The Real Daughter’s Inner Thoughts are Heard

Chapter 22: My god, is this a distortion of human nature or a decline in morality?

Facing her clingy younger cousin like a dog-skin plaster, Xu Yinyin wished she could just knock him out and stuff him into a trash can.

How did he turn out like this? Where was the rebellious heir she had been expecting?

Xu Yao kept his grip on her clothes and met her exasperated and disgusted gaze. Shamelessly, he said, “Stop struggling. You won’t shake me off.”

Xu Yinyin clenched her molars and said word by word, “Fine, you can come. But no matter what you see or hear, you’re not allowed to make a sound. Got it?”

Xu Yao nodded obediently. “My lips are sealed. Don’t worry.”

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Xu Yinyin gave him a deep look before turning around and stepping into the shopping mall.

“Are you really planning to bring this little burden along?”

“I didn’t expect him to be this clingy, but rather than wasting time trying to shake him off, I’d rather hurry up and find Yaoyao. I want to see what tricks her birth mother is playing. At the end of the day, this is still a Xu family affair—Xu Yao will find out sooner or later.”

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“Jwv obyv kq bl awdp sqq yde vyvvzlp vs uswa plnsde ywdv? Mbyv osxyd ealyxp sq jknjkdt uswa aknb eye swv sq vbl qyxkzu. Rq pbl taycp bsze sq ydu ekav sd usw, pbl’zz elqkdkvlzu xyjl y ckt elyz swv sq kv. Mbyv nswze cl y vsvyz ekpypvla! Vzwp, qasx vbl oyu bl’p ynvkdt zkjl y zspv vyerszl zssjkdt qsa bkp xsx1Mblal’p y nbkdlpl nbkzeald’p cssj zkjl vbkp, kv’p nyzzle ‘Nkvvzl Myerszlp Nssjkdt qsa Mblka Ysvbla’ cu Nw Jkdt, R’e clv bl’p y vsvyz xyxy’p csu!”

Dw Zys: “……”

R fwpv oydvle vs lyv psxl xlzsdp—oyp vbyv alyzzu y alypsd vs kdpwzv xl zkjl vbkp?!

“Ohld y xyxy’p csu dllep bkp xsx vs ynvwyzzu nyal ycswv bkx. Nssj yv xu plnsde ywdv—eslp pbl ryu bkx ydu yvvldvksd? Tkp eye’p y rzyucsu, yde bkp xsx sdzu nyalp ycswv bla nyalla. Dw Zys kp cypknyzzu y aknb jke zlqv clbkde yv bsxl okvb ds sdl vs nyal qsa bkx.”

“Uzlyazu zynjkdt pwahkhyz pjkzzp ulv elprlayvl vs calyj yoyu qasx vbl qyxkzu yde hldvwal kdvs psnklvu—vbkp kp y nzyppkn nypl sq psxlsdl pvyahle qsa zshl yde alnstdkvksd. Ubld Fbldt’p pvlrxsvbla xyu byhl iwlpvksdyczl xsayzp, cwv pbl rzyup vbl aszl sq y xsvbla olzz. Mbl xsxldv pbl blyae bla psd tsv cwzzkle yv pnbssz, pbl awpble shla kd y qwau. Mbyv’p lmynvzu obu Ubld Fbldt eyalp vs cl ps yaastydv.”

“Lso, zssj yv xu plnsde ywdv’p bswplbsze. Fbl’p zlvvkdt yd swvpkela zkjl xl bydezl vbkdtp—es usw alyzzu vbkdj pbl eslpd’v jdso obyv’p tskdt sd? Fbl’p fwpv yqayke sq lxcyaayppkdt blaplzq cu pbsokdt wr. Yu plnsde wdnzl kpd’v xwnb sq y ryaldvyz qktwal lkvbla. Rq R talo wr kd y qyxkzu zkjl vbyv, R’e oydv vs nwv vklp yde awd qya yoyu vss.”

Dw Zkdukd’p osaep pvawnj y nbsae okvb Dw Zys.

Rv oyp ralnkplzu clnywpl sq bkp ryaldvp’ ldezlpp plzqkpb clbyhksa vbyv bl elprkple vbl ldvkal qyxkzu. Gv vbl pyxl vkxl, bl oyp rykdqwzzu yoyal sq bkp sod zynj sq rsola.

So, all he could do was study like mad. If he got into a good university and learned a skill, then one day, he could truly escape.

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As for the family inheritance and the battle for power? He had never been interested. The last thing he wanted was to become like his parents—either controlled by money and desire or resorting to dirty tricks just to get ahead.

