The Black Swan Trap - chapter 9

After returning home, Liu, the housekeeper, applied medicine to Wen Ning’s ankle.

Wen Ning’s skin was naturally fair, so even a slight sprain made the redness and swelling look rather frightening.

Even Wen Jiming was startled when he came home and saw it. “How did this happen?”

“I went out and ran into a rainstorm. The road was slippery and I fell…”

Zhao Qianru, noticing Wen Jiming’s concern, pursed her lips in displeasure.

“You’re already an adult and still tripping as you walk? So careless. Don’t disgrace the Wen Family.”

Wen Jiming glanced at Zhao Qianru, then turned to Wen Ning.

“Aunt Zhao is right. When you enter university, the Wen Family will hold a banquet to announce your existence. I hope you’ll have the bearing of a young lady.”

“I understand, Dad. I’ll be more careful from now on.”

Wen Ning lowered her head quietly, appearing weak and helpless, her ankle alarmingly red and swollen.

Wen Jiming didn’t continue to criticize her and went upstairs without looking back.

Wen Ning thought, if it had been Wen Hua who fell, the private doctor would already be waiting at the Wen Family home.

Zhao Qianru would be full of concern, and Wen Jiming would ask after her a few more times.

But for Wen Ning, all they cared about was the Wen Family’s image.

Since Wen Jiming was indifferent, Wen Ning could only fight for herself.

Noticing that Wen Jiming had gone to the study, Wen Ning quietly followed when Zhao Qianru wasn’t paying attention.

Wen Ning knocked on the study door. “Dad, it’s me, Wen Ning.”

“Come in.”

Wen Ning limped in, her eyes brimming with tears from the pain.

Seeing her like this, Wen Jiming assumed she was trying to look pitiful to win his affection, and felt a bit displeased, his tone cold.

“Is there something else?”

“I think what you said earlier was right, so I’d like to find an etiquette teacher to study with. I don’t want to be a daughter who cannot present herself properly and bring shame to the Wen Family.”

“Hmm… not bad.”

Wen Jiming nodded, finally satisfied with the daughter in front of him. He put down his teacup and looked at Wen Ning.

He hadn’t expected Wen Ning to meet his gaze instead of lowering her eyes.

The tears that had come from the pain were forced back by Wen Ning.

His judgment had been correct.

When he saw the thin and frail Wen Ning in Yunzhou, he had felt sorry for her and saw a shadow of an old acquaintance in her.

But what ultimately convinced Wen Jiming to bring her home was that he saw Wen Ning’s beauty, surpassing even Wen Hua’s.

As a daughter of the Wen Family, Wen Ning’s greatest value was as a tool for marriage alliances to consolidate the Wen Family’s position.

Therefore, Wen Jiming did not want Wen Ning to remain gloomy, rigid, and timid as she was before.

Now, after a month in Jing City, he had seen some changes in Wen Ning.

Wen Jiming softened his tone. “I’ll arrange an etiquette teacher for you. Once your ankle has healed, you can begin your lessons.”

Wen Ning smiled, her eyes curving. “Thank you, Dad.”

Before she left the study, Wen Jiming transferred 500,000 yuan to Wen Ning’s card.

This fall was well worth it.

Wen Hua naturally knew nothing about this little episode. When she returned home for the weekend, Wen Ning was standing at her bedroom door, holding a freshly washed suit jacket.

After not seeing her for some time, Wen Hua found Wen Ning even more like a lotus emerging from clear water.

When she first saw her, she was skinny and plain. Though she was good-looking, she had no presence.

Now, Wen Ning had an indescribable calm and an unselfconscious beauty.

This innate temperament made Wen Hua feel a bit repulsed just looking at her, and her tone was less than pleasant. “What do you want?”

“Sister, this is Young Master Jiang’s jacket. I don’t have his contact information, so could you please return it to him for me?”

When in Jiang Nie’s presence, Wen Ning called him Mr. Jiang; at other times she called him Young Master Jiang.

Jiang Nie was a student, not much older than her.

Other people either called him by his name or Young Master Jiang. Except for waiters and the like, no one of their age called him Mr. Jiang.

