While Song Zhiqing and Ye Yuhuan were in the car heading to the seaside in the next city, the Shangguan family they had left behind was being battered by massive waves of public opinion.
It was hardly surprising that Shangguan Chong arrived at the banquet hall holding Guo Yu’s hand—after all, it wasn’t the first time he’d done such a thing. What was surprising was that he was also holding Guo Siwan’s hand on his other side.
The young woman was dripping with jewels, decorated like a jewelry stand. This was undoubtedly her mother’s handiwork; Guo Yu loved nothing more than seeing her daughter look opulent.
The people in the hall couldn’t help but curse inwardly. What kind of family affair was the Shangguan clan acknowledging, anyway?
Only after the family of three had soaked up everyone’s attention did Shangguan Xianxian lead Shen Wei to Shangguan Chong’s side. Arriving a step late, their thunder had been completely stolen by the Guo mother-daughter duo—a result, most likely, of Guo Yu’s deliberate planning.
The pair of “true and false daughters,” long the subject of outside speculation and heated discussion, wore simple makeup and plain attire, as if they had long been prepared for the day’s awkward scene.
Shangguan Chong began to speak cheerfully. The face that had once charmed many young women in the capital was now a wreck, ravaged by debauchery. The ladies who had once been infatuated with him couldn’t help but look away.
“Thank you all for taking time out of your busy schedules to come to the Shangguan residence and witness my joyous occasion. As everyone knows, I have few children, which has always been a deep regret of mine. In the past, out of respect for my late wife, I focused solely on raising our daughter, Xianxian. But now that I’ve reached middle age, although I have unworthily built this large family enterprise, I feel truly lonely with only one daughter by my side. Perhaps even Heaven couldn’t bear to see it and let me unexpectedly find Weiwei. In my reckless youth, I did not treat her mother well. Later, I fell in love with my late wife and put them completely out of my mind. I just never expected that after so many years, this child would still be able to find her father. I can only say that the bond between us as father and daughter is profound. I hope that from now on, my poor, unfortunate little daughter can have a smooth life, to make up for the suffering she endured all these years without a father by her side.”
After he finished speaking, Shangguan Chong patted Shen Wei’s shoulder with a benevolent expression. Shen Wei, playing her part, offered a shy smile in return.
But of course, this was not the main event of the evening. After “clarifying” the rumors about the true and false daughters, Shangguan Chong dropped his real bombshell.
“As for Siwan, I’m sure you all know that her mother and I have been companions for many years. When one gets older, one no longer gets hung up on frivolous matters of reputation. I’ve gathered you all here today to announce that I will soon be marrying Ms. Guo Yu. I hope you will all do us the honor of attending our wedding banquet then.”
“I won’t say much more. Please, everyone, eat, drink, and enjoy yourselves today. Consider it sharing in this joy with me.”
The moment Shangguan Chong finished speaking, the heads of several smaller families, who had clearly been prompted, began to applaud vigorously. The few of them managed to clap with the force of dozens, and the other guests, just beginning to process the news, could only follow along with a few awkward claps.
Well now, the winds of change were truly blowing for the Shangguan family. After so many years, Guo Yu had finally gotten her wish. But one had to wonder how the daughter of the so-called “late wife” would fare from now on.
The head of the Zhao family glanced sideways at his son, who was staring infatuatedly at Shangguan Xianxian, and sighed to himself. He would have to give the boy a stern lecture when they got home. Times had changed. The muddy waters of the Shangguan family were not to be waded into lightly. It would be a complete joke if he got himself into trouble for nothing.
Quite a few people in attendance shared the Zhao family head’s thoughts. Of course, there were also some smaller families hoping to gamble on backing the new power, proving that different stations in life came with different interests.
Meanwhile, some families with better principles couldn’t help but show their contempt, thinking to themselves that Shangguan Chong truly wanted to have his cake and eat it too. On one hand, he maintained the persona of a deeply devoted man, while on the other, he brought his mistress home. Three daughters, two of them illegitimate. He had some nerve, spouting such nonsense about deeply loving his late wife.
