Chapter 68: Absolutely Never Letting Anyone Bully Me Again

It was a little past nine in the evening. As Kong Lingxin was leaning against the bed reading, she heard the sound of a vehicle entering the courtyard. Knowing that Meng Zexiao had returned, she hesitated for a moment, but instead of immediately turning off the light and pretending to be asleep as she usually did upon his return, she kept it on.

Meng Zexiao had just finished the honey lemon juice that Aunt Qi brought over, mentioning it was specially prepared by the second young mistress, before heading upstairs. Pushing open the bedroom door, he was surprised to find that the habit Kong Lingxin always had before her miscarriage—leaving a light on for him—had reappeared tonight.

Seeing the flash of surprise on Meng Zexiao's face, Kong Lingxin said without any avoidance, "I waited for you to come back because I have something to ask you."

So she had waited until now precisely because she had something to say to him! Looking at Kong Lingxin with a trace of disappointment, Meng Zexiao asked, "What is it?"

In a calm tone, Kong Lingxin asked, "The online uproar about me a while ago—the mastermind behind it all was Yang Shanshan, wasn't it?"

Meng Zexiao was startled at first, but quickly regained his composure and said, "Don't guess blindly!"

Kong Lingxin was not surprised by Meng Zexiao's response at all, having long anticipated his denial. Wearing an expression that said "I knew it would be like this," she continued, "There is only one truth. No matter how much you all deny it, a fact remains a fact!"

Although Kong Lingxin's recent changes were indeed rather astonishing, Meng Zexiao never expected her to become so clever. Living a secluded life behind closed doors, the only person she interacted with was his secretary, Wan Si. How on earth did Kong Lingxin figure out that Yang Shanshan was pulling strings behind the scenes?

Meng Zexiao demanded, "Tell me your reasoning."

First a denial, and now asking for her reasoning—it seemed her guess was entirely correct! Kong Lingxin said, "First of all, Yang Shanshan has never looked upon me with favor. Ever since I married into the Meng family, I have suffered losses at her hands repeatedly. Even though we moved out of the main estate to live here, every time we cross paths she never fails to disappoint me, repeatedly humiliating me. Over the past year, you wouldn't even deign to give me a straight look, so how could you possibly know how your eldest sister-in-law treated me!"

Hearing Kong Lingxin say this, Meng Zexiao felt as though something had gripped his heart, aching and utterly helpless. It was true that in the past, he had paid zero attention to the legal wife by his side. Forget about harmonious and matching communication; even when she wanted to pour her heart out to him after being bullied, he found her annoying, and a single look of disgust was enough to silence her tear-streaked face.

Marriage is like a theatrical play, full of twists and turns, aging people prematurely.

Kong Lingxin went on, "Liu Lin and Yuan Chuchu are both close confidantes in Yang Shanshan's circle. Last time, neither Liu Lin nor Yuan Chuchu got the upper hand against me, so naturally they weren't willing to let it go. Yang Shanshan is the boss of their clique; if she doesn't stand up for them, who would ever follow her lead in the future?"

Meng Zexiao looked at Kong Lingxin, thinking to himself: *She really knows how to continuously surprise me. From her previous lack of presence, she now sparkles everywhere, and has now splendidly transformed from a pushover into a wise strategist. If Wang Qi had even half of Kong Lingxin's analytical capability, I wouldn't have to worry so much.*

"Are you even listening?!" Kong Lingxin asked, dissatisfied with Meng Zexiao's distracted look.

Meng Zexiao raised his gaze, his brows slightly furrowed. There were certain changes in her that he genuinely liked, but there were also changes he could not accept, such as her current impatience with him.

With a touch of emotional tension, Meng Zexiao replied, "I'm listening!"

Of course Kong Lingxin could hear his displeasure, but she didn't care in the least. She was clearly the victim here, and he was the one helping to cover up the perpetrator—or to put it more gravely, shielding them. Why on earth should she still try to win his favor?

She stated, "Actually, you guessed beforehand that it was your eldest sister-in-law's doing, but you still decided to go to Australia to verify it. You found the person who wired money from overseas to the internet trolls, and you also found the person who transferred funds to Bai Tingting. You and Father both knew about this, but for the sake of the Meng family's reputation, Father stopped you from exposing Yang Shanshan."

Kong Lingxin's guess was entirely spot on, and Meng Zexiao stopped denying it. He said, "Even if everything you said is true, so what?"

Kong Lingxin looked back at Meng Zexiao stubbornly and said, "I can't do anything, but I just want to convey a message to you: I don't rely on anyone, but from now on, I will absolutely not let anyone bully me or smear my reputation at will."

How could Meng Zexiao fail to understand the implication hidden in Kong Lingxin's stubborn expression—even if Yang Shanshan continues to bully me in the future, I, Kong Lingxin, do not need you, Meng Zexiao, to stand up for me. But when I defend my own dignity, don't blame me for not putting the Meng family's reputation first!

With a dark expression, Meng Zexiao told Kong Lingxin, "From now on, no one will ever gossip about you again! And I, Meng Zexiao, will absolutely never allow anyone to bully my woman!"

Kong Lingxin lifted her chin, looking at Meng Zexiao with a sarcastic expression, though she kept the mocking words to herself.

