After Spectating Gossip, the Entertainment Industry Thinks I’m a Big Shot – CH77

Chapter 77

As usual, #10086’s lengthy Weibo post was organized and meticulously detailed.

The post explained that Ruan Xiyin’s maternal grandmother had abandoned her husband and daughter in her youth to elope with another man. Years later, when she learned that her daughter had married into a wealthy family, she returned, seeking to reconnect. Despite feeling some resentment, Ruan Xiyin’s mother ultimately accepted her mother back into her life and even supported her financially.

With the money she received, Ruan’s grandmother couldn’t resist seeking out new relationships, eventually getting pregnant by accident in her later years. She kept this pregnancy a secret from Ruan Xiyin’s mother, and the child she gave birth to was Ruan Wenrou. Neither the grandmother nor her partner wanted to raise the child, so when they discovered that Ruan Xiyin was barely a year older than Ruan Wenrou, they devised a plan to kidnap Ruan Xiyin and abandon her, thereby forcing Ruan’s mother to adopt Ruan Wenrou as a replacement.

Ruan’s mother, trusting her own mother completely, never suspected a thing. She raised Ruan Wenrou as her own daughter, pouring all her love into her. Ruan Wenrou, however, learned the truth of her origins from her grandmother when she was around seven or eight years old. Knowing that if this secret ever came out, she would lose her privileged life, she buried the truth deeply and continued to let her grandmother extort money from her, using the secret as leverage.

*

[Holy—!!! This is mind-blowing!!!]

[So this is the kind of scandal that happens in wealthy families! Clearly, I’ve been too sheltered!]

[Only the rich can come up with plots like this!]

[No wonder Ruan Wenrou has always been hostile toward Ruan Xiyin—it’s not just jealousy but guilt too!]

[I thought Ruan Wenrou was bad, but I had no idea her moral standards could sink this low!]

[No wonder they called her a fake heiress! She’s been fake through and through from the beginning!]

[Hahahahaha, “Aunt”! Hey, how’s our poor nephew holding up?]

[I thought this was just forbidden love, but it’s not only forbidden—it even crosses generations! [shocked emoji]]

[Good thing they didn’t end up together, or his mother would’ve had to call him her brother-in-law! dog face emoji]

*

Ruan Chengze froze as he read the post.

His mind spun in chaos, his temples throbbing painfully.

Ruan Wenrou was even more stunned, her face pale with disbelief.

How could #10086 know such a hidden secret?!

As panic started to rise within her, Ruan Chengze suddenly turned toward her.

He had read the latter half of the post, but he didn’t want to believe that Ruan Wenrou could be such a person. She had always seemed so gentle and kind; surely, she had been deceived as well.

Though he was deeply troubled, he wanted to comfort her.

However, as he turned, he saw a flash of panic cross her face.

Ruan Chengze stopped in his tracks, staring in shock.

Realizing her slip, Ruan Wenrou quickly adjusted her expression, putting on a hurt look. “B-Brother…what’s wrong?”

Ruan Chengze hesitated for a moment before asking, “Did you know about your real background?”

Ruan Wenrou paused, forcing a smile. “H-How could I know? Brother, don’t you believe me?”

A heavy feeling settled in Ruan Chengze’s heart.

He had grown up with Ruan Wenrou and knew her all too well.

Whenever Ruan Wenrou lied, she had an unconscious habit of tugging at her earlobe.

The light in Ruan Chengze’s eyes dimmed.

Ruan Wenrou felt a surge of fear and hurried to defend herself. “#10086 is just making things up! I… I couldn’t possibly be Grandma’s child. Besides, I’ve already done a DNA test with Mom and Dad—it proved I’m not their biological daughter…”

Hope sparked faintly in Ruan Chengze’s heart.

Just then, his father, Ruan Yi, called.

Ruan Chengze answered the call, “Dad?”

Ruan Yi’s voice was filled with disgust. “Where are you? … Are you with that little wretch?”

Ruan Chengze was taken aback. “Dad, what are you talking about?”

Ruan Yi, furious, snapped, “That wretch knew about her background this whole time! She even switched out the DNA samples when we did the paternity test! If the lab hadn’t caught it and called us, I’d still be in the dark!”

Ruan Chengze’s mind exploded.

If he had tried to deceive himself before, there was no hiding from the truth now. The evidence was clear.

On the other end of the line, Ruan Yi continued his rant, and he could hear his mother Xiang Li sobbing.

Suddenly, Ruan Yi’s tone became urgent. “You didn’t… do anything with her, did you?”

Ruan Chengze felt dead inside, answering numbly, “No…”

Ruan Yi sighed in relief, then roared again, “Get back here immediately! That wretch is never to set foot in our house again!”

Ruan Chengze ended the call.

Ruan Wenrou, unable to hear the conversation, could only tell from Ruan Chengze’s expression that something was wrong. Nervously, she asked, “Brother… Dad called… what did he say?”

Ruan Chengze looked at her.

The pain of his shattered illusions and the fury of betrayal warred in his mind.

He said bitterly, “Don’t call me brother. I might lose years off my life. ‘Aunt!’”

Ruan Wenrou’s face turned ghostly pale.

*

When Ruan Wenrou followed Ruan Chengze back to the Ruan household, she still clung to a thread of hope.

But as soon as they stepped through the door, a heavy ornament came hurtling toward her.

Unable to dodge, it struck her squarely on the forehead.

A sharp pain hit her as warm blood trickled down her face.

Ruan Yi’s furious voice followed. “Didn’t I say that wretch wasn’t allowed to step foot in my house? Did you just ignore my words?!”

