Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Wen Xinya raised an eyebrow. Xia Ruya came over at this time?
What exactly did she want? She couldn’t have come to mock her—this didn’t match Xia Ruya’s character.
Xia Ruya wore an almond-colored knee-length dress with floral prints, enhancing her soft and demure poise, and walked into the living room with a slight timidness. As if noticing that the ambiance in the living room was off, her watery eyes filled with uneasiness. “Grandpa Wen, how’s your health lately? So sorry, I’ve been busy with schoolwork recently and the student union has also been swarmed, so I didn’t have time to come over and see you.” Saying which, her gaze scanned the living room. “Where’s Grandma Wen? How come I don’t see her?”
Old Mr. Wen looked at Xia Ruya with a tinge of complicated yet indifferent feelings. “I’m still the same. Your Grandma has yet to come back from playing mahjong with her mahjong buddies.”
Xia Ruya placed a box of exquisitely packaged health supplements on the tea table in front of Old Mr. Wen. “Grandpa Wen, I’ve especially got a friend to bring back some lotus root starch. You and Grandma Wen are getting of age and should nourish yourselves well.”
A smile appeared on Old Mr. Wen’s face. “You’re thoughtful.”
Following which Xia Ruya greeted Wen Haowen. Although Wen Haowen didn’t look good, he managed a slight smile.
Xia Ruya was about to greet Wen Xinya when Ning Shuqian walked over happily, took her hand, sat down on the sofa, and asked with a smile, “Ruya, why did you suddenly come over at such a late timing?”
Xia Ruya took an uneasy glance at Wen Xinya before replying, “Previously, when Uncle Wen called me, his tone sounded off. After much pondering, I was still worried and went to your place. Unexpectedly, both of you weren’t around, so I guessed that you guys could have returned to the Old Mansion. Thus, I came over.”
Ning Shuqian’s expression mellowed down. “We made a child like you worry.” Saying which, she shot a glance at Wen Xinya and continued saying, “You’re so sensible, unlike someone who only stirs trouble, always dragging your Uncle Wen down.”
Wen Xinya raised an eyebrow and asked without avoidance, “Aunt Ning, could you be talking about me!”
Ning Shuqian’s expression froze. Even an idiot would know that she was actually talking about Wen Xinya, but she never expected Wen Xinya to actually ask aloud, and didn’t know how to answer for a moment.
Xia Ruya hurriedly wrapped things up by saying, “Xinya, you misunderstood Aunt Ning. Why would Aunt Ning talk about you, unless you really like to stir trouble like what Aunt Ning said?”
Ning Shuqian looked at Xia Ruya with an even softer expression, feeling that this child was really quick-witted. “Ruya’s right. Xinya… don’t you jump to conclusions with insignificant evidence!”
Wen Xinya glanced over Ning Shuqian and Xia Ruya plainly. “So it’s not referring to me.” Then, she switched to a serious expression, looked at Ning Shuqian, and said, “However, Aunt Ning, you’ve gotta change your way of speaking with implied accusation. Otherwise, you’ll easily be misunderstood by others. Didn’t… didn’t I just misunderstand that your words were directed at me?”
Instantly, Ning Shuqian felt as horrible as swallowing a fly live, yet she was speechless.
At this point, Wen Xinya suddenly looked towards Xia Ruya and said, “Ruya, you came at the right time to testify for me. Just now, at the police station, did Madam Jiang malign me for kidnapping Jiang Ruoyin and even threatened me?”
Xia Ruya didn’t know that previously, Wen Xinya had already pushed the blame for burning the bridge with the Jiang family onto them. Thinking that as long as Wen Xinya fell out with the Jiang family the outcome wouldn’t matter, she nodded and said, “Out of the love for her daughter and a moment’s panic, Madam Jiang was indeed a little too much.”
Ning Shuqian kept shooting glances at her, but Xia Ruya didn’t see them as she had the habit of looking at the other party while talking.
Wen Xinya looked at Wen Haowen and said, “Father, look, even Ruya testified to today’s incident. Obviously, the Jiang family purposely took the opportunity to fall out with our Wen Family and has nothing to with me. So, by previously only listening to Madam Jiang’s side of the story, you were totally wronging me.”
Wen Haowen’s expression was slightly awful, yet he couldn’t manage any words.
Xia Ruya widened her eyes as if a bolt out of the blue struck her. Wen Xinya actually pushed all the blame for falling out with the Jiang family onto them. Now that she had testified for her, the Wen Family naturally wouldn’t place the responsibility on Wen Xinya.
“Ruya, thank you. If not for you, my Father would still be misunderstanding me up till now.” Wen Xinya looked at Xia Ruya sincerely with gratitude in her eyes. Although Grandpa didn’t intend to put the responsibility on her, it felt good to poke at Xia Ruya.
At this point, Xia Ruya felt the same as Ning Shuqian—like swallowing a fly live.
“Father, regarding the matter about the Xiao Family buying the Ai Shang Group over, whether to send Xinya abroad or for our Wen Family to fight it out with the Xiao Family, you can decide for yourself!” Wen Haowen disregarded Xia Ruya’s presence and blurted these words out directly.
Shocked, Xia Ruya said, “Uncle Wen, there’s no need to be so extreme. My father said that for the Xiao Family buying the Ai Shang Group over, perhaps our Xia Family can be of some help. I was about to discuss this with you.”
Unable to wait any longer, Wen Haowen asked, “Your Xia Family has a way?”
Xia Ruya nodded and said, “Coincidentally, the contract between the Xia Family’s supermarkets and the Ai Shang Group is going to be up. My father said that as long as the Xia Family rejects the collaboration with the Ai Shang Group on the pretext that the Ai Shang Group’s products don’t fulfill the quality standards of the supermarkets, the Ai Shang Group’s reputation will definitely take a hit. With their products being doubted by the mass consumers, the Xiao Family naturally won’t buy the Ai Shang Group over.”
Wen Haowen was overjoyed. “Brother Xia’s way is indeed too brilliant. Ruya, thank your father for me! This time, it’s all thanks to your Xia Family that our Wen Family can endure this crisis.”
Ning Shuqian also grabbed Xia Ruya’s hand happily and said, “Ruya, you must have put in a lot of effort for the Xia Family to agree to help the Wen Family out on this! The Wen Family hasn’t raised you for twelve years for nothing. You’re a good child who knows how to repay others’ kindness.”
Xia Ruya hung her head shyly and said, “Uncle Wen, Aunt Ning, you’ve exaggerated. The Wen Family has all along guided and supported the Xia Family. Now that the Wen Family is in trouble, the Xia Family naturally won’t sit and do nothing if we can help.”
Wen Xinya watched on coldly. So this was Xia Ruya’s real motive. When the Wen Family was down in the dumps, if the Xia Family were to help the Wen Family—business had always worked both ways—now that the Xia Family was going to switch to the market of large upscale malls, they precisely needed the Wen Family to enter the malls to campaign for them. If the Wen Family were to really receive the Xia Family’s favor, they would naturally have to agree to the Xia Family’s request to collaborate.
Xia Ruya really plotted well, brilliantly killing three birds with one stone!
On one hand dealing with her, making the Wen Family members give up on her.
On the other hand helping the Wen Family out, making the Wen Family members grateful to her.
Most importantly, she obtained the Wen Family’s support for the Xia Family, the Xia Family members would also value her even more.
Xia Ruya was indeed even more scheming that she had imagined to actually silently arrive at this point. This plot was deeply brilliant every step of the way, even she couldn’t help but applaud in astonishment for her.
