Reborn Aristocrat: Return of the Vicious Heiress - Chapter 1206
Chapter 1206: Dog Eat Dog
Xia Ruya and Lin Yingxin were seated together beneath the porch by the lake, with a platter of fruits and snacks on the stone table in front of them. The porch was large and contained a corner where one could practice the four arts or brew some tea. It added a touch of grace to the place.
The porch was located in the middle of Boya Pavilion and when seated on it, one would be able to see a century-old cinnamon tree. It was fall in October where the cinnamon was fragrant and the golden yellow leaves covered the branches. The flowers smelled sweet and refreshing as well.
Lin Yingxin looked at Xia Ruya and said, “This must be your first time here at Boya Pavilion. Why don’t you take a stroll around the place with the other heiresses? You must understand that Boya Pavilion is not always accessible and you’d have to wait three years to see it again if you miss it this time.”
Lin Yingxin shifted her gaze onto the groups of heiresses in the garden who were strolling around the compound and chatting excitedly and boisterously, perhaps because they were very interested in Boya Xuan.
Since it was their first time there, they ought to do something.
Xia Ruya looked down and picked up the cup of jasmine tea in front of her before taking a sip slowly. “Those heiresses probably don’t know that you can enjoy a picturesque view of the Man Garden when seated in the porch.”
The view of Boya Pavilion’s courtyard was exquisite, but one would easily grow sick of it after looking at it for a few times.
Lin Yingxin could not help but take a look at Xia Ruya, whom she felt was behaving bizarrely after she brought up the topic about Boya Pavilion. However, she could not find a reason.
Xia Ruya raised her head slowly and held Xia Ruya’s gaze. She smiled and said, “There’ll be plenty of chances for me to take a stroll around the garden later.”
Lin Yingxin looked away and exclaimed, “Yeah!”
The two of them were just friends on the surface. Hence, a strange and awkward silence filled the air after they stopped talking.
At this moment, Xia Ruya abruptly exclaimed, “Look over there!”
Lin Yingxin looked in the direction of Xia Ruya’s gaze and exclaimed, “It’s Ye Feiyu. What is she doing here!?!”
She had never heard any news of Ye Feiyu joining the Heiress’ Gala. To her knowledge, Ye Feiyu did not receive an invitation at all. Besides, Ye Feiyu was not the kind to be interested in attending the Heiress’ Gala. In that case, what was she doing here?
Xia Ruya smirked and said, “I heard that Ye Feiyu is close friends with Wen Xinya! The Ye Family is a renowned family of scholars in Capital city and they enjoy a good reputation. It’d be a piece of cake for them to get an invitation.”
The women of the Ye Family were known to be talented and Ye Feiyu was no exception. Although Ye Feiyu did not like the idea of the Heiress’ Gala, she could not stop Wen Xinya from attending. Having had experienced Lin Yingxin’s scheming tricks before, she was undoubtedly well aware of what Lin Yingxin was like. She knew that Lin Yingxin had an ulterior motive for inviting Wen Xinya to the Heiress’ Gala. Hence, she decided to attend because she was worried about her friend.
Lin Yingxin had a sullen expression on her face. Although Xia Ruya did not voice her opinions openly, she knew what exactly she was driving at. “I didn’t think of this. Feiyu is my cousin and I’ve always known her to be willful and ill-tempered. Even my uncle can’t tolerate her temper. I wonder what Wen Xinya fed her with to convince her to attend the Heiress’ Gala.”
She was just trying to say that Ye Feiyu was ignorant and had allowed herself to let Wen Xinya make use of her.
Xia Ruya was an expert at pulling tricks and hence, did not think much of her words. “Since Ye Feiyu is here, Wen Xinya will definitely show up.”
It was already 9:50 AM and all of the heiresses, except Wen Xinya, were present. Although she was certain that Wen Xinya would show up, she was still a little worried because Wen Xinya had always been unpredictable. Hence, they were worried that she would be getting up to some tricks.
Lin Yingxin heaved a sigh of relief and said, “As long as Wen Xinya shows up, our plan will proceed smoothly.”
