After returning home with the child, her ex-husband knelt down and gently coaxed her.

Cao Han's hand, which she had thrown away, was firmly grasped in someone's hand. Her face stung with pain, and she looked at An Ning with astonishment.

Anning gripped her wrist tightly, her other palm going numb.

She forcefully shook off Cao Han's hand, staring intently at him, "What right do you have to hit me? Who do you think you are? Who do you think you are?"

Cao Han never expected the slap to land on her own face, and she certainly didn't expect the usually gentle and weak An Ning to be so arrogant. She yelled at the top of her lungs, "How dare you talk to me like that!"

"What, you think I won't fight back?!" An Ning's eyes were filled with anger. "Cao Han, who do you think you are? You think I wouldn't dare to hit you? Don't talk to me like that, who do you think you are? Do you even deserve to be my mother?"

With red eyes, she pointed at Cheng Wanwan, "Is she your own daughter? Why are you so protective of her! You really want to be her mother?"

Upon hearing this, Cheng Wanwan angrily shouted, "An Ning! This is the Cheng family home, not a place for you to run wild!"

"Cheng Wanwan! You can't escape responsibility for my brother's death!" An Ning clenched her trembling hands tightly. "You caused someone's death without cause; you're a murderer!"

"Enough!" Han Yun snapped out of her shock, pulled Cheng Wanwan behind her, and slapped An Ning across the face.

The slap was hard and fast; Anning didn't even have time to react before she was slapped across the face.

"Anning! Don't you have any manners?! What are you doing causing trouble in our house?!"

Han Yun's heart ached as her daughter was slapped. She glared angrily at An Ning.

"Didn't your mother teach you manners? Consider this slap as me teaching her!"

After saying that, Han Yun quickly glanced at Cao Han, then stared at An Ning's slapped face, and said angrily, "You have no manners at all! Is our Cheng family a place for you to cause trouble?!"

Upon hearing this, Cheng Wanwan, who was hiding behind her, subtly curved the corners of her mouth.

My pride was about to overflow.

Anning, Anning, if you really were Cheng's daughter, and you knew that the person who hit you was your own mother, wouldn't you be heartbroken?

"My mom?"

Mentioning Li Chunfang caused An Ning another pang of pain in her heart. Suddenly, as if remembering something, tears streamed down her face.

Slowly turning her head to look at Cheng Wanwan behind Han Yun, she asked, word by word, "Is my mother's death related to you?"

"Your mother died too?" Cheng Wanwan's voice held a hint of amusement. "What does your mother's death have to do with me?"

She bypassed Han Yun and stood arrogantly in front of An Ning. "An Ning, I've put up with you for too long! You stole west Yan's food, wasn't that enough? Now you have to come here and provoke me! How can you be so shameless! Aren't you afraid of retribution?!"

"Ah, no," she laughed again, her eyes filled with the deepest hatred, "you've already suffered retribution. Perhaps the deaths of your mother and brother are your greatest retribution!"

Suddenly, it felt like something exploded in my mind.

An Ning trembled all over, her eyes red, and she made a move to hit Cheng Wanwan.

Suddenly, his wrist was violently pulled away, and Cheng Shao roared, "Enough!"

"Miss An, this is the Cheng family home! Don't go too far!"

Seeing the farce escalating, Cheng Shao snapped, "I'll raise my own daughter myself; it's none of your business, an outsider!"

He glared angrily at An Ning. "You keep saying my daughter killed your brother and your mother, severely damaging the Cheng family's reputation! Miss An, I advise you to produce evidence. If my daughter really did something outrageous, we will handle it strictly according to the law! Otherwise, we will sue you for defamation! Can you bear that price?"

"Now!" he shouted angrily, pointing to the front door. "Get out! Otherwise, it won't look good if security drags you out."

"Heaven is watching what people do," An Ning said, her eyes red as she stared at Cheng Wanwan. "Whether you did it or not, and whether it has anything to do with you, you know the answer in your heart. I will investigate this matter thoroughly, and those who do evil will not have a good end."

"I'm waiting." Cheng Wanwan smiled contemptuously. "An Ning, remember this too: those who steal other people's love will never have a good ending!"

Han Yun was furious that An Ning had ruined such a nice meal. Seeing An Ning turn away, she loudly berated the servants, "How are you all doing your jobs! If anyone lets her into the Cheng family again, you're all fired!"

Her gaze fell on An Ning's retreating figure. "The Cheng family does not welcome Miss An!"

An Ning met Cao Han's murderous gaze and chuckled, "I didn't really want to come to such a lousy place."

......

A black luxury car was parked by the bridge. The wind was strong by the bridge, blowing Anning's hair and skirt around.

The phone she was holding to her ear was on a call. The person on the other end told her, "We are still investigating your mother's accident. We are currently looking for the vehicle involved, and we will have the results soon."

"Thank you." Anning gazed into the distance, hung up the phone, and gripped the bridge railing tightly.

If Li Chunfang's accident was truly related to Cheng Wanwan, the Cheng family would definitely protect her, and might even ask An Ning to settle it privately. An Ning had considered all the consequences; even so, she was determined to send Cheng Wanwan to prison!

A burning pain shot through my left cheek, but somewhere deep inside my heart ached even more.

It would be a lie to say I'm not sad.

She didn't care how the Cheng family treated her. Even if Han Yun hit or scolded her, she would only feel pain on her face. But Cao Han's reaction made her heart ache.

Ultimately, she is Cao Han's biological daughter.

Cao Han looked at her as if she were a blood feuding enemy.

The phone suddenly rang again. Anning glanced at it and her heart skipped a beat.

She took a few deep breaths, forced a smile, and answered the phone.

"Western banquet?"

"Where are you?" Lu Xiyan's gentle voice came through the phone. "Why aren't you home? Where did you go?"

"I..." An Ning paused, her tone light, "I just came out for a walk, I'll be back soon."

"What's wrong?" Lu Xiyan asked. "Your voice doesn't sound right."

"Really?" An Ning tilted her head slightly, forcing back the tears that were about to spill from her eyes.

I wasn't sad at first, but hearing Lu Xiyan's voice made me feel inexplicably wronged.

She thought that perhaps because she felt that someone was there to protect her now, her emotions were easily released and she couldn't help but let them out.

She held the phone away, took a deep breath to compose herself, and answered the phone in a light tone, "It's probably just too windy, I'm going back now."

Just as An Ning was about to turn around, she suddenly heard footsteps becoming clearer behind her.

She turned around abruptly and her eyes met those deep, dark eyes.

Almost at the same second, Lu Xiyan saw the clear red marks on her face.

It stood out especially on her fair face.

It's even blinding.

His gentle gaze suddenly turned sharp, and the smile on his lips vanished abruptly.

His brow furrowed, and he stepped forward, lifting her chin. "Who did this?"

The voice was chillingly cold.