Celia's clear, luminous eyes locked on Qianrou, a faint, knowing smile curling her lips.
Qianrou's voice trembled. "It… it's you?"
Yes. This was all Celia's doing.She was the one who lured Li Chong here.She was the one who gathered the crowd.And now—everyone knew.
Celia turned slightly toward the host, her voice crisp. "Qianrou, what do you mean by me? Didn't you just say all that yourself?"
"I—" Qianrou stammered, searching for an excuse.
But Celia stepped forward, each word cutting like glass. "Didn't you promise Li Chong five million? Didn't you tell him to drag me back to the countryside? Didn't you encourage him to ruin me?"
Her gaze sharpened. "What's wrong? Afraid to admit it now because your face looked so ugly just then? Too late, Qianrou—your mask has fallen. Everyone has seen the real you."
The words fell one by one, firm as pearls on jade, each one pounding against Qianrou's chest. She staggered backward until there was nowhere left to retreat.
Whispers rose from the crowd.
"Is this Li Chong really your biological father?" someone asked.
"No! He's not!" Qianrou snapped, clinging to denial.
Celia's lips curved coldly. "Really? Then take a look at this."
She handed two documents to the host—DNA paternity test results. The pages rustled as the host skimmed them, eyes widening.
"Oh my god… Su Qianrou is indeed the biological daughter of this countryman, Li Chong."
Gasps erupted.
"Then… whose daughter is Celia? Is she the Su family's real daughter? But just now Mr. and Mrs. Su said she was their maid!"
Dozens of eyes turned toward Chairman Su Changrong and Li Lan. The couple averted their gaze—this had spiraled far beyond their control.
"Mom, Dad!" Qianrou's voice cracked as she clung to her last lifeline.
As long as they refused to acknowledge Celia, she still had a chance.
Sure enough, Li Lan instinctively stepped toward her. "Qianrou—"
A deep, powerful voice cut through the chaos.
"That's enough. Celia is the true blood of our Su family. She is the real daughter. This Su Qianrou is the fake!"
All heads turned.
Su Mo strode in with Jiang Meiling at his side. The couple's presence commanded instant respect; the crowd parted to let them through.
Jiang Meiling went straight to Celia, taking her hand. "Ci Ci, your uncle and aunt are here. With us here, no one will dare to touch you."
Celia's eyes shimmered red. She hadn't wanted them to come—but they had anyway.
Su Mo fixed his cold gaze on Su Changrong and Li Lan. "Second Brother, Sister-in-law, even now, you refuse to acknowledge Ci Ci's identity?"
He spoke for all to hear. "Years ago, the hospital switched two babies. The real daughter—our Ci Ci—was sent to the countryside, suffering years of hardship. And the daughter of this man, Li Chong, was raised in our home and treated like a jewel."
"This…" Su Changrong and Li Lan faltered.
"Third Uncle, Third Aunt—" Qianrou tried to plead.
"Shut your mouth!" Jiang Meiling's voice cracked like a whip. "We are Ci Ci's uncle and aunt—not yours."
She stepped forward, her palm slicing through the air—
Smack!
The slap echoed like a gunshot. Qianrou's head snapped to the side, her face burning, her pride shattering in front of the entire audience.