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CHAPTER 481

"Don't make me laugh. If you are so busy you would not have time to go to parties like that wedding," Mrs Ning said.

"And yet you go to so-called those evening parties as well," Ning Xiaozhi rolled her eyes at the woman.

"Well, for your information, those parties are beneficial to the family business. I do not go there for fun."

"Oh, of course you did not... But you come home talking dad you had fun at the party" Ning Xiaozhi scoffed.

"Xiaozhi!" Mrs Ning called her name in warning tone.

"At least you still remember by actual," she murmured but it was loud enough for her mother to hear.

"Whatever... Let me remind you that I did not call to bicker with you."

Flipping her hair backwards, Ning Xiaozhi spoke like she was surprised. "Oh, would you take a look at that? We happened to be the same right now. Now, hurry up and state what you want."

"I called to tell you that you have to come back home."

*dun dun duun*

"WHAT?!" Ning Xiaozhi shouted with her eyes wide opened.

She could not believe the words that her ears just fed her brain from the phone. This was what she has been preventing. She did not want any reason to back to City Z.

But it was as clear as day what her mother said. And from her tone, there must be a reason best known to her(Mrs Ning) doe making this call.

If there was no reason, the woman she knew would not even think to bother her. Not even giving a chance for the way to continue talking, Ning Xiaozhi dropped loads and loads of question on her.

"What do you mean by I have to come back home? Why? I already said that I do not want to take part in the the business. What do you want now? You can't force me to do anything I don't want to because I had already made my decision a long time back."

"Oh, my darling Iris. This is not about business, dear. Well it is partly about it," Mrs Ning said the last part in a lower voice.

"I heard that," Ning Xiaozhi said as a reminder that they were on a phone call.

"I never said it for you not to hear, sweetie. Anyway, let us drop the little game, shall we?"

"There was never a game, Mrs Ning."

"Iris... I am your mother and that is what you should and will address me as. I am not going to allow you to disrespect me," Mrs Ning warned her.

"Great. Then I suppose you have heard that espect goes both ways. You decide things you want me to do or... or say and yet you expect me not to do the same? Think again, lady," Ning Xiaozhi scoffed a chuckle at her.

"Sigh.... Sweetie, I–"

"Don't call me those pet names if you want to say something that I don't like," she cut her mother off.

"Alright then. Iris, you need to come home before next week comes to an end. I and your father found a very suitable man for your marriage."

"Mother!" Ning Xiaozhi blurted out in shock.

"What? You said I should not call you out names and I did not."

"You know very well that the is not my point," Ning Xiaozhi placed her left hand on her waist.

"Then what is your point? Do enlighten me, will you?"

"I made it clear the last to before I left home that I do not want anyan you not dad choose fore. I do not want to be a bargaining chip for increase the business. I don't want an arranged marriage. That's of already," Ning Xiaozhi recounted her words.

"Oh but darling, that was last time. It is like over four years back. This is now," Mrs Ning said with a shrug of her shoulder.

"No. I already have a–"

"That is enough already. I believe I have wasted much of your precious time on this matter, don't you think?" Mrs Ning silenced her.

"But I–"

"I and your father and your potential suitor or rather husband, will be awaiting your arrival before the end of next week. Don't worry, honey. You will like him because he is more handsome than all the men you have ever met," she giggled.

"And he has a great personality," Mrs Ning said in a sing-song voice.

"I don't care if that man is–"

*toor toot*

Before Ning Xiaozhi could complete whatever it is that she wanted to say, the call ended. Mrs Ning had disconnected the call as her sole purpose of it in the first place has been carried out.

"Argh! How dare she- aahh. I hate this. I hate this," Ning Xiaozhi screamed as she pulled in her hair while stumping her feet on the snowy ground.historical

,m Right now she looked like a kid whose mother refused to give any candy. And right now, that candy was her free will to decide who she wants to marry and spend the rest of her life with.

She squatted with her face buried in her knees and hair sliding to her sides. Her hands warped around her knees as she chokes a sob.

"Why can't I ever get to make a decision for my own life by myself?" Ning Xiaozhi asked no one in particular.

"Xiaozhi."

On hearing her name been called, she lifted her head. A wave of painful emotions washed over her as her eyes met with the person.

"Chaoxiang," she said his name in a cracked voice as the treats she was trying to hold in flowed freely down her face. "Chaoxiang."

"Hey. What's wrong?" Ye Chaoxiang asked while he took large strides toward her. He frowned seeing her distressed face.

Ning Xiaozhi did not bother to wait for him to come to her. She stood up stumbling a bit before running into his embrace.

"Chaoxiang... I don't want to..."