Su Baozhu had been raised personally by Li Liping since childhood. Li Liping had devoted an enormous amount of effort to cultivating her daughter into the accomplished young woman she had become today.
Without question, Su Baozhu was Li Liping’s pride and joy.
In contrast, the country girl standing before her possessed little of value besides her breathtaking beauty.
Looking at Gu Li’s face brought back memories of when Li Liping had first married Su Jianshe. Her mother-in-law had mocked her relentlessly, accusing her of seducing Su Jianshe with nothing more than a pretty face.
Because of that, Li Liping harbored an intense dislike for women with seductive appearances like Gu Li’s.
A country bumpkin from the countryside, no matter how much she resembled her, could never be Li Liping’s daughter.
Besides, how could it be such a coincidence that this girl had appeared in the military compound and was now working as a maid in the Fu Family? The whole situation was likely a scheme. She could not allow herself to be deceived by this seemingly calculating girl.
Only now did she understand why Zhao Yaqin had been inviting her over so enthusiastically these past few days.
So this was what Zhao Yaqin had been waiting for.
After sorting through her thoughts, Li Liping calmly picked up her chopsticks and resumed eating as though nothing had happened.
Gu Li stood nearby, silently observing Li Liping’s reaction with cold eyes.
She was certain that even if she produced the letter Su Baozhu had written to Gu Dajun and Liu Zhaodi right then and there, the woman before her still would not believe it.
Su Baozhu had gone from initial shock to gradual composure. Once she saw Li Liping’s reaction, she relaxed completely, and the pallor on her face finally eased.
Stepping forward cautiously, she asked, “Mom, are you feeling unwell?”
The moment Li Liping looked up and saw the concern written all over her daughter’s face, regret flooded her heart.
How could she have neglected her own daughter simply because she had encountered someone who resembled her? How could she have even entertained the possibility that the daughter she had raised for nineteen years had been switched at birth?
The more she thought about it, the more guilt consumed her. Her heart ached as though countless needles were piercing it.
Baozhu had struggled with insecurities about her appearance since childhood. Heaven only knew how much hurt she had buried inside herself.
Yet Li Liping had grabbed hold of a stranger who happened to look like her and bombarded her with questions without a second thought.
It had been incredibly foolish.
It was no different from rubbing salt into her daughter’s wounds.
Thinking of Baozhu’s suffering, Li Liping gently patted Su Baozhu’s hand.
Her voice softened with affection and tenderness.
“My dear, Mom is fine. I was just thinking that this young lady is around your age, yet she has had to leave her hometown and work as a maid.”
“It made me think of our Baozhu. If you ever marry far away, my heart would feel so empty. I would be heartbroken.”
Hearing this, Su Baozhu immediately wrapped her arms around Li Liping’s arm and said coquettishly, “Mom, I don’t want to get married. I want to stay with you forever. I’m not going anywhere.”
Watching this performance of maternal devotion between the “fake mother and daughter, true green teas,” Gu Li could not stop herself from rolling her eyes dramatically.
Internally, she ranted furiously.
They really know how to act. Such talent going to waste outside the entertainment industry is a tragedy. The Oscars owe them each a statuette.
Zhao Yaqin curled her lips in disdain.
Not only had she failed to witness the drama she had hoped for, but she had nearly been disgusted by the mother-daughter pair’s performance.
She truly had not expected Li Liping to remain so composed. If Gu Li really was Li Liping’s daughter, then Li Liping’s heart was frighteningly cold.
Unwillingly, Zhao Yaqin followed their lead and forced a smile.
“Oh my, you two really are close. I’m so jealous.”
“Why doesn’t Baozhu marry someone from our military compound? Her marital home and parental home would only be a turn away from each other.”
Su Baozhu’s cheeks instantly flushed crimson with embarrassment.
Wasn’t Zhao Yaqin clearly referring to the Fu Family and the Su Family?
However, everyone in Beijing knew that no one could make decisions for Fu Yishen except Fu Yishen himself.
Still, it wasn’t as though she absolutely had to marry Fu Yishen.
If there was no Fu Yishen, there would be Zhao Yishen, Qian Yishen, Sun Yishen, Li Yishen…
Outstanding men like them were everywhere, and each one inevitably fell under her spell.
She loved watching them kneel beneath her pomegranate skirt, utterly captivated by her.
She reveled in being worshipped like a queen.
Only in those moments could Su Baozhu temporarily escape the reality that she was merely a fake heiress and forget that her biological parents were humble peasants.
She had learned the truth about her identity at the age of eight.
She was the fake daughter who had been switched into the Su Family by her biological parents.
During the eleven years since discovering the truth, Su Baozhu had lived in constant fear.
She feared that the real Su Family daughter, Gu Li, would suddenly appear and expose everything, sending her back to the countryside to live a life of endless hardship.
To protect her secret, she had maintained correspondence with her biological parents for the past eleven years, giving them everything they wanted and allowing them to live comfortably.
She had even encouraged them to mistreat Gu Li and keep her trapped in the countryside.
Yet she had never imagined that Gu Li would find her way to Beijing.
Not only that, but Gu Li had boldly entered the military compound and become a maid in the Fu Family.
Damn it!
She should have urged Gu Dajun and Liu Zhaodi to sell Gu Li off to some remote mountain village long ago.
The couple were utterly useless, incapable of accomplishing anything.
They could not even keep watch over one girl.
Gu Li had managed to appear right in front of her, and they had not even warned her beforehand.
She had almost been caught completely unprepared.
Fortunately, Li Liping clearly looked down on this country bumpkin from the countryside.
The thought filled Su Baozhu with immense satisfaction.
A smug smile appeared on her face as she cast a sideways glance at Gu Li.
As the fake heiress, she could sit comfortably at the dining table enjoying her meal.
Meanwhile, Gu Li, the real heiress, could only stand nearby in humble submission, ready to serve her at any moment.
The sense of superiority brought Su Baozhu’s vanity unprecedented fulfillment.
“Your name is Gu Li, right? I’m thirsty. Could I trouble you to get me a bowl of soup?”
Her voice remained sweet and delicate, and her words sounded polite enough.
If not for the way she tilted her chin arrogantly upward, her nostrils nearly pointing toward the ceiling, unsuspecting people might actually have been fooled by her act.
Gu Li lifted her gaze, taking in Su Baozhu’s smug expression.
How could she fail to understand what was happening?
She sneered inwardly.
Little girl, these tricks are old news to me. Since you enjoy playing games so much, I’ll gladly entertain you.
When Gu Li made no move to comply, Su Baozhu’s patience wore thin.
“Are you deaf? You’re standing there like a block of wood. You have no sense at all. Only someone as kindhearted as Aunt Zhao would take you in.”
Meeting Su Baozhu’s gaze directly, Gu Li replied with unwavering composure.
“Comrade, I came to work for the Fu Family as a housekeeper, not as your personal maid.”
“You… you’re actually refusing me?”
Su Baozhu’s face flushed red with anger.
Ever since childhood, she had always gotten whatever she wanted.
This was the first time anyone had dared to defy her.
Biting down hard on her lower lip as though she had suffered an unimaginable injustice, she raised a trembling hand and pointed accusingly at Gu Li.