Zhong Rufeng brought Wen Xinya away, and she hurriedly said, "Go and handle your stuff! I can go to the food area myself."
Before Zhong Rufeng could reply, Wen Xinya had already disappeared.
Wen Xinya had long noticed the delicate snacks prepared at the banquet and had wanted to try them. She held up a plate and quickly filled it up with the snacks she liked.
At this moment, two girls approached her, and she initially felt joyful, until realizing they were Jiang Ruoyin and Xia Ruya.
People often say that enemies cross paths often. Looks like that was true for her.
She never expected Xia Ruya to be able to enter the Zhong Family threshold. Looks like she had underestimated her.
Xia Ruya quickly brought Jiang Ruoyin over to greet Wen Xinya. "Wen Xinya, I did not expect you to attend Grandfather Zhong's birthday party."
Xia Ruya's eyes hid her feelings of jealousy, unwillingness, and anger. She thought back to just a moment ago when Wen Xinya was surrounded by everyone, accepting Grandfather Zhong's compliments and everyone's appreciation. At that moment, it suddenly dawned on her how much the Wen Xinya she had always looked down on had grown to her current state.
No way, I cannot let her continue to grow. I must cut her at the roots. Otherwise, once the Homecoming party is over, it will be extremely difficult to steal her position as the big Missus and sole heir of the Wen Family.
The corners of Wen Xinya's lips twitched as her eyes turned cold. "You didn't expect this? Cut the act. How can you not know about the close relationship between Grandfather Zhong and Grampy? If not for my Grampy introducing you to Grandfather Zhong, would you be here today?"
Xia Ruya's face stiffened, and the color on her face drained, turning a pretty pale pink shade. "I... I came here with Uncle Wen and Aunt Ning today."
She meant that she was not here today riding off of Old Mr. Mo's reputation. Wen Xinya had wrongly accused her.
Wen Xinya froze, not expecting Wen Haowen and Ning Shuqian to be there too. The Zhong Family were pure scholars and would not take a second glance at Wen Haowen with his current reputation, why would he be invited?
Thinking carefully, she remembered Xia Ruya's powerful communicative links. It must be her acting as the go-between. In her previous life when she returned to the Wen Family, she knew that one of the most important reasons why the Wen Family valued her so much was due to her extremely extensive communicative links, allowing the Wen Family to flaunt off in the social circles, earning many benefits for the Wen Family. Being raised by their side for 12 years, knowing how to be grateful for her growth, giving priority to the interests and benefits of the Wen Family all the time, it was no wonder that Grandpa viewed her so highly. In Grandpa's eyes, nothing was more important than benefits for the Wen Family.
Xia Ruya noticed the dark look of uncertainty on Wen Xinya's face and lowered her head, wronged. "Xinya, I know that I don't have the right to accompany Uncle Hao to this party, but Uncle Hao insisted on my attendance, and I could not reject him. You..."
Wen Xinya cut her off coldly. "How could my father bring an illegitimate daughter to Grandfather Zhong's birthday party. The Zhong Family is such an influential scholar family known to value purity and innocence, doing this is dirtying their reputation."
Xia Ruya's pale face turned even whiter after hearing these words. She stumbled back a step, and her body trembled, barely allowing her to keep her balance. Her lips squirmed as if she wanted to say something, but they only trembled in silent defiance.
Jiang Ruoyin pulled Xia Ruya behind her. "That's enough, Wen Xinya! Ruya has lived with Uncle Wen and Aunt Ning for so many years, it is natural that her relationship with them is closer than their relationship with a daughter that emerged from nowhere. Why can't she attend the party with Uncle Wen and Aunt Ning? You are clearly just jealous of their good relationship! You are jealous that although Ruya isn't the daughter of the Wen Family, she can still attain the love of Uncle Wen and Aunt Ning, something you will never be able to get no matter how hard you try."
Xia Ruya hid behind Jiang Ruoyin, revealing only half of her body, with her head lowered and shoulders twitching as she sobbed quietly. Hearing Jiang Ruoyin's words, she looked up at Wen Xinya incredulously, eyes wet and eyelashes covered with teardrops. She looked like a fresh lotus flower after rain. "Xinya, are Ruoyin's words true? Do you really think that way?"
"So what if my father likes you? Does that mean that all the assets of the Wen Family will be given to an outsider? You think I would become jealous over something so trivial? Ha... Ridiculous. What I own currently is something Xia Ruya can never have." If this had happened in her previous life, Jiang Ruoyin's words would hit close to home. However, in this life, she knew about Ning Shuqian's greed, Wen Haowen's ignorance, and had lost all hope and expectations of them.
Xia Ruya's face turned even paler, and her body swayed precariously, almost falling to the ground. Her transparent face, drained of blood, was covered in cold sweat.
"Wen Xinya, don't go overboard." Angered, Jiang Ruoyin rushed forward. She tripped over something and ended up flying in Wen Xinya's direction.
Startled, Wen Xinya subconsciously stepped aside. Although she managed to avoid Jiang Ruoyin, her arm knocked into a lampstand beside her. Pain surged up her arm, and she dropped her handbag onto the floor.
Jiang Ruoyin was not as lucky as her entire body slammed into the ground, causing her to cry out in pain. "Ah... It hurts!"
Xia Ruya finally responded. She quickly picked up Wen Xinya's handbag and handed it to her before helping Jiang Ruoyin up. "Ruoyin, are you okay?"
Jiang Ruoyin bit back her tears and shook her head. "I'm fine!"
However, she was reminded of how she fell down similarly at Zhou Tianyu's party previously. Both times she was humiliated by the wretch, Wen Xinya. Embarrassed, she could not hold back on her anger.
Wen Xinya furrowed her eyebrows as she gingerly held her injured arm. She quietly cursed under her breath and turned to leave the banquet, heading towards the washroom.
The pain in Jiang Ruoyin's body subdued. She thought about how she hit her left hand against the lamp when she fell and yelped in panic. "Ah! My watch!"
Xia Ruya asked in concern, "Why? Did you spoil your watch?"
Her gaze landed nervously on the watch on Jiang Ruoyin's left wrist. This was the most classic design of Vacheron Constantin's watches. The exquisitely polished crystal watch was embedded with pure sapphire gemstones and finished with the addition of a delicately crafted strap, bringing the wearer a subtle, elegant charm.
Among all Swiss watches, she liked the Vacheron Constantin brand the most. Every watch from Vacheron Constantin had to undergo years of tempering to reach the final stage, showing the perfection of their fine craftsmanship.
And amongst all of Vacheron Constantin's products, she liked the design Jiang Ruoyin donned the most. This particular design overflowed with delicacy and elegance and was simply the most beautiful.
Jiang Ruoyin quickly checked the watch all over, staring intently at the second hand. As it continued to jump in a perfectly timed rhythm, she let out a sigh of relief. "Thank God it did not spoil. This watch was given to me by my father and is worth more than five million dollars. If it spoils, it must be sent back to the original factory in Switzerland."
Xia Ruya let out a breath of relief as well. "It's fortunate that it did not break!"