By late September, Shen Shi had entered early autumn. Occasional drizzles fell, and only when looking up did one notice the gathering dark clouds in the sky.
Chuan Jin, who feared the cold and was accustomed to the warm, dry climate of the West Coast, disliked such a damp, drizzly early autumn.
At eight o’clock, after settling Zhao Guangfa and the other person, Chuan Jin took a taxi back to the Xu family villa. As soon as she entered, she found the hall packed with people.
The moment Pei Lingna saw Chuan Jin walk in, her lips twitched and she began to complain, “How dare you show your face here? What did you do today?”
Xu Anguo sat in the center, his expression dark and simmering with anger. Chuan Jin had been far too reckless today, and even as the family’s mascot, Xu Anguo couldn’t help but feel enraged.
Wang Yujiang had been beaten black and blue, with medicine applied to his face and arms. He occasionally hissed in pain, looking utterly disheveled and pitiful. Xia Helu watched with heartache, her eyes filled with resentment toward Chuan Jin.
Xu Longchuan had also returned, standing nonchalantly at the very edge. Chuan Jin’s relationship with him hadn’t improved, and it was unclear whether he was back to watch the drama or to stir up more trouble.
Among the crowd, only Xu Mianchuan remained relatively calm.
Chuan Jin slowly scanned each person’s expression before responding to Pei Lingna, “Mom, I didn’t do much today. I just went to the hospital for a check-up and then to the police station to get more details about the case.” After a pause, she added, “Oh, and I also went to Dong Zhou headquarters to see my brother-in-law. That’s about it. You have no idea how exhausted I am today.”
Chuan Jin instinctively tried to act cute, but Pei Lingna wasn’t having any of it. She scolded, “Do you even know what day it is today? It was the day for Changxu and Dong Zhou to sign the contract! A sure thing, and you managed to ruin it. Utterly useless and only capable of causing trouble. Why couldn’t you just play the part of the pampered young lady and stay out of things? Now, the signing is canceled. Do you have any idea how much trouble you’ve caused?”
The Xu family had invested heavily in the construction of the PT Base, leaving the company’s cash flow tight. They urgently needed Dong Zhou’s five billion to ease the pressure. As long as the contract was signed, Changxu’s funding chain would be revitalized. Pei Lingna had been holding back for two whole months, waiting for this day.
In those two months, Dior released a globally limited edition of twenty diamond-studded rose gold crocodile skin bags, Miu Miu’s chief designer unveiled the autumn collection of stiletto heels, and Fortnum & Mason auctioned off a top-tier sapphire necklace… Pei Lingna had watched enviously as the wealthy women in her circle flaunted their bags, shoes, and jewelry, while she hadn’t managed to get a single item. The envy and jealousy gnawed at her.
Just when her day of liberation was supposed to arrive today, Chuan Jin’s actions once again pushed her carefree life into the distant future.
How could Pei Lingna not be furious?
“Second Sister, if you had any grievances against Yujiang, you could have just said so. Why did you have to take things to such an irreparable extreme?”Xia Helu spoke up, her voice filled with grievance.”
Chuan Jin looked at her, puzzled. “What grievances I have against him—don’t you already know?”
Xia Helu faltered, then said pitifully, “We were wrong about that matter, but both Yujiang and I have already apologized to you. Even if you weren’t satisfied, you shouldn’t have taken it out on the company’s important affairs.”
“The way you put it, Third Sister, are you blaming me for being unreasonable and not continuing to endure after learning certain truths?” Chuan Jin laughed in disbelief.
Xia Helu’s face stiffened. Did Second Sister… know something?
Wang Yujiang tugged at Xia Helu’s sleeve, signaling her to stop.
“Not saying anything anymore, little sister? If you won’t speak, then I’ll continue.”
Chuan Jin didn’t hold back with her words: “What, just because you apologized means I have to accept it? For the sake of Changxu’s collective interests, I’m supposed to just swallow my pride? You all made money, got promotions, gained everything—only I’m left suffering, right? Surrounded and interrogated by each of you, accused and given cold looks. I know, I’m an outsider in the Xu family now, but even outsiders have the right to speak, don’t they? Which of you actually listened carefully to my explanation?”
Her words left no room for compromise, and the atmosphere grew awkward.
Xu Mianchuan stood up to smooth things over: “Xiao Jin, did something happen to you today?”
“Dad, Mom, you only blame me for hindering the Changxu-Dong Zhou signing, but do you know how wronged I feel?” Chuan Jin’s eyes reddened, her voice choked with sobs. “Today, with nothing else to do, I went to the police station to ask about the details of the case. Only then did I find out that Third Sister and her husband didn’t just suddenly decide to drive me away—they clearly had a plan!”
“What are you saying?” Xu Mianchuan was shocked.
“Before, I thought Brother-in-law just wanted Zhao Guangfa and Hu San to bully me, to humiliate me in public. But today I learned they had already bribed those two to take everything from me except my identification documents!”
