Master of Time Management

Ning Hui brought Chen Zihao over to their table.

"Second Brother, Sis, Chen Zihao just realized his mistake and insisted on treating us to a meal to apologize. Such warm hospitality was hard to refuse, so I brought him over," Ning Hui told Ning Chengxiao and Ning Sang-sang with a grin.

Ning Chengxiao knew why Chen Zihao had come to eat with them, but said nothing. Now that Chen Zihao knew his father kept a mistress outside the home, whose children were even older than he was, he must have felt terrible. Although Chen Zihao had a loose tongue and liked to squabble and roughhouse with his younger brother, he was not bad at heart and had never done anything heinous. That was why Ning Chengxiao did not object to their friendship.

Seeing Ning Hui bring Chen Zihao over, Ning Sang-sang raised an eyebrow and thought:

Since when did my little bro and Chen Third get so close? Aren't these two little nemeses who start fighting the moment they meet? Now they're actually standing together so amicably. The sun must have risen in the west.

Hearing Ning Sang-sang call him "Chen Third" in her mind, Chen Zihao's mouth twitched uncontrollably.

At the nickname Chen Third, Ning Hui's eyes lit up, and he applauded inwardly. What a great nickname! It suited Chen Zihao perfectly. He decided to call Chen Zihao Chen Third from now on, and immediately put the idea into action.

"Chen Third, what are you standing there for? Sit down," Ning Hui said with a smile.

Chen Zihao gritted his teeth. "Ning Hui, you..."

"Chen Third, you're here to apologize, so quit your whining," Ning Hui interrupted.

Chen Zihao: "..."

Ning Hui, you win this round.

For his sister's sake, he would put up with this "Fourth Young Miss Ning" for now.

"Chen Third, sit down," Ning Sang-sang called too.

Chen Zihao's mouth twitched. Looking at Ning Sang-sang smiling at him, he inexplicably shivered. For some reason, Ning Hui's sister gave him a sense of danger. He steadied himself and sat down, hoping to hear her talk about his father keeping a mistress.

Unfortunately, Ning Sang-sang was not a worm in his belly and had no idea what he was thinking. She did not mention his father in her thoughts, so Chen Zihao looked at her and asked, "Where did you..." He could not get the words "find out that my father keeps a mistress" out of his mouth. Refusing to believe it, Chen Zihao kept trying until his face flushed red, but the words on the tip of his tongue still would not come out.

"What about me?" Ning Sang-sang asked in confusion.

Seeing Chen Zihao looking like a complete idiot, Ning Hui decided to lend him a hand. "Sis, let me tell you, Chen Zihao's father is a wonderful man. He's famous throughout the Capital for being a good husband."

A good husband, my ass. Chen Zihao's father is a hypocrite. In public, he acts like an honest, devoted husband, but behind his wife's back, he keeps a mistress outside the home. He even had twins with her, a boy and a girl, and those twins are older than Chen Third.

Speaking of which, I have to admire him as a master of time management. He keeps the red flag flying at home while colorful flags flutter outside.

Ning Sang-sang clicked her tongue inwardly in amazement.

What excellent time management. Not only has he kept his mistress hidden for over a decade, he's even become universally recognized as a good husband in the Capital.

Listening to her thoughts, Chen Zihao's expression instantly darkened. Towering waves surged through his heart, and fury blazed within him. Beneath his sleeves, his hands clenched into fists.

Ning Hui's sister makes it sound so real. Has Father really been keeping a mistress behind Mother's back?

He looked at Ning Sang-sang with a complicated gaze, wondering how she knew so much.

Ning Sang-sang blinked in confusion.

"Third, why are you staring at me? Let me make this clear: I'm not into younger men. If you've developed any inappropriate feelings for me, you'd better give up on that idea now."

Ning Chengxiao: "..."

What on earth goes through my sister's head all day?

Chen Zihao: "..."

Who likes her?

He was only looking at her because he wondered how she knew about his father keeping a mistress.

Just as he was about to speak, Ning Hui threatened him fiercely. "Chen Zihao, if you get any inappropriate ideas about my sister, I'll beat your face into a pig's head."

His sister was so beautiful, and Chen Zihao was such a lecher. From now on, he would have to keep Chen Zihao away from her.

Chen Zihao's lips twitched. "Don't worry, Ning Hui. I don't like women older than me. I'm not interested in your sister."

"Chen Zihao, what's that supposed to mean? Are you saying my sister's too old for you?" Ning Hui immediately bristled.

