“Si Yiyan, what are you doing?” Wen Xinya cried out in a panic.
“You must be punished for being disobedient.” She still had the energy to go speeding. He felt that he had been too lenient on her. He must work her body more energetically from now on.
“Hey, don’t be such a ruffian…”
“You sound so energetic, so full of vigor and pep. It is just the right time for us to do something that can help you expend all that excess energy…”
——
A private manor in Country M!
Xia Ruya sat in a wheelchair, wearing a baggy patient’s gown that was blue with white stripes. Her face was tightly bound in white bandages, with only her eyes, nostril and mouth visible.
Having been in Country M for some time, Mr. Z had arranged for the world’s top plastic surgeons to perform surgery on her. Although 30% of her face suffered burns, Xia Ruya had instinctively protected her face during the car crash, so her facial injuries were still substantially better than the rest of her body.
The surgery went quite smoothly, but as her facial injuries were rather severe, it was likely that a second operation would be required. Thereafter, she would still need to undergo all sorts of more minor modification procedures.
It would take at least another six more months before she could show her new face in public.
Meanwhile, 70% of her body had suffered burns. About 30% were first degree burns and 20% were second-degree burns. The remaining 20% were third-degree burns, which were so severe that the cells were all dead and unable to regenerate.
Mr. Z invested a huge sum of money in the cultivation of man-made skin for her, which made use of the most advanced technology. This type of man-made skin could boost cell regeneration and recovery in burnt tissue. However, it was still impossible to have her skin back to its original condition.
Xia Ruya was extremely disappointed at that.
She sat by the window, staring dazedly at the bright sunlight outside. She could feel the sun’s warmth through the glass and through her thick bandages.
A plain-looking, young nurse was the one taking care of Xia Ruya now. She was currently tidying up the place. “Miss Xia, you have yet to fully recover and the doctor instructed that you cannot take in too much sun.”
Xia Ruya didn’t like anyone else mentioning her face or even uttering the words “plastic surgery”. She would fly into a rage if anyone did so. She looked like such a gentle and delicate girl, but her rampages were crazed and completely out-of-control. Seven to eight nurses had already quit out of fear.
Xia Ruya didn’t insist but turned her wheelchair away from the sunlight. However, she caught a glimpse of some magazines in that nurse’s hands. Her nostrils flared and eyes widened. Taking rapid breaths, she trembled all over uncontrollably.
“Give me that magazine.” She commanded in a sharp voice which bordered on hysteria.
Since the car accident, her moods had been extremely unpredictable. She was also easily triggered and preferred to be left alone. After arriving at Country M, she was kept busy with checkups, the surgery itself, and post-op recuperation. It was as if she had been cut off from the outside world, and she had not paid attention to any media—be it television, newspapers and the internet. Even her favorite women’s magazines had been switched to medical literature on burn injuries, post-injury nutrition, recovery, etc.
She had sealed herself off in a dark and tiny space.
The nurse jumped in fright and hurriedly handed the magazine over to her.
Xia Ruya took over the magazine. She was indeed not mistaken.
It was really Wen Xinya on the cover of that magazine. They were on opposite ends of the earth and separated by vast oceans, but news on that bitch Wen Xinya still managed to appear before her eyes.
She was wearing a silvery-white mini cheongsam with a green lotus print and looking dazzlingly gorgeous. An exquisite and glittery yellow crystal trophy was in her hands.
It was the champion’s trophy of the Milan World Expo International Jewelry Design Competition.
So Wen Xinya won the Milan World Expo International Jewelry Design Competition.
Although no one could see the expression on Xia Ruya’s heavily bandaged face, her quivering voice revealed her agitated state. The nurse went pale with fright. “Miss, is there something wrong with this magazine?”
Xia Ruya was extremely perturbed. She anxiously flipped through the magazine. The cover story was about the Milan World Expo International Jewelry Design Competition, so as the grand winner, Wen Xinya was naturally featured very prominently. The magazine was full of praises for her and even lauded her as “the Picasso of jewelry design” with a bright and limitless future ahead. All those glossy photos and colorful images stung Xia Ruya’s eyes viciously.
Xia Ruya went mad. She tore up the magazine and hissed like a venomous snake. “Wen Xinya is the Picasso of jewelry design? Then what am I? Ah… what am I?”
She held her own bandaged face, wishing desperately to scream and smash things to the ground, to unleash all her rage. But she didn’t dare to as she could not move her face too much after the plastic surgery. Otherwise, the operation would be a failure.
Looking at Wen Xinya’s beautiful, flawless face, at her crystal-clear skin—Xia Ruya’s heart was filled with jealousy and hatred. These… she was meant to have all these too. But Wen Xinya had destroyed it all, transforming her into this inhuman and monstrous being.
How was it fair that Wen Xinya could freely enjoy such a stellar and glorious life basking in all that adulation when she was the one who had destroyed her? How could she accept everyone’s praise, worship, love and admiration without any guilt?
Meanwhile, Xia Ruya could only remain hiding in that dark room, like a smelly rat that should not be seen in public. She had to endure the terrible pain of the burns all over her body, the wretched torment on her mind, as well as the cruel reality of the plastic surgery.
“Miss, are you alright?” The nurse asked fearfully.
Xia Ruya had already undergone plastic surgery when the nurse first came to look after her. All day long, Xia Ruya would stay quietly and unmoving in her room. It was like a dark, malevolent cloud was constantly hovering over her. She looked very terrifying.
At this point, Xia Ruya appeared calm and quiet, but the nurse could clearly feel a crazed aura emanating from her. It was as if a vicious and bloodthirsty beast would be unleashed at any moment now. That feeling made her extremely ill-at-ease.
Xia Ruya’s voice was cold and harsh. “Go and get me every piece of information related to the Milan World Expo International Jewelry Design Competition.”
