I Quit Being This Female Lead (GL) - Chapter 80

The ground floor hall of the brightly lit villa was bustling with people. Although it had been an ordinary residence not long ago, it had now been converted into a spacious, open reception room.

Dozens of well-dressed men and women were chatting, and servants and housekeepers busily moved among them, serving tea and water.

The housekeeper knew the preferences of every guest, so he specifically instructed the chef in the kitchen on what dishes to prepare. Shortly after six o’clock, the fragrant aroma of the food could be smelled.

Mang Ke sat in a corner on a sofa, cradling a cup of water. Not far away was Xun Fangyun, surrounded by the crowd. Everyone was talking to her, and she handled them with a tired look. When she grew impatient, she would look up at Mang Ke, who was sitting across from her, which helped to lift her spirits.

“Speaking of which, cousin,” a man subtly followed Xun Fangyun’s gaze to the opposite side, staring at the somewhat out-of-place girl. He asked, “Is that your family’s new nanny? Why have we never seen her before?”

In their upper-class circles, not only were friends constant, but sometimes even the nannies were familiar faces.

After all, they were people who lived and interacted with the family daily, and it would be far too dangerous if just anyone could walk in.

The man’s words seemed to catch the attention of those nearby. Everyone turned their eyes toward Mang Ke. Some who had ideas about young girls couldn’t help but laugh lightly and discuss, “Don’t say it, but this little girl is quite pretty. Being a nanny… is a pity.”

Xun Fangyun heard all of this, of course. Although her memory was still recovering, she knew she did not have a good relationship with this group of men and women who were claiming kinship. Moreover, they were now eyeing her wife!

Perhaps sensing the unfriendly stares, Mang Ke subconsciously turned her head to look at Xun Fangyun’s direction. She saw them all staring at her. Feeling unnerved, she still forced a smile.

“Pfft—”

A girl couldn’t help but laugh. “She looked over at us, aww, she’s so cute! Is she really a nanny?”

Xun Fangyun frowned tightly. If her mother hadn’t forbidden her to speak, she really would have jumped up now and loudly told these people that Mang Ke was her girlfriend.

The more she thought about retreating, the angrier she became. Xun Fangyun bit her lip, raised her hand, and maneuvered her wheelchair toward Mang Ke.

“Hey? Fangyun, why are you leaving? Weren’t we still talking about your childhood?”

“That’s right! What are you going to do?”

The crowd’s calls did not register with Xun Fangyun. She moved her wheelchair right in front of Mang Ke. The people around them all turned their heads to watch the two of them, whispering among themselves.

Mang Ke was already like a startled bird in this unfamiliar environment. Seeing Xun Fangyun suddenly approach her made her even more nervous. Everyone’s attention had shifted to her, making her feel completely uneasy.

“What’s wrong?” Mang Ke looked at her worriedly. “Are you feeling uncomfortable anywhere?”

Xun Fangyun shook her head, then took Mang Ke’s hand and traced the character for [Bored] on her palm.

Mang Ke couldn’t help but laugh at her complaint. “It might be a bit boring, but aren’t these all your relatives? They came to see you, so you can’t let them down.”

Xun Fangyun glanced at the people around them out of the corner of her eye. She hadn’t even met some of them before, and there were likely plenty of outsiders who had snuck in. Having to sit here and accompany them as a ‘disabled person’ was indeed exhausting.

She let out a long sigh, then reached out and rubbed Mang Ke’s cheek, her dark eyes fixed on her.

The words of that group of people still echoed in her ears. These rich people were always so superficial in their opinions of outsiders. Why did they assume Mang Ke was her little nanny? Couldn’t they compliment her for having such good taste in choosing a wife?

Thinking this, Xun Fangyun raised her hand and squeezed Mang Ke’s cheek.

Mang Ke winced slightly in pain and grabbed Xun Fangyun’s hand, puzzled. “What are you doing?”

Such sudden intimacy had already drawn strange looks. She now suspected that many people had already guessed the secret between her and Xun Fangyun.

Although, technically, it wasn’t a secret.

Perhaps the subtle ‘conversation’ between the two of them piqued curiosity, causing the lively banquet to quiet down considerably. Just as Mang Ke wondered what to do, she heard the housekeeper shake a silver bell in his hand, drawing everyone’s attention.

“Good evening, esteemed guests. I am the housekeeper of the Xun family,” the middle-aged man in a black suit said calmly. “Dinner has been prepared for everyone. Please take your seats.”

Seeing that dinner was served, everyone put down their champagne and red wine and gathered around Xun Fangyun, inviting her to eat.

They assumed Xun Fangyun would obediently go to the dining room, but instead, she held Mang Ke’s hand and, in full view of everyone, made Mang Ke push her into the restaurant.

“Who is that woman?”

“I don’t know. I’ve never seen her.”

“Judging by their relationship just now, she doesn’t seem like a servant.”

“Could it be…”

No one knew who speculated a certain word in the crowd, causing everyone to turn and look at her, which made the person instinctively shut her mouth.

