Chapter 1

In the end, the true heiress, in an attempt to prove herself, was egged on by a group of wealthy heirs and leaped off a bungee platform. She died from sheer terror during the fall.

The system skimmed through the ending and, seeing its unfazed host, continued to intimidate her: "Even if you’ve transmigrated into the true heiress, you only have a month left to live—unless you publish literary works and accumulate enough reputation points to exchange for lifespan."

Qi Quan lowered her head, examining her calloused palms, and calmly accepted her new identity.

Born an orphan, she had been taken in by her master and raised in the world of metaphysics, becoming a once-in-a-century prodigy. Yet, due to her frail health, she died at 22. She had thought her story ended there, but then this so-called "Writer System" dragged her into a novel, transmigrating her into the body of a tragic true heiress who shared her name and age.

In her past life, Qi Quan had handled many supernatural cases and interacted with numerous wealthy families, some of whom had cases of switched daughters. Back then, she had privately mocked how such a mix-up could even happen. Who would have thought she’d one day become one of those switched children herself?

The original host’s life was simple: her adoptive parents died in an accident when she was five, leaving her to grow up in an orphanage. At eighteen, she graduated high school and began working odd jobs until, at twenty-two, she was discovered by the Qi family.

The Qi family was one of Longjiang City’s most prominent dynasties, with assets worth billions. To be part of such a family was a dream beyond the reach of most.

The original host, a lonely and destitute girl, was struck by this sudden fortune. Yearning for familial love and a happy life, she eagerly returned to the Qi household without hesitation.

However, life with the Qi family was nothing like she imagined.

Despite being the true bloodline, everyone doted on the fake heiress instead. Her parents deemed her unrefined, Qi Eldest Brother ignored her coldly, Qi Younger Brother bullied her with disdain, and even the household staff fawned over the fake heiress while secretly undermining her.

The same went for the other elite families who associated with the Qis.

Under such circumstances, the original host grew resentful. She repeatedly clashed with the fake heiress, repeatedly embarrassed the Qi family in high society, and repeatedly deepened everyone’s disgust toward her.

Tonight was no exception.

Standing by the pool, Qi Quan gazed through the floor-to-ceiling windows at the dazzling banquet hall inside, where guests in lavish attire mingled with glasses in hand, their smiles as polished as their masks.

The banquet hall’s lights shimmered across the water’s surface, flickering like stars in the night sky.

From the original host’s memories, she knew the entire Qi family had come to celebrate Old Master Du’s birthday banquet tonight—except the fake heiress hadn’t arrived with them.

The fake heiress had come arm-in-arm with her fiancé.

As the only son of Longjiang City’s real estate tycoon, the fiancé was worth billions himself, with striking looks that made him the dream man of many wealthy heiresses.

After enduring repeated cold shoulders from the Qi family, the original host’s mentality had twisted. Consumed by jealousy, she resented the fake heiress for stealing the happiness that should have been hers—especially when it came to the fiancé.

Just moments ago, she had publicly accused the fake heiress of stealing her betrothed, ignoring the Qi family’s furious expressions, before being forcibly dragged out by Qi Eldest Brother.

Once again, the Qi family became the laughingstock of their social circle.

Now, Qi Eldest Brother stood beside her, his handsome face dark as ink.

"You’re running a fever and not thinking clearly. I’ll have someone take you home." The "fever" was nothing more than a flimsy excuse.

In her past life, Qi Quan had never bothered with the melodramas of wealthy families. Now that she’d been given a second chance at life, she had even less desire to get involved. Qi Eldest Brother’s suggestion suited her just fine.

She nodded indifferently. "Alright."

Qi Eldest Brother: "…?"

He shot her a surprised glance. In the past, she would’ve thrown a fit—why was she so compliant this time? Was she plotting something bigger?

Of course, he didn’t have time to dwell on it. He promptly called for the driver and instructed him to keep a close eye on her during the ride back.

The driver maintained a respectful demeanor, though inwardly, he was sweating bullets.

If this troublemaker decided to act up on the way, what was he supposed to do?

Qi Quan stepped into the car in her stilettos, quietly lifting the hem of her dress as she settled into the backseat. The moment the door closed, she kicked off the heels and leaned back, finally free to respond to the Writer System.

