Wen Ling changed into another outfit, preparing to “run into” Ruan Miaomiao and Chu Yao by chance.
She couldn’t very well wait until someone’s schemes landed on her head before striking back. Taking the initiative might even turn the situation around.
At that moment, Ruan Miaomiao was standing outside the fitting room, holding Chu Yao’s bag for her, sincerely praising the clothes Chu Yao had just changed into.
“They look very good. They really complement your complexion.” Ruan Miaomiao stepped forward and reached out to smooth Chu Yao’s hair, which had gotten a little messy from changing clothes. In a gentle voice, she said, “Everyone says Wen Ling was the campus belle back then, but in my eyes, how could she compare to you?”
During university, what Chu Yao had heard most was people saying Wen Ling was prettier than her. Standing before the mirror, she let out a cold snort.
So what if she was prettier than her? She was still a vicious-hearted woman. What Chu Yao hated most were hypocrites.
“That day, she jumped into the lake herself and slandered me, saying I pushed her. Yet someone actually believed her.” Ruan Miaomiao pressed her lips together aggrievedly. “She’s always been like this, stopping at nothing to achieve her goals. Back then, because she was jealous of me, she led everyone at school to isolate me. Now she still wants to scheme against me.”
“To have a cousin like that is pitiful for you too.” Chu Yao believed her words completely. She glanced sideways at her with pity and said, “But now Old Master Qin only dotes on you. Even your older and younger male cousins can’t surpass you. If she dares bully you again, you can just ask your grandfather to stand up for you.”
“But in the end, she’s still Grandfather’s granddaughter too. He can’t really cut ties with her because of me. After all, there’s still the Wen family.”
“What about the Wen family? The Wen family may be powerful in Country M, but not in Sijiu City.” Chu Yao gave a soft scoff.
Seeing this, Ruan Miaomiao added fuel to the fire. “She once said that it’s only because the Wen family isn’t in Sijiu City. Otherwise, where would these upper-class families in Sijiu City get their status?”
Her words were childish and full of loopholes, but Chu Yao happened to be straightforward and didn’t notice at all, taking them as the truth.
“Heh. Since she looks down on our Sijiu City families, I’ll let her learn what it means that there is always someone better.”
The two of them made no effort to lower their voices. The sales assistant beside them lowered her eyes and didn’t dare speak. When Wen Ling entered the store, she happened to hear Chu Yao’s words. She raised a brow and walked over with a smile.
“Miss Chu, Cousin. What a coincidence.”
The moment Chu Yao saw her, the disgust was written plainly across her face. She frowned and said, “What are you doing here?”
“Buying clothes.” Wen Ling blinked innocently. “I’ve come to Hua Country to stay for a while, but I didn’t bring any clothes. My custom-made pieces haven’t been delivered yet, so I had no choice but to come out and browse myself.”
Ruan Miaomiao bit her lip. “Cousin, did you know I was here, so you came over to pick a fight?”
Yes, yes, Wen Ling thought inwardly. But on the surface, she looked somewhat puzzled. “Cousin, how could you think of me like that? Why would I pick a fight?”
Seeing Ruan Miaomiao’s aggrieved expression, Chu Yao snapped angrily at Wen Ling, “You could even jump into the lake yourself to slander Miaomiao. With such a vicious heart, it’s only natural that Miaomiao would suspect you.”
“So this is what you told Miss Chu, Cousin?” Wen Ling took an aggrieved step forward, her voice neither too loud nor too soft, just enough for the sales assistants to hear.
“Everyone knows I’m afraid of water. How could I risk my life and jump into the lake just to slander you? How could you say something like that to slander me?”
When the sales assistants heard this, they exchanged looks. Though they said nothing aloud, Ruan Miaomiao could guess what they were thinking just from their expressions.
Chu Yao frowned. She hadn’t known about this.
Wen Ling continued, “And when I came in just now, I heard what you said to Miss Chu. Did I really ever say something like that? Even if I truly had said such a thing, how could I include all the noble families of Sijiu City? The Zhou family’s status isn’t something I could look down on.” She glanced at Chu Yao, who had already begun to show some doubt, then suddenly covered her mouth in surprise and said quietly, “You couldn’t be trying to incite Miss Chu into targeting me, could you?”
Sure enough, Chu Yao looked toward the somewhat flustered Ruan Miaomiao. The moment Ruan Miaomiao met her gaze, she said in a panic, “How could I do something like that? Yaoyao, you know me.”
The more panicked she became, the more she couldn’t stop thinking: What exactly was going on? In the past, although Chu Yao had always been high and mighty, she had believed her words without question. How could she now start doubting her just because of a few words from someone else?
Seeing this, Wen Ling blinked pitifully and said in an aggrieved voice, “Even if you hate me, you shouldn’t use Miss Chu.” She looked apologetically at Chu Yao and said softly, “I’ve disturbed your shopping. I’d better not bother you anymore. Goodbye.”
The instant she turned around, the corners of Wen Ling’s lips curved up. The grievance and pitifulness that had been written all over her face vanished as quickly as flipping a page.
Even after she walked out of the store, she could still hear Ruan Miaomiao anxiously explaining things to Chu Yao. The smile on Wen Ling’s face widened. Only after she had gone far enough to confirm the two of them could no longer hear her voice did she laugh out loud without the slightest regard for her image.
Disdain surged uncontrollably in her heart. Didn’t Ruan Miaomiao like pretending to be wronged to deceive others? Who didn’t know how to do that? Without the female lead halo, who would believe your clumsy lies?
Wen Ling hadn’t truly planned on buying clothes to begin with. Now that Chu Yao had begun to doubt Ruan Miaomiao, she could retire after a job well done.
She wandered leisurely through the mall, entering every store she came across for a look.
As for Chu Yao, because doubt had taken root in her heart, she swept Ruan Miaomiao with an indifferent glance and casually found an excuse to leave.
Ruan Miaomiao watched her leave, so angry that she threw the bag in her hand onto the ground. Everyone who could come to this mall was someone of status in Sijiu City, so naturally they wouldn’t chase celebrities. Seeing a popular young star lose her temper in public, the passersby merely looked at her strangely. Ruan Miaomiao had no choice but to bite her lip hard and pick the bag back up.
Suddenly, her gaze caught sight of Wen Ling. Seeing her wandering from store to store with smiling eyes, she strode after her.
“You’re very happy?”
Wen Ling turned to look at her and let out a soft laugh. Smiling, she said, “What? Chu Yao abandoned you?”
Ruan Miaomiao gritted her teeth. “You’re not pretending to be innocent anymore?”
“Hm? What did I pretend?” Wen Ling asked, feigning confusion.
“You drove a wedge between me and Chu Yao. What’s your purpose? Do you think that if Chu Yao and I fall out, you’ll be able to take the chance to become friends with her? I know exactly what kind of personality she has.” Ruan Miaomiao clenched her fists and snapped in a low voice.
Wen Ling said casually, “Then what purpose did you have in inciting her to target me?” She shrugged. “As for becoming friends with Chu Yao, I really never thought about that. After all, not everyone is like you, so humble that you can fawn over someone you hate.”
Ruan Miaomiao was so infuriated by Wen Ling’s words that she stepped forward and raised her hand to hit her. Wen Ling didn’t dodge at all. She grabbed Ruan Miaomiao’s wrist and slapped her backhanded across the face.
Ruan Miaomiao’s eyes widened in disbelief, but Wen Ling only gave a cold laugh.
“I advise you not to get physical with me. I’ve never been a pushover. I haven’t even settled accounts with you for spreading rumors about me outside yet.”