Shang Wei frowned deeply and strode quickly toward the entrance, wanting to confirm if it was the person he knew. Before he reached the door, however, the old master Shang called out to him.
“Shang Wei, what are you rushing for? Xu Rong is calling you.”
Once Shang Jue arrived, the banquet officially began.
The host stood on stage giving a speech, while Xu Rong, holding her husband’s arm, waited for her turn to go up.
But Shang Wei was absent-minded, his gaze drifting every so often toward the doors of the hall. Outside, the place was already empty.
Restroom.
Jiang Yuanqing cursed the cat under her breath as she tried to wash the stain from her chest with water. Thankfully, she hadn’t worn haute couture today—otherwise she would have been heartbroken.
That cat actually belonged to Shang Xuci, and the accessories it wore were even more expensive than what she, his fiancée, had on. Wasn’t that a humiliation?
She couldn’t even compare to a cat.
And worse, he had taken off his own clothes for the cat, slapping her face in front of so many people. Jiang Yuanqing grew even more resentful of Shang Xuci. If only the engagement were with someone else instead.
She lifted her eyes to the mirror. The woman in the reflection looked a little disheveled, yet that very dishevelment added a touch of delicate vulnerability, making her seem all the more charming.
Satisfied with her appearance, she finished touching up her makeup. Hearing the host begin speaking outside, she turned to head back to the hall.
But after just two hurried steps, she bumped into a solid wall.
“Sorry.”
She looked up—it was Shang Ye.
The man wore a faint smile at the corner of his lips, holding a bag in his hand.
“This is brand new, never opened. If you don’t mind, you can change into it.” He extended the bag toward Jiang Yuanqing.
Jiang Yuanqing froze for a moment, her heart thudding. She instinctively took it, her voice shy as she said, “Thank you for lending me clothes.”
“It’s not lending,” the man chuckled softly. “It’s a gift.”
“Go change quickly, don’t catch a cold,” Shang Ye added before leaving like a gentleman.
Jiang Yuanqing watched his retreating figure with joy sparkling in her eyes. She quickly opened the bag and saw a beautiful dress, its soft fabric no less exquisite than those worn by the other female guests. Her delight grew.
Banquet hall.
Xu Rong and Shang Wei were thanking the guests for attending. Polite words flowed one after another, mostly spoken by Xu Rong. Since the old master was present, she didn’t dare be too ostentatious, choosing instead to speak in veiled terms—those who understood, understood.
When it came to thanking Shang Xuci for attending, the spotlight fell on him. Countless curious gazes landed on the man sitting in the corner, a cat nestled in his arms. With a slight curve of his lips, he raised his wine glass in salute.
The real show was only just beginning.
On stage, Xu Rong grew more and more excited as she spoke. She had waited too long for this day—finally, it was hers!
Pride swelled in her heart. Shen Yanran, I told you that one day I would replace you. Today, that day has come. Even your son has come to bless me.
Xu Rong’s face glowed with a blissful smile. Almost unconsciously, her hand brushed over her belly.
After she finished introducing and thanking everyone, the final highlight—Shang Ye—took the stage.
According to the “script,” this was supposed to be a touching scene of deep mother-son affection.
But before Xu Rong could announce her bombshell news, commotion broke out at the entrance.
A woman suddenly rushed forward and, in front of everyone, slapped her hard across the face.
“You shameless slut! How dare you steal my child, how dare you steal my man, how dare you hold this banquet…!!”
The sudden, resounding slap left Xu Rong’s ears ringing, her mind blank. The guests below were just as stunned—but delighted at the drama unfolding before them.
After striking Xu Rong, the woman immediately rushed to Shang Ye’s side, crying miserably:
“Son, my son… all these years you’ve suffered. It’s my fault—I failed to protect you, and let that vicious woman steal you away…”
Lin Yunsu was dressed decently, though her hair was slightly disheveled. When her eyes fell on the radiant Shang Ye in the crowd, she became overwhelmed with emotion. She studied him carefully—his eyes, ears, and mouth were like copies of her own, only his nose resembled his father’s.
Standing side by side, the two looked strikingly alike.
Xu Rong clutched her stinging cheek and instinctively looked to her husband. Shang Wei stood frozen, as if lost in memories. The old master’s expression was strange, though his emotions were unreadable.
Many of the guests—especially those who despised Xu Rong—watched with glee. No matter who this troublemaking woman was, that slap had been immensely satisfying.
Meanwhile, Jian Xun, who had been squatting on a table nibbling dried fish, was so shocked by the slap that he dropped his snack, his mouth hanging wide open.
Wha—what… Isn’t this supposed to happen later in the story? Why did Lin Yunsu appear so soon?!
He glanced back at the big boss behind him. The man’s expression was calm as ever, as he merely took a quiet sip of wine.
