C23 Motherinlaw's Thoughts

After uttering those words, Ning Shang's anxiety crept back in.

She began to fret over her actions.

Yin Tian, reading her emotions, couldn't help but chuckle at the situation.

"Yin Tian probably won't mind that I deceived him, right?"

"It was too abrupt, I'm doomed!"

"Why hasn't Yin Tian said anything? Could he actually be mad?"

"Oh, where's the regret medicine when you need it? I wish I could take some now!"

Ning Shang's thoughts were transparent, her face giving her away.

Her anxious look was endearing, to say the least.

Yin Tian pondered his next move.

He surely couldn't just respond with a simple "Oh," could he?

So, feigning shock, he exclaimed, "The Ning Tianhao? The wealthiest man in Carrimon?"

Ning Shang nodded, her nerves on edge.

"Fantastic!" Yin Tian's face lit up with feigned excitement.

"Huh?" Ning Shang was puzzled. "You're not upset?"

"Why would I be upset?" Yin Tian responded as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"I mean, I've kept my true identity from you all this time... I've been lying..."

Ning Shang stammered out her confession.

Yin Tian could see her inner turmoil shift to, "Why did I have to ask? What if Yin Tian hadn't thought of this, and now I've gone and reminded him?"

Such a naive girl.

Yin Tian didn't want her to overthink it. "Of course not, you're telling me now, aren't you?"

Noticing her unease hadn't subsided, he added, "Plus, we only made our relationship official yesterday. If we did that yesterday, and you're coming clean today, how could that be too late?"

"Moreover, we weren't close before, so it's perfectly reasonable for you to have kept your identity a secret."

Truth be told, Ning Shang's fondness for Yin Tian had long been the source of her identity crisis.

With Yin Tian's reassurance, she finally put the issue to rest.

"So, now that you know who I am, you won't leave me, will you?" With one worry behind her, Ning Shang found herself tangled in another.

She was aware that many men had big egos and didn't take kindly to a woman being in a position of strength.

"Why would I?" Yin Tian shook his head. "It would take a fool to walk away from a girlfriend who's as beautiful and wealthy as you."

"Unless..." Yin Tian saw Ning Shang's guard drop and couldn't resist the urge to tease her a little.

"Unless what?" she asked, her tension returning instantly.

"Unless your dad does something like in those TV dramas, where he hands me a check for a hundred million and says, 'Kid, this is a hundred million, stay away from my daughter.' Then, maybe I'd think about it."

"Don't you dare even think about it!"

Ning Shang couldn't help but laugh at the ridiculous scenario Yin Tian painted, pretending to threaten him with a mock stern face.

Amidst their playful banter, Yin Tian and Ning Shang continued their stroll into the distance.

Once they were gone, a man in nondescript but sharp attire emerged from a hidden corner. He clutched a device and swiftly followed them.

Connected to the device, Mrs. Ning's fury was nearly palpable from afar. Though she couldn't hear what Yin Tian had said to her precious daughter, their closeness was unmistakable.

He had confessed his feelings just yesterday, and now they were already hugging and cuddling in public—outrageous!

"Yin Tian must have sweet-talked my daughter with his lies!" Mrs. Ning was certain of it.

To her, Ning Shang was a conservative girl; hugging and being affectionate with a man in the street was unthinkable. She was convinced Yin Tian's craftiness had ensnared her daughter.

"Just wait until tonight," Mrs. Ning murmured to herself. Imagining the evening's planned events, she could almost see Yin Tian walking right into her trap, a slow smile creeping across her face.

But once Yin Tian was out of the picture, who would be there to comfort Ning Shang?

With this thought, Mrs. Ning turned her attention to the profiles of several potential suitors.

Her demeanor was entirely different from when she reviewed Yin Tian's information; she perused the profiles of these eligible bachelors with a smile.

The more she read, the more pleased she became.

"This young man is quite impressive—not only is he wealthy, but he's also ambitious."

"This family... they may have fallen on hard times, but their legacy endures. If he's good to my daughter, I might consider helping them restore their former glory."

"And this one, such a chaotic personal life for someone so young. But it's probably just a phase. Once he marries my daughter, I'm sure he'll settle down."

In Mrs. Ning's eyes, wealth was the ultimate measure of suitability.

This stemmed from an experience she had in her early years, and ever since, she had looked down upon those without money with a cold indifference.

With so many heirs to choose from, she was truly spoilt for choice.

"When the time comes, we'll see who brings the most expensive gift."

Overwhelmed by the options, Mrs. Ning found it difficult to come to a decision.

But then, as she pondered the gift-giving tradition of her banquet, inspiration struck, and she swiftly made up her mind.

Her thoughts suddenly turned to Rain Heaven Real Estate.

Their capital might not match the Ning family's, but rumors swirled of a powerful figure backing them.

The Ning family wasn't intimidated, but unnecessary conflict seemed pointless.

With this in mind, she revisited the guest list.

"Hou Junxiong? The second son of Rain Heaven Real Estate?"

They had indeed sent a representative.

Mrs. Ning eyed the phone number listed and dialed.

Hou Junxiong answered, his voice tinged with inebriation.

"Aunt Ning, what can I do for you?"

In the background, a cacophony of "Who's calling?", "Drink up!", "Oh, you're naughty..." could be heard.

Mrs. Ning was slightly irked but maintained her composure as she communicated her decision.

After the call, she was lost in thought.

His brother's name was Hou Junjie, wasn't it?

Many in their social circle spoke highly of him, and even Mrs. Ning, preoccupied with her business, had caught wind of his reputation.

It was a pity that it wasn't Hou Junjie who had attended.

Mrs. Ning let out a sigh.