She quickly changed into her shoes and followed Shen Yue. As they got downstairs, Xiner was already waiting for them with Mother Mu.
"Xiao Yue why take this girl shopping with you? She doesn't need new clothes, she can just use Xiner's old ones. We shouldn't waste money on her "
The smile Xinyan had on earlier disappeared.
"Mother but she's older than Xiner " Shen Yue said because she had just told Xinyan that she wouldn't be wearing used clothes.
"But she has a smaller body build than Xiner, she's all meat and bones, they'll definitely fit" Mother Mu said
"Mother we have the money so why can't we just take a little and get her some new clothes ."
"Xiao Yue I am still the matriarch of this family so I am still in charge here since Lenghan is not around and I say we wont waste money on her . She will use Xiner's old clothes final."
mother Mu said in a commanding tone. She knew how demure Shen Yue was and she wouldn't be able to retort so she would definitely have her way.
"So grandma, will that mean there will be no more shopping trip" Xiner said sadly.
"Oh no dear I didn't say you can't get new clothes I said she can't get new clothes "
Xinyan wanted to cry. She was a child of this family too right, why can't she have the same thing as Xiner. Was it because she had been outside all her life. But that's wasn't her fault, they were the ones who had left her outside all her life. And just now she was so happy and excited about it. She had learnt her lesson she could never be too happy because something will happen and all her happiness will just go away.
Why did her grandmother have to hate her so much ? She was still her granddaughter wasn't she ?
"Mother I'll just go back to my room " She quickly left before anyone would see her tears but Shen Yue had already seen it . She felt so guilty.
"Sorry Xiner we wont go out shopping today"
"But Xiao Yue you can't go back on your word if not Xiao er will grow thinking it's okay to go back on your word"
When mother mu said those words, they sounded simple but we're subtly commanding
"Mom please let's go I really want to go please "
"Alright " Shen Yue was upset, she decided to leave with Xiner because she's couldn't face Xinyan and she couldn't have a face off with Mother Mu. She hoped Xinyan would feel better soon. She left for the mall with Xiner.
Xinyan went back to her room and locked the door, she silently cried and then she wiped her tears away then continued her book. When could she finally be happy.
Her bright eyes dimmed instantly as she made this decision. After a while the maid knocked on the door.
"Young miss it's time for lunch" she said from outside the door.
"Are mother and Xiner back "
"No little miss "
"I'm not eating " she didn't feel like eating and she was already used to not having enough to eat so what she ate in the morning would be more than enough for her. She didn't finish the novel and went to read some of the grade 7 textbooks that were also on the shelf. She read and read then she slept before she continued. Shen Yue and Xiner came back at 4.30pm they came back with bags and bags of clothes and toys she could hear Xiner's happy voice from the door she wanted to see if anything was bought for her but something held her back. Hearing Xiner's happy voice made her want to cry even more She was still their daughter. It wasn't her fault she was born. She cried even more. It was easy when you know you had no one, she didn't cry at all at the orphanage since she turned 5.
But knowing you had such a big family, and still not being treated right was just painful. She deserved love too.
Soon Mu Yinan and Father Mu came back home and Elder Mu had been back from a friend's house an hour after Shen Yue came back with Xiner,it was time for dinner. Everyone gathered at the table apart from Mu Xinyan.
"Young miss the madam said you should come down for dinner"
" I'm really not hungry " Xinyan opened the door and shot her head out as she replied the help that came to call her out.
"But miss you didn't eat lunch "
"I'm really not hungry m, I'll eat breakfast "
The maid went back and delivered the message.
"Madam the little miss says she's not hungry"
"If she's not hungry then leave her we shouldn't stop eating because of her " mother lu said
"If she's not hungry we'll leave her " Mu Yinan said. He didn't know she didn't have lunch
"But sir she .... " the maid wanted to say something but Mother Mu gave her a warning look so she kept quiet and walked away.
"Let's leave her maybe she's just tired "Mu Yinan didn't think anything of this because sometimes when Xiner or Xia were tired, they wouldn't eat either.
Shen Yue was feeling guilty. Was it because of what she did ? She also didn't buy anything for Xinyan, Xiner kept getting upset and feeling like she wasn't loved enough. She couldn't bare to hurt her daughter so she resolved to take Xinyan on her own shopping trip later.
She just continued eating. She couldn't tell Yinan this. What if he stops treating Xiner like his daughter. Afer all what she did to Xinyan today was unfair, but wasn't it really Mother Mu's wish. If he started treating Xiner unfairly she wouldn't be happy so she knew treating Xinyan this way would make him unhappy.
The next day was a Saturday and Mu Yinan and Father mu decided not to go to work so they could get to know Xinyan better. Xiner decided to wake up early and she chose to sit right by her father . She practically adored him and Mu Yinan also loved her very much
"Little miss it's time for breakfast "
"I'll be down soon "
"But little miss... "
"I'll be down soon" she said before the maid would continue.
She went down and delivered the message
"Leave the girl I'm sure she'll eat by lunch " everyone thought so too. Maybe she wasn't used to the food ?
Mu Yinan was quite disappointed he wanted to know more about his daughter.
Lunchtime came and the maid was sent and the girl still didnt come Shen Yue felt really bad .
"Xiao Yue why dont you go and call her " Father Mu said. She stood up and left to call her .
"Xinyan dear come down for lunch "
"I'm not hungry mother "
Shen Yue tried opening the door but it was locked, she panicked.
"Yinan I think you should come talk to her , her door is locked too " Shen Yue was panicking. This wasn't good at all . How could she not eat for up to a day now.
"Xinyan come and eat lunch " Mu Yinan said
"I'm not hungry, father" she said as she turned a page of the book she was reading.
"If you're not hungry then at least open the door "
"No, I don't want to Father"
"This child you want to kill all of us with worry. Open this door now!" Father Mu was annoyed by her behaviour
"No " She was already crying in her room. She didn't want to open the door and be scolded, she didn't want a family that didn't like her, strangers in the orphanage not liking her was okay. They were strangers, they weren't family, but how could she handle the people who were meant to be the closest to her treating her with hostility.
Mu Yinan left then came back with the master key and then opened the door. The room was big and so everyone entered inside the room.
They was a pile of books on the bed and she was sitting on her bed, reading a book and wiping away her tears. She looked at everybody her eyes were glossy with tears and they were already red . The tear she was holding in fell when she looked at Shen Yue and mother Mu.
She didn't deserve this.