Chapter 340: Chapter 340: Stop Putting on an Act in Front of Me
Logically speaking, after Chu Tian and Li Sulan left, Chu Xi should have felt much more at ease.
But after they left, Chu Xi became restless, her fingers twisting together, her teeth continuously biting the inside of her cheek, biting and releasing, over and over again.
Damn it, Sang Ning was about to arrive. How should she start the conversation?
"Miss Sang Ning, the dining area is right here. Please come in."
While Chu Xi was still agonizing over it, she heard the voice of the server outside the door. Slouching with her shoulders hunched moments earlier, she quickly straightened up, her expression turning back to normal.
"Thank you." Sang Ning thanked the server politely as she stepped inside.
As soon as she entered, her gaze collided with Chu Xi’s. Gone was Chu Xi’s usual haughty demeanor of confrontation. Her expression seemed calm, but the slight flicker in her eyes still betrayed her unease.
Chu Xi’s lips moved slightly, as if she wanted to say something. She leaned forward, as though about to stand up, but after pressing her lips together, she firmly stayed seated.
Sang Ning simply gave Chu Xi a deep glance, considering it a greeting, then chose a seat directly opposite Chu Xi to sit down.
Before her was a large round dining table, and with Sang Ning sitting directly across from her, the distance between them felt unmistakably vast.
Chu Xi found it unbearable. Raising her hand, she pointed to a nearby chair, tilting her head slightly as she said to Sang Ning, "With so many seats, why do you purposely sit so far away? Do you think I’m some sort of ferocious beast that you need to avoid at all costs?"
Chu Xi’s personality change? Sang Ning raised an eyebrow. Usually, wasn’t she the one who couldn’t wait to keep as far away as possible?
"Then where do you want me to sit?" Sang Ning countered. She refused to believe Chu Xi would actually invite her to sit closer.
"Right here. It’s inconvenient to talk with you sitting so far. What, do I have to shout?" Chu Xi patted the chair closest to her, signaling Sang Ning to come closer.
Sang Ning narrowed her eyes, studying Chu Xi with interest. "You’ve really changed your tune?"
"Changed my what?" Chu Xi asked, confused.
"Nothing." Saying this, Sang Ning stood up and moved over to sit beside Chu Xi.
Since it was rare for Chu Xi to lower herself, Sang Ning didn’t mind giving her a little grace.
"Alright, I’m here. Go on, what do you want to tell me?" Sang Ning’s tone was languid.
Then, by her ear, a faint buzzing sound like that of a mosquito reached her. Turning her gaze slightly, she saw Chu Xi’s lips moving rapidly, as though muttering reluctantly.
"If you’re going to speak, speak up. Or are you auditioning to be a mosquito, buzzing around to suck my blood?" Sang Ning teased.
Chu Xi thought to herself, she had already apologized, fulfilling Chu Tian’s request. If Sang Ning couldn’t hear her, that must be her own problem for being hard of hearing.
"If you can’t hear, that’s your ears’ problem. What, do you want me to buy you a hearing aid, you broke idiot?" After completing the task of apologizing, Chu Xi couldn’t help but jab back at Sang Ning. She didn’t want Sang Ning to feel too comfortable.
"Are the words ’I’m sorry’ really that hard to say out loud?" Sang Ning’s gaze bore into Chu Xi. "Let me guess, Chu Tian made you do this, didn’t he? If you’re going to apologize, at least show some sincerity. Otherwise, don’t blame me if I report back about this half-hearted attempt."
"You—" Chu Xi instinctively stood up, her eyes wide and glaring at Sang Ning in disbelief. "How did you know?"
Sang Ning shrugged in response. How could she not know? With Chu Xi’s personality, unless someone forced her hand, there was no way she’d willingly admit she was wrong.
Chu Xi interpreted Sang Ning’s nonchalant reaction as a form of threat. Though unwilling, she still lowered her head and conceded: "I’m sorry. Is that good enough now?"
Chu Xi’s tone and attitude were devoid of sincerity, clearly more about finishing a task than genuine regret.
Regardless of whether it was genuine, Sang Ning felt it was at least easier on the ears.
"You should know, the one you truly owe an apology to isn’t me." Although Sang Ning was looking up at Chu Xi, the weight of her words carried the upper hand.
Chu Xi could feel the pressure, unsure of where to place her hands and feet. She sat down and adjusted her posture to meet eye level with Sang Ning.
"If you still care about the bond you once shared with Mom and Dad, I hope you’ll give them an explanation and not break their hearts." Sang Ning deliberately referred to them as "Mom and Dad" rather than "adoptive parents." After all, Sang Youming and Hu Zhi were indeed once Mom and Dad to Chu Xi.
"There are some things that are hard to hear when said by others. While people are still willing to give you dignity, I hope you’ll cherish the opportunity." Sang Ning continued.
Feeling uncomfortable under Sang Ning’s unwavering gaze, Chu Xi averted her eyes, avoiding direct contact.
"And what about you? Do you care about the bond you once shared with Mom and Dad? Aren’t you just like me?" Chu Xi retorted defiantly.
Who was the real ingrate here? In Chu Xi’s view, it was clearly Sang Ning. While in the Chu Family, Sang Ning had been treated like a princess.
Now that she had left the Chu Family and no matter what hardships she faced, the luxury she had enjoyed before more than compensated for it. If anyone should feel gratitude, it should be Sang Ning. Having basked in twenty years of good fortune, whatever suffering she experienced now was her due.
"They’re not my parents," Sang Ning corrected her calmly.
Though she wasn’t entirely sure how she related to the Sang Ning in this story, in her mind, she was just a transmigrator. Not having shared any memories or experiences with Chu Tian and Li Sulan, she couldn’t empathize with them as parents.
Besides, Li Sulan had slapped her the moment she arrived, cementing their animosity.
Chu Tian and Li Sulan had continued to meddle with her life after that. The fact she wasn’t actively retaliating was already her being generous.
"I won’t say more. Even though you’re now a daughter of the Chu Family, you have your own mind. Some things you should take the initiative to do instead of waiting to fix the damage later." Sang Ning ended on that note. She then got up and moved to a different chair—not too far, but far enough to establish some distance.
Chu Xi froze, a fleeting image of Sang Youming and Hu Zhi’s faces flashing through her mind. She wanted to say something but couldn’t find the words.
"Well, well, look who we have here!" Before Sang Ning could settle into her seat, an exaggerated voice rang out.
Raising her eyes, she saw Li Sulan entering with a smile plastered on her face, Chu Tian following behind her.
"Oh, it’s Xiao Ning! It’s been so long since we sat down like this for a proper meal. Oh, how I’ve missed it!" Li Sulan beamed as she approached Sang Ning, her tone affectionate, like a loving elder.
Chu Tian chimed in, "Twenty years spent by your side, and now just a few months since you left home and your mom’s already missing you. So pathetic!"
The pair, acting in sync, sat down beside Sang Ning—one on her left, the other on her right—hemming her in with their exaggerated warmth.
Sang Ning, unable to handle their sudden proximity, pulled her chair back slightly. "Let’s not play games. If you have something to say, just say it. Quit acting in front of me."