Jiang Yi suddenly screamed in fear and shook her head. “I didn’t, I didn’t.”

Her finger had just risen, wanting to point at Ji Ran and accuse her of lying. She had just returned from the Sky Realm, and she knew that Ji Ran wouldn’t let her off the hook, so she tearfully told her mother about the situation.

Even though Jiang Liqi was angry with Jiang Yi’s lack of discipline for sneaking into Ji Ran’s dress, she realized that she needed to protect Jiang Yi. Otherwise, if Ji Qingli grew tired of her, Jiang Yi’s future in this family would be difficult.

So Jiang Liqi taught Jiang Yi to hold on tightly, insisting that the dress was a temporary loan from Ji Ran.

After Ji Ran took out the photos, Jiang Yi seemed afraid but couldn’t forget Jiang Liqi’s words and adamantly refused to admit her actions.

Ji Ran chuckled lightly; she rather enjoyed watching a fallen dog perform.

Deep down, she had no sympathy for Jiang Yi, as in this life or the previous one, Jiang Yi had done many unpleasant things to her.

Jiang Yi looked at Ji Ran with resentment in her eyes, but soon tears welled up in her eyes, and she shook her head, saying, “Ran Ran, didn’t you say that we are sisters under the same roof? You said you wanted to get along with me in the future. I know it’s wrong for me to borrow your clothes and shoes, but I envy you for having so many beautiful clothes and shoes…”

Ji Qingli became increasingly impatient as he listened, his brows furrowing and his displeasure clearly evident on his face.

Seeing the situation worsening, Jiang Liqi immediately scolded, “That’s enough; don’t say anything more. Anyway, this is your fault. Mom knows you’re young and don’t understand, and Mom will apologize to Ran Ran with you.”

Unexpectedly, as Jiang Liqi spoke, her body swayed as if she were about to faint.

Ji Qingli next to her supported her and, looking at her pale cheeks, said helplessly, “Your health isn’t good; don’t get angry.”

“It’s all my fault, Qingli. It’s my fault that Ran Ran was wronged.” Jiang Liqi struggled to stand up and bow deeply to Ji Ran. “Ran Ran, this is all my fault. I raised Jiang Yi on my own and didn’t provide her with a good living condition like you, so she’s not as carefree as you.”

At this point, Ji Ran was left dumbfounded.

In her previous life, she hadn’t had much contact with Jiang Liqi, as she had always lived with Pei Yuan and later went abroad. When they met again after Ji Ran returned to work in her homeland, Jiang Liqi was not like she was now.

She dressed elegantly and exquisitely, and she had already transformed into a noblewoman with an air of dignity.

When Ji Ran met her, she was carrying a limited-edition Hermès bag. Although she spoke softly, her face exuded an arrogant air, as if she truly considered Ji Ran a junior.

Therefore, Ji Ran was unaware that Jiang Liqi had such a flexible side to her.

Ji Ran couldn’t help but admire Jiang Liqi. She could show such humility in front of Ji Qingli, especially considering the age difference between them. If it were someone with a weaker mindset, they might hate Ji Ran at this moment.

As expected, Jiang Liqi’s humility elicited Ji Qingli’s compassion. He saw Jiang Liqi stand up and bow, and he couldn’t help but say, “Alright, alright, it’s not your fault. You’re an elder, and there’s no need for this.”

Seeing Ji Qingli about to give in, Ji Ran couldn’t help but sneer.

Ah, men.

However, Jiang Liqi’s skillful tactics had ignited Ji Ran’s competitive spirit. She knew that this mother-daughter duo wouldn’t be easily defeated, but it didn’t matter. Over time, they would see what happened.

So she took the initiative to speak, saying, “Dad, apologies should always be sincere, right? We can’t have our parents standing in front of us to take the blame for our mistakes.”

She glanced at Jiang Yi with a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.

At this point, Jiang Yi clenched her teeth tightly and managed to stop the bitter words of resentment from escaping her heart. She looked at Ji Ran and finally stood up, saying, “I’m sorry, Ji Ran.”

