As soon as he stepped through the door, Xue Yihai slammed his teacup down, his face twisted with rage. "Ungrateful wretch! Ungrateful wretch! How could I have fathered such an ungrateful wretch! To show me disrespect to my face and refuse to change her name—she is slapping her own biological father right across the face! If I had known she would turn out to be such a curse, I would have strangled her the day she was born!"
His expression was practically ferocious, evidently driven to the verge of a heart attack by sheer fury.
Xue Anyan didn't even dare to draw a full breath, standing off to the side in silence.
"She wasn't raised by us ourselves, so of course she feels no affection for us. Look at how she keeps throwing 'Xue' back in our faces—isn't that a direct slap to ours?" Liang Tong closed her eyes and let out a cold laugh.
"Dad, Mom, stop getting so angry. It's just her being unappreciative. Since being nice and reasonable gets us nowhere, we'll just have to think of another way!" A flicker of viciousness crossed the depths of Xue Yizheng's eyes. "She actually said she wants to arrange a marriage with Quan Xijuan. As if! How could Quan Xijuan ever deign to look at her?"
"There is zero chance of getting a hookup with the Quan family." Elder Xue changed his shoes and sat down on the sofa. "It's a pity Anyan isn't of Xue blood; otherwise, letting Anyan marry into the family would have been an option. Who would have thought she wouldn't take the bait?"
"Even if she did somehow latch onto the Quan family, with her current hostile attitude, she wouldn't be of any help to the Xue family. It would probably even provoke the Ming family's displeasure—who doesn't know that Ming Luoxing, the eldest Miss Ming, fancies Quan Xijuan? Those two families are practically bound to intermarry."
Xue Yizheng also sat down on the sofa and looked at Xue Anyan. "Sis, what are you standing there for? Come sit."
"Mm." Xue Anyan walked over and sat down, her posture elegant yet reserved. "Dad, Mom, Grandpa, what do you plan to do? It's such a pity I'm not a real child of the Xue family, or I could help share your burdens."
She lowered her head, looking a little crestfallen.
"Good child, you've already done wonderfully. Who out there doesn't say the eldest Miss Xue is a woman of both talent and beauty, and praises how well the Xue family raised their child?" Liang Tong moved over and stroked her hair with a beaming smile. They truly adored Xue Anyan.
"That's right, you've already done enough. Don't feel like you owe us anything; you've already won us plenty of face." A smile finally broke across Xue Yihai's face when he looked at Xue Anyan.
"Sis, you're so wonderful, how could she ever compare to you?" A dark shadow flickered in Xue Yizheng's eyes.
"Really?" Xue Anyan blinked, asking with a hint of uncertainty.
"Even if she has returned, you are still a Xue family young miss—you can rest easy on that. After all, you're the child we raised for over twenty years." Liang Tong dropped the final verdict, cementing Xue Anyan's status beyond a doubt.
"Your mom and dad are right." Elder Xue's face also softened into a kindly smile, seeming quite fond of this granddaughter.
"Thank you, Dad, Mom, Little Brother, and Grandpa." Xue Anyan flashed a shy, sweet smile.
"She was raised right beside us after all, which makes her miles better than that vulgar Xiu Mumo." The mere thought of Xiu Mumo filled Liang Tong's eyes with disgust.
"Enough, let's put this matter aside for now. We need to figure out how to bring her to heel. We can't drag our feet on this current situation; we still can't find any investors, and both the Yuan family and the Chen family are demanding a marriage alliance, but Anyan isn't suitable for that." Elder Xue let out a sigh. If not for a moment of pride back then, their finances wouldn't be in such a crisis now.
The shortfall was simply too massive—over a billion yuan. Unless they liquidated their real estate and antique holdings, which would at best buy them a moment's breathing room while leaving future projects completely unfunded.
Page 28, Xue Anyan
A marriage alliance was the best option. They could spin off a portion of the equity, with profits calculated by percentage, sparing them from having to liquidate their core assets.
