The Situ Manor. The entire estate was decorated for a birthday party. Situ Qingshan, draped in an LV Spring Limited Edition "Starlight" gown, was the center of attention, surrounded by a flock of socialites showering her with praise. “Qingshan, that dress is stunning! You look like a walking galaxy!” “Isn’t that the limited edition from LV’s spring collection? I couldn’t even get my hands on one to borrow, and you actually bought it! Your father dotes on you!” “Happy birthday, Shanshan! I heard you landed a role in Director Song’s new film. You’re a shoo-in for this year’s Most Popular Actress, aren’t you? Don’t forget us when you’re famous!” “Famous? Please. Shanshan’s just having fun. With her family’s connections, getting famous is child’s play.” Situ Qingshan, basking in the adoration, suppressed the smug glint in her eyes. “Thank you, everyone. I’m just going to go check on the cake.” She headed back toward the villa, nearly colliding with her mother, who was on her way out. “Mom!” she hissed, pulling Mu Xinyue aside and lowering her voice. “Haven’t the men my cousin sent come back yet? Today is my twentieth birthday—I can’t have people finding out our family has some country bumpkin who was abducted by traffickers!” Mu Xinyue lovingly smoothed the hem of Situ Qingshan’s dress. “No news is good news. Don’t worry, she’s not coming back. And even if she did, traffickers sell girls to remote mountain villages. What threat could a country girl possibly pose?” Situ Qingshan found this deeply reassuring, even starting to look forward to the country girl’s return. The contrast would only make her shine brighter, proving who the true heiress was. “It’s an emergency, Madam!” a servant cried, rushing in. “A helicopter from the Ye family has landed on the party lawn.” “The Ye family?” Situ Qingshan’s eyes lit up. “Mom, don’t tell me you and Dad managed to invite Ye Sijue for me?” Mu Xinyue was just as surprised. While the Situ family was certainly a titan of industry in Kyoto, perched high on the nation’s corporate pyramid, the Ye family stood at the very apex of the global elite. And Ye Sijue was the heir to the Ye Corporation, a man far beyond the reach of an invitation from their family. Perhaps… it was that deal her father was negotiating with the Ye family? Maybe Ye Sijue considered it that important? “Let’s go see!” Mu Xinyue’s mind raced with suspicion, but it was quickly overshadowed by a thrill of excitement. If their family could forge a connection with the Ye family, they would be set for generations to come. The mother-daughter duo quickly checked each other’s makeup and hurried toward the lawn, their spirits soaring. A crowd of Kyoto’s young elite had already gathered on the lawn. The moment Situ Qingshan appeared, the socialites swarmed her with envious chatter. “Shanshan, you actually got someone from the Ye family to come? You’re incredible!” “You kept something this big from me? If I’d known, I would have hired a professional makeup artist.” Situ Qingshan smiled, but inwardly, she scoffed. *The Ye family is here for me,* she thought. *What’s the point of them even wearing makeup?* It must have been at the Ye Corporation’s gala last month. Ye Sijue must have noticed me! She was about to become the esteemed Mrs. Ye! Just then, the helicopter door slid open. Amidst the breathless anticipation, a girl in ragged clothes jumped down from the helicopter. She was slender, but her face was smudged with soot and grime, her features obscured. Her hair, matted to her scalp as if it hadn’t been washed in a month, completed the picture of utter dishevelment. “This…” The crowd looked toward Situ Qingshan. Someone who clearly disliked her sneered, “Shanshan, is this your guest of honor? A… beggar?” A surge of anger flared through Situ Qingshan. She strode forward and demanded, “Who are you? What gives you the right to be at my birthday party?” “Birthday party?” Mu Xia recognized the arrogant girl instantly. The file said she was Mu Xinyue’s adopted daughter, but the private investigator had told her the truth: this girl was the illegitimate child of her aunt, Mu Xinyue, and her own father, Situ Hai. Her own biological daughter’s fate was unknown, yet here they were, throwing a birthday party for the illegitimate one? Ha! “Who am I?” Mu Xia stared at the girl, a long, deep look. “I’m your father!” “You—” Just as Situ Qingshan was about to erupt, Mu Xia added coolly, “...’s biological daughter.” The expression on Situ Qingshan’s face froze. The guests’ eyes immediately lit up with the promise of high drama. Situ Qingshan, snapping out of her stupor, stammered, “You… you’re Mu Xia?” That country bumpkin? *She really looks the part,* she thought with disgust. It was Mu Xinyue who kept her wits about her. She rushed forward, her voice thick with emotion. “Mu Xia, is it really you? I’ve been waiting for so long. You poor child, you’re finally home…” Mu Xia’s lips curved into a smile. “Aunt, it’s been a while, hasn’t it?” Though she was smiling, her tone dripped with sarcasm. Her mother’s own sister, married to her own father? A man marrying his sister-in-law? How absurd! There was definitely something more to this story. Guests began to whisper among themselves. “I heard Mrs. Situ is the younger sister of the former Mrs. Situ…” “So this must be the Miss Mu who was abducted by traffickers ten years ago?” “The Situ family name used to be Mu, you know. Old Master Situ just married into the family. As soon as the eldest Miss Mu died, the family name changed to Situ.” “There’s that whole backstory? My goodness…” Hearing the whispers, Mu Xinyue’s composure began to crack. She cleared her throat loudly. “My dear, the important thing is that you’re back. Let me take you to get cleaned up. Look at you… so dirty. Life in the countryside must have been terribly hard, wasn’t it?” Even now, she couldn’t resist reminding everyone where she came from. *She really has it out for me,* Mu Xia thought. Mu Xia was about to speak when a deep voice cut through the air from behind her. “Hey.” All heads turned. As they recognized the man stepping out of the helicopter, they froze as if turned to stone. Ye Sijue! The Ye Sijue, a man whose slightest move could cause tremors in the global economy?! “Young Master Ye?!” Situ Qingshan exclaimed, a delighted smile spreading across her face as she hurried toward him. “Are… are you here for my birthday party? Thank you…” The joy in her eyes was impossible to hide, her blush of delight obvious to everyone. She had thought he might just send a representative to offer congratulations, but she never dreamed Ye Sijue himself would actually come! Her time had come! Her life of happiness was about to begin! If she could, Situ Qingshan would have jumped for joy right then and there. Those around her shot her looks of pure envy. *She may be an adopted daughter, but if she lands Ye Sijue, she’s set for life!* But in the next instant— “Who are you?” Ye Sijue’s brows furrowed. He seemed to have only just noticed Situ Qingshan, and the impatience and confusion in his eyes were plain to see. Ye Sijue had no idea who she was. “Pfft…” Someone nearby couldn’t stifle a snicker. “What was that? I thought Young Master Ye was here for her birthday. He doesn’t even know who she is.” “Hahaha… that’s hilarious! If I were her, I’d dig a hole, jump in, and seal it shut with super glue. I’d never come out!” Situ Qingshan’s expression shifted from delight to disbelief, then from disbelief to mortification, and finally settled into a burning rage as she glared at the two socialites who had spoken. Again, it was Mu Xinyue who reacted quickly, stepping forward to speak for her daughter. “Young Master Ye, your presence honors us. We weren’t expecting you. Today is my daughter’s birthday, and she mistakenly thought you were here to wish her well. I assume you’re here to discuss business with Hai? He’s upstairs. Please, come in for some tea.” The guests immediately reined in their mockery. To have Ye Sijue himself come to discuss a partnership was, after all, a tremendous honor. But in the next instant, Ye Sijue struck again— “Do I know you?” Mu Xinyue’s inviting gesture froze in mid-air. *Young Master Ye… didn’t know her either?*