Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Old Mr. Wen was reading some newspapers when a frown creased his forehead, forming a deep dent in his face. He looked extremely cold and austere.
The sounds of him flipping through newspapers filled the air in the silent living room.
Wen Xinya took a glance at the sullen expression on her grandfather’s face.
Old Mr. Wen placed the newspapers down and pressed his pale lips together. “Xinya, there have been lots of reports about Ruya all over the news lately. What are your thoughts?”
He looked at Wen Xinya, well aware that she was a sensible and decisive girl. Hence, he would seek her opinion on lots of matters.
Hanging her head low, Wen Xinya handed Old Mr. Wen an apple and said, “I don’t know Miss Xia too well. Hence, I can’t make any comment.”
She knew better than to criticize Xia Ruya in front of her grandfather. After all, Xia Ruya had lived with the Wen Family for twelve years and was much closer to them than she was. Besides, the scheming Xia Ruya had kept her image too well. Wen Xinya wouldn’t waste time trying to shame her.
Old Mr. Wen grabbed the apple and looked at Wen Xinya’s coolness and collectedness. Ever since she returned to the Wen Family, she would often refer Xia Ruya as Miss Xia and kept an aloof and distant attitude towards her. Old Mr. Wen said, “Ruya grew up in the Wen Family and has always been an obedient child who follows the rules. She rarely patronizes nightclubs and bars. Those scandals must have been fabricated. It’s obvious that someone is trying to frame her.”
Wen Xinya hung her head low and listened without making any comment. She was well aware that Xia Ruya had put in lots of effort to maintain her image as a pure and innocent girl, especially when she was with the Wen Family. The Wen Family would never believe that she was a wild girl, even if the entire world did.
Xia Ruya had done lots of vicious things to her in their previous lifetime, and whenever she tried to complain and seek help from the Wen Family, all she got in return were harsh scoldings. Reason being, Xia Ruya was perpetually classy, elegant, gentle, and magnanimous to the Wen Family, unlike Wen Xinya, who was angst, reckless, and hot-tempered. Hence, they would forever put the blame on her.
Old Mr. Wen looked at Wen Xinya to see that she had a gloomy look in her eyes. “There’s a photo of Ruya that was taken on the day of Zhou Tianyu’s birthday party that was published in the news and tabloids. I’ve consulted a professional and got him to analyze the photo. It’s real and hasn’t been digitally altered. I remember Yuya committing some misdeeds during the party, but how did it concern Ruya? You were also there that night. Do you know what happened?”
Wen Xinyae said calmly, “One of the waiters spilled some drinks on me and Zhou Tianyu told her butler to take me to her room to get changed. I’m not sure what actually happened, and I only heard about it from others. However, Ning Yuya and Miss Xia used to be inseparable. I’m not surprised that she was implicated.”
Grandpa just said that someone is framing Xia Ruya and now, he brought up the incident that took place during Tianyu’s birthday party. There are no secrets in the circle, and many people witnessed Ning Yuya and Xia Ruya embarrassing themselves. Grandpa can easily find out about what happened. He must have started suspecting something.
Old Mr. Wen’s eyes glistened. Having been a businessman for years, he could tell that there were lots of fishy things just by hearing Wen Xinya’s recount. The fact that Wen Xinya told him about her changing out of her wet clothes simply meant that she had nothing to hide. However, he was certain that she must have known what happened. Was she trying to avoid the question, or did she not want to be implicated?
As they were speaking, Old Mrs. Wen entered the living room with a pair of stilettos on her feet and a stack of newspapers and magazines in her hand. Appearing extremely worried and anxious, she said, “Old man, Ruya’s scandal is getting blown out of proportion. How could you do nothing about this? Ruya is the granddaughter that we raised for twelve years. Although she has already become the daughter of the Xia Family now, we can’t forget our history with her.”
Old Mrs. Wen’s words struck a sour note in Old Mr. Wen’s heart and he frowned greatly.
Seeing how composed he was, Old Mrs. Wen grabbed his arm and began bawling in agony. “Old man, you can’t leave Ruya in the lurch. We’ve raised her for twelve years. Now that this has happened to her, others are going to think that we’re cold-blooded and heartless for refusing to give her a hand. It’d affect our reputation as well.”
“I didn’t say that I was going to leave her in the lurch.” Old Mrs. Wen’s callous words made Old Mr. Wen’s brows furrow deeper into a frown. He was completely ill at ease.
Sobbing and weeping, Old Mrs. Wen said, “Ruya grew up together with us. I’m sure you know what kind of person she is. She’s so obedient and well-behaved. She’s never done anything to disgrace us before, and everyone praises her for being kind and innocent…”
Old Mr. Wen screeched. “I know clearly what kind of person Ruya is!”
Old Mrs. Wen mellowed her tone and wiped her tears away. “I visited Ruya in the hospital this morning, and there were lots of reporters waiting outside the entrance. Ruya is still ill now. How could she suffer such a huge blow? Her face has become much thinner than it already was and she’s turned as pale as a sheet. She was so haggard-looking, it pains me to see her like this. Poor girl. She’s never suffered so much before.”
Old Mr. Wen let out a long sigh and asked, “How is Ruya now?”
Choking with sobs, Old Mrs. Wen said, “The doctor said that she has gotten pneumonia because she didn’t get her fever treated in time. Hence, she has to continue being hospitalized for a while.”
Old Mr. Wen nodded with a look of sympathy on his face.
Wen Xinya noticed that her grandfather seemed to have taken pity on Xia Ruya. Old Mrs. Wen’s words had affected him greatly. She was sure that Xia Ruya had brainwashed Old Mrs. Wen and instigated her to talk to Old Mr. Wen about the matter.
It had never crossed her mind that Xia Ruya would still be able to remain so calm and composed despite how much things had escalated. While she was hiding from the reporters in the hospital, she also was racking her brains to come up with a solution to make use of Old Mrs. Wen in a bid to resolve the matter.
That way, she’d be able to seek refuge from the Wen Family and remain unaffected by the scandalous news while waiting for the matter to blow over. Others would definitely think that the media was just making mountains out of molehills and forget about it in due time. By then, she would resume her identity as the pure, innocent, and esteemed Xia Ruya.
In the eyes of outsiders, her status would be regarded highly because of the Wen Family’s care towards her, regardless of the fact that she was the illegitimate daughter of the Xia Family. After all, the Wen Family did not step in to defend Wen Xinya during her scandal back then. Hence, outsiders would definitely think that the Wen Family valued Xia Ruya much more than they did Wen Xinya.
That was exactly Xia Ruya’s plan.
