Li Na walked into the house, feeling exhausted. She hoped to find some peace and quiet in her room, but as soon as she entered the living room, she noticed a familiar face that made her blood boil. It was her mother's friend Wang Yuling, sitting on the couch with her legs crossed as she sipped on a glass of wine. Li Na hated Wang Yuling, who always looked down on her and mocked in the past. Li Na sneered as she saw her, wondering what she was doing here.
Hearing the door open, Wang Yuling turned her head and saw Li Na. She shot her a disdainful look and said in a sarcastic tone, "Oh, look who's back, the black sheep of the family or dare I say the sickly one. Haha." She took a sip of her wine and smirked.
Li Na narrowed her eyes and turned to face her. She was not in the mood to deal with her insults. She said coldly, "Yes, I was sick. But at least I'm not sick in the head like some people."
Wang Yuling nearly choked on her wine and coughed. She was surprised because she didn't expect Li Na to talk back to her.
"How dare you speak to me like that! You brat! I was only speaking the truth. You should be thankful that you have a successful person like me talking to you."
Li Na rolled her eyes and placed her hands on her hips. She was tired of the nonsense Wang Yuling was spewing. "Wang Yuling, aren't you ashamed? You're an old person trying to bring down a teenager. And sure, you might have had some success as a mistress, but real success isn't measured by how many married men you seduce."
Wang Yuling gasped and yelled, "Li Na! You mannerless brat, get your butt here so I'll teach you some manners!" she yelled, her voice echoing in the spacious room.
Li Na looked away as she began to walk up the stairs. She had a smug smile on her face, knowing that she had gotten under Wang Yuling's skin.
"If you'll excuse me, I have more important things to do than waste my time with you," she said in a haughty tone. "Can you do me a favor and get the hell out of this house? You're stinking up the place with your cheap perfume and tacky clothes."
Wang Yuling's eyes widened in disbelief and anger. She was about to follow Li Na and give her a piece of her mind, when Zhang Mei stepped out from the kitchen.
"What was that yelling for?"
Wang Yuling quickly put her hair behind her ear and tried to act casual.
"Nothing, nothing, I just spilled my drink and I felt bad about it. I'm sorry for making a scene."
Zhang Mei frowned, looking at the stain.
"It's fine, I'll have the servants clean it up. Now, let's go to the garden, I prepared some snacks and drinks for us. Come on, it's beautiful outside."
Wang Yuling smiled and nodded, pretending to be interested. She followed Zhang Mei to the garden, but she couldn't help but glare in the direction Li Na had gone. She muttered insults under her breath.
Wang Yuling and Zhang Mei had been childhood friends, but their paths had diverged drastically over the years. While Zhang Mei had married a wealthy businessman and lived a luxurious life, Wang Yuling had remained single and struggled to make ends meet. She had always envied Zhang Mei's fortune and happiness, and secretly wished that she could have what she had.
As she watched Zhang Mei's back, Wang Yuling felt irritated. She hated how Zhang Mei acted so gracious, as if she was doing her a favor by inviting her to her house. She hated how Zhang Mei seemed to have everything, while she had nothing.
"This country bumpkin is acting like she's better than me, tsk..." Wang Yuling muttered under her breath. She had always looked down on Zhang Mei, who came from a poor rural background. Wang Yuling believed she was smarter and more sophisticated, thinking she deserved to marry a wealthy man instead of Zhang Mei.
"Soon enough, I will kick you and your children out and become the madam of this house," she vowed, as she followed Zhang Mei to the garden. With a wicked smile on her face, she imagined taking over Zhang Mei's place. Her plan to seduce Zhang Mei's husband, and make him divorce her was already a plan in motion.
...
Li Na was walking up the stairs to her room when she bumped into Li Jing, her younger sister. She muttered under her breath, "Why do I keep running into all the unpleasant people today."
Li Jing immediately put on a show of concern, trying to act like a white lotus. "Li Na, are you okay? You look tired."
Li Na saw right through her sister's act and responded. "Why do you care? It's not like you've ever shown any concern for me before. Don't pretend to be something you're not."
Li Jing's face twisted in anger, but she quickly regained her composure and put on a fake smile. "I'm sorry, Li Na. I didn't mean to offend you. I just thought you might need some help."
Li Na didn't buy her sister's act for a second. She knew that Li Jing was just trying to manipulate her and get on her good side. She decided to put an end to the conversation and walked away without saying another word, leaving Li Jing fuming with anger and frustration.
Li Na walked to her room, feeling exhausted and drained from the day's events. She shut the door behind her and let out a deep sigh of relief. Finally, she was alone and could relax for a while.
She looked around her room, taking in the familiar surroundings. It was a modest room, with a small bed, a desk, and a closet. Li Na sighed, she knew that the Li family never favored her, despite the fact that she was their daughter.
Feeling the tension in her muscles, Li Na decided to draw a warm bath. She filled the tub with water. The warm water worked its magic on her tired body, Li Na's thoughts drifted away, and she surrendered to the blissful tranquility of the moment.
After a relaxing soak, Li Na dried off and changed into her favorite pajamas. She crawled into bed, feeling the soft blankets envelop her in warmth. She closed her eyes, ready to drift off to sleep and forget about the troubles of the day.