SYLFS 32

Chapter – 32

Ruining Her Reputation

The moment Guan Baocheng spoke, the atmosphere in the hall trembled.
His voice was not loud, yet it reached all the distinguished guests clearly, and their gazes immediately turned toward him.
—The adopted parents of Miss Jiang?
Hearing this, people thought: then they must be benefactors of the Jiang family.
If they were benefactors, one should do everything possible to maintain a good relationship with them.

Guan Baocheng didn’t even need to look around to sense the subtle shift in the friendly gazes directed at him.
A satisfied smile appeared in his heart: Just as planned.

However, beside him, Jiang Yucheng’s expression instantly turned cold.
From the moment he saw members of the Guan family earlier, he had already instructed the security to quietly remove them.
But now, they had approached voluntarily, before he could act.

—The intention is obvious.
After years navigating the business world, he could see through their ulterior motives at a glance.

The elderly master of the Jiang family maintained an expressionless face, wearing a gentle smile as he spoke.
To an outsider, he appeared merely as a kind and approachable old man.

“So, they are Xuxu’s adopted parents. You have taken care of her well over the years.”

“Not at all, sir. If we had known early on that Xuxu was the daughter of the Jiang family, we would have returned her immediately.”

“Oh?”
The old master nodded gently, then cast his gaze toward Jiang Yucheng.

“The Guan family raised Xuxu. They are esteemed guests to the Jiang family. —Yucheng, please escort them upstairs and treat them with proper respect. Do not show any neglect.”

At that moment, Jiang Yucheng understood immediately.
The elder had subtly instructed him: “On the surface, show courtesy, but quietly get rid of them behind the scenes.”

Yet, Guan Baocheng hadn’t missed this either.
—If they go upstairs, they will be out of the guests’ sight, where they can be ‘disposed of’.
Then my presence here today would be meaningless.

He quickly raised his voice.

“By the way, the Guan family recently entered into a partnership with the Jiang Hai Group. This was thanks to Xuxu, and I am grateful to Elder Jiang for your consideration. The reason I came here today was to express my thanks personally. If my subordinates have made any mistakes, I ask you to kindly forgive them.”

—He said “partnership,” but in reality, the Jiang family had already unilaterally terminated the contract.
However, he deliberately did not mention this, giving the impression that “any misunderstanding was merely due to minor errors by subordinates.”
His point was: If the misunderstanding is cleared here today, the Jiang family and the Guan family might still maintain ties.

Jiang Yucheng’s eyes hardened.
—This man is using a social occasion to cling to the Jiang family.

“Guan, I would ask you to stop joking. The cooperation between the Jiang Hai Group and your family has already ended. The reasons—Mrs. Guan and your daughter know well enough.”

The atmosphere in the hall became tense.
Guan Baocheng flinched for a moment but quickly covered it up, putting on a face of mixed “shock” and “confusion.”

“General Jiang, there must be some misunderstanding! Truly, we sincerely hope to cooperate with the Jiang Hai Group.”

As he spoke, he shifted his gaze to the previously silent Jiang Xuxu, appealing to her.

“Xuxu… could you say a word for your father?”

At that moment, Jiang Yucheng’s expression grew even sterner, and he stepped forward in front of his daughter.

“Guan, Xuxu is my daughter.”

White Shuqin also could not remain silent.

“Xuxu, we raised you with much hardship. Please say something too.”

Their words were like ropes binding her over a fire.
—‘The debt of raising is greater than the debt of birth.’
This was common sense, and if Xuxu rejected them coldly, her reputation would plummet instantly.

Even the young guests in the hall had begun to voice disapproval.

“Even though she’s returned to her family, it’s wrong to avoid the people who raised her like this.”
“The Guan family has a respectable status. Isn’t this too cold?”

Before the murmurs could spread further—

Jiang Xuxu quietly tugged Jiang Yucheng’s sleeve, taking a step back to make way.
She then stepped forward herself.

Her delicate, pure face showed no unnecessary emotion.
She calmly scanned the hall and then looked directly at the three members of the Guan family.

Then, she slowly rolled up the sleeve of her right arm.

On her white, slender arm were clearly visible old scars.

The hall erupted in murmurs.

“When I was seven, Ruoruo fell into a pond. Mrs. Guan saw me standing on the shore and thought that since her daughter suffered, I should suffer the same fate. She pushed me into the water, and I hit a rock, leaving this scar. —Do you remember?”

At her words, all eyes in the Jiang family turned sharply to White Shuqin.
The guests, too, were stunned into disbelief.

White Shuqin’s eyes flickered slightly, but she immediately retorted.

“Th-That’s not true! You just slipped by yourself!”

But Jiang Xuxu remained expressionless and continued.

“When I was ten, Ruoruo was injured and hospitalized, needing a transfusion. The hospital had enough blood, yet you stopped the nurses and ordered that my blood be given directly to her. ‘Since they are sisters, the elder’s blood will help her recover faster,’ you said.”

Guests: …???

Everyone present was speechless.
“What kind of reasoning is that?!” whispered countless minds.

Jiang Yucheng clenched his fists, restraining his anger.
The truth of the past, which he could not know, had now been laid bare by Xuxu herself.

Then—

Jiang Xuxu’s next words froze the entire hall.

“I always wondered why, whenever Ruoruo suffered misfortune, I had to suffer the same, or why I was constantly made to care for her. —But eventually, I realized. Ruoruo was born with a weak fate and attracted calamity. You raised me only to absorb that misfortune with my life.”

The hall fell completely silent.

Everyone—was left speechless.