Hanged Herself

"Ning Xi, you really made us worried about you!" The very moment Leng Shaoming saw Qiao Ning Xi he couldn't help but to nag her.

"Don't you know how dangerous it was?" He continued, giving Qiao Ning Xi no chance to interrupt him nor Cai Zhenghao.

He stared at Qiao Ning Xi, scanning her body if she was hurt or something. He had so many things to say to her. He wanted to tell and show her how worried and scared they were but in the end, he couldn't.

He burst into tears the moment she gave him a smile. She was happy to see Leng Shaoming worrying and caring about her but that also made her feel guilty for making them worry.

"I apologize for making you guys worried. Let me make it up to guys, alright?" Qiao Ning Xi said while comforting Leng Shaoming, who was sobbing.

"Dude, Knock it off. You, crying is so embarrassing." Cai Zhenghao punched Leng Shaoming's shoulder lightly to make him stop.

They have known each other since they were young but that does not mean he was used to him crying that is why he felt awkward seeing him acting like this.

Leng Shaoming glared at him before saying, "Don't act like you never cry. Who was the guy weeping in the bathroom while blaming himself for Ning Xi's disappearance again? If I remember that right, that person's name is Cai Zhenghao."

Cai Zhenghao did help Leng Shaoming recover and stop from crying however he somehow regretted it. He wanted to argue back but was interrupted by Leng Shaoming.

"Don't try denying it because I have a picture of you to prove what I just said, so if you want me to show Ning Xi then continue being annoying and I will really show it to her, not just her, I'll even show it to Auntie." He threatened him before giving him a smile, a victory smile.

It's been a while since he defeated Cai Zhenghao in a verbal argument so he was thrilled with his victory. Meanwhile, Cai Zhenghao couldn't believe that he just lost to Leng Shaoming in an argument.

The two of them were both busy with arguing with each other that they forgot about Qiao Ning Xi. She was glad to see their friendship however she kinda felt left out. She just disappeared for a few days and their attention is no longer always on her.

She was surprised by her thoughts. Was she always like this? Greedy? She doesn't remember being this much greedy before. She likes it when they care and she really appreciate and feel grateful to them but she never wanted their attentions to be always on her.

She guessed that she changed during this few days.

Maybe, after meeting Jiang Yichen and the others.

That reminds her, what happened to her brother? The moment they arrived to the parking lot, Jiang Yichen received a phone call and he had to leave right away so the two boys weren't able to meet him.

Qiao Ning Xi was bothered about the phone call. She doesn't think that her brother will just leave her without a proper reason so that phone call must be important or something might have happen. That's why she was more bothered about the phone call than the fact that he just left her. This actually shows how much trust Jiang Yichen gained from Qiao Ning Xi in just a few days.

"Oh right! Did you bring my bag? I think it's better if we go inside now. I rather be early than late." Qiao Ning Xi interrupted their fight.

If she let them continue their fight then it might take them the whole day just to stop and they will be late to their entrance exam.

"Yeah, I have it here." Cai Zhenghao gave the bag that he was carrying to Qiao Ning Xi.

"Thanks."

"Are you confident that you will pass? Did you even study during this past few days?" Leng Shaoming asked while raising his left eyebrow.

Qiao Ning Xi chuckled at his mischievous look, "Don't worry, I studied. I haven't forget about our bet so you guys better do your best or else, you will lose." She then gave them a smirk before walking past them.

"You!"

Before they went to City A, they had a bet that whoever has the lowest score or ranking among them in this exam will owe the person with the highest score, a favor.

"Goodluck to us! See you later." Qiao Ning Xi decided to run when she saw them catching up to her.

She still couldn't get over about her thoughts earlier and she was embarrassed because even though she is considered a 12 years old girl physically, she is still a 17 years old girl mentally so her selfishness to her younger friends were something to be embarrassed about.

Basically, she is currently running away from them. She knew that she needed space and time to clear her thoughts. She really did became greedy after meeting Jiang Yichen.

Leng Shaoming and Cai Zhenghao noticed her actions and was suspicious but they couldn't do anything since Qiao Ning Xi already disappeared and they couldn't just chase her or follow her since their examination room was far from each other.

The rooms and the students were assigned based on the first letter of their surname so Qiao Ning Xi was assigned the farthest among them.

*******

"City H we're back!" Leng Shaoming shouted as soon as he got off the plane. Qiao Ning Xi, who was next to him was embarrassed since they weren't the only one there so she slapped his shoulder to warn him.

"Ouch! That hurts. Are you a man?"