Jian Xun picked up his fallen snack and resumed chewing, his eyes fixed firmly on the stage.
Shang Ye frowned, but stayed composed, smoothly avoiding the woman’s attempts to get close.
“You’ve mistaken me for someone else.”
With so many people watching, no matter what happened, Shang Ye chose the safest course of action.
Lin Yunsu immediately turned her head toward Jiang Yuanqing. Her expression froze, then twisted in fury as she lunged at her.
“It’s all your fault! You stole my son—now he doesn’t even recognize me anymore. It’s all because of you!!”
Like a madwoman, Lin Yunsu suddenly grabbed Xu Rong, trying to attack her. Security rushed onto the stage to stop the chaos, but the woman reacted violently. The moment anyone touched her, she went into a hysterical frenzy, dropping to the ground and wailing:
“Is there no justice left in this world?! Fine, let me die here in your Shang family’s house!”
Shang Jue, who had been quietly observing until now, sensed something was off. His brows furrowed deeply.
Down below, the invited media went wild, frantically snapping photos of the scene.
Xu Rong’s face darkened. She turned to the security guards and snapped, “Who is this lunatic? I don’t even know her! Hurry up and drag her out of here!”
The security guards prepared to use force, but to their shock, Lin Yunsu suddenly pulled out a dagger and pointed it at them.
“Don’t you dare come closer! If you take another step, I’ll—”
As if struck by a thought, she swiftly turned the blade toward herself instead. Looking straight at Shang Wei, her tone suddenly calmed.
“Shang Wei, if you don’t want me to die here in your Shang household, then you’d better stop anyone from interfering. Today, you must give me an explanation.”
Her words rang with force and determination, her demeanor abruptly restored to clarity.
Xu Rong’s expression faltered slightly, but she quickly cut in before Shang Wei could speak.
“Don’t pay attention to her! Can’t you all see? She’s insane—completely unstable! We don’t know her at all!!”
“Don’t know me?” Lin Yunsu burst into wild laughter, clutching her stomach. “Hahahahaha… what a joke!”
Her eyes locked onto Xu Rong as she spoke with chilling clarity:
“Xu Rong, when I was with Shang Wei, you were still off somewhere warming the bed of some old man. Or… have you really forgotten me?”
She brushed her long hair back behind her ear and continued coldly, “Or maybe, when you stole my child, you never even bothered to remember my name.”
A murmur rippled through the crowd below.
“My god, could what she’s saying be true?”
“Look at their eyes and nose—they really do look like mother and son.”
“I believe it. Isn’t Xu Rong just some celebrity? No background, no backing—how else do you think she got resources? Everyone in that circle has a sugar daddy.”
…
Xu Rong had never hated her sharp hearing as much as she did now. The whispers from the crowd felt like knives of humiliation. Her eyes narrowed as she glared at Lin Yunsu—finally remembering who this woman was.
Lin Yunsu.
Shang Wei’s once beloved white moonlight.
She had only seen photos of Lin Yunsu before, but seeing her in person now, she couldn’t help but think—time really was a butcher’s knife. Though the woman was no longer as stunningly beautiful as in her youth, it was clear she had once had an excellent foundation.
Xu Rong secretly pinched her own arm, forcing herself to stay calm. She had prepared so much for this day. Aside from the brief panic when her lie was first exposed, she had now regained her composure.
Out of the corner of her eye, she glanced at the old master. As long as he remained silent, she still had time to make up a story.
Indeed, Shang Ye wasn’t her biological son, but he was still truly a member of the Shang family, with Shang Wei’s blood flowing in his veins—that would never change. As for “stealing” a child… could that really be called stealing?
She had only wanted to keep the child from suffering. She was the one who gave Shang Ye a complete home, the one who raised him with her own hands, and the one who ensured he acknowledged his ancestors and returned to the Shang family.
Lin Yunsu should be thanking her.
Almost as if she had read Xu Rong’s thoughts, Lin Yunsu delivered another deadly strike: “What is it? Fame, a place in the family—nothing was enough for you. You just had to choose Shen Yanran’s birthday to hold this banquet. Who are you trying to disgust? And then you pretend to be such a good person.”
The moment the words fell, an uproar swept the room.
“Wait, what? There’s something like this?”
“Wasn’t Shen Yanran the first wife who passed away? And today is her birthday? That’s disgusting—holding a banquet on the original wife’s birthday, while acting like some saint.”
“I checked—it really is Madam Shen’s birthday today. How vicious. Out of all the days she could’ve picked, she deliberately chose today. She clearly did it on purpose.”
“No, but even if Xu Rong didn’t know, wouldn’t Shang Wei at least remember his wife’s birthday? Are you telling me both of them forgot?”
“Funny, Shang Wei used to put on such a devoted-husband image. Turns out he’s no better than this.”
“Exactly. The Second Young Master is so pitiful—yet she even invited him to the banquet. Ugh! How shameless.”
