Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Wen Xinya set off to the hospital after packing all the belongings. As soon as she reached the ward, she heard the sounds of Xia Ruya talking softly to Old Mrs. Wen, which were rather clear because the door was left ajar. “Grandma, don’t worry, I’ve already asked the doctor and he said that there’s no serious problem with Grandpa Wen’s health. He just needs to rest well for a period of time.”
She peeked through the crack to see that Xia Ruya was dressed in a light-blue-colored cardigan and a knee-length skirt, coupled with a pair of diamond-embellished and blue-colored boots. She looked simple yet elegant sitting on the chair and having a chat with Old Mrs. Wen in the VIP ward.
Thinking that crying would be inauspicious, Old Mrs. Wen frantically wiped her tears away and said, “That may be the case, but he’s been asleep for a really long time. He hasn’t spoken to me yet. I can’t help but feel uneasy.”
Xia Ruya grabbed the handkerchief from Old Mrs. Wen’s hand and wiped her tears for her meticulously. “You’re old in your years, your eyes are going to hurt if you keep crying. You must spare a thought for your own health too. Don’t fall ill before Grandpa Wen recovers. If not, who’s going to look after him?”
Feeling heartened, Old Mrs. Wen said with a smile, “You’re right. This old man has always been stubborn, and I’d have to coax him to take his medicine when he catches a cold. He’d need me to take care of him when he’s sick.”
Xia Ruya smiled and remarked. “Good that you think that way.”
Wen Xinya could not help but feel disgusted by how pretentious Xia Ruya was. She pushed the door open and entered calmly.
The sounds of their conversation ceased and Xia Ruya instinctively looked down to meet Wen Xinya’s icy cold gaze. She forced a smile and said, “Xinya, I’m here to visit Grandpa.”
Wen Xinya looked at Xia Ruya and said, “Thank you for your concern. My grandfather is alright now.”
She intentionally emphasized on the word “My” to remind Xia Ruya that she was the real granddaughter of Old Mr. Wen. After all, Xia Ruya had been the adoptive daughter of the Wen Family for twelve years and she wouldn’t stop her from visiting Old Mr. Wen. However, she wanted Xia Ruya to know her place and not to take someone else’s grandfather as her own.
Momentarily speechless, Xia Ruya looked away and explained while hanging her head low, “I was just worried about Grand… Grandpa Wen. That’s why I came here to visit him. Don’t mind me, Xinya.”
She looked down and sounded extremely pitiful, as if Wen Xinya forbade her from visiting Old Mr. Wen.
After hearing Xia Ruya’s words, Old Mrs. Wen’s face grew sullen and she glowered at Wen Xinya. “What’s up with your attitude? Isn’t Ruya allowed to visit your grandfather? Let me tell you, I was the one who called Ruya and told her to come. Do you have any objections?”
Old Mrs. Wen had always liked to stir trouble and provoke Wen Xinya, who was trying to come up with a plausible explanation.
Not giving Wen Xinya the chance to speak at all, Old Mrs. Wen continued, “Ruya may no longer be part of our family, but she lived with us for twelve years. You’ll never understand how we feel towards her. Now that her grandfather is hospitalized, it’s only right that she visits him.”
Xia Ruya hurriedly grabbed Old Mrs. Wen’s hand and said, “Grandma, don’t get angry, lest you ruin your health. Xinya isn’t insinuating anything.”
Greatly infuriated, Old Mrs. Wen said, “What did she mean, then?”
Xia Ruya was at a loss for words.
Old Mrs. Wen took her silence for consent and scowled at Wen Xinya. “You previously stopped your grandfather from seeing your father and now you’re even trying to stop Ruya from visiting your grandfather. Wen Xinya, just what are your intentions? I’m warning you, forget about trying to cause a stir while your grandfather is still ill.”
Wen Xinya said calmly, “Grandma, you’re exaggerating. I’ve never stopped Father nor Ruya from seeing Grandpa.”
Old Mrs. Wen retorted. “How am I exaggerating? Ever since you returned to the Wen Family, you’ve been creating so much trouble and chaos. Yuya was sent abroad, your father moved out of the family mansion, and the media is constantly reporting about us. Even your grandfather is hospitalized now. You’re just a jinx!”
Xia Ruya hurriedly tried to stop her from rambling on. “Grandma, Xinya is the flesh and blood of the Wen family. Don’t say that. Grandpa will be angry if he hears you.”
A jinx was the worst thing that a girl could be called, especially during ancient times. Back then, unmarried girls who were labeled as jinxes would have to be sent to the nunnery to become nuns in order to accumulate merit; whereas married ones would have to divorce their husbands. Even now it was bad for girls to be given that label.
Xia Ruya looked at Wen Xinya using her peripheral vision, in a bid to see if Wen Xinya could still keep her cool.
However, she was disappointed, for Wen Xinya had maintained her composure.
Boiling with fury, Old Mrs. Wen said to Xia Ruya, “I know she likes picking on you and has bullied you a lot in school. You’re just too kindhearted. That’s why she’s bullying you. Don’t you know that the weak and kind tend to become the victims of bullying?”
When Old Mrs. Wen continuously questioned Xia Ruya about what happened, Xia Ruya refused to tell her. She only found out about it from Xia Ruxue who had spilled all the beans and informed her of how vicious and wicked Wen Xinya was.
“Grandma… ” Xia Ruya murmured with tears in her eyes. Her lips trembled and she sounded extremely aggrieved.
Wen Xinya glared at them coldly. She suddenly realized that Wen Haowen had inherited his mother’s poor judgment in people and the inability to tell right from wrong.
Old Mrs. Wen continued to coax and comfort Xia Ruya for a long while before glaring at Wen Xinya angrily. “Wen Xinya, listen up. Ruya may no longer be our family member, but she is our adoptive granddaughter. That’s a fact that cannot be changed. Don’t you dare bully Ruya from now on. Otherwise, I won’t let you off.”
A smug expression formed on Xia Ruya’s face, for she was confident that Wen Xinya wouldn’t dare to pick on her now that she had Old Mrs. Wen’s support. After all, Old Mrs. Wen was her elder, so there was nothing Wen Xinya could do to her. If she were to be disrespectful towards Old Mrs. Wen, she would only be castigated by others.
Wen Xinya glared at Xia Ruya coldly and said, “I’ll leave others alone so long as they don’t provoke me. If others are to provoke me, I must pay them back in their own coin… ”
Xia Ruya could not help but get the chills seeing Wen Xinya’s menacing glare. She hurriedly looked away with a pounding heart.