Xia Ruya put down her teacup and remained silent, smiling.
The temperatures were much cooler in October and hence, Lin Yingxin was freezing because of how revealing her clothes were. Although she had attached a heat pad to her abdomen, she still felt chilly. “By the way, where is Yan Menglu? I remember you told me to invite her to the gala.”
She was not interested in Yan Menglu at all. Although she liked making friends with girls from prestigious families, she felt that Yan Menglu would be of no help to her since her family was only powerful in Harbor City.
She was only concerned with the fact that Yan Menglu wanted to deal with Wen Xinya, just like them.
The mention of Yan Menglu made an icy cold gaze form in Xia Ruya’s eyes. She smiled and said, “She’s feeling unwell, so she won’t be showing up today.”
Ever since she got into a conflict with Wen Xinya in school previously, Yan Menglu seemed to have become a completely different person. She was no longer as haughty or arrogant as she used to be, and instead became much more humble.
Xia Ruya found out that Yan Menglu had been secretly investigating on the Wen Family and Old Mr. Mo.
She only found out what Yan Menglu was thinking from then on. Yan Menglu indeed did not have a strong feud with Wen Xinya, and she only provoked Wen Xinya time and time again because she was jealous that Ji Shihan wanted to take Wen Xinya as her apprentice. Besides, Yan Menglu was a spoiled brat who would not be able to tolerate having anyone disrespect her.
However, she understood that Old Mr. Mo was not to be trifled with and hence, was much more conscientious and decided not to go against Wen Xinya. After all, the Yan Family had plenty of descendants, all of whom were dying to win the favor of their elders. Hence, Yan Menglu decided not to bring trouble for her family since her family would be implicated.
Lin Yingxin smirked and glanced at her. “That’s such a pity. She actually missed such a grand event.”
Both of them knew the reason for Yan Menglu’s absence. Since Xia Ruya decided to make Lin Yingxin feel uncomfortable, she decided to do the same to her.
As the successor of the Li Family, Xia Ruya obviously wouldn’t let the cheap and lowly Lin Yingxin outargue her. Hence, she retorted sarcastically. “Menglu is the princess of her family in Harbor City and she’s the apple of the elders’ eyes. She’s been to all sorts of lavish events. Perhaps, she’s not interested in the Heiress’ Gala. That’s why she decided not to come.”
She was just trying to mock Lin Yingxin for being shallow and superficial. She was also trying to say that Lin Yingxin regarded the Heiress’ Gala highly only because she was lowly and wanted to use the Heiress’ Gala to gain more reputation.
Turing as pale as a sheet, the infuriated Lin Yingxin guffawed and said, “Miss Yan really has high standards. However, the Heiress’ Gala is unique in its own way. You ought to talk her around. After all, Miss Yan has only arrived in Capital city a while ago and doesn’t know much about the city.”
She was indirectly saying, Yan Menglu may be too arrogant to take the Heiress’ Gala seriously but Xia Ruya, you’re also from a wealthy and prestigious family. Yet, you’re still here at the Heiress’ Gala, aren’t you?
Chapter 1207: The Battle of Gorgeousness Between the Beauties
The Heiress’ Gala was a competition of who looked the best. The young, beautiful and talented girls had all gathered under one roof, thus creating a visually appealing sight. They took a stroll along the garden together and chatted boisterously.
However, regardless of how lively the conversations were, everyone made a conscious effort to be mindful of their etiquette and remain poised like the refined ladies they were.
It was a stark contrast to the exchange of sarcastic remarks on the porch by the lake.
The girls were admiring the flowers together while remarking in fascination, “These peonies are gorgeous and elegant, so are these jade-like Snowy Blushes. The resplendent Purple Snow Dragon, classy Jade Phoenix, and the graceful Shy Girl, are all expensive breeds of flowers. They’ve bloomed so well, it’s fascinating!
“Look at that old cinnamon tree. It looks aged. It must have been here for at least a century. These old cinnamon trees are rare finds in Capital City, let alone one that is so full of vitality. Boya Pavilion really lives up to its reputation.”