“Sorry for what? You need to be more specific so I can understand your sincerity in apologizing.” Ji Ran immediately interrupted her, speaking softly. “It was not just borrowing my clothes and shoes without my permission; it was stealing. If you continue to apologize in this manner, I won’t believe you’re sincere.”

Jiang Yi couldn’t help but look at Jiang Liqi, but Jiang Liqi simply nodded in her direction.

With things having reached this point, it was better to apologize gracefully, get through this situation today, and then work on winning over Ji Qingli in the future.

So, with a resigned tone, Jiang Yi looked at Ji Ran and said, “I shouldn’t have stolen your clothes and shoes. I’m sorry.”

Ji Ran understood the bitterness and resentment in Jiang Yi’s heart—the kind of fury that would make her want to kill her instantly—but she didn’t care.

Because she was the one who had won.

“Alright, let’s end it here.” After hearing Jiang Yi’s apology to Ji Ran, Ji Qingli, as the head of the family, decided to put an end to the matter.

Ji Ran nodded and prepared to go upstairs. However, when she reached the stairs, she turned back and saw Jiang Liqi talking to Jiang Yi while Ji Qingli was present.

Their voices were barely audible, and Ji Ran didn’t hear them.

But Ji Ran felt that this mother and daughter were too hasty. She hadn’t left yet, and they were already planning a comeback?

So she decided to leave them with one more parting gift.

Ji Ran suddenly called out, “Dad.”

Ji Qingli looked up at the young girl standing on the staircase.

Ji Ran spoke casually, “Oh, there’s something I forgot to tell you. Rumors have been circulating at our school that I’m the daughter of a driver. As for who started the rumor, well, if I confront them, they won’t admit it anyway.”

Ji Ran had a hint of helplessness on her face as she gazed at Ji Qingli. “It’s just that, Dad, your reputation doesn’t seem very good, and many people look down on me for having a father like you. I wanted to help you clarify, but the rumors have spread too widely.”

After saying that, Ji Ran paid no further attention to them and went upstairs directly.

However, just as she passed the turn in the stairs, she heard a loud noise from downstairs in the living room.

It sounded like a glass had been shattered.

Before the start of the school week, the discussions on the high school forum were already in a frenzy. Perhaps because of the weekend, nobody knew if they had completed their homework, so everyone was particularly idle.

[User 818: The true young lady publicly embarrassed the fake one; it’s like I’m watching a TV drama, isn’t it?]

This particular post was sensational, with over a thousand replies after just one night.

1st reply: As the first-hand eyewitness on the scene, I have to say it was truly amazing. Jiang Yi was already stunning in that haute couture dress, overshadowing everyone. Even Xue Yirou was outshone by her and had to give up the spotlight. Then, out of nowhere, Ji Ran appeared.

2nd reply: Oh my god, can you please finish your revelation? Don’t keep us waiting.

3rd reply: I’m patiently waiting online. I want to hear the gossip. I want to see the revelations. I want to know about the lives of your rich kids who live in a world of luxury and extravagance.

However, the original poster seemed to have disappeared, not making an appearance.

So, the second person to reveal the information took on the responsibility.

45th reply: The original poster is gone, so I’ll continue. As a witness who was present at the time, after Ji Ran arrived, she accused Jiang Yi of stealing her clothes. Jiang Yi’s little sister was not satisfied and asked Ji Ran for evidence (honestly, isn’t this little sister a werewolf?). So, Ji Ran provided evidence directly, pointing out the initials of her name on the dress. Sisters, don’t you feel more enlightened now?

46th reply: So, did the dress really have Ji Ran’s initials on it?

50th reply: Of course it did. When I was there, I felt embarrassed on Jiang Yi’s behalf. I doubt she expected to have this kind of evidence when she stole someone else’s clothes.

51st reply: Alright, I’ve learned something new today—there can be the owner’s name on a haute couture dress. Please remember this, everyone. Don’t just store it in your head; write it down in your notebook. If you forget it once, review it twice.

