"Oh?" Si Zha Nan's voice was cold. "If you really revere those marriage vows, why did you tear me and Ni Yao apart?"
"I did no such thing. I told you that already, but you refuse to believe me. I have nothing more to say." Ru Yin Yue sighed inwardly. "You will only believe what you want to believe."
At their exchange, Li Na suddenly remembered what she was brought here to do. That was right. Si Zha Nan told her how scheming and devious Ru Yin Yue was. She couldn't allow herself to get caught up in her pace. This was the bitch who plotted to break Si Zha Nan and Zhou Ni Yao apart, who resorted to devious schemes to marry into the Si family!
"Madam, you really think yourself as Zha Nan's wife, don't you?" Her lips curled into a sneering smile. "But have you looked at yourself? If you really want to win the heart of a man and have him stay faithful to you, you must first have the ability. Otherwise you can't blame other women for stealing him away."
Ru Yin Yue looked at her sympathetically. She realized that the poor actress was being played by Si Zha Nan. He clearly had no feelings for her, and he just wanted to make use of her to get back at the woman he married. She was little more than a naïve tool who had been led on for the sole purpose of humiliating Mrs. Si.
"I have no intention of blaming other women for stealing him away. His heart never belonged to me, you or anybody. It belongs only to Zhou Ni Yao."
I know that more than anybody. Closing her eyes briefly, Ru Yin Yue lowered her head slightly.
Seeing that, Li Na took it as a sign of weakness. She had wondered who Ru Yin Yue was. Even though Si Zha Nan didn't like her, she had to be some sort of powerful figure. Otherwise, why would Si Zha Nan's parents allow her to marry into the Si family?
But all she had been doing was flattering her and avoiding conflict. She seemed so…weak.
Alas, Li Na was still young and immature. She had no idea that avoiding conflict was not a sign of weakness. It was a sign of maturity. The tigress did not bare her claws and fangs for pointless fights. An eagle did not bother itself with the chirpings of a sparrow. Ru Yin Yue was simply above such things. She had no reason to argue with a young celebrity like a child.
"In this house, apart from the auntie caretaker who treats you as Mrs. Si, who in this world will believe that you are Mrs. Si? You're overestimating your worth! Or maybe you're plotting to be the mother of the next heir to the Si family, to inherit at least some portion of the Si family's property? You only married into the Si family for money, didn't you?"
"If I say no, you wouldn't believe me anyway." Ru Yin Yue sounded weary. People only believed what they wanted to believe. They would force reality to conform with their own views and impressions, even if those were dead wrong.
"Why would I believe you? Everyone knows you're lying. That you're a scheming…"
"Then let me ask you this," Ru Yin Yue interrupted, in no mood to be bullied and verbally abused. "What would you call stealing another woman's husband, if not scheming? Are you sure you're in a position to condemn me?"
"I…!" Li Na spluttered. She took a step back, surprised by the hard gleam in Ru Yin Yue's eyes. Fury rose inside her. She was a proud actress who starred in several blockbusters, yet she was intimidated by this country bumpkin with no reputation?
Unable to control herself, she slapped Ru Yin Yue. Or tried to, but the musician caught her wrist before her palm could reach her face.
"Control yourself, Ms. Li Na," she said sternly. "You're a celebrity. Do you want news to get out about you slapping a lady just because you failed to seduce her husband?"
"It's just another scandal," Li Na snapped, yanking her hand free. "I'm used to it."
Ru Yin Yue shook her head sadly. "This isn't something that you should get used to."
"Don't you dare patronize me!" Li Na was unable to endure the look of pity from Ru Yin Yue's eyes. When Mrs. Si turned away, she stormed at her. "Don't you dare turn your back on me!"
She raised her hand and struck Ru Yin Yue, only for the latter to step out of the way, causing her to stumble forward because of her momentum. Ru Yin Yue stared at her sadly, and then disappeared into the house.
"Mr. Si…your wife…your wife bullied me!"
Li Na grabbed his arm and rubbed her body against him, batting her eyelids pitifully.
"You must seek justice for me!"
"Let go." Si Zha Nan turned to glare at her sharply. Li Na recoiled in shock, dread filling her chest when she saw how cold his gaze had become.
"But…but Mr. Si, weren't you the one who told me to teach her a lesson?"
"I'll give you three seconds to get out of my sight." Si Zha Nan was no longer staring at her, but his words sent chills down her spine.
Unable to withstand his icy glare, Li Na picked up her purse and departed the Crescent Villa swiftly. She called a taxi, and during the journey, she reflected on what had just happened.
Had she been played for a fool?
Li Na didn't understand. Si Zha Nan was…hot and cold at the same time. He was the one who asked for a favor, yet he chased her off like that so cruelly at the end.
