White Lotus Chapter 3
3 | Three Roses
Tang You didn't know that she had an audience who’d watched her entire performance.
She was also unaware that while she burst into laughter, the car door that had just opened was closed again.
The car next to her slowly drove away. Tang You was accustomed to seeing luxury cars and did not pay too much attention to it. She continued sending Miao Jiaxi voice messages excitedly.
Tang You: [ Auntie suddenly called me and explained that Xiao Weijing didn’t mean it. It took me a long time understand what she was trying to say. It turns out that he and Wen Ling were photographed. ]
Tang You: [ I’ve waited for this day for nearly 500 years, and I almost cried with excitement. I could’ve brought even the load-bearing walls to the ground! ]
Miao Jiaxi replied with smileys holding two thumbs up.
Tang You straightened up, feeling thoroughly refreshed.
The thought that this man was being all lovey-dovey with another woman just yesterday, Tang You suddenly felt that he was not handsome anymore.
If his heart already belonged to another, why didn’t he just annul the engagement? What does he mean by stringing her along? Was he keeping her as a spare tire?
Tang You took a deep breath and reminded herself to not be angry.
Such things are not worth getting angry over.
Back at the apartment, Tang You sat on the carpet and opened the exquisitely wrapped gifts.
She did not know what type of gift that Xiao Weijing would pick out for her.
After all, as everyone knew, Xiao Weijing looked at her as if she were a plague god.
If it wasn’t to escape her, he wouldn’t have been reluctant to return to China for four full years.
The pattern on the giftwrap was extremely intricate. It was even in Tang You’s favorite Ukiyo-e art style. The intricate and complex pattern turned into one big seamless image when the giftwrap was unfolded.
After finally carefully removing the giftwrap, Tang You wiped the sweat from her forehead, and breathed a small sigh of relief.
A delicate hand lifted the lid.
Clack— the lid fell from her hand, hit the carpet, flattening the soft fur.
In the small, square box, was a neat stack of brand-new study aides.
“Five-year College Entrance Examination Practice Papers” “The Complete Study Companion Guide” “College Entrance Examination: English Vocabulary"…
? ? ? ? ? ! ! ! ! !
Tang You suspected that she must be seeing things.
Miao Jiaxi happened to pass by at that moment. She bent over and craned her neck, “What are you looking at?”
The stupefied Tang You simply said, “Looking at the gift from Xiao Weijing.”
Miao Jiaxi, also dumbfounded leaned forward and cupped her chin. “What does this mean?”
Tang You calmly analyzed, “He’s ridiculing me for wasting my time in my nine years of compulsory education, and suggesting that I go back to high school.”
Miao Jiaxi, “This method of humiliation is really unique.”
Three seconds of silence passed.
*Rustle, rustle*
Tang You leaned forward, gathered up all the gift wrap and stuffed it into the box with a blank expression. She carried the box in her arms and started to step out——
Seeing her movements, Miao Jiaxi sensed that something bad was about to happen. She hurriedly flung herself forward and hugged her legs. “What are you going to do?”
Tang You clenched her fists angrily. “Throw out this garbage!”
“Calm down, my good sister,” coaxed Miao Jiaxi. She started reasoning, “The sky can fall and the earth can quake, but we cannot let our innocent fairy image crumble! Think about it, what if Xiao Weijing asks you for these ‘gifts’ in front of the elders, what are you going to do if you can’t bring it out? The innocent white flower image that you’ve spent so long to cultivate will wither in an instant! Don’t be so rash!”
After her good friend’s pleas and coaxes, Tang You could only pack all the giftwrap and books in the box, and stuff them viciously in the very depths of her cupboard.
Miao Jiaxi sighed, “I didn’t think that your fiancé’s growth would be so obvious in just these few years of absence. He has evolved from a grumpy dog to a scheming hound!”
Tang You, who was just about to burst with rage, slammed the cupboard door shut.
Miao Jiaxi said placatingly, “My dear sister, let's not get angry. Getting angry can cause breast hyperplasia. Is such a man worthy of becoming a nodule in your chest?”
“NO!”
Tang You had always been prone to illness since childhood. A picky eater, she also disliked eating many things and would resolutely never touch them. The hot weather the past few days had further decreased her appetite. As she stood up to pack the things away, her thin waist looked as it were about to snap at any moment.]
