Volume One, Chapter Ten: You Are Not My Biological Daughter—Leave Immediately

He could not admit now that Shen Ruzhi was not his daughter, or else it would truly confirm that the Shen family had persecuted their adopted child. Just as he was about to speak, a staff member produced another paternity test, announcing loudly, “Shen Ruzhi is indeed not his biological daughter. This paternity test is between her and Mr. and Mrs. Shen.”

Staring at the test in the staff member’s hand, Shen Zhongguo’s eyes widened, fixed in disbelief. Where had this paternity test come from?

Tian Xiaoxia snatched it and brought it to her parents. “Mom, Dad, look at this paternity test. Ruzhi really isn’t Uncle Shen’s biological daughter. They knew all along, which is why they sent her to the countryside.”

“They’ve gone too far. Ruzhi could have stayed in the city, but they insisted on sending her away.”

The neighbors began whispering among themselves. “So that’s how it is—no wonder Wang Yaoyao kept coming to the Shen house. I really thought she was close to Ruzhi, but it turns out she’s the real Shen daughter.”

“Even if she’s not their real daughter, she’s been raised for eighteen years. If they didn’t want her to stay, they could have just told her the truth and let her leave. Why send her to the countryside? Ruzhi grew up in the city; how could she handle rural life? Their hearts are too cruel.”

“That’s right. Even raising livestock creates feelings, let alone raising a daughter for eighteen years. How could they bear it?”

Everyone cast looks of disdain and dissatisfaction at Wang Cuilian and Shen Zhongguo.

“Old Shen, you’ve really gone too far. Ruzhi’s a child I watched grow up, and in my heart, she’s like my second daughter. If you don’t want to keep her, let her stay at my house—don’t send her to the countryside.”

At this moment, Shen Zhongguo felt as if he were being hoisted onto a pyre, unable to say anything.

“Ruzhi is my daughter, always has been. We will never abandon her,” he declared, but to the crowd, it seemed like he was only saying this because of their criticism and persuasion.

Shen Ruzhi wiped her tears and knelt, “Mom, Dad, I know you raised me for eighteen years, and I can never repay you. My cousin is your real daughter. I know I shouldn’t stay, but Mom, Dad, I don’t want to leave you. Please don’t drive me away.”

Inwardly, Shen Ruzhi sneered. Raised by them? If she hadn’t discovered she was stolen and wounded by Wang Cuilian, she might have felt grateful.

Today, Shen Ruzhi had truly angered Wang Cuilian, pushing Yaoyao into the center of public opinion and plunging the Shen family into disgrace.

A year ago, if someone hadn’t needed to take the blame, Wang Cuilian would have driven Yaoyao away on the spot.

The current situation was already very unfavorable for them.

There were rumors of an impending reckoning from above. Someone had to stay behind, and they planned for Shen Ruzhi to take the fall. But now that her true identity was revealed, she was useless to them.

Tickets for tomorrow’s departure were already bought. Once Shen Ruzhi went to the countryside, the others would let their guard down, and they could use the excuse of visiting her living environment to slip away from the capital.

“Ruzhi, you can’t stay with them. Look at the date on the paternity test—they knew you weren’t their child a year ago, and this time they plotted to send you away. If you stay, they’ll definitely bully you,” Tian Xiaoxia said, standing protectively before Shen Ruzhi.

Her words warmed Shen Ruzhi’s heart. Xiaoxia, this life I will… never let anything happen to you.

“Mom, Dad, is what Xiaoxia says true? I never understood why your attitude toward me changed so much over the past year. I thought I’d done something wrong.

Mom, Dad, I’m not your real daughter. You asked me to go in my cousin’s place to the countryside, and I had no complaints because you said I could come back home after a few months.”

Hearing Shen Ruzhi’s innocent words, everyone understood that there was no such thing as coming back after a few months. Once someone went to the countryside, it was nearly impossible to return. The Shen family was determined to trick her into leaving, to abandon her completely.

Tian Xiaoxia’s parents never imagined the Shen family would stoop so low as to scheme against Shen Ruzhi.

There was no such thing as a few months in the countryside—they simply didn’t want her to stay in the family. Sending her away would earn them a reputation for having a biological daughter serving the country in the rural areas.

Tian Xiaoxia’s mother, eyes red, wiped away Shen Ruzhi’s tears. She was only eighteen, a year younger than Xiaoxia, and yet her own relatives had plotted against her so cruelly. How much pain must her heart bear?

Tian’s father, too, found the Shen family’s behavior shameful and said, dissatisfied, “Old Shen, Ruzhi isn’t your biological daughter. You have no right to interfere with her life now. I’ll help her find her real parents. I remember your wife gave birth at the Second Hospital, didn’t she?”

Hearing that someone would help Shen Ruzhi find her parents, Wang Cuilian panicked and immediately said, “She has no parents. I picked her up, found her by the roadside.”

Seeing Wang Cuilian’s flustered expression, everyone sensed something was off. Back then, new mothers went home by the third day; no one had ever heard of them losing a child or picking one up by the roadside.

Tian’s father, a veteran, immediately saw through Wang Cuilian’s guilt.

“All right, Ruzhi, whatever happens, you’re still my daughter. Let’s leave this matter here. From now on, you and Yaoyao should get along.”

Shen Zhongguo was bitterly disappointed. He didn’t know whether today’s events were coincidence or orchestrated, but everything had long since slipped beyond his control.

Tomorrow they would leave, but they would never take Shen Ruzhi with them.

With that thought, he gave Wang Cuilian a meaningful look.

“No! She’s not mine. I raised her for eighteen years, and she took my Yaoyao’s rightful place, enjoying wealth and luxury, while my Yaoyao suffered for seventeen years in the countryside, hungry and poorly clothed. Shen Ruzhi, if you have any conscience, you should leave! Go as far away as possible!”

Wang Cuilian shouted angrily, glaring at Shen Ruzhi’s pitiful appearance. Today’s events must have been her doing. The more she thought about it, the angrier she became—her plans for the past year ruined, she couldn’t stop cursing. “I picked you up on People’s Road. Wherever you came from, go back there. Don’t think you can stay in our house.”

With her plans in ruins, Wang Cuilian’s true face was now fully exposed.

Shen Ruzhi was of no further use. Why leave her behind, to divide the Shen family’s assets? Wishful thinking.

She wouldn’t get a single penny.

“Mom, Mom, please don’t drive me away. I don’t know where I can go,” pleaded Shen Ruzhi.

Standing behind her, Wang Yaoyao felt immense satisfaction.

Shen Ruzhi, at last the day has come.

Now you can only kneel before me like a dog, begging.

The crowd felt pity and wanted to intervene, especially the Tian family, whose eyes were all red.

Ruzhi was simply too gentle, too filial; even as the Shen family schemed against her, she still held them in her heart.