Chapter 3: Do I know You?
Meiying drove back home without allowing the furious Xiaoxiao to catch a glimpse of her. Upon entering the mansion, she was met with the chaotic scene of everyone rushing around. In the hall, she spotted Butler Yang inspecting the maids' work.
"Butler Yang, what is happening?" she inquired, approaching him.
"Master Xuejian's father has decided to throw a party for the fiftieth anniversary of his company," he replied, though he took note of her attire. "Are you planning to go out, by any chance?"
Meiying shook her head. It seemed that no one had even noticed she had already left.
"You should attend," he suggested.
"I will," she assured him, making her way up the stairs to her room. Locking the door behind her, she was determined not to be disturbed, especially by the so-called Qingting.
As she lay on the bed, memories of recent events flooded her mind. Firstly, Chenwei's relationship. She couldn't discern whether Xiaoxiao was just a jealous girlfriend who failed to see that his heart belonged to her alone, or if it was something deeper. In her past life, they broke up six months from now, but remained friends. Xiaoxiao persistently attempted to rekindle their romance until Meiying showed up as Chenwei's new manager.
Secondly, the contract. She couldn't comprehend Xuejian's actions; what was the difference between agreeing three months from now versus agreeing now?
But now, she knew what needed to be done. If she was to continue being Xuejian's wife for the next year, she had to restore her image. And it will all start with this party her father-in-law was hosting. In her previous life, she never attended it—not a single party, in fact, until she divorced Xuejian.
Another pressing matter was the identity of the person who pushed her off the yacht on her wedding day in her past life. Meiying had to exercise utmost caution in this life to prevent such an incident from occurring again.
Rising from the bed, she made her way to the walk-in-closet and retrieved a box from one of the cupboards. Returning to her bed, she opened it to reveal a breathtaking off-shoulder blue dress adorned with intricate designs and glistening beads, complete with an elegant slit.
Meiying was astounded, as she had never opened the box before in her previous life. It was a gift from Xuejian for her twenty-third birthday. Despite his frequent absences, he always remembered her special day, or perhaps it was Xiaojin who reminded him. At this moment, she didn't care.
Realizing that she needed rest, Meiying decided to take a nap, knowing that drama would surely unfold that night.
At six o'clock in the evening, Meiying woke up and began preparing herself. Knowing that all the maids would be busy with the party preparations, she didn't want to disturb any of them. She meticulously braided the sides of her hair, bringing them together and adorning the braids with small pearl beads. She then slipped into the dress, which fit her perfectly, although the slits happened to reach slightly above her knees.
Descending the stairs, Meiying entered the hall to find that everything was already arranged and ready. The spacious hall could easily accommodate hundreds of guests, with the lights casting a warm glow on the walls and the chandelier shimmering in the center. The tables and chairs were adorned with exquisite decorations and velvet ribbons, while velvet sachets hung across the hall from one wall to the other. A grand stage was also set up, with two long tables on either side featuring a variety of delectable desserts and an incredible ice statue of a tiger. Meiying couldn't help but reflect on her father-in-law's fondness for tigers.
Approaching one of the tables, Meiying selected a dessert and began savoring its flavors. Just then, Butler Yang approached her.
"You have done an exceptional job here," she complimented him.
"Thank you very much, Mistress. To be honest, I didn't think you were serious about attending the party," he replied.
"I missed my parents-in-law," she said with a smile, taking another bite of the dessert.
"Are you hungry? I noticed you didn't have breakfast or lunch," he asked, his concern evident.
"I'm okay," she assured him, but her stomach chose that moment to grumble, causing Butler Yang to look at her in surprise.
"I'll just have some of this to sustain me for the night, but don't worry, I will eat when the guests are eating," she assured him before he left.
Minutes later, her parents-in-law arrived. Her mother-in-law ran to her with a wide smile, but as she reached Meiying, she playfully smacked her arm. "You woke up and still didn't bother to inform me or even visit me!"
"I'm sorry," she apologized sincerely.
"It's okay, I understand. But do confide in me if you're troubled," Madam Wang said, holding Meiying's hand in one of her own while caressing her with the other.
Meiying couldn't help but miss her mother-in-law from her past life. She had welcomed her like a daughter and had been trying to build a stronger relationship with both of them, but Meiying's withdrawal in her former life had hindered such progress.
"Where is Qingting?" her father-in-law asked, stopping by their side.
"Good evening, sir," Meiying greeted him.
"What's good about the evening?" he retorted.
"Honey!" Mrs. Wang cautioned him.
Ignoring her, he looked around the hall in awe. "Qingting did a good job," he remarked.
Meiying scoffed. "Did she tell you she was the one who oversaw this?"
"Yes, unlike you, who can't do anything apart from enjoying excessive indulgence in eating and shopping," he said, scrunching up his face.
Meiying laughed. "I don't only do that. Even though I didn't contribute to the party, I'm sure that Qingting didn't partake in anything here. Butler Yang was the one who made all this possible. If I were you, I wouldn't give all the credit to someone who doesn't deserve it and instead acknowledge those who do."
Both Mr. Wang and Mrs. Wang were shocked by her words. "You will regret it if you're wrong," Mr. Wang said as he left the hall, likely in search of Butler Yang.
"Meiying, is anything wrong?" Mrs. Wang asked, concern evident in her voice.
"Yes, I...it's just that I don't like it when Qingting takes credit for something she didn't do," Meiying confided.
"Are you jealous?" Mrs. Wang playfully teased.
"Of course not," she firmly denied.
"Are you sure" Mrs. Wang smiled, "I can help if you want to be in good grace with him"
Meiying pondered for a moment, contemplating her options. In her past life, she had been closed off and reserved, but now she had chosen to take a different path. Mr. Wang had played a significant role in causing her pain, seemingly relishing in her divorce from his son while immediately attempting to pair him with Qingting. If she wanted the rest of the year to go smoothly, she realized that she would need some help.
"So, what should I do?" Meiying asked, her voice tinged with uncertainty.
"A baby..." Mrs. Wang said, her words slurring slightly.
Meiying nervously laughed in fear, "I'm still not ready for that."
"Then become a working-class lady. My husband doesn't like idle married women," Mrs. Wang advised, her tone serious.
Meiying's mind began to connect the dots. "That explains everything. Qingting is an actress at his company and brings in good money for him. So that's why he always supports Qingting," she said, Mrs. Wang nodded in agreement.
Although it was unfortunate that Meiying was going to try and sabotage Qingting and her father-in-law's relationship, she saw it as an opportunity to redeem her image in her father-in-law's eyes. She was determined to make the best of this chance.
Her father-in-law returned after a few minutes but didn't speak to her. It seemed that he had discovered the truth.
The guests began to arrive one by one, and some were shocked to see Meiying among them. She stood beside her mother-in-law for protection, ensuring that no one could approach her and engage in idle gossip.
Qingting finally arrived, making Meiying wonder why she would be late when they both lived in the same mansion. Qingting tried to stay close to Mr. Wang, but he always seemed to avoid her. Meiying couldn't help but feel a mix of amusement and satisfaction at the scene.
Due to the constant chatter coming from her mother-in-law and the women accompanying her, who were attempting to play matchmaker for their sons and daughters with the other young guests, Meiying decided to leave Mrs. Wang's side. She headed towards the table and grabbed a desert while savoring each bite.
As she was enjoying her dessert, Meiying felt a presence beside her. "There is so much to choose from," the young man commented, rubbing his hands together.
Their eyes met simultaneously.
"You!" Meiying exclaimed in disbelief.
"I'm sorry, do I know you?" The young man asked, visibly perplexed.
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