Xu Yinyin’s words were sharp, but most of them were undeniable truths.

“Ugh! It’s all because of this little burden Xu Yao! We lost track of Yaoyao!”

Xu Yinyin’s frustrated thoughts dragged Xu Yao out of his daze.

He followed her scanning gaze and looked around. Even though it wasn’t the weekend, the mall was still crowded. The sea of people made it difficult to pinpoint someone’s whereabouts.

“What are you sneaking around for? Are you here to catch a cheater?” Xu Yao deliberately threw out a diversion to tease her.

“Catch your big-headed ghost!” Xu Yinyin was already irritated, and now he was making it worse.

“Well, you told me earlier that no matter what I see or hear, I shouldn’t say a word. If it’s not some scandalous affair, then what else could it be?”

Instead of answering, Xu Yinyin asked, “Did your parents ever tell you about me and Xu Yaoyao being switched at birth?”

“They did, but only in broad strokes. I never really asked for details.”

“Of course, you never asked. You don’t care about anything in this family—you just want to get away as soon as possible.”

“It’s not that I don’t care,” Xu Yao quickly added, “I just felt like even if I asked, I wouldn’t be able to help. After all, this is your family’s business. It’s not right to pry into other people’s private affairs.”

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“Oh, look at you, acting all righteous. What’s the point of life if you don’t enjoy some juicy melons?”

Xu Yao quietly ridiculed himself. Hmm, I’ve learned something new today—Eating melons is delicious!

“If you really think this is our family’s private matter, then just leave already,” Xu Yinyin seized the opportunity to push him away.

“No way. Can’t leave. You’ve already sparked my curiosity. I have this bad habit—I can’t let questions go unanswered, or I won’t be able to sleep at night.”

Xu Yinyin was completely speechless.

“Just admit you want to eat melons! Why put on such a noble act?”

“This mall—are you familiar with it?”

“Sort of. I’ve been here a few times.”

“Then think carefully—if you needed a private place to meet someone for something important, where would you go?”

What Xu Yinyin needed most was a local guide. Xu Yao tagging along was actually turning out to be useful. Plus, while she knew some of the backstory, she was in no position to criticize Yaoyao.

She also couldn’t tell her wealthy adoptive parents about Yaoyao meeting her biological mother—otherwise, it would be too easy for them to misinterpret her intentions. If Yaoyao misunderstood her as trying to stir up trouble, it would be even worse.

Her return was already at a sensitive time, and she had to tread carefully.

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But watching her little sister get manipulated by her birth mother and then turn against their adoptive parents? She couldn’t just sit back and let it happen.

She actually needed an “messenger”—someone who could inform their parents about Yaoyao’s meeting without making it seem like she was instigating anything. Xu Yao was the perfect candidate.

He was a member of the family, the heir their grandfather favored, and someone with no interest in the power struggle. His status and position far outweighed hers, a long-lost real heiress who had only recently returned.

If he was the one to bring it up, it would be much more appropriate.

“I only know that there’s a private club on the top floor, but it’s members-only. Without a membership card, you can’t get in. Then there’s the pub next to it—also members-only, but my dad has a card, so I can get in anytime. Some private rooms in the pub overlook the club, so you can see who’s coming and going, but you can’t hear their conversations. Other than these two, there’s no better spot.”

Xu Yinyin pondered for a few seconds before deciding. “The pub, then. At least we can see who’s going in and out of the club. As for their conversation—”

She stopped herself mid-sentence. In the end, she chose to trust Xu Yaoyao.

Her adoptive parents had always treated Yaoyao well, and she had never shown any malice towards her. Yaoyao wouldn’t be easily swayed.

“Like you said, that’s private. I won’t eavesdrop—I’ll just take a quick look and leave.”

Xu Yao raised an eyebrow and boldly guessed, “You’re worried that our cousin is meeting her birth mother?”

Xu Yinyin was surprised. “You figured it out?”

“Come on, do I look like an idiot? You practically spelled it out.”

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Xu Yao was speechless. Did she really think he was that dumb?

“Let’s find her first. Once we do, I’ll explain everything to you.”

“Got it. The elevator’s this way.”

Xu Yao quickly led her to the best VIP room in the pub and casually asked the waiter for a pair of binoculars.

Once everything was set up, Xu Yinyin raised the binoculars and began scanning for their target.

“Xiao Qi, help me look! Hurry!”

“Seven o’clock direction. Two female figures behind a white curtain. See them?”

“Got them.”

“Yaoyao was wearing a white suit dress this morning, paired with a pale yellow silk blouse. Her headband was the same color.”

