The Useless Heiress Is Actually A Bigshot

Chapter 144: Chapter 144: Acquaintance

Li Jingming refused to give up and still made excuses for Shen Yixue. “Mom, you know what kind of person Zhong Niangyao is. Perhaps this time it was her who schemed against Xiao Xue! You can’t just deny Xiao Xue’s entire character based on this one incident!”

“Besides, after spending time together recently, haven’t you noticed that Xiao Xue is actually a very gentle and kind person? This issue might also be a misunderstanding!”

Although he had begun to doubt Shen Yixue in his heart, he still tried his best to defend her in front of his mother. After all, he and Shen Yixue had many years of feelings between them. Even with this incident, he didn’t intend to break up with Shen Yixue.

“Even Zhong Niangyao is much better than Shen Yixue,” Chen Sisi said expressionlessly. “Shen Yixue stole Zhong Niangyao’s painting to enter the competition; regardless of whether it was a setup by Zhong Niangyao, the fact remains as is. Shen Yixue’s reputation is ruined now, and she has no right to stand by your side anymore.”

“Mom, I will not break up with Xiao Xue,” Li Jingming’s attitude was also firm. “The more this is the case, the less I can leave Xiao Xue. Otherwise, what kind of person would I become?”

“Jingming, how can you still be so naive at this point?” Chen Sisi frowned. “Even Zhong Niangyao is countless times better than Shen Yixue. Why must you be so fixated on Shen Yixue?”

“Mom, please stop bringing up Zhong Niangyao,” Li Jingming’s face showed disgust. “Xiao Xue is so much better than Zhong Niangyao in many ways. Don’t try to persuade me anymore; I won’t break up with Xiao Xue.”

“Jingming, I’m here to inform you, not to discuss this with you,” Chen Sisi’s expression turned serious. “If you insist on being stubborn, then I will have no choice but to let your father take care of this matter.”

“Mom—”

When Chen Sisi brought up his father, Li Jingming’s facial expression suddenly turned very ugly. “Why must you push me to this point?”

“I am not forcing you but cannot stand by and watch you take the wrong path,” Chen Sisi’s expression did not soften at all. “Jingming, you should be well aware of your father’s temperament. The current Shen Yixue is absolutely not to his liking.”

Li Jingming wanted to argue, but Chen Sisi stopped him before he could speak.

“You don’t need to keep arguing with me here,” Chen Sisi spoke bluntly. “I will give you time. If you haven’t broken up with Shen Yixue within a week, then don’t blame me. You know your father’s methods; you should also be able to foresee what kind of situation Shen Yixue will face.”

After speaking, Chen Sisi left without giving Li Jingming any chance to respond.

Left standing there, Li Jingming’s face was filled with defeat.

He was very clear that his mother meant what she said this time. If this matter were to reach his father, he would definitely be furious.

Even in the past, it was not certain that his father would have agreed to his relationship with Xiao Xue. Now that Xiao Xue has created such a scandal, damaging her reputation entirely, it was even less likely for his father to approve.

He looked up at the floor of the hospital ward where Shen Yixue was staying. In the end, Li Jingming didn’t go back, merely left some instructions for the nurses, and then departed.

After what happened today, he needed some time to calm down and decide how to handle the situation going forward.

He didn’t want to break up with Shen Yixue, but he still needed to think carefully about how to face her next. Moreover, his mother’s words just now were not empty threats.

He also had to consider very carefully what he would do in case his father really found out about this matter.

Meanwhile, Shen Yixue in the ward had been waiting for Li Jingming’s return. But as time passed, the light in her eyes grew dimmer, eventually leading to despair.

At this moment, Shen Yixue was plunged into despair, but as the other party involved, Zhong Niangyao was unaffected by any of this.

After the incident, the news quickly spread throughout the academy.

Now, everyone who looked at Zhong Niangyao saw her differently, especially the professors from the art department who treated her with great enthusiasm, seemingly eager to pull Zhong Niangyao to their side.

People in the academy hadn’t expected that Zhong Niangyao, always labeled a “good-for-nothing,” possessed such great talent in painting. It seemed everyone had underestimated her before.

However, when they thought about it again, it actually made sense. Zhong Niangyao was the daughter of the Zhong Family, raised as a pampered young lady with a talent for medicine since she was young.

Perhaps it was because she used to chase after Li Jingming so relentlessly in the past that they had pegged her as a “good-for-nothing.”

As for the change in people’s attitudes around the academy, Zhong Niangyao felt indifferent.

Or rather, from the very beginning, she never cared what others thought of her. She believed she only needed to be true to herself; the thoughts of others were irrelevant to her.

Still, Zhong Niangyao’s calm was finally disrupted the moment she stepped out of the school gates.

As soon as she stepped out, a luxury car pulled up in front of her.

Tenglong Academy was a school for the elite, and luxury cars were a common sight. So seeing one at the school gates was not unusual.

Assuming the car was waiting for someone else and not wanting to block the way, Zhong Niangyao walked to the side.

To her surprise, as soon as she had moved a few steps away, the luxury car followed slightly.

Frowning, Zhong Niangyao looked at the car and was nearly certain it had come for her; otherwise, it wouldn’t have followed her like this.

Yet, she couldn’t figure out who this visitor was. Among the people she knew, no one drove this car. The Zhong Family didn’t own such a car, either.

Her query was soon answered.

The car stopped in front of her, and the rear window was slowly rolled down, revealing a pale but stunningly beautiful face—a familiar one.

However, she didn’t particularly like this acquaintance.

“Lu Yichen, what are you doing here?” Zhong Niangyao frowned, looking at the familiar face inside the car with a displeased tone. “Did you come looking for me?”