“I heard that the older the cinnamon tree, the more fragrant the flowers would be. That seems to really be the case. I’ve never smelled such a sweet and heavenly scent before. If we use the osmanthus from this tree to make some osmanthus cake, it’ll definitely taste delicious.”
“You think of eating everything you see. Century-old osmanthus trees are rare and precious. I think it’d be a better choice to derive the essence of these osmanthus flowers.”
Since the heiresses were there for the Heiress’ Gala, they were all hoping to be outstanding and receive attention from everyone else. Although they seemed to be having a jovial and enjoyable chat on the surface, they definitely had their own intentions and ulterior motives.
They wanted to show how knowledgeable they were by using the chrysanthemums as an example. Some were also trying to use the osmanthus tree to show how virtuous and multi-talented they were. It was only normal for them to do so.
They were just gathering together to try and outshine each other.
Although Boya Pavilion offered beautiful scenery, there was nothing else too special about it. After strolling around for a while, everyone began to get a little bored. Hence, they decided to strike a conversation with each other. “It’s no wonder that Lin Yingxin is known as a talented beauty in Captial city. I bet there’s barely anyone who can compare to her, in terms of elegance, beauty or talent.”
“I’m blessed to have been offered the opportunity to attend the gala. Back then, the song ‘Snow In Spring’ that Senior Lin performed gave off a cold and mystical vibe. She played the song gracefully with her delicate fingers and managed to impress everyone.”
“Miss Lin does have extraordinary talents in the arts, especially the zither, calligraphy, and chess. She really lives up to her nickname and deserves to be one of the judges for the Heiress’ Gala.”
Everyone sounded rather jealous and envious when they talked about Lin Yingxin. After all, her reputation and talents were truly coveted by many.
“Hey, who’s that lady who’s been sitting together with Senior Lin under the porch? She’s pretty, but she doesn’t seem very familiar. I don’t think she’s a popular heiress in Capital city. Why would they invite someone like her?”
“You’ve got such poor judgment. You didn’t even recognize Xia Ruya. Everyone in the city knows who Xia Ruya is and that she has a feud with the Wen Family. A lot of people are still gossiping about her, even until today.”
“Oh, so it’s her! Why would they invite her to the Heiress’ Gala? She has such a bad reputation and everyone knows the evil that she has done. She may have been known for her talents, but someone like her doesn’t deserve to join the Heiress’ Gala.”
“I’ve attended a few banquets where Xia Ruya was present too. This Xia Ruya loves stealing the limelight. So, how could she miss the opportunity to attend the Heiress’ Gala? She’s no longer the adoptive daughter of the Wen Family and the illegitimate daughter of the Xia Family. She’s now the heiress of the Li Family. Hence, it’d be a piece of cake for her to get herself an invitation.”
“How shameless of Xia Ruya! The Heiress’ Gala is such a prestigious event and all the girls here are well-mannered, talented, virtuous and noble. How dare she show up here.”
“She’s made a huge comeback and is now at the peak of her glory. How could she not appear here and brag about her newfound glory? We may despise her, but she looks down on us too. Otherwise, how could she have stayed with Lin Yingxin throughout the past hour instead of coming here to talk to us?”
Everyone spoke about Xia Ruya in disdain.
Actually, it was normal for them to behave that way since they were all from scholarly and talented families. Since Xia Ruya had a bad reputation, they felt that she did not deserve to be at the Heiress’ Gala. Since they were conceited and self-righteous, they did not like the idea of seeing someone who had a tainted reputation.
“Now that we’re talking about Xia Ruya, I suddenly remember that rumor has it that Wen Xinya will be attending the Heiress’ Gala too! However, the gala is about to begin soon and she isn’t here yet. I wonder if she’s going to be absent.”
“She’ll probably show up. After all, the rumors revolving her have been spreading like wildfire lately. If she doesn’t come, she won’t be able to take the embarrassment. I heard that she had been learning the four arts from Old Mr. Mo as soon as she returned to the Wen Family. I watched the video of her performing the war song. Although she didn’t seem familiar with the hand movements for the song, she seemed to be rather good at it.”