Xu Yinyin carefully observed according to the description. Behind the white gauze curtain, there was indeed a glimpse of a goose-yellow figure, with the headband’s position particularly noticeable.

【Found her, she’s at the seven o’clock direction.】

Xu Yinyin let out a sigh of relief and then shifted her gaze to the person sitting across from Xu Yaoyao. The faint silhouette showed an elegant posture, and even the act of pouring tea exuded a calm sophistication.

“That must be Zhou Xinyi. Judging by her demeanor, she’s definitely a refined lady.”

“According to the records on my end, after she and your father were forcibly separated by your grandfather, she disappeared for a while. When she reappeared, she was already married—to a mysterious tycoon, rumored to be even wealthier than your father.”

“See? What did I say? She obviously wanted to prove herself to your dad and grandfather. Even when remarrying, she had to find someone superior to her ex. So, it’s not surprising that she would pull off a baby swap just to get revenge.”

Xu Yao was nearly shocked to his core by this bombshell revelation.

For years, their uncle’s family had raised Xu Yaoyao as their own, only to find out at twenty-five that he wasn’t actually their child. Anyone would be floored by such a revelation. But now, to discover that this was all part of his uncle’s ex-girlfriend’s revenge scheme?

Damn. Is this the corruption of human nature, or the downfall of morality?!

This was some next-level melon. Burp—he was practically choking on this juicy gossip!

Steadying his trembling heart, Xu Yao casually asked, “Did you find her?”

Xu Yinyin handed him the binoculars and pointed toward a private room at an angle. “That one, the goose-yellow silhouette.”

Xu Yao took a closer look through the binoculars—yep, that was indeed his cousin.

He put down the binoculars and asked, “So, the person across from her is her biological mother?”

Xu Yinyin nodded. “It has to be. A place this private, during work hours—this is definitely a secret meeting.”

“Makes sense. My cousin has never been into socializing—she doesn’t go out unless necessary. Even on her days off, she just stays home reading and barely has any friends. The fact that she came to a place like this means that person must be very important to her.”

“Xu Yao, what I’m about to tell you—I need you to keep it from your parents. You know how things are at home. Grandpa just recovered not long ago, and I don’t want him stressing over family matters again. Even if he will eventually find out, I don’t want him to worry before I figure out a solution.”

Xu Yao, eager for more drama, nodded fervently.

So, Xu Yinyin laid out the entire fake-heiress conspiracy for him. When it came to the time-travel and foreknowledge elements, she framed it all using her personal experiences and logical deductions to make it sound plausible.

By the time Xu Yao had processed the whole story, he was in complete shock.

He even looked at Xu Yinyin in disbelief and blurted out, “This is literally our first time meeting, and you trust me this much? Aren’t you worried I might sell you out? Technically, we’re rivals for the inheritance, you know.”

Xu Yinyin chuckled. “You wouldn’t do that. You give off the vibe of someone who isn’t bound by rules or expectations—someone independent, with a simple way of thinking.”

“After all, anyone who has zero survival skills yet still insists on leaving their family to make it on their own is either reckless or naïve. There aren’t many people like you left.”

Xu Yao’s barely-raised smile immediately flattened—he knew she was going to throw shade!

“You’re telling me all this because you want me to leak it to my uncle, right? So he can take action and shut down their plan before it even gets started?”

Xu Yinyin clapped her hands with a smile. “Wow, top student indeed! You get it immediately—impressive!”

Xu Yao: “…” Thanks, but I’m not a kindergarten kid who needs encouragement.

“But wouldn’t it be more effective if you told him instead of me? Why go the roundabout way?”

Xu Yao was puzzled—if Xu Yinyin had such a clear understanding of the situation, wouldn’t it be easier to just report it directly?

“You don’t get it. My situation is already awkward enough, and my timing for coming back was terrible. If I suddenly ran to my parents and told them my sister met her biological mother, wouldn’t that make it seem like I was deliberately stirring up trouble? Yaoyao already feels guilty about my return—if I did this, it would only create more tension and push her further away.”

“Besides, don’t you think my return to the wealthy family is too coincidental? Right when Grandpa was drafting his will? Doesn’t that make people suspicious?”

It was only while explaining the real-fake heiress situation to Xu Yaoyao that she suddenly realized—she might also be part of someone’s scheme.

If not for the fake heiress’s parents’ plotting, her original self’s recklessness wouldn’t have seemed significant. The author had to be foreshadowing something much bigger. But ever since her predecessor got kicked out, her knowledge of this world had been cut off.

And since her system, Xiao Qi, was just a melon-eating system, it didn’t have an God’s perspective.

“So, you suspect that even your return was part of their plan?”

