Chapter 5 Nuonuo Little Baby Gets Hurt

People in the village, hearing the commotion, ran out one by one to catch up on the gossip.

"Wang Chunmei, I let you look after my daughter temporarily because I had to treat the elders in the village, and you took the money and ran back home."

Her gaze turned to the onlookers, "From now on, I will take care of my daughter without leaving her side, and if anyone in the village feels unwell, go to the county hospital instead."

In just a few words, she clarified the reason for the incident and made it clear why she would no longer be treating patients.

That day, the news about Wang Chunmei taking money without doing her job spread throughout Yunqiao Village.

The next day, when someone in the village came to Lu Xining seeking acupuncture for rheumatism, she refused them all.

Also, because Ji Muye looked after Lu Nuonuo that day, Lu Xining's attitude toward him softened a bit.

Ji Muye was cooking for his two sons, so he conveniently prepared three meals a day for everyone.

Lu Xining thought it was ironic; when they were married and living together, she never ate his cooking, yet after the divorce, she did.

However, from the day Lu Nuonuo called Ji Muye "Daddy," Lu Xining no longer let him near her daughter.

Apart from mealtimes, she would be in the study on the second floor.

The study also had a children's play area, and Lu Nuonuo spent most of her time there, often accompanied by Ji Chao and his brother.

The children got used to waking up and looking for Lu Nuonuo to play with, as well as to Lu Xining's cold demeanor.

Their odd yet cozy way of getting along baffled the secretary.

Another week passed.

Finally, the day after the rain stopped and the river receded,

Lu Xining had an important phone call to take. She saw Lu Nuonuo playing with toys in the study's playpen, accompannied by Ji Chao and Ji Ze, and stepped out onto the study's balcony to take the call.

Her subordinate updated her on the current situation with the land at Redwood Resort.

Lu Xining, "Monkey, we must secure that land."

Over the past two years, she had surveyed many places, but only the land at Redwood Resort was most suitable for cultivating her precious herbs.

If the mass production of new breeds proved successful, many of the current incurable deadly diseases could be alleviated or even cured.

Monkey promised, "Sister Ning, rest assured, I will spare no expense to get that land!"

"Also, Sister Ning, there's another thing: recently, there have been several groups of people secretly investigating your identity. I had Haozi intercept them."

"Mm, thank you for your trouble."

"Tomorrow is Nuonuo's check-up. I've already arranged for a car to pick you up, and everything at the hospital has been set up."

After hanging up, Lu Xining stepped back into the study, only to find no trace of her daughter. She quickly headed downstairs.

Just reaching the stairway, she saw Liu Xixi who shouldn't have been there.

Her hand was pinching Lu Nuonuo's cheek, the little one trying to dodge, but she was tightly held in her embrace.

Lu Xining hurried down the stairs, "Let her go."

Liu Xixi looked up at the sound, her heart tightening when she saw Lu Xining—how could she be here!

As the girl in her arms called out "Mommy," Liu Xixi deliberately twisted the child's fingers, her manicured nails, adorned with large jewels, leaving a red scratch on the delicate skin.

Lu Nuonuo started crying from the pain.

Ji Muye, who was in the guest room having a meeting with the secretary, heard the child's cries and immediately came out.

As he exited the guest room, he saw the furious Lu Xining—with one hand holding the child and the other landing a hard slap on Liu Xixi's face.

Ji Muye saw her actions and exclaimed sharply, "Lu Xining, what are you doing!"

Liu Xixi had come to Yunqiao Village with Ji Family's bodyguard, and her eyes welled up with tears at the sight of Ji Muye.

"Aye, I was just hugging the girl because she was cute. I don't know why Xining hit me out of nowhere."

Lu Xining's slap was strong, leaving one side of Liu Xixi's face visibly swollen.

Xining couldn't care less about the gossiping around her, and immediately took out a separate medical kit to disinfect her daughter's wound. Seeing the bleeding, her hands trembled.

Fortunately, the bleeding stopped quickly, and no major harm was done.

Nuonuo cried with heaving sobs as she clung to Xining's neck, "Mommy, it hurts."

"Nuonuo is the bravest, it'll stop hurting soon."

Guilt filled Xining's eyes; she should not have allowed her daughter out of her sight.

Muye also saw the cut on the child's face, which had swollen up. His gaze darkened, and his heart clenched with a vague, spreading worry.

Liu Xixi felt a bit guilty and hid her manicured nails that had scratched the child's face, "Aye, it wasn't on purpose. I was startled when Xining suddenly spoke, and I accidentally cut the child's face."

Xining was very angry, "Who let you into my house?"

Muye quickly noticed her obviously upset state and her trembling hands as she held her daughter. He hurriedly reached out to take the child, but was avoided by both of them.

The man's movement stiffened, "Nuonuo."

Nuonuo hugged her mother's neck, refusing to look at Muye.

Although she was young, she knew that the people Mommy disliked were all bad.

He and her brother were bad, none of them had cared for her when the strange auntie pinched her face. She would never like them again!

Ji Ze looked at Xining and felt somewhat scared. It was he who had opened the door to let Aunt Xixi in; she said she had brought him small cakes.

...It had been a long time since he last had a small cake.

"...It was me."

Xining's gaze fell on him, noticing the cream at the corner of his mouth, and the small cakes by the dining table.

"I regret it! All of you, get out of my house!"

Ji Ze was scared into tears, and his brother Ji Chao didn't dare to speak either. The secretary quickly pulled the two little lords aside.

Muye, seeing the condition of the two children, said displeased, "Xining, be rational."

Xining covered her daughter's ears, her tone mocking, "Muye, can't you understand human language? I'm telling you to get lost, take your son, your woman, get out of my house!"

Liu Xixi feigned understanding, "Xining, I know you've misunderstood me before, and I don't blame you. This slap can be my apology, and we can still be friends."

"But Aye has done nothing wrong, Xiao Chao and Xiao Ze are innocent too; you can't take your anger out on the children."

Just then, the people Monkey had arranged to pick them up arrived, a formidable six cars with about twenty men stepping out. Xining directly ordered the men to drive Liu Xixi and the others out.

The Ji Family's bodyguards were few in number and overwhelmed; they were all bound and thrown out of the yard.

Liu Xixi was also thrown into a puddle by the gate, her white dress instantly muddied.

Muye grabbed Xining's wrist with a cold, commanding tone, "Xining, aren't you being too excessive!"

Anger reddened Xining's eyes from his words, "Anyway, everything I do is excessive in your eyes, this is no different."

The man had never seen her like this and was momentarily at a loss. By the time he wanted to speak again, his hand was already violently shaken off.

She looked down with an indifferent expression, "Please leave my house immediately!"

Ji Ze looked at Xining, standing stunned, wanting to speak but not daring to.

Eventually, he ran out to help Liu Xixi up from the ground, asking with concern, "Aunt Xixi, are you okay?"

Ji Chao stood frozen, looking at Xining and the sister in her arms.

Xining, looking at Muye and the two children in front of her, felt her heart shatter into glass shards, daring not to have any further expectations for them.

She really shouldn't have been soft-hearted; all she hoped was that they would never appear before her again in this life.

"Or do you need me to have someone throw you out too?"