novelraw Chapter 106: Deadweight
Chapter 106: Deadweight
"Come, Shanshan, call her Auntie."
Shanshan stood where she was, blinked her eyes, and looked at the woman with the excessively bright smile before slowly walking over.
"Hello, Auntie."
Fang Jianing’s lips curved into a very gentle smile.
"So, you’re Shanshan?"
She crouched down to meet the little girl’s gaze.
"You’re so pretty! I brought you a little gift. Take a look and see if you like it."
As she spoke, she took a square cardboard box from the pink gift bag she was carrying.
It was exquisitely wrapped and tied with a silk ribbon bow.
’Actually, she’d already found out everything about this girl.’
’Just a little girl they were keeping around for amusement.’
’Once I officially marry into the family and become the mistress of this mansion...’
’I’ll just find some school to ship her off to. Out of sight, out of mind, and she won’t be such an eyesore.’
She never, ever expected Shanshan to tear open the gift right in front of everyone.
Inside was a plastic snow globe, its transparent sphere filled with clear water and glitter.
At the bottom sat a short, stout little snowman with a face as round as a dumpling and crooked eyes.
Artificial snow drifted down, but a few flakes were stuck to the inner wall of the globe.
The craftsmanship was crude, and the edges were still rough and unfinished.
It was obviously cheap clearance stock from a night market stall—the kind you could buy three for five yuan.
The smile on Fang Jianing’s face froze for a moment, and the corner of her eye twitched involuntarily.
But she quickly composed herself, struggling to maintain her gentle facade.
"So, what do you think, Shanshan?"
she asked softly, her voice cloyingly sweet.
"Do you like it? I went to so many places and made a point to ask girls your age before picking this one. They all said kids love these snow globes the most."
"Thank you, Auntie," Shanshan said, holding the snow globe and nodding. She had a polite smile on her face, but her eyes were cold. "The globe is quite pretty."
She paused, then looked straight at Fang Jianing.
"But... this wasn’t very expensive, was it? The little shop by my school sells them. They have ones that are even shinier than this for just two yuan."
Fang Jianing’s smile cracked.
"I... I really had no idea they were so cheap!"
She immediately adopted a pitiful, wronged expression, her lips trembling slightly.
"I went to several stores, I checked several department stores... I spent over fifty yuan on it! If I’d known you could buy one for two yuan, I wouldn’t have..."
Ding Qin quickly tried to smooth things over, patting Fang Jianing’s shoulder with one hand while taking Shanshan’s hand with the other.
"Jianing rarely shops for herself. It’s always done by the staff or custom-ordered from high-end stores. She doesn’t know the prices of things, so it’s normal for her to have overpaid. Shanshan, you have to appreciate her kind intentions."
’She had taken a liking to this girl from the very first glance.’
’She had a good disposition, spoke gently, dressed elegantly, and was constantly flattering her.’
’In her heart, Ding Qin had already accepted her as a daughter-in-law and couldn’t wait to finalize the marriage.’
Shanshan lowered her head, gently stroking the snow globe in her hands.
"Aunt Fang really has it tough. She doesn’t even know how to pick things out, and she spent so much money... It must be... so difficult for her."
"Um... Xiao Si!"
Ding Qin was afraid the scene would completely fall apart.
"Take your little sister out to buy some snacks!"
As she said this, she quickly pulled a hundred-yuan bill from her purse and thrust it at them.
"Go on, and hurry back! A new imported candy shop just opened. Take Shanshan to check it out!"
Fang Jianing caught sight of the hundred-yuan bill, and her fingers twitched involuntarily.
’So generous with money for a freeloader with no blood relation.’
’She gritted her teeth, a cold smirk playing on her lips. Once I’m in the door, I’ll make sure to kick her out of this house!’
The moment the two of them stepped outside, a cold wind hit them in the face.
Just then, the crisp sound of footsteps echoed from the end of the corridor.