“Hmph, you’re too polite. Wen Xinya is just roaming around the city dauntlessly just because she has her grandfather Old Mr. Mo to back her up. It’s just a bunch of tricks that people pull to suck up to her. I doubt she’s really that talented!”
“Yeah, think about it. Ever since Wen Xinya reunited with the Wen Family, the media has been reporting about her every now and then. She keeps making an issue out of everything, but doesn’t she benefit from it at the end of the day? Well, take the rumors that have been spreading around recently as an example. Those rumors only arose because she wants to let everyone know how talented she is.”
“You’re right. The Wen Family may be a renowned and wealthy family, but they shouldn’t be appearing on the news so often. After all, you don’t wash dirty linen in public. Which wealthy family likes being in the center of the media’s attention all the time? She’s obviously just trying to bring more attention to herself. What else could it be for?”
“You can’t say that. I think Wen Xinya is pretty capable. I think she clinched two championship titles and another second-runner up title during a Literature Symposium two years ago.”
“Although all talented girls would have to be proficient in the four arts, there are rarely any people nowadays interested in learning ancient culture. Even if she hasn’t quite performed well in the four arts, it doesn’t mean that she’s not as talented as the rumors make her out to be. Well, at least, she does well in her academics. So, she totally deserves to be called a talented girl.”
Not all of them despised Wen Xinya like they despised Xia Ruya. In fact, there was some dispute and differing opinions.
“Enough, cut it out. Wen Xinya… is walking towards us!”
Chapter 1208: Wen Xinya Is Here
Wen Xinya only arrived at Boya Pavilion at 9:55 AM. The Heiress’ Gala was about to begin soon.
She looked graceful and poised while strutting towards the crowd, clad in her plain but elegant outfit. She exuded a natural and breathtakingly prestigious aura and seemed to be glowing like the moon.
Her beautiful set of beeswax jewelry shone brightly beneath the sun and was fascinatingly stunning. It complemented her outfit and added a touch of feminine delicateness.
Wen Xinya’s refined and alluring features were smooth and bright like jade beneath the sunlight. The calmness in her eyes and her nonchalant mannerisms could not hide her confidence.
At this moment, Wen Xinya’s beauty was the result of the tender care, affection and pampering that her man had showered her with. She was stunning, gorgeous and sultry!
The thought of their intimate session in the morning made Wen Xinya feel weak in her legs. Even after they were done, Si Yiyan still asked for more. If it weren’t because of her rationality, she wouldn’t have been able to make it to the gala.
Wen Xinya stopped herself from letting her thoughts run wild and began scanning the garden of Boya Pavilion with her bright and watery eyes.
All eyes were on Wen Xinya as soon as she entered.
It was because everyone had been paying attention to her and also because her name was prestigious.
The heiresses could all tell with one glance that Wen Xinya was their ultimate competitor for the gala. Those who doubted Wen Xinya’s talent previously were all stunned speechless. After all… there was a type of people who naturally exuded a formidable and domineering aura which would make everyone drop all doubts about them.
The scholarly were resplendent in their own way!
The heiresses of scholarly families absolutely believed that logic.
Hence, those who wanted to stand out from the rest during the gala would first have to outshine Wen Xinya!
Wen Xinya was extremely intelligent and sharp. Hence, she could sense that everyone was staring at her with everchanging expressions.
Indeed, any place could be a battlefield so long as there were women around.
Ye Feiyu was in the midst of admiring the chrysanthemums when she heard the ladies talking about Wen Xinya. Knowing that she had arrived, she happily scurried towards Wen Xinya and said, “Xinya, you’re finally here.”
It was Ye Feiyu’s first time attending the Heiress’ Gala and she was extremely annoyed and bored by the competitiveness between the heiresses of scholarly families. She had been looking forward to Wen Xinya’s arrival.