Zheng'er was still too young for marriage anyway, and as the future head of the Xue family, he needed a wife with impeccable family background and appearance; they couldn't afford to be careless. Otherwise, casting him aside once he'd served his purpose would inevitably invite resentment.
"Since she's come to Shangjing, she's in our territory. As long as she hasn't hooked up with Quan Xijuan, what is there to fear? Sis is a celebrity now, and her past marketing campaigns earned the Xue family a pretty penny. Let's look into launching another campaign—market her as the Xue family's adopted daughter who was raised and nurtured by us, and emphasize how grateful she is to the Xue family." Xue Yizheng pondered for a few seconds before looking at Elder Xue. "Grandpa, what do you think of this idea?"
Xue Anyan was currently a top-tier traffic celebrity. A graduate of the Shangjing Academy of Theatre, she had skyrocketed to fame in the industry on the strength of her pure, ethereal looks. With the Xue family actively backing her, she naturally received no shortage of resources; coupled with her solid acting skills and sharp mind, she had risen to become a top-tier starlet in a mere two years.
Yet if anyone asked for a truly representative work of hers, there honestly wasn't one—only commercial traffic dramas. What she needed now was a suitable script to elevate herself into a genuine A-list actress rather than a fleeting internet traffic star.
Traffic was temporary, especially since she was already twenty-five years old and time was running out. As everyone knew, being recognized as a young miss of the Xue family meant she was pampered within the industry, but many directors and screenwriters had strict requirements for character design. Even if she were pushed in by investors, she could never land the female lead role—at best, a second female lead, and even then, only if she fit the character profile.
If she forcefully snatched resources meant for others, she would inevitably face heavy criticism, especially given her reputation as a privileged insider. To protect her public persona and safeguard her reputation, she had to tread carefully, step by step.
It was only in the last few days that her schedule had finally cleared up.
"I'm fine with it. The industry has always known I'm the Xue family's adopted daughter, but my fans don't. Some of them even claim I only entered the entertainment industry to make money for the Xue family so I wouldn't threaten my younger brother's inheritance rights—though I've never thought that way once. Isn't it better for us to break the news ourselves than let the media dig it up? I'll contact my manager; she can coordinate with the company's PR department."
Xue Anyan spoke in a soft, gentle voice, unhurried and calm, reaching instinctively for her phone to call her manager.
"Hold on, don't rush. Let's discuss how to handle this first. But your background does need to be made public. Rather than letting someone else break the news and steal our narrative, we might as well control it ourselves." Elder Xue paused for a moment, then said in a deep voice, "First, let's figure out how to draw Xiu Mumo closer to us. It would be even better if we could use Anyan's announcement to back Xiu Mumo into a corner where she has no choice but to show her face."
Every move they made had to yield maximum leverage.
"I'll discuss it with my manager. Don't worry, Grandpa, I'll make sure to mention Big Sister so she'll have to show herself." Xue Anyan offered a gentle smile.
"Sis, you're the best." Xue Yizheng leaned against Xue Anyan's shoulder, letting out a long breath.
"Anyan, you really are Mom's good daughter." Liang Tong affectionately stroked her hair. "That set of jewelry your dad bought for three million yuan at the charity auction? Mom will have it sent over to you later so you can wear it on the red carpet next time."
Page 29, The Chen Family of Gold Mines
"Thank you, Mom!" Xue Anyan's eyes lit up as she gave her a hug.
"What are you thanking me for? You're my daughter."
Liang Tong sighed inwardly. A child raised by one's own side since youth simply felt closer—not like that Xiu Mumo.
As for changing names, she wasn't even going to bother bringing it up anymore. Let her keep the name Xiu Mumo if she wanted; even if she decided to change it later, she wouldn't allow it.
"Then go ahead and consult your manager. She pockets a hefty sum from us every year, so she's got some competence—she'll definitely think of a good way." Elder Xue looked at Xue Anyan with a beaming smile, as if he could already foresee a favorable outcome.
