After the Bankrupt Heiress Married into a Rich Family - Chapter 36

Chapter 36: The Clown

Indulging Mingzhu in whatever she wanted.

Rong Zhao’s payment password was the same as her lock screen code. That very day, Mingzhu went out with great enthusiasm to swipe the card, “stock up” on goods, and order a new bag.

She returned home that night in high spirits, feeling no psychological burden when she checked her parents’ messages. Her heart felt completely different; there was no longer any bitterness or distress. She replied to her parents, called them, and had a good, cathartic cry of joy. That evening, she drank a little wine and fell into a peaceful sleep in Rong Zhao’s arms.

The night was silent. Mingzhu slept soundly with a sweet scent, but Rong Zhao was filled with worry and found it difficult to sleep. Her eyes were fixed on the pitch-black darkness, where not a single ray of light could be seen.

It felt like the future she shared with Mingzhu.

Mingzhu was eventually going back to Nanyu, wasn’t she?

Early the next morning, the spring breeze knocked on the window first. At the sound of the light wind, Mingzhu, having slept well all night, slowly opened her eyes while nestled in Rong Zhao’s embrace. Her eyes were a bit swollen—she had to blink several times to fully open them—but her mood was excellent. The gloom she had deliberately ignored but which had clearly weighed on her heart had vanished.

The first thing Mingzhu saw was a stretch of delicate, snowy-white skin. She was a restless sleeper, and she had tugged Rong Zhao’s collar open. Mingzhu held her breath. Enticed by the snowy landscape, her logic retreated, and she began to restlessly imagine what lay beneath the covers.

She hadn’t touched her yet. She felt a sudden urge to grasp, to knead—much like seeing a fresh, white, plump steamed bun straight out of the steamer and wanting to poke it with an index finger to see the indentation form, then watch it spring back into its rounded shape. She had no ill intentions; it was just the subconscious desire for that pleasurable experience, like kneading a bun, stroking a kitten, or teasing a child.

“What are you plotting now?”

Suddenly, Rong Zhao’s lazy voice sounded from above. Her voice was slightly hoarse from just waking up, carrying a soft sexiness.

Mingzhu looked up sheepishly, offering a well-behaved smile. “Good morning, Rongrong.”

Rong Zhao didn’t speak, lazily pushing Mingzhu’s forehead back. Mingzhu allowed herself to be pushed further forward until her forehead was pressed against Rong Zhao’s cheek. “I was thinking about steamed buns. Rongrong, have you ever poked a fresh bun? They’re soft and tender… the texture is amazing.”

Rong Zhao was silent for seven or eight seconds. “Bai Mingzhu.”

“…Yes?”

“Want to touch?” Rong Zhao lightly stroked Mingzhu’s shoulder, her voice tilting upward at the end. The word “touch” was honeyed and enticing, like melted cheese.

Mingzhu hesitated for two or three seconds before quickly deciding that pleasures should be enjoyed early; there was no room for procrastination. Mingzhu pressed her lips together and let out a short, drawn-out sound that was half-coaxing, half-tentative: “Yep.”

“No,” Rong Zhao rejected her decisively.

But this only made Mingzhu more excited. With a mix of coaxing and acting spoiled, she used the silk pillowcase to cover Rong Zhao’s face and began her mischief. Rong Zhao tilted her face up, her eyes crinkling with a hidden smile amidst her ragged breathing, indulging Mingzhu in whatever she wanted.

Mingzhu went back for a nap. In her dreams, her eyes felt icy and cool, as if an ice pack had been placed on them—it was very comfortable.

She woke up from hunger. Looking around the room, she saw her eyes were no longer swollen; apparently, the extra sleep had worked. She brushed her teeth and walked downstairs with a light step.

“Rongrong, I’m hungry. Are we going to my parents’ house at noon or in the afternoon—”

Before she could finish, her pace slowed. She stopped on the stairs. In the living room, Rong Zhao was entertaining a guest with tea. The guest looked remarkably like her.

So much so that she felt a sense of resistance.

Mingzhu tugged at her long-sleeved pajamas. They were silk, with a lapel collar and a long hem that covered her short pajama bottoms, but they couldn’t hide the fact that she wasn’t wearing a bra. Since the person downstairs was a blood relative, Mingzhu didn’t bother going back up to put one on; she simply crossed her arms and walked down.

