, yet Yu Ning was still fanning the flames?