Shen Shuyi had just finished giving the butler instructions concerning her biological daughter and was about to take a stroll in the back garden when she met Mingyue at the entrance, home from school.
She had deliberately brought Banxia home while Mingyue was at school to avoid an awkward encounter.
Looking at the daughter she had cherished for seventeen years, Shen Shuyi recalled the inner thoughts she had heard earlier, and an involuntary wave of disgust rose deep within her.
Was she really Xu Junshan's daughter with his mistress?
Once that thought surfaced in Shen Shuyi's mind, she could no longer shake it. The more she looked at Xu Mingyue, the more she resembled Xu Junshan.
Then she recalled how Xu Junshan had suggested giving this daughter his surname. He had never made such a request before-even their sons bore her surname, Shen-which made Xu Mingyue's identity seem all the more suspicious.
"Mom, I heard my older sister came home. Is it true?"
The moment Xu Mingyue saw Shen Shuyi, she forced a smile and ran over to her, looking excited as she asked.
"Yes. Banxia is resting. Don't disturb her," Shen Shuyi instructed with a faint smile.
Until she got to the bottom of things, she could not let anything show.
If it was false, Xu Mingyue was innocent. If it was true, she had even more reason not to alert them.
She had to keep treating her as she always had, even if it was only for appearances.
"I prepared a gift for my sister. I wonder if she'll like it."
"Give it to her at dinner."
"Mom, now that my sister is back, will you send me away?" Xu Mingyue lowered her head, looking pitiful.
In the past, the sight of Xu Mingyue like this would have broken Shen Shuyi's heart. She would have reassured her over and over that she would never send her away.
Today, however, Xu Mingyue's act seemed no different from that of a scheming woman feigning innocence. Such calculation at her young age only disgusted her more.
Still, she kept her expression composed as she said,
"Your studies are what matter most right now. Don't overthink things.
Sister Lian made bird's nest soup. Go have some!
I'm going for a walk."
With that, Shen Shuyi headed toward the back garden.
Xu Mingyue withdrew her gaze and went inside. Her innocent smile vanished, replaced by a dark, vicious look-
Just you wait. Once Daddy becomes chairman of the board and transfers the assets, the Shen Corporation will go bankrupt and the Shen Family will be ruined. Then we'll see how you cry!
After finishing her bird's nest soup, Xu Mingyue headed upstairs. As she passed the second floor,
Xiao Wu, the maid wiping down the railing, came over and whispered to her,
"Miss, don't worry.
That country girl is ugly and tacky.
Compared with you, she's practically dirt beneath your feet. She's no match for you."
"How could I compare to her? She's Mom's biological daughter." Xu Mingyue sighed softly, looking pitiful.
"So what if she is? With looks like that, anyone who didn't know better would think they'd picked her out of a trash can.
Miss, put your mind at ease. Your life will stay just as it's always been. No one can take your place."
"Xiao Wu, you're so good to me!" Xu Mingyue said, her voice suddenly filled with gratitude.
"It's only what I should do. Don't mention it, miss. I'll get back to work." Xiao Wu beamed.
Satisfied with her flattery, she resumed wiping the railing.
Xu Mingyue headed to the third floor, a smug smile curling her lips.
Her father had already told her that Shen Banxia, who lived in the countryside, was ugly and rough-looking, with something wrong with her intelligence as well. He had no desire to acknowledge this daughter.
Hearing Xiao Wu say the same thing put her even more at ease.
At least it proved that her father had not deliberately belittled Shen Banxia just to comfort her.
As soon as she returned to her room, she messaged her biological mother, Lin Xiyue, to report the situation,
telling her not to worry about this unexpected complication and simply wait to become the Mrs. Xu everyone envied!
When that happened, she would be the legitimate young lady of the Xu family. She would no longer have to tread carefully and flatter Shen Shuyi to please her, living such a stifling life.
Shen Banxia woke up full of energy again and changed into the old floral padded jacket.