Chuan Jin sobbed twice, clutching Xu Mianchuan as she cried: “Because… because they prepared a severance payment to make me completely disappear from the Xu family’s sight! Not just leave Shen Shi, but drive me out of the country!”
“If it weren’t for the help of kind-hearted bystanders, I would have really been robbed. If I had misunderstood and thought you and Mom were forcing me out, with no way out, I would have agreed. By then, I would never have seen any of you again!”
“Dad, tell me, knowing something like this, how could I possibly endure it?”
After venting her emotions through tears, Chuan Jin tossed the question to Xu Anguo.
Father and daughter locked eyes. Xu Anguo unnervingly averted his gaze, his lips twitching a few times, but he still didn’t respond.
From her angle, Chuan Jin saw it all clearly and inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.
Sure enough, Xu Anguo knew about this.
He was handling the follow-up matters at the police station—it was impossible for him not to know the full story. But to ensure the smooth progress of the PT Project and to protect his biological daughter, who was about to reveal her identity, Xu Anguo had chosen to suppress the truth. If Chuan Jin hadn’t known the original plot in advance, Xia Helu and Wang Yujiang would have perfectly escaped punishment and remained in the shadows.
Instigating a crime was no small matter. One was a top star about to embark on a smooth career path, the other a future key player for Changxu—neither could afford for her to sue or cause a scene. Xu Anguo had no choice but to conceal the truth, even if it meant wronging Chuan Jin alone. It was for the good of Changxu and Xia Helu’s future development.
But they all knew this was unfair to Chuan Jin. They claimed both were daughters of the Xu family, but when it came down to it, interests always came first.
So Xu Anguo felt guilty. The moment his second daughter looked at him, he completely forgot that just a minute ago, he had been so angry his vision darkened and blood nearly rushed to his head. Now, he began to worry that Chuan Jin would learn the truth and leave for good.
In reality, however, Chuan Jin was so pleased with herself she could hardly contain her glee.
She had perfectly grasped these people’s mindset. As long as she held the moral high ground, even if she caused a scene at Dong Zhou, Xu Anguo wouldn’t say a word. After all, who doesn’t know how to strike first?
Having shed the identity of the fake heiress, all Chuan Jin felt now was the thrill of acting.
Pei Lingna’s composure was far steadier than Xu Anguo’s. Even knowing Chuan Jin was aware of the truth, she remained unflustered and continued her reprimand: “Yes, Lulu did these things, but this is a family matter. If you have any grievances, bring them up at home. How dare you spout nonsense in front of President Zhou and ruin the signing? After over twenty years of elite education in the Xu family, is this the unreasonable behavior you’ve learned?!”
Chuan Jin snorted coldly: “Elite education doesn’t produce unreasonable children. But as parents, which aspect of your conduct and cultivation meets the standards of elite parents?”
“Xiao Jin!” Xu Anguo frowned. “Dad admits we were wrong in this matter and made you suffer, but how can you attack your mother? This is unacceptable.”
“Dad, you’ve misunderstood. I’m not attacking Mom.” Chuan Jin raised an eyebrow, retorting sharply: “I’m attacking both of you.”
Xu Anguo: “You!”
Pei Lingna was furious, her refined face nearly contorted. “Xu Chuanjin!! How dare you speak to us like this! The Xu family has fed and clothed you, and you can’t handle a little grievance?”
Xia Helu stared in astonishment. One moment she had been afraid the truth would be exposed and Xu’s parents would blame her, and the next, Chuan Jin was fighting with her parents again? Wasn’t she afraid of being kicked out of the Xu family?
But regardless, with the focus shifted to her parents, Xia Helu still breathed a sigh of relief.
Wang Yujiang, however, frowned, seeing through Chuan Jin’s trick.
This woman was using the threat of expulsion to divert attention. If the topic wasn’t brought back to PT, today’s accusation would be in vain.
Chuan Jin continued: “Didn’t Mom attack me first? Am I not allowed to retaliate?”
Pei Lingna pointed at her and yelled: “I’m your mother! I raised you all these years, and I can’t even say a few words to you?”
“Haha, you raised me? How long have you actually raised me since the day I was born? Time, money, companionship—which of these have you given me? If you had been more careful, maybe the child mix-up wouldn’t have happened. So, I came to the Xu family just to be your punching bag?”
“Xu Chuanjin, shut up!”
The topic was straying further and further. Wang Yujiang, anxious and ignoring the pain at the corner of his mouth, quickly nudged Xia Helu’s arm.
“Sister, we were wrong in this matter. You hurting Yujiang is minor; after all, we’re family, and misunderstandings can be resolved. But you can’t speak to Mom and Dad like this, and you’ve caused Changxu and Dong Zhou to fail to sign the contract. The innocent ones are the hardworking employees of the project team,” Xia Helu spoke up.
Pei Lingna sneered: “Look how sensible Lulu is, and then look at you!”
Xia Helu straightened her back, about to speak again, when a sharp roar echoed through the spacious living room.
“Enough! All of you, shut up!”