The true heiress made a dazzling entrance

The banquet was set to begin at seven that evening. It was only a little past six, and not many guests had arrived yet. The courtyard was quiet.

Chu Tianqing walked through the carved gate and followed the path inward. Halfway along, she suddenly saw a familiar figure standing on the steps, waving excitedly at her.

It was none other than Jiang Youyi.

This was the second time the fake mother and daughter had met since the incident.

Afraid Jiang Youyi might do something too affectionate, Chu Tianqing hurried up the steps and greeted her politely, holding herself back. "Aunt Jiang, am I too early?"

Jiang Youyi's nose prickled, and she nearly burst into tears. "Silly child, what nonsense are you talking about? This is your home. You can come back whenever you want."

Chu Tianqing smiled without answering. Not daring to pick up that thread, she quickly changed the subject. "Aunt Jiang, it's cold outside. Let's go in first."

Jiang Youyi agreed and took Chu Tianqing by the hand, leading her inside.

A few society ladies had arrived early and were in the hall. They had been close friends with Jiang Youyi for many years and had practically watched Shen Xixi grow up.

As soon as they saw mother and daughter enter, they all stood to greet them. Taking Chu Tianqing's hands, they praised her beauty again and again.

Chu Tianqing smiled modestly and seized the chance to go to the back kitchen with Jiang Youyi. She couldn't help asking about Lin Bufan—no, she should be called Shen Bufan now.

At the mention of her biological daughter, a touch of tenderness appeared in Jiang Youyi's eyes. "She lives at school. She's too busy with her studies to come back. She said she had some activity today, but she'll be here on time tonight."

Chu Tianqing nodded. It seemed Shen Bufan's academic path hadn't changed. She was in her first year of graduate school and was indeed quite busy, with experiments to do all the time.

That was good. She had always been outstanding, and now she had her family background to fall back on. Her future was bright, and her prospects were limitless.

Before long, Shen Yunsheng came home, accompanied by a group of company veterans and executives, as well as Shen Heng.

The house grew lively all at once. Jiang Youyi went out to greet the guests, while Chu Tianqing stayed in the back kitchen to enjoy a moment of peace.

She sneaked a bottle of juice and hid on the small terrace to drink it.

She was halfway through when a voice suddenly rang out. "So this is where you are. You really made me look for you."

Chu Tianqing nearly choked. She hurriedly put down the bottle, covered her mouth, and lowered her head to check, afraid she had stained the expensive dress.

Shen Heng couldn't help laughing. Chu Tianqing looked up and glared at him. "Why did you suddenly scare me? If you wanted to see me make a fool of myself, you could've just said so. You're the worst!"

Shen Heng stopped laughing and strolled over. He must have attended some meeting today, because he was dressed very formally.

He wore a white shirt, a black suit, and a blue tie. His hair was neatly combed back, revealing a smooth forehead and handsome features. He looked every bit the elite, with an air that begged for a punch.

He leaned against a pillar and lowered his head slightly to look at her. "You're the one hiding here instead of going out to say hello."

Chu Tianqing straightened her skirt and set the juice on a nearby table. Lowering her eyes, she said, "The banquet hasn't started yet. What's the rush? If I'm too eager, I'll look like I don't know my place."

Shen Heng could see that she was avoiding people and feeling afraid. His tone softened. "You're overthinking it. If you hide here, they'll gossip. If you go out and face them directly, they won't dare say much."

Chu Tianqing slowly raised her eyes to meet Shen Heng's. Wrinkling her nose, she muttered, "When it comes to preaching grand principles, who could ever beat you?"

When she lifted her head, Shen Heng finally got a clear look at her face. He couldn't say what was different, but she looked especially lovely.

Seeing that Shen Heng had fallen silent and was staring straight at her, Chu Tianqing said guiltily, "What is it? What's wrong with me? You picked this evening gown! Did you deliberately pick another ugly outfit for me?"

Damn him, what kind of twisted pleasure was this!

Spending so much money on an outfit he didn't like—being this rich and willful, he'd better watch out for retribution!

"No." The corners of Shen Heng's mouth lifted slightly as he said sincerely, "You look beautiful tonight. Very elegant. Absolutely perfect."

But seeing him smile, Chu Tianqing didn't believe him at all.

She gritted her teeth but didn't dare lash out. Even if she knew Shen Heng was messing with her, she had no other evening gown to change into.

Seeing that she didn't believe him, Shen Heng didn't explain further. He changed the subject at just the right moment. "Come on. I'll go out with you."

Chu Tianqing knew she couldn't avoid it. She took a deep breath, adjusted her mood, and followed Shen Heng into the main hall.

The main hall had been rearranged. The sofas had been moved to one side, leaving a spacious open area. A magnificent crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling, three stories overhead.

Beneath lights as soft and dazzling as a sky full of stars, the guests wore splendid clothes and glittering jewelry. Their swaying skirts revealed elegance and nobility in every movement.

A live band played melodious music, and the guests held glasses of champagne as laughter and conversation filled the air.

Shen Xixi had seen scenes like this countless times, but for Chu Tianqing, it was the first time she had experienced one firsthand.

A little nervous, she instinctively edged closer to Shen Heng, seeking a protective barrier.

Shen Heng noticed and quietly slowed his pace. He led her through the guests, smiling as he greeted everyone.

Most of the guests were familiar faces who had attended countless banquets, receptions, birthday parties, and other events hosted by the Shen family.

Seeing how warm and friendly they all were, Chu Tianqing gradually relaxed. She even exchanged a few pleasantries with elders she knew well. Finally, she made it to Jiang Youyi's side, finding herself another protective barrier.

As seven o'clock approached, almost all the guests had arrived, but there was still no sign of Shen Bufan.

Chu Tianqing actually began to worry about her, afraid she might have run into some strange accident.

As her thoughts ran wild, she suddenly saw Shen Heng take a phone call. A gentle smile appeared on his face, and he strode outside.

Chu Tianqing guessed at once that he must be going to meet Shen Bufan.

Come to think of it, her meddling had given these biological siblings a chance to get to know each other ahead of time.

In the original story, the good big brother had initially wanted to get involved, going to the hospital, for instance, to visit the fake heiress after she attempted suicide by taking sleeping pills.

But according to Chu Tianqing's speculation, the fake heiress must have angered the good big brother quite badly during his visit, making him unwilling to deal with that mess any longer. He chose to protect himself wisely and watch coldly from the sidelines as the real and fake sisters fought it out.

No matter how much they fought, they couldn't shake his position as heir.

Later, the battle between the real and fake sisters escalated, and the fake sister was embroiled in one scandal after another, affecting the Dingsheng Group's share price. The real sister came to him and hinted that she needed her big brother's help. Only then did they become acquainted.

Now the script had been rewritten. Shen Heng had stepped forward to organize tonight's banquet, giving the biological siblings more chances to interact. From the look of things, their relationship had developed well.

Chu Tianqing had guessed right. Shen Heng had left to meet Shen Bufan.

Before long, the main hall's doors swung fully open. Shen Bufan entered arm in arm with Shen Heng, and the biological siblings made an elegant entrance, instantly drawing every eye in the room.

From what Chu Tianqing knew of the true heiress, she must have planned it in advance.

This was different from the banquet in the original story. That time, she had come to slap faces, so she had kept a low profile. This time, she was here to announce her return.

Since she was returning, she naturally had to put on a proper show and leave a deep impression on everyone.

Chu Tianqing looked toward the doors. Taking in the true heiress's beautiful face, confident smile, and glittering, valuable diamond gown, she felt as though she had been struck by a bullet she had fired herself.

At that very moment, she truly wanted to run.