Chen Zihao's mouth twitched. There was simply no talking to this guy.

At this, Ning Sang-sang sighed inwardly.

My little bro really adores his sister. Not bad. Keep it up.

Hearing Ning Sang-sang's praise, Ning Hui could not help the corners of his mouth lifting.

Watching this, Chen Zihao was even more speechless.

"You should go home. Spend more time with that good father of yours so he doesn't get lonely," Ning Sang-sang told Chen Zihao meaningfully.

Judging by the time, that good father of yours is meeting his mistress at the residence at Number 83, East City Orchid Alley right now. All four members of their family are together, neat and complete.

Hearing this, Chen Zihao's face instantly turned thunderous. He shot to his feet and stormed out.

Something big is about to happen!

Watching Chen Zihao storm away, Ning Hui mused inwardly. Chen Zihao had an explosive temper. Now that he knew his father was meeting his mistress, he was probably going to settle the score. Ning Hui suddenly felt an urge to go watch the show.

Watching Chen Zihao leave, Ning Sang-sang raised an eyebrow.

Did he actually take my advice and go home to keep his good father company?

Unfortunately, his good father has already gone out to meet his mistress. Chen Zihao won't find him at home.

If Little Melon had not told her she could not actively interfere with the plot, she really would have liked to share some juicy gossip about his father with Chen Third.

Just then, the dishes they had ordered arrived.

Ning Sang-sang stopped thinking about Chen Zihao. Food was all that filled her mind.

"The owner of the Fragrant Drunkard Tower is so rich. Even the bowls and chopsticks are made of pure gold," Ning Hui marveled at the golden tableware brought to them.

Ning Chengxiao's mouth twitched at his words. "Enough, Ning Hui. It's not as if we've ever deprived you at home. Don't act like you've never seen the world when you're out. Look at Sang-sang. She grew up in the countryside, and even she doesn't act like you."

Ning Sang-sang wanted to say that she had looked just as inexperienced when she first went to Ten Thousand Flowers Valley-perhaps even more so than Ning Hui. Every day, her mind had been filled with, Wow, wow, wow, wow! So rich! So rich! So rich! Having grown up amid piles of gold, she was used to it now.

Ning Hui looked at Ning Sang-sang and saw how composed she was. He could not help praising her. "Sis truly regards money as no more than dirt."

Ning Sang-sang: No, I don't.

Ning Sang-sang was too embarrassed to admit that, as a child, she had bitten her golden bowl to find out whether it was pure gold and lost a tooth in the process. She was equally embarrassed to mention that, during the object-grabbing ceremony on her first birthday, she had grabbed a pile of gold and sat on it, grinning so broadly her face nearly split.

"Ahem." With her little brother looking at her as if to say, My sister has such noble character, Ning Sang-sang felt a little embarrassed. She cleared her throat and changed the subject. "Let's eat."

It's mealtime. Less of this talk with no nutritional value.

"All right, let's eat," Ning Hui said with a smile.

After they had eaten and drunk their fill, Ning Chengxiao went to settle the bill alone. But Manager Zhang refused his money and told him with a broad smile, "Second Young Master Ning, Third Young Miss used to help look after my father, Old Mr. Wang, quite often. I'm deeply grateful to her. From now on, whenever anyone in your family dines at the Fragrant Drunkard Tower, their meal will be free." His tone was full of eagerness to please.

Are you kidding? The Jade Pendant Third Young Miss Ning carries belongs exclusively to our young master. Seeing that pendant is the same as seeing him in person. Whoever carries it can dine free at any of our Fragrant Drunkard Tower branches across the country. How would I dare charge her anything? Manager Zhang thought.

Ning Chengxiao believed these were separate matters and still wanted to pay, but Manager Zhang adamantly refused. He even issued a drastic threat. "Second Young Master Ning, don't force me to get on my knees and beg you not to pay."

Ning Chengxiao's mouth twitched. Seeing Manager Zhang insist on refusing payment, looking ready to kneel and plead if he tried to settle the bill, Ning Chengxiao could only give up.

"Second Brother, how much did today's meal cost?" Ning Hui, who had been waiting outside, asked curiously as Ning Chengxiao left the Fragrant Drunkard Tower.

"Nothing," Ning Chengxiao said. "Manager Zhang absolutely refused to take any money. He said Sang-sang looked after his father, Old Mr. Wang, so this meal was on the house."

Ning Hui grinned. "Looks like we got to bask in Sis's reflected glory this time."

"Let's go take a stroll through the streets," Ning Sang-sang said.