Chapter 549: Thinking That Others Are as Scheming as You
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Wen Xinya exited Old Mr. Wen’s room, only to see Xia Ruya standing in a corner by the stairwell and staring at the box in her hands with tears in her eyes. The blood vessels in her eyes intertwined like spiderwebs and it seemed like her negative emotions were slowly showing on her face.
Xia Ruya had always been extremely careful. Just as Old Mrs. Wen convinced Old Mr. Wen to hold Xia Ruya’s coming-of-age ceremony on behalf of the Xia Family, Old Mr. Wen asked to see Wen Xinya in his study. Xia Ruya was afraid that Wen Xinya would object to Old Mr. Wen’s decision to organize the coming-of-age ceremony and hence, decided to eavesdrop on their conversation.
To her astonishment, Old Mr. Wen actually gifted Wen Xinya with a rare piece of fine china in order to make it up to her. Wen Xinya could totally imagine how indignant and exasperated Xia Ruya must be.
Wen Xinya smiled slowly and could not help but be reminded of the previous lifetime where she tried to ask for her tea set back, but ended up making the Wen Family resent her even more. In the end, Xia Ruya even received a set of blue and white porcelain tea equipment from Old Mr. Wen.
On that day, she was standing in the same position that Xia Ruya was in now. Although she was not as calm as Xia Ruya, she was much more earnest.
Xia Ruya, have you ever thought that the tables would turn one day?
Wen Xinya walked towards her slowly and said with a smile, “Miss Xia, Grandpa has given me a lotus-leaf-shaped bowl made out of Ruyao ceramic. It’s much more beautiful and expensive than that ceramic vase that was broken.”
“Wen Xinya, Grandpa has given me a white and blue porcelain tea set which is much more expensive than that glazed one of yours!”
Wen Xinya could still hear those words that Xia Ruya had said to her back then in a derisive and smug manner. It was as if she had trampled all over Wen Xinya.
Xia Ruya grimaced and said with a forced smile, “Grandpa Wen really puts in so much effort for you. He even managed to get you such a rare piece of treasure.”
Wen Xinya is just showing off and bragging about the bowl. No… not only is she showing off, but she’s also mocking me for having my painstaking efforts go in vain.
“Yeah! Grandpa really dotes on me. I was clearly the one who broke the vase, but Grandpa didn’t hold it against me at all. He even gifted me with such a precious and esteemed Ruyao ceramic bowl,” Wen Xinya said smilingly while staring at Xia Ruya in contempt and disdain. The newly replaced white magnolia vase was pure and n.o.ble like a princess, graceful and elegant, yet not enough to hide the defeat on the branches.
Xia Ruya shuddered, seemingly having heard a loud and crisp smile. The next thing she knew, she felt a sudden stiffness and numbing tension on her face which sent her into a state of frenzy. She subconsciously touched her face, feeling as if she had just been struck by lightning. It was the first time that she felt as if her mask had been ripped off of her face, thus exposing her true colors.
Wen Xinya sat down beside Xia Ruya with a cold expression on her face. She stared at her aloofly in disdain and quipped. “Xia Ruya, it’s rare that you like Ruyao ceramic that much. Previously, you even had the audacity to set your sights and harbor designs on my mother’s dowry! I’ll just make an exception this time and let you admire this bowl of mine. But, you gotta be careful not to break it!”
Wen Xinya then handed the box in her hands to Xia Ruya.
“No, I don’t need to see it. It’s such an expensive piece of Ruyao, you’d better put it away properly! Don’t break it again like how you broke the vase that day,” Xia Ruya said while retreating backward as if she had been faced with a menacing beast. She kept her eyes fixed on the box and stared at the smug expression on Wen Xinya’s face. She wished she could just s.n.a.t.c.h the bowl from her and smash it onto the ground with all her might. However, she dared not do it at all. In fact, she did not even have the guts to go near Wen Xinya. It was almost as if Wen Xinya had laid a b.o.o.by trap and was waiting for her to jump into it.
Wen Xinya began walking towards her overbearingly.
Xia Ruya instinctively took another step back.
Wen Xinya chuckled coldly and stared at Xia Ruya derisively. “This box contains a rare and precious treasure, not a venomous snake or deadly beast. You don’t have to be so wary and avoid it like the plague.”
Xia Ruya, it turns out, this is all you’re made of!
“I… I didn’t!” Xia Ruya retorted, feeling a sudden dryness in her throat. Each breath she took seemed to be stuck against her dry and coa.r.s.e throat. She continuously tried to swallow her saliva and use it to moisten her throat, in a bid to relieve the slight pain and discomfort. However… it did not help and instead, made her throat even drier.
“You didn’t?” Wen Xinya gibed sneeringly while moving away.
This time, Xia Ruya did not retreat and instead placed one hand on the railing while leaning back.
Wen Xinya sneered in contempt. “You tried everything you could to get your hands on my vase and yet you’re acting so cowardly now. Xia Ruya… you’re really repulsive.”
Xia Ruya vehemently tried to explain herself. “That was all just a misunderstanding. Back then, I didn’t know that that vase belonged to Aunt Mo. I thought that it was a gift from Grandpa, that’s why…”
Wen Xinya interjected and glared at her menacingly, though she still had a beautiful smile hanging from her lips. “Do you really think I’d break the vase and accuse you of breaking it?” Her voice was icy cold like the snow in the Alps. “Hah! Xia Ruya, you’ve overestimated me. I can’t bear to break another precious piece of ceramic.”
Xia Ruya instantly turned red and spluttered. “I didn’t… that’s not what I meant.”
Wen Xinya interrupted again. “I, Wen Xinya, am not a despicable person who would resort to framing others. You’re the only one who has the cheek to do such a shameless thing. You’re just projecting your shortcomings on others, Xia Ruya.”
Xia Ruya turned extremely red and she was almost powerless. Even her explanations and retorts seemed to be of no avail. She became sluggish and weak at the thought of the case that Wen Xinya had mentioned previously.
Wen Xinya laughed sarcastically and strutted away.
Xia Ruya scurried into the washroom like a maniac and turned on the tap, thus allowing the water to flow out of the faucet. She placed her hands together and collected some water while panting heavily. She then gulped down the water on her palms continuously, finally quenching her thirst.
However, she soon snapped out of her trance and realized that she had been drinking unsanitary water from the tap. With bloodshot eyes, she frantically crawled onto the ground and stuck a finger down her throat in a bid to induce vomit.
The contractions in her stomach put her through excruciating pain and she teared up instantly.
Actually… the trivial ceramic bowl signified that the Wen Family’s love and concern no longer belonged to her and the things that she had been struggling to grasp onto had long left her. Despite having gone through extreme means to hatch a meticulous plan, she still did not manage to get what she wanted.