1.3.60: Class Reunion (III)

Xiao Yunhua went back inside after dismissing Zhou Ming, only to see a smirking Zhao Meiliang waiting for her. "Was that your boyfriend?" 

Xiao Yunhua merely responded that it was none of her concern. 

However, Zhao Meiliang continued to taunt her, teasingly but Xiao Yunhua could realize the true menace behind her words. "Yunhua, with such a wealthy boyfriend, why would you need to purchase such a small house? It should be embarrassing for you to even consider such a place, I can't believe you're suffering so much."

People began to doubt Xiao Yunhua's relationship with Zhou Ming when Zhao Meiliang revealed her poor living conditions. They couldn't believe the infamous girlfriend was so frugal, when the Zhou family was one of the top families. 

"Meiliang, it's none of your concern why I'm living there." 

Xiao Yunhua's coldness startled Zhao Meiliang but she only assumed that the former was behaving like so because she had hit the mark. 

She smiled deviously and became more willful and made loud assumptions about Xiao Yunhua being the unworthy mistress, even beginning to insult her grandmother. 

Xiao Yunhua realized that Zhao Meiliang was no longer keeping a persona in front of her and finally exposing her façade. 

She grimaced when she heard the nasty speculations about her grandmother, spoken by Zhao Meiliang, until she had enough and stood up. 

A loud slap resounded in the banquet room and everyone went silent. 

Zhao Meiliang had been taken by surprise and stared at her with wide eyes. 

"Zhao Meiliang, I don't care if you insult me. I didn't care when you insulted me. I didn't care when you spread horrendous rumors about me. Nor was I bothered when you sabotaged my relationship at that time...However, I will not allow you to continue to insult my deceased grandmother. These are basic morals that you must follow. Hate me all you want, but your poisonous tongue must never utter the name of my grandmother or else I'll make you regret it." Once Xiao Yunhua finished her furious denunciation, Zhao Meiliang was frozen with shock.

All those years, she had known everything but had chosen to not speak out about it due to their friendship. 

All those years, she thought she was playing Han Yunhua for a fool...yet in the end, she was the one who was forced into a corner in front of everyone. 

Whispers had already begun to formulate among the crowd and Zhao Meiliang burned red with embarrassment. 

Her heart filled with resentment and she raised her hand to slap Xiao Yunhua back, but someone grabbed her wrist and stopped her. 

Xiao Yunhua jumped in surprise and she turned around, noticing a towering figure behind her. 

His eyes were dangerously dark as they stared at Zhao Meiliang in warning. 

Zhao Meiliang began to shake in fear, but remembered that he wouldn't do anything to her because their relationship was fake.

Zhao Meiliang snickered as she yanked her wrist out of his grip. "Give up your act, I know you both are lying about your relationship."

She tried to reach for Xiao Yunhua again but Zhou Ming had his men restrain her. She angrily cursed at Xiao Yunhua, not caring at everyone who looked at her. Seeing the pitiful eyes given to her, she snapped harder. 

"Enough. Ever since high school, you had always seen yourself as above me. I hate you so much. These are my real feelings... I never treated you as a friend, only a stepping stone because you were so smart and popular." Zhao Meiliang was breathing heavy after she exposed her true nature. 

Xiao Yunhua felt her heart ache even though she told herself that she wouldn't let this affect her. 

She already knew the truth, yet why did it make her feel so painful when being said to her face? 

Even in her previous life when she wasn't considered 'beautiful,' she never had a friend her age, so she assumed her better life would give her one here... 

"That's a pity..." she softly murmured, clenching her fists, "You were my only best friend and I had always considered you one until you got my expelled..." 

Zhao Meiliang stopped struggling and looked at Xiao Yunhua with bewilderment. 

She raised her hand for Xiao Yunhua to stop, but both Xiao Yunhua and Zhou Ming had left already. 

Zhao Meiliang felt, for the first time in nearly a decade, that she had lost a genuine friend...