“Good morning.” Mingzhu offered a faint smile as she approached the coffee table. Since she had decided not to acknowledge her biological parents, she intended to keep her distance.

Qin Wei looked up at Mingzhu. She saw her walking down barefoot, saw Rong Zhao stand up to place slippers at Mingzhu’s feet, and watched Mingzhu lazily step into them. Bloodlines are a miraculous thing, Qin Wei thought. She usually detested arrogant people, but she felt nothing against Mingzhu’s aloof and self-important coldness.

Qin Wei: “Good afternoon. Sorry for the intrusion.”

Mingzhu: “…” Is it noon already?

“When are we leaving?” Mingzhu looked at Rong Zhao.

Rong Zhao was dressed much more formally than Mingzhu in a long-sleeved leisure suit with her hair loose. She wore gold fan earrings with white pearls—the very picture of elegance and grace.

“Hungry?”

“Starving.”

“Eat first then.” Rong Zhao gave Mingzhu’s shoulder a reassuring pat and said to Qin Wei, “I’m taking Mingzhu to eat. Please make yourself at home, President Qin,” before leading Mingzhu to the kitchen.

There were sandwiches on the counter. Rong Zhao microwaved one for twenty seconds and heated some porridge and milk.

“What is she doing here?” Mingzhu asked, sticking close to Rong Zhao. Her tone was flat, neither cold nor warm.

Rong Zhao: “She heard that Qin Yining’s adoptive parents arrived in Jiangyue on a flight this morning. She was worried they would come looking for you as soon as they landed, so she came over to keep watch.”

Mingzhu: “…Since the doorbell system is fixed, can we just turn it off?”

Rong Zhao suddenly chuckled.

“What are you laughing at?”

“Nothing. Eat your food.”

It was past eleven in the morning. Mingzhu ate and drank in the kitchen until she was full. Rong Zhao didn’t go back out to the guest; the two of them chatted idly.

“My eyes aren’t swollen anymore. Did Auntie Guan give me an ice pack while I was asleep?”

“…Mhm.”

Mingzhu smiled. “Auntie Guan is so nice.”

“Mhm.”

Rong Zhao hand-ground coffee beans and made a pour-over for Mingzhu, then used a manual frother to make coconut milk foam, creating a rose latte art before placing it by Mingzhu’s hand.

Mingzhu was delighted. “It smells so good and looks so pretty.” She felt a twinge of jealousy. “Rong Zhao, how are you so good at everything?”

Rong Zhao: “Talent.”

Mingzhu: “…” She pouted slightly and picked up the coffee. Rong Zhao made this herself; it’s quite an honor, she thought, secretly pleased.

Just as she was about to take a sip, the doorbell rang. Shortly after, Auntie Guan’s voice came from the kitchen door: “Miss, a Mr. Qin and a Ms. Cao are outside to visit.”

Mingzhu’s pupils shrank. Rong Zhao handed the snacks to Mingzhu and pushed her toward the stairs. “Go play in the room. Put on your headphones.”

Qin Duo had regular features but a longish face; Cao Qiuyue had bold features with visible signs of plastic surgery. The couple brought many bags of various sizes, along with home-cooked food they had brought from Nanyu.

Cao Qiuyue wailed through her tears, “If I hadn’t been sick and hospitalized, I would have come to see Mingzhu ages ago. She’s my biological daughter! How could I not want to see her? Child, please let me see Mingzhu. I beg you, let me see my own daughter—”

As she wailed, Cao Qiuyue prepared to kneel before Rong Zhao. Rong Zhao leaned forward slightly as if to support her, but she only moved her hand a fraction—she had no intention of actually helping her up. Auntie Guan quickly stepped in to block Rong Zhao, lifting Cao Qiuyue. “Madam, please don’t do this.”

Rong Zhao retracted her hand, her eyes flicking to Qin Wei. Qin Wei’s expression as she watched Cao Qiuyue was even colder.

