"Miss Wen, please take a seat. Let me know if you would like something to drink," Rong Dai said as she stood up politely when she saw someone come in, hoping that the other party would not dwell on her previous rashness, so as not to affect the agreement between her and Huo Shao Ting.
Seeing her courteous manner, a hint of doubt flashed through Wen Shi Lan's eyes, but she did not take Rong Dai seriously at all.
She casually tossed the hundred-thousand-dollar bag onto the booth, and looked at Rong Dai disdainfully. With arms crossed, she sat down, "No need for drinks. I, Wen Shi Lan, haven't fallen so far that I need your charity. You have to rely on someone else for a living, can you even afford to treat me?"
Rong Dai's smile did not diminish. She remained as gentle and elegant as before. Unfortunately, she did not recognize the value of that bag, otherwise she would have known that Wen Shi Lan was mocking her from head to toe.
Since she had asked to meet Wen Shi Lan, Rong Dai was already prepared to be ridiculed by the other party.
Who could blame her for scolding Wen Shi Lan without realizing the situation after transmigrating?
Which woman would not feel dissatisfied and wary when her husband stood up for another woman?
She did not think she was wrong to say those things at the time. She just did not analyze the situation well and was too reckless, which put her in a passive position now.
Since Wen Shi Lan and Huo Shao Ting were in love, he must have discussed it with her before agreeing to marry the original owner.
Rong Dai had not thoroughly researched Wen Shi Lan's family background, but being associated with such an affluent family like the Huo's, her background was certainly not bad.
If Wen Shi Lan had disagreed initially, with Huo Shao Ting's capabilities, he certainly could have persuaded the old lady.
Even if the old lady insisted, Huo Shao Ting could have simply refused to marry the original owner, so what could the old lady have done?
Since he agreed, he should not cling on and make a clean break, so he could live with a clear conscience.
By clinging on like this, it made the original owner seem at fault.
Rong Dai not only looked down on Wen Shi Lan, but also on Huo Shao Ting.
Although she was grateful to Huo Shao Ting for helping her resolve the matter graciously, it did not affect her judgment of him.
If he did not agree, why didn't Wen Shi Lan strive for their relationship herself?
Now he had forced Rong Dai into a dilemma, having to conceal things from the Huo family while pretending with Huo Shao Ting, all while trying to make a living.
Looking at it this way, her thirty years as Empress seemed to be in vain. Her palace tactics were of no use here.
What authority as Empress, what dignity as Empress, would be suicidal madness here.
Various helplessness and depressed feelings flashed through her mind. Although she was meeting Wen Shi Lan to reconcile, there were some things she could not compromise on.
It was absolutely impossible for her to bow her head to a modern woman, having never bowed her head to anyone in her past life despite the dire circumstances then.
Although Rong Dai had a smile on her face, she was quite disdainful in her heart.
She was meeting Wen Shi Lan to help Huo Shao Ting resolve their misunderstanding, but that did not mean she would bow to Wen Shi Lan.
"Miss Wen must like Mr. Huo a lot?" She preferred looking into the other person's eyes when speaking.
Eyes were the window to the soul, and even subtle changes in expression could reveal some of their thoughts.
Moreover, she knew her strength. When her eyes took on a gentle look, they could be charming, but staring at someone like this would put great pressure on them.
Although she was here to reconcile with Wen Shi Lan, it did not mean she would bow to Wen Shi Lan.
Having never bowed to anyone in such dire straits in her past life, she certainly would not bow to a modern woman now.
That was absolutely impossible.
Hearing this, Wen Shi Lan looked angrily at her, with jealousy mixed in her gaze. "Isn't that obvious? I grew up with Shao Ting like childhood sweethearts since we were young. If it wasn't for your dead mother saving his grandmother, do you think you could have married Shao Ting?"
Seeing Wen Shi Lan fly into a rage after just one sentence, Rong Dai was even more disdainful in her heart.
No wonder the old lady looked down on such poor upbringing.
With Wen Shi Lan’s temperament, she would have died within three days of entering the imperial harem in her past life.
"What Miss Wen said is indeed a fact," Rong Dai said lightly with a faint smile, speaking unhurriedly in a gentle and soft voice.
"But it can't all be blamed on me either. Since Mr. Huo was willing to marry me back then, Miss Wen, you should have known. If you like him so much, why didn't you stop it?"
She smiled and asked Wen Shi Lan in return, not in a hurry to state her purpose for meeting her.
In her past life, although she deeply loved the Emperor, she had no choice but to personally select beauties to serve him intimately in the harem. That was due to her status and the customs of that era which did not allow her to monopolize the Emperor alone.
However, it was different in this modern era with its emphasis on monogamy and one husband one wife, despite the existence of divorce.
Since they were in love, they could have strived for their relationship.
In her opinion, it was foolish and vicious to give up without fighting for it, yet be unwilling to let go and take revenge on others instead.
Although Rong Dai did not inherit many of the original owner's memories, no woman married without hopes of living well.
How could Huo Shao Ting and Wen Shi Lan not bear some responsibility for the original owner's silent death at the hospital?
So in Rong Dai's eyes, all three of them were at fault here.
One should not have married without clarifying the situation, one should not cling on after marrying someone else, and one should not torment others after letting go.
Rong Dai's counter-question left Wen Shi Lan speechless as her face turned pale and ominous.
Anyway, there were no outsiders here, so she did not need to pretend in front of this slut!
She had also thought Shao Ting would marry her, but when she returned, he was already married to this shameless woman, and even held the wedding.
How could she stop it?
"So you used such great tactics, forcing Shao Ting when I was away, using his grandmother as a shield. Now you're saying these things, aren't you shameless!" Wen Shi Lan said coldly, looking at Rong Dai with disgust as if looking at rotten meat in a sewer.
Rong Dai did not expect there to be such twists and turns, but she was not here today to dwell on past matters, rather to resolve the issues.
"So I'm here today to resolve this with you, Miss Wen."
Wen Shi Lan looked at her puzzled. "Resolve what? Do you think I'll really give way to you? And be a disgraceful mistress?"
Rong Dai could not help laughing inside. What's the difference between your current situation and being a disgraceful mistress?
