When they heard those words, her friends became even more intensely interested. From the dramatic, hesitant way Jiang Yanna had phrased her sentence, they were clearly about to hear some truly scandalous secret involving the prestigious and wealthy Jiang family.
"Yanna, don't worry about it at all. We would not breathe a single word to anyone." Yin Zexi promised immediately, her eyes shining with absolute excitement. She then turned her head and glanced sharply at the others walking along with them. "Right, everyone?"
"Of course, we would not tell anybody."
"Definitely. Our lips are completely sealed."
"Don't worry about a single thing, Yanna. Your secret is safe with us."
Jiang Yanna's upper-class friends nodded one after another in eager, frantic agreement, clearly desperate to get their hands on the juicy gossip.
"We're all incredibly close friends here, after all. We protect each other's secrets." Yin Zexi said, offering a confident, reassuring nod to put her at ease. "So don't worry about it and just tell us exactly what's going on."
Everyone paused and waited expectantly for Jiang Yanna to speak.
"Actually, she is my fraternal twin sister." Jiang Yanna stated, letting out a soft sigh. "She was only brought back home to our house recently. My family plans to officially announce the news to high society sometime in the future."
"What? Your twin sister?" Yin Zexi exclaimed in genuine surprise, her jaw dropping.
"Yes. She lived far out in the countryside before this, so her manner of speaking is a little rough and unrefined at times. I truly hope you can understand and overlook it." Jiang Yanna said, her voice dripping with artificial sweetness.
"Oh... No wonder." Yin Zexi nodded knowingly, a look of realisation dawning on her face. "She is just a country bumpkin."
"I know this exact kind of setup. It's just like those cliché, melodramatic stories where the real daughter returns from poverty to reclaim her rightful place in the family." Wu Xiner, another friend in the group, chimed in with a light laugh.
"What are you even talking about? There is no 'real daughter' plot here. Yanna already explicitly said that they are fraternal twins." Yin Zexi snapped, shooting Wu Xiner a harsh glare to quiet her down.
"Don't be angry, it was just a harmless joke." Wu Xiner laughed it off, raising her hands in mock surrender.
What Wu Xiner did not know, however, was that her casual, joking remark had struck directly at the darkest part of Jiang Yanna's heart.
Qiao Meixia was, in fact, the real daughter. And she was the fake one.
That single, terrifying thought had always been one of Jiang Yanna's absolute greatest fears in life. She was constantly afraid that Qiao Meixia would eventually replace her, stripping away her position and everything she owned within the Jiang family.
However, she quickly shook her head and forced those suffocating thoughts aside. There was absolutely no way Qiao Meixia could ever replace her. Her parents loved her dearly. Her brothers loved her. Everyone in the household cared about her deeply and had raised her with affection. There was simply no way a stranger like Qiao Meixia could take her place. Besides, with Qiao Meixia's terrible attitude and cold personality, her parents seemed to dislike her more and more with each passing day.
'Yes... That's right. I don't need to worry about that girl at all.' Jiang Yanna reassured herself, her confidence returning.
Meanwhile, Wu Xiner secretly observed the subtle shifts in Jiang Yanna's facial expression. A faint, knowing smile curved her lips. Judging entirely by Jiang Yanna's stiff reaction, there was definitely much more to this family story than she was currently willing to admit out loud.
Well, there was absolutely no rush. She could wait for the truth to unravel.
With the gossip temporarily settled, the girls continued enjoying their expensive lunch together.
...
***This novel is a work with w e b n o v e l. c o m. If it is not read this novel on w e b n o v e l. c o m, then it has been stolen. Thank you, from your shameless author, ZerahNeko***