In a corner, Xiang Wanyu tightened her grip on her wine glass, her eyes dark. Guo Yu had been in the same position for over a decade, so why was she suddenly being welcomed into the main house? It wasn’t clear how genuine Xiang Wanyu’s friendship with Jin Yuan had been, but her enmity with Guo Yu was certainly real and deep-seated. After learning she was Jin Yuan’s friend, Guo Yu had refused to listen to any explanations or attempts at reconciliation, finding no shortage of ways to humiliate her. If Xiang Wanyu hadn’t married into the Chi family, she might have been framed by Guo Yu and forced into some pervert’s bed one day.
Xiang Wanyu’s confusion was shared by most of the attendees. But they weren’t in a hurry; whether it was a cat or a tiger, Shangguan Chong would have to show it off eventually. Whatever Guo Yu had used to secure her position would surely be exposed before long. One could imagine that the wedding banquet of Shangguan Chong, this old lecher well past his prime, would become a grand spectacle for the capital’s gossipmongers.
The Shangguan family stood on a specially constructed stage in the center of the banquet hall, a massive, magnificent chandelier hanging above them. Shangguan Chong stood in the middle, chatting and laughing cheerfully with the people below; he particularly relished being the center of attention. Guo Yu was by his side, with the younger generation standing behind them. All eyes and all the lights were on them, as if the curtain was rising on a high-society comedy.
Shen Wei turned her head to hide her scornful expression. Those two were indeed a perfect match. However, letting them live happily ever after would be too great an injustice to the nightmares that plagued her day and night.
Besides, how badly must they have wanted to humiliate them to only reveal the true order of events right before the banquet began? No matter how many times she experienced such tactics, the nauseating feeling was just as unpleasant.
Seeing this, Shangguan Xianxian quietly took Shen Wei’s hand and gave it a gentle, comforting squeeze. In contrast to Shangguan Xianxian’s cold demeanor, her palms were always warm.
Shen Wei sighed to herself. Sister, you’re the one who should be more heartbroken right now.
Shangguan Xianxian had practically grown up in Guo Yu’s shadow. And even now, after discovering she wasn’t of Shangguan blood, she still considered Jin Yuan her mother; the few interactions they’d had in her childhood were enough for her to remember to this day. Thinking of the sordid schemes behind it all, Shen Wei’s heart stirred, and she squeezed Shangguan Xianxian’s hand back tightly.
She had finally managed to take this person’s hand, and she would never let it go.
Standing beside them, Guo Siwan looked quizzically at their tightly clasped hands. Have they formed an alliance after all?
I suppose so. In any case, the official heir to the Shangguan family is still Shangguan Xianxian. Shen Wei isn’t as stupid as I thought.
But does she think she can live in peace just by clinging to Shangguan Xianxian’s coattails? How naive.
Guo Siwan took a step forward and said softly, “Sister Xianxian, we’re proper sisters now, aren’t we?”
Shangguan Xianxian glanced at her, her tone calm but laced with mockery. “Then congratulations to you, Miss Guo.”
Guo Siwan gritted her teeth. One day, I’ll grind Shangguan Xianxian into the mud. She’s just some bastard from who-knows-where, and she really thinks she’s the young miss!
“Congratulations to you, too, Miss Shangguan,” Guo Siwan retorted sarcastically. Then she turned to Shen Wei, who was standing quietly to the side like a puppet, and smiled. “Well, if it isn’t our freshly-minted illegitimate little sister. How are you feeling? Is everything all right?”
Shen Wei managed a helpless-looking smile and said nothing.
Shangguan Xianxian knew Shen Wei was only feigning weakness, but her heart ached for her all the same. Since they had no reason to stay any longer, they informed Shangguan Chong they were leaving, and the two supporting characters in the day’s grand drama made an early exit.
But the exit of the supporting cast didn’t mean the show was over.
Just then, a pale-faced woman suddenly burst into the banquet hall. She looked to be in her thirties, her appearance haggard and utterly out of place among the glamorous crowd, and she immediately captured everyone’s attention.
Shangguan Xianxian and Shen Wei stopped in their tracks. Shen Wei’s eyes lit up. Perfect timing.
She chuckled and whispered in Shangguan Xianxian’s ear, “Sister, the party is just getting started.”
