Chapter 24: Why Aren’t You Speaking, Yaoyao?

Looking at Jiang Yaoyao, who was as silent and motionless as before, standing in front of the mirror, Jiang Wanyi slightly curled the corner of her lips.

“Why aren’t you speaking, Yaoyao?”

“My mom and I were a bit curious. The consumption level here seems like it’s not something you can afford, Yaoyao…” Jiang Wanyi hesitated, but a malicious glint flickered in her eyes.

“You didn’t… fall for an old man and get kept, did you?”

As soon as these words were spoken, the elegant woman beside her frowned, looking at Jiang Yaoyao as if she were something she disliked.

“You’re too vain, Yaoyao.”

She sighed and started scolding her. “You’ve really disappointed your mother.”

The young beauty in front of the mirror raised her lashes and slowly turned her body, facing the two people in front of her.

“Jiang Wanyi, only someone like you would think that someone would be kept by an old man for just a meal.”

Jiang Wanyi’s face turned pale, and the fake smile on her lips began to falter.

Jiang’s mother, however, couldn’t hold back her temper. “How can you say that about your sister?”

“Sister only cares about you. If she didn’t care, Wanyi wouldn’t say such things. Do you think your sister would care about someone she met randomly on the street? How ungrateful can you be, Jiang Yaoyao?”

The beauty in front of the mirror stood her ground, unflinching.

“If you randomly pick someone off the street and accuse them of being kept by an old man, the other party would have slapped you by now.”

“Jiang Wanyi is both foolish and malicious, and she’ll eventually get her comeuppance.”

Jiang Wanyi gritted her teeth, and Jiang’s mother could no longer tolerate hearing her precious daughter being insulted.

She took a step forward, the sound of her high heels clicking on the floor.

“Jiang Yaoyao, how can you say such things about your sister? You’ve been in the entertainment industry for too long, learning all these bad habits, and you don’t even know who truly cares for you!”

“Mom, it’s fine.”

Jiang Wanyi gently stopped her mother, her voice soft and melodious.

“She’s still young and has a thin skin. I shouldn’t have been so blunt just now, Mom.”

“But Yaoyao, vanity is not good.”

Jiang Wanyi looked at her with a slight smile, acting the part of a caring older sister, her voice earnest and sincere.

“I know, to you kids, eating at such fancy restaurants seems impressive, and you can post it on social media to make others jealous.”

“But we can’t be so vain, Yaoyao.”

“Today you’re having dinner with an old man for a meal, tomorrow you could be doing more to please them. Step by step, your life will be ruined.”

The beauty in front of the mirror furrowed her brows, her eyes full of disdain and rejection.

But even then, she was still beautiful.

Her long, thick lashes, damp with water droplets, clung together in clumps, forming a sunflower shape on her fair skin.

Her large, rounded eyes, lit by the chandelier above, reflected a soft tea-brown hue, like the most expensive, translucent gemstones—clean and pure.

Her red lips were pressed tightly together, the small peak of her cupid’s bow adding to her beauty.

Fair, beautiful, pure, and innocent.

Jiang Wanyi’s eyes flashed with jealousy.

Could it be that the entertainment industry really made people bloom so beautifully? How did Jiang Yaoyao become even more beautiful?

She opened her mouth, about to slander Jiang Yaoyao again, but a soft voice interrupted her.

“Jiang Wanyi, why don’t you save those words to educate yourself?”

“What you said is right, if you keep falling for vanity and going down that path, your life will be ruined. No matter how much Dad and Mom love you, they won’t be able to save you in the end.”

“After all, being kept by a married man isn’t that easy.”

Jiang Wanyi’s fake smile froze on her face, and her complexion turned pale.

How did she know?

Business had been bad these past two years, and her standard of living had decreased.

Not to mention, her parents favored sons over daughters—forget about Jiang Yaoyao, even she herself might not get much from them in the future. It would all go to that little brat!

These weren’t even her real parents. How could she not plan for herself?

Fortunately, she was beautiful. Over the years, as the eldest daughter of the Jiang family, she had been taken by her parents to experience the world and meet many people.

She had the intention of finding a rich and powerful husband. However, no matter how she looked, the people within her circle were limited.

But with her beauty, how could she be content with being trapped in this small circle for life?

She wanted to climb higher, and right when she needed it, someone who appreciated her appeared.

Yes, the person was married, but their relationship had long been over!

And she had done everything secretly—no one would ever know.

How could Jiang Yaoyao find out?

Did she hear something? Or did she catch them in the act?

No, no…

If she had caught them, with Jiang Yaoyao’s personality, she would have long told the world.

It must be just a guess of hers!

Jiang Wanyi steadied her mind, her face already adopting an expression of near-tears. She wiped away the nonexistent tears, hugging Jiang Mother’s arm, almost like a child seeking comfort.

“Yaoyao, I know you hate your sister.”

“But even if you hate me, you shouldn’t say things like that…”

“We are both girls, and you know how important reputation is for us. Our family’s discipline is so strict…”

“Even if it’s okay for you to smear me, it’ll embarrass Mom and Dad…”

Jiang Mother nodded with a look of satisfaction.

Her daughter, whom she had raised close by, really cared most for her.

Even when she was wronged, the first thing she thought of was how it would make her and her husband sad.

Looking at her daughter, Jiang Mother was furious, raising her hand and waving it at Jiang Yaoyao.

“Come here and apologize to your sister!”

Jiang Yaoyao bit her lip and said nothing.

She didn’t even look at them and simply walked past them, intending to leave.

Jiang Mother gritted her teeth, her voice squeezed out from her throat.

“Did you hear me? I told you to apologize to your sister!”

The daughter who had always tried to please her in the past was now unexpectedly so resolute.

Her steps out the door were unusually smooth, as if she couldn’t wait to get away from them.

Jiang Wanyi grabbed Jiang Yaoyao’s arm, secretly pinching her.

“Stop causing trouble, Yaoyao. Don’t make Mom angry again…”

“Mom’s older now, she could get sick from anger…”

The pinch on her arm hurt, and Jiang Yaoyao raised her hand to slap Jiang Wanyi’s hand away.

“Let go of me!”

Jiang Mother, nearly furious, didn’t care that they were in a public space. She shouted loudly:

“Jiang Yaoyao, you’ve really gone too far—”

In the next moment, a great force came from behind. She stumbled back a few steps and then fell hard onto the ground.

She saw a tall figure flash past her, followed by a sharp scream from her precious Wanyi. She heard a “thud” as Wanyi hit the polished floor, dragged across it.

“Mom, it hurts…”

Jiang Wanyi clutched her arm, where it had been pulled so roughly by the man.

The pain was unbearable, and she felt certain her shoulder had dislocated.

She looked up at the person who had caused this, frozen in place.