"How is reputation calculated? What’s the exchange rate between reputation points and lifespan?"

Qi Quan cherished her life. If there was even the slightest chance to survive, she wouldn’t let it slip away. In her past life, she had tried countless methods to prolong her life, only to lose to fate in the end.

Fortunately, fate had cracked open a window for her, granting her a second chance.

The system replied: "After analysis, this world’s online literature is highly developed. We recommend starting there. Reputation points are tied to your work’s collections, tips, and comments. The exchange rate is 1,000:1—meaning 1,000 reputation points buy you one extra day of life. Any other questions?"

Qi Quan: "If your goal is to change the true heiress’s fate, why didn’t you bind to the original host instead of pulling in my soul?"

She didn’t want to die, but if she was stealing someone else’s chance at rebirth, she’d rather not live at all.

The system explained: "My purpose is to help the host achieve fame through the Writer System, not to alter the ending. The original host had lost the will to live and already made a deal with the system. After evaluation, your survival instincts are exceptionally strong, your soul’s stability is high, and your name, age, blood type, etc., perfectly match the original host’s. You’re the most suitable candidate."

Qi Quan understood now.

The original host hadn’t wanted the task, and she happened to fit the criteria—hence her selection.

She had no lingering attachments to her past life. If she could keep living in this absurd novel world, so be it.

The car glided smoothly into the Qi family’s villa estate.

Seeing Qi Quan return alone, the servants exchanged knowing glances. Once she went upstairs, they huddled together, whispering among themselves.

They assumed she couldn’t hear them, unaware that Qi Quan’s soul had been replaced—and that her cultivation had followed her here.

As a top-tier metaphysics expert, her senses were razor-sharp. The servants’ murmurs reached her ears with perfect clarity.

"Why’s she back by herself?"

"She must’ve done something outrageous again and got kicked out!"

"I don’t get why she keeps provoking Miss Yingxue. Isn’t she just humiliating herself?"

"If I were her, I’d just enjoy the money and stop making trouble."

"Enough, all of you."

Qi Quan’s room was on the second floor, separated from Qi Yingxue’s by a single wall.

Materially, the Qi family hadn’t mistreated her. Her bedroom was decked out in lavish luxury—a style Qi Quan, a self-admitted money-lover, thoroughly appreciated.

The room was fully equipped, complete with a dedicated study for work or leisure.

The moment the system spotted the computer, it urged excitedly, "Quick! Go register an author account!"

Qi Quan: "…"

She ignored the system, grabbing her pajamas for a shower first before finally heading to the study.

In her past life, she’d never read—let alone written—fiction. She was clueless about the craft and didn’t even know where to begin looking for publishing platforms.

Earning reputation points by writing novels was by no means an easy task for her.

But while taking a shower earlier, an idea had struck her.

[System detected: The most renowned female-oriented fiction website in this world is "Scream Literature City." Host is advised to register an author account there. Mission One: Successfully sign a contract with the website and become a contracted author. Reward: One day of lifespan. Penalty: None.]

Qi Quan raised an eyebrow: [There are missions too?]

System: [Missions are issued to help the host establish clear phased goals.]

Qi Quan nodded. One day of lifespan was still lifespan—no loss there.

She searched for Scream Literature City, registered with her phone number, and chose the pen name "White Water Sage," planning to brainstorm overnight and start writing the next morning.

The system promptly reminded her: [After registering a pen name, it is recommended to publish content as soon as possible to avoid wasting time that could be spent climbing the New Authors Ranking.]

Qi Quan: "…"

After carefully reading the website’s ranking guidelines, she decided to write and post a chapter that very night.

Qi Quan didn’t read web novels, so she simply followed her own instincts and typed "Diary of the Elite" into the title field. The moment she pressed the spacebar, the system vehemently objected.

[No. This title lacks impact. It’s not eye-catching at all and won’t attract readers. Change it.]

Qi Quan humbly asked: [Then what kind of title do you think would be attention-grabbing?]

[Is this novel about your experiences and observations after returning to a wealthy family?] the system inquired.

[Correct.]

The system rattled off suggestions without hesitation: [The True Heiress: Writing Her Way to the Top After Binding with a System, The True Heiress: Getting Rich by Writing in a Wealthy Family, The True Heiress: Slapping Faces and Crushing Enemies Through Writing—any of these would work. Pick one.]

