CHAPTER 1412: CHAPTER 1412 WHAT EXACTLY IS THE SITUATION

Luo Qiao looked at Stone: "How many days off do you have left?"

Stone picked up a washed peach from the table and handed it to Luo Qiao: "Three more days, then I have to go back to the team."

Luo Qiao glanced over: "Then why are you still teasing them? Why not use today to settle things?"

Stone took a peach for himself, found a seat, and sat down: "Killing them off at once would be too boring. That woman is the indirect culprit behind my mom’s death. I won’t let her off so easily."

Lu Yichen walked up to Luo Qiao: "Let’s handle it the way Stone wants. When he decides to wrap it up, then we’ll step in to clean up."

Luo Qiao nodded: "Got it."

She thought to herself: "That’s right, we have to let Stone vent that anger in his heart."

******

Ning Ziping and Wang Hailan returned home. Old Lady Ning rushed out as soon as she heard the noise and asked eagerly: "How did it go? What did the kid say? Did he agree?"

Ning Ziping’s face looked grim as he poured himself a cup of water first.

Seeing his expression, Old Lady Ning immediately knew things hadn’t gone as planned and anxiously pressed him again: "What exactly happened? Hurry up and tell me."

Wang Hailan, feeling annoyed, cut in: "What good news could there possibly be? That child just doesn’t want the Ning Family to have peace, that’s all."

She glanced at Ning Ziping, her eyes filled with sarcasm.

Old Lady Ning frowned, looking at her son: "Ziping, is it that he refuses, or do the people who raised him disagree?"

Ning Ziping sighed helplessly: "Mom, it’s not what you think. The family that raised Zheng Lei said that as long as Zheng Lei agrees, they have no objections."

Wang Hailan let out a mocking "hmph": "How nice it sounds. If Ning Zhenglei really agrees, they’d probably come around to make more demands."

Old Lady Ning turned to Wang Hailan: "Can you stop interrupting? Can’t you wait until Ziping finishes speaking before saying anything?"

She then turned back to Ning Ziping: "Go on."

Ning Ziping took a deep breath and glanced at Wang Hailan: "That child said if he’s going to acknowledge us, then we have to agree to a few conditions. First, we need to reimburse that family for the expenses over the years—fifteen thousand in total."

Before he could finish speaking, Old Lady Ning exclaimed upon hearing "fifteen thousand": "What? That’s outright extortion!"

Ning Ziping continued: "But after all, they did raise Zheng Lei. Even if the amount’s not perfect, can we really bargain over it?"

Old Lady Ning winced for a moment, then reluctantly asked: "What about the other conditions?"

Ning Ziping exhaled and said: "If he’s acknowledged, we can’t interfere in his life or work."

At this point, Wang Hailan chimed in: "Why don’t you tell Mom that he also said he won’t spend Ning Family’s money, and the Ning Family shouldn’t even think of touching his."

Old Lady Ning frowned and asked further: "Are there any other conditions?"

Ning Ziping hung his head in silence.

Wang Hailan didn’t speak either, staring out the window. Old Lady Ning began to feel uneasy: "Why aren’t you two saying anything?"

Wang Hailan turned to Ning Ziping: "What, don’t dare to say it?"

Then she turned to her mother-in-law: "Your grandson said that if he comes back to the Ning Family, then we have to split up."

After speaking, she let out a bitter laugh: "Ha ha, what a wonderful idea. This must be karma."

Old Lady Ning froze upon hearing this.

If her son’s health weren’t an issue, she would certainly agree with both hands raised. But in the current situation, if her son got divorced, who could he possibly find in the future?

How could that child propose such harsh terms? Could it be that someone is manipulating him behind the scenes?

The more she thought about it, the more certain she became, and her chest grew heavy with frustration.

After a long time, she finally asked: "Where is your Big Brother? He went with you, didn’t he? Why didn’t he come back with you?"

Ning Ziping couldn’t admit that Ning Zijun had walked off in anger because of Wang Hailan, so he simply said: "Big Brother had something to do, so he didn’t come back with us."

Meanwhile, Ning Zijun was at home sulking.

Thinking about what his nephew had said today, it seemed his younger brother was wasting his efforts; the child must loathe his brother and his wife.

He took a sip of tea and squinted his eyes deep in thought for a long while. Finally, he made up his mind: from now on, he wouldn’t act together with his younger brother anymore. He’d approach on his own. He refused to believe that visiting multiple times wouldn’t soften the child’s heart.