That outfit looked good? Were Xia Lian and Yun Yiyi blind? If it really looked good, why didn’t they wear it themselves?
“A child whose mother died is truly pitiful. Being misled by her stepmother like this, she probably doesn’t even understand what’s happening!”
“Speaking of which, when the original Madam of the Yun family was still around, she often brought her daughter out. Back then, the little girl was so likable—smart and beautiful. But after Xia Lian took over, Yun Manxia kept making mistakes. I heard she’s even been pushed out of the socialite circle now…”
Whispers spread among the crowd.
Soon, many suspicious gazes turned toward Xia Lian.
Both Xia Lian and Yun Yiyi’s expressions changed.
Yun Yiyi forced a smile. “Manxia, what nonsense are you talking about? Didn’t you choose to wear that outfit yourself?”
Yun Manxia showed a surprised expression, her delicate brows furrowing in disgust. “I’m not lacking in normal taste—why would I want to wear something so ugly? It was clearly you two who kept persuading me to wear it. Second Sister even did my makeup like that. You always said it looked good, but I never liked it at all!”
The way she looked at the mother and daughter became even more peculiar.
Yun Yiyi’s smile stiffened, and she hurriedly looked to her mother for help.
Xia Lian walked over and smiled gently. “Alright, it’s my misunderstanding. I thought you liked it, so I had Yiyi dress you up like that. Since you don’t like it, we won’t do it anymore.”
Yun Hong had just entered the hall. Hearing the commotion, he came over, frowning as soon as he saw Yun Manxia. “What’s going on?”
Xia Lian sighed. “Manxia is upset. She thinks those dresses were forced on her by Yiyi and me. But I thought she liked them, so I kindly had Yiyi help her…”
Beside her, Yun Yiyi cooperated by showing a wronged expression.
Yun Hong’s face immediately darkened. He scolded Yun Manxia, “Your sister kindly helped you, and you still think she’s wrong?”
Yun Manxia’s smile faded as she looked at the father in front of her.
He had always been like this. Every time she and Yun Yiyi had a conflict, he never asked questions—his first reaction was always to scold her, as if everything was her fault.
She had always felt wronged. She was his biological daughter—why did he always defend Yun Yiyi?
She once thought maybe it was because Yun Yiyi wasn’t related by blood, so he found it harder to scold her and instead disciplined his own daughter.
But later, she realized she was completely wrong.
What stepdaughter? Yun Yiyi was clearly his illegitimate daughter!
Just think about Yun Yiyi’s age—she was only half a year older than her!
And Xia Lian’s eldest daughter, who was now in the capital, was already twenty-one, two years older than her. That meant he had been involved with Xia Lian long ago!
Lowering her head to hide the coldness in her eyes, Yun Manxia thought of her mother, who had died unexpectedly when she was five.
It had better truly have been an accident… otherwise, she would make those two suffer a fate worse than death!
Looking up, she said, “Dad, am I really your biological daughter? Why are you good to Eldest Sister and Second Sister, but only bad to me? I’m clearly not at fault, yet you always scold me.”
She glanced at Yun Yiyi beside him. “Second Sister standing next to you looks more like your biological daughter. I’m the one who looks like a stepdaughter!”
Xia Lian and Yun Yiyi’s expressions froze simultaneously.
Yun Hong’s face turned livid.
“What nonsense are you talking about?!”
The surrounding guests couldn’t help but secretly observe. Perhaps it was just an illusion, but Yun Yiyi did seem to resemble Yun Hong a little…
Xia Lian’s heart tightened. Afraid that something might be exposed, she quickly smoothed things over. “Alright, Manxia was just speaking casually. Why are you losing your temper with her?”
She looked like she was defending Yun Manxia, but in reality, she just wanted to end the topic.
Before anyone else could speak, she smiled and asked Yun Manxia, “Manxia, what birthday gift did you prepare for me?”
A birthday gift?
Yun Manxia smiled.
That was exactly why she had come today.
With a wave of her hand, someone stepped forward behind her, holding the birthday gift she had brought.
Opening the box, inside was a document—and a pen.
Xia Lian’s eyes instantly lit up.
Yun Manxia raised her gaze and caught the flash of greed in Xia Lian’s eyes.
A cold smile curved on her lips as she said, “Starting from four years ago, every year on Aunt Lian’s birthday, I’ve given the same gift—shares of Jiahuang Entertainment that my mother left me. Ten percent each year, so over four years, that makes forty percent.”
Xia Lian’s eyes grew even more eager. Yes—forty percent. With just this year’s eleven percent, her shares would surpass Yun Manxia’s maternal family and make her the largest shareholder of the company!
She waited for Yun Manxia to hand the document to her so she could quickly sign it.
Just as she expected, Yun Manxia picked up the document and the pen, then handed them over.
The smile on Xia Lian’s lips deepened as she reached out to take them. But the moment she saw the words on the paper, her expression froze, doubting her own eyes.
At the same time, Yun Manxia’s voice sounded—
“Back then, Aunt Lian said I was too young, and it wasn’t safe for me to hold those shares, so you kept them for me. That’s why I ‘gave’ them to you.”
“But now that I think about it, I’m already nineteen. It shouldn’t be that unsafe anymore, right? And in the future, my husband can help manage them too, so there’s no need for them to stay with you.”
“Thank you for managing them for me these past few years. Now, Aunt Lian, you can return them to me.”
Yun Manxia smiled brightly, as if she had never doubted her stepmother’s intentions and fully trusted her.
Xia Lian looked up in shock, nearly losing control of her expression in front of everyone for the first time.
“Manxia, you…”
“What’s wrong?” Yun Manxia looked at her innocently. “Aunt Lian, why aren’t you signing?”
The guests had not expected this turn of events at all. Strange looks swept over Xia Lian again and again as they whispered among themselves.
“If I remember correctly, another major shareholder of Jiahuang Entertainment is the Gu family—her mother Gu Wanyin’s family. After her death, those shares were managed by the Gu family. How is that unsafe?”
“Unsafe? That’s just an excuse. Her grandfather isn’t safe, but a stepmother is? She clearly tricked a young girl…”
“Look at her now—she can’t even bear to sign…”
Listening to these murmurs, Xia Lian’s expression nearly broke.
At that moment, she was certain—
Yun Manxia had truly changed.
Someone must be backing her!