NOVPUB
Chapter 13 - 13: Dealing with the Malicious Young Aunt
Mrs. Huo's face turned pale with anger. Today was supposed to be a joyful day, and the atmosphere had been harmonious.
Lin Banxia's intrusion was like a rat dropping into a pot of delicious stew, ruining it completely and leaving everyone feeling stifled.
In stark contrast, the instigator herself sat calmly in her chair, savoring fine food and wine, and even found time to flirt with a couple of handsome, charming bartenders with her glances.
She was so at ease, utterly detached from the chaos she had caused, thoroughly enjoying life.
The banquet to celebrate Mrs. Huo's birthday carried on, as if Lin Banxia's little interruption had never happened.
But everyone in the Huo Family began harboring resentment toward this disruptive woman, Lin Banxia.
The first to confront Lin Banxia was Huo Qinglin's sister, Huo Anya.
"Lin Banxia, do you even realize how disgusting you are? How could you give such a ridiculous gift to my grandmother?" Huo Anya pointed at her face. Her voice wasn't loud, but the fury was evident on her face.
Lin Banxia raised her eyes. This Huo Anya was quite the tough one. Back when she and Huo Qinglin had marital troubles, half of them were stirred up by Huo Anya. She was the type of person who couldn't resist stabbing you in the back whenever she got the chance.
"Miss Huo, Grandma didn't say anything. It's not like the gift was for you. Why are you so mad?" Lin Banxia used her air of innocence to disarm everyone, which was undoubtedly one of her skills.
"Why am I mad? You embarrassed the entire Huo Family, don't you know that?" Huo Anya gritted her teeth in fury.
Lin Banxia blinked her large, dark, and innocent eyes. "Really? Then I'm truly sorry. I didn't expect that my birthday gift would make you feel so humiliated. If I'd known, I wouldn't have come. Really, it was your brother who insisted I come."
Huo Anya almost lost it at this woman who seemed so deceptively pure.
"Couldn't you pick a decent gift to give? You're deliberately trying to make my brother look bad, aren't you?" Huo Anya was still fuming, about to lose control. 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓅𝓊𝓫.𝒸ℴ𝓶
"I swear on my conscience, I absolutely wasn't. If you think my gift embarrassed your family, I'll go ask Grandma to return it right now, and I'll leave immediately." Lin Banxia said this as she stood, ready to leave.
"Sit down!" Huo Anya yelled, pushing Lin Banxia hard, trying to force her back into her seat.
Lin Banxia used the force of the shove and ended up falling backward dramatically, landing on the floor in an embarrassingly awkward position.
"Miss Huo, why did you push me?" Lin Banxia's voice rose, instantly drawing the attention of many around them.
Huo Anya froze in shock. She hadn't meant to push her over; she only wanted to stop her from causing more embarrassment.
Perhaps she had used too much force, but Lin Banxia shouting loudly like this was once again making the Huo Family lose face.
"I didn't push you! You fell down yourself!" Huo Anya immediately tried to distance herself from the blame.
"You absolutely pushed me. Just now, you even said my gift was embarrassing and made your family look bad. Wuuu... I'm so sorry, I really didn't mean to. I'll just leave now," Lin Banxia said, tears spilling down her face as she cried pitifully, looking utterly aggrieved.
The commotion on this side grew so intense that Mrs. Huo herself came over. She shot a sharp glare at the stunned Huo Anya, her authoritative voice scolding, "Anya, what are you doing? Do you want to create more chaos?"
"Grandma, I... I really didn't push her! She fell on her own!" Huo Anya, genuinely wronged, flushed red with anger and frustration, stomping her feet, on the verge of tears herself.
Lin Banxia remained sitting on the floor, covering her face as she cried miserably and sorrowfully.
Mrs. Huo, now so angry her face was beginning to turn bluish, shouted, "Yan Ting! Take Banxia to the hospital to get checked and see if she's hurt anywhere."
Huo Yanting, who had been sitting nearby enjoying the spectacle, finally stood up gracefully. His long legs carried him toward Lin Banxia. Looking down at her from above, he asked, "Can you walk on your own?"
"No!" Lin Banxia answered directly. She wanted everyone to clearly see just how malicious Huo Anya truly was.
