Chapter 16: Hidden Agendas

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After deleting the call records, Ran Xing turned off her phone.

She rose from the bed, settled herself into her wheelchair, and headed downstairs.

In the hallway, a little boy who looked about six or seven was playing with a balloon.

Ran Xing flashed him a sweet smile and beckoned him over.

“Handsome boy, could you do your big sister a favor?”

She leaned close to the boy and whispered a few words in his ear.

The boy obediently nodded.

“Thank you. Remember, just say that a big sister found it. And this is a secret between the two of us, so you mustn’t tell anyone, all right?”

She patted the boy’s head, then handed him her phone without a trace of worry.

Only after he had run off did Ran Xing press the elevator button. She intended to go to the hospital garden for some fresh air.

In the hospital garden, nurses pushed patients around for walks. Although the weather was somewhat cold, there were enough people around for her to stay outside awhile.

Besides, she was practically suffocating in that hospital room.

And if her guess was right, someone might come looking for her.

Since that person was bound to come sooner or later, Ran Xing certainly couldn’t let her leave empty-handed.

With that thought, she pulled the windbreaker draped over her legs into place and casually slipped a USB drive into its pocket.

Then she closed her eyes and took a leisurely nap.

Sure enough, the sound of high heels approached.

The woman, wearing sunglasses, sat down directly on the bench beside her.

She carried herself with elegance, though there was no shortage of anger in her manner.

“Ran Xing, you really are something.”

Ran Xing rubbed the bridge of her nose, opened her eyes, and stretched languidly before replying at her leisure, “You flatter me.”

Though the sunglasses concealed the woman’s eyes, Ran Xing could still sense the murderous intent in them.

Wen Xiaoning’s voice trembled, and her entire body shook with fury. “Do you really think you can bring me down?”

Ran Xing raised an eyebrow and blinked, answering as lightly as if the matter were of no consequence.

“Why not give it a try?”

As she spoke, she idly rearranged the windbreaker covering her legs, then pursed her lips in a deliberately regretful expression.

“It’s just a pity that, as you can see, I’m blessed with a remarkably tough life. I didn’t die.”

Wen Xiaoning’s fingernails nearly dug into her palms, yet her face remained composed.

“What are you talking about? You make it sound as though I’m the one who did this to you.”

A flicker of allure crossed Ran Xing’s eyes as she began to draw the truth out of her.

“A joke? You haven’t forgotten that there was a dashcam in the car, have you?”

Wen Xiaoning laughed outright and shot back, “The whole car was burned to ashes. Do you really think the dashcam could have survived?”

Ran Xing knew she had taken the bait. The corners of her eyes lifted slightly.

“How do you know the car was burned? I never mentioned what happened to it.”

The woman was caught off guard but stubbornly insisted, “I…I was only guessing.”

“Listen, Wen Xiaoning. I don’t have time to play word games with you. I have evidence that you tried to harm me, and you have leverage over my illness. So let’s make a deal.”

Wen Xiaoning leaned back against the bench and looked up at her disdainfully, a mocking laugh coloring the rising pitch of her voice.

“Where’s your evidence? Where is it? Without proof, who’s going to believe you? Ran Xing, you should know that once this scandal dies down, I can still act. But do you really think the public will allow a sick celebrity to appear on screen?”

As she spoke, she removed her sunglasses and cast Ran Xing a provocative glance.

Ran Xing found it amusing.

The woman sitting before her was truly arrogant.

Perhaps intentionally mocking her, she asked, “Wen Xiaoning, has anyone ever told you how presumptuous you are?”

Wen Xiaoning’s face flushed with rage, her chest heaving.

“You…”

Though Ran Xing sat in a wheelchair, a mere lift of her eyebrow gave her the air of someone born to stand above others.

Her expression was calm as still water. In a mild and reasonable tone, she advised, “As your senior, I’m kindly reminding you not to speak too soon. Do you really think I can’t have you sent to prison for attempted murder? Yes, the dashcam was destroyed. But the surveillance footage from outside your family’s home that night was copied onto a USB drive long ago.”

Wen Xiaoning’s heart lurched. Her lips pressed into a thin line, and even her breathing grew hurried.