Leng Shaoming wasn't expecting it, he yelped due to pain. He knew that Qiao Ning Xi isn't a fragile girl but it seems like she suddenly got stronger after she went missing. Even though she reassured them that she was with someone she knew, he couldn't help but to doubt her. Not just him, even the other were suspicious about her whereabout before, but they decided not to ask her more. If she didn't want to tell them, then they are going to act like they didnt doubt anything.

"Where's my jacket? have you seen it?" Qiao Ning Xi asked Cai Zhenghao, who was also next to her.

"Didn't you packed it inside your suitcase?" He answered while taking off his sweater. "Oh right. I forgot." She sighed.

She was contemplating whether to buy a new jacket or wait for their suitcase, then use her jacket. The moment she stepped out of the plane she realized the weather difference between the two city. In City A it was cold but still endurable however in City H it was really cold that she shivered when the wind blew to their direction.

"Here." Cai Zhenghao offered his sweater to her. After Qiao Ning Xi regressed, she realized that her senses were more sensitive than before especially in temperature so she thanked him and used his sweater.

Cai Zhenghao was glad that she took it because ever since she got back, he felt like she was distancing herself to them.

Meanwhile, Leng Shaoming, who was complaining stopped and gave Cai Zhenghao a glare. He didn't like the fact that Cai Zhenghao took advantage of the situation to get closer to Qiao Ning Xi, but he was more upset that Qiao Ning Xi asked Cai Zhenghao than him.

They were waiting for their suitcases when suddenly Mother Cai received a call so she excused herself and answered the call.

Mother Cai received a call from Grandpa Cai, at first she thought that he called to ask if they arrived or ask for news how the kids exam went. That's why she answered the call in an excited manner however, the moment she processed what the other party just said, she immediately frown and she was frightened with the news.

Father Cai, Mother Leng and the kids, who were joking around realized the sudden change of Mother Cai. All of them stared at her at silence waiting for her to finish the conversation in the phone.

When the call ended, Mother Leng immediately asked, "What happened?" She stared at Mother Cai, who was thinking of a way to properly convey the news that she just received. She didn't reply.

Somehow, Qiao Ning Xi had this foreboding feeling, that call delivered a terrible news that is in some way related to her. Maybe she was just overthinking because so many unfortunate event has been happening around her or it might be the gaze of Mother Cai to her after just ending the call.

After gathering her mind and the proper words, Mother Cai finally spoke, "I received a news from dad that many things are happening within the Qiao Family and one of the recent situation that he has been notified with, just an hour ago is that,"

She stopped for a moment before continuing, honestly, she doesn't want to be the one to inform Qiao Ning Xi of the news.

"Qiao Ning Xi's grandpa was rushed back to the hospital after finding out that Mrs. Qiao committed suicide by hanging herself."

That news was really shocking, they didn't expect that in a few days or almost a week of them leaving that such thing will happen. They looked at Qiao Ning Xi full of worry.

Qiao Ning Xi was shocked to the point that her mind went blanked and her body froze for a moment before feeling like her energy was drained after hearing the news. Her knees weakened that she couldn't continue standing up and sat on the floor. Luckily, Leng Shaoming, who was the nearest to her was able to instantly support her, if not, she might have hurt her knees.

"Why did mom hanged herself?" Qiao Ning Xi asked after collecting back her thoughts.

"I'm not sure what really happened during these past few days however dad did mentioned that your father's mistress, Wei Ya, if I'm not wrong, asked for an audience and announced that she was pregnant a few days ago, after we left." Mother Cai answered based on what Grandpa Qiao just shared earlier. She was too shocked to asked a thing before the call ended.

It wasn't really that shocking, finding out someone hanged herself nor the fact that the mistress came back knocking on the door announcing to the world that she is carrying the child of a married man.

What shocks her is this chain of events happening around Qiao Ning Xi. Qiao Ning Xi is such a kind and sweet girl, but she was unfortunate for having parents who abandoned her since infant and having a messy adoptive family. She also got into a car accident just after getting adopted and was in coma. Then she got her engagement annulled due to her fiancé and sworn sister's betrayal. And of course, the most recent one, she went missing after encounter dangerous people and came back, clearly hiding something. Now, this... Having the only two people in that family who cares about her, one in the hospital while the other one, dead.

"Auntie Cai, can you take me to the hospital where grandpa was rushed to? I really need to see him." Qiao Ning Xi wasn't able to hide her feelings. When she thought about her grandpa, her eyes automatically tear up and her voice cracked, a sign that tells that she wanted to cry but decided to toughen herself.

She should have known that Wei Ya and Qiao Hua wouldn't back down that easily. And of course, after doing such thing, she wouldn't also leave them alone.

'Wei Ya and Qiao Hua, Don't forget, I'm still here.'