Chapter 30: It Was a Mistake
Zhao Lifei felt her heart drop all the way to her stomach. She stared at the wine glass in Xia Mengxi's hand. When she had bumped into her, some of the wine spilled onto Xia Mengix's fingers, and a tiny droplet landed on the blue dress — but it wasn't visible to the eye.
Zhao Lifei took hesitant step backwards, her heart drumming a million beat per minute. She didn't think she would run into Xia Mengxi so quickly. Worse of all, she didn't expect to spill the wine all over her hands.
The chillingly dark voice of Zheng Tianyi spoke up. "You crazy woman, how dare you show your face around here and then touch my Mengxi?" He nearly snarled the words, his eyes gleaming with displeasure.
"It was a mistake—" Zhao Lifei hissed in pain when he harshly gripped her forearm, yanking her clsoer to the crowd surrounding him.
She noticed it was wealthy, powerful, and credible businessmen. Zheng Tianyi was probably trying to get Xia Mengxi to become acquainted with these men.
"It's been two years and you still haven't learned your mistakes? Crazy bitch, I told you to stay away from my Mengxi!" He grounded his teeth in anger. His grip became deathly painful when he realized she was looking at the people behind him. This bitch, she was still trying to cling onto another big thigh?
Zhao Lifei winced in pain, but didn't dare cry out. She would never give him the satisfaction of seeing her in pain.
"It really was an accident! Let go of me!" She tugged her arm back, but Zheng Tianyi's grip was too tight and unbearable.
"Honey, I'm fine. The wine didn't spill onto my dress, it was only on my hand-"
"This lowly rat dirtied your hands. She should pay for it." Zheng Tianyi seethed, his eyes flaring with anger. The fire in his eyes was enough to burn Zhao Lifei.
Zhao Lifei scowled and roughly pulled her arm back. "Don't be so petty, she can wash her hands." She glared back at him, not liking the way he stared at her as if she was someone lower than him. She couldn't believe she had fallen for a trash like him. Even though she had these thoughts, her heart couldn't help but skip a beat when starring at his handsome face.
He wasn't the male lead just for show. The aura around him was impeccable and his face was beyond alluring.
Zheng Tianyi was surprised by her change of behavior. He had expected her to beg and plea for mercy. He didn't expect this snarky woman that dared to talk back to him. She wasn't like this in the past, what made her change her mind?
"Let go of me, Mr. Zheng, you're bruising my arm!" Zhao Lifei reminded him, her eyes shinning with hatred and annoyance.
Even though her heart was quivering and her legs were shaking at his overbearing presence, she kept her voice strong and firm. She didn't want to appear weak, even though she was.
"Fine." Zheng Tianyi pushed her back with so much force, Zhao Lifei fell onto her backside.
The crowd of influential socialites chuckled at the embarrassing sight of Zhao Lifei on the floor and Zheng Tianyi standing over her. It seemed after all these years, she was still chasing after him.
Sheesh, did she have nothing else better to do than beg for Zheng Tianyi? Can she clearly not tell the man was already taken?
Zhao Lifei grounded her teeth so hard, she was surprised it wasn't going to crack from the pressure. Her eyes shot daggers at him, wishing and praying he would just drop the ground.
"You're absolutely insane!" She sniped at him, attempting to stand up. And when she tried to do so, something trickled over her head, down her hairs and onto her forehead.
The people gasped and began to mummer to themselves.
Zheng Tianyi had poured a glass of wine over Zhao Lifei.
"I warned you before, to not mess with my Mengxi. It seems you wouldn't listen." He nonchalantly said, grabbing another wine glass to pour over her.
Zhao Lifei was so engulfed with the shock and taste of the wine, her body stiffened in shock. Her thoughts began to swirl to the past where she swore and promised her grandfather she would never remember the taste of wine again, but the minute it touched her lips, she felt the sudden surge of her addiction towards her.
"A lowly woman, that is exactly what you are." Zheng Tianyi reminded her when he grabbed the third glass of wine and splashed it onto her dress.
The people pitied her and now that Xia Mengxi was standing so close to her, they saw that both woman was wearing the same dress. Immediately, they hounded on Zhao Lifei who seemingly copied Xia Mengxi's dress since her dress was publicly announced on television first.
"How shameful, copying the same dress as Xia Mengxi!"
"Man, she never learns does she? It's been two years and she's still after Zheng Tianyi."
"When will she get the memo that he doesn't like her anymore?"
"How embarrassing, wearing the same dress as Xia Mengxi. Does she want to be her?"
"Haha! That crazy bitch can never be Xia Mengxi, even if she tried! With such a bad and spoiled attitude, there's no way she can match up to the innocent and kind Mengxi!"
"I can't believe she would show up here, dressed like that. Shameless!"
"Of course she's shameless, she has been that her whole life!"
"It's not a surprise Zheng Tianyi abandoned her. What a horribly embarrassing woman."
The people was quick to jump on the bandwagon of humiliating Zhao Lifei. They didn't know that the dress was randomly send to her. They didn't know that Zhao Lifei was completely innocent here.
Zhao Lifei got a wake-up call when she felt the biting cold. Someone must've opened the window or something, because it wasn't this cold before.
Laughter erupted in the room and Zhao Lifei began to shake at the memory of what happened two years ago.
In the same style banquet, in the same position, she was back here reliving her nightmares again.
Zhao Lifei scolded herself for being so scared and terrified. She had underwent training just to overcome this scenario, why was she on the floor like a wounded puppy?
"You crazy bastard..." Zhao Lifei muttered under her breath, standing up within seconds, startling Zheng Tianyi and the crowd.
They had expected her to be weak and cry on the floor, then dragged out by security. They didn't expect her to compose herself so quickly.
When she stood up, the people laughed again. Wine was dripping down her hair and onto her face, making a red streak. She looked like an absolute mess. No, she looked like a crazy purple monster who reeked off a pungent smell.
Zhao Lifei observed the scene before her. Wasn't this the same scene that every Korean Drama villain had to live through? Was she the villain again? Even though the current situation at hand was completely unintentional? But the people didn't care about the truth. They only cared about the momentary pleasure of the free entertainment unraveling before them.
"Zheng Tianyi, you're absolutely insane." Zhao Lifei repeated, this time, her voice was louder and more clear.
At the insult, the crowd immediately silenced. Was she serious? Did she really not care anymore?
Zheng Tianyi will destroy her for insulting him! She should've just begged on her hands and knees for mercy!
"What did you just call me?" Zheng Tianyi's voice was so dark and hoarse, the people gulped in fear. Currently, he was the most powerful man in this room.
Zhao Lifei was screwed.
"I said you're insane-" Zhao Lifei didn't finish her sentence when a smack as swift as lightning slapped across her face.
PAK!
The people gasped, clearly not believing their eyes. This was the second time Zheng Tianyi had struck a woman, and it happens to be the same woman!
The slap echoed loud and clear throughout the room.
Zhao Lifei's parents and sister watched her from the corner. They didn't bother intervening to help and save her. What was the point in helping that useless woman?