Chapter 70 Playing Everyone in the Palm of Her Hand

Ruan Yaoyao pretended not to hear anything. Back then, she had been able to grit her teeth and endure that scumbag Xu Xiaoxiao—so now, she could just treat these words as background noise.

Hu Xiaoyan sneered, “What a saint. Quite skilled at playing deaf and dumb. The words are practically in your face, yet you don’t even dare to make a sound.”

Madam Zhou stepped in to smooth things over. This was her tea gathering—people came here for leisure, not to pick fights.

Yes, Ruan Yaoyao had lost her husband, but her son was no pushover. The Xu Group still held a respectable position within their social circle.

If Ruan Yaoyao were humiliated at her event—her dignity stripped and trampled underfoot—someone might complain and hold her responsible.

After all, the eldest daughter-in-law of the Xu family was still sitting right there.

Out of respect for Madam Zhou, Hu Xiaoyan merely snorted and turned her head away.

Madam Zhou quickly had some premium desserts served, trying to “cheer everyone up.”

For the sake of the sweets, everyone cooperated in changing the topic. Soon, the atmosphere turned lively again, with laughter masking everything beneath the surface.

Originally, Ruan Yaoyao felt a bit regretful. She had gotten some gossip, but unfortunately hadn’t seen Madam Xie, Wan Yuegui, and thus missed the “authentic scoop.” If she could have met the two daughters of the Xie family and their husbands, the gossip would have been even juicier.

Just as the gathering was about to end, Ruan Yaoyao’s eyes suddenly lit up. A flashing label appeared before her—“Cannon Fodder Stepmother.”

She quickly grabbed Yu Xiangqiao and chased after it.

Hearing her inner thoughts, Yu Xiangqiao cooperated immediately, afraid they might miss out if they were too slow.

With the two of them working together, they managed to catch the gossip fresh and hot.

This so-called “cannon fodder stepmother” was none other than the very person they had been thinking about—Madam Xie, Wan Yuegui, stepmother of Xie Zining.

It turned out she had also attended the event, just in another room, hosted by a different lady. When she came out, she ran into Madam Ma, Hu Xiaoyan, who mocked her a few times. Unable to save face, Wan Yuegui ended up arguing with her.

Ruan Yaoyao didn’t care why they were arguing—she cared more about Wan Yuegui’s “profile page.”

Standing within five meters, she frantically flipped through it.

There was no helping it—at her current ability, she couldn’t read it from too far away.

【Whoa?! She’s actually Xie Zining’s biological mother?!】

【Wait, isn’t she supposed to be the stepmother?】

Yu Xiangqiao was shocked: What?! Biological mother? But Xie Zining said so herself—how could that be wrong?

【So that’s how it is…】

Yu Xiangqiao: How what is?! Say it already, Mom!

【Back then, Father Xie encountered a pair of twin sisters. He thought he had gotten together with the older sister, Wan Yuemei—but in reality, it was Wan Yuegui.】

【Then Wan Yuegui gave birth to Xie Zining.】

【Xie Ziyi is also Wan Yuegui’s biological daughter. But at that time, Wan Yuegui truly loved her ex-husband. Her sister had married an abusive man, so to save her sister, she let her sister take Xie Zining and marry Father Xie in her place…】

Ruan Yaoyao sorted it out in her head and nearly got dizzy.

Both Xie Ziyi and Xie Zining were Wan Yuegui’s biological daughters—they just had different fathers.

Xie Ziyi was born first, to Wan Yuegui and her ex-husband. Xie Zining was later, born to her and Father Xie. But at the time, Wan Yuegui had used her twin sister’s identity, so neither man knew the truth.

Father Xie believed he was a hero, rescuing a woman from domestic abuse. In reality, he had been deceived by the sisters and ended up sleeping with another man’s wife.

Wan Yuegui’s ex-husband also didn’t know that his wife had secretly borne another man’s child. He only thought he was too incompetent, unable to provide a good life, so his wife left with their daughter and remarried.