[……]

Qi Quan winced, her toes curling so hard they could’ve drilled through the ceiling. She tactfully declined: [I prefer shorter titles.]

The system sighed inwardly. A newbie’s stubbornness—she’d learn the importance of a compelling title once she hit a wall.

When it came to the synopsis, Qi Quan simply wrote: "Experiences and observations after returning to a wealthy family."

Minimalist to the extreme.

The system couldn’t bear to look. It wanted to paste examples of well-crafted synopses for the host to learn from, but seeing Qi Quan’s unyielding expression, it decided to wait.

Only when the host lamented her icy-cold readership stats would she be open to advice.

Unaware of the system’s thoughts, Qi Quan typed swiftly, her mind and fingers flying. In half an hour, she finished a chapter, copied it, and hit "Publish."

The system had watched her write the entire first chapter before commenting: [You’re really writing a diary? First-person narratives have a small audience these days. This won’t attract traffic.]

[It’s fine.]

Qi Quan had her own plans and didn’t care about the numbers.

By the time she finished the chapter, it was already 10 p.m. She collapsed into bed and fell asleep instantly, free from the anxiety most authors felt—constantly refreshing their stats every few minutes after posting.

The system, however, spent the entire night monitoring the data.

A restful night later, Qi Quan woke at 5 a.m., meditated for two hours, and went downstairs for breakfast at 7.

The rest of the Qi family was already seated at the dining table. Upon seeing her, Qi Father and Qi Mother showed no particular reaction, Qi Eldest Brother ignored her outright, Qi Yingxue offered a gentle smile, and Qi Younger Brother—Qi Yuan—flipped her an exaggerated eye roll.

"Some people should look in the mirror. A toad lusting after swan meat!"

Qi Mother scolded sharply: "Qi Yuan!"

The others pretended not to hear.

Qi Quan calmly took her seat, glanced briefly at his face, and dismissed the childish tantrum, focusing on her porridge instead.

...

Her indifferent expression only fueled Qi Yuan’s anger. He raised his voice even louder: "What’s with that look? You think you’re better than me? You freeload every day, and you dare look down on me?!"

Qi Quan: "…"

She sighed and replied, "Aren’t you freeloading too?"

In her past life, Qi Quan had never enjoyed dealing with people, and this life was no exception. She found the noise grating.

Qi Yuan choked, his face flushing red. Clenching his fists, he retorted, "I’m a minor! What’s wrong with eating at home?"

"When I was a minor, I didn’t get to eat at home," Qi Quan responded evenly.

Qi Yuan: "…"

Amid his embarrassment, a flicker of suspicion arose.

In the past, Qi Quan would’ve already been shouting in fury. Why was she so composed today? Was she plotting something?

Meanwhile, Qi Mother felt a pang of guilt.

She looked at her slender biological daughter and, for once, spoke gently: "You’ve suffered in the past. From now on, you don’t have to do anything. The family can support you for life."

After all, the Qi family owed her.

Qi Quan lifted her head, her delicate features exuding an air of quiet elegance. "Thank you. But I’ve already found a job."

"Don’t tell me it’s another café waitress gig?" Qi Yuan sneered.

When the Qi family had first found Qi Quan, she’d been working as a café waitress—a fact Qi Yuan never missed a chance to mock her for.

Qi Father and Qi Eldest Brother paused their eating.

"Don’t say that, A-Yuan," Qi Yingxue interjected with a gentle smile. "No job is inferior. A-Quan can do whatever she likes."

Qi Yuan, who adored her, merely snorted and glared at Qi Quan, waiting to ridicule her new job announcement.

Under everyone’s gaze, Qi Quan replied leisurely, "I don’t enjoy socializing outside, so I’ll be writing novels from home. The website is Scream Literature City, and my pen name is ‘White Water Sage.’ Feel free to support me when you have time."

Everyone: "…"

Chapter 2

The whole family quietly finished breakfast like a flock of chickens, then gradually left the house, leaving only Qi Yuan and Qi Quan behind.

