The final rankings of the Milan World Expo International Jewelry Design Competition were announced under the eager attention of the crowd. Within seconds, the news spread like wildfire across the globe via live telecast and online platforms. The media covered the event and result in great detail.
Country Z, Capital city, Mo Family!
Old Mr. Wen and Old Mr. Mo were watching the live telecast of the Milan World Expo International Jewelry Design Competition final rankings. Uncle Zhang, Mother He, and Mother Jiang were all also crowded around the television, awaiting the results.
As to why Old Mr. Wen was at the Mo Family’s residence, it was a question for Old Mr. Wen himself.
All these years, Wen Xinya didn’t purposely set out to mend the relationship between the Wen and Mo families. In her eyes, there was no such need. It was a fact that her mother had died because of the Wen Family, and not a single one of them was innocent. There was no need for her to be caught in the middle pretending to be nice to both sides. She just had to maintain her good ties with the two old men of the families.
Old Mr. Mo knew that although that bastard Wen Haowen was partly responsible for his daughter Mo Yunyao’s death, the ultimate blame laid with the Korean-Chinese Alliance’s scheming. Hence, his grudge over his daughter’s death had lessened and he was now more amiable towards Old Mr. Wen.
Meanwhile, Old Mr. Wen had always felt guilty toward Old Mr. Mo. Since Wen Xinya returned to the Wen Family, he made use of her to curry favor with Old Mr. Mo, trying his best to make up for all the wrongdoings they had done to him. He had felt Old Mr. Mo gradually warming up to them, and so would occasionally invite him over to their home.
After the first few times, it had become a habit.
“That’s right, the ultimate winner is the competitor from Country Z, Miss Wen Xinya…” The host’s exuberant voice from the television not only incited the live audience but also the entire Mo Family.
Mother He was so agitated that she nearly dashed to the front of the television. “I knew it. I knew our Miss would be the champion.”
Uncle Zhang was both excited and pleased as he gazed at the television screen. “Our Miss really has her mother’s flair. The saying ‘like mother like daughter’ is indeed true.”
Mother Jiang’s face was flushed as she continued to watch the cheering crowds on television. “If Mistress was still alive, she would be so happy to witness this scene.”
The few of them chattered on, all feeling extremely happy for Wen Xinya for winning the grand finals.
Old Mr. Wen, in particular, was so excited that he smacked his own thigh and laughed exuberantly. “Xinya is truly my granddaughter and has lived up to her family name. I say, Xinya’s greatest talent has always been merging artistic design with commercial appeal. How is it possible that her Athena’s Protection creation would have no marketability? That judge was indeed blind.”
Old Mr. Wen was very smug at this point.
His “my granddaughter is the most exceptional and no one can match up to my her; whoever doesn’t like my granddaughter is blind” expression was rather insufferable.
His granddaughter’s performance at the Milan World Expo International Jewelry Design Competition was just too astonishing for words.
In the whole history of the competition, many competitors had managed to use their abilities, talent, and charm to win over the judges and the audience, but few had managed to shine as extraordinarily as Xinya did.
Old Mr. Mo glanced at him mildly. “You really know how to pat yourself on the back.”
He still remembered how coldly the Wen Family had treated Xinya. If not for Xinya’s sensible decision to rely on and seek protection from him, the Wen Family would probably have destroyed this granddaughter of his.
Although he had already come to terms with many of his past grievances, this did not mean he accepted or forgave all the things the Wen Family had done.
Old Mr. Wen’s self-satisfied smile froze on his face. He hurriedly said, “Haha, it’s all thanks to your kind guidance that Xinya managed to display such a talented showing. I don’t dare to attribute any of that to myself at all.”
He might have said the words out loud, but Old Mr. Wen remained secretly smug inside.
She had been under Old Mr. Mo’s tutelage since returning to the Wen Family, and he was just reaping the benefits of others’ efforts.
Old Mr. Mo took a sip from his teacup. “Xinya’s exceptional abilities are a result of her own good fortune and hard work. She is a good kid. It is a blessing that your Wen Family has such an exceptional progeny.”
Returning to the Wen Family after 15 years astray was a change as drastic as heaven and hell. Despite having blood relations and a luxurious lifestyle now, everyone in the Wen Family was selfish and harbored their own ulterior motives. The slightest careless mistake would tip this heaven-like life of hers into yet another hell.
Nevertheless, Xinya was well aware of her own precarious situation and had maintained a strict caution right up until this very moment.
He should be proud of her.
The smile on Old Mr. Wen’s face gradually faded. “You are right. Xinya is a good kid. It is indeed the Wen Family’s good fortune to have such an exceptional progeny.”
As he thought about Wen Haowen’s wild ambition and cold-blooded heart, Old Mr. Wen’s face went completely flat.
Old Mr. Mo quietly drank his tea as he continued to watch the television screen. The bright spotlights focused on his granddaughter, so dazzling that it was as if both the sun and moon were shining upon her.
He couldn’t help recalling the time six years ago when Xinya had just returned to the Wen Family. Old Mr. Wen had sent her over to the Mo Family and she had been extremely skinny and wretched-looking, having suffered a harsh, wandering life.
Old Mr. Wen sighed softly. “Character-wise, this Xinya is not like her mother. Instead, she is like her maternal Granny. They are both people who possess extraordinary vigor and exceptional talents.”
Yunyao was also exceptionally talented, but she was like a Queen of the Night flower which only bloomed at night and would wilt before dawn. Like that flower, she had blossomed for only a short period of time before fading.
At the mention of his late wife, Old Mr. Mo’s face dimmed. “Let’s not speak of the dead anymore.”
Whether it was Qian-er or Yao-er!
Qian-er and Wen Zhihang were siblings, but Yao-er had died because of the Wen Family. Regardless of the situation, he just didn’t like hearing Wen Zhihang mention either of their names.
There was no way he could overlook the Wen Family’s selfish and profiteering ways. Although Old Mr. Wen now sincerely cared for Xinya after having grown closer to her over the past few years—this true concern for her was nonetheless derived from guilt towards Xinya and Yunyao for taking advantage of them. Old Mr. Mo felt completely disgusted whenever he thought about it.