Yun Ya shrank back slightly as if scared, and hung her head.
Kang Jinse curled her lips slightly. Ji Lanyi's daughter irritated her just by being in sight.
She deliberately turned her head away, no longer looking at her.
After waiting for about ten minutes, Kang Jinse grew restless, turned her head to Su Ye, and instructed, "Go check what's happening." Her patience was depleted; she hadn't come here to sip tea and sleep.
"Yes," Su Ye responded and quickly left the room.
Two minutes later, Su Ye returned and reported to Kang Jinse, "The mayor's wife has arrived. She's in the next room."
The mayor's wife?
Kang Jinse's eyes lit up instantly. If she could forge a connection with the mayor's wife, she would navigate the social elite more smoothly, with no worries about gaining entry to the Yun Family's home.
Seeing her excitement and the flickering ambition in her eyes, Yun Ya smiled, stood up, and said to Kang Jinse, "Aunt Jiang, I want to go to the restroom."
Kang Jinse waved her hand irritably, "Su Ye, take her to the restroom."
Yun Ya smiled, "No need to trouble Aunt Su, I've been here with my mother before and know where the restroom is."
Hearing her mention Ji Lanyi, Kang Jinse's face turned even uglier, but she restrained her anger and said, "Go then, be careful."
Su Ye watched Yun Ya leave and instinctively furrowed her brows.
Exiting the private room, Yun Ya headed towards the restroom. She truly had been there before with Ji Lanyi, though only once or twice, so it was normal that Manager Gao didn't recognize her.
Coming out of the restroom, Yun Ya went to the washbasin. She was short and still couldn't reach it even on tiptoes, but she wasn't in a hurry, stretching little by little, her small face embodying a determined spirit.
A shadow fell overhead, and a fair, slender hand turned on the tap, letting the water pour out.
Yun Ya turned her head, feeling as if the world around her brightened up a notch because of that beautiful face.
The woman, upon seeing Yun Ya, had a glimmer of joy in her eyes and the smile on her lips deepened, her demeanor becoming even more gentle and affectionate.
"It's you, Little Yun Ya, do you remember me?" The woman couldn't resist reaching out to ruffle Yun Ya's hair, beaming with joy, "How can there be such a cute and pretty girl? If only she were my daughter."
The woman in front of her was approximately in her late twenties, dressed in a dark green long dress that flowed smoothly and clung to her curvaceous figure, making her look not a day older, but rather stylish and elegant.
Her eyebrows lightly swept, with just a touch of makeup, her features were like a painting, exuding an elegant composure. Her noble and elegant temperament seemed engrained in her bones, and when she smiled, her eyes curved gently, resembling the moon, emitting a bright, gentle glow, which didn't blaze but illuminated the whole dim world around her.
Yun Ya showed a pure smile on her face, her voice sweet and tender, "Hello, Aunt Zhuang."
Zhuang Xiyue felt her heart melt in an instant, bent down to smile at Yun Ya, "So Yun Ya still remembers Auntie. Auntie is so happy. How come you are here alone? Where is your mother?" With these questions, thinking of the gossip she'd heard, her forehead wrinkled, and she looked at Yun Ya with a trace of pity.
"I came with Aunt Jiang," Yun Ya purposefully avoided mentioning Ji Lanyi.
Zhuang Xiyue's frown deepened. Kang Jinse? It seemed the rumors were true: Ji Lanyi had disappeared, Kang Jinse had proudly taken her place, and now she was brazenly showing up with Yun Ya in public. This was indeed...
The first time I met Yun Shen, I felt that this man was unreliable. Little did I know, he turned out to be a total scumbag. It's really a pity for Yun Ya…
"She let you go to the bathroom alone?" Not afraid of you getting lost, huh? A stepmother's heart is really big indeed.
Yun Ya shook her head, smiling, "No, Aunt Jiang wanted the assistant to accompany me. But I'm very familiar with this place, so I didn't bother the assistant."
The more Yun Ya explained, the more heartbroken Zhuang Xiyue became. At just five years old, the child was so sensible. Zhuang Xiyue sighed again, thinking how wonderful it would be if her daughter were like that…
"You can't do this again next time. It's very dangerous for a little child like you to encounter bad people," Zhuang Xiyue said, holding her hand and walking outside while speaking gently and patiently.
Yun Ya turned her head and smiled at Zhuang Xiyue, "Aunt Zhuang, you're really good to me."
She looked at the woman before her, her gaze gradually becoming misty.
It wouldn't be long before she became the most sought-after lady in Jiangzhou, as her husband climbed the ranks of his career. This was a woman whose elegance was etched into her bones, born to stand under the lights, basking in the envy and admiration of everyone.
And she, she really liked herself. To put it more deeply, it was probably because of guilt.
Two years ago, Zhuang Xiyue followed her husband to take up a post in Jiangzhou. Others were unaware of her background. She kept a low profile and never attended any parties. Her friendship with Ji Lanyi was an accident. After privately meeting up a few times, Yun Ya met Zhuang Xiyue's eldest son, Yan Song.
He seemed to be a very well-behaved and delicate little boy, but there was a malicious glint in his eyes. While the adults were talking, he leaned in and whispered to Yun Ya with a mischievous grin, "I heard your brother is a deaf-mute and an idiot, so pitiful." He smirked naughtily, defiantly glaring at Yun Ya.
Miaomiao was Yun Ya's sore point. She couldn't stand others slandering her, and her composed demeanor instantly collapsed. She took the fruit juice beside her and splashed it on Yan Song's face, "Your mouth smells, let me wash it for you."
Yan Song was startled, never expecting to be doused with fruit juice. He was completely stunned.
"Fuck, you dare to splash me?" He immediately reached for Yun Ya's hair. She fought back just as fiercely, and the two instantly got into a scuffle. Yun Ya, though petite and slender, had an astonishing burst of strength. Yan Song, who was a head taller than she, found himself at a disadvantage, and in a flurry, he stabbed her in the chest with a knife and fork from the table.
Yun Ya let out a muffled grunt, her eyes fixed on him, staring so intensely that it frightened Yan Song into shivering. Suddenly, Yun Ya bit down fiercely on his shoulder, as if she wanted to rip a chunk of flesh from his body.
"Ahh...," Yan Song's screams shattered the air.
The scene terrified both mothers, who quickly stepped in to separate the two fighting children. Blood misted over the front of Yun Ya's white dress, the fork still embedded in her flesh, yet she ferociously spat out a mouthful of blood, glaring menacingly at Yan Song.
"Don't let me see you again, or I'll beat you every time I do."
Yan Song was not about to back down, actually feeling threatened by a stinky girl, "You just wait, I won't let this slide."
Zhuang Xiyue slapped him hard, "You rascal, truly in need of a lesson! Apologize to Sister Yun Ya."
"Why should I? She was the first to splash me with juice; she got what she deserved," Yan Song retorted stubbornly.
"What right do you have to insult Miaomiao? He's my..." Before Yun Ya could finish, she fainted, shocking both adults, and even Yan Song felt a bit scared.
As it turned out, Yun Ya's injury was more severe than Yan Song's. The fork had stabbed deep and hit an artery. She fainted due to excessive blood loss, and it took a month in bed to recover, leaving an indelible scar on her chest. Zhuang Xiyue felt an immense guilt over the incident, visiting the hospital every day, insisting Yan Song apologize to Yun Ya. The more Zhuang Xiyue interacted with Yun Ya, the more fond of her she grew, especially after seeing how Ji Lanyi treated her harshly. She felt even more pity for Yun Ya.
Mulling over her memories, Yun Ya looked thoughtfully at the woman in front of her.