Miao Jiaxi looked at her friend's waist enviously, and secretly compared it with her hands—
When the “A4-sized waist” started becoming popular a few years earlier, Miao Jiaxi had Tang You down and measured her.
53cm.
What the heck!
Miao Jiaxi who’d made the measurement, didn't fall asleep all night wondering why Tang You could have such a beautiful figure without dieting at all.
Seeing that Tang You was bunching her hair up as she looked in the mirror, Miao Jiaxi knew that her friend was about to start working.
From the beginning, Tang Xiao had groomed her daughter as a trophy wife with the intention of making a profitable alliance through marriage. Dance classes, etiquette courses, she was made to attend to attend them all ad nauseum. However, he neither exposed her to nor taught her anything about business and commerce at all.
After she became engaged to Xiao Weijing, Tang Xiao began putting all his efforts to train his second daughter, Tang Nan. Even Tang You’s stepmother began grooming her daughter with great pains, determined to have marry Tang Nan off to someone of a higher status than Xiao Weijing.
Tang You's monthly pocket money was limited. Tang Xiao did not provide a single cent for the apartment and luxury car that she owned.
She earned it all by herself.
Tang You had Weibo and Instagram accounts with more than one million followers each, where she shared her outfits, everyday occurrences and thoughts every couple of days.
However, she never revealed her face in any of the published photos. Except for her friend and housemate Miao Jiaxi, and the photographer with whom she worked with on a regular basis, no one around her knew that she was the legendary internet celebrity, Yuko.
Miao Jiaxi watched as Tang You walked in barefoot with the camera, and asked, “Ah Mai’s not coming today?”
“Mm,” replied Tang You. “His social anxiety is acting up again, and he said that he needed to recuperate alone at home for a few days.”
“Oh,” said Miao Jiaxi simply, as she unconsciously swept her gaze down Tang You's slender legs.
Long, straight, and slender, snow-white skin with a touch of pink.
Beauty that could make one’s heart tremble.
There are many beautiful people, but only a few who were completely flawless. It is said that true beauty is not only skin-deep, but Tang You truly epitomizes the idea of beauty, both inside and out.
Tang You's work was not going well today. As Ah Mai could not come, she had to go to the battle do it by herself. She’d only made a couple of pictures when Miao Jiaxi knocked on the door and handed her her mobile phone, “Phone call, it’s your dad.”
Tang Xiao told her daughter that she was to go home immediately, his tone harsh and severe.
Tang You had no choice but to put the camera aside resignedly.
The Tang family was still living in the house that Grandma Tang had bought. After her grandparents got divorced, she did not take back the house, but left it to Tang Xiao.
Tang Xiao was not cut out for business. Although Tang You knew nothing about managing a business, after discovering that her stepmother’s handbag purchases went from buying all of Hermes’s new products, to only one new product per season, to only one per year, she knew that her cheating father was a really bad businessman.
Fortunately, her stepmother, Jiang Tao, brought into the family a capable enough stepson, Jiang Chenting. Under his management, Jiang Tao could gradually return to leading the life of a rich woman who could afford buying all the new products of the season.
When Tang You reached her family home, a bright moon was already high in the sky.
The moment she stepped through the door, an orange was flew straight at her before she could react, hitting her right on her forehead.
With a cry of pain, Tang You knees buckled and she squat down, hands clasped on her forehead.
The orange bounced to the ground and rolled under the sofa.
It had hit her right beside her eyebrows, just missing her eyes. Tang You’s skin was delicate and tender, and her tears almost flew out upon the sudden impact. She rubbed her aching forehead, but before the pain was relieved, she was pulled to a standing position by her hair——
Her scalp tingled with pain, as a sharp nail slid down her chin. Tang You saw Jiang Tao's dark face before her. “What on earth are you doing? Huh? What a waste of such a vixen face, can’t even seduce someone like Xiao Weijing——”
Tang You ascertained that there was no one else in the room. She endured her stinging scalp and reached out with swift accuracy, punching Jiang Tao in the eyes.
Jiang Tao stumbled backwards with a scream, tripped over a chair, and fell heavily to the ground.
Tang Nan heard the commotion and ran into the room in her slippered feet.
Tang Xiao followed in closely. As soon as he came in, he saw Tang You next to the Jiang Tao who was still on the floor. In an instant, his expression darkened.
