Chapter 299: Marrying Into a Wealthy Family

# Rejected 99 Times, the Aloof Campus Belle Comes On Strong

## Boss Cutie

Xia Xiran's palms were already slick with cold sweat. She kept clutching at her knees, tears welling up in her eyes, and she clenched her teeth hard to keep them from falling.

Aunt rested a hand against her cheek and looked at Xia Xiran with a meaningful gaze. "Of course I'm not rejecting you outright. I just think you have a lot of room to improve. If anything, once your career takes off, you might naturally become a match for our Muye."

Xia Xiran sobbed, her voice thick with grievance. "I can't wait that long. Am I really that unworthy of Muye? Feelings aren't something you can just have because you're a good match. Lots of people with huge gaps between them end up together in the end."

"There are. But how many of them actually make it to marriage?" Aunt gave a cold snort. "You think those mismatched couples are all naive little sweethearts with no brains? Especially the ones who marry into wealthy families—every one of them has schemes and tricks! If you want to be Cinderella, you should at least know that Cinderella's family wasn't poor!"

Xia Xiran bit down hard on her lip.

"If I were you, I'd back off while I still can. Otherwise, no matter how you struggle, it won't do any good. When people talk about you, they'll just treat you as a joke. If you fail to climb up, everyone says you're a toad dreaming of swan meat." Aunt glanced at her crimson-painted nails.

"And if you do succeed in climbing up," Aunt's gaze fixed straight on Xia Xiran, "you'll be notorious forever. The mistress label will never come off. No matter how successful your career gets, when people mention you, oh, that's just a mistress, what's so impressive about that."

That completely crushed Xia Xiran's proud heart.

She sobbed until she couldn't catch her breath.

What she hated most was being belittled by others.

And yet she couldn't refute a single thing Aunt had said.

She had driven herself into the most awkward position possible, and now she had not even a trace of a way out.

"But I really can't give up. If I give up, what if I regret it later?" Xia Xiran was still trying to convince Aunt.

Aunt spoke bluntly. "Are you sure you won't regret it? When your ability can't match Muye's, when your family background falls short, when you can't support Muye, and you're constantly under public scrutiny—do you have the mental strength to bear all that?"

Aunt's voice sank. "Once you enter a wealthy family, it's as deep as the sea. Do you think you can hold out?"

Xia Xiran felt an enormous pressure bearing down on her.

She felt as though she had come here full of hope, and now all her hopes were shattered.

"But can you be sure Leng Ruoli can hold out?" Xia Xiran stubbornly forced out the words. "I don't think she has that kind of mental strength either."

Aunt laughed. "She doesn't need it."

"Why?"

"Because she is the wealthy family!" Aunt said with absolute certainty. "With my nephew dotting on her and loving her, does she need to scheme against anyone?"

Every word Aunt spoke stabbed into Xia Xiran's heart. Xia Xiran lowered her eyes, overcome with self-loathing.

That's right. How could she even compare to Leng Ruoli?

Leng Ruoli was a wealthy heiress. She had plenty of people behind her offering advice and planning, and she had Jiang Muye to protect and escort her.

And what did she have?

Father Jiang and Mother Jiang looked at Xia Xiran's utterly despondent expression, and quietly whispered to Aunt, "Isn't that a bit too harsh?"

After all, Xia Xiran was just a girl. She hadn't done anything terribly wrong.

"If you don't strike hard, how are you going to drive her off?" Aunt narrowed her eyes. "You can't leave her even one bit of hope. Otherwise, when the spring wind blows, the grass will grow back again."

Aunt had gotten to her current position by grinding and sharpening herself, by fighting furiously for everything she had.

There had been so many women around her late husband—young ones, beautiful ones, the works.

Why had she been able to stay at the top all this time without being shoved aside? The answer was simple: "ruthlessness."

If a woman isn't ruthless, her position isn't stable.

And within the talent-packed Chen Clan, she had been able to eliminate every other successor and leave the position solely to Jiang Muye—that too relied on "ruthlessness."

Xia Xiran's eyes were red, brimming with tears, when a magnetic voice drifted from not far away. "It's quite lively here today."

Xia Xiran turned to look.

She saw a tall, slender figure appear.

He had delicate, handsome features and a proud, untamed air in his bones. He wore only a black duffle coat with horn buttons, and yet he carried himself with the presence of a tailored suit.

In his hand, he firmly held a small, delicate hand, and the owner of that hand was none other than the beautiful, captivating Leng Ruoli. She wore a velvet pink A-line skirt adorned with the trendiest craftsmanship elements.

She was dressed elegantly and dazzlingly, decked out head to toe in name brands.

Just the pink A-line skirt alone cost over a hundred thousand. Xia Xiran had seen it in a magazine before but could never bring herself to buy it.

But Leng Ruoli could have it effortlessly.

Just as Leng Ruoli had effortlessly obtained the thing Xia Xiran most wanted: Jiang Muye.

Xia Xiran had never imagined that Jiang Muye would show up here with Leng Ruoli right now. Her eyes were filled with astonishment, and she was somewhat unprepared.

It wasn't just Xia Xiran who was astonished—Aunt and the Jiang couple were astonished as well.

Mother Jiang was the happiest of all. She immediately stood up and ran over. "Son, why didn't you say you were coming?"

Jiang Muye glanced at Xia Xiran, then said to Mother Jiang with a meaningful tone, "Mom, haven't you always wanted to meet Ruoli? Naturally I had to bring her for you to see."

He hadn't come back for Xia Xiran. He wanted to use this opportunity to make Xia Xiran fully understand that he and she would never get back together, and incidentally let Leng Ruoli meet his family.

Mother Jiang was overjoyed. Seeing the lovely, charming Leng Ruoli beside him, she was thrilled. "Ruoli, I finally get to meet you."

"Hello, Auntie. I'm Leng Ruoli, and I've been wanting to meet you too." Leng Ruoli was shy and nervous. After all, this was her first time meeting her "future mother-in-law," so she definitely had to make a good impression.

"Absolutely beautiful. Even prettier than your photos," Mother Jiang said with a sigh.

She had secretly swiped a few photos from Jiang Muye before.

Just from the photos, she could tell this was a sensible, well-bred child. Her looks were even better than a celebrity's—no wonder her son liked her.

As a woman herself, Mother Jiang felt genuine fondness the moment she saw Leng Ruoli.

Leng Ruoli flushed with shyness. "Auntie is the beautiful one. No wonder Muye turned out so handsome."

"Look at this, how sweet her mouth is!" Mother Jiang was delighted by the praise and turned to show off to Father Jiang.

Father Jiang smiled. "She's just being polite. You actually took it to heart."

"So you're saying I'm not pretty?" Mother Jiang shot him a sidelong glare.

Father Jiang's survival instincts kicked in immediately. "Pretty, pretty, you're the prettiest!"

Of course he had to say that. What if he ended up kneeling on a washboard tonight?

Leng Ruoli was filled with envy. She instantly felt the warm family atmosphere in the room.

Her own home had only servants. Her parents' relationship was shallow, and whenever they met, they always fought. That was why she especially yearned for a harmonious family.

"Hello, Uncle. I'm Leng Ruoli, Jiang Muye's girlfriend. I came to visit so suddenly today that I didn't prepare anything. I hope Uncle, Auntie, and Aunt will like it." Leng Ruoli greeted them politely, then had the servants bring the gifts up.

When they heard that Leng Ruoli had brought gifts, Father Jiang and Mother Jiang were pleasantly surprised.