Xiao Wu came upstairs and knocked, saying that Madam wanted her to come down for dinner.
Shen Banxia replied that she would come down after washing up, then went to the dressing table to work on her appearance.
Fortunately, the Shen Family had prepared a full set of cosmetics for her. Otherwise, she really would have had no way to restore her "original appearance."
Although she had returned to the Shen Family and had their protection, making it unnecessary to keep disguising herself as ugly, her two mortal enemies, Xu Junshan and Xu Mingyue, were still here.
Revealing her true looks now would only invite more jealousy and danger.
Since beauty alone was a losing hand, she had to turn it into a trump card before playing it.
By the time she finished her makeup and left the bedroom, Xiao Wu had grown impatient.
Seeing Shen Banxia's face, Xiao Wu despised her from the bottom of her heart. Emboldened by her backers, she put on a nasty expression.
"You've only just returned to the Shen Family, and you have no manners at all, making the entire family wait for you."
Well, well, Shen Banxia thought upon hearing that. Anyone who knew would recognize her as a maid. Anyone who didn't would think she was the mistress of the Shen household.
Shen Banxia gave her a once-over.
Xiao Wu, the Shen Family's maid, had another identity: she was Lin Xiyue's distant cousin.
She was also one of the people Lin Xiyue had planted in the Shen household.
With Xu Junshan and Xu Mingyue backing her, she usually strutted around the Shen household,
truly treating herself as its mistress!
Even before beating a dog, one had to consider its owner. Besides, Shen Banxia was now the Shen Family's rightful seventh young lady.
If she could not handle a maid who dared treat her like this,
how was she supposed to get by in the Shen household and be a proper spectator to all the drama?
At that thought, Shen Banxia immediately perked up. Then she scrunched up her little face and began crying pitifully.
"No one ever taught me any manners before. The moment I came back to the Shen Family, the maid started complaining that I have none.
I'm going downstairs to tell Mom right now. I don't know any manners, and I don't want to stay in this house anymore-"
Xiao Wu panicked at once.
With the master and the younger miss backing her, she could get away with secretly bullying the newly returned seventh young lady.
But if this really reached Madam, she would clearly be in the wrong and might even lose her job. She could not bear to give up such a lucrative position.
"Seventh miss, seventh miss, please, I'm begging you! Stop crying. I said the wrong thing, all right?"
Xiao Wu hurried to soothe her, afraid the commotion would grow loud enough for Madam to hear downstairs.
"You said the wrong thing?" Shen Banxia asked between sobs.
"Yes, yes, I said the wrong thing. You've only just come home, seventh miss. You haven't adjusted yet. It's not your fault."
"Then will you bully me again?"
"I-" Xiao Wu was about to deny it, but when she saw the seventh young lady on the verge of tears again, she immediately changed her tune. "No, no! I'll never bully you again."
Still sniffling, Shen Banxia lifted her phone and continued,
"Uncle Butler, you heard all that. You have to be my witness. Xiao Wu said she'll never bully me again.
If she does, fire her so she can never bully me again!"
Xiao Wu froze completely. She had never imagined that Shen Banxia was holding her phone and was on a call with the butler.
Her face flushed bright red, and she could not force out a single word.
"If you bully me again, I'll tell Uncle Butler!"
Shen Banxia even managed to deliver her threat in a pitiful voice before walking around Xiao Wu and heading downstairs.
Xiao Wu nearly collapsed. How had she ever thought the newly returned seventh young lady was timid and afraid of trouble?
This girl was clearly more terrifying than a demon.
Shen Banxia slipped her phone into her pocket. How could she just happen to be on a call with the butler? It had only been a bluff, a little sleight of hand.
Still, she had to find an opportunity to kick that hateful maid out of the Shen household.
Otherwise, she would only cause trouble!
Besides, Shen Banxia was petty. She had no room for any thorn in her side!
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