It was summer vacation, and Qi Yuan had just finished his college entrance exams. It was the perfect time to go wild and have fun, and he hadn’t stayed home much these past few days. But just now, Qi Quan’s shameless audacity had stunned him so much that suddenly, going out to play felt pointless.

The rest of the Qi family wasn’t interested in Qi Quan’s novels—they just thought it was childish play-acting. But Qi Yuan was determined to see what kind of laughably bad stories someone with only a high school diploma like Qi Quan could write.

Rubbing his hands in anticipation, he was ready to use those novels as fresh material to mock Qi Quan.

He had never been into novels before. When Qi Quan mentioned something called “Jianjiao Literature City,” Qi Yuan wasn’t sure of the exact characters, so he just typed the pinyin randomly on his phone—and sure enough, there was a website called “Jianjiao Literature City.”

What was the pen name again? Qi Quan said something like Bai Shui Zhenren?

That was easy to guess. “Quan” definitely split into “Bai Shui.” Even picking a pen name was so crude and straightforward—just like a country bumpkin!

Searching by the pen name, he actually found an article titled *Diary of a Wealthy Family*, newly posted with only one chapter.

Qi Yuan sneered inwardly. “Diary of a Wealthy Family,” huh? This country bumpkin is already itching to show off to online readers? Such a lightweight!

The one-line summary only confirmed his suspicion.

With a mindset full of nitpicking, he clicked into the first chapter.

[I’m Qi Baishui, with a ridiculously melodramatic background. As one of the top wealthy families in Jiangcheng, the Qi family lost their biological daughter twenty-two years ago—and that daughter is me.

When I was told the truth by my biological father’s secretary at a coffee shop, I was baffled. How could the sharp and wise Qi family not know the truth for twenty-two years, and suddenly discover it now?

Of course, that’s not important. What matters is that they want to raise two daughters but didn’t even bother to inform my adoptive parents at their graves. Sigh, how the world has changed, and people’s hearts have grown cold.]

Qi Yuan: “……”

He didn’t even know where to start with the sarcasm.

Patiently, he continued reading.

[The Qi family is truly extravagant. Their garden alone is much larger than the combined farmland of my adoptive parents. Strange though, when I was a kid walking through the fields, I felt exhausted. But now, facing such a vast garden, I don’t feel tired at all—in fact, I want to run a few laps.

Honestly, I really don’t fit in with the Qi family.

My mother is very beautiful. Even at fifty, her skin is still fair and firm, her figure slim and well-proportioned. She smiles beautifully but rarely smiles at me.

My father is tall and handsome, well-maintained, not a greasy middle-aged man with a big belly. When I started working at eighteen, I even encountered someone who fancied me. What a toad trying to eat a swan… well, okay, I’m not exactly a swan either.

Then there’s my older brother, the Qi family’s carefully groomed heir, educated among elites. I probably have nothing in common with him. After three months at home, the most he’s said to me is, “You’re not all there upstairs.”

Lastly, there’s the girl my age, the one who was switched with me by mistake. She’s very fair-skinned, which suits her name perfectly, and she looks great in clothes.]

The first time we met, she was wearing a sky-blue dress adorned with pearls. I was completely mesmerized. Maybe because I stared at the dress for too long, she felt a bit embarrassed and said she wanted to give the dress to me.

I refused, saying I was too dark-skinned to deserve such a beautiful dress. But she insisted that sky blue looked great with dark skin and urged me to try it on.

For a moment, I even began to doubt my own taste. Maybe I was just a country bumpkin who couldn’t understand the fashion of high society.

Nevertheless, I politely accepted and changed into the elegant, flowing long dress. As I expected, I was met with disdainful glances from everyone.

They didn’t say a word, but their looks were even more humiliating than any words could be.

Reading this, Qi Yuan frowned, trying to recall the scene from back then, but it was already a bit blurry in his memory.

Wasn’t it Qi Quan who was jealous of his sister and insisted on demanding the exact same dress?

This woman was deliberately slandering his sister!

Qi Yuan’s anger flared up. He wanted to storm upstairs and confront Qi Quan directly, but since he hadn’t finished reading the first chapter, he held back and kept reading.

“Those three months used to fly by for me because I was busy making money and had no time to think about anything else. But during those three months at the Qi family’s, time felt unbearably long.