This last remark came from a woman who had overheard Xu Rong personally inviting Shang Xuci earlier.
Most of the ladies attending today were the legitimate wives. They couldn’t control their husbands from straying, but as long as the mistresses stayed discreet and didn’t flaunt themselves, they usually turned a blind eye. What they despised most were the women who schemed their way into becoming the official wife. Even though they accepted Xu Rong’s invitation, it was only out of respect for the Shang family.
Now, after hearing this, their disdain for Xu Rong only deepened.
Xu Rong’s composure finally cracked; her face twisted with color and agitation.
At last, Shang Wei, who had remained silent all this time, spoke in displeasure, his voice low: “You deliberately chose today?”
Xu Rong quickly shook her head. “You’re wronging me—I didn’t know today was Shen Yanran’s birthday. If I had known, I would never have chosen this date.”
Her expression was pitifully aggrieved.
But she had said it deliberately, for everyone else to hear.
Shang Wei wavered in suspicion, but in the end, he chose to believe her.
If it were true, wouldn’t Shang Xuci be far too pitiful?
He didn’t dare not believe.
The crowd’s eyes couldn’t help but drift toward the man sitting in the corner, watching coldly from the sidelines. Originally, he was the one who should have been standing on stage. But now, with the madwoman claiming Shang Ye as her child—was Shang Xuci still a son of the Shang family at all?
As for Shang Jue, although the old master’s face was clearly displeased, he remained composed and had yet to say a word.
But since the matter touched upon bloodlines, Shang Jue finally rose slowly to his feet. Leaning on his cane, he said, “Shang Wei, handle your own affairs properly. Don’t disgrace us here.”
He gave his son no further glance, and instead walked straight to the center of the stage. Speaking into the microphone, he said, “My apologies for making everyone witness such a spectacle. There is no doubt that Shang Ye is a member of the Shang family. But as you’ve all seen, today’s situation involves a misunderstanding. This is our family’s private matter, and we will resolve it ourselves.”
“Actually, the most important reason for holding today’s banquet is to make an announcement: my legitimate eldest grandson, Shang Xuci, will officially be joining Shang Group.”
This was the true bombshell.
Those with some inside knowledge had long known that Shang Xuci was not favored, that he had been sickly and rarely appeared at such events. But now, with the old master personally introducing him and declaring it publicly, it was clear he intended to cultivate him as the heir.
And indeed—he was the rightful grandson.
Shang Xuci’s expression remained calm. Stroking his cat’s paw, he looked as though none of this chaos had anything to do with him.
Shang Ye’s face changed dramatically.
Xu Rong fared no better. She felt like a complete joke. She had expected the old master to say a few words on her behalf, to officially acknowledge her as the family’s daughter-in-law. But instead… she stood frozen, body stiff.
Sensing danger, Shang Wei knew that if things continued this way, the old master would surely settle accounts with him later. Taking the initiative, he walked up to Lin Yunsu, staring at her face—strange yet familiar—his heart conflicted. Then he turned to Shang Ye and said, “You two, come with me.”
The matter needed to be clarified—but not in front of so many people.
Meanwhile, Shang Jue beckoned Shang Xuci over and introduced him to his business partners.
Once again, all eyes turned to Shang Xuci. Calm and unruffled, he conversed fluently with the familiar faces before him. In an instant, he earned the respect of the other businessmen present.
Before leaving, Shang Ye caught sight of that glaring scene, his mood heavy. He didn’t care whose child he truly was—what mattered to him was whether or not he belonged to the Shang family. Earlier, during the pauses in Lin Yunsu’s speech, he had carefully observed Shang Jue’s expression, and his understanding of his own identity became all the clearer.
Since that was the case, he had nothing to worry about.
It wasn’t until the banquet ended that Shang Xuci finally returned home with the cat in his arms.
Jian Xun obediently sat in the back seat, happily wagging his tail.
Just moments ago, his panel had shown the plot progress increase to 20%. His intimacy level with the big boss had also risen by a large margin, unlocking new features.
Thinking about the comments he had overheard at the banquet, he wished in his heart for some kind of candy that could strengthen his body.
And as soon as the thought crossed his mind, a piece of candy suddenly appeared on the seat cushion.
Jian Xun: !!!
Back at home.
Jian Xun, in high spirits, trotted into his cardboard box. Just as he finished hiding away his new treasure, he heard the big boss call his name.
“Sui Sui, come here.”
The little kitten scampered over, his round cat eyes reflecting only Shang Xuci. The man’s long, narrow phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, a trace of warmth flickering deep within them.
“Meow~”
The small white cat rubbed its head against Shang Xuci’s hand.
This time, the man didn’t avoid it. Instead, he reached out and gently stroked the kitten back.
His touch was impossibly tender, softly responding to the kitten’s affection.