Chapter 171: Adding Insult to Injury
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
At the moment, Ning Shuqian’s mind was filled with images of how, when she accompanied Wen Haowen to Chief Sun’s party just now, the guests present at the party looked at her with shock and weird expressions. And then, she heard many people whispering behind her back, mostly discussing the emptiness at her birthday cocktail party.
Wen Xinya brought food to the resting area and saw Ning Shuqian sitting alone in the shadows. From her angle, faint shadows shrouded her face—dark, gloomy, and slightly horrifying, without a trace of her usual gentleness and elegance.
Wen Xinya approached slowly, acted like she was surprised, and asked, “Aunt Ning, aren’t you organizing a birthday cocktail party at the Oriental Pearl Hotel? What are you doing here?”
Upon seeing Wen Xinya, Ning Shuqian’s already stiff face became even more unsightly as she struggled to find the words to reply Wen Xinya’s question. She hated Wen Xinya to the core—she refused to believe that Wen Xinya did not know why she would appear here. Obviously, she was adding insult to her injury, purposely mocking her.
Acting ignorant, Wen Xinya glanced at the watch on her wrist. “I remember Aunt Ning’s cocktail party starts at 8:00 P.M. It’s only 8:30 P.M., surely it hasn’t ended?”
Ning Shuqian’s expression suddenly morphed into a dark and scary one. “It’s rare that Chief Sun’s wife organizes a birthday party, so your Father and I have decided to come over and have a look.”
Suddenly seeing the light, Wen Xinya replied, “So that’s why!”
That look of sudden realization and the slightly draggy tone of voice seemed to imply something, making Ning Shuqian feel like tearing up Wen Xinya’s face.
Wen Xinya took in all of Ning Shuqian’s suppressed emotions and pretended to be sorry. “After marrying into the Wen Family for fifteen years, it’s Aunt Ning’s first time organizing a public birthday cocktail party—you’ve even bought a set of blue diamond jewelry worth $8 million. If the cocktail party can’t go smoothly as planned, it’ll be really regrettable.”
Ning Shuqian’s stiffened fingers were trembling, screaming to land on her face with a slap. She instantly closed her fingers up into tight fists, and then squeezed out a dry and hoarse voice from the gaps of her teeth. “The birthday cocktail party couldn’t go smoothly this year, but there’s always next year.”
Wen Xinya said in the low voice, “That’s if Father agrees to organize a birthday cocktail party for you next year.”
The statement stabbed Ning Shuqian where it hurt—so painful that Ning Shuqian’s face turned into a mixture of green and white, but she was unable to retort.
Wen Xinya suddenly flashed a smile, and asked, switching the topic, “Aunt Ning, sorry that I couldn’t attend your birthday cocktail party. However, I’d previously specially customized a one-meter tall tiered cake just to wish you, Aunt Ning, a happy birthday—not sure if Aunt Ning has tasted it?”
“Not yet, cakes aren’t cut and eaten so early.” Ning Shuqian’s pupils kept retracting—in her mind, images of Yuya being haunted by nightmares after losing her virginity and kneeling on the floor, begging, when she was being driven out of the Wen Family gushed at her like tides, overwhelmed and flooded her in entirety.
Before her, Wen Xinya’s pretty little mouth continuously opened and closed, as if ridiculing her—the hatred within her, suppressed with metal chains, struggled furiously, like it was going to break free.
“Aunt Ning, later, after Chief Sun’s party ends, you’ve got to go back and taste that cake—I’d especially gotten a 4-star pâtissier from France to customize the cake. It tastes delicious, guaranteed to be unforgettable for you.”
Wen Xinya watched as Ning Shuqian’s stiffened face contorted and spasmed, her breaths gradually intensified, her body trembled faintly, and the coldness in her eyes deepened—at this moment, she probably badly wanted to feast on her flesh and drink her blood!
Ning Shuqian’s tightly held fingers suddenly relaxed, unsteadily wanting to raise her hand, but dejectedly dropped it down back into tightly held fists.
Wen Xinya chatted away happily with Ning Shuqian. “Aunt Ning, surprisingly, for Chief Sun’s rarely organized party, people in the circle actually showed this much respect—I reckon all of the well-known people in the upper-class circle of the capital city are gathered here.”
Ning Shuqian’s round, staring eyes instantly reddened, and her face momentarily turned greenish-white as she looked at Wen Xinya and wished she could feast on her flesh, drink her blood, skin her alive, and pull her muscles—she was blatantly rubbing salt onto her wound, intentionally humiliating her.
Wen Xinya saw the color of her face fluctuating between green and white and couldn’t help but become concerned. “Aunt Ning, are you feeling unwell—your face looks greenish and whitish, do you need me to send you to the hospital?”
“No need…” Ning Shuqian instantly widened her eyes and turned towards her—even if she restrained her feelings of hatred, she couldn’t control the sharpness in her eyes.
Her stiff voice was so cold, it felt heartless. Wen Xinya turned pale with fright and hung her head uneasily. “Aunt Ning, did I say anything wrong that offended you, so you…”
Ning Shuqian felt that she was about to lose it—if this went on, there was no way she could control the hatred from bursting out from within her, making her do something terrible in front of everyone at the party. “I’ll go over and check on your Father.”
Saying so, without waiting for Wen Xinya’s reply, Ning Shuqian made her escape.
However, as her body had been overly stiffened, she was now using too much force to make her steps and actually collided with an oncoming waiter. Instantly, with a loud, metallic “clang,” that waiter and Ning Shuqian fell into a tangled heap, red wine spilling all over Ning Shuqian messily.
The commotion quickly attracted the attention of everyone present. As they saw the awkward scene of Ning Shuqian falling down, everyone felt shocked, followed by rampant whispers.
“The one who has fallen down is Ning Shuqian, Wen Corporation’s CEO, Wen Haowen’s wife. I heard that Wen Haowen organized a grand birthday cocktail party at the Oriental Pearl Hotel today. Unexpectedly, she and Wen Haowen actually appeared at Chief Sun’s party, instead.”
“Almost all of the well-known people of the capital city have been invited to Chief Sun’s party—presumably, the party at the Oriental Pearl Hotel was empty, so they had no choice but to join in the fun over here!”
“See how awkward she looks—didn’t make it to the fun, but instead made a show out of herself.”
“The Wen Family totally doesn’t recognize her as a daughter-in-law—Wen Haowen still has the cheek to walk around in the circle with her.”
“Indeed, she’s but a mistress, it’s a shame to bring her out.”
Ning Shuqian listened to all kinds of vicious discussions from her surroundings and wished that she could cover her ears and bury her head in the sand.
“Hope you’re alright!” Wen Haowen bore with the strange looks from his surroundings, went and helped Ning Shuqian up, badly wanting to land a slap on her face—because of Ning Shuqian, he was already thoroughly embarrassed today.
Ning Shuqian looked at Wen Haowen with grievance and sorrow, the hatred in her heart like gathered firewood—the more it gathered, the more fiercely it burned. It was Wen Xinya, all the humilitation that she suffered today was all thanks to Wen Xinya—she would one day make her repay everything with interest.
Wen Xinya, just you wait!