The sunlight was just right, and the air was not too dry.
Ever since Wu Jiali had spread the word about Ruan Xing solving that abnormal question, many classmates would approach Ruan Xing after class to ask for help with problems.
Ruan Xing patiently answered their questions without ever showing annoyance.
With the monthly exam approaching, Ruan Xing always felt there wasn’t enough time and decided to stay up an hour later at night.
When Lu Wan returned home and put down her backpack, she saw the tightly closed door of a certain room, and her eyes darkened.
“Wanwan, you’re back. How did things go with Ruan Xing today?” Qiao Li took her daughter’s coat and, after setting it down, asked with concern about her relationship with Ruan Xing.
Lu Wan just felt exhausted. She had heard this question for years and no longer wanted to listen.
Qiao Li noticed that Lu Wan’s mood seemed off and immediately stepped forward, gripping Lu Wan’s shoulders with both hands, staring intently at her. “What’s wrong? Did you have a conflict with Ruan Xing?” Qiao Li’s nerves tightened, her expression grew strained, and she suddenly became serious, her grip tightening noticeably.
Lu Wan endured the pain, her face instantly turning pale. Yet Qiao Li seemed oblivious, shaking her and pressing, “What kind of conflict did you have? Did you apologize?”
“No, there’s no conflict. We’re fine,” Lu Wan lied, looking at her mother as if she were a madwoman.
Hearing this, Qiao Li let out a heavy sigh of relief, only then noticing her daughter’s pale face.
“I’m sorry, Wanwan. Mom didn’t mean to. It’s just that Ruan Xing hasn’t been very close to me lately, so I’ve been overly anxious. I was afraid you’d fall out with her too—after all, everything we have is in that wretched girl’s hands.” As she spoke, Qiao Li wiped away her daughter’s tears.
Lu Wan stayed quietly in Qiao Li’s embrace without saying a word, but the hatred for Ruan Xing in her heart grew even stronger.
In the evening, after Ruan Ting returned home, Ruan Xing finally came downstairs.
As soon as she descended, she clung to Ruan Ting, acting coquettishly, as if she didn’t see Lu Wan and her mother at all.
These days, Ruan Xing never acknowledged the mother and daughter at the dinner table. Every time they sat down to eat, Lu Wan and her mother felt tense and fearful.
After dinner, Qiao Li, hoping to ease the tension between them, proactively invited Ruan Xing to go shopping.
“Xingxing, how about going shopping with Auntie this afternoon? It’s autumn now—Auntie will buy some clothes for you and Wanwan!” Qiao Li first glanced at the cold-faced man beside her before speaking softly to Ruan Xing.
“No need. I don’t lack clothes,” Ruan Xing replied coldly, looking at the other’s ingratiating expression.
Qiao Li’s face flushed bright red after being rejected, but she wasn’t ready to give up. She glanced at Lu Wan, signaling her to help persuade.
Lu Wan stepped forward and, in a fawning manner, linked arms with Ruan Xing. “Xingxing, of course you don’t lack clothes, but this is my mom’s heartfelt gesture. Please accept it!”
Seeing how hard she was trying to perform, a flicker of cunning passed through Ruan Xing’s eyes. She suddenly changed her mind and, suppressing her disgust, did not push away Lu Wan’s arm. “How could I turn down Auntie’s kindness? Of course, I’ll go.” Since this opportunistic mother and daughter wanted to buy her clothes, why should she refuse?
Hearing this, the two finally showed smiles on their faces. However, the smiles didn’t last long, as Ruan Xing’s next words struck them like a sharp blade.
“Dad, since sister said this is Auntie’s kind gesture, you absolutely mustn’t give Auntie any money, otherwise it would seem impure in motive, don’t you think so Auntie?” Ruan Xing leaned close to Ruan Ting, then turned her head to give Qiao Li a sweet, innocent smile that appeared completely harmless.
How did she know whose money was being used?
Qiao Li’s face turned deathly pale, her heart itching with hatred, yet she couldn’t utter a single word of refusal.
She could only force out a smile uglier than crying.
“Alright.”
Ruan Ting affectionately stroked his daughter’s head, not even sparing half a glance at the mother-daughter pair beside them.
In her previous life, Ruan Xing had always believed Qiao Li and her daughter genuinely cared for her. She’d once heard from Lu Wan that all the money Qiao Li used to buy her clothes came from Qiao Li’s own pocket.
Because of this, Ruan Xing had once argued fiercely with her father, misunderstanding that he didn’t give Qiao Li any money. Though her father had explained at the time, she hadn’t been willing to listen.
Now that she had returned in this life, many things had become clear to her.
From now on, she wouldn’t give this mother-daughter pair any opportunity to spend her family’s money.
The stars in the capital’s night sky always shone particularly bright, the cool air feeling refreshing and comfortable.
Ruan Xing strode ahead, empty-handed.
Following behind, Qiao Li and Lu Wan were both carrying numerous shopping bags, exhausted like dogs.
Passing by a shop window, Ruan Xing’s eyes instantly lit up.
The mother-daughter pair’s hearts trembled, fearing this young mistress might want to buy something else.
“Xingxing, isn’t this enough? We can’t carry any more if you keep buying.” Seeing her intention to continue, Qiao Li’s expression changed as she quickly tried to stop her.
Hearing the voice behind her, Ruan Xing turned around, her large eyes immediately filling with mist, looking pitiful, though her words suggested otherwise.
“Auntie said we should shop to our heart’s content today, didn’t you? I’ve only just started. Is this the extent of Auntie’s kindness?” Without waiting for Qiao Li’s response, Ruan Xing walked into the shop by herself.
Left standing outside, Lu Wan and her mother wore terrible expressions but could do nothing.
Thinking about how much money they’d spent today—nearly equivalent to a year’s living expenses for her and her daughter—Qiao Li felt physical pain.
This little bitch.
She would definitely get back double what she spent today.
“Auntie, do you think this necklace looks nice?” Ruan Xing looked at the crystal necklace the shop assistant had brought out, then turned to Qiao Li with hidden laughter in her eyes.
Though Qiao Li was seething with anger inside, she couldn’t do anything to the little bitch in front of her. She tried to remain calm. “It looks nice.” As soon as she said it, she realized the dead girl’s next words wouldn’t be pleasant.
“Since Auntie says it looks nice, then wrap it up!” Ruan Xing indeed didn’t disappoint her.
“Auntie, time to pay!” Ruan Xing said cheerfully, deliberately glancing at Lu Wan behind her.
She guessed Lu Wan probably wanted to kill her right now, but seeing her current state, Ruan Xing had to admit she felt truly satisfied.
Lu Wan nearby was nearly red-eyed with rage, wishing she could tear Ruan Xing apart.
She had never bought such expensive clothes before, nor so many at once. In just one afternoon, that bitch Ruan Xing had bought more clothes than all of Lu Wan’s wardrobe combined.
They visited several more shops afterward.
“Buy this.”
“Buy this.”
“Buy this.”
…
Whatever caught her eye, she didn’t let a single item escape.
Qiao Li’s card was almost maxed out, and she had no choice but to say, “Xingxing, the money on my card is all spent, and I didn’t bring any other cards today. How about we head back for now and go out another day?” Forget it—she would never dare take this little ancestor shopping again.
This one trip had completely wiped out Qiao Li’s savings from all these years.
“Alright… then we’ll shop another day,” Ruan Xing deliberately added.
Qiao Li’s face immediately fell.
She began regretting why she had even mentioned “another day,” regretting why she had ever called this ancestor out for shopping today. What a disaster.