Ran Xing’s reminder made her realize how much she had overlooked. At the time, she had been focused solely on having someone cut the brake line and had completely forgotten about the surveillance cameras.

Now, when she looked at Ran Xing, her eyes held both unwillingness and helplessness.

After standing frozen for several seconds, she sagged like an eggplant struck by frost, her face stretching into a long, bitter scowl.

With extreme reluctance, she said, “Tell me about this deal of yours.”

“I want you to keep my secret. And don’t forget to tell that newly hired assistant of yours to keep her mouth shut.”

“Keeping your secret is possible, but…” Wen Xiaoning suddenly gave a soft laugh. “That isn’t all I want.”

Ran Xing frowned faintly. “What else?”

“I also want you to put on a show with me and help me deal with this scandal.”

Ran Xing neither agreed nor refused. She merely swept her eyes over Wen Xiaoning with an amused expression and replied calmly, “What makes you think I’ll help you?”

“Because the secret you want me to keep is important to you.” Wen Xiaoning spoke with confidence. “Otherwise, you would have taken that evidence and sent me to prison already. Am I right, Sister Ran?”

When she finished, she even threw Ran Xing a flirtatious, provocative wink.

Ran Xing’s left fingertips rubbed the handle of her wheelchair absentmindedly. Only after the woman had finished speaking did she let out a low, derisive laugh.

“Tell me, then. How are we supposed to put on this performance?”

“You go to Yang Likang and have him hold a press conference. In front of the reporters, he’ll admit his relationship with me. As for the news that I’m pregnant, you’ll testify for me and tell the public that I’m not pregnant at all.”

Ran Xing wasn’t surprised by Wen Xiaoning’s unreasonable demand.

On the contrary, she had long since guessed that Wen Xiaoning must have run into trouble with Yang Likang before turning to her.

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But Wen Xiaoning seemed to have forgotten one thing: Yang Likang was merely a live-in son-in-law.

The shares of the Yang Group were still in his wife’s hands.

And his wife was still alive.

When Ran Xing remained silent, Wen Xiaoning grew anxious.

“What do you think?”

The corners of Ran Xing’s lips lifted slightly. Completely unruffled, she said, “I haven’t considered it at all. I only think you’re foolish. Yang Likang will never acknowledge your relationship. You know perfectly well that the Yang Group has reached its current position entirely because of his wife. If he admits to being involved with you, wouldn’t that force him to leave the marriage with nothing? When that happens, you’ll lose both the man and the money, and your child will be left without a father. Are you sure this is what you want?”

“I…”

Wen Xiaoning was rendered speechless. In a fit of exasperation, she snapped, “Then tell me, what can I do?”

“It’s simple. The press conference can go ahead, and you must attend. But you’ll need to change your role. That will be better for both of you.”

Wen Xiaoning’s interest was piqued. “What do you mean?”

Ran Xing gave her an enigmatic smile and slowly revealed the answer.

“In front of everyone, admit that the intimate things between the two of you happened because…”

She pointed at Wen Xiaoning, wearing the confident air of someone who had already won, her tone lightly mocking.

“You are Yang Likang’s goddaughter. As for the child, I’ll help you keep it a secret.”

Wen Xiaoning’s eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets. She sprang up from the bench, flustered.

“I… How can…”

Ran Xing lifted her eyes. Though she remained seated, an air of languid nobility radiated from her very bones.

As she gazed up at the woman, an icy, inviolable harshness flashed through her eyes.

Without giving Wen Xiaoning time to think, she continued advising her.

“It kills two birds with one stone. You can restore your reputation, and your child can have a father. What could be better?”

Wen Xiaoning dropped heavily back onto the bench, inexplicably agitated.

She rubbed her hands together for a long while before finally nodding.

Seeing her like that, Ran Xing’s lips curved in a barely perceptible smile.

Her gaze into Wen Xiaoning’s eyes was unfathomably deep.

But inwardly, she was secretly delighted.

Wen Xiaoning, Wen Xiaoning… I was only wrong about one thing just now.

This isn’t killing two birds with one stone.

It’s killing three.

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