Chapter 35: Something Unfit for Polite Company-Protagonista de drama cruel? Eu rasgo o roteiro e toda a família do marido canalha se ajoelha(Mamãe de aparelho)

A grand banquet was underway, designed to announce to the entire capital the return of the Qiao family’s long-lost bloodline. The elite were gathered, glasses clinked, and the very air was saturated with an aura of opulence.

Wen Yan was dressed in a gold-gilded, strapless fishtail gown custom-made by a master designer. The hem was adorned with tiny, shimmering crystals; with every step, she radiated a brilliant, flowing light, as noble and unattainable as a phoenix rising from the ashes. Her makeup was exquisite and cold, her eyes calm and ripple-free, as if the surrounding clamor had nothing to do with her. Yet, this extreme beauty and detachment made her the undisputed focus of the entire room.

Standing beside her, Li Jingyan felt both agitated and anxious. He had finally reached the position he had dreamed of. To "highlight" him, Qiao Guodong had specifically chosen a dark red velvet suit for him. The intention was to convey dignity and celebration, but on Li Jingyan, contrasted against the radiant Wen Yan, it appeared dull, aging, and even comical. He stood with her, utterly out of place.

Even more eye-catching was Qiao Chenye. He wore a perfectly tailored midnight-blue suit that echoed the design elements of Wen Yan’s gown. Anyone with a discerning eye could see they were a meticulously matched "couple’s set," with a theme that seemed to be "Beauty and the Beast." When the three of them appeared in the center of the ballroom, all eyes naturally gravitated toward the radiant, gracious Wen Yan and the cool, aristocratic Qiao Chenye. Li Jingyan, squeezed in the middle and wearing his awkward suit, became nothing more than an embarrassing foil and a laughingstock, looking incredibly dull and superfluous.

Seeing his awkward yet self-righteous demeanor, Wen Yan could not help but cover her mouth with a champagne flute, letting out a faint snicker that was nonetheless heard by those nearby. Li Jingyan clearly misinterpreted this, assuming Wen Yan was being shy toward him. In his arrogance, he grabbed her wrist and forcibly pulled her toward Qiao Guodong at the main table, whispering, "Yan, don’t be afraid. Father is waiting for us to serve tea." A flicker of disgust crossed Wen Yan’s eyes, but for the sake of the occasion, she did not pull away immediately.

When the host announced the start of the ceremony and invited the day’s protagonist, Li Jingyan, to serve tea to his elders with his wife, the atmosphere reached a delicate peak.

First was the tea service for Elder Qiao. Li Jingyan and Wen Yan knelt on the prepared cushions and respectfully offered the tea. Elder Qiao looked at Li Jingyan with complex eyes—there was the relief of finding his bloodline, but also a scrutiny of his temperament and capability. Finally, he took the tea, sipped it lightly, and said in a deep voice, "Since you have returned to the Qiao family, remember the family rules in your future conduct. Bring glory to the family, and do not stray from the path."

"Yes, Grandfather. Jingyan will remember," Li Jingyan replied excitedly.

When it was Wen Yan’s turn to serve tea, Elder Qiao’s gaze softened slightly. He was pleased with this granddaughter-in-law; in terms of education, appearance, and the composed elegance she displayed, she was far superior to that Liu Yanyan. "Child, we are a family now. Jingyan has just returned and is not familiar with many things; please help him more. And always remember the Qiao family precepts."

"Rest assured, Grandfather, Wen Yan understands," Wen Yan replied with a slight, graceful nod.

Next, it should have been the turn to serve tea to Qiao Guodong and the "mother." However, when the crowd’s eyes fell upon Liu Yanyan—who sat beside Qiao Guodong wearing a tight, gaudy red dress, trying hard to squeeze out a dignified smile that only made her look cheap and nervous—the atmosphere turned bizarre.

Liu Yanyan looked at Wen Yan kneeling before her, especially at her dazzling, opulent attire and the gazes directed at her by those around them (which she perceived as envy, but were actually curiosity and disdain), and felt a surge of jealousy. Suppressing her emotions, she deliberately raised her voice, attempting to act like a mother-in-law with a shrill, affected tone: "Oh, get up, get up. No need for such formalities among family." She said this to both Li Jingyan and Wen Yan, but her eyes only looked at Li Jingyan, filled with an uncomfortable, sticky attachment.

"Jingyan, this is your home now. If you need anything, just tell… tell Mother." The word "Mother" sounded incredibly awkward and stiff. She turned to Wen Yan, her gaze filled with pickiness and a trace of barely perceptible malice, deliberately using the tone of an elder: "Wen Yan, is it? You certainly are a beauty. In the future, you must take good care of Jingyan, support your husband, and raise your children. Behave yourself. It is not easy to be a Qiao family wife; you must know your place and understand the rules." She emphasized the last three words, attempting to intimidate Wen Yan.

