"Let’s see who dares?"

A sharp voice cut through the air.

Everyone looked toward the voice and saw Na Amo stride in.

This usually composed Mrs. Gu now wore a stern expression, causing a strange unease in everyone’s hearts.

Na Amo nodded to Shen You’an, her gaze calmly sweeping over Rong Xianning before finally settling on Gu Bichen’s face.

"Mom, you’re finally here." Gu Bichen’s face lit up with joy, and he immediately stepped forward.

Gu Suqiu pursed her lips, "Aunt, it was Shen You’an who first disturbed Madam Gu’s birthday banquet, saying Bichen doesn’t bear the Gu surname, implying that Bichen isn’t Uncle Chengzhao’s son. What position does that put Aunt in? Such a person with ulterior motives should be expelled."

Na Amo coldly glanced at Gu Suqiu, with an authority that made Gu Suqiu’s heart tense, causing her to subconsciously step back.

"Do not comment without complete knowledge. It’s not too late to draw conclusions after hearing An’an out."

Gu Bichen noted Na Amo’s attitude, feeling a bad premonition in his heart.

Shen You’an looked at Gu Bichen, calm and composed, "Will you say it yourself, or should I do it for you?"

Gu Bichen shook his head, "An’an, I don’t understand what you’re saying."

"Once you see this person, I’m sure you’ll have something to say."

Shen You’an snapped his fingers.

Someone pushed a wheelchair into the room.

The person pushing the wheelchair was a competent-looking young woman, somewhat unfamiliar, and hardly recognized by anyone.

But the middle-aged woman sitting in the wheelchair, though pale and haggard-looking, was instantly recognized by the public as Yao Huia, the wife of the Cultural Creation Conference president. She was also Madam Gu’s niece.

But wasn’t Yao Huia reported dead recently? A fire erupted in the Jing suburb sanatorium not long ago, rumored to have claimed Yao Huia’s life. The Cultural Creation Conference did not disclose Huia’s death to stabilize stock prices, but the rumor had already spread, with everyone assuming Yao Huia had passed away. It was even said the Xu family discreetly buried Yao Huia, and the funeral was not made public.

How did she suddenly appear, as if resurrected?

Those who reacted cried out in shock and quickly retreated, as if Yao Huia were a ferocious beast.

Gu Bichen recognized Yao Huia’s face and her eyes filled with hatred, instantly feeling chilled like falling into an ice cellar, barely able to stand and staggered backward.

No, it’s impossible...

Madam Gu squinted with her aging eyes to see Yao Huia’s face, unable to hide her excitement, "Huia? Is that you, Huia?"

Though this child had disappointed her many times, she had watched her grow up and couldn’t genuinely stay angry. After hearing about her death, she was saddened for a long while.

Yao Huia opened her mouth, struggling to produce sounds, "Aunt~ Grandma."

The voice sounded as if squeezed from her throat, dry and hoarse as if it were from a prolonged drought, barely audible unless listened to very carefully.

When Gu Bichen heard Yao Huia speak, his pupils shrank with complete disbelief.

With courage, Gu Suqiu asked, "You... you’re not dead?"

Yao Huia coldly glanced at her, then raised a hand to point at someone.

"He~ tried~ to~ kill~ me~ to~ silence~." She spoke, each word squeezed out with difficulty, unclear in pronunciation, requiring close attention to understand vaguely.

Gu Suqiu asked confusedly, "Who do you say tried to kill you?"

Everyone then saw the direction of the pointed finger, which was directed at the pale-faced, unsteady Gu Bichen.

Gu Suqiu was stunned momentarily, "How is this possible?"

What did Bichen do to provoke such accusations, one after another pouring on him?

Yao Huia silently sneered, her cold eyes glaring fiercely at Gu Bichen.

"Because~ I~ and~ Yu Ruohuan~ hold~ his~ greatest~ secret."

Yu Ruohuan was brought up again.

Everyone suddenly remembered what Shen You’an mentioned earlier, that Yu Ruohuan was silenced because she knew Gu Bichen’s secret, that her death wasn’t natural.

The same was true for Yao Huia.

This was too incredible.

What secret did Gu Bichen possess that would make these two women be silenced?

It just didn’t make sense.

Madam Gu suddenly grabbed Gu Bichen’s hand, staring at him fixedly.

"Chenchen, what’s going on?"

Gu Bichen’s lips moved slightly before he suddenly looked up at Shen You’an.

He met Shen You’an’s confident and assured gaze.

The sight shifted, noticing the indifferent gaze of Na Amo and Yao Huia’s resentful glare.

Suddenly, he understood.

He was the smart one who had fallen into a trap meticulously woven by them.

"What nonsense are you saying? Bichen is the sole heir of the Gu family, with great prospects ahead of him. Why would he dirty his hands? Yao Huia will face legal consequences for her slander."

Yao Huia, perhaps having spoken too much earlier, bent over and started coughing.

Lin Hui immediately patted Yao Huia’s back, and once she stopped coughing, she nodded to Lin Hui.

Facing Gu Suqiu, Lin Hui did not waver in the slightest.

"President Yao will bear the legal responsibility for every word she’s spoken. Evidence of Gu Bichen’s attempt to silence is clear, and the law will take care of him. But claiming he’s the sole heir of the Gu family is laughable."

Lin Hui pointed at Gu Bichen, meeting the curious gazes of everyone present, and stated clearly: "Because he is not the real Gu Bichen at all."

The crowd was in uproar, disbelief filling their eyes, all focused on Gu Bichen.

Gu Bichen’s face turned ghostly pale, shaking his head repeatedly.

Madam Gu was shocked, "What are you saying?"

Zhou Rong and Rong Yuhe’s faces were extremely awkward, glancing at each other, uncertain under the predicament, too preoccupied to rush up and silence Lin Hui.

Standing on the outskirts of the crowd, both agitated like ants on a hot pan.

Having just met their son, hadn’t been happy for long when the secret they kept for so many years was abruptly revealed.

What to do?

In the center of the crowd, at the eye of the storm, Rong Xianning silently lowered his eyes, quiet with no presence.

Shen You’an quietly walked to his side, gently holding his hand, providing silent warmth.

Na Amo clenched her fists, her gaze restrained and controlled.

Lin Hui cleared her throat, "Shall I tell everyone a story?"

"Seventeen years ago, there was a maid in the Gu family, pregnant at the same time as the young mistress. For wealth and status, she swapped her son with the Gu family’s young heir when the Gu mistress was weakest post-birth. Two boys with opposite destinies had their fates exchanged; the maid’s son became the sole heir of the Gu family, while the true young master..."

Everyone was astounded by this melodramatic switch story, without noticing Lin Hui’s gaze settled on the quiet, solitary young boy amidst the fervent crowd.

"Lost among the people, abused by unscrupulous couples, grown up tormented, feeding off him as a leech, draining him dry as if never satisfied, knowing full well their biological son is enjoying the luxurious life meant for this unfortunate child."