Tonight, my mother picked out a black long dress for me to wear to an elder’s birthday banquet. After three months without running around, I’d gotten a bit paler, and the black really suited me. Turns out, the fashion sense of high society isn’t set in stone.”

Qi Yuan was stunned for a moment. He read it over several times but never saw the youngest son of the Qi family make an appearance.

What was going on? Everyone had their moment in the spotlight except him?

Qi Quan must be doing this on purpose!

Although the article never explicitly said it, anyone with eyes could tell that Qi Quan was describing her own story. Otherwise, why would it be called *The Diary of a Wealthy Family*? It was the classic “switched-at-birth” trope, and the names Qi and Qi were a play on words.

Qi Yuan felt uneasy and reluctantly read on.

The later parts described events at the banquet, but to him, it was all a bunch of meaningless nonsense.

He sneered repeatedly, then after a moment of searching, found the comment section and typed a line:

[What kind of nonsense is this? Terrible writing, awful plot, overly sentimental to the point of annoyance—in short, garbage!]

He hit send eagerly.

He couldn’t wait to see his comment appear in the section, to watch Qi Quan’s reaction when she saw it and felt embarrassed.

But—

[5839623: Comments from regular users and junior VIPs will be displayed only after passing review!]

Qi Yuan: …

What kind of trash website is this?!

If Qi Quan can’t see his comment, how can he enjoy her awkward expression?

How can he bypass the review?

Suddenly, a spark lit up in his mind. He remembered someone in the group liked reading novels and might know the answer.

The “Foodie Fanatics” group.

A few people were chatting casually when Qi Yuan posted a question:

[I just posted a comment on Screaming Literature City, but it’s under review and not showing up. Does anyone know why?]

There was a brief silence in the group.

[Qian Kun: Got hacked?]

[Su Nuanuan: Send a voice message.]

Everyone else was just a bunch of question marks.

Qi Yuan was helpless and had no choice but to send a voice message, his tone quite irritated.

[Su Nuanuan: Confirmed, it’s Brother Yuan himself.]

[Qian Kun: Since when did you start reading novels?]

[Qi Yuan: Do you even know what’s going on?]

[Su Nuanuan: Didn’t you top-up? Ten bucks should do it.]

[Qian Kun: Capitalists really are ruthless.]

[Su Nuanuan: If you have the guts, say this in front of your dad @Qian Kun. What novels does Brother Yuan like? Can you recommend some? I’m running out of good reads lately.]

Qi Yuan misunderstood the meaning and thought he needed to recharge to make his comments visible. Frustrated, he said, “I don’t want to top-up. Is there no other way?”

He definitely didn’t want to give money to Qi Quan.

[Su Nuanuan: Then you’ll have to wait for the review to pass before your comment shows up. If you’re not in a hurry, you can just wait.]

[Qi Yuan: I want the author to see it as soon as possible.]

He wanted Qi Quan to suffer sooner!

[Su Nuanuan: If you’re really impatient, just use my account. I’m a premium VIP, so my comments show up instantly.]

Qi Yuan was taken aback for a moment and asked, “You can comment without paying?”

[Su Nuanuan: Free chapters, yes. Paid chapters require payment.]

Qi Yuan didn’t understand how commenting on novels worked. After asking so many questions, he was a bit impatient and didn’t want to dig deeper, so he said, “Then help me post a comment.”

[Su Nuanuan: Okay, Brother Yuan, send me the title and the comment you want to post.]

[Qi Yuan: Bai Shui Zhenren’s novel “The Diary of a Wealthy Family.” Don’t you dare read it—it’s really terrible. Just write: ‘This is really trash!’]

[Su Nuanuan: No problem!]

Qi Yuan put down his phone, feeling smug as he glanced toward the second floor. Since it was her first time posting, she must be hoping to win readers’ favor. From now on, every time she posted a chapter, he would leave a negative review to annoy her!

Meanwhile, Su Nuanuan opened the app, searched for Bai Shui Zhenren’s “The Diary of a Wealthy Family,” and clicked in. Wow, only one chapter had been updated, zero bookmarks, and one comment under review—probably Qi Yuan’s negative comment.

She was very curious. Su Nuanuan never read novels, so why was Qi Yuan so hostile toward this one that he bothered to leave a bad review?