Wen Xinya was genuinely shocked to see Ye Feiyu, though she soon understood why the latter had shown up. Feeling extremely touched, she said, “I got tied up with something this morning. Thankfully, I’m not late.”
Wen Xinya would only reveal her true emotions to her trusted friends. Hence, she appeared a little unnatural when she mentioned about herself being tied up with something as her eyes darted all over the place.
However, Ye Feiyu was too happy to notice the expression on her face. She stepped forth and held onto Wen Xinya’s arm before complimenting excitedly, “Xinya, you’re really beautiful today.”
Although the garden was filled with beautiful women dressed lavishly to the nines, they all paled in comparison to Wen Xinya, who looked simple but unique.
Wen Xinya said, “You look really pretty too.”
Ye Feiyu was dressed ordinarily and was not exactly dressed to the nines like the others. However, Wen Xinya could tell that she had put in meticulous effort into dolling herself up. She was dressed in a yellow dress which looked fresh and soft with a tender sweetness. It made the pretty and sweet-looking Ye Feiyu look even more outstanding than before.
Ye Feiyu held her hand and said, “I’ll take you on a stroll in the garden. The garden in the backyard of Boya Pavilion is picturesque and worth the visit.”
Wen Xinya nodded.
While strolling in the garden, Ye Feiyu said to Wen Xinya, “There may be plenty of ladies here today, but you don’t have to worry. Those who are really talented and come from prestigious scholarly families wouldn’t bother to attend such events. The ones here may be reputable, but they’re not exactly remarkably talented. I doubt there are many that will really pose a threat to you.”
Ye Feiyu did not want to say directly, that while some of the ladies there were really from prestigious families, they were just extended members whom their families did not regard highly. Hence, they were just trying to use the chance to build a better reputation for themselves so as to impress their families. At the same time, they also wanted to build good connections for themselves. However, most of them were just family members of mediocre families.
Of course, not all of them were useless, though the genuinely talented ones were few and far between.
Having understood what she meant, Wen Xinya sighed and said, “The Heiress’ Gala is supposed to be a posh banquet, but it’s become so pathetic.”
For example, genuine scholarly families like the Ye Family would not bother joining the gala after finding out what it was really like.
Instead of continuing to talk about that topic, Ye Feiyu introduced Wen Xinya to some of the heiresses she knew. “That lady dressed in red is Du Ruoxin. The Du Family used to be an extremely renowned family of scholars in Capital city, but some of their descendants were haughty and heartless. Although they did not harbor intentions to harm others, they were rather mercenary and hence, the other scholarly families despised them. In recent years, the Du Family has lost some of its reputation. Du Ruoxin is known for her beauty and her family probably wants her to showcase her talents during the gala so that she can marry a wealthy man and save her family.”
There were different circles in Capital city, and each kind of family had their own network of connections. The Wen Family was a family of businessmen and hence, Wen Xinya did not know much about the scholarly families, unlike Ye Feiyu, who was part of the circle and hence, was well aware of everything.
The ladies attending the gala were mostly talented beauties of scholarly families. Since Wen Xinya did not know much about the circle, she would easily fall into a trap and be at a disadvantage. Hence, Ye Feiyu was rather worried about that and thus decided to attend the gala so as to inform Wen Xinya more about her potential competitors whom she ought to look out for.
“She’s actually very beautiful,” Wen Xinya said upon sight of Du Ruoxin, who was dressed in a red-colored off-shoulder dress and a white fur cardigan. Her dress accentuated her curves while her cardigan made her look gorgeous like a fairy.
Ye Feiyu said, “Du Ruoxin is good at calligraphy and her emulation of Madam Wei’s calligraphy style is rather famous in Capital city.”
Chapter 1209: The Beauties Compete
Although all of the invites would usually have been given out ten days before the Heiress’ Gala, the gala was just like a talent show and hence, the invited guests would keep the gala a secret because they were afraid that the history between Ye Feiyu’s cousin and Lin Yingxin would repeat itself.