The woman clearly knew she didn’t have much time. She shouted directly at the center stage, “Guo Yu, you damn homewrecker! You destroy people’s families! You forced my husband to divorce me right after I gave birth! In ancient times, a woman like you would have been drowned in a pig cage!”
The sheer amount of information packed into that short outburst made everyone’s jaws drop. They all knew Guo Yu was a mistress, but they had no idea she’d been the other woman for more than one man.
With that, the woman began rapidly distributing intimate photos of Guo Yu and her husband as if she were handing out flyers. Many people turned their heads away in embarrassment. After all, the crowd included many wives and young ladies, and the explicit nature of the photos was far beyond what was acceptable in a public setting.
Shangguan Chong’s face flushed red, making him look like an angry gorilla at a zoo carnival. Even though security quickly dragged the woman away, the banquet had undoubtedly become a joke. Remaining on stage now only served to highlight the fact that he’d been cuckolded. Before leaving, Shangguan Chong shot a deep look at Guo Yu’s stomach and muttered darkly, “We’ll settle this later.”
Shen Wei picked up a glass of juice and sipped it slowly. The banquet was clearly over. After a scandal like this, Shangguan Chong would have to suppress all related news by morning just to be able to show his face in public. Not that it would do much good—everyone who needed to know already knew.
To be honest, it had taken her a great deal of effort to find this woman. Guo Yu had plenty of dirt on her; seeing other men was one of the more mundane secrets. But for today’s public wedding announcement, it was undoubtedly the most fitting weapon.
Shangguan Chong stormed off with Guo Yu hurrying after him, leaving Guo Siwan behind. She scanned the room until she found Shangguan Xianxian, then rushed over and slapped her across the face. “You did this, didn’t you?” she demanded furiously.
Shen Wei couldn’t stop her in time. Shangguan Xianxian’s head snapped to the side from the force of the blow. Fury flared in Shen Wei, and she threw the juice in her hand straight into Guo Siwan’s face. “What gives you the right to hit her!”
Guo Siwan wiped her face, her gaze sinister as she looked at them. “I’ll tell you this,” she sneered. “From this day forward, your lives are going to be hell.”
The guests who hadn’t yet left witnessed this scene and remarked that the Shangguan family’s grand drama was far from over.
Among them was Song Chen. He put a hand to his forehead in annoyance. If his daughter found out Shangguan Xianxian had been slapped right in front of him, she would surely raise hell.
In any case, the Shangguan family’s banquet had come to an end.
The event ending with the three Shangguan “sisters” dropping all pretenses was a fitting conclusion to the dramatic, twist-filled plot.
Back in their room, Shen Wei gently held an ice pack to Shangguan Xianxian’s face, her heart aching. Shangguan Xianxian looked up into her eyes and asked, “What happened today… did you arrange it?”
Shen Wei didn’t stop what she was doing. She chuckled softly. “Why? Does Sister think I went too far?”
Shangguan Xianxian shook her head, but Shen Wei immediately stopped her with a look of disapproval. Shangguan Xianxian gave a helpless little smile and said, “No. I was just wondering… how much have you been hiding, Weiwei?”
“And… could you let me share some of the burden?”
Shen Wei pressed her forehead against Shangguan Xianxian’s, her voice honey-sweet and reminiscent of her usual coquettish tone. “No. I just want Sister to be happy.”
“Oh, is that so.” Shangguan Xianxian slowly pushed her away with an index finger. “Since Weiwei insists on being so distant, then until you decide to be honest with me, no more cuddling.”
After a pause, she added, the tips of her ears turning slightly red, “And no kissing, either.”
With that, Shangguan Xianxian got up and went back to her own room.
Shen Wei fell back onto the bed, covering her eyes with her hand. After several months of careful nurturing, her once-frail body had begun to reveal a slender figure, and her features held a trace of the grace of her mother, who had been renowned for her beauty in the capital’s socialite circles. I’m not so bad myself, Shen Wei couldn’t help but think. So why can Sister always keep such a clear head? And now she’s even setting conditions like these.
Ah, how frustrating.
Mmm, I love it.
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