52nd reply: Are you kidding? You’ve managed to make me think of our English teacher on a weekend.

99th reply: So, can someone tell me what the relationship between Ji Ran and Jiang Yi is? Who is the real young lady, and who is the fake one?

101st reply: In my analysis, it’s definitely Ji Ran. Just think, she’s only a sophomore, but she has haute couture dresses to wear. As for their relationship, it’s said that someone saw them going to school in a Bentley. So, I think they must be a reconstituted family; probably Jiang Yi’s mom married Ji Ran’s dad. Jiang Yi is going from rags to riches, and she’s showing off.

102nd reply: I agree with the above.

103rd reply: +1 to the above.

Xia Jiangming and Xu Yihang, two people who were usually talkative, were glued to their phones, continuously refreshing. On the other hand, Shen Zhi was lounging on the sofa with a book covering his face, giving the impression that he was napping.

It was only when Xu Yihang slapped his thigh and said, “This analysis, I think it’s spot on.”

“Which one, which one?” Xia Jiangming leaned over.

Chen Song was playing pool by himself, and he watched the three of them in various postures on the sofa with a sense of helplessness. He said, “Are you sure you don’t want to play a game? What’s so interesting on your phones?”

“You don’t understand. Gossip is the most exciting!” Xu Yihang had a look that said, ‘You know nothing, so don’t comment.’

Chen Song shrugged and bent over to rest the pool cue on the table.

Xia Jiangming sighed after reading, “I always said my little sister-in-law has the demeanor and appearance of a heiress. It seems I wasn’t wrong.”

Xu Yihang chuckled but didn’t argue.

The first time he saw Ji Ran, he was not only amazed by her appearance but also found her aura particularly elegant, quiet yet full of grace, the type of girl who seemed to have excellent manners.

Even when she confronted Jiang Yi at her own birthday party yesterday, Xu Yihang still found this young lady to be elegant, even when she was arguing with someone.

Xu Yihang glanced cautiously at the reclining Shen Zhi and let out a sigh of relief. He didn’t dare to have any thoughts about Ji Ran.

That would be suicidal.

However, just as he finished that thought, Shen Zhi suddenly sat up, a bit of laziness still on his face, but he reached out and said, “Give me your phone.”

Xu Yihang quickly handed over his phone and said, “Zhi-ge, how about you download a forum app as well? There’s some juicy stuff going on in there.”

Shen Zhi didn’t respond to him. He lowered his head and quickly read through the post. However, after reading it, he suddenly felt a bit uncomfortable, as if a cherished secret had been discovered by more people.

It wasn’t until Xia Jiangming suddenly said, “Zhi-ge, if Ji Ran really is the young lady, wouldn’t the two of you make a better match?”

Suddenly, the discomfort Shen Zhi had felt just disappeared.

It seemed like that made sense.

Monday morning self-study was always chaotic. Even though it had only been two days, the classmates in the classroom chatted as if they were long-lost relatives, with endless topics to discuss. Plus, today, the teacher was absent, probably in a meeting, so even when the bell for morning self-study rang, no one stopped.

When Ji Ran entered the classroom in the morning, she had a similar effect to Shen Zhi’s. The moment she walked in, everyone fell silent.

Fortunately, after a moment, things returned to normal.

The post on the forum was still a hot topic, and it seemed that very few people had missed it.

Ji Ran paid no attention to them and sat quietly at her desk. However, when she looked down, she noticed a figure standing by her desk. When she raised her head, she saw Shen Zhi.

She immediately stood up to let him in.

The two of them sat at their desks, both rather quiet.

The quietness made Ji Ran slightly uncomfortable, and she couldn’t resist turning to him and asking, “Why have you been staring at me?”

Shen Zhi lowered his eyelids, a faint smile on his face that was hard to resist. Until he raised his hand and lightly pinched Ji Ran’s cheek, his eyes examined her closely, and in a very light voice, he said, “So, you’re Miss Ji Ran.”