Wen Yan lowered her eyelashes, as if she hadn't heard a word. Her face remained expressionless as she quietly waited for the servant to bring the tea. Li Jingyan, kneeling to the side, felt his stomach churn as he listened to Liu Yanyan’s artificial words and looked at her garish red outfit and her failed attempt to imitate a lady of high society. Being forced to serve tea to this former lover, now his nominal "stepmother," was a supreme humiliation. His face turned ugly, and his hand gripped the teacup tightly.

The servant handed the teacups to Li Jingyan and Wen Yan. Li Jingyan gritted his teeth and, with extreme reluctance, offered the tea to Qiao Guodong. Qiao Guodong accepted it readily, took a sip, and spoke a few perfunctory words.

Then it was Liu Yanyan’s turn. She watched the cup in Wen Yan’s hand, her eyes flashing with triumph and anticipation, leaning forward slightly in readiness. Just as Wen Yan raised her hand and was about to offer the cup—

"Ah!" Wen Yan suddenly let out a short, sharp cry of pain, as if burned by the scalding rim of the cup, and her wrist gave a violent jerk!

*Clatter!*

The exquisite white porcelain teacup shattered on the expensive carpet, breaking into pieces. Scalding tea splashed out, with a few drops landing right on the back of Liu Yanyan’s outstretched hand and her brand-new red shoes.

"Ah! My shoes!" Liu Yanyan shrieked in pain and fury as she jerked her hand back, looking at the stains on her shoes. The dignity she had been desperately faking collapsed instantly.

All eyes in the room focused on them!

Wen Yan stood up immediately, raising her slightly reddened hand (a redness perhaps caused by her pinching it secretly). Her face wore a perfectly calibrated expression of pain and panic, and she apologized toward Elder Qiao and Qiao Guodong: "I’m sorry! I’m sorry!"

Wen Yan spoke first, quickly raising her hand to show a small red patch on her fair fingertips and the back of her hand. Her eyes welled up with a mist of grievance, her voice trembling, looking fragile and pitiful. "This tea... it was too hot. I couldn't hold it steady... I have disturbed you, I am so sorry."

Elder Qiao’s face darkened instantly. He already loathed Liu Yanyan, finding her beneath his dignity. Seeing her lose her composure and shriek over a little spilled tea made his annoyance reach its peak.

Beside them, Qiao Chenye lazily swirled his wine glass and let out a light, timely chuckle. The sound was not loud, but it reached those nearby clearly: "To have such a mishap while serving tea—is it that the servants are careless, or does this tea... know who it is being served to, and realize it shouldn't be offered to those who are unworthy?"

His words were like a cold blade, precisely piercing Liu Yanyan’s fragile disguise and fueling Elder Qiao’s anger.

"Enough!" Elder Qiao slammed his armrest and shouted, "Clumsy and unrefined! What kind of behavior is this! The tea ceremony ends here!" He skipped the tea service for Liu Yanyan entirely, not even bothering to discern whether Wen Yan had done it on purpose, because he simply did not care if Liu Yanyan was embarrassed.

Liu Yanyan’s hand remained frozen in mid-air, her face shifting between red and white. Under the whispering and mocking gazes of the guests, she shook with shame and fury. She glared at Wen Yan with eyes so filled with venom they could almost spit fire, yet she dared not say another word.

Li Jingyan watched this scene, first in shock, and then with a surge of pleasure and emotion! He had completely misinterpreted Wen Yan’s intention, believing that she had deliberately spilled the tea to prevent him from suffering humiliation, even at the cost of burning herself! This "sacrifice" made his heart swell; his love and possessiveness toward Wen Yan reached their peak, instantly drowning out all his previous unhappiness and doubts. He hurriedly stood up, wanting to check Wen Yan’s "injured" hand, his eyes filled with "deep affection."

Wen Yan simply pulled her hand back coldly, avoiding his touch, and lowered her eyes slightly to hide the icy mockery in her gaze.

The banquet continued, but the atmosphere had changed. With one spilled cup of tea, Wen Yan had turned the authority Liu Yanyan tried to establish into a complete joke and planted an even deeper disgust in Elder Qiao’s heart. Li Jingyan’s foolish narcissism only added a layer of absurdity to the farce.

A phoenix rests on the paulownia tree, but a sparrow dreaming of occupying the branches is, in the end, nothing but a joke. The clamor of the banquet finally faded, and the old mansion returned to silence.