Xu Yao was stunned. If that was true, this scheme was insanely well thought out.

“The Xu family is a powerhouse in the business world. Anyone wanting to take them down would have to think twice. A billionaire empire is not something you just mess with lightly. Grandpa is sharp, ruthless, and nearly impossible to fool—unless someone took advantage of his blind spots. Which means, the enemy must’ve been biding their time, planning meticulously, and waiting for the perfect moment. A twenty-five-year scheme? That level of patience shows just how determined they are.”

The more Xu Yinyin analyzed, the more she was convinced that the mastermind behind this was both brilliant and incredibly patient.

“But to plan something this elaborate… just how deep does their hatred run? Is it really just because Grandpa broke up my uncle and his ex?”

Xu Yao was completely sucked into the intrigue now. In all his life, he had never encountered something so insane.

“You don’t get it. Some people’s hatred runs so deep that they’d be willing to burn the whole world down with them. ‘The deeper the love, the deeper the hate.’ You wouldn’t understand because you’ve never loved anyone that intensely.”

“….”

“You say that like you’ve been in love before,” Xu Yao retorted, unconvinced.

“I haven’t. But I’ve read plenty of novels and watched a lot of movies. Villains don’t always have logic or reason behind their actions.”

Xu Yao scoffed and glanced back toward Xu Yaoyao’s direction. “Since we already know who she’s meeting, do we really need to keep waiting?”

“I don’t have to wait, but you do. You need to let her see you so you can casually bring it up to my parents later.”

“Got it. I’ll wait and ‘accidentally’ bump into her.” Xu Yao agreed.

“Thanks. I’ll put in a good word for you with Auntie.”

“No need. She doesn’t care.” Xu Yao’s expression dimmed, his tone light but laced with mockery. “I only exist so they can bargain for more benefits.”

Xu Yinyin was about to offer some comfort, but Xu Yao cut her off. “No need. I’m not that fragile. Just go. Since I promised you, I’ll handle it. I may not care about the two people who brought me into this world, but I do care about Grandpa. He shouldn’t have to suffer because of family drama.”

“Alright then, I’ll leave. Bye!”

“Yeah, go on.”


Zhou Xinyi watched nervously as Xu Yaoyao sat across from her, focused on drinking tea. Ever since their last unpleasant encounter, she had been messaging Xu Yaoyao every day.

From simple “good morning” and “good night” messages to brief check-ins once she confirmed she hadn’t been blocked—asking if she was tired from work, if she was eating well, and so on.

Though these small gestures didn’t have much impact, at least they showed that a biological mother cared about her daughter, testing the waters with urgency yet caution—humble and persistent.

Xu Yaoyao had never responded, but as long as she hadn’t blocked her, it meant she was seeing the messages. And if she saw them but didn’t block her, it could only mean one thing—Xu Yaoyao wasn’t as heartless as she appeared to be.

So, after a few days of sending greetings, Zhou Xinyi took a bold step and started waiting outside Fengyi Tower.

Sometimes, she sat in a nearby café at the corner. Other times, she dined at a restaurant Xu Yaoyao occasionally visited. Sometimes, she simply parked her car by the roadside, just to catch a distant glimpse of her.

But these seemingly coincidental encounters were all carefully orchestrated by Qian Chuan, designed to highlight a mother’s persistence and determination to seek forgiveness.

Fortunately, perseverance paid off. On the fourth day at noon, Xu Yaoyao finally walked up to her parked car, knocked on the window, and asked if she had time for tea.

Zhou Xinyi didn’t know why Xu Yaoyao was suddenly being friendly, but she couldn’t contain her excitement. She hurriedly agreed without hesitation.

But now, facing Xu Yaoyao’s silence throughout the meeting, she grew anxious again. She was the one who initiated this, so why was she suddenly acting so cold?

Xu Yaoyao appeared to be calmly drinking tea, but in reality, she was quietly observing Zhou Xinyi’s every move.

Not just now—over the past few days, the private investigator had been sending her updates on Zhou Xinyi’s movements. She knew everything, every little detail.

Seeing the woman across from her grow increasingly restless, Xu Yaoyao finally spoke. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have met you in private. I think I should leave.”

With that, she stood up to go.

Zhou Xinyi was stunned. What kind of turn was this?!

“Yaoyao, don’t go! I rarely get to see you. Let me take a good look at you, okay?” Zhou Xinyi’s voice was filled with sorrow and reluctance.

“No, I shouldn’t have done this. I… I’m just feeling a little overwhelmed. I’m sorry!”

Xu Yaoyao struggled to pull away, but it was clear that her strength was lacking.