"Mm, then I'll head upstairs first. You guys just wait." Xue Anyan wasn't quite used to making calls to her manager in front of so many people.
"Alright, go on." Liang Tong gave her one more embrace before letting her leave.
Soon, Xue Anyan went upstairs and closed her door.
Downstairs in the living room, only four people remained.
"Let's first find out where Xiu Mumo is staying. Once public opinion starts brewing tonight, her personal information will likely leak by tomorrow morning. When that happens, we won't need to do anything—netizens will force her out into the open. What we need to prepare for is how to get Xiu Mumo straight into the Chen family son's bed."
Elder Xue's phone buzzed with a notification. He glanced at the screen and clicked his tongue. "The Chen family son is quite interested in Xiu Mumo. He's agreed to calculate things by a percentage split if we pull this off, and promised that as long as the marriage goes through, injecting 1.5 billion won't be a problem."
"The Chen family? That upstart family that made their fortune overnight off gold mines? They have zero cultural heritage, but they certainly aren't short on cash. They've always wanted to break into the Shangjing circles, but their son's marriage prospects have been a mismatch of high and low—never quite able to secure a bride. Is that the one?" Xue Yihai turned the name over in his mind before placing it.
"Right, that very same Chen family. The Chen son was also at the annual gala and took a fancy to Xiu Mumo. The head of the Chen family specifically sent me a text message with his terms." Elder Xue let out a breath. Trading one granddaughter whom they'd never raised and who had never contributed to the Xue family's resources for a 1.5 billion investment—plus the promise of future funding—was pure profit!
"This... the Chen family actually took a fancy to her? With that ruffian-like attitude of hers, she's nothing like a proper young lady. If she marries over there, it'll turn the household upside down and make a laughingstock of the Xue family." Displeasure and disgust flickered in Liang Tong's eyes. Who knew what kind of upbringing had made her so unruly?
"If she really marries into that family, she'll need to be broken in and disciplined first. Otherwise, if she actually causes a disaster, the Chen family might just turn on us." She had heard that the Chen matriarch was no saint and excelled at tormenting her daughters-in-law. If things blew up into a public spectacle, it would look dreadful.
"True, but we have to rein her in first. Or better yet, get them into bed together—or failing that, film a video to use as leverage. Then we can send her off to learn some proper etiquette. If she can eventually become the mistress of the Chen household, that would still benefit us," suggested Xue Yizheng. Although the idea was sordid, they were completely out of options.
"Let's do as Zheng'er says then. We never intended to be this heavy-handed, but she refuses to cooperate, and she doesn't look like someone who ever would." Liang Tong sighed.
Downstairs, the group chatted as casually as if discussing the weather, yet every sentence carried venomous malice, sealing another person's entire future on a whim.
Upstairs, Xue Anyan called her manager, Sister Quan, to brief her on the situation.
Sister Quan had known all along that Xue Anyan was the adopted daughter of the Xue family.
Page 30, Xue Anyan's Ambition
She had briefly considered whether to bring the matter out into the open earlier, but Xue Anyan was reluctant, and since the family indulged her completely, Sister Quan simply let it drop.
As for public relations strategy, she had already thought things through—she just hadn't expected Xue Anyan to call her about it out of the blue now.
"The sister you replaced has been found? So what is your standing in the Xue family right now?" Sister Quan frowned. Having the backing of the Xue family versus having no support at all were two entirely different matters.
"Same as before, no difference." Xue Anyan smiled. "Sister Quan, don't worry. There's no way I'm giving up my position as a young miss of the Xue family. Besides, that eldest daughter of the Xue family has no desire to return to the family, and I certainly don't want to be used in a marriage alliance. Thank goodness I'm not their biological daughter—that means this burden has to fall on Xue Wanyan instead."
She stood by the window, gazing at the lights of the residential compound, her eyes turning cold.
After all these years of clawing her way up to this position and making everyone adore her, she had no intention of letting someone else easily trample over her and steal her place.