The invitation handed out by Boya Pavilion was secretive and confidential. Hence, whenever there was an Heiress’ Gala, everyone would try to investigate and find out the guest list so that they could get prepared beforehand. However, it was rare for anyone to find out any substantial information.
Meanwhile, Wen Xinya was a little unlucky to have been plotted against by Xia Ruya and Lin Yingxin. As soon as she accepted the invitation, everyone found out about it. However, it was fortunate that she was not part of the circle. Hence, she rarely showcased her talents and everyone knew only a bit about her.
Likewise, she barely knew much about others.
Ye Feiyu took the opportunity to tell Wen Xinya more about the more outstanding heiresses who came from better families or were prettier. After the stroll, Wen Xinya began to feel a little more confident.
Ye Feiyu continued, “There are a total of five judges for every Heiress’ Gala, one of which would be the winner of the previous gala. The other four would be mentors from Boya Pavilion. All of the mentors from Boya Pavilion are reputable and esteemed in Capital city. They’re all proficient in the four arts and everyone respects them greatly.”
Wen Xinya listened attentively to Ye Feiyu’s words. Although the information that Old Mr. Wen had given her was rather detailed, it was not as descriptive as Ye Feiyu’s words. After listening to Ye Feiyu, she had a deeper understanding of the gala.
Just as they were in the midst of a conversation, Lin Yingxin and Xia Ruya walked towards them.
One of them was like an elegant fairy.
The other was stunningly gorgeous.
Wen Xinya had no choice but to admit that they were very outstanding, be it in terms of beauty or elegance.
Ye Feiyu took a glance at them before looking away. She secretly whispered into Wen Xinya’s ear, “Seems like they’ve put in effort into dolling themselves, but…” She burst into laughter and said with a malicious smile, “Xia Ruya’s ensemble is tackier than yours while Lin Yingxin’s fairy-like outfit makes her look cold and a little duller. When compared to you, they look so dull and unsightly like country bumpkins. I wonder how jealous they are of you, deep down.”
She was looking forward to seeing how begrudging Xia Ruya and Lin Yingxin would look.
Wen Xinya was a little speechless. Lin Yingxin and Xia Ruya were obviously coming for her. By whispering into Wen Xinya’s ear so blatantly, Ye Feiyu was obviously trying to provoke them.
Ye Feiyu said excitedly, “They’re coming.”
Wen Xinya suddenly felt like Ye Feiyu was just waiting to see drama happen. She isn’t here for my sake, is she? She’s just here to watch an interesting show!
Xia Ruya and Lin Yingxin noticed from afar, that Wen Xinya and Ye Feiyu were having a joyous chat. Although they were standing at a distance away, Wen Xinya’s radiance still caught their eye.
At this moment, Wen Xinya was standing resplendently in front of them, appearing a little mysterious and noble. The moon was the only thing that could compete with the sun in this world, and Wen Xinya looked just like a shining star.
Xia Ruya smiled and said, “Miss Wen, you’re really outstanding today. Your outfit is going to make you outshine the rest of the heiresses here.”
Xia Ruya stared at the unique fabric of Wen Xinya’s blouse and immediately recognized it to be a rare and almost extinct silk that was as precious as phoenix silk. Wen Xinya actually managed to get her hands on some.
However, Xia Ruya felt that it was only right that she would be able to get the fabric since the Mo Family owned quite a fair amount of Chinese textiles.
She then shifted her gaze to Wen Xinya’s jewelry and accessories which she could not take her eyes off. Beeswax. She’s wearing a full set of beeswax jewelry and every piece is a rare find in this world. Every piece had been formed after miraculous changes over the span of thousands of years.
She subconsciously touched the exquisite ruby bracelet on her own wrist as she thought about the similar ruby jewelry that Wen Xinya also owned. She was rather envious of Wen Xinya for having that jewelry and hence, chose to don them for the gala this time.
She suddenly realized that she had already begun competing with Wen Xinya and comparing herself to her subconsciously. She wanted to have every piece of jewelry, clothing, shoes, and bags that Wen Xinya owned.