Tang Nan was only half a month younger than Tang You. Upon seeing the situation, her eyes reddened as she cried, “Sister, mother is already ill, why do you still——”
Before she could finish speaking, Tang You sank “meekly and weakly” onto the sofa. She covered her face with both hands and sobbed, crying even more piteously than her sister, “Dad, Auntie pulled my hair so hard and it hurts so much… I'm so sad when she scolds me…”
She raised her face, and on her snow-white skin was a glaring blood stain. “Auntie even cut my face. It’s going to be Grandpa Xiao's birthday in two days, what should I say if he asks about it?”
The shocked Tang Nan let out a hiccup.
Tang Xiao grew paled.
Elder Xiao did not have any granddaughters, and he doted on Tang You very much. The old man's biais towards Tang You was plain for all to see. Although Tang Xiao didn’t like this daughter very much, he did not want to cross the old man.
Tang Xiao's face was solemn. “Nan Nan, your mother is very ill. Quickly help her back to her room.”
Tang Nan hurriedly helped Jiang Tao to her feet. Jiang Tao was really sick with rage now, and repeatedly spat out the same few curses and vulgarities.
She was dragged away by Tang Nan.
Tang Xiao sat down and placed his hands on Tang You. He pondered in silence for a long time before sighing softly, “Youyou, it’s been hard on you.”
Tang You did not say a word. Earlier, a couple of drops of orange juice had entered her eyes, and her eyes stung with pain. She took out a piece of tissue and wiped her eyes, but the stinging sensation did not lessen.”
She whispered, “I can understand Auntie. Thank you dad.”
——What rubbish. If Tang Xiao really felt bad towards her, he should’ve gotten her stepmother a good psychiatrist long ago to treat her madness. Otherwise, he should’ve just locked Jiang Tao up in her room when he knew that she was coming back, instead of ‘coming to the rescue’ only after she’d hurled her abuse.
Hit the child then give her a sweet. Let others hit the child, then step out to give another sweet.
Tang You felt that her father really was a conman.
If not for the sake of wanting to take back her mother’s assets from Tang, Tang You would’ve cut off all ties with her so-called father ages ago.
Tang You turned and asked, all innocent and sweet, “You told me to come back today, is something wrong?”
Tang Xiao swallowed. “Xiao Weijing’s had a tryst with Wen Ling again, what are your thoughts?”
Tang You replied timidly, “There’s not much I can do. Brother Weijing had never liked me in the first place——”
Tang Xiao was maddened by her soft and weak character. “Don’t forget that he is your fiancé! Old man Xiao personally made the match. Are you really going to just let someone else steal him away?”
Tang You hung her head and just sat there twisting her fingers nervously, silent.
Tang Xiao's chest rose and fell violently. He reached out for the tablet next to him, pulled up the incriminating pictures and placed it in front of her.
He was heartbroken, “Look, how can Xiao Weijing do such a thing?”
Tang You looked carefully at the photos.
The quality of the pictures was like that of low-res blurry AV clips. She could only make out a well-dressed manly figure, standing at the entrance of a condominium, holding a slighter figure in his arms.
Scrolling downwards, the photos revealed nothing unusual. The last one was that of an article that was ready to be published. The title was quite eye-catching——
“A Secret Tryst in 17 Minutes: Xiao Weijing— A Perky Young Man With A Passionate Appetite.”
The ‘Perky’ one with the ‘Passionate Appetite’ was actually Wen Ling.
In Xiao Weijing's eyes, she was just the perky (rude), generous (condescending), straightforward (b*tch) character he desired.
Ever since Wen Ling retired from the city’s swim team due to injury, she now runs a gym with Xiao Weijing's money, which was doing pretty well.
She just didn’t know if Wen Ling can still laugh after finding out that she was mistaken for a man by the paparazzi.
Tang You, “…The person who wrote this report just resigned from Hong Kong media, right?”
“That’s not the point,” sighed Tang Xiao, exasperated at Tang You’s lack of reaction. “If Xiao Zexing hadn’t intervened in time, this report would’ve already been published. Do you know how others are laughing at you now? They’re calling you a vase— beautiful to look at but empty-headed, and that you can't even hold on to your fiancé!”
Tang You raised her eyes timidly, “Isn't that true though?”
Tang Xiao, “…”
Well, it did seem to be true.
Tang Xiao took out a quick-acting heart-relief pills from his pocket, his hands trembling as he gulped it down with some water. He then took eighteen deep breaths, and finally felt that his rationality slowly start to return.