"The Xue family wants to use your identity to back this Xue Wanyan into a corner so she has to accept a marriage alliance, is that it?" Sister Quan asked again to confirm.
"Exactly. A lot of people witnessed what happened at the annual gala; the industry rumors are probably already starting to circulate. We have to be the ones to break this news, otherwise I'll be the one becoming the joke of the town—after all, I've been using the identity of a Xue family young miss ever since my debut." Xue Anyan understood the twists and turns of the entertainment industry all too well; she hadn't worked this hard just to become everyone's laughingstock.
"I understand. Leave the rest to me. I'll have the Weibo post drafted to match your usual tone, and I'll notify the PR department right away. I'll make sure your announcement trends on hot searches by tonight. Once the heat picks up, people's attention will naturally turn to Xue Wanyan." Sister Quan exchanged a few more words before hanging up.
Leaving Xue Anyan standing by the window, lost in a daze.
Hopefully, things would go according to everyone's wishes, and her position would remain secure without any—
She had originally been scheduled for promotional appearances these past few days, but considering the annual gala and Xue Wanyan, she had made an appearance anyway. Fortunately, Xue Wanyan was foolish enough to give her this opening.
*
Xue Mumo paid attention to none of it, dumping all the troublesome details onto Bie Yuan. She simply couldn't be bothered, knowing full well that half the financial moguls in the Beijing circle were probably already investigating her.
As for her background and resume, Elder Xue had handled those personally. She remained deeply curious about why the old man had deliberately orchestrated her return to the Xue family.
"What medicine is that old fox selling in his gourd?" she muttered under her breath. Having no visibility on the next steps left her slightly annoyed.
Accustomed to pulling the strings herself, being led around by the nose by the old man left her completely in the dark.
"Whatever, forget it. I'll just treat it as the old man sending me out to find a man," Xiu Mumo clicked her tongue. Tonight, quite a few wealthy households would likely lose sleep.
A marriage alliance—and with the Xue family at that. Even a starving camel was bigger than a horse; with a marriage tie to the Xue family, would anyone ever have to worry about making money?
What interested her even more were those characters in the Xue family. Every single one of them looked like trouble, probably plotting some crooked scheme behind her back.
Still, she didn't care. If they wanted to provide a bit of entertainment for her boredom, it didn't sound like a bad deal at all.
*
Beneath the veneer of a peaceful night, countless people were busy digging up information on Xiu Mumo.
Early the next morning, a knock sounded at her door.
As the former chief commander of the Combat Division who had enlisted in her youth, Xiu Mumo didn't suffer from morning grumpiness. However, having suffered blast injuries a few months prior, she had spent a considerable period in recovery, and since returning, she rarely woke up early.
Page 31, "Ask Me Anything" Production Team
Being jolted awake like this certainly didn't put her in a pleasant mood.
She got up, patted her phone, and headed to the door.
Peering through the peephole, she spotted a young man she didn't recognize standing outside.
The man was dressed in a well-fitted suit with a smile on his face, and pinned to his chest seemed to be... a microphone?
A media person? Or a paparazzi reporter?
Pondering this, Xiu Mumo stepped back inside for a moment to retrieve her personal pistol, slipping it neatly into the holster tucked into the wide waistband at the small of her back where it was easily concealed.
Then she walked back to the entrance and pulled the door open.
The first thing that caught her eye was a cameraman standing off to the side, his lens pointed squarely at her face.
"Something the matter?" Xiu Mumo narrowed her eyes at them, her elongated pupils lifting in a sharp, threatening arc that gave her an aura of dangerous, swaggering menace.
The man caught his breath and instinctively took a half-step back.
"We're from the production crew of 'Ask Me Anything'. We received a commission from your biological parents—they gave us this address and asked us to conduct an interview with you. Of course, right now we're just shooting a pilot segment, though the actual interview will be broadcast live. I wanted to ask, would you be willing to accept? I'm Rao Xingsi, the host of 'Ask Me Anything'."
