Chapter 483 - 423: To Offend
Chapter 483: Chapter 423: To Offend
Tang Yaxuan grew up by Wu Xiaowen’s side. Her personality, aside from a naturally darker side, was mostly inherited from Wu Xiaowen. She considered herself a person of high status, arrogant and aloof, with her nose in the air. She usually put on airs and ignored everyone, and she was every bit as domineering as one might expect. Considering her Wu Family cousins loathed her so much they’d beat her on sight, she must have looked down on and suppressed them quite a bit in the past.
Back then, Tang Yaxuan was still living and studying in G Province, where she was treated like a princess or a queen. Every time her parents were transferred to a new place, the first thing she would do was make sure all the adults and children around knew that her family was from Beijing and that she would be returning there one day.
None of the children around her dared to defy her. They were completely at her beck and call. Her word was law; if she told everyone to shun someone, they would. She didn’t even have to lift a finger to hit someone, as others were willing to do it for her. In truth, she really wanted to test her skills. Brother Shaojun had taught her self-defense, but her mother said a lady must act like a lady. ’Have you ever seen a well-bred young woman get into a fight?’
She did end up fighting later, dealing with Mo Xiao Zhi and Mo Xiaoneng in Gongdao Village. After that, she refused to stay at the commune’s middle school and ran to G Province to find her mother. By then, the news that she wasn’t a Tang Family Girl had leaked. When a few kids in the dormitory courtyard mocked and bullied her, she used those self-defense techniques and actually fought them to a standstill!
From then on, she began practicing self-defense whenever she had free time. If any of the children her age in the courtyard dared to provoke her again, she would beat them back with her own strength. Coupled with her mother’s unchanging doting and protection, she managed to maintain her queenly status in that courtyard.
Returning to Beijing was something she had dreamed of, and her mother had even transferred her household registration over as well. Everything was perfect, just as she had wished. But her dream of becoming the Tang family’s adopted daughter was shattered!
Because of this, she was treated unfairly. At first, she wanted to fight and resist, but after hitting a wall too many times, she had no choice but to swallow her pride and dominant nature, adopting a humble and subservient posture. She couldn’t fight back when her Wu Family cousins ganged up on her. When Wu Xiaorui abused her, she tried to use her strength, but unfortunately, Wu Xiaorui was also very strong. Moreover, Wu Xiaorui would intentionally pinch and hit her in front of Wu Xiaowen. If Tang Yaxuan resisted too fiercely, she worried she wouldn’t receive her mother’s sympathy and pity.
When Yang Liu’er attacked her, Tang Yaxuan fought back with all her might without hesitation. Regrettably, Yang Liu’er was plump and solidly built, even stronger than Wu Xiaorui. Before Tang Yaxuan’s "claws" could even touch her, Yang Liu’er had her pinned against the wall, slamming her head against it, kicking, punching, and pinching her until she was half dead.
Tang Yaxuan had no idea how she had offended this madwoman, but she didn’t dare call the police or tell her mother. Yang Liu’er had shown her a list that clearly recorded the dates and times she had gone to the post office to send money. Tang Yaxuan’s heart instantly plunged into an icy abyss, filled with shock and terror. ’Who on earth is this Yang Liu’er? How long has she been investigating and following me?’
’If Wu Xiaowen found out about this, she would be furious. It was one thing before, but ever since Wu Xiaorui had tricked them and stolen all their money, the mother and daughter had truly gone through a period of hardship. Even under those circumstances, Tang Yaxuan had skimped on her living expenses to send money to Liu Fengying. Although she was being forced by Liu Fengying, would Wu Xiaowen believe her? She might even curse me for being an ungrateful wolf!’
’Even worse, in a fit of rage, she might kick me out and disown me as her daughter. That would be a disaster! I haven’t even graduated from high school yet. If I can’t rely on my mother to put me through college, what kind of future could I possibly have?’
So, the next time Tang Yaxuan encountered Yang Liu’er, she didn’t dare cry for help. She swallowed her anger and meekly endured the beating. She had also tried to find out where Yang Liu’er lived, but unfortunately, Yang Liu’er was even more familiar with the streets and alleys of Beijing than she was. After beating her, she would leave immediately, disappearing without a trace after just a few turns. Tang Yaxuan would try to follow but would always lose her.