Qin Duo pulled Cao Qiuyue up with a dark expression. “Enough. You’re not well; stop crying.” He looked at Qin Wei and said hoarsely, “Niece, please speak to Miss Rong for your uncle. Let Mingzhu come home and see us. We are her biological parents… just one look would be enough.”

Cao Qiuyue wailed even louder, “Daughter! Mama misses you! Mama wants to take you home—”

Rong Zhao spoke coldly: “Mr. Qin, Ms. Cao. No child wants to avoid their parents. She wanted to see her biological parents too, and she wanted to be loved by them. But she waited at home for a month and didn’t receive a single phone call.”

Rong Zhao’s voice wasn’t loud, but it was piercing, causing Cao Qiuyue’s crying to stop instantly. Rong Zhao glanced indifferently at Qin Wei before looking back at the couple. “Just one phone call. Was it that hard?”

Qin Wei lowered her head to drink her water.

“No, child, you’ve misunderstood, and so has Mingzhu,” Cao Qiuyue cried. “We didn’t have her number. The police station wouldn’t give it to us, and Bai Zhaolin and Shao Simian kept it hidden. They kept everything from us; we just couldn’t reach her.”

Rong Zhao: “Then how did you find your way to my house today?”

Cao Qiuyue was speechless.

Qin Duo pressed his hand on Cao Qiuyue’s shoulder, his voice rough. “We searched for her photos online and eventually contacted someone here who knows her. We heard you lived here and came looking. We’ve been searching for a long time.”

Rong Zhao’s voice grew even colder. “It took you a month to find her? Was Ms. Cao hospitalized, and was Mr. Qin hospitalized as well? Do you two not have a single relative or friend? If you couldn’t come yourselves, couldn’t you ask someone else to find her for you?”

“Don’t—” Cao Qiuyue choked out. “Child, I know you’re angry. We were really tied down by things on our end; we just couldn’t get away. Mingzhu is the daughter I carried for ten months. I’m her mother! You can’t be so heartless. I beg you, let this poor mother see her—” She began her unruly wailing again.

Rong Zhao didn’t try to stop her; she just watched coldly.

“Uncle, Aunt,” Qin Wei suddenly spoke up. “Since you’re here, why don’t you do another DNA test?”

Qin Duo and Cao Qiuyue fell silent at the same time, as if they had misheard. They both looked at Qin Wei. Qin Wei’s heart sank.

“There’s no need. It’s not important.”

A distant but clear voice came from the stairs. Qin Duo and Cao Qiuyue stood up immediately, while Rong Zhao and Qin Wei also rose, each blocking one of them.

Mingzhu stood at the top of the stairs, having changed into guest-appropriate clothes with her red hair tied back neatly. She looked down at the two people in the living room. They were strangers—so much so that she felt no sense of closeness at all. Upon closer inspection, she shared some features with Qin Duo. But she couldn’t find a single familiar trace on Cao Qiuyue’s face.

Mingzhu said nothing more, turned indifferently, and went straight to the kitchen. She hadn’t tasted the coffee Rong Zhao made for her yet; it was going to get cold. She took two sips, watching the rose milk foam flow gently. The aroma made her feel at ease. Satisfied, she walked out with the coffee.

“Ms. Cao, Mr. Qin,” Mingzhu walked to a tall cabinet near the living room, placed her coffee on top, and leaned against it. “You aren’t just late; you’re a month late. As my partner said, perhaps I expected something from you on the first day. But now, not a trace of that remains. Call me heartless or unfeeling if you wish, but the fact is, I have no feelings for you.”

Her words were cold, yet she wore a polite smile. “I am not important to you, and you are not important to me. Since neither of us matters to the other, why the performance? In my heart, my only parents are Bai Zhaolin and Shao Simian. Furthermore, I grew up surrounded by love; I have no need for your so-called care.”

Cao Qiuyue let out a sob, about to wail again. Qin Wei stared at Mingzhu, her own eyes stinging. You have no need for anything?

“Everyone,” Mingzhu’s eyes held no hate or impatience, only a careless, shimmering smile. “And President Qin. My partner and I have a private gathering to attend. I’m going upstairs to change. Excuse me.”

“No! Mingzhu, my daughter—” Cao Qiuyue cried, trying to chase after her. Rong Zhao and Qin Wei both rose to block her.