Jiang Nie often acted mature. For a boy with such a personality, being called ‘Mr.’ by a gentle girl made him feel quite pleased with himself, as if he were walking on air.
“What?” Wen Hua was somewhat incredulous. “Why do you have Jiang Nie’s jacket?”

It seemed as if something was slipping out of her control. Wen Hua’s eyes scrutinized Wen Ning.

Wen Ning explained, “A couple of days ago, when I went with Liu to bring you food, we ran into him at the gate of Capital City University (Jingda).

It was raining, I got soaked and twisted my ankle, so Young Master Jiang gave me a ride.”

Wen Hua felt her mind couldn’t keep up, a faint anger simmering inside her.

“Why did you come to bring me food for no reason? Why did you go to Jiang Nie instead of looking for me at school?

Why didn’t I know anything about this! Do you like Jiang Nie?”

After all, it wouldn’t be surprising if a country bumpkin like Wen Ning, who came from a small place, was attracted to Jiang Nie.

Jiang Nie was very handsome. If it weren’t for his average family background, Wen Hua would have considered choosing Jiang Nie herself.

But now that she had Shen Du as her ultimate goal, Wen Hua would no longer consider Jiang Nie.

That said, she also wouldn’t allow someone who liked her to have any entanglement with Wen Ning. Someone like Wen Ning wasn’t good enough for Jiang Nie.

Wen Ning hadn’t expected that just a jacket would provoke such a strong reaction from Wen Hua.

She smiled softly and patiently said,

“Sister, I was just bored at home and wanted to go out with Liu. Aunt Zhao agreed too.”

“I messaged you when I got to the school gate, but you didn’t reply. Running into Young Master Jiang was just a coincidence. Please don’t misunderstand, Sister, there’s nothing between me and Young Master Jiang.”

“I think it’s only because I’m your younger sister that he kindly helped me.”

Hearing Wen Ning’s words, Wen Hua remembered that she had indeed received Wen Ning’s message but had ignored it.

Even so, Wen Hua didn’t feel any better.

She snatched Jiang Nie’s jacket back into her hands and replied in a tone like a hostess.

“At least he knows how to behave, taking care of you for my sake. He happened to ask me out today, so I’ll return this to him for you.

You don’t know, Ah Nie looks cold and aloof, but he actually loves to stick to me.”

Wen Hua wanted to see unwillingness or jealousy in Wen Ning’s eyes.

But unfortunately, Wen Ning didn’t react much. Instead, she nodded cooperatively.

“It’s obvious Young Master Jiang treats you differently, Sister. You’re amazing.”

Wen Hua felt annoyed, as if she’d punched cotton-completely powerless.

“Alright, as my sister, you’re certainly not lacking either. If you’re bored, you don’t have to come looking for me on purpose. You can ask Duan Wenhao out to have fun! Didn’t he say he wanted to take you out?”

Wen Hua felt that Wen Ning was actually a good match for someone with Duan Wenhao’s family background.

“Okay, Sister. My ankle is injured these days. Once it’s better, I’ll go out more.”

After Wen Ning left, Wen Hua casually tossed the jacket onto the sofa and began carefully picking out an outfit to go out in.

As long as she could go out with Jiang Nie, there was a chance she might run into Shen Du again. Wen Hua naturally had to be prepared at all times.

Just as she was about to leave, she saw Liu tending the garden. Wen Hua walked over and asked, “Liu.”

“Yes, Miss, is there something you need?”

“A couple of days ago, Wen Ning went with you to bring me food. Why didn’t she wait for me in the apartment and instead went out on her own?”

“Miss Wen Ning was in the apartment at first, but she kept sneezing because of her dust allergy. I told her to go outside for some fresh air and wait for me to finish cleaning.”

“Who knew it would suddenly rain? By the time Young Master Jiang brought her back, her ankle was injured and badly swollen.”

“So she twisted her ankle-did Jiang Nie help her? Did they have any close contact?”

“No, no, Miss Wen Ning called me to come down and get her. After she got out of the car, Young Master Jiang left.”

“Got it. You can get back to work.”