However, it was also at this moment that she realized that there was no way she could be on par with Wen Xinya and the unique beeswax jewelry was a perfect example of that fact. Beeswax was something that she could never get her hands on, regardless of the fact that she was the successor of the Li Family.
She suddenly felt sour about it.
Wen Xinya said coldly, “Miss Xia, you’re gorgeous like a flower today. I can’t take my eyes off you at all.”
Lin Yingxin shared the same thoughts as Xia Ruya, but her sense of jealousy was stronger than Xia Ruya’s. She realized that she had already lost to Wen Xinya before the banquet even began, at the instant that she saw Wen Xinya’s outfit and jewelry, all of which were perfectly exquisite.
Lin Yingxin tried to suppress her jealousy but to no avail. Although she was smiling, she sounded rather bitter. “I used to hear about your remarkable evolution from an unkempt girl to a glorious and outstanding phoenix. Now that I’ve seen you, you really do live up to your name.”
She sounded as if it was her first time meeting Wen Xinya. However, her remark was obviously sarcastic. Wen Xinya was indeed the center of attention lately, but most of the rumors about her were controversial.
Wen Xinya said calmly, “You flatter me, Senior Lin. No one is as resplendent as you, the winner of the last gala.”
She sounded collected and monotonous.
Lin Yingxin looked at her straight face before turning to look at Ye Feiyu, who had a derisive smirk on her face. She knew then, that Wen Xinya must have already found out what she had done to her cousin. Hence, Wen Xinya’s polite words were actually a sarcastic insult.
Lin Yingxin could not help but feel extremely angered and uncomfortable, wishing she could grit her teeth.
Chapter 1210: Miss Wen, Please Kindly Guide Me Along
Wen Xinya, Xia Ruya and Lin Yingxin each had their own strengths and were all known to be the most outstanding ladies of the gala. Wen Xinya was graceful and refined while Xia Ruya was poised and pretty. On the other hand, Lin Yingxin was dainty and polished. Each of them gave off a different aura.
However, there was still a hierarchy and Wen Xinya was very obviously the most outstanding one out of the three, especially since she had a mysterious and noble elegance. Xia Ruya looked pure and graceful while Lin Yingxin was delicate like a classic beauty. Only those who had impeccable taste would be able to tell that Wen Xinya trumped the other two.
Vigor was important for both male and female descendants of intellectual families. Vigor was something that had to be natural and cultivated from a young age, along with one’s character and morals. It could not be learned intentionally or emulated. Wen Xinya was one who possessed a graceful and outstanding type of vigor.
Her elegance and vigor were also the reason she could stand out from the rest and become the center of attention wherever she went.
Vigor was an aura that could be understood but not passed on. So long as one possessed vigor, he or she would be regarded highly by others, even if they used to be a criminal or a thug.
Xia Ruya and Lin Yingxin did not possess any vigor.
They were inferior to Wen Xinya in terms of sartorial elegance. Wen Xinya would be heavily criticized if she were to dress herself up extravagantly just to triumph over the other two. However, her choice of classy but simple outfit was excellent. Reason being, one would have to be incredibly gorgeous, stunning, elegant and have a perfect figure in order to outshine others while dressed in a plain outfit.
Wen Xinya obviously managed to achieve that.
Her simple yet chic outfit made the two of them pale greatly in comparison to her.
Wen Xinya did not know about the stark contrast between her and them. However, Ye Feiyu had noticed all the anger and frustration in Xia Ruya’s eyes, as well as the jealousy in Lin Yingxin’s heart. However, even then, they were all putting up a harmonious front and pretentiously speaking to each other amicably.
Lin Yingxin sneered to herself while smiling faintly. She stared at Ye Feiyu with gloomy eyes and asked, “Feifei, what brings you here? Do Uncle and Auntie know that you’re here? Be careful not to let them berate you for being insensible again.”
Ye Feiyu had often refrained from getting into a conflict with Lin Yingxin, whom she knew a lot about. Ye Feiyu was actually in a disadvantageous position because her appearance would make her seem like a spoiled, willful and insensible brat. It would be advantageous for Lin Yingxin because there would then be a viable explanation for Ye Feiyu’s actions if the latter were to criticize her or badmouth her later.
