Ji Wei’s face was cold and solemn as she stood still.
"Young Madam..." The maid looked to Ji Wei for help.
Zhu Jianian laughed brazenly, "Look at you, you’re being bullied, yet this so-called Young Madam beside you doesn’t dare say a word. Calling her ’Young Madam’ is truly undeserved."
Ji Wei stared at the foot pressing down on the maid’s hand, her expression betraying nothing.
Suddenly, she stepped forward, slowly approaching Zhu Jianian.
Ji Wei’s manner was so composed, composed to a level that made Zhu Jianian feel a pang of insecurity. Still, she forced herself to maintain her bravado and demanded, "What are you trying to do?"
Ji Wei’s lips curled into the faintest smile. Then, she raised her foot and delivered a fierce kick to the crook of Zhu Jianian’s knee!
Zhu Jianian let out a scream of pain as her body completely lost balance, pitching forward with her hands and face hitting the floor at once, scraping her skin raw.
"Thank you, Young Madam."
The maid quickly took the opportunity to scramble up and pick up the gift box from the ground.
Zhu Jianian was sprawled on the floor, unable to move due to the pain. After a long moment, she finally propped herself up with a pale face.
Zhu Jianian had never been so humiliated—not only was she splashed with red wine, but now she had been kicked to the ground like a dog. She could not swallow this indignity, no matter what!
Just as she was about to lash out, she suddenly saw Nan Huiru walking towards them. Her expression shifted immediately, and tears welled up in her eyes as she began to cry pitifully, "Miss Ji, I know you mind my childhood connection with Mo Qian, but it’s an unchangeable fact that we grew up together. You didn’t have to vent your frustrations on me ..."
Ji Wei froze momentarily, but when she saw Nan Huiru’s darkened face as she approached, understanding dawned—Zhu Jianian was playing the sympathy card.
As expected, when Nan Huiru saw the wine stains on Zhu Jianian’s face and the scrapes on her hands, she turned angrily to Ji Wei and said, "Look at what you’ve done! If you have issues, bring them to me! Why are you targeting Jianian? She’s Mo Qian’s childhood friend; what gives you the right to treat her ?"
"Mrs. Nan, you misunderstand Young Madam. Just now, it was clearly this Miss Zhu who caused the trouble, and Young Madam—"
The maid, noticing Nan Huiru blaming Ji Wei without discerning the truth, tried to explain the situation. But she was met with Nan Huiru’s sharp glare that silenced her instantly.
"Ji Wei, you really are skilled at manipulation. Even a maid wants to defend you—looks like I underestimated how good you are at charming people!"
Nan Huiru lifted Zhu Jianian up while continuing her tirade, "I don’t care what your current status is; you must apologize to Jianian immediately! She is a guest of the Gu Family, and if word of this gets out, it’ll be the Gu Family’s reputation that’s dragged through the mud!"
"Fine, I can apologize," Ji Wei said coldly.
Zhu Jianian secretly rejoiced upon hearing this.
Hah! Ji Wei, in front of Aunt Huiru, you’re nothing but a paper tiger, and I’ve got you completely under control!
Hurry up! Apologize to me now!
But before Zhu Jianian’s triumphant smirk disappeared, Ji Wei continued, "However, Miss Zhu should first apologize to this maid. Just now, she stepped on the maid’s hand, and she did so with considerable force."
Ji Wei pulled the maid forward and raised her swollen, reddened hand to Nan Huiru’s line of sight.
Nan Huiru was taken aback and cast a questioning look at Zhu Jianian.
The maid was one of Old Madam Gu’s trusted staff, and injuring her without good reason would definitely be hard to explain.
Zhu Jianian hurriedly stammered an explanation, "Aunt Huiru, I didn’t mean to step on her. Earlier, this maid bumped into me while walking, causing the gift box she held to fall on the ground. I wanted to help her pick it up but accidentally stepped on her reaching hand. I was wearing high heels, so it’s inevitable that her hand is a bit swollen."