July was the rainiest time of year in Jiangcheng.
The thunder and lightning outside did nothing to disturb the laughter and cheer inside the banquet hall.
A couple stepped onto the stage with a sweet-smiling girl dressed in a custom haute couture gown. Beside them stood an exquisitely crafted castle-shaped cake.
Shi Mingqian beamed. “Today is my biological daughter Shi Yiyan’s eighteenth birthday. Thank you all for attending her coming-of-age banquet.”
Thunderous applause erupted from the audience yet not a single person looked surprised.
After all, the matter of the Shi family’s real and fake heiresses had already spread like wildfire a few days ago.
The other main character in that drama Shi Sheng was standing in a corner on the second floor. She tapped her fingers lightly against the railing, watching the lively crowd below with cold detachment.
The crystal chandelier scattered specks of light across her face, making her palm-sized features appear even more vivid, outlining her lowered lashes with a faint glow.
Zzz—
Her lips parted slightly. “Still haven’t found it?”
A woman’s voice came through the miniature communicator hidden in her earring. “No. I’ve hacked all the Shi family’s files. There isn’t a single record about what happened when you were born eighteen years ago.”
Meanwhile, after cutting the cake, Shi Yiyan had planned to find an opportunity to mingle with the socialites. But perhaps she wasn’t used to wearing high heels she stumbled after just a few steps, and sticky cream instantly smeared onto her carefully chosen gown.
She cursed her bad luck under her breath and could only go change.
But before she reached the dressing room, she heard faint whispers from the terrace.
“Oh my god, did you see that? The real heiress can’t even walk in heels.”
“Keep it down, don’t laugh so loud. Still… Shi Yiyan really isn’t as good as Shi Sheng…”
Wait that wasn’t right. In the novel, wasn’t everyone supposed to side with her today and look down on the fake heiress?
Shi Yiyan dug her nails into her palm, saying nothing. Shi Sheng that impostor actually dared to show up!
And the jealousy inside her reached its peak when she realized that even the outdated couture dress Shi Sheng was wearing looked better than the brand-new one she had just changed into.
Her eyes flickered with calculation. Picking up a glass of red wine, she walked over with a bright smile, feigning intimacy.
“Big sister, today is your birthday too. Why are you hiding here alone?”
Shi Sheng had been thinking about where Shi Mingqian might have hidden the evidence from back then when she suddenly heard the remark.
But when her gaze fell on the overly full wineglass in the other girl’s hand, she let out a faint laugh.
How did this idiot even grow up? The scheming in her eyes was practically screaming for attention.
Shi Yiyan was just about to reach her. She lifted her hand and suddenly her vision blurred. The crimson wine splashed entirely over herself instead.
She stood frozen, drenched in red wine. Wet strands of hair clung to her face as drops trickled down her pale cheeks, staining her white gown in spreading blotches.
Shi Sheng leisurely withdrew her wrist no one even noticed when she had flipped it. There was not a trace of apology on her face.
“Next time,” she said lightly, “remember that holding your wine steady is basic etiquette for a real socialite.”
Shi Yiyan hadn’t even processed what had just happened. Hearing the mockery, she trembled with fury, barely holding back a scream.
But sensing the guests’ gazes sweeping over, she swallowed her curse and instead wiped the corner of her eye, looking pitiful and delicate like a white lotus.
“Big sister, I really didn’t mean to take anything from you. I just want to be part of this family. You don’t have to target me…”
Now! Surely everyone could see how arrogant Shi Sheng was!
One was a domineering fake heiress, the other a kind and fragile real heiress. Anyone with eyes would know which side to stand on.
Sure enough, murmurs arose.
But when Shi Yiyan heard them clearly, her expression nearly cracked.
“Tsk, that acting is faker than my three-year-old niece’s.”
“My god, what a cheap trick. I could’ve seen through that as a kid. Didn’t her mom teach her anything after bringing her back? So embarrassing.”
“What kind of goods did the Shi family retrieve? No brains at all.”
“Honestly, Shi Sheng looks more like a true rich heiress…”
Soft laughter mixed into the whispers quiet, but dripping with mockery.
Shi Yiyan stiffened. In that moment, she felt like a clown who had wandered into a high-society gala utterly out of place.
Just then, Ye Xiangwen’s anxious voice rang out.
“Yiyan, what happened? Who bullied you?”
Shi Yiyan lowered her head slightly, then forced a strained smile. “It’s nothing, Mom. Maybe Sister’s just in a bad mood.”
The person Ye Xiangwen felt most indebted to was her daughter. For eighteen years, her heart had longed only for her. Seeing her look wronged and soaked in wine she forgot every instruction her husband had given earlier.
She rushed up to Shi Sheng, her carefully maintained face twisted with fury.
“Shi Sheng, you ungrateful wretch! Don’t forget you’re just a fake! What right do you have to lay hands on Yiyan?”
She raised her hand to slap her but Shi Sheng caught her wrist midair.
“Ms. Ye,” Shi Sheng’s voice was light, yet it silenced the entire hall, “you don’t have the right to hit me.”
Because Ye Xiangwen had shouted so loudly, Shi Mingqian who had been busy socializing quickly noticed the commotion and came over.
Looking at Shi Yiyan, who was sniffling pitifully, and his furious wife, impatience flashed across his eyes.
Hadn’t he already told them not to cause a scene at the banquet?
Years in business allowed him to see through the situation at a glance.
If Shi Yiyan’s acting was child’s play in front of Shi Sheng, then to him it was nothing more than petty squabbling.
But with so many eyes watching, he had to protect his wife and daughter.
“Shi Sheng,” he said with pressure in his tone, “apologize to your mother and sister.”
Shi Sheng tilted her head, a mocking smile tugging at her lips.
Did Shi Mingqian still think she was the little girl he could punish at will?
The moment she learned the truth about her birth, she had figured it out.
Let go of personal morals embrace a wicked life.
Refuse internal torment if something happens, go crazy directly.
Better to make others uncomfortable than to wrong yourself.
Since Shi Mingqian cared so much about saving face, she might as well strip that face right off him.
She let out a cold laugh and lightly flicked her earring.
Ding.
The soft music in the banquet hall abruptly cut off.
Then Ye Xiangwen’s shrill, vicious voice completely different from her usual gentle persona blasted through the speakers.
“We only raised her to take misfortune for Yiyan. Now that Yiyan’s back, she should just get out!”
“You have no idea how I’ve endured these years. Every time I saw that little bastard, I thought of Yiyan suffering outside I wanted to strangle her!”
“Fine. Since Yiyan’s back, don’t change your attitude too quickly. After all, we raised her for eighteen years. Keeping her in the Shi family might still be useful.”
“I know. If the marriage alliance doesn’t work out, we can always send her to President Wang. That old thing loves tormenting pretty girls…”