Bao Fang stepped out to take out the trash and let out a scream when she looked up and saw someone standing in the hallway.
Ever since they sold their old family home and moved to Jiangcheng, they had been renting. At first, they were the darlings of the media, earning thousands for interviews where they would curse Xia Weiliang a few times on camera.
Later, after the full video from Anshi's backend was exposed, the Liu couple became known as parasitic parents. Due to the negative impact they caused, they were directly criticized by higher authorities, and no platform dared to invite them anymore!
With no source of income and their previously earned money lost to an illegal fundraising scam, they had to move to Chengz hongcheng, renting a room in a dirty and chaotic dormitory building.
"What is it? Why are you yelling for no reason..."
Liu Wan Quan came out from inside and, upon seeing the person standing outside, exclaimed in surprise, "Yiran! It's Yiran! Oh my, why didn't you come in when you got back?"
He called Bao Fang and busied himself ushering their daughter into the house.
Xia Yiran, dressed in designer clothes and carrying an H-brand handbag, walked into the house with a blank expression. She surveyed the one-bedroom, one-living room apartment that the family of three was renting. Her parents had given the bedroom to their son, and they had set up a makeshift bed for themselves in the living room.
Bao Fang was overjoyed to see her daughter and was on the verge of tears, wanting to hug her but hesitating, she could only quietly wipe her eyes.
"Yiran, has the Xia family... treated you well?"
Liu Wan Quan interrupted her, "What kind of family is the Xia family? Wealthy and powerful, how could they not treat her well?"
"Yes, yes, yes."
Bao Fang quickly brought a chair for her to sit on. Xia Yiran glanced at it with disgust and stood coldly, saying, "You should go back."
As she spoke, she took a bank card from her bag and pushed it onto the table. "This card contains 300,000 yuan, which is all my current savings. Take it and don't come here again, don't show your faces either."
Liu Wan Quan was initially pleased to hear about the 300,000 yuan, but when he heard that she didn't want them to return, his face immediately changed. "What do you mean? You think this little money can appease beggars?"
He picked up the card and threw it fiercely at Xia Yiran. "I'll go wherever I want, it's not your place to control me!"
Xia Yiran gritted her teeth and suddenly sneered at the corner of her mouth, "What, you still want to use me to swindle money?"
The couple first froze, then their expressions changed. Bao Fang's lips trembled, "Y-Yiran, what are you talking about?"
"You know what I'm talking about!"
Xia Yiran bit her lip tightly, so hard that it almost lost its color, her gaze fixed on the two of them, filled with resentment!
"Why... why are my parents you? I should be the Xia family's daughter! Why you!!"
"You... you know?"
Bao Fang was terrified and quickly went to hold her hand. "Yiran, listen to your mother, we had no choice... Your brother wants to start a business, and buy a house to get married! Your father had a work-related injury and can't work anymore, and he needs medication every month. The family needs money everywhere, and I'm uneducated, where else can I earn money? So, so..."
"Heh, so when the Xia family discovered Xia Weiliang's blood type didn't match and quietly investigated, you thought of substituting me? Do you know what would have happened to me if it was exposed?!"
Xia Yiran, who had been holding back all the way, finally erupted.
All her worries and fears turned into anger, which she hurled at the couple.
"I am a celebrity now! A big star! Did you see how those keyboard warriors cursed Xia Weiliang? If they find out I'm also fake, will they let me go? I'm afraid I'll be a hundred times worse off than Xia Weiliang!!"
Liu Wan Quan sat aside, lowering his head and smoking, one cigarette after another.
"You won't," he said. "You also know your cousin's capabilities. The person he found tampered with those two appraisal reports. As long as you don't slip up and make the Xia family suspicious, they won't find out."
He looked up at her mockingly. "Otherwise, do you think the money from selling the house went where? To send you to the Xia family, your mother and I not only sold the house but also incurred a mountain of debt!"
Bao Fang cried and explained, "We kept it from you for your own good. First, we wanted you to have a good life, and second, to help the family..."
Xia Yiran took a deep breath and finally sneered coldly, "That's right, after so many years, you've finally done one good thing for me."
She who was Liu Yiran, transformed into Xia Yiran.
After calming down, she asked, "Is cousin reliable?"
"Don't worry," Liu Wan Quan said. "I once saved his life, so now we're even."
Xia Yiran sat down, elegantly crossing her long legs, her back straight in a proper ladylike posture. "Tell me, what exactly happened back then?"
Bao Fang cautiously looked at her and said softly, "The year you were born, there was a major flood in the village, and many outsiders came to help with flood control. On the day you were born, the hospital was completely overcrowded, so I was in a makeshift medical tent with the village midwives helping.
"Mrs. Xia was also there at the time. I was curious, she clearly looked like a wealthy lady, why did she come here pregnant? Later I found out she was accompanying Mr. Xia on an inspection of the orchard and got trapped by the flood.
"There were three pregnant women in the tent at the time. The other one wore a mask the whole time, lying there alone without any family by her side..."
"Later, I was in so much pain, and as soon as I gave birth to you, I received the notice to evacuate..."
Xia Yiran impatiently interrupted her, saying urgently, "So, Xia Weiliang is..."
Bao Fang shook her head. "She is not the Xia family's daughter."
Xia Yiran was stunned. "Why are you so sure?"
"Because..."
Liu Wan Quan looked up at her. "Because that child didn't have a breath when she was born."
Xia Yiran did not expect this outcome. "Meaning, the Xia family's real child died that year!"
This answer filled her heart with overwhelming joy. She no longer had to worry about the real Xia family heiress suddenly appearing!
She further questioned Liu Wan Quan, "How did you know about this matter?"
"I heard the midwife say it when I went out for a smoke. She said the mother fainted, and the child didn't make it. But later, when Mr. Xia rushed over and left with Mrs. Xia, he was actually holding an infant girl..."
Bao Fang added, "Your father and I discussed it later. It's highly likely the Xia family mistook the child with that woman..."
Xia Yiran finally pieced together the puzzle. "Meaning, as long as you don't say anything, and as long as the other party doesn't come looking, then this matter will never be discovered!"
Liu Wan Quan stood up, his cloudy eyes narrowed, and said menacingly, "It was so chaotic back then, that woman might have thought the child died or was lost! Moreover, she didn't have a man by her side. Coming to the countryside alone, perhaps she was someone's mistress, and if the child was lost, she wouldn't dare to make a fuss! Therefore, the Xia family will never discover this secret! You can rest assured and be their young lady!"
"However..." Liu Wan Quan stared at her, a cold smile on his face. "Your mother and I took such a big risk for you. You know what you should do, right?"
Xia Yiran knew he was threatening her.
"My demands aren't high. I raised you for so many years, and now you're a wealthy heiress and a big star, earning so much money, you should at least give us some filial piety every month! Don't think of trying to appease us with this mere 300,000 yuan!"
Xia Yiran resentfully said, "I've just entered the industry, how can I have so much money? Thirty thousand is all I have!"
"That's your problem! If I'm not satisfied, you won't have a good time either! I can make you a young lady living in a villa, and I can make you return to living in a doghouse!"
Xia Yiran, enraged, slammed the door and left.
Bao Fang chased after her, "Yiran, Yiran..."
Xia Yiran stopped and turned to look at her, her gaze as cold as if they were strangers.
"Tell your precious son to keep his mouth shut! If he dares to reveal this matter to anyone else again, I will never let him off!"