Rao Xingsi flashed a polished, professional smile.
Ever since the bombshell dropped in the small hours of the morning about Xue Anyan's adopted status and the discovery of the Xue family's abducted eldest daughter, both online and offline had erupted into a storm.
Everyone wanted a slice of this gossip, everyone wanted to capture this wave of internet traffic, and various media outlets were fighting tooth and nail—especially upon hearing that the Xue family's eldest daughter flat-out refused to return to the family, turning down even a five percent equity stake.
That detail alone drove public interest to a fever pitch. In an era dominated by entertainment, eighty percent of internet traffic revolved around celebrity influencers, variety shows, and television dramas.
As an interview-based program, their show had never held much weight within the network, kept alive only because it served a necessary quota. Yet the Xue family had pumped a substantial amount of money into the station specifically demanding that Xiu Mumo be brought onto the show, figuring it would smoothly channel her into the entertainment industry.
While he didn't care about the underlying motives, that wasn't his job—his assignment was simply to bring the guest back to the studio.
"Rao Xingsi? Sorry, never heard of you." Xiu Mumo looked genuinely blank.
She had never paid attention to the entertainment industry, primarily because she was far too busy; the entertainment world existed in an entirely different universe from her own, and she rarely even watched television dramas.
Now, with a TV crew suddenly showing up on her doorstep, she felt completely indifferent.
Rao Xingsi choked for a second. "It doesn't matter if you haven't heard of us. We simply want to invite you to our studio for an interview program. Naturally, your adoptive sister Xue Anyan will also be making an appearance. If you're willing to agree, we'll compensate you with fifty thousand yuan."
Their production team had never offered appearance fees before; this was a first, and even then, the money was coming straight out of the Xue family's pocket.
It certainly felt a bit stingy, but fifty thousand yuan was still a sum he wouldn't mind pocketing.
"An interview program? Just an interview?"
Xiu Mumo could roughly guess that the internet must have already exposed Xue Anyan as the Xue family's adopted daughter, prompting them to track her down specifically to force an appearance.
"Of course," Rao Xingsi nodded.
"Live broadcast?" Xiu Mumo asked again.
That was the crucial detail. A live broadcast meant no pre-recorded scripts—or even if a script existed, her answers couldn't be arbitrarily edited out.
In fact, she could use this opportunity to draw a clean line between herself and the Xue family. If she couldn't sever the blood ties, she would at least sever them publicly in plain sight.
Page 32, Stirring Up the World Single-Handedly
"Yes, it's live-streamed. The sooner, the better," Rao Xingsi said, letting out an inward sigh of relief.
Asking that question meant she was practically on board.
"When does it start?" Xiu Mumo had just woken up; she hadn't checked the internet yet and had no idea what kind of frenzy was currently sweeping the web.
Bie Yuan hadn't called her, which likely meant nothing critical had happened yet.
"Tomorrow afternoon at three o'clock, if you have the time? I can have a car sent to pick you up," Rao Xingsi said with a smile.
"Fine, tomorrow afternoon at three," Xiu Mumo nodded. "Let me ask you—what did you mean earlier when you mentioned a pilot segment?"
"Nothing complicated, just a bit of promotional groundwork so that more people tune into the live stream tomorrow." Rao Xingsi smiled apologetically. "Please don't feel ill at ease, and we won't maliciously edit any footage we shoot of you. We'll simply post it on Weibo so that a good number of viewers will tune into the live broadcast tomorrow afternoon."
"I see." Xiu Mumo understood—it was just standard promotional marketing for an entertainment program.
"You can also register a Weibo account. We'll post promotional material at three o'clock this afternoon and tag your handle so it's convenient for you to respond. Does that sound acceptable to you?"
Rao Xingsi had a knack for humble diplomacy, always phrasing things as a polite request that left the listener comfortable.
At the very least, his approach sat well with Xiu Mumo.