A country bumpkin in the most expensive gown in the room would still just be a clown! She wasn't worried about her father blaming her. After all, she'd offered up the most expensive dress in her own closet. If Mu Xia couldn't pull it off, that was her own failing, wasn't it? And the shoes—a staggering ten centimeters high. A girl from the countryside like Mu Xia had probably never worn heels in her life, let alone a pair like that. Mu Xia might even take a comical tumble down the stairs… Situ Qingshan nearly applauded her own brilliance. She couldn't wait for the moment Mu Xia appeared in that outfit. Yes! Everyone would see that this so-called sister of hers was nothing but a crude country bumpkin, completely unworthy of the title. “Sister, I’ll go downstairs and wait for you. The party’s about to start, so come down as soon as you’re dressed, okay?” “Alright—” came Mu Xia’s voice from inside. Hearing the reply, Situ Qingshan turned and hurried away. She would have the party start early, so every single guest could witness Mu Xia’s disgrace! That way, there would be absolutely no chance of anything happening between Mu Xia and Ye Sijue! Humming a cheerful tune, Situ Qingshan descended the stairs, her mood soaring. She completely forgot the humiliation she had just suffered on the lawn because of Ye Sijue. What did a little embarrassment matter? Mu Xia was about to face far worse, which meant her own shame would be forgotten. Inside the bathroom. Before showering, Mu Xia had already rummaged through the guest room and found a sewing kit. She had suspected Situ Qingshan wouldn't be so kind as to provide a dress that actually fit, and she planned to tailor it herself. But when she put it on and stood before the mirror, she was surprised to find that the dress fit her perfectly. She had always been tall and slender, with a delicate back and sharp, squared shoulders. After a week of living on the island, her collarbones were even more pronounced. The moment she slipped into the dress, her natural elegance merged with the haute couture gown, making it seem as if it had been custom-made for her. Could Situ Qingshan really be this kind? Had she misjudged her? Was Situ Qingshan not so bad after all? Mu Xia, confident in her judgment of character, meticulously inspected the dress again. Five minutes later, she confirmed that there was nothing wrong with it, and nothing that could go wrong with it. Then what was going on? Mu Xia stared at her reflection a while longer, her eyes tracing the cut of the dress. The gown was incredibly demanding. It required someone tall and slender, yet buxom. Anyone with thick arms or a broad back and shoulders couldn't possibly wear it. But for a figure that met those criteria, the dress was the ultimate enhancement, guaranteeing its wearer would be the center of attention. A faint smile touched Mu Xia's lips. So… *that* was Situ Qingshan's game. Well, too bad. With her years of fitness and natural assets, she was afraid Situ Qingshan was in for a disappointment. Since Situ Qingshan was so eager to see her make a fool of herself, she would do the exact opposite! Originally, she had planned to keep a low profile, to avoid stealing the spotlight at someone else’s birthday party. But Situ Qingshan's actions made her realize something: if she wanted to uncover the truth, she first had to shake this seemingly placid family to its core. Only by stirring up the water could she make the things hidden at the bottom float to the surface. Mu Xia slipped on the silver high heels Situ Qingshan had prepared for her and stepped out of the room. The heels were perilously high; one careless step could easily lead to a fall. … Downstairs. Situ Qingshan had moved the party forward. The grand hall was ablaze with light, decorated in lavish splendor. Guests mingled with champagne flutes in hand, watching as Situ Qingshan took the stage to give her speech. Ye Sijue had already cleaned up and come downstairs. He had no interest in the tedious birthday parties of these pretentious socialites, but the girl *had* saved his life. The least he could do was wait for her to come down and say a quick word before leaving. Even if he found her crude and utterly unladylike. Situ Qingshan stood on the small, constructed stage, microphone in hand. Seeing that Ye Sijue hadn't left immediately after freshening up, she allowed herself to believe he might have actually come for her. A man that powerful and distinguished must have been too shy to admit his interest in her, which is why he’d pretended not to know her earlier. That had to be it! Young Master Ye was being so considerate; she couldn't possibly make a man of his stature make the first move. So, the moment Situ Qingshan began to speak, she addressed him first. “Hello, Young Master Ye. Welcome to my birthday party. I… I’m so happy to see you here on my birthday,” she said, her gaze fixed on him, full of affection. Ye Sijue was merely baffled. Who *was* this woman? The way she spoke as if they were intimately acquainted was utterly nauseating. Speaking of which, why hadn’t that crude girl come down yet? Situ Qingshan continued to weave Ye Sijue into her speech, making sure everyone in the room knew he had graced her birthday party with his presence. Just then, a maid approached and whispered in her ear, “Miss, Miss Mu is on her way down.” “Excellent! Turn on all the lights on the spiral staircase!” She wanted everyone to see just how pathetic the ugly duckling was! “Yes, Miss!” The maid hurried to do as she was told. Every spotlight on the spiral staircase from the second floor to the first flickered on. Anyone standing there now would become the absolute center of attention. It was like a stage. A brilliant, shining stage. Except, when the one on that stage was a clown instead of a princess, the audience would only roar with laughter. Situ Qingshan’s heart pounded with excitement. Timing her return to the stage perfectly, she raised the microphone. “In fact, today is truly a wonderful day. Not only is it my birthday, but it is also the day my half-sister has returned home. Ten years ago, she was abducted by traffickers and her whereabouts were unknown. Today, she has returned to us from the countryside, and I am so, so happy…” Just as her voice trailed off, the sound of footsteps echoed from the top of the stairs. *Clack, clack, clack…* It was the sharp sound of high heels on the floor. Situ Qingshan fought to suppress a triumphant grin, which twisted her features into an ugly, contorted expression. Utterly unaware, she raised her right hand and gestured toward the staircase. “And now, please join me in giving a warm welcome to my sister!” The guests, unaware of the truth, offered a round of perfunctory applause. The sound was sparse and half-hearted. A little beggar from the countryside? What was there for people of their stature to applaud? If it weren't for the fact that the Situ family was a respectable name in Jingdu, and that Ye Sijue himself was present, they wouldn't have even bothered to look, lest they soil their eyes. When did people as distinguished as them ever need to lay eyes on a beggar? Upstairs, Mu Xia heard every word Situ Qingshan said. She raised an eyebrow, a flicker of ridicule in her sun-bright eyes. So eager to see her become a laughingstock? She had never felt any pride in her own appearance; a physical shell was the most unreliable thing in the world. But now, she was rather looking forward to seeing the look on Situ Qingshan's face when she finally saw her.