Chapter 118: 0118 I’m very petty, if you offend me you won’t have good days to come. _1
CLANG—
Her action was abrupt and fierce. Xie Lingyan, who was just about to sit down, was petrified in place. Even Old Lady Xie was startled into rigidness by this incident.
At the table, Xie Lingyan’s wife, who had been silent all along, reacted swiftly. She immediately raised her voice, "Ah Yi, apologize to your sister!"
Ah Yi was clearly this young man’s name.
Xie Yi was obviously spoiled, or perhaps he was challenging his mother’s authority. After being startled, he looked at his mother with some embarrassment and annoyance. "I didn’t say anything wrong; it’s her who’s being impolite. Why are you scolding me?"
This mother had no shred of deterrent power in front of her children.
The daughter remained silent, merely observing the situation mutely.
Old Lady Xie sensed something was amiss. Wen Jiang throwing her cutlery signified her bad temper. The initial plan of pulling rank as an elder was immediately aborted. She hastened to smooth things over with a smile, "It’s okay, it’s okay. Ah Jiang has never met me before, so it’s normal to be unfamiliar. Ah Yi, you’ve misunderstood your sister. Hurry up and apologize to Ah Jiang."
Xie Yi started, "I didn’t..."
Hua Zhuo suddenly spoke up, "What kind of behavior is this?!"
After all, she had temporarily taken over the powers in the Jimo Family, and now her deterrence was stronger than Wen Jiang’s. Once she spoke up, Xie Yi did not dare to make another sound.
Wen Jiang pressed two fingers against her temples.
Xie Lingyan, seeing the situation slightly calm down, hurriedly put on an ingratiating smile. "Ah Jiang, your cousin doesn’t understand propriety. I apologize to you on his behalf. Don’t take his words to heart."
Xie Yi had probably never seen his father be so servile. He just gave Wen Jiang a cold stare.
This heir emerged out of nowhere! She previously stayed in the slums, a mere commoner, yet Lady Hua actually managed to bring this person back to inherit the Jimo Family. Ridiculous! Early this morning, he received calls from his friends among the Nobility. Each and every one of them was mocking the Jimo Family, saying it must have been driven to desperate measures to find a slum-dweller as its heir. If it were their families, they probably would have covered it up long ago, wishing such an heir would simply disappear. That illegitimate son from the slums whom the Song Family brought back... even with Song Ji’s strong authority, many still gossiped behind his back, and he was just the second son. In a way, Lady Hua must be insane to completely disregard the Jimo Family’s reputation!
Xie Lingyan had already offered an apologetic smile, likely believing that if Wen Jiang were an ordinary person, the matter would pass. Hua Zhuo also glanced at Wen Jiang, wondering how she would handle the situation.
Wen Jiang lifted her head, and suddenly, a smile formed on her lips. Paired with the atmosphere, it was inexplicably chilling.
"Is meeting me, your sister, such an inconvenience for you?" Wen Jiang’s eyes first swept over Xie Yi, then turned to the others at the table, excluding Hua Zhuo. She pressed a finger against her forehead, mustering her last bit of patience. "I grew up in the slums without a father’s teachings or a mother’s care. Whether you are my relatives is not important to me."
"Not important. Do you understand what that means?"
She scrutinized the group, a smile lingering on her lips. "Now, I am the future Family Head of the Jimo Family. You all bear the surname Xie. Since you’re eating here, just shut your mouths and eat peacefully. Consider that my way of showing respect to elders. If you’re not happy with that, you may leave through this door right now. From today onward, completely sever ties with the Jimo Family. Understood?"
Her words could be considered extremely cold.
Even Hua Zhuo vaguely felt that Wen Jiang’s detachment from emotions was outrageous.
Although she appeared very extroverted most of the time, underneath she was indifferent to emotions, including her utter indifference to Jimo Xiao’s death.
Now, regarding the Xie Family members, even though Hua Zhuo understood that maintaining good relations with the Xie Family was not something the Family Head of the Jimo Family should do, she was still shocked by Wen Jiang’s coldness.
Xie Yi dared not make a sound.
That statement about severing ties with the Jimo Family from now on was indeed severe.
Old Lady Xie was utterly taken aback. The scene she had imagined when she arrived was nothing like this.
Jimo Xiao had never been overly enthusiastic toward them but, at the very least, had never mistreated them. He had always turned a blind eye toward Xie Lingbing’s only family and would politely call Old Lady Xie "Mother" when he saw her.
This Wen Jiang who returned from the outside was unexpectedly so indifferent in her conduct!
Xie Lingyan finally realized the gravity of the problem.
Before, they could have imagined that a child returning from the slums would surely lack a sense of security and perhaps need the connection with family members.
But if it was someone like Wen Jiang who acknowledges no kin—
Then their previous thoughts were entirely mistaken.
Even if one were to accuse her of being impolite or attempt moral blackmail, Wen Jiang would have to be someone who actually cared about such accusations for them to have any effect.
Suddenly, no one at the dining table dared to utter a word. Xie Yi, reluctant as he was, could only sit down.
Wen Jiang revealed a satisfied smile and added, "You all know that I’ve spent so much time in the slums, and I was expelled from school before. I’m very sensitive and fragile, so as family members, you need to take care of me carefully. I’m quite touchy, and if there’s another such talkative person next time, you all won’t have good days ahead."
The crowd was speechless. What’s the difference between this and a threat?!
Xie Yi’s face turned green. It was evident that Wen Jiang’s words were directed at him.
He had never been treated this way from childhood. He felt like throwing a tantrum, slamming his chopsticks down, and leaving, but he didn’t dare to do so.
Even his grandmother, who had always doted on him, remained silent now.
The Butler began to have the kitchen serve the dishes. The grand hall was so quiet that one could barely hear the clinking of knives and forks.
These members of the Nobility were at least impeccable in their manners. Wen Jiang, however, did not care for such niceties. Although she didn’t eat in a particularly graceful manner, she wasn’t too rude either, and no one dared point out any faults in her behavior.
Hua Zhuo, on the other hand, felt this was quite alright.
Previously, she, too, had been constrained by the etiquette of the Nobility, where showing temper to one’s elders was absolutely unacceptable. But Wen Jiang was unreasonable, which paradoxically made her easier to deal with.
If it had been before, Old Lady Xie would have definitely thrown a big fit, but now she was as docile as a quail.
After finishing the meal, Wen Jiang casually remarked, "Over the next period, I will be participating in training and competitions. The recent matters of the Jimo Family will still require your assistance, Lady Hua."
The diners all paused.
The implication was clear. She would stay out of the other affairs of the Jimo Family for the time being, and Hua Zhuo would still be responsible.
Hua Zhuo did not refuse. She understood that Wen Jiang was young and would be busy with her competitions, so she wouldn’t have much time.
Suddenly, she realized there were some matters that could now be resolved.
Hua Zhuo suddenly said, "Before your father passed away, he had arranged for your uncle to handle the after-sales business of the Mount Flower Association’s cards. I now need to integrate the Association’s resources and send someone to audit all the business documents."
Xie Lingyan’s pupils narrowed.
This business was the most lucrative area of the Card Association, and the entire operation had been under the control of his people.
Hua Zhuo had brought it up before, and he had rejected her on the grounds that she was an outsider.
Damn this bitch—
He was just about to say something when Wen Jiang’s chilling gaze landed on him.