Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

Wen Xinya managed to cause a stir during Xia Ruya’s coming-of-age ceremony. Even Old Mr. Wen did not say much about it. In fact, he left together with Old Mrs. Wen, even before the banquet ended.

Ever since Old Mr. Wen retired, he had rarely attended the social events of the upper-class society. He would merely show up to important ones and leave midway. After all, no one would say a word about it since he was respectable and old in his years.

However, things were no longer the same as before, and the fact that Old Mr. Wen had left midway through the coming-of-age ceremony, indirectly meant that he believed that Xia Ruya had colluded with Ning Shuqian to harm Wen Xinya and plot against the Wen Family.

Hence, lots of guests made up excuses to leave halfway through the ceremony too.

There was a sudden decrease in guests.

The supposedly lavish and extravagant banquet came to a pathetic end.

Xia Ruya dashed into the washroom and stared at her own reflection in the mirror, utterly stunned and bewildered. Although she had already changed her hairstyle and touched up her makeup, she still looked pathetic.

She suddenly turned on the faucet and splashed water onto her face, as if it could wash away her humiliation.

By the time she exited, the Xia Family had already seen off the last guest, and there were no longer any guests in sight.

Old Mr. Xia flew into a rage and gave her a hard slap across the face.

The sound of the loud slap echoed in the empty and spacious banquet hall.

Xia Ruya felt a sudden numbness in her legs and lost her balance. She stumbled forward and fell straight onto the ground, causing the blood from her mouth to drip all over the place. One drop, two drops, three drops…

The blood looked just like a vibrant flower!

Old Mr. Xia turned pale and looked extremely daunting. “You bastard child. The Xia Family has paid such a huge price to throw a lavish coming-of-age ceremony for you so as to bring you pride and glory. That way, we’ll enjoy some face value too. But what did you do…”

Old Mr. Xia felt extremely aggrieved at the thought of the hefty sum that he had spent to throw the banquet. He swallowed his pride and socialized with the esteemed members of the upper-class society, so as to forge some connections. Yet, they simply patronized him and looked down on him in a condescending manner, as if he was a lowly and disgraceful piece of garbage. Xia Ruya was a wastrel to him. Not only did she fail to bring any benefits to the Xia Family, she even made them lose so much money.

“Grandpa, I…” She felt a stinging pain in her face as if chili had been rubbed onto it. The sound of the hard slap was still ringing in her ears and giving her a dull ache.

Old Mr. Xia’s face was distorted and he glowered at Xia Ruya in a pique. “I didn’t expect that you’d be so vicious as to collude with your stepmother to plot against Miss Wen and the Wen Family. You’ve greatly embarrassed the Xia Family, and the thought of the look of contempt on the faces of those people just makes me feel so embarrassed. I wish I could dig a hole and hide in it.”

If it weren’t because of Xia Ruya’s insensitivity and unruly behavior which provoked Wen Xinya and Old Mr. Wen, the guests at the ceremony wouldn’t have regarded Old Mr. Xia with disdain. It’s all this shameless wretch’s fault! Old Mr. Xia thought to himself.

Xia Ruya crawled on the ground and thought to herself, It’s clearly because the Xia Family is just too embarrassing. Yet, they actually pushed the blame to me. I don’t even have the chance to explain myself. All they care about are interests and everything I do will be wrong.

Old Mr. Xia kicked Xia Ruya angrily and rebuked. “The Wen Family has raised you for twelve years and yet, you were so vicious as to plot against them. You’re so heartless and cunning. We can’t afford to keep you around. You might just sell us out one day!”

Xia Ruya had fallen out of the Wen Family’s favor, completely offended Wen Xinya, and caused her own reputation to be tarnished. Even her status as a member of the Zhishan Club could not bring the Xia Family any benefits, and she was now nothing more than a useless pawn.

Xia Ruya stared at him in disbelief with her eyes wide open. “Grandpa… you… are you going to abandon me again?”

At last, she had been subdued and defeated. She had also lost her last straw to clutch at. She was well aware that the Xia Family was mercenary and nothing she did would help. Crying and begging would only make her look even more pathetic.

Old Mr. Xia said sternly, “You’re the one who decided to be vicious and sly. You can’t blame it on anyone but yourself.”

The Xia Family was initially planning to exploit the Wen Family’s relationship with Xia Ruya, whom they had raised for twelve years. They thought that she would definitely manage to gain the help of the Wen Family. Yet, their plan did not proceed smoothly and the kinship card did not work. Xia Ruya then took the chance to get close to the Wen Family again. The Xia Family tried to exploit the acquirement of Ai Shang Group. Yet, the Wen Family did not respond to it. At last, they planned to use Xia Ruya’s status as a member of the Zhishan Club to aid them in transitioning to the new mall. Yet, Xia Ruya tainted her own reputation.

The thought of the hefty losses that the Xia Family would incur because of the failed transition, as well as the money wasted on Xia Ruya’s coming-of-age ceremony, made him feel incredibly infuriated.

Chen Linfang took advantage of the situation and chastised. “I knew she was overtly scheming and ambitious. How could she possibly stay in her lane and continue being the Xia Family’s daughter obediently? She colluded with her stepmother to plot against Miss Wen, simply because she looks down on the Xia Family and wants to find a chance to make a clean break with us.”

Chen Linfang’s words made Old Mr. Xia and Xia Haolin’s faces to turn sullen.

Xia Ruya muttered, “I didn’t…”

Chen Linfang’s words had hit the nail on the head and made Xia Ruya feel an excruciating pain, which made it impossible for her to retort.

Xia Haolin stared at her in disdain and said, “Had I known earlier that you were so treacherous and vicious, I wouldn’t have agreed to let you come home.”

Chen Linfang spat on Xia Ruya and sneered. “Why do you still bother keeping up with the pretense? You’re so disgusting and repulsive. You’re just the shameless daughter of a shameless prostitute. How dare you think so highly of yourself and put yourself on a pedestal. All you do is pretend to be innocent and demure, but you’re more shameless than anyone. Yet, you still think that you’re so high. The Wen and Xia Families are truly unlucky to be involved with a woman like you…”

Xia Ruya had no choice but to suffer the castigations!