Chapter 291
Really?
Ning Rongrong lowered her head, large tears falling onto the cold stone pavement, leaving a small dark stain.
My father's words, "You've had enough fun," echoed wildly in my mind like a curse.
Half a share!
Because of their own stupidity and ignorance, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School paid such a heavy price!
That is the foundation of the family, the result of my father's hard work!
She couldn't imagine what her father's expression would be when he found out.
She felt like she was a complete waste, a piece of trash who only caused trouble and ruined the family's interests!
All the pride and confidence of the past have been crushed to pieces, leaving only deep-seated inferiority and despair.
After walking about two streets, the bustling atmosphere of the city gradually intensified.
The sounds of vendors hawking their wares, haggling over prices, and children's laughter filled the air.
Lin Xia stopped at a relatively quiet street corner and turned around.
Caught off guard, Ning Rongrong nearly bumped into it. She hurriedly stopped, looked up in alarm, her tear-streaked face pale and her eyes red and swollen, like a frightened, trembling rabbit.
She didn't dare look Lin Xia in the eye, and just lowered her head in a panic, her fingers twisting the hem of her clothes tightly.
Lin Xia watched her quietly, seeing her more disheveled, vulnerable, and utterly helpless than ever before.
Time seemed to freeze for a moment, with only the faint sounds of distant street noise and Ning Rongrong's suppressed sobs.
Finally, Lin Xia spoke, her voice still calm, without anger or accusation, yet like a cold scalpel, precisely dissecting the cruelty of reality.
Do you still think trading is an easy thing?
These words struck Ning Rongrong like a heavy hammer, slamming into her last shred of hope.
Her body trembled violently, her head drooped even lower, her shoulders heaved violently, and she could no longer control her suppressed sobs.
"You're not naive enough to think that."
Lin Xia's voice was not loud, but every word was clear, striking Ning Rongrong's soul.
"The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School is able to become the richest in the world, relying solely on a dazzling glazed tile pagoda and its so-called 'price'? Do you think your father is constantly traveling and working hard? Why can the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School stand firm on the continent? Is it simply because they are rich?"
Lin Xia leaned down slightly, her gaze piercing through Ning Rongrong's lowered head as if it were a physical object. Her voice carried a hint of cold mockery, but it was more like stating a cruel fact.
"That was built by your father through countless days and nights of painstaking effort, countless weighing of options, and his keen insight into human nature, bit by bit!"
Behind every seemingly simple transaction lies a war without gunfire! It's a life-or-death struggle concerning resources, the right to speak, and even the future!
His tone suddenly became more forceful, carrying a power that could shake the soul:
"And you, Ning Rongrong, what were you facing just now?"
"They are elders of the Spirit Hall! They are the future heirs and powerful figures of the two great empires! They are representatives of the Upper Three Sects and the Lower Four Sects!"
"They represent not just one person, but the pinnacle of power and will across the entire continent!"
"Competing with them for a strategic resource that could reshape the future?"
"Tell me, in your understanding, is this still just as simple as 'paying for goods'?"
Every word was like a red-hot branding iron, searing deep into Ning Rongrong's soul.
She finally saw the chasm-like gap clearly. Her own pitiful understanding seemed ridiculously naive in the face of the grand and cruel picture Lin Xia had described!
What a heavy burden my father carried on his shoulders, a burden so heavy it could crush a mountain!
"Waaah..."
Unable to bear the immense shock and self-blame any longer, Ning Rongrong let out a broken sob, her whole body feeling as if all her bones had been removed, and she was about to collapse limply.
Just then, a long, strong hand caught her arm, preventing her from falling.
Ning Rongrong raised her head blankly, and through her tear-blurred vision, she saw Lin Xia standing almost within reach.
On his face, which always carried a calm or playful expression, there seemed to be a very subtle and elusive emotional fluctuation at this moment, like helplessness, or perhaps a trace of... faint weariness.
The sharpness and coldness in his words seemed to have lessened somewhat as Ning Rongrong completely broke down.
Looking at the girl in front of her who was crying uncontrollably, as if her world had collapsed, Lin Xia ultimately did not continue speaking.
He was indeed angry, both for her ignorance that almost ruined the situation and for Ning Fengzhi's painstaking efforts being so disregarded.
But seeing her crying so hard she could barely breathe, seeing the pure fear and immense self-blame in her eyes, he realized that for a little princess who had never been exposed to these dark vortexes and had always been protected at the top of an ivory tower, what she had just experienced was profound enough, even cruel enough.
If you push too hard, this string might snap completely.
There was silence for a moment.
Lin Xia took out a plain white cotton handkerchief without any patterns from the pocket of her loose black trench coat.
The handkerchief had slight wear on the edges, indicating it was quite old. It carried a clean, washed scent and faintly exuded the unique, cold aroma of Gengjin City, a mixture of metal and soul energy.
He didn't speak, but his movements were gentle and natural, slightly out of character. He raised his hand and carefully wiped away the crisscrossing tear stains on Ning Rongrong's face with a clean handkerchief.
His movements weren't gentle, and were even a bit clumsy, but his focus and patience were like a warm current, slowly seeping into Ning Rongrong's cold and desperate heart.
Ning Rongrong was completely stunned, forgetting to cry and even forgetting to breathe.
She stood there blankly, letting Lin Xia wipe her face.
The handkerchief, carrying a faint, cool fragrance, touched my skin, bringing a touch of realness and dispelling some of the illusory fear.
She stared blankly at Lin Xia, who was so close to her, at his lowered eyelashes and high nose bridge, at the focused expression on his face... This was completely different from the unfathomable, cold, distant, and even cruel Lin Xia she remembered!
"Okay, stop crying."
Lin Xia's voice rang out again, much gentler than before. Although it still lacked warmth, it had lost its icy sharpness.
"The sky won't fall down."
Lin Xia put away the handkerchief and looked at Ning Rongrong's cheeks, which were still red and swollen but at least a little cleaner:
"I'm only taking back half of the supply rights for your Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, not cutting it off permanently. This is just this once."
Lin Xia looked at Ning Rongrong's eyes, which widened instantly, filled with disbelief and a faint glimmer of hope, and explained clearly:
"The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School remains one of Gengjin City's most important partners. This little matter won't cause any serious damage. Your father and I have known each other for many years, so there's still some trust and leniency we can show."
This wasn't a consolation, but a statement of fact. But to Ning Rongrong at that moment, it sounded like heavenly music!
"Really...really?" (End of Chapter)