Fortunately, others would believe her words, because she was reputable in Capital city.
Wen Xinya’s eyes turned dark as she found Lin Yingxin to be truly complicated.
Ye Feiyu obviously understood what she meant. She snorted with laughter and decided not to continue involving herself with her. Her past lessons had taught her that she would be placed in a disadvantageous position if she were to get embroiled in a complicated situation with the pretentious Lin Yingxin.
“Since it’s your first time here at the Heiress’ Gala, you may ask me directly if there’s anything that you’re unsure of,” Lin Yingxin said, not feeling awkward at all. Instead, she pretended to be an understanding and kind woman who was taking care of her insensible sister.
Of course, everyone witnessed everything.
Next, Lin Yingxin shifted her gaze onto Wen Xinya with a look of animosity, though she hid it rather well. “Miss Wen, I was planning to get to know you better before the gala begins, but it’s going to begin very soon. I’m afraid the heiresses are going to be disappointed.”
Lin Yingxin’s words made her sound as if she was trying to defend the heiresses and stick up for them because those ladies would usually arrive earlier to communicate and get to know each other better.
Since Wen Xinya was late, she obviously missed the interaction and icebreakers. However, Lin Yingxin seemed to be implying that Wen Xinya turned up late on purpose and did not wish to communicate with the rest.
Wen Xinya naturally knew what she was driving at. She smiled faintly and said, “I happened to be caught in a traffic jam after I left home. That’s why I was late. I, too, find it a shame that I didn’t get to interact with everyone.”
As soon as Ye Feiyu saw Lin Yingxin, she kept her guard up against her and looked out for Wen Xinya. Hence, she immediately chimed in. “The gala is going to begin very soon and we’ll have plenty of chances to interact. There’s no rush.”
She managed to give Wen Xinya an out and put everyone in a more comfortable position.
“In that case, let’s have a showdown later if we get the chance. Miss Wen, please kindly guide me along.” Lin Yingxin then glanced at Ye Feiyu with a sullen expression. When she saw Ye Feiyu just now, she felt uneasy but did not manage to think much about it because she was preoccupied with dealing with Wen Xinya.
At this moment, Ye Feiyu’s defense of Wen Xinya made Wen Xinya seem less lonely. The Ye Family was a renowned intellectual family in Capital city and Ye Feiyu was rather reputable too. With Ye Feiyu around to help Wen Xinya, everyone would give Wen Xinya some face on the account of her friendship with Ye Feiyu. Hence, there was now an obstruction in their scheme.
Wen Xinya answered composedly, “Don’t stand on ceremony with me, Senior Lin. We’re just going to be learning from each other. Actually, you should be the one giving me some guidance since you’re older than me and you’re even one of the judges for the Heiress’ Gala this year.”
Wen Xinya’s words made Lin Yingxin’s face grow petulant as she thought to herself, What does she mean by those words? Isn’t she just beating around the bush just to say that I’m old? A woman’s age is her privacy.
No matter how magnanimous Lin Yingxin may be, she could not tolerate the insult and hence, shot Wen Xinya a daunting glance.
Xia Ruya smiled and said, “Miss Wen, you shouldn’t say that. Senior Lin may be a few years older than you, but there is no end to learning. As Old Mr. Mo’s granddaughter, you ought to give her some tips and guidance.”
Xia Ruya was much more scheming than Lin Yingxin. The reason she dared to brazenly plot against Wen Xinya, was solely because Wen Xinya knew nothing about the social circle of the intellectuals and scholars. Hence, she would know nothing about her competitors and end up losing the upper hand. She was certain that Wen Xinya would lose terribly, especially because of the plan she had devised.
However, Ye Feiyu’s appearance gave Wen Xinya an edge because Ye Feiyu had told her everything about the ladies from the other families. Given her family’s status in the circle, Ye Feiyu definitely knew more than others.
Ye Feiyu’s appearance made them lose the upper hand.