Everyone knew that Xun Fangyun had suffered an accident, became gravely ill, and was bedridden for several years. When all hope of her waking up was lost, she unexpectedly recovered, and did so remarkably quickly, being discharged within half a month. This astonished everyone.

Xun Mu’s personal wealth was already in the tens of billions before Xun Fangyun’s accident. After her child was injured, she wallowed in despair for a year, but then threw herself entirely into her business. In just five years, she achieved accomplishments that would take most people several lifetimes, increasing her wealth tenfold. She was now a leading wealthy figure.

Currently, Xun Mu’s hundred-billion-yuan fortune had no other heir besides Xun Fangyun. So, before Xun Fangyun woke up, many people speculated on whom she would eventually give that enormous amount of money.

But Xun Fangyun suddenly woke up, completely shattering the hopes of some distant relatives looking for a share. Among all the people present, it was impossible to tell who had come with genuine well wishes and who was merely watching the spectacle with a curious eye.

The lives of the wealthy elite are all about money, aren’t they? Although Xun Mu was in good health, there was no guarantee she would remain so in twenty years.

The semi-buffet style open banquet was lively. Xun Mu was very happy today. She offered a warm smile to everyone who came to offer their blessings, a joyful expression she hadn’t worn often in years.

“I wonder who that girl next to Miss Xun Fangyun is?” a middle-aged woman sat next to Xun Mu and asked, feigning casual conversation to pry for information. “Is she her friend?”

Xun Mu sipped her red wine and chuckled lightly. “I think it would be best if Yunyun told you about this herself.”

“Oh?” The woman cut a piece of steak and asked noncommittally, “Didn’t Xun Fangyun lose her voice? She…”

“None of that matters,” Xun Mu said. “As long as Yunyun can be with me, I will accept her no matter what her condition is.”

Hearing her words, those around her exchanged glances and offered words of comfort. “Don’t be too sad. That child, Xun Fangyun, is blessed with great fortune. Since she was able to wake up, it’s a miracle. If she can’t walk, she can use a wheelchair. If she can’t speak, she can use sign language. As long as she is safe and sound, that’s all that matters.”

“That’s right. Her current condition is already quite good. Your family can certainly afford to take care of her.”

The more Xun Mu listened to the consolations of those around her, the more wrong they felt. Their words didn’t sound like comfort but rather like mockery—that she was wealthy but could only spend her life with a disabled daughter. Their tone even carried a hint of schadenfreude.

Xun Mu completely lost her desire to drink. She put her glass down on the table with a grim expression and said sharply, “No matter what Yunyun becomes, I will take care of her.”

“That is true, but pardon my bluntness,” the person who had first spoken continued, “if you pass away first, what will happen to Xun Fangyun? Furthermore, Elder Sister, you are getting older. You should cultivate a suitable heir. That way, he or she will certainly take good care of Xun Fangyun in the future.”

So that’s what she was waiting for?

Xun Mu sighed, rubbed her forehead, and said, “You are right. I am getting older and should indeed start thinking about these things.”

“I am still considering the matter of the heir,” Xun Mu said. “Let’s not discuss this today. Yunyun has just been discharged, and this banquet is to welcome her home, so let’s not talk about such disappointing things.”

Everyone smiled and raised their glasses, the cheerful noise resuming, as if the previous discussion had never happened.

After the banquet ended, everyone prepared to leave. Some women pulled Xun Mu aside for a private chat, and Mang Ke was helping the housekeeper organize things.

“Miss Mang Ke, please go and keep Miss company,” the housekeeper stopped her actions and said, “Li Jie and the others can take care of things here.”

“But I want to help too,” Mang Ke said with some anxiety.

She felt like she hadn’t served any purpose today, merely sitting next to Xun Fangyun and peeling shrimp for her—completely useless.

A few young people who hadn’t left yet saw Mang Ke and walked over. One tapped her on the shoulder and said with a laugh, “This… Miss? What should we call you?”

Mang Ke glanced at them. They were the group who had been surrounding Xun Fangyun, so they must be relatives.

“My name is Mang Ke,” Mang Ke told the group.

“That’s a lovely name. You’re lovely too,” a man reached out and put his arm on Mang Ke’s shoulder, saying, “Tell your brother, are you Xun Fangyun’s girlfriend?”

Mang Ke blushed and nodded. “Yes, I am.”

“That’s a real shame,” the man waved his hand. “You’re going to marry a cripple. I hear she’ll never be able to stand up or speak. How boring will your life be?”

Mang Ke clenched the corner of her clothes and said nothing.

The man continued, “If you ever want some fun, let me know. Here’s my phone number.”

With that, he slipped a small piece of paper into Mang Ke’s pocket, then smiled and left the dining room with his companions.

The housekeeper witnessed the whole thing, but as a mere housekeeper, there was nothing he could do. He could only sigh and say, “Miss Mang Ke, please don’t mind them. They are spoiled by their families.”

“I won’t take it to heart,” Mang Ke took the slip of paper out of her pocket and casually tossed it into the trash can.

It seemed these people were determined to bully Xun Fangyun because they saw her as a disabled person.

Mang Ke couldn’t help but frown. It seemed the affairs of the wealthy elite were truly more complicated than she had imagined…