Au Xia

She watched the man hold the woman and carry her upstairs. Jealousy filled her heart. She always thought that as the closest adopted daughter, she would be with him, but he ended up with a mixed-race woman. She was tall, and overweight and not even worthy.

The phone in her hand rang suddenly. This family had welcomed Au Xia as a companion for their mother, who had been sad for a long time after losing Au Arrogan.

At five years old, Au Xia had little attachment to her family. They were middle-class and she lacked for nothing, though she had three older siblings and two younger ones.

"Hello," Au Xia greeted softly, though her expression was gloomy. "Sister Au, don't forget you have an audition today for the new intro song fo—" 

"I am aware," Au Xia acknowledged this and realized she needed to attend.

Already dressed Au Xia, left the mansion.

The vehicle was waiting, it will take a little over an hour to get there. 

Au Xia decisively called her mother to express her grievances. "Mother!" she exclaimed, her voice carrying a sense of urgency. 

On the other end of the line, Mother Au was taken aback, her brow furrowing in surprise at her daughter's call. Recently returned to the main house after some time away, she had found that the dynamics were rather restrictive; typically, she and her daughter were not allowed to enter without the presence of either her husband or her son. However, now that both of them had finally returned home, the situation had changed, because Au Arrogan her cheap son had married a wife who will be the future head and her husband in name only is considering stepping back. Her Li Maya had been the glorious madam of the Au patriarch who is still is his prime at fifty-five. Why would he inform her that he wanted to step back and let that cheap son take over?

Worse he even told her that he already had a daughter in law. What did that mean?

Mother Au, feeling a surge of annoyance, asked in a tone that was slightly irritated, "What is it that you want to tell me?" Au Xia, remaining completely unfazed by her mother's mood, calmly replied, "Mother, brother Ran came home today, and he brought that woman with him." Upon hearing this, Mother Au's eyes narrowed, a sign of her growing displeasure. As she stepped into the bathroom, her mind was a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions. That woman had publicly humiliated her, showing a blatant disregard for her position as her mother-in-law, and it infuriated her to no end. Which mother-in-law can stand this? especially for a woman she loved down on.

This time, with her cheap son and husband both present, she was determined to make that woman understand her place! 

Mother Au was resolved that she would not let this disrespect slide any longer. She would confront the situation head-on and assert her authority in her own home. The tension in the air was palpable, and she could already envision the confrontation that was about to unfold.

He can only be with her daughter!

 "Don't worry, I just returned home," 

Madam Au gently reassured her daughter, aware of the fact that her daughter frequently faced bullying from that woman. How could a mixed-race girl have the audacity to look down upon her precious daughter, who deserved nothing but respect and kindness. She is the eldest daughter of the Au family. 

 She felt a surge of protectiveness, vowing to stand by her child and ensure that such unacceptable behavior would not continue unchallenged. They were stronger together, and Madam Au knew she had to be the unwavering support her daughter needed in the face of unfair judgment and prejudice.

Au Xia feigned innocence, her face was entrenched in gloom. "Mother, she pretended to be asleep and did not even father!" Mother Au really pitied this daughter, speaking softly. "Don't worry about him; he probably knew they were…" Au Xia felt frustrated. Her mother had always been oblivious. She understood that Au Xia liked Brother Ran but did nothing to prevent his relationship with that woman.

"Mother, it has been a long time. She is a hen who can't lay eggs but keeps on occupying the place by brother Ran's side for too long!" Au Xia shouted. 

"Au Xia, daughter, you are still young. She is the daughter in law recognized by your father and protected by your brother."

"Mother! How could you?!" Au Xia exclaimed, her frustration boiling over as she felt a mix of disbelief and anger. She hung up the phone abruptly, tossing it across the vehicle, choosing to ignore it entirely as it continued to ring repeatedly, each sound amplifying her irritation and disappointment.

"Miss Au, we have arrived." Au Xia looked around, surprised at how quickly time had passed. She adjusted her attire, picked up her phone, and instructed the driver to open the door. 

Outside, her personal assistant and two guards were waiting.

"She's so pretty!" one girl exclaimed, her eyes wide with admiration.

"It's said that she's the adopted daughter of the influential Au family," another girl chimed in, clearly intrigued by the news.

"Really? Wow, that's impressive! No wonder she carries herself with such grace," the first girl replied, her voice filled with awe.

"Yes, and her voice is absolutely beautiful; it captivates everyone who hears it," the second girl added, nodding in agreement.

 Just then, Au Xia stepped out of the sleek vehicle, catching snippets of the conversation happening around her. She smiled warmly at the gathering crowd, her demeanor radiating kindness as she responded to their eager questions. The girls surrounding her admired her with genuine appreciation, completely devoid of any jealousy.

"Can you hum a line for us? Just… a little bit?" one of the girls asked, her excitement palpable.

"Of course," Au Xia replied indulgently, her smile growing wider. The girls grew even more excited after hearing the confirmation. Au Xia began to hum softly, her melodious voice filling the air. The girls around her gasped and their eyes sparkled with delight as they listened, their enthusiasm growing even more.

"Alright, that's enough now; she really needs to head inside on time," her manager interjected gently but firmly, sensing the excitement but also the need for order.

"Oh, we're so sorry!" the girls said in unison, stepping back with flushed faces, a mix of embarrassment and lingering excitement evident in their expressions as they reluctantly allowed Au Xia to continue on her way.