Chapter 171 - Adding Insult to Injury
Reborn Aristocrat: Return of the Vicious Heiress
Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios
At the moment, Ning Shuqianâs mind was filled with images of how, when she accompanied Wen Haowen to Chief Sunâs party just now, the guests present at the party looked at her with shock and weird expressions. And then, she heard many people whispering behind her back, mostly discussing the emptiness at her birthday cocktail party.
Wen Xinya brought food to the resting area and saw Ning Shuqian sitting alone in the shadows. From her angle, faint shadows shrouded her faceâdark, gloomy, and slightly horrifying, without a trace of her usual gentleness and elegance.
Wen Xinya approached slowly, acted like she was surprised, and asked, âAunt Ning, arenât you organizing a birthday cocktail party at the Oriental Pearl Hotel? What are you doing here?â
Upon seeing Wen Xinya, Ning Shuqianâs already stiff face became even more unsightly as she struggled to find the words to reply Wen Xinyaâs question. She hated Wen Xinya to the coreâshe refused to believe that Wen Xinya did not know why she would appear here. Obviously, she was adding insult to her injury, purposely mocking her.
Acting ignorant, Wen Xinya glanced at the watch on her wrist. âI remember Aunt Ningâs cocktail party starts at 8:00 P.M. Itâs only 8:30 P.M., surely it hasnât ended?â
Ning Shuqianâs expression suddenly morphed into a dark and scary one. âItâs rare that Chief Sunâs wife organizes a birthday party, so your Father and I have decided to come over and have a look.â
Suddenly seeing the light, Wen Xinya replied, âSo thatâs why!â
That look of sudden realization and the slightly draggy tone of voice seemed to imply something, making Ning Shuqian feel like tearing up Wen Xinyaâs face.
Wen Xinya took in all of Ning Shuqianâs suppressed emotions and pretended to be sorry. âAfter marrying into the Wen Family for fifteen years, itâs Aunt Ningâs first time organizing a public birthday cocktail partyâyouâve even bought a set of blue diamond jewelry worth $8 million. If the cocktail party canât go smoothly as planned, itâll be really regrettable.â
Ning Shuqianâs stiffened fingers were trembling, screaming to land on her face with a slap. She instantly closed her fingers up into tight fists, and then squeezed out a dry and hoarse voice from the gaps of her teeth. âThe birthday cocktail party couldnât go smoothly this year, but thereâs always next year.â
Wen Xinya said in the low voice, âThatâs if Father agrees to organize a birthday cocktail party for you next year.â
The statement stabbed Ning Shuqian where it hurtâso painful that Ning Shuqianâs face turned into a mixture of green and white, but she was unable to retort.
Wen Xinya suddenly flashed a smile, and asked, switching the topic, âAunt Ning, sorry that I couldnât attend your birthday cocktail party. However, Iâd previously specially customized a one-meter tall tiered cake just to wish you, Aunt Ning, a happy birthdayânot sure if Aunt Ning has tasted it?â
âNot yet, cakes arenât cut and eaten so early.â Ning Shuqianâs pupils kept retractingâin her mind, images of Yuya being haunted by nightmares after losing her virginity and kneeling on the floor, begging, when she was being driven out of the Wen Family gushed at her like tides, overwhelmed and flooded her in entirety.
Before her, Wen Xinyaâs pretty little mouth continuously opened and closed, as if ridiculing herâthe hatred within her, suppressed with metal chains, struggled furiously, like it was going to break free.
âAunt Ning, later, after Chief Sunâs party ends, youâve got to go back and taste that cakeâIâd especially gotten a 4-star pâtissier from France to customize the cake. It tastes delicious, guaranteed to be unforgettable for you.â
Wen Xinya watched as Ning Shuqianâs stiffened face contorted and spasmed, her breaths gradually intensified, her body trembled faintly, and the coldness in her eyes deepenedâat this moment, she probably badly wanted to feast on her flesh and drink her blood!
Ning Shuqianâs tightly held fingers suddenly relaxed, unsteadily wanting to raise her hand, but dejectedly dropped it down back into tightly held fists.
Wen Xinya chatted away happily with Ning Shuqian. âAunt Ning, surprisingly, for Chief Sunâs rarely organized party, people in the circle actually showed this much respectâI reckon all of the well-known people in the upper-class circle of the capital city are gathered here.â
Ning Shuqianâs round, staring eyes instantly reddened, and her face momentarily turned greenish-white as she looked at Wen Xinya and wished she could feast on her flesh, drink her blood, skin her alive, and pull her musclesâshe was blatantly rubbing salt onto her wound, intentionally humiliating her.
Wen Xinya saw the color of her face fluctuating between green and white and couldnât help but become concerned. âAunt Ning, are you feeling unwellâyour face looks greenish and whitish, do you need me to send you to the hospital?â
âNo needâ¦â Ning Shuqian instantly widened her eyes and turned towards herâeven if she restrained her feelings of hatred, she couldnât control the sharpness in her eyes.
Her stiff voice was so cold, it felt heartless. Wen Xinya turned pale with fright and hung her head uneasily. âAunt Ning, did I say anything wrong that offended you, so youâ¦â
Ning Shuqian felt that she was about to lose itâif this went on, there was no way she could control the hatred from bursting out from within her, making her do something terrible in front of everyone at the party. âIâll go over and check on your Father.â
Saying so, without waiting for Wen Xinyaâs reply, Ning Shuqian made her escape.
However, as her body had been overly stiffened, she was now using too much force to make her steps and actually collided with an oncoming waiter. Instantly, with a loud, metallic âclang,â that waiter and Ning Shuqian fell into a tangled heap, red wine spilling all over Ning Shuqian messily.
The commotion quickly attracted the attention of everyone present. As they saw the awkward scene of Ning Shuqian falling down, everyone felt shocked, followed by rampant whispers.
âThe one who has fallen down is Ning Shuqian, Wen Corporationâs CEO, Wen Haowenâs wife. I heard that Wen Haowen organized a grand birthday cocktail party at the Oriental Pearl Hotel today. Unexpectedly, she and Wen Haowen actually appeared at Chief Sunâs party, instead.â
âAlmost all of the well-known people of the capital city have been invited to Chief Sunâs partyâpresumably, the party at the Oriental Pearl Hotel was empty, so they had no choice but to join in the fun over here!â
âSee how awkward she looksâdidnât make it to the fun, but instead made a show out of herself.â
âThe Wen Family totally doesnât recognize her as a daughter-in-lawâWen Haowen still has the cheek to walk around in the circle with her.â
âIndeed, sheâs but a mistress, itâs a shame to bring her out.â
Ning Shuqian listened to all kinds of vicious discussions from her surroundings and wished that she could cover her ears and bury her head in the sand.
âHope youâre alright!â Wen Haowen bore with the strange looks from his surroundings, went and helped Ning Shuqian up, badly wanting to land a slap on her faceâbecause of Ning Shuqian, he was already thoroughly embarrassed today.
Ning Shuqian looked at Wen Haowen with grievance and sorrow, the hatred in her heart like gathered firewoodâthe more it gathered, the more fiercely it burned. It was Wen Xinya, all the humilitation that she suffered today was all thanks to Wen Xinyaâshe would one day make her repay everything with interest.
Wen Xinya, just you wait!