Chen Ruanruan naturally understood the deeper meaning in her words.
But in front of Wu Peihua and Qian Xiaofen, it wasn't appropriate to lose her temper.
Forcing herself, she squeezed out a faint smile.
"How could that be? Grandma picked these out carefully, every single one is beautiful."
"If you're willing to share, Liuyue, I'd be delighted."
Chen Liuyue curved her lips into a beaming smile.
She didn't look at her, but instead tilted her head towards Qian Xiaofen and said:
"Grandma, Sister is right. These three dresses were all chosen by you with care, and I love every single one."
"I can't bear to give any of them to Sister."
Qian Xiaofen smiled and patted the back of her hand, saying:
"If you like them, you wear them."
"Don't mind what your mother says. She's someone who just can't read the room."
"If she likes them, she can go order custom ones herself. What's she doing trying to snatch our Xiaoyue's gowns?"
Wu Peihua, having been bluntly rebuked by her own mother, didn't look too pleased either.
However, she didn't dare to covet these gowns anymore, so she took Chen Ruanruan's hand and said:
"Ruanruan, let's go look at another store. We'll surely find something nice."
Chen Ruanruan nodded with a smile and was about to leave.
Suddenly, Chen Liuyue called out to them.
"Mom, Sister."
Wu Peihua asked, puzzled, "What is it?"
Chen Liuyue put on a sweet, utterly innocent expression and said:
"I'm the main character at the recognition banquet tonight, so what gown Sister wears isn't important."
This was the truth.
Yet it still made Chen Ruanruan's body tremble slightly.
Her grip on Wu Peihua's hand also tightened.
Wu Peihua, coming to her senses, patted the back of her hand to comfort her—after all, this was the daughter she had doted on for so many years. "It's alright," she said.
Then she turned to look at her biological daughter who was picking a fight.
"This is your first time attending a banquet, and you don't know many people."
"Ruanruan kindly wants to introduce you to her circle of young ladies. If you dress ordinarily, won't you just be looked down upon?"
Chen Liuyue first let out an 'Oh' upon hearing this.
Then, she added:
"But why should I have to integrate into Sister's circle and get to know her friends?"
"I have my own social skills; I can make new friends myself."
Chen Ruanruan's little clique had grown up together. Even knowing her status was due to a mix-up at birth, years of friendship wouldn't change that.
If Chen Liuyue really followed along obediently, what she'd likely face was various ill intentions and group mockery.
She wasn't stupid.
At this point, Wu Peihua felt her biological daughter was just as difficult as her adoptive mother, Teacher Jin.
Frowning, she said:
"Ruanruan was just being kind, and you're not even appreciative."
Chen Ruanruan also pressed her lips together, looking wounded.
"So that's how you see me, Liuyue."
After saying this, she even cast a pitiful glance at Qian Xiaofen and whispered:
"Grandma, I genuinely wanted to help Liuyue fit into the circle."
A glint flashed in Qian Xiaofen's eyes.
Being an old fox herself, she could certainly see the clash between the two sisters just now.
But people's hearts are always biased.
No matter how much she had doted on Chen Ruanruan before, now that her biological granddaughter had appeared, she would undoubtedly stand on Chen Liuyue's side.
Unhurriedly, she said:
"Our Xiaoyue's status is inherently part of this circle. What's there to 'integrate' into?"
Wu Peihua fell silent.
Chen Ruanruan also didn't dare to keep stirring the pot, afraid it might backfire. The mother and daughter left hand in hand.
Only the two of them remained in the room.
Chen Liuyue also toned down her earlier arrogant demeanor, deliberately lowering her head meekly and stealing a cautious glance at Qian Xiaofen.
Softly, she said:
"Grandma, will you hate me?"
Qian Xiaofen was taken aback. "Why would you say that?"
A look of trust surfaced in Chen Liuyue's eyes.
"I said those things on purpose just now."
"I don't like Chen Ruanruan. She hasn't really done anything wrong, but I just don't like her!"
"I don't want to give her a single one of the gowns you picked for me."
"Am I very bad?"
As she said this, she even guiltily lowered her head.
Hearing this, Qian Xiaofen's lips slowly curved into a smile. She patted her granddaughter's shoulder and said gently:
"Good child, Grandma won't hate you."
"If you don't like her, then Grandma won't like her either."
Delight bloomed in Chen Liuyue's eyes, but then it gradually dimmed again.
She said in a low voice, "Grandma is so good, but Mom... still prefers Chen Ruanruan."
Seeing this, Qian Xiaofen vented, "Your mother is just a muddlehead, petty too. She's been holding onto the past all these years and still won't let it go."
"The past?" Chen Liuyue showed a curious look.
Qian Xiaofen began to narrate slowly:
"Your grandfather and I had two children. The other one was your late aunt, Chen Lihua."
"Your mother always thought we favored Lihua more. Back then, with two daughters, one to marry out and one to stay home, take in a son-in-law, and inherit the Wu family, we chose Lihua."
"She thought it meant we loved our younger daughter more."
"In reality, it was because your mother is simple, guileless, and easily deceived, while Lihua was more capable, ambitious, and better suited to become the heir to the family business."
"It's a pity, she's just stubborn, only willing to hear what she wants to hear."
"Even after we explained it to her later, she still thought we were making excuses."
"She threw a tantrum over it and hasn't paid us much mind for several years. Your grandfather is stubborn too; seeing your mother act up, he didn't indulge her either."
"Except for your father coming to deliver New Year gifts during the holidays, there hasn't been much contact otherwise."
Chen Liuyue touched her own face.
"Then... do I look more like Aunt Lihua?"
As early as her first day entering the Chen household, she had sensed something odd about Wu Peihua's attitude and gaze towards her.
At first, there was joy, but when her eyes landed on Chen Liuyue's face, she instantly frowned.
That instinctive reaction couldn't be faked, and there was no time to hide it.
Qian Xiaofen nodded and said:
"Yes."
Then, she added with a smile:
"Not only do you look like her, your temperament is even more similar. Lihua wasn't one to take losses lying down either."
"So when you asked earlier if I would hate you, Grandma not only doesn't hate you, but actually likes you even more."
"Don't be afraid. Just know that your grandfather, grandmother, and the Wu family will be your strongest backing."
Hearing this, Chen Liuyue was moved and hugged Qian Xiaofen.
"Grandma, you're so good."
...
The Chen Family, Evening Banquet.
Many of tonight's guests were not there because of Chen Zhenye, but had come out of respect for Old Master Wu, Wu Hongjun.
After all, Old Master Wu was a titan in the city's business world and had excellent connections with many high-level political figures.
Among the guests, those with well-informed sources had long heard about the mix-up involving the Chen family's younger daughter.
That the true heiress was someone else.
They all wore expressions of anticipation for the drama to unfold.
Who knew how the usually arrogant Chen Ruanruan would handle herself?
It was said this recognition banquet was strongly pushed for by Old Master Wu himself, precisely to publicly introduce his biological granddaughter.
"The Chen family heiress is here!" someone called out.
"What Chen family heiress? That Chen Ruanruan was the one switched at birth. She's the fake heiress."
"The one next to her is the young master of the Qin family, Qin Xuanye. Their engagement wasn't affected?"
"Look, Mrs. Chen is also accompanying Chen Ruanruan. She really is still doted on."
"The true daughter's situation was truly dire."