Rong Zhao saw the guests out, arranging for Xiang Qian to drive the couple to a hotel. The car was stocked with modest gifts to maintain appearances—not expensive enough to encourage them to linger, but not so cheap as to be insulting.

Cao Qiuyue sobbed as she got into the car, her wailing continuing inside. Qin Duo sat with a long, silent face. Qin Wei had driven the Bai family’s car; once inside, she took a deep breath, frowned, and opened WeChat. She clicked on her mother’s chat box, hesitating whether to press send.

Closing the door, Rong Zhao asked Auntie Guan to move the air purifier in front of the sofa. She washed her hands in the first-floor bathroom before going upstairs to find Mingzhu. She knew Mingzhu’s fragility; she would hide her tears and her sadness. She wasn’t as strong as she appeared.

Rong Zhao pushed open the bedroom door softly. Mingzhu wasn’t there. She opened the door to the walk-in closet.

“…”

Mingzhu had already changed into her outing clothes and was looking at herself in the mirror as if nothing had happened. There was no sadness on her face, only a look of curiosity. Hearing the sound, she didn’t look up.

“I thought you were hiding and crying,” Rong Zhao said as she walked in.

Mingzhu laughed. “I won’t cry. Before Yining found me, I might have felt a bit sad occasionally—having no one to rely on, I’d suddenly feel lonely and pitiful. But Yining found me. I have my parents’ love, and Yining is a good person. What is there to cry about? Besides…”

“Besides what?”

“I have you.”

Rong Zhao’s heart skipped a beat. A sudden emotion rushed into her heart, making it feel soft and tender.

Mingzhu continued: “And Qin Wei knew they were coming, so you must have known too. I believe you have a plan, so I don’t need to worry or stress, and I certainly won’t hide and cry.”

Rong Zhao praised her: “Student Bai is very clever.”

Mingzhu smiled broadly.

Rong Zhao: “You trust me so much? Aren’t you afraid I’ll sell you out?”

Mingzhu laughed. “How much could I be worth? I don’t have a cent to my name.”

Rong Zhao shook her head in disagreement. “Mrs. Rong is a priceless treasure.”

Mingzhu looked up, surprised by the compliment. Realizing Rong Zhao was comforting her, she nodded with a laugh. “That’s true. I am President Rong’s ‘Pearl in the Palm,’ a rare treasure.”

Rong Zhao looked at her “pearl,” her “rare treasure,” and arched an eyebrow. “What are you looking at in the mirror?”

Mingzhu peeked from behind the mirror. “I don’t look like Cao Qiuyue at all. Did you notice?”

Rong Zhao sat beside her, looking seriously into the mirror. “Because you are beautiful as a goddess, beyond compare.”

Mingzhu froze, then burst into laughter. “Stop comforting me; I’m not used to it.”

Rong Zhao nodded without arguing. It wasn’t comfort; it was heartache.

Mingzhu continued looking in the mirror. “When I was little, I didn’t look much like my parents, but everyone assumed I just took after the best parts of them. No one suspected anything. After seeing Qin Yining, I realized what a mother-daughter resemblance should look like. But Rongrong, why don’t I look like Cao Qiuyue? Or is it just me? What do you think?”

Rong Zhao offered a casual guess: “Perhaps Cao Qiuyue isn’t your mother. Maybe three families were involved in the mix-up?”

Mingzhu put the mirror down and thought about it, then suddenly laughed. “How is that possible? But I do look a lot like Qin Duo. It’s common for daughters to look like their fathers. Plus, I look quite like Qin Wei.”

Rong Zhao stood up to change her clothes. She took a shirt from the closet and put it on. Turning toward Mingzhu, she began fastening the buttons from bottom to top, as if casually asking, “If your real parents were actually someone else, living in another city, and they treated you very well, where would you choose to stay?”

Mingzhu smiled and walked over, patting Rong Zhao’s hands away. She began fastening the buttons for her, one by one, slowly covering Rong Zhao’s snowy skin. Once finished, Mingzhu looked up at Rong Zhao’s soft pink lips, her gaze lingering for a moment before meeting Rong Zhao’s clear eyes. She gave a bright, confident smile.

“Do I even need to say it?”