Slap!
A harsh blow landed on Yue Yin's cheek before she even had the chance to brace herself. She didn't know what she had done wrong—nor why she deserved such violence. But Wen Mei Li wasn't about to stop there in venting her fury.
"You wretched bringer of bad luck! How could you be chosen to marry Young Master Quan?"
"Were you secretly seducing him? Have you been after his wealth from the start?"
Overcome by blazing rage and humiliation, Wen Mei Li's anger burned like fire, far from satisfied with a single slap.
She raised her hand again, ready to strike Yue Yin once more. But Yue Yin, trembling, lowered her head and shielded her face with both hands. Seeing this, Wen Mei Li changed tactics.
With a sharp movement, she kicked Yue Yin's knee hard enough to send her collapsing onto the floor.
"Ahh!!"
A twisted smile of satisfaction crept across Wen Mei Li's face.
Yue Yin could do nothing but groan in pain, clutching her knee, desperately trying to protect her face and legs from another assault. Wen Mei Li bent forward, stabbing Yue Yin's forehead with her pointed finger.
"You worthless woman! How dare you try to surpass me! Do you really think you can walk gracefully on that red carpet when that marriage happens?"
Yue Yin held her patience, enduring as she always had. She was used to being treated unjustly. Slaps, kicks, even sharp jabs—none of that could truly break her.
"Mei Li," Yue Yin said softly, "I don't understand what you're talking about. But must it come to this—slapping and hitting me? We can talk it out. I believe you're an intelligent woman."
Wen Mei Li's cruel laughter echoed through the room. She grabbed Yue Yin's hair and yanked it mercilessly.
"Ahhh!!"
"Still pretending to be innocent and wise, are you?!" she spat.
"You know Young Master Quan is frail—so you want to become Madam Quan, just to inherit his fortune once he dies! You think I don't see through your vile plan?"
"A weak man can't resist a weak woman, huh? Is that your trick to catch his attention?!"
Yue Yin clenched her teeth, enduring the pain.
"I don't even know what you're talking about! I don't know which Young Master Quan you mean! Stop pulling my hair—it hurts!"
Li Hua suddenly appeared, shocked to see the two girls fighting.
"Mei Mei! Why are you pulling Yue Yue's hair? Are you two fighting again?"
"She deserves it, Mother!" Mei Li shouted, still fuming. "Yue Yue is using her pitiful act to get close to Young Master Quan!"
"What?" Li Hua gasped, eyes wide.
"The weakling of the Quan family paired with the ugly duckling of the Wen family?! What a perfect match!" she mocked cruelly.
Li Hua could only stand there, confused, not fully grasping what Mei Li meant. Then Chang Ge entered the house, sighing heavily at the chaos. Wen Mei Li, ever cunning, released Yue Yin's hair and hurried toward her father, hoping to gain his sympathy.
"Father! Please, say something—do something! Didn't you promise to marry me to the youngest son of the Quan family? Then why—" her voice broke, "why is that wretched Yue Yue the one chosen to marry him instead? Aren't you afraid she'll disgrace our family name? How could someone like her marry into the prestigious Quan family? It would be a humiliation if you let this marriage happen!"
Mei Li would say or do anything to destroy the engagement between Yue Yin and Quan Li Jian—the sickly young man whose family, desperate for an heir, wanted him to marry quickly. They hoped the union would bring him joy in his remaining days.
Chang Ge pressed his temples, exasperated. He loved Mei Li more than his first daughter, Wen Yue Yin—his precious Ah Mei, born from his second wife, Li Hua, after the death of Yue Yin's mother, Lu Qi Xuan.
"Ah Mei," he said wearily, "there's nothing your father can do. It wasn't my decision for the Quan family to choose Yue Yin as their daughter-in-law. I've done everything I could to persuade them to pick you instead, but…"
Mei Li's fury flared even higher.
"So now you're comparing me to Yue Yue?!"
To her, it was unbearable—being compared to that quiet, dull sister. She had been so certain that she would be chosen. When she first heard that the Quan family had agreed to marry their son to a daughter of the Wen family, she was overjoyed. But instead of the charming, talented, and beautiful Wen Mei Li, the groom had chosen her plain, timid half-sister?
That sickly fool had the worst taste in women imaginable!
And yet, Mei Li couldn't make sense of the situation. What scheme was the Quan family playing at? None of this seemed logical to her.
Slowly, Yue Yin began to understand the real reason behind Mei Li's rage—the jealousy that had consumed her, driving her to slap, kick, and yank her hair so viciously.
"So all this," Yue Yin said quietly, "is because your marriage proposal was rejected? The Quan family turned you down and chose me instead? So you're taking it out on me?"
Yue Yin still couldn't see what was so enviable about the marriage. She had never pursued any of the Quan sons, nor dreamed of becoming a wealthy lady overnight. She believed she could earn her own way in life.
Mei Li crossed her arms arrogantly.
"What? Are you angry because I slapped and pulled your hair?"
Yue Yin's voice trembled slightly.
"Not just that. You also kicked my knee!"
Mei Li scoffed.
"Don't act so proud just because the Quan family wants you! They only chose you because they had no other option! They needed a weak, obedient bride—someone they could command! In the end, they just wanted a woman who could nurse their dying son!"
***