Everything that needed to be said had been said. Although Yang Shanshan's malicious acts not only went unpunished, but Meng Haoquan even promoted her and gave funds to the Yang Group to save face at a high-profile charity gala, coupled with Meng Zexiao's deliberate concealment, it left Kong Lingxin feeling utterly chilled. However, all of this also ignited her boundless fighting spirit.

Kong Lingxin closed the book in her hand, placed it on the bedside table, curled up under the covers, and said, "Time for sleep!"

Meng Zexiao glanced at the book Kong Lingxin had just been reading. "Since when did you take an interest in economics books?"

Indeed, in Meng Zexiao's eyes, Kong Lingxin's bookshelf was filled strictly with literature and art. Seeing her reading economic management texts for the first time, he was genuinely curious.

Without even opening her eyes, Kong Lingxin replied, "To achieve victory in battle, one must first learn what the enemy is studying so as not to fall behind them."

So the news of Yang Shanshan's promotion had already reached Lingxin's ears—Meng Zexiao finally understood the reason behind Kong Lingxin's indignation.

Meng Zexiao said, "Don't assume Father is being biased. Logically speaking, the eldest brother ought to hold a more important position in the group than my current role, but brother's heart isn't in it. For the sake of fairness, that's why Father let the eldest sister-in-law take up a post in the company."

Too lazy to listen to Meng Zexiao's high-sounding rhetoric, Kong Lingxin simply let out a "hmph" and turned over to continue sleeping.

When had Meng Zexiao ever been treated like this? It was the first time a woman had ignored him, leaving his chest feeling stuffy with frustration yet giving him nowhere to vent.

Tonight's so-called business dinner was actually just the father and son. His father had talked with him for a long time, urging him to live a good life with Kong Lingxin and forbidding any rumors of divorce. Meng Haoquan was more aware than anyone of what Yang Shanshan had done to Kong Lingxin, but past matters should be left in the past. Furthermore, the King Group's entry into the Asian market and its development into a rival capable of contending with the Dingsheng Group was no fairy tale; he warned Meng Zexiao to remain vigilant in times of peace.

Although Meng Zexiao could not quite fathom his father's deliberate favoritism toward Yang Shanshan and the Yang Group, based on Meng Haoquan's numerous astute business decisions over the years, Meng Zexiao did not believe this move was made on a whim.

After a night of deep contemplation, the next morning at breakfast, Meng Zexiao told Kong Lingxin, "Didn't you want to return to school to study? I approve."

Kong Lingxin was startled at first, then asked happily, "Really?"

The smile that had been absent for so long finally returned to Kong Lingxin's face. Seeing her smile like a fresh, blooming lily, Meng Zexiao felt a swell of joy in his heart, making him even more firm in his decision. He said, "Really, but there are conditions."

With wide eyes, Kong Lingxin asked, "What conditions?"

Leisurely finishing the remaining half bowl of congee, Meng Zexiao stated, "The condition is that you must go to school together with Wan Si. Seeing you read economic management books last night, it seems that besides literature and art, you have other interests as well. This interest will give us more common topics in the future, so both you and Wan Si should go to Peking University to study for an MBA."

"An MBA?" The major Meng Zexiao chose for her genuinely caught Kong Lingxin off guard.

Meng Zexiao raised an eyebrow. "What? Do you disagree? Aside from this, you aren't allowed to study anything else!"

He truly lacked any patience; after barely a few seconds, he had reverted to his old self!

Kong Lingxin said, "Since there's no room for negotiation, I'll just study whatever you arrange!" Hidden beneath her words was another thought—*as long as you don't keep me locked up at home.*

Glancing at his watch, Meng Zexiao said, "I need to head to the office. Once I arrive, I'll have Wan Si contact the school. Get your documents ready so you can catch the upcoming September enrollment."

Kong Lingxin asked, "Does that mean I don't even need to take an exam?"

"..." Meng Zexiao really couldn't be bothered to waste breath on a woman who was sometimes too clever and sometimes astonishingly dense. Since she was so smart, she would figure it out eventually!

Although Meng Zexiao didn't entertain her further, it didn't dampen Kong Lingxin's delightful surprise in the slightest. Beaming with joy, she thought: *The detestable Meng Zexiao has finally made a decision worth thanking him for!*

As long as she had a legitimate reason to step out of the Meng family gates and pursue what she loved, high-society life would no longer be synonymous with boredom.

At this thought, Kong Lingxin felt as though she could fly with happiness.

The Dingsheng Group had partnerships with several university economics and management schools, annually selecting outstanding employees for advanced studies to pursue an MBA. Upon hearing Meng Zexiao's arrangement, Wan Si was initially somewhat startled, but upon learning the details, she realized she was simply basking in the reflected glory of the second young mistress.

Of course Wan Si was unwilling to pass up the chance to return to school to pad her resume with an MBA from a top domestic university. However, while her salary would continue to be paid as usual during her studies, her subsidies would be cut, making her hefty mortgage a crushing burden.

Seeing that Wan Si lacked the joyful expression Kong Lingxin wore, Meng Zexiao said in a deep voice, "What, you disagree?"

His tone was sharp and piercing, his gaze as cold as a blade, instantly suppressing Wan Si's hesitation over her mortgage. Hurriedly, Wan Si replied, "No, I agree!"