Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Xia Ruya hung her head in embarrassment, the fog in her eyes instantly coagulated into tears suspending in her eyes, shimmering and glowing, just like a budding pink lotus tainted with clear dew, emitting a fresh and tender aura under the sunlight. “Xinya, I know you’re upset with me for not speaking up for you when you had a conflict with Jiang Ruoyin at the student union office just now. But I’m also friends with Jiang Ruoyin, and was stuck in the middle watching you girls argue.”
Lan Feng was an elite school. Although there were also many poor students, most students were people from reputable, wealthy, or asset-rich families—people from the circle. Thus, most of them knew who was Wen Xinya and Xia Ruya.
This moment, upon hearing Xia Ruya’s words, people around gathered in whispers.
“Who does this Wen Xinya think she is? Making a scene at the student union once she came to Lan Feng, having a conflict with Miss Jiang from the student union, and now pushing Xia Ruya to the ground. Previously, I didn’t believe the rumors in the circle saying that she’s vulgar, unreasonable and overbearing. Can’t believe they are indeed true.”
“Previously, I’ve attended her homecoming party and felt that she’s very pretty and classy. If not for the fact that I’ve witnessed it with my own eyes, I wouldn’t believe that she’s so heartless as to push someone to the ground no matter what.”
“Not that we don’t know Xia Ruya—all along, her reputation in the circle has been very good—everyone says she’s pretty, elegant, graceful, and kind. Previously, when someone tried to defame Wen Xinya online, she’d even stood up for Wen Xinya—can’t believe Wen Xinya is so ungrateful, bullying her in the blink of an eye.”
“Why is Wen Xinya at Lan Feng—don’t tell me she’s also going to be studying at Lan Feng from now on? I heard that she’d previously led a wandering life for fifteen years, was a little thug on the streets, and didn’t even go to secondary school—how can she get into Lan Feng?”
“Guess somebody’s rich! Although Lan Feng only admits the cream of the crop, money makes the world go round. Not that you don’t know, her Grampy had participated in compiling many of the books in our school—since the institute is on good terms with Old Mr. Mo, it’s normal to pull some strings!”
“So she has strings to pull, no wonder she’s so arrogant—first day reporting to school and she dares to make a din at the student union office. I loathe such people who think that they’re so great just because of their powerful background—without her background, she’s actually just an arrogant idiot.”
“Me too. I’m extremely disgusted by such people who think that they’re so superior and can look down on everyone else. Actually, she’s but a wild sparrow, with undeniable intrinsic qualities of a sparrow, who has flown a little higher from the branch.”
Everyone around was set buzzing with an almost unanimous conclusion.
Wen Xinya knew that Xia Ruya had always had an extremely good reputation in the circle that she could easily make use of to make everyone believe her. Nobody would believe a little thug who had led a wandering life for fifteen years.
“Xinya, it’s not easy for us to finally study at the same school. We should have each others’ backs instead. Don’t be angry anymore.” Xia Ruya looked at Wen Xinya as though she was about to cry.
Wen Xinya looked plainly at Xia Ruya. “Who told you that I’m angry with you because of the conflict with Jiang Ruoyin?”
Xia Ruya opened her mouth with a tied tongue and stared at her blankly. “Then why are you ignoring me?”
Wen Xinya said with a sneer, “I think previously I’d already said very clearly that we’re not close. Both Zhong Rufeng and Chu Jingnan were present then, why don’t we get them to testify—an ex-president and a current president of the student union—I doubt they’ll lie! Since we’re not close, why should I bother about you, why should I be angry with you?”
Xia Ruya was stunned—she did not expect her to be so smart as to make use of Zhong Rufeng and Chu Jingnan in her defense. Without a way to deal with it momentarily, she could only hang her head, wipe her tears, and explain while sobbing. “I thought…”
Wen Xinya raised her brows and pursed her lips slightly, her pink thin lips forming a straight line with a tinge of determined and unrelenting curve. “Xia Ruya, you repeatedly act as if you’re very close to me. In that case, do you know my favorite color? Favorite cosmetics brand? Favorite snack?”
Xia Ruya stared tongue-tied, unable to answer anything.
Wen Xinya raised her brows mildly and looked at the crowd. “Everyone knows such basic preferences of the friends around you? These are the most basic things that you don’t have to mix together for a long time to find out—you’ll know them after a couple of observations.”
Everyone nodded at Wen Xinya’s words. A girl spoke up. “Such simple things, even if you’re not very close friends, you’ll also find out after hanging out a few times.”
Everyone showed their agreement. It was less evident on the guys’ end, as they were attracted by Xia Ruya’s aura of fragility. Additionally, guys were naturally impulsive, and so couldn’t understand the appreciation and friendship that Wen Xinya spoke of. However, girls were naturally sensitive, and, as if they could detect something fishy, they started looking at Xia Ruya differently.
Xia Ruya was blushing severely—she totally didn’t expect Wen Xinya to actually salvage the situation in such an indirect way. She opened her mouth wishing to speak, but Wen Xinya didn’t give her the chance as she said with a cold glare in her eyes, “You see, we’re really not close!” Saying which, the glow in her eyes suddenly turned harsh and piercing. “Why exactly are you bothering me constantly, clinging to me obstinately—or do you think by getting close to me, you can gain something out of me?”
Xia Ruya shook her head desperately, as the tears that had been held in her eyes kept falling incessantly like the summer rain, in a sad but beautiful manner. “Xinya, you misunderstood me. I…”
As if she suddenly recalled something, Wen Xinya said, “Previously, I’d heard from Grandpa by chance that the Xia Family intends to open an upscale shopping mall in the southern district and wants the branded stores under the Wen Corporation to enter and be stationed at the mall to campaign for them. It’s a turning point to break into the market of large upscale malls and is extremely important to the Xia Family. If it succeeds, beefing up the reputation of the chain supermarkets of the Xia Corporation, the Xia Family can then massively consolidate all the chain supermarkets in the entire country, reforming them into large scale shopping malls, even possibly opening international malls in the future.” Wen Xinya suddenly widened her eyes and looked at Xia Ruya in disbelief. “Don’t tell me it’s because of this reason that you…” She suddenly stepped back and looked absolutely stunned. “You’re scary—only fifteen-years-old and so manipulative!”
The Xia Family indeed intended to open a massive upscale mall in the southern district, and indeed wanted the branded stores under the Wen Corporation to enter and be stationed at the mall to campaign for them. When she found out about it in her previous lifetime, Grandpa had already agreed. It had been around this time that the Xia Family started to rise! After that, the Xia Corporation and the Wen Family formed a great, cooperative relationship—so, she had to stop Grandpa.