Su Nuanuan was a veteran user of the site, often stuck in a reading drought. Whenever she found a decent novel, it was like finding a treasure.

She had been in a reading drought for half a year.

Qi Yuan’s strange commenting behavior sparked a flicker of interest in this fledgling novel.

Driven by curiosity, she opened the first chapter.

The story of the real and fake daughters of the Qi family had already spread through the upper circles of Longjiang City. Su Nuanuan had read many reverse harem and sweet revenge novels about real daughters overcoming fake ones, so she initially had high hopes for following the Qi family’s saga. But eventually, she lost interest when she realized the real daughter Qi Quan really couldn’t outmatch the fake daughter Qi Yingxue.

From the very first paragraph, she knew this was about the real and fake daughters of the Qi family. Who dared to be so bold as to base a story on the Qi family? No wonder Qi Yuan was so furious.

As she read further, she sensed something was off. The tone clearly belonged to the real daughter!

The real daughter was impressive—how daring to openly “mock” the Qi family. So it turned out that “The Diary of a Wealthy Family” was actually a true diary of a wealthy family!

Su Nuanuan immediately felt a surge of intense curiosity.

She eagerly continued reading, noticing that the author introduced every character—except Qi Yuan—which finally made her burst out laughing.

Qi Quan was definitely doing it on purpose!

What gossip could be more thrilling than the person involved revealing it themselves?

Su Nuanuan watched the whole thing with a spectator’s amusement, until she reached the very last part—

[After getting into the car, I glanced back and saw a man in a suit smoking by the flower bed outside the banquet hall. He should be Uncle Su from the Shengxin Group. Next to his legs was a little boy of five or six years old, wearing a pale yellow padded jacket printed with dandelion patterns. His hair and jacket were a bit damp as he climbed onto the man’s knee, calling out “Dad.”]

Su Nuanuan’s eyes widened in disbelief.

Uncle Su from Shengxin Group was her father, wasn’t he?

Did her dad have an illegitimate child?!

Chapter 3

The momentary shock and anger passed, and Su Nuanuan quickly regained her composure.

Maybe it was just a clueless kid who called everyone "Dad."

But the more she tried to reassure herself, the more unsettled she felt.

Her mother's health was fragile—what if her father really had a secret child outside?

Su Nuanuan abandoned the idea of leaving a comment, grabbed her car keys, and rushed out.

Her home wasn’t far from the company headquarters—just a ten-minute drive. When she arrived, Su Linhai was in a meeting.

She waited in his office. Despite the sweltering summer heat, cold sweat trickled down her back.

She kept replaying the happy memories of her family, unable to believe her father could ever cheat. His love for her mother, his devotion to her—none of it could be fake.

Hunched over with her knees drawn up, Su Nuanuan stared blankly at the family photo on the desk. In it, she sat cradled in her father’s arms, beaming with joy.

Tears welled up without warning.

The office door suddenly swung open.

Su Nuanuan lifted her tear-streaked face. A tall, lean middle-aged man stood in the doorway, his expression lighting up with surprise. His voice was gentle. "Nuanuan, what brings you here—you’re crying?"

He quickly shut the door and strode forward, his brows furrowing with concern. "Who upset you?"

Su Nuanuan had been spoiled by him her whole life. Hearing his soothing voice, the floodgates burst open, and tears poured uncontrollably.

"Nuanuan, what happened? You’re scaring me!" The creases at Su Linhai’s eyes deepened with worry.

His daughter was usually bright and cheerful—if she was crying like this, something serious must have happened.

Su Nuanuan sniffled, her voice thick. "Did you attend Grandpa Du’s birthday banquet last night?"

"Yes," Su Linhai answered, confused.

"I stayed home with Mom. Did you take someone else with you?" She turned her head slightly, watching him.

Su Linhai: "Of course not!"

How could he have another woman by his side? Who dared spread such nonsense to his daughter?

Su Nuanuan already trusted him, and his firm denial only strengthened her belief. She was now convinced Qi Quan had fabricated the story—but she pressed further.

"Did you smoke by the flower bed outside the banquet hall last night?"

"Ah… yes." Su Linhai chuckled awkwardly. "Don’t worry, I didn’t bring the smell home."

His wife’s health couldn’t tolerate smoke, but last night, the weight on his mind had driven him to sneak a cigarette.

