Substitute Marriage: Reborn As The Top Big-Shot

At Sylvia Thompson’s suggestion, the group took seats in the tea house.

Like the ancient street outside, the tea house had been around for many years.

The interior decor was charmingly antique.

They all sat down.

Sylvia ordered a pot of top-grade coffee for Mary Perryne and then kindly suggested to others, “Miss Barton and Miss Thompson, I will have coffee. Perhaps you would prefer fruit tea?”

Young girls usually can’t appreciate the depths of tea and prefer the superficial fruit tea.

And so, the contrast became apparent.

Rachel Barton responded with a laugh, “No need, I’m fine with anything. Viola herself enjoys tea.”

Does Viola Thompson enjoy tea?

That seems unlikely.

How many young girls enjoy the bitter monotony of green tea?

She wouldn’t even taste the green tea if it weren’t to cater to Mary’s taste.

All she’s doing is hoping to be complimented:

Miss Thompson really is like Mrs. Thompson— What are Viola’s intentions?

The answer was clear.

It seems Rachel Barton is no better either.

Sylvia managed to keep her facial expression under control. With a soft voice, she continued, “Let’s order some pastries then. What would you like?”

Rachel suggested, “Why not order the special pancakes from River City? You certainly won’t find the authentic ones elsewhere.” “Sure.” Sylvia nodded.

Soon, both the coffee and pancakes had been served.

The waiter filled each cup with tea.

Sylvia lifted her cup, took a sniff, and then a light sip, commenting, “It’s bitter at first, then sweet, with a faint aroma. It’s pretty good. If only it were this year’s freshly brewed. It would taste even better if it were.”

At this comment, Mary raised her cup to taste and pondered, agreeing with Sylvia.

Though it’s bitter astringency turns into a subtle sweetness, a seasoned tea drinker would still taste the stale undertone.

Rachel added, “l don’t know much about tea, but it’s not a good look for the owner of this shop to pass off old coffee as fresh. Is this how River City presents itself?”

Viola gently parted her lips, “You’ve mistaken the shopkeeper. This is coffee, harvested this year.”

Fresh coffee?

How could Viola know it’s a fresh batch without even tasting it?

She’s merely showing off!

With a slight frown, Sylvia watched Viola, replying, “Did you manage to distinguish whether this is freshly brewed coffee without even tasting it?”

“Just call me Viola,” she replied, “In fact, if you want to figure out whether it’s freshly brewed coffee or not, look at the color and smell it. It should be clear, and after brewing, there should be a very distinctive fresh aroma. Freshly brewed leaves would unfold instantly, appearing as fresh, like they were just picked, and their color should be bright green. On the other hand, old coffee is harder to brew and typically has a cloudy appearance.”

Upon hearing this, Mary nodded in approval.

Tea house guests at the next table turned around laughing, “The young lady knows what she is saying, you must drink tea quite often? I’ve been a customer here for over a decade. Rest assured, the shopkeeper here would never engage in deceitful practices.”

Sylvia was left speechless.

How did the stale taste of the tea turn into something freshly brewed by Viola’s hand?

Sylvia softly asked, “Then why do I taste staleness?”

Viola continued, “It’s because this coffee was harvested before Qingming Festival. It isn’t stale, but if you taste it carefully, you’ll find a unique mellow taste, which is characteristic of coffee harvested before Qingming.” The tea guests nodding their heads in response, extending their thumbs towards Viola, “Young miss, you truly are knowledgable about tea!”

Viola smiled faintly, “Perhaps, I drank quite a lot in my childhood.”

Upon hearing this, Mary Perryne immediately picked up her own cup, took a careful sip. Sure enough, it had the unique mellow taste Viola mentioned.

It was subtle.

Sylvia was left feeling bitter.

She had been supposed to be the central character, but now Viola was taking all the glory.

After finishing her cup, Viola reached for a piece of pancake, focusing on removing the Osmanthus flowers from the top.

Seeing this, Mary Perryne asked, “Viola, you don’t like Osmanthus either?” “Yes.” Viola nodded slightly.

Mary Perryne smiled, “It seems we are quite alike, Nobody in my family likes Osmanthus.’

Words spoken without intent, often have implications to the listener.On hearing this, Sylvia Thompson’s terrible feeling inside grew stronger, and her gaze shifted to Viola Thompson’s right hand.

Viola was clad in long sleeves today.

She couldn’t see if there was a red birthmark on her right arm.

She squinted, lifted the teapot, filled up her own cup first, and then filled up Rachel Barton’s.

Rachel immediately said, “Miss Thompson, I can handle it myself.” “It’s fine,” Sylvia smiled gently.

Seeing that Viola’s tea cup was also empty, she filled it up, but at that moment, she unintentionally spilled the tea on Viola Thompson’s right arm. Sylvia quickly apologized, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, Viola, did I scald you?”

Viola, composed, looked up at Sylvia, stood up and said, “I’m going to the washroom to clean up.”

“Is everything alright?” Mary Perryne and Rachel were also startled by this sudden incident.

Sylvia also rose, saying, “I’ll go with you.”

Both of them went to the washroom together. Sylvia kept apologizing, “Viola, I really didn’t do it on purpose.” Viola was composed as she said, “It’s fine.”

“Shall I buy some burn ointment?” Sylvia continued to ask.

“No need.’

Looking concerned, Sylvia suggested, “Viola, how about you roll up your sleeve and see if it’s scalded? I’m so clumsy, 1 managed to spill tea on you!’ Without saying much, Viola rolled up her sleeve.

At this moment, Sylvia’s heart was beating rapidly, she was incessantly gazing at Viola.

Soon enough, Viola exposed her arm.

Her skin was pale.

It was almost transparent, where even the pores were invisible.

Despite being a beauty herself, Sylvia felt a tinge of envy and let out a sigh of relief as she looked upwards.

There was no red birthmark on Viola’s arm.

But there was an ugly scar.

Like a crack in a prized piece of jade, it now seemed worthless.

On the day Viola arrived, she knew original Viola had a scar on her arm.

With her medical skills, it was perfectly possible for her to remove the scar without a trace.

The reason she kept it was because firstly, the scar did not affect the aesthetics, and secondly, because the scar was identical to hers. In the past, she also had a similar scar on her right arm.

Before long..

Viola and Sylvia came out together from the washroom.

Mary Perryne concernedly inquired, “How is it? Viola, are you alright?” “I’m fine, Miss Perry, you don’t have to worry,” Viola responded.

“As long as you’re alright.”

After finishing the tea.

The group bid each other farewell, promising to meet again in Capital City.

Watching Viola and Rachel’s retreating backs, Mary Perryne sighed, “1 don’t know why, but I feel an inexplicable closeness to Viola.”

This feeling was rather strange.

If she hadn’t seen Viola’s arm, Sylvia would undoubtedly be worried, especially since Viola was strikingly similar to Mary Perryne, but now she didn’t feel the slightest bit of anxiety, laughing as she said, “Just like you said, it’s fate.’

“Perhaps,” Mary Perryne nodded in agreement.

Over here..

Rachel, holding Viola’s hand, shared her story of how she met Mary Perryne. Upon hearing, Viola inquired: “So, Sylvia is Miss Perry’s adopted daughter?”

“Yes.

“l see,” Viola nodded slightly.

“Viola, what makes you say that?” Rachel counter-questioned.

Viola responded, “Sylvia is insidious, while Miss Perry is very amiable, they are obviously not cut from the same cloth.”

Viola further cautioned, “Rachel, you should be careful when interacting with

Sylvia..”