Chapter 328 - Chapter 328: Not Daughter, Enemy
Chapter 328: Not Daughter, Enemy
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Without waiting for Kang Xiuwan to respond, Aunt Liu got off the carriage first.
For a moment, Kang Xiuwan could not comprehend why Aunt Liu had said these things.
M/hen she wanted to ask Aunt Liu what she meant, the latter had already walked into the residence. The servant driving the carriage was also rushing Kang Xiuwan to get off.
Due to Xia Chengxuan being beaten to the point that she was bedridden, even the servants looked down on Kang Xiuwan.
Kang Xiuwan silently endured all of those disrespectful treatments.
She then discovered that the small stool that was placed to help them get off the carriage more conveniently had already been removed.
Kang Xiuwan was furious.
However, the maids and nannies just stood still and looked on. None of them went to take a stool, nor did they help Kang Xiuwan down.
Everyone hits a person who is down.
It did not matter that she was the daughter of the first wife.
Merchant clans did not prioritize their images as much as the aristocrats. Once one lost favor, they would be nothing. Even the servants would bully them.
“Bring me the stool!” Kang Xiuwan said in a cold tone as she suppressed her rage.
The nanny closest to her said condescendingly, “Apologies, Third Young
Mistress. Sixth Young Mistress needs it. Please get down on your own.”
“You!” said Kang Xiuwan as she gave the nanny a death stare. The nanny was unperturbed. She was clearly ignoring Kang Xiuwan.
Kang Xiuwan was already injured. The carriage was not very high from the ground, but for a boudoir daughter like her who had no martial arts training, getting off would not be easy.
The servants did not pay her command any heed. Nothing she said would convince them otherwise. When the Sixth Young Mistress of the Kang clan, Kang Lijun, saw this, she pretended to cry out in surprise. She said, “Third Elder Sister, why haven’t you gotten off the carriage yet? Are you actually waiting for someone to carry you down? Father just scolded you yesterday for acting so arrogant. In the blink of an eye, you are back to your old ways. Aren’t you afraid that he will get angry?”
Kang Xiuwan glanced at Kang Lijun. She knew that the latter had intentionally asked the servants to act this way.
Kang Lijun was merely the daughter of a concubine. However, her birth mother, Aunt Lan, was favored and had more authority in the Kang clan than even Xia Chengxuan. Hence, the servants of the Kang clan came flocking over to please the mother and daughter, making life difficult for Kang Xiuwan at every opportunity.
By now, they were just repeating their old tricks.
Kang Xiuwan looked around her. The servants were all waiting to see her embarrass herself.
She knew that it would be difficult for her to avoid embarrassment today.
After all, both she and her mother had just been beaten by her father last night. The entire Kang clan was waiting for the day when both women would be cast out of the clan. They would never go against Kang Lijun and help her now.
“Third Elder Sister, do you need help? However, the clothes I am wearing now are brand new. If I get them dirty, I won’t be able to wear them again. I spent nearly 100 taels of silver on them! They are very expensive!” said Kang Lijun to the side. She pretended to be helpful as she put on a show.
Kang Xiuwan ignored her. She gritted her teeth and jumped down from the carriage.
She had mentally prepared herself, but the sharp pain in her legs still caused her to fall to the ground.
“Hahaha, Third Elder Sister, you do not need to be so polite and bow at the sight of me. Oh my, look at your clothes, they are all dirty. You look pathetic.
Why are all of you standing there? Quickly help Third Elder Sister up. Otherwise, I will settle the score with all of you!’
Kang Xiuwan was in such pain that she could not get up. Her legs had gone numb from the pain, and she could not move at all.
The nannies and maids only moved to help Kang Xiuwan up after hearing Kang Lijun’s command.
They never imagined that Kang Xiuwan would suddenly shout, “Don’t touch me!”
She raised her head and stared coldly at Kang Lijun. She asked, “All this is your doing, isn’t it?”
“Third Elder Sister, what are you saying? How can you make such an accusation? I just happened to pass by here. How can you slander me in such a fashion?” said Kang Lijun with an innocent look on her face. “If you continue to act this way, I will tell Father right now.”
“Aside from telling on others, what else are you good for? How old are you to still be so attached to Father? Kang Lijun, I have never done anything to you. Why have you schemed against me again and again?
“Why? Of course, it is because you and your mother are useless and yet still occupy positions that shouldn’t be yours. As members of the Xia clan, has the Xia clan ever done anything for you? They haven’t. They instead went against the Kang clan. Tell me. Are people like you qualitied to remain in the Kang clan?”
“Is that so? I will remember what you said!”
Right now, Kang Xiuwan had come around and was standing up with all her strength.
She locked eyes with Kang Lijun and slowly uttered, “Kang Lijun, I hope you get what you wish”
At the same time, Kang Lijun suddenly grabbed Kang Xiuwan’s hand and begged, “Third Elder Sister, I know I am wrong. I won’t dare to do it again.
Please forgive me… ah!”
As she said this, she released Kang Xiuwan’s hand and fell to the ground.
Kang Lijun did all this in one go. Before Kang Xiuwan could react and figure out what had happened, she was furiously spun around and slapped.
“Was yesterday’s lesson insufficient? You, immature, white-eyed wolf! You dare treat your sister like this?” The person who had slapped Kang Xiuwan was none other than her own father, Kang Liang. He was glaring savagely at Kang Xiuwan, as though she was not his own daughter but his enemy.
Kang Xiuwan touched her stinging cheek. She immediately understood what had happened.
Kang Lijun pitifully told Kang Liang, “Third Elder Sister is innocent. Father, don’t hit her anymore. I am the one at fault. I am the one to blame…”
Kang Liang personally helped Kang Lijun up. He said, “Do not speak for this beast. She is unworthy. She has been targeting you all these years. Why are you still defending her? You will suffer in the future if you act so kind!”
“I am fine, Father. I don’t wish to see you having disputes with Third Elder
Sister. Please don’t hit her anymore, alright?” Kang Lijun begged Kang Liang.
Kang Liang conceded. He shot a glare at Kang Xiuwan and said, “Today, I will let things slide since Lijun spoke up for you. If there is a next time, I will cast you and your bitch of a mother out of the Kang clan.”
Then, Kang Liangs expression softened as he said to Kang Lijun, “Lijun, let’s leave.”
“Hmm,” replied Kang Lijun as she looked up at Kang Xiuwan. She did not hide the look of satisfaction on her face at all.
Kang Xiuwan watched as the father-daughter pair left. From start to finish, her so-called father did not listen to her explanation at all. “Humph… what a joke!” Kang Xiuwan said in her mind.
Kang Xiuwan limped back to her own courtyard.
She did not dare to meet Xia Chengxuan. She feared that the latter would see the handprint on her face and feel sad.
Kang Xiuwan touched her swollen cheek. Her heart was full of hatred.
She hated the shamelessness of the Xia clan and the cruelty of the Kang clan.
These two clans were supposed to be her family. Now, it was as though she owed both of them money. It was fine if the clans ignored them, but they did not even have the most fundamental form of respect!
Kang Xiuwan closed her eyes and tears started to flow down her cheeks.
Only now did she know that everything that she wanted before was even more ethereal and unobtainable than the reflection of the moon in the water!
Kang Xiuwan sat at her dresser in a trance. She sat there till late at night. No one came to ask whether she was hungry or needed food. It was as though she did not exist.
When Zhao Chuchu secretly appeared in her room bringing food, Kang Xiuwan once again broke down. Her tears poured down her face like rain..