Chapter 88: Offense
Although there were surveillance cameras in the banquet hall, no one suggested checking them. The moment Lu Jingyao spoke, he practically solidified Gu Jianming’s guilt. Moreover, Gu Jianming had indeed intended to put his hand on someone’s shoulder.
Gu Jianming was so anxious he nearly jumped up. In his panic, he even found a reason to refute, saying, “What’s wrong with just patting a shoulder? Is that some kind of crime?”
His words surprisingly resonated with some of the men present.
Sensing an opportunity, Gu Jianming directly attacked his own daughter: “Xu Youyou, don’t you think too highly of yourself? Do you really believe everyone has ulterior motives toward you?”
A few older men even chimed in agreement.
Xu Youyou raised an eyebrow, but before she could respond, Lu Jingyao beat her to it. “Any action that makes a woman uncomfortable is an offense. A normal, well-mannered man should not casually touch a woman he barely knows.”
Gu Jianming argued, “She’s not a stranger—she’s my daughter.”
Xu Youyou countered, “I grew up in an orphanage. Does that mean anyone can suddenly claim to be my father? Has the Gu family ever raised me or provided for me? I don’t even know this man.”
Lu Jingyao glanced at Xu Youyou. He recalled their first meeting at the auction house, when she had shown clear hostility toward the Gu siblings. He had suspected there was some unresolved issue between her and the Gu family.
Still, he pretended not to know and played along. “Mr. Gu claims Miss Xu is his daughter. Whether through adoption or financial support, surely the Gu family, as wealthy as it is, would have spent some money on her, right? Unless you can provide an adoption certificate or bank transfer records, your claim is baseless and may even be considered slander.”
Someone jumped in as the so-called voice of reason, laughing as they said, “Lu is right. If the Gu family really adopted this young lady, a wealthy family like yours wouldn’t have taken in a child without spending a cent, right? There should be bank records. Old Gu, don’t keep it to yourself—show us the transfers.”
Gu Jianming had no such records. He turned to see who had spoken—it was his business rival, Chen Senlin. His teeth clenched in frustration.
Lu Jingyao continued, “If anyone can casually claim to be someone’s father, how is that different from human trafficking?”
Xu Youyou immediately followed up, “Exactly! Mr. Gu says he’s my father, but I could just as easily say I’m his grandmother. If he’s willing to call me ‘Grandma,’ I might consider dropping this matter.”
Gu Jianming was so enraged he nearly fainted. He pointed at Xu Youyou and cursed, “You ungrateful brat! You disgraceful daughter!”
Though he had no proof of adoption or financial support, his furious outburst made the guests start to doubt. Could Xu Youyou really be his adopted daughter?
Lu Jingyao’s expression darkened. “Mr. Gu, Miss Xu has no relation to you. Since you never raised her, you have no right to scold her. On the contrary, you owe her an apology.”
Gu Jianming opened his mouth, hesitated, then closed it again. His conflicted expression was nearly tangible, as if he was debating whether or not to speak.
As the situation escalated, Gu Xueying grew increasingly anxious. She wished she could force Gu Jianming to admit fault—anything to stop people from discussing the word “daughter.” She was terrified that he might blurt out the truth about the real and fake heiress.
Gu Jianming had his own considerations. If the truth about the fake heiress got out, it would damage their family’s reputation in high society. On the other hand, admitting to having an uncultured, illegitimate daughter would also tarnish their family’s image.
But if he were to be seen as a sleazy old man who couldn’t control himself in public, it wouldn’t just affect his children’s marriage prospects—it would harm the Gu family’s business.
A secret he had tried so hard to keep was now being forced out of his own mouth.
“Xu Youyou is my biological daughter.”
The room erupted into shocked whispers.
“So Xu Youyou is an illegitimate child of the Gu family?” The first thought among the guests wasn’t about a switched-at-birth scenario—it was about an extramarital affair.
Xu Youyou’s face was cold. “Mr. Gu, let me say this again: I am an orphan. My parents are dead. I have no biological family.”
After finally saying it, Gu Jianming felt a sense of relief. Now that the truth was out, he quickly formulated a plan to minimize the damage and protect Gu Xueying. “My wife gave birth to twin daughters. Our eldest daughter was stolen by a nanny and ended up in an orphanage.”
The guests began to feel sympathy—both for the Gu family, who had lost a daughter, and for Xu Youyou, who had been deprived of her wealthy birthright for over twenty years.
Xu Youyou, now furious, laughed in disbelief. “You can eat whatever you want, but you can’t just say whatever you want. We’ve never done a DNA test. What proof do you have that I’m your daughter?”
Sensing her growing agitation, Lu Jingyao gently patted her hand in reassurance before turning to Gu Jianming. “Mr. Gu, why didn’t the Gu family search for their daughter all these years? With your wealth, surely a few million as a reward would have been nothing. Or was your reputation more important than finding your own child?”
His sharp words cut deep. The guests, who had been following Gu Jianming’s narrative, suddenly realized something wasn’t right.
His old rival, Chen Senlin, fanned the flames. “Old Gu, we’ve known each other for years, but I’ve never heard about you having two daughters. Are you losing your mind? If you don’t have a DNA test, you have no proof—claiming a random girl as your daughter is something only human traffickers do.”
Gu Jianming’s fists clenched tightly. How could a man of his status be compared to a human trafficker?
“How about doing a DNA test?” someone suggested, eager for more drama.
Xu Youyou smirked. “I don’t even look like this Gu lady. Is there really a need for a test?”
The guests glanced between Xu Youyou and Gu Xueying. Indeed, they didn’t resemble each other much. In fact, they realized something strange—neither of them looked much like the Gu couple.
“How odd… Gu Xueying doesn’t really look like a Gu family member either,” someone murmured.
Another guest observed Gu Xueying’s features and suddenly had a revelation. “Wait… she looks really familiar, like someone I’ve seen before.”
Gu Xueying’s heart pounded in terror. She couldn’t bear to listen any longer, afraid that someone would uncover her true origins.
Xu Youyou, relishing her panic, asked, “Miss Gu, why are you so nervous? Could it be that you’re not actually a Gu family daughter?”
Gu Xueying’s face turned ghostly pale.
Then, a wealthy lady clapped her hands in realization. “Maybe it’s not twins—maybe it’s a switched-at-birth situation, just like in the dramas!”
Gu Xueying’s nightmare was coming true. She almost collapsed from fear.
The guests eyed her with increasing suspicion. If a baby swap had occurred, then this changed everything. Their gazes toward Gu Xueying now carried the implication of theft.
She wished she could shrink into a corner and disappear.
Enjoying the moment, Xu Youyou said, “Real daughter or fake daughter, it doesn’t matter. I’m just an orphan. The Gu family’s wealth has nothing to do with me.”
Gu Madam couldn’t hold back anymore. “You act so noble in front of Mr. Lu now, but weren’t you demanding our entire family fortune before?”
She wanted everyone to see Xu Youyou’s true nature.
Xu Youyou delivered the perfect counter: “Oh? Was Madam actually going to give it to me?”
