The Trending Topic Herself: The Villainess is the Superstar!-Chapter 71: From Trouble-Maker to Big Eater

Yolanda Sawyer became very emotional when she saw Tristan Rowe walk in, her eyes glistening with tears, yet her emotions were complex: "Tristan, you... you’ve finally come back?"

Tristan smiled slightly, but his words were extremely courteous: "Sorry to have worried you."

Yolanda’s hand trembled slightly, and she seemed to let out a gentle sigh: "Come, sit, sit, just sit on the sofa next to me."

Tristan responded and sat down next to Yolanda.

Somehow, there was nothing much to say between the two.

Jessica Young tried to lighten the mood: "After all these years, Third Brother hasn’t aged a bit! He looks the same as he did ten years ago. Unlike me, look at these wrinkles around my eyes growing circle by circle... I must ask you someday for your secret to staying youthful..." Jessica, well-maintained, had smooth cheeks with hardly noticeable wrinkles around her eyes. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

Tristan directed a somewhat genuine smile at Jessica: "Second Sister-in-law is joking, you look much younger than me."

Jessica smiled and noticed Ian Rowe and Maya Monroe who just entered, explaining: "This is Maya, she’s Ian’s wife whom he married not long ago."

Tristan’s gaze seemed to hold some deeper meaning when he looked at Maya, then turned to Yolanda beside him: "Ian married Maya from the Monroe Family, which Monroe Family is that?"

Yolanda’s face instantly froze.

Jessica hurriedly responded: "It’s the Monroe Family from Kyston; forget about family background, Maya is truly delightful. The most important thing is she and Ian get along perfectly, and that’s enough."

"Oh..." Tristan elongated his tone, then asked: "When did a daughter from the Monroe Family marry into the Rowe Family?"

Jessica’s smile nearly faltered: "It was at the beginning of the year; you were abroad then, so you don’t know Maya."

"That’s quite unfortunate." Tristan superficially sighed, finally not probing further into the matter.

Jessica let out a sigh.

"Since everyone is here, let’s eat," Yolanda spoke up, her voice lacking the previous strength, sounding feeble.

Everyone headed towards the dining room.

Maya had been eagerly waiting for this part—the meal.

Maya, previously weak, suddenly sped up, and it was Ian who held her back.

"Let Second Aunt and the others go first," he asked her, "Did you not eat enough this morning?"

Maya nodded and then shook her head.

She had eaten quite well in the morning, yet she always felt very hungry by noon.

She couldn’t help but feel Ian’s mouth carried more of a smile; although this cold beauty smiling could be breathtaking like the warmth of spring, she always instinctively tried to decipher the meaning behind the smile.

"Then eat more later."

Just a casual remark, yet Maya couldn’t quite grasp Ian’s thoughts.

The family soon sat down.

The several individuals felt somewhat constrained; calling it eating could be misleading as chatting occupied more time—the chopsticks hardly moved as everyone cherished the precious family gathering.

"Tristan, how’s your overseas development over the years? Perhaps it’s better to come back to your homeland, domestic development is vigorous, and the primary advantage is you wouldn’t have to stay abroad every day. Home is best after all," Yolanda said, looking at Tristan.

Tristan seemed to glance sideways at Ian: "It’s not easy to relocate an industry back home, still need to be busy abroad for a few years, but I’ll stay a few more days at home during the New Year."

Yolanda sighed: "Staying a few more days... isn’t so bad."

Jessica smiled: "The old lady misses you; Third Brother, make sure to call more frequently to reassure her."

Tristan didn’t readily comply, sipping his tea and speaking ambiguously: "Business indeed keeps me busy, but reaching my age, I always want to leave something to myself..."

Jessica nodded, under Yolanda’s gaze, she asked the question implied: "Third Brother... having been abroad for so long, have you dated anyone?" Jessica chuckled some more: "Look at Ian, he’s married already; in my opinion, you should also find a partner. While you’re preoccupied with career now, you’ll understand later that having someone to confide in is important."

A noticeably tense atmosphere followed.

Fiona Rowe, the youngest, detested such vibes the most. Like now, she felt her breathing was somewhat hindered.

At school, countless people flattered her, complimenting her good family background, but Fiona well knew that outsiders’ view of the Rowe Family harmony was deceiving; her Third Uncle Tristan was more strategic and challenging than her elder brother Ian.

Occasionally, when Tristan visited the ancestral home, he’d speak a few words with Fiona; his smiling demeanor never evoked a smile from her in return. Perhaps part of it stemmed from blood relations, as despite Ian’s cold personality, Fiona had a pretty good relationship with him. Tristan... he was ultimately adopted by the Rowe Family and showed little attachment.

Fiona kept her head lowered, noticing Howard Rowe’s serious expression beside her.

Looking to her left, Fiona was stunned to see Maya gobbling down dumplings, swallowing them whole without being swayed by surrounding circumstances.

She ate rapidly, with efficient movements but without seeming crude.

Fiona instinctively swallowed, suddenly feeling hungry. How appetizing Maya’s eating was...

Usually, Fiona disliked Maya due to her low emotional intelligence that often offended people; once, when Maya attended her parent-teacher conference, Fiona became the class laughingstock.

Yet now...

Fiona suddenly felt her perspective on Maya might have shifted slightly.

From being overly dramatic, she transformed into a big eater—somehow becoming more charming.

Fiona suddenly sighed, feeling like watching Maya eat would shield her from the current tense atmosphere.

Maya noticed Fiona staring, turning to look at her.

Fiona stiffened all over, awkwardly turning her head away, her cheeks slightly flushed.

Ian also observed Maya, finding her unaffected demeanor somewhat... adorable. He even briefly desired to stroke her hair.

Maya turned her head to Ian, puzzled over why various people kept gazing at her.

Nonetheless, Maya’s quick reflexes surfaced as she promptly picked up a piece of meat for Ian—particularly chosen, eighty percent fat and twenty percent lean, guaranteed to burst with juices.

"Darling, eat more. Here’s a big piece; it’s my favorite!"

She whispered, her lips curling into a smile, one deliberately crafted by her just the same.