Chapter 470 - 410: Invitation
Chapter 470: Chapter 410: Invitation
Thinking of Tang Qingyun’s heartless words from earlier, Tang Yaxuan felt incredibly sad and wronged. Her nose tingled. ’It’s impossible for over a decade of father-daughter affection to just be severed like this. Dad was forced by Grandma Tang, he had to be!’
’My parents’ divorce was also clearly the result of Grandpa and Grandma Tang’s heavy-handed tactics. Mom is so elegant, so young and beautiful, as if she never ages. Dad loved her so much, how could he bear to leave her?’
’As for Mom and Uncle Bai... Mom really didn’t handle it well. I know your first love is worth cherishing and remembering—just like my feelings for Brother Shaojun. Mom should have just stayed very close friends with Uncle Bai. A little distance is what really captures a person’s heart. But she lost control and ended up crossing that line with him... Ugh! It’s not like a child like me could have stopped it. Mom was definitely in the wrong, but her and Dad’s bond was so deep, and they had children together. If Grandma Tang hadn’t interfered, he probably would have forgiven her.’
’Now that Wu Xiaorui has gone abroad, the three-bedroom apartment is spacious, bright, and spotless. If Mom and Dad hadn’t divorced, Dad would have brought Hao Hao back home to live. Our family could have been whole again, just like before. Dad would definitely still dote on me!’
Tang Yaxuan sniffled and looked up. Lost in thought, she had unknowingly walked all the way to Qianjin Avenue. Ahead of her was the Ninth Department Store. ’It’s winter break, so I have plenty of time. Once I go home in this snow, I won’t want to come out again.’ Shaking off her gloomy mood, Tang Yaxuan turned and walked inside.
The Ninth Department Store was huge, a complex of three connected buildings. The first four floors were all retail space, and the ground floor alone was big enough to get lost in. The last time Tang Yaxuan had come here with Wu Xiaowen, she had seen a beautiful woolen coat in the clothing section. The color and style were perfect for her. She had wanted to pester Wu Xiaowen into buying it for her, but she remembered how Wu Xiaowen had scolded her last month for "accidentally losing" thirty yuan of her living allowance, so she didn’t dare to say a word.
’Even if I can’t buy it, it’s nice to just look at it again.’
She actually had quite a few clothes. Wu Xiaowen had a discerning eye for quality and was willing to spend money when she had it. She mostly bought clothes and other items for the family from foreign trade stores, and relatives from the Wu Family also sent things back from abroad. The materials were expensive and the styles were beautiful, rivaling the latest fashions. Unfortunately, they had all become too tight and too short. Some of her tops were nearly short enough to expose her navel, but Tang Yaxuan still wore them, feeling awkward herself.
Passing the gold and silver jewelry section, Tang Yaxuan noticed a new counter. To her surprise, it was filled with diamond jewelry. Tang Yaxuan pressed her face against the glass, her eyes sparkling. ’Real diamonds! I used to have some too!’
A friend of her Uncle Tang, a diplomat, had returned from abroad and gifted her a set of pink diamond jewelry: two bracelets and a hairband, all studded with pink diamonds of various sizes. When she wore that gorgeous, dazzling hairband, she felt like a noble princess... She had many other valuable gifts too, all received during her trips back to Beijing. Unfortunately, Wu Xiaowen had put them away for safekeeping, and in the end, they all ended up with Wu Xiaorui. Before going abroad, Wu Xiaorui had not only plundered everything of value from the two Wu family elders, but Wu Xiaowen had also fallen victim to her.
As Tang Yaxuan was staring, captivated and wistful, a sales attendant came over and politely tried to shoo her away. "Miss, please step back a little. These are diamonds. They’re very expensive, and you aren’t in a position to buy them."
"Can’t I even look?" Tang Yaxuan couldn’t help but retort.
The attendant gave her a sideways glance. "You’d better not. What if you damage the glass and a diamond goes missing? Your parents wouldn’t be able to afford it!"
Tang Yaxuan adopted the air of a high-born young lady and scoffed, "What’s so great about a few diamonds? Do you even know who my parents are? The answer would scare you to death!"
The attendant was speechless.
The attendant looked at Tang Yaxuan’s clothes and felt that the girl’s demeanor was indeed rather unusual. Perhaps her family really did have connections and wealth. Deciding not to say any more, the attendant picked up a white cloth and began carefully wiping the counter.
Having put the attendant in her place, Tang Yaxuan felt a sense of satisfaction. She held her head high and puffed out her chest, walking past the counter with the swagger of a victor as she headed for the clothing section.
In the clothing section, she unexpectedly ran into Gu Shaoling and Tian Sisi. The two cousins were there with an adult; Gu Shaoling’s mother, Tian Xueqin, was standing not far away, looking down as she picked out clothes.
Both Gu Shaoling and Tian Sisi were wearing new outfits, which they had clearly just bought and put on immediately. The bright red, mid-length woolen coat Gu Shaoling had on was the very one Tang Yaxuan had admired before.
Tian Sisi called out, "Xuanxuan!" and waved for Tang Yaxuan to come over. The two were still classmates at the same school. One had lost her status as a high-born young lady because of Tang Manman’s appearance, while the other had been forced out of the Gu family home by Tang Manman and was now renting a place. As they shared a similar plight and got along well, they were often seen together and had formed a friendship.
Tang Yaxuan secretly tugged at her own slightly-too-short, worn-out coat before walking closer and greeting Gu Shaoling with a smile.
Tian Sisi said to Gu Shaoling, "It’s all that Manman’s fault. Xuanxuan can’t go back to the Tang family now, so she’s lost a lot of friends and doesn’t get to come to our parties. Why don’t you invite her to your birthday? Let her have something good to eat. She’s just so pitiful."
Only then did it hit Tang Yaxuan: that’s right, Gu Shaoling’s birthday was before the New Year, just a few days away. Tang Yaxuan had been to two birthday parties for girls from wealthy families before. Back then, overly lavish and extravagant celebrations weren’t allowed, but behind closed doors, they were still lively, joyous affairs where you could do whatever you wanted and have as much fun as you could. Now that those restrictions were gone and people with money could spend it freely, the birthday party would surely be even more festive and spectacular. Tang Yaxuan didn’t really care about any of that, though. What she cared about were the guests who would be attending Gu Shaoling’s birthday banquet. She had originally belonged to that circle. Even if she had been abandoned by the Tang family, she refused to fade away. She had to appear before those wealthy and influential people regularly so they would remember her. It would be beneficial for her both now and in the future.
Seeing Tang Yaxuan’s eyes fixed on her, full of pleading, Gu Shaoling gave a nonchalant nod. "My birthday banquet this year is at the Eastern International Hotel. A lot of people will be there. Sister Zeng Rong is getting me a three-tiered cake, and Sister Jun Ran even sent a gift from overseas... You can come too. It’ll be an eye-opener for you."
Tang Yaxuan’s face lit up, and she thanked her profusely. "I’ll get you a gift."
Gu Shaoling pursed her lips. "You don’t have any money right now. I’ll just count you in with Tang Manman. I’ll consider half of her gift as being from you."
Tang Yaxuan looked like she wanted to say something but held back. Instead, she said with great emotion, "Thank you, Shaoling. You truly are a real high-society lady! And you too, Sisi. You and Shaoling are as kind and beautiful as fairies. Good people are rewarded with good fortune. I’m sure your futures will be full of happiness and bliss!"
Everyone loves to be praised. Gu Shaoling and Tian Sisi were very pleased, and they even waved goodbye to Tang Yaxuan as they parted ways.