Zhou Xinyi immediately caught on. “Yaoyao, did something happen to you? If you don’t mind, you can tell me. If I can help, I will. And if I can’t, you can at least treat me like a sounding board. Maybe you’ll feel better after talking, okay?”

She held onto Xu Yaoyao’s hand tightly, tilting her head up, her eyes misty with tears—humble, pleading, and nervous all at once.

Xu Yaoyao looked into her eyes. After a brief struggle, she finally sat back down.

Zhou Xinyi let out a long sigh of relief. She had finally moved her with sincerity—thank goodness.

Xu Yaoyao lowered her gaze and stirred her tea absentmindedly with her spoon, hesitating to speak.

Zhou Xinyi gently prompted, “Is it about work?”

Xu Yaoyao shook her head. Taking a deep breath, she spoke with fear in her voice. “My aunt got divorced… and she personally sent my uncle to prison. She used to love him so much—she was willing to fight the whole world for him. But in the end, she still sent him to jail. My uncle did make mistakes, but he didn’t deserve this.”
After saying that, she suddenly began sobbing quietly.

Zhou Xinyi quickly moved to sit beside her, pulling her into a comforting embrace and gently patting her back. “There, there. Don’t cry, sweetheart. I’m here. Don’t be afraid.”

Xu Yaoyao shook her head again. “You don’t understand my pain. Ever since I found out the truth about my birth, I haven’t had a single night of peaceful sleep. I’m constantly afraid that one day, I’ll be thrown out of the family.

“Mom and Dad love me only because they mistakenly thought I was their real daughter. Now that the truth is out, will they still love me the same way?

“What if one day, like my aunt, they stop loving me and just cast me out? What if they take back everything I have? Where will I go then?”

Zhou Xinyi stroked her hair gently. “My dear daughter, you still have me. I am your mother, and I will never abandon you again. I have enough ability now to take care of you. You don’t have to live in fear anymore. As long as you’re willing, you can come with me anytime.”

Xu Yaoyao lifted her head from Zhou Xinyi’s embrace, her tear-filled eyes looking at her with a desperate plea.

“Then… can you take me away right now?”

“Huh? N-Now?” Zhou Xinyi was caught off guard by her words, her astonishment purely instinctive.

Xu Yaoyao furrowed her brows and pretended to be hurt. “You don’t want to?”

“No, no, it’s not that I don’t want to! I would love to! I just… I’m just too happy! I didn’t expect you to forgive me so soon. I… I’m so overwhelmed that I can’t even speak properly.”

Zhou Xinyi was panicking like crazy. Damn brat, why does she never follow the script? She always manages to scare her half to death.

Shit! What should she do now?

If she really took Xu Yaoyao away, how would she continue to chip away at the Xu family? Damn it!

“I’ll go back now and pack my things, then I’ll write my resignation letter. I’ve thought it through. Instead of waiting to be kicked out, I might as well take the initiative and leave with dignity. I never wanted anything from them anyway. Those things were never mine to begin with. If I leave on my own terms, at least I can keep a little pride.”

After saying this, she suddenly looked at Zhou Xinyi, her serious gaze carrying a hint of scrutiny.

“You will take me away, right? You’ll stay with me and never abandon me again, right? You really won’t leave me behind ever again?”

A triple strike—each question like a knife, stabbing straight into Zhou Xinyi’s unprepared heart, leaving her flustered and completely at a loss.

She racked her brain, trying to figure out how to dissuade Xu Yaoyao without triggering her emotions.

But the situation had caught her off guard, and her mind felt like a crashed computer—completely blank.

Suddenly, a knock sounded at the door.

Xu Yaoyao quickly wiped away her tears, adjusted her emotions, and said, “Come in.”

As the door opened, Xu Yanwen entered with a warm smile.

Seeing Xu Yaoyao, he grinned. “Dad has a meeting with someone. The manager mentioned that you were here with a friend, so I thought I’d come and—”

Before he could finish, he turned and saw Zhou Xinyi.

His expression instantly changed to one of shock. “Why are you here?!”

Before she could answer, a thought suddenly flashed through Xu Yanwen’s mind—Xu Yinyin’s words:

“Little sister’s birth mother is your white moonlight, and her real father is your sworn enemy!”

Xu Yanwen’s vision went black for a moment, nearly passing out.

Was she here to take his daughter away?

She actually came knocking on his door?!


Sansukini: I can’t with this author because she gave them similar names. First, 2 Xu Yanwen, the FL’s father and Aunt. And now, 2 Xu Yao, the fake sister and the cousin. So now, Xu Yaoyao is the fake sister and Xu Yao is the male cousin.

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