He returned to the main issue, “Elder Xiao's birthday will be just two days from now. I’d tried to figure out his intentions, and it seems that he wants you and Xiao Weijing to decide on a wedding date.”
Tang You said nothing.
Tang Xiao watched her carefully and emphasized, “Xiao Weijing will not be the only one who will be there, Xiao Zexing will also be there. Tang You, you have to be on your best behavior then.”
Although Xiao Weijing's father was Elder Xiao’s eldest son, and the only child of his main wife, at present, Xiao Zexing's abilities and connections were far above Xiao Weijing's, and it was still yet to be seen who would eventually inherit the empire.
Whatever the case, it’s better to first establish a good relationship with Xiao Zexing.
Tang You wasn’t concerned about this at all; she didn’t care about Tang Xiao’s interests.
Pressing his hands on her shoulders, he said, “Aren’t you still thinking about your mother's company? Everyone knows that Xiao Zexing took over Mingjian Co. from his father shortly after taking office, and Mingjian is now the leader of the construction industry. When you get married in future, I will return your mother’s company to you. If Xiao Zexing even so much as gives you just a little aid, it would be more than enough…”
This was the first time since Tang You’s adulthood that Tang Xiao has mentioned her mother.
Tang You smiled gently, “Yes, Dad. I understand.”
Tang Nan wanted to attend to attend Elder Xiao’s birthday banquet too. She couldn’t bear to put down her pride to ask Tang You for a favor, so she went to Tang Xiao.
Tang Xiao had always been very apologetic to her illegitimate daughter, so he tried bringing up the matter to Tang You. Tang You did not speak and just silently shed a few tears. At that, Tang Xiao immediately gave up pursuing the topic.
Tears are an invincible weapon against men— this saying seemed to be true.
Just that for Xiao Weijing, tears would only make him more disgusted.
As the "future granddaughter-in-law", Tang You had to dress appropriately when attending such occasions.
With some regret on her face, she let go of a rose-red velvet dress. From her “Little White Flower Image Wardrobe”, Tang You picked out a pea green dress with a square neckline that came down past her knees. Clean and innocent.
When she’d gotten changed, Miao Jiaxi objected, “This won’t do, Youyou. Why aren’t you showing off that tiny waist?”
This dress did not have a tailored waist, and completely failed to highlight the finer points of Tang You's slender figure.
Miao Jiaxi felt that it was a pity.
Tang You started curling her hair in front of the mirror languidly. “No need, I’m not going there to seduce anyone.”
She only had to solidify her image as an innocent, small white flower.
Elder Xiao used to be very low-key when celebrating his birthday, but today he was being decidedly ostentatious, and had invited many guests to his banquet.
As soon as Tang You entered, she saw Xiao Zexing in the crowd.
The man's height was too outstanding. Carrying himself with a sense of reserved introversion, his steady but brilliant aura stood him apart from the crowd. Even amidst the sea of people, he seemed to be shining, attracting the eyes of all those he passed.
Tang You willed herself into a good mood and strode towards him, calling out crisply, “Mr. Xiao!”
Not too far away, Xiao Weijing heard the clear female voice.
Clean and clear like spring water.
He gazed in the direction of the voice and saw Tang You.
Xiao Weijing frowned with irritation. He was about to move away, wanting to escape being entangled with this woman, when suddenly he felt that something was not quite right. He stopped in his tracks and turned again in the direction of the voice.
Wait a minute.
Tang You was not calling out to him.
His fiancée, whom he has not seen in four years, who had always been very image of a soft, fluffy bun, had on her face now the sweetest, most gentle expression.
Such a smile.
Wasn’t directed at him.
It was for his second uncle, Xiao Zexing.
Translator’s notes:
Ahhh!! Is this it? Will our leads finally “meet” each other and realize that they’d had a huge misunderstanding?
In this chapter we learn a bit more about Tang You’s family and some of the contradictions that she showed in her various facades are starting to make sense. It’s always been emphasized her “weak” self was just a fake image, but in chapter 2, when Xiao Zexing was speaking harshly on the phone, she’d reflexively stiffened and shrank in her seat. At that time, I thought it a bit strange that a “strong” character would react this way, but the (verbally, emotionally, physically) abusive familial relationships made her instinctive responses make sense. Knowing her backstory has made me want to root for her more!
I’m also low-key curious about the “manly” Wen Ling :O (the description of her in italics and brackets are Tang You’s opinions of her by the way!)