Ling Anxun pushed the door open, the hem of his trench coat fluttering in the breeze as he entered.
"Oh! Anxun, you’re back just in time!"
Ding Qin’s face immediately broke into a smile.
"Come, come, this is Fang Jianing. You two should get acquainted!"
She grabbed Fang Jianing, who was still frozen by the door, and practically dragged her in front of Ling Anxun.
Ling Anxun frowned slightly, his cold gaze resting on Fang Jianing for only a moment before flicking away.
He was clearly unwilling, but for his mother’s sake, he finally gave a reluctant nod.
"Mr. Fang, hello."
"H-hello..."
Fang Jianing stammered in reply, her cheeks instantly flushing red.
She took a deep breath, trying to steady her trembling hands.
Then she held out the exquisitely wrapped gift box in her hands.
"I... picked this out especially for you. I hope you like it."
The gift box was elegantly wrapped, with a silvery-white ribbon tied in a bow.
A gold-foiled brand label was affixed to the box, which gave off a faint scent of perfume.
Compared to the cheap snow globe from earlier, now sitting on the coffee table, the difference was night and day.
But Ling Anxun merely gave it a passing glance, not even twitching an eyebrow, and made no move to accept it.
"Thank you for the kind thought, but I can’t accept this gift."
"I have something to do. I’ll be leaving."
Before the words were out of his mouth, he had already stepped around them and was heading decisively for the foyer.
"Hey, Anxun, where are you going?"
Ding Qin grew anxious, her voice rising.
She hurried after him in a few quick strides and grabbed her son’s wrist.
Her eyes darted back and forth like a spinning top, glancing from Ling Anxun to Fang Jianing.
"What could possibly be so urgent?"
she grumbled, dissatisfied.
"Jianing rarely gets to visit. Just stay and talk with her for a little while!"
As she spoke, she tried to pull her son toward the living room sofa.
But Ling Anxun dodged sharply, yanking his arm free from her grasp with a clean, decisive motion.
Then, his gaze, sharp as a knife, swept across the living room.
But he didn’t see the little figure he was looking for.
’How could he not know what his mother was scheming?’
’If Shanshan had seen this, how upset would she have been?’
"Anxun, are you looking for Shanshan?"
Seeing this, Ding Qin immediately adopted an all-knowing expression.
"I just gave her a snow globe."
"What? You saw her?"
Ling Anxun’s expression darkened instantly, his pupils constricting.
"Y-yes..."
Startled by his sudden interrogation, Fang Jianing flinched and took half a step back.
Ding Qin smacked her son on the back.
"What are you being so aggressive for? You’re scaring her!"
she chided in a low voice, her eyes filled with reproach.
"I was the one who introduced them! Who are you putting on that long face for? Shanshan really likes Jianing, so you should have a nice chat with her!"
"That’s right. Shanshan is adorable. I like her very much."
Fang Jianing replied with a gentle smile.
Fang Jianing’s words were sweet, but her heart was suffocating with frustration.
Seeing Ling Anxun’s ice-cold expression, a nameless rage flared up inside her.
’Shanshan is just a foster daughter, not even a blood relative.’
’What right does she have to hold such an important place in Anxun’s heart?’
’Hmph. Once I marry into this family, I’ll have plenty of chances to teach that little brat a lesson.’
’One day, I’ll be the mistress of this house.’
’Then we’ll see who dares to act so high and mighty in front of me.’
"Mom, you talk to her for a while. I’m going to find Shanshan and have a word with her."
Ling Anxun turned and left without finishing his sentence.
He didn’t want to hear his mother nag, and he certainly didn’t want to look at Fang Jianing’s sickeningly sweet act.
Ding Qin, looking a little awkward, forced a strained smile. She quickly reached out and patted the back of Fang Jianing’s hand.
"Jianing, please don’t take it to heart. Anxun is just worried about Shanshan getting her feelings hurt. She’s just a child and very sensitive. It’ll be better when she’s a little older."