As for Mrs. Si…she was completely different from what she had heard. Now that she calmed down, her woman's intuition told her that something was wrong. She didn't know what drove Si Zha Nan to believe what he did, but she was confident that Ru Yin Yue wasn't lying.
She was dignified and mature. She didn't insult Li Na at all, merely being open and honest. As much as she hated to admit it, Ru Yin Yue was right. She couldn't get involved in any more scandals or her career would take a dive. Already netizens were causing her reputation to plummet. She was still young and she still wanted to act in many movies.
"Mrs. Si…doesn't look like the scheming type. She was frank and open. Very dignified. I can see why Mr. Si's parents like her."
To be honest, Li Na didn't know much about Zhou Ni Yao, but she had heard rumors regarding Si Zha Nan's ex-lover. Rumors that bordered on malicious. She had dismissed them at first, particularly because she also was a victim of such vicious gossip, and so she could sympathize.
But then she was also operating on hearsay when it came to Ru Yin Yue. Plus…Si Zha Nan's hatred for his wife bordered on unnatural.
"Could it be…?" Something nagged at Li Na. She rubbed at her cheek, trying to piece things together. For some reason, it randomly occurred to her that this Zhou Ni Yao might have lied to Si Zha Nan and besmirched Ru Yin Yue so as to eliminate a love rival.
…she might be reluctant to admit it, but Li Na knew that she would probably have resorted to such measures. On the other hand, Ru Yin Yue appeared to dignified and honest to pull a stunt like that.
Well, it was none of her business. Li Na wasn't sure if she wanted to meet Si Zha Nan again.
Speaking of Si Zha Nan, he had opted to remain outside the house, staring at the gates and thinking hard.
"Young master, a word, if I may."
Auntie Yi stepped onto the foyer, bowing slightly. Si Zha Nan didn't budge at all, and she took that as assent and continued.
"Actually, madam is very nice. Why are you doing this to her?"
She had woken up in the middle of the night, hearing Si Zha Nan shouting at Ru Yin Yue for entering the music room and chasing her out. She had heard all the stories about how he hated her and abused her. And she couldn't understand. She felt that this was too unfair and cruel to the madam.
"Auntie Yi, when did you become so talkative?" Si Zha Nan's voice was cold, his back to her.
"I've always talked a lot. You know that." Auntie Yi sighed and shook her head, realizing how stubborn her charge was. "I'm going to prepare dinner now. You must be hungry."
Si Zha Nan finally turned around to look at her. "I won't be having dinner."
Then he stalked off into the evening light, leaving auntie Yi to watch him helplessly. With another sigh, she returned to the house.
Ru Yin Yue didn't know where Si Zha Nan went, but judging from the absence of his silver Lamborghini, he must have left Crescent Villa and went elsewhere again. The exchange with Li Na left her feeling sour, but her mood improved when auntie Yi served dinner.
"Is…Zha Nan not eating dinner?"
"Young master left. He probably won't be coming back tonight." Auntie Yi pursed her lips. Then she lowered her head. "I'm very sorry, ma'am. I've been working in the Si family for over twenty years. I think I can be counted as a member of the Si family, in fact. I literally brought the young master up, looking after him ever since he was young. He isn't the type of person who would do these sort of things before. I don't know what happened to him. I don't know why…"
"It's okay."
"No, it's not." Auntie Yi looked up sorrowfully. She meant to speak up for Si Zha Nan, but the more she said, the less protective she could be. The young master had gone too far this time. Never mind bringing another woman home, he even stood aside and did nothing when she tried to hit his wife.
She sighed again, shaking her head.
"It all started when he dated Zhou Ni Yao. He wasn't like this before, but that woman was a bad influence on him."
"Auntie Yi, please. Don't worry about it."
"How can I not worry? As a parent, I know more than anybody how painful it is to see my child get attacked."
"But I defended myself very well, didn't I?" A corner of Ru Yin Yue's mouth rose. Auntie Yi laughed at that.
"True, that was an excellent move. I almost thought you learned martial arts."
"I used to work as a waitress in a café overseas. We had some very…rowdy customers who harassed women. One of my coworkers taught us self-defense techniques."
"Ah…you really have led a hard life, haven't you?"
"It's a bit better now. Auntie Yi, let's eat together again."
While they took their places at the dining table, someone came through the front door. A young girl who was seventeen or eighteen years old rushed into the hall cheerfully.
"Mom, I'm home! Ah…"
She stopped to look at Ru Yin Yue. Auntie Yi laughed and shook her head.
"Ma'am, this is my daughter, Yi He Lan. He Lan, come greet madam."