"And a little boy called you 'Dad'?" Su Nuanuan wiped her tears, forcing a teasing smile.

Su Linhai shook his head, bewildered. "No."

"Really? I heard it was a five or six-year-old boy in a pale yellow coat, right by your legs."

"Absolutely not." A shadow flickered across Su Linhai’s face before he softened again. "Nuanuan, don’t listen to baseless rumors."

Eighteen years of familiarity allowed Su Nuanuan to see right through him—the pain buried deep in his eyes, churning like storm clouds.

He was hiding something.

Her trust, just moments ago unshaken, wavered. She studied him silently before speaking. "Dad, the boy’s coat had a dandelion print. You really don’t remember?"

Su Linhai’s face drained of color. His lips trembled, and even his usually straight posture slumped slightly.

Su Nuanuan froze, thunderstruck.

It was true. Her father had lied to her.

Her eyes burned red, but before she could demand answers, Su Linhai’s expression darkened with fury. "Who told you this?!"

In all her eighteen years, her father had never raised his voice at her like this.

A surge of indignation and rage swelled in Su Nuanuan’s chest. She glared up at him. "Who is that boy? Why did he call you Dad? Tell me!"

"Nuanuan, just tell me who gave you this information. Don’t ask anything else." Su Linhai’s hands shook as he gripped her shoulders.

Su Nuanuan thought he was trying to cover his tracks. A bitter laugh escaped her. "Don’t bother. It’s already online—everyone knows!"

"Online?" Su Linhai’s face turned ashen. "Where?"

Had a business rival dug up his past to humiliate him?

No.

Nuanuan said a boy called him "Dad" while he was smoking.

But when he smoked, no one was around.

What was going on?

Seeing his daughter’s unfamiliar, distrustful gaze, Su Linhai’s heart ached. He sighed. "Nuanuan, it’s not what you think. Just show me what’s online first, and I’ll explain everything, alright?"

Su Nuanuan’s gaze fell on the streaks of gray at his temples. Her anger softened.

Maybe she had misunderstood.

She couldn’t just take Qi Quan’s word for it, could she?

She pulled up Qi Quan’s post and handed it to Su Linhai. "Read this."

Su Linhai had little business dealings with the Qi family, but their younger generations mingled, so he was somewhat familiar with them. The Qi family’s affairs weren’t exactly secret—he’d heard bits and pieces despite his busy schedule.

He skimmed the earlier sections about the "true and fake heiresses" with disinterest, frowning—until he reached the final paragraph.

Su Linhai stood frozen.

Hearing Su Nuanuan’s retelling hadn’t affected him much, but reading those words firsthand shattered his composure.

The seasoned businessman covered his face and broke down sobbing.

Su Nuanuan was stunned. She fumbled to comfort him—she’d never seen her father cry, let alone like this.

It tore at her heart.

"Dad, what’s going on?" she asked hesitantly.

Su Linhai wept for a while. Facing his daughter’s concern, he had so much to say but no words to express it.

When he finally steadied himself, his voice was hoarse. "The person who wrote this… is the Qi family’s recently returned daughter, right?"

"Probably."

Su Linhai spoke solemnly. "I need to meet her."

Qi Yuan lounged on the living room sofa, growing increasingly impatient as Su Nuanuan failed to post the comment he’d asked for. Annoyed, he tagged her in the group chat:

[@Su Nuanuan What’s the hold-up? My comment’s already been approved, and you still haven’t posted yours?]

[Qian Kun: Bro, relax. It’s fine now. Maybe Nuanuan got held up with something.]

[Qi Yuan: What could possibly hold her up?]

The moment he sent that, Su Nuanuan messaged him privately:

[Qi Yuan, was this post written by Qi Quan?]

Qi Yuan snapped back: [Why does that matter? Scared to comment now that you know it’s her?]

[Su Nuanuan: No. My dad read it. He wants to meet Qi Quan. Is she home? We’ll come over now if she is.]

[...]

Qi Yuan: […]

What kind of mess was this?!

He suddenly recalled the last part of the post. He’d assumed Qi Quan had added it for dramatic flair—but now… had she stirred up real trouble?

How did this woman manage to cause chaos even through fiction?!