I am still the matriarch
In mother Mu's eyes, she thought Xiner was the cutest, most well behaved and cultured.
A true daughter worthy of being in her Mu family.
"Xiao Yue, if we're getting a teacher to teach her on school studies, let's also get her one on etiquette" Mother Mu said.
Xiner revealed looked straight at Xinyan, her eyes filled with mockery.
"Yes mother " Shen Yue agreed as she placed some fresh fruit slices in Xinyan's bowl. She didn't want Xinyan to be disgraced in public too. It was okay if Xiner looked down on her a little but no outsider could.
Xinyan happily ate the sweet fruit and was done with breakfast, she wanted to eat more but she was afraid that mother Mu would lash out on her again so she just went back to her room.
She felt bored. She looked at the shelf that had books on it, it was right beside the desk and chair. There were novels and also some textbooks. She picked up one called 'Charms & Wars'
She began reading the book. It was really interesting to her. The scene was too beautiful, a pretty girl laying on the carpet on the floor of her room, her curtains fluttering with wind coming from the open balcony glass door. Her bright blue eyes staring intently at the book in front of her. Her hair softly swaying why the wind, a true sight for sore eyes.
She didn't want to stay inside the room anymore so she closed the book and wanted to step out.
As she stretched her hand to open the door, Shen Yue opened it instead.
Mother and daughter chuckled at the coincidence.
"Xinyan put on the shoes in the closet, we're going out to buy you some new clothes today"
"Really new clothes. The ones no one has used before ?" Her bright blue eyes shone with unbridled excitement.
"Yes dear " Shen Yue didn't know why she asked that question. She felt so guilty, Xinyan didn't deserve all that suffering. She was the heir of the Mu family. She deserved all the good things and to be treated like a princess.
Xinyan was so happy. Usually when people donated clothes to orphanage they had been used and worn out and she always got the worst ones, so knowing she would get new clothes made her really happy.
She quickly changed into her shoes and followed Shen Yue. As they got downstairs, Xiner was already waiting for them with Mother Mu.
Xiner had finished recounting all the reasons why she didn't want to go shopping with My Xinyan.
When she saw Xinyan coming the down the staircase, she shot her a provocative look.
"Xiao Yue, why take this girl shopping with you? She doesn't need new clothes, she can just use Xiner's old ones. We shouldn't waste money on her "
The smile Xinyan had on, quickly disappeared. Not again... This mansion was so big, surely they could spend a few more bucks buying her new sets of clothes right ? In the books, parents do everything to give their children the best, don't they?
"Mother but she's older than Xiner "
Shen Yue argued, because she had just told Xinyan that she wouldn't be wearing used clothes.
"But she has a smaller body build than Xiner, she's all meat and bones, they'll definitely fit" Mother Mu said.
"Mother we have the money so why can't we just take a little and get her some new clothes ."
"Xiao Yue I am still the matriarch of this family so I am still in charge here since Lenghan is not around and I say we wont waste money on her, thats what we'll do. She will use Xiner's old clothes, final."
Mother Mu said in a commanding tone. She was usually satisfied with this daughter in law, but why did Shen Yue want to treat someone else's daughter better than her own. Still too soft.
She knew how demure Shen Yue was and she wouldn't be able to retort so she would definitely have her way.
"So grandma, will that mean there will be no more shopping trip" Xiner said sadly.
"Oh no dear I didn't say you can't get new clothes I said she can't get new clothes "
Xinyan wanted to cry after she heard this. Wasn't she a child of this family too? Why can't she have the same thing as Xiner? Was it because she had been outside all her life? But that's wasn't her fault, they were the ones who had left her outside all her life. And just now she was so happy and excited about it.
She had learnt her lesson she could never be too happy because something will happen and all her happiness will just go away.
Why did her grandmother have to hate her so much? She was still her granddaughter wasn't she?
"Mother I'll just go back to my room " She quickly left before anyone would see her tears but Shen Yue had already seen it . She felt so guilty.
"Sorry Xiner we wont go out shopping today" Shen Yue quickly said to Xiner as she wanted to go upstairs to console Mu Xinyan and call her husband to know how to counter her mother in law.
"But Xiao Yue you can't go back on your word if not Xiao er will grow thinking it's okay to go back on your word"
When mother mu said those words, they sounded simple but we're subtly commanding. Shen Yue knew a big argument would ensue if she continued.
"Mom please let's go I really want to go please "
"Alright "
Shen Yue was upset, she decided to leave with Xiner because she's couldn't face Xinyan and she couldn't have a face off with Mother Mu. She hoped Xinyan would feel better soon. She left for the mall with Xiner.
Xinyan went back to her room and locked the door, she silently cried and then she wiped her tears away then continued her book. When could she finally be happy?After a while the maid knocked on the door.
"Young miss it's time for lunch" she said from outside the door.
"Are mother and Xiner back ?" Xinyan opened the door and asked.
"No little miss "
"I'm not eating " she didn't feel like eating and she was already used to not having enough to eat so what she ate in the morning would be more than enough for her.
She didn't finish the novel and went to read some of the grade 8 textbooks that were also on the shelf. She read and read then she slept before she woke up and continued again. This was how she spent her time in the orphanage back then.
An empty stomach and no company apart from the books she had with her.
Shen Yue and Xiner came back at 4.30pm they came back with bags and bags of clothes and toys. She could hear Xiner's happy voice from the door. She wanted to see if anything was bought for her but something held her back.
Hearing Xiner's happy voice made her want to cry even more. She was still their daughter. It wasn't her fault she was born. She cried even more. It was easy when you knew you had no one, she didn't cry at all at the orphanage since she turned 5.
But knowing you had such a big family, and still not being treated right was just painful. She deserved love too.