After that first time, Yang Liu’er came back to brutalize her three more times, once every week. But after that, she stopped coming. Occasionally, they would run into each other on the street. Tang Yaxuan would hastily hide, but Yang Liu’er wouldn’t pay her any mind, just throwing her a disgusted look before hurrying away. ’She must be very busy,’ Tang Yaxuan thought, ’too busy to bother beating people.’
While Tang Yaxuan was relieved, she was also eager to follow Yang Liu’er and find a weakness, to see if there was any chance for revenge. Unfortunately, she was now a fallen phoenix who had lost her power. Aside from studying at school, she had no free time. Wu Xiaowen needed her to run errands and do chores. After all, the mother and daughter had no money or influence and couldn’t afford a maid. She couldn’t possibly expect Wu Xiaowen to do the laundry, cleaning, and cooking, could she? The daughter had to be the one to do it.
She hadn’t seen Yang Liu’er for a long time. She had assumed, and even hoped, that the woman no longer existed in this world. Who would have thought that she would suddenly appear at Miss Sun’s birthday party and mercilessly humiliate her, making it impossible for her to stay any longer!
Tang Yaxuan walked out of the Sun Family’s main gate, looking back with every step, tears in her eyes and a torrent of hatred in her heart. ’Are you blind, Heaven? What crime have I committed? Have I killed someone? Have I burned down someone’s house? Why are you treating me like this? I’m not fighting for anything, I don’t want anything anymore! Can’t you just give me some peace? Can’t you give me a smooth path to a happy life?’
Back in the main hall, one dance tune followed another. Xiao Man had stopped dancing and was standing on the sidelines with Sun Yiming, watching Zheng Shaojin twirl Yang Liu’er around the dance floor. Xiao Man had brought Yang Liu’er, so Zheng Shaojin was simply inviting her to a dance out of courtesy.
Gongsun Ruxue walked over, followed by a servant carrying a tray. On the tray were just three cups of steaming milk tea. Gongsun Ruxue took two cups and handed one to Xiao Man and the other to Sun Yiming before taking one for herself. The three of them stood together, chatting and admiring the graceful dancers on the floor. Sun Yiming and Gongsun Ruxue both drank half a cup of their milk tea, but Xiao Man didn’t take a single sip, holding the cup in both hands as if to warm them.
Gongsun Ruxue looked at her and was about to ask why she wasn’t drinking her tea, but Xiao Man smiled and spoke first. "Gongsun Ruxue, I’ve noticed you haven’t danced a single time tonight. Why is that? Doesn’t that mean you came for nothing? Hey, Sun Yiming, that’s not right of you. As the host, how could you not invite Miss Gongsun for a dance?"
Sun Yiming put down his teacup and made an inviting gesture toward Gongsun Ruxue. After a brief hesitation, she followed him onto the dance floor.
Xiao Man remained where she was, a slight smile on her face as she watched them twirl away. Only then did she lower her head to smell the cup of milk tea in her hands. She tentatively touched it to her lips but ultimately didn’t drink, placing it back on the tray of a passing servant.
’The milk tea had a rich, fragrant, and pure aroma; there was nothing suspicious about it. Although Xiao Man was wary of Gongsun Ruxue, she wasn’t worried about being poisoned. She had antidotes by the handful. But she rarely drank milk tea. In her past life, when milk tea shops were a dime a dozen, she never bought any. Only on the rare occasion she felt like it would she mix some for the guests at her own hotel, and only then would she have a cup or two to taste. Of course, the ones she mixed herself were always of the finest, most delicious quality.’
On the dance floor, Gongsun Ruxue caught a glimpse of Xiao Man through a gap in the crowd. It looked like she took a sip of the milk tea before putting it down. Gongsun Ruxue breathed a small sigh of relief, the corners of her lips curling up slightly. ’Drink up, it’s not poisoned. It just contains a little colorless, odorless medicine lead. Not even the most brilliant traditional Chinese doctor could detect it. This medicine lead will adhere to the intestinal walls. Even if she only drank one sip, it will react one day when it encounters another specific drug!’
Of course, Gongsun Ruxue had no intention of committing murder. She just wanted Xiao Man to be dazed for a single moment. One instant was all she needed!