Coincidentally, around that time, Wan Yuegui’s twin sister “passed away.” Using the excuse of “taking care of her sister’s child,” Wan Yuegui moved into the villa and treated Xie Zining as her own daughter, deeply moving Father Xie.

Though Father Xie was a scumbag, he treated his own flesh and blood well. For Xie Zining’s sake, he eventually remarried—taking his late wife’s twin sister, Wan Yuegui, as his new wife.

Ruan Yaoyao: 【… What a talent!】

Yu Xiangqiao: …Indeed.

This was the kind of woman who had played everyone in the palm of her hand. But she probably never expected that, in the future, her two biological daughters would grow up and create a scandal—two sisters fighting over the same man.

【Guess it runs in the family!】

Yu Xiangqiao: Exactly!

【Just not sure whether Xie Zining helped “take revenge” on her sister because she hated Wan Yuegui for stealing her mother’s identity, or simply because she disliked Ran Hao and wanted a backup plan.】

【If it’s for revenge… then it’s truly a case of family turning against family without even knowing it.】

Yu Xiangqiao felt that, given Xie Zining’s personality, it was hard to say.

It might really be for revenge. After all, Xie Zining had hated that mother-daughter pair for a long time.

She herself was Father Xie’s biological daughter, yet treated like a burden, while the other married far better than her—how could she not be angry?

Yu Xiangqiao thought that if she were in Xie Zining’s position, unaware of the truth, she would also be furious—perhaps even want the other dead.

She even suspected that Xie Zining might believe her own mother’s death had been caused by the “stepmother.”

By the time Wan Yuegui and Hu Xiaoyan finished arguing, Ruan Yaoyao had also finished her gossip. Satisfied, she pulled Yu Xiangqiao away.

What they didn’t see was that this entire scene had been witnessed by Xie Zining, hiding nearby. She clearly saw the expression on Yu Xiangqiao’s face—and her own expression instantly cracked.

She was certain—Yu Xiangqiao had been laughing at her!

Bitch!

Bitch!

Bitch!

Clattering in her high heels, she chased after them.

Ruan Yaoyao and Yu Xiangqiao had parked in the underground garage. They had no interest in putting on airs outside—where cars lined up in long queues, giving the illusion of convenience but actually wasting time. It was much faster to leave through the underground exit.

Just as Yu Xiangqiao opened the car door to get in, she heard someone shout “bitch” and tell her to stop.

She turned around.

Xie Zining had appeared behind her at some point. Reaching out, she shoved Yu Xiangqiao hard, sending her to the ground.

“Ah!”

Yu Xiangqiao let out a scream.

Ruan Yaoyao, who had been getting into the car from the other side, was startled and quickly got out.

The bodyguard in the passenger seat also jumped out, blocking Xie Zining and preventing her from getting closer. Unable to attack Yu Xiangqiao again, Xie Zining lashed out at the bodyguard, scratching wildly as she cursed:

“Get out of the way! I’m going to kill that bitch who laughed at me—!”

Caught in this sudden disaster, Yu Xiangqiao was helped up by Ruan Yaoyao, who asked with concern, “Are you okay? Does anything hurt?”

“I’m fine!” Just a bit dazed—she had no idea how she had offended Xie Zining enough to be shoved like that.

After getting up, Yu Xiangqiao told Xie Zining to calm down and stop acting like a madwoman. Anyone watching would think she had done something to her.

She pointed out that it was Xie Zining who had rushed out and pushed her for no reason—if anyone had the right to go crazy, it should be her.

Seeing herself being treated like a lunatic by her former rival, Xie Zining froze—then burst into tears.

“Waaah… even you’re laughing at me! Even you’re laughing at me!”

Yu Xiangqiao: “…You pushed me, and you still think you’re in the right? Don’t think you’re the only one who can cry—I can cry too!”