Jiang Youli deliberately emphasized Jiang Yonghe's status as an "adopted daughter" of the Jiang Family.
She had been back in the Jiang Family for several days now, yet Jiang Yangxu and Qin Yulian had never disclosed the fact that Jiang Yonghe was their adopted daughter.
At this welcoming banquet, aside from close relatives or those who had deliberately sought out the truth, many prestigious families were still in the dark, assuming Jiang Yonghe remained the Jiang Family's legitimate heiress.
Since Jiang Yangxu and Qin Yulian were so determined to preserve Jiang Yonghe's standing in the family, Jiang Youli would make sure to expose the truth in front of everyone!
Sure enough—
The moment Jiang Youli spoke, the invited guests were visibly shocked.
"Jiang Yonghe is actually an adopted daughter?"
"I hadn’t heard about this either. I only knew the Jiang Family had welcomed back a young lady. I assumed she was the biological daughter of Jiang Yehan and his wife, Zhang Susu—especially since the couple seems so much more attentive to Jiang Youli."
"Exactly, that’s what the invitation implied."
Jiang Yonghe never expected Jiang Youli to not only expose her adopted status but also bring up the matter of their matching evening gowns!
She couldn’t fathom Jiang Youli’s intentions.
Didn’t she fear being looked down upon by high society for wearing a knockoff?
Jiang Yonghe felt the guests’ eyes shifting between her and Jiang Youli, realizing that at this moment, they were far more interested in the scandal of her adoption than the clash of their dresses.
"Nonsense! How could we possibly know what evening gown you’d wear tonight? Accusing us of deliberately making Yonghe dress like you is pure slander!" Qin Yulian retorted.
Jiang Zhao hadn’t anticipated the situation turning so unfavorable for Yonghe either.
No, he had to turn the tide—he couldn’t let Yonghe become the center of gossip!
Jiang Zhao raised his voice, "That’s right, Jiang Youli! This gown was carefully selected by me for my sister Yonghe. I couldn’t care less about what you chose to wear tonight."
Pausing, he added with disdain, "And isn’t your gown a fake? I’ve been tracking this design—there’s only one in the world! I pulled strings to secure it for Yonghe. If hers is the real one, then yours must be a counterfeit."
"You’ve returned to the Jiang Family, and tonight’s banquet is in your honor. How could you embarrass yourself by wearing a knockoff?"
With Jiang Zhao leading the charge, others quickly joined in.
"Yes, I’ve heard about this gown too—only one exists."
"Heavens, wearing a fake at her own welcoming banquet? How humiliating!"
"Typical of someone raised in the countryside—no sense of propriety!"
"But honestly, the two gowns look identical. How can we be sure who’s wearing the real one?"
"Isn’t it obvious? Jiang Yonghe would never wear a fake! How many of these events has she attended? What reason would she have? But this newly returned Jiang heiress? She’s inexperienced—probably saw the design, heard the original was sold, and settled for a replica. Little did she know the real one was in Yonghe’s hands."
"Fair point."
Seeing the focus shift to the gowns, Jiang Yonghe quietly sighed in relief.
Jiang Zhao smirked triumphantly at Jiang Youli. Let’s see her talk her way out of this!
Qin Yulian seized the moment to fan the flames. "Sister-in-law, Youli’s spent too long in the village. She doesn’t understand what wearing fakes means for families like ours. But you do. Since you’ve taken her in, you ought to teach her some manners."
Some guests even cast sympathetic glances at Qi Huan.
"If I were the Qi Family’s eldest son, I’d be mortified to be engaged to her."
"Honestly, Young Master Qi should call off the engagement. Even if his legs prevent him from marrying Jiang Yonghe, there’s no need to settle for this disgrace of a new heiress."
Qi Huan’s voice remained gentle but firm. "There’s no need for concern over my engagement to Youli. She is my chosen fiancée, and I trust every word she says, every action she takes."
Though his tone was mild, the guests sensed his unwavering support for Jiang Youli.
Old Master Jiang and Old Master Qi watched Jiang Youli intently, waiting to see how she would handle the situation.
One wanted to know if his granddaughter truly had what it took to inherit the Jiang Family’s legacy, as she claimed.
The other was curious—just how had this true Jiang heiress won the favor of his most esteemed grandson?
Facing the accusations, Jiang Youli chuckled lightly and turned to Jiang Zhao. "Oh? Jiang Zhao, are you really claiming you didn’t pay attention to what I’d wear tonight?"
Jiang Zhao didn’t flinch. "Of course not! You’re not my sister—why would I care about your gown?"
Jiang Youli arched a brow. "Like I said—because you and Aunt Qin wanted to humiliate me in front of everyone."
Jiang Yangxu interjected sternly, "Jiang Youli, you must provide evidence. With so many guests here tonight, this is no time for reckless accusations!"
Jiang Youli countered, "Uncle, every time I expose your schemes, you accuse me of causing trouble. When have I ever? I was swapped at birth by Jiang Yonghe’s mother, yet you and Aunt Qin refused to acknowledge me for her sake. So I turned to Uncle Jiang Yehan and Aunt Zhang Susu instead. At first, you called it a tantrum—but I signed the severance papers. Clearly, I wasn’t joking."
Seeing her steer the conversation off-track again, Jiang Yangxu scowled. "Jiang Youli, family shame shouldn’t be aired in public!"
Jiang Youli feigned surprise. "Oh, so Uncle knows this is shameful? Raising your enemy’s daughter for twenty years while your own child was lost, then rejecting your real daughter when she returns—yes, that’s shameful. The ugliest kind."
She patted her cheek mockingly. "If I ever treated my child like that, I’d be too ashamed to show my face."
The guests murmured among themselves.
"That does seem excessive. How could they disown their own flesh and blood?"
"Well, even if Jiang Yonghe isn’t biologically theirs, twenty years of upbringing must count for something."
"But no matter what, blood should run thicker."
Noticing the shift in sentiment, Qin Yulian hastily appealed, "Father, are you just going to stand by while Youli slanders us like this?"
Old Master Jiang snorted. "This mess is of your own making! Tonight is Youli’s banquet, yet you insisted on dressing your adopted daughter in the same gown. It’s hard not to suspect foul play!"
Jiang Youli grinned. "Grandfather sees right through them!"
Jiang Zhao couldn't take it anymore. "Enough! Jiang Youli! Don’t think that by repeatedly bringing up the fact that Xiaohe is adopted, you can cover up the embarrassment you caused the Jiang Family tonight by wearing a knockoff!"
Hearing this, Jiang Youli let out a mocking laugh. "Jiang Zhao, what makes you so sure this gown I’m wearing is a knockoff?"
She then swept her gaze around the room before finally settling on Jiang Yonghe, who had been keeping herself detached from the conflict. "As for whether Jiang Yonghe deliberately wore the same dress as me tonight—just to humiliate me at my own welcome banquet—well, I happen to have proof of that."