Clutching her bleeding forehead, Ruan Wenrou instinctively tried to look pitiful, but then she noticed a familiar figure sprawled on the living room carpet.

Dressed in glamorous clothes and adorned with jewels, her face unnaturally stiff from cosmetic fillers, Xiang Li was sobbing hysterically.

It was none other than her own mother and Xiang Li’s biological mother.

Ruan Wenrou’s heart went cold.

Ruan Chengze also noticed their grandmother, his expression twisted with unhidden disgust. He strode into the living room, saying coldly, “I just wanted the truth.”

He paused, then added with biting sarcasm, “Seems there’s no need to ask further.”

Ruan Yi clutched his chest, his voice shaking with rage. “This is a disgrace to our family! You’ve both ruined the Ruan family’s reputation! Get out of my house!”

Ruan Wenrou was overcome with terror.

No! She couldn’t leave the Ruan family. She was a lady of status; she couldn’t bear the thought of living like an ordinary person!

Ignoring the pain in her forehead, she knelt before Ruan Yi, crying and pleading that she was forced into it, that she had only been afraid of being abandoned.

But Ruan Yi and Ruan Chengze looked at her with cold, impassive expressions, entirely unmoved.

Realizing this wasn’t working, Ruan Wenrou bit her lip and turned to Xiang Li.

She knew Xiang Li had a soft heart and had always doted on her, so she was sure Xiang Li wouldn’t abandon her now. She even deliberately exposed her bleeding wound to elicit sympathy.

But in the next second, she saw a look of hatred in Xiang Li’s eyes as she spat, “Wasn’t I good enough to you? For your sake, I even treated my own daughter—whom I’d finally found—coldly. And how did you repay me? You lied to me for all these years! You even bullied Xiyin… Right now, I wish I could kill you!”

Ruan Wenrou was so shocked that she didn’t dare say another word.

But Ruan Yi was done with them. He called for security to throw them both out.

Ruan Wenrou snapped back to reality.

Ruan Wenrou knew all too well the character of her own mother—if she was thrown out of the Ruan family, she wouldn’t get a scrap of support from her. She had to secure her own future.

With that thought, she decided there was no point in maintaining her facade. Dropping all pretense, she said without hesitation, “I’ll leave, but you’re going to have to give me a monthly allowance. Otherwise, if any scandalous rumors start spreading, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

The three members of the Ruan family were stunned, unable to believe she could be so shameless.

But Wenrou had nothing to lose, so she not only demanded money but insisted on taking all the clothes, bags, and jewelry from her room.

Ruan Chengze looked at her face, now openly revealing her pettiness and greed.

So this was the real her.

The face he had once dreamed of, now so ugly he could barely stand to look at it.

Though furious, the Ruan family knew they couldn’t risk Ruan Wenrou actually leaking anything damaging, so they had no choice but to grudgingly agree.

Ruan Wenrou went to her room to pack her things, even kicking her mother Xiang Li out.

In the now-silent living room, only the three of them remained.

Ruan Yi clutched his aching chest, leaning back against the sofa, while Ruan Chengze remained silent.

Finally, Xiang Li spoke up, “We need to bring Xiyin back.”

Ruan Chengze said nothing.

He was still young and felt a shred of shame—just thinking of how he had treated Ruan Xiyin before filled him with overwhelming guilt. He couldn’t bring himself to face her.

But Ruan Yi’s eyes lit up. “Exactly! We should bring Xiyin back. She’s the only one who can help us salvage our reputation!”

Xiang Li dialed Ruan Xiyin’s number.

This time, Ruan Xiyin picked up.

Listening to her mother’s tearful apologies on the other end, she felt no emotion whatsoever.

After hanging up, she looked up and saw Gu Xingshi watching her with concern. “Are you okay?”

The calm mask Ruan Xiyin had been wearing suddenly cracked, and she felt a prickling in her nose, a hint of tears coming on.

She nodded instinctively, then shook her head. “Actually… I feel a little sad.”

Gu Xingshi’s voice was gentle. “If you don’t want to go back, then don’t. LeShi will always be your home.”

Ruan Xiyin’s chest tightened, but his words gave her strength. Resolutely, she said, “No, I want to go back.”

Gu Xingshi looked at her in surprise.

Ruan Xiyin smiled, a bit sheepishly. “It might sound childish, but I want to say a final goodbye to my past and put it behind me once and for all.”

From now on, she would be Ruan Xiyin of LeShi, with no ties to the Ruan family.

*

Gu Xingshi personally drove Ruan Xiyin back.

The car pulled up in front of the Ruan mansion, and he turned off the engine. Looking at her, he said warmly, “Don’t worry, I’ll be right here waiting for you.”

Ruan Xiyin nodded firmly, clutching tightly in her hand the business card Gu Xingshi had once given her, as if it were a source of unending strength.

She stepped into the Ruan home.

Though she had lived in this house for two years, it felt alien to her now. It couldn’t compare to the sense of comfort and familiarity that her apartment from LeShi provided.

Hearing the sound of footsteps, Xiang Li hurried over to greet her.

But when she saw Ruan Xiyin, she froze.

The Ruan Xiyin she remembered had always been silent and timid, with her head down, exuding a sense of insecurity. But the Ruan Xiyin standing before her now—even in simple jeans and a T-shirt—was poised and confident, commanding respect.

Ruan Yi came out as well, putting on a kindly expression. “Xiyin, you’re back.” He then turned to Xiang Li, annoyed. “Why are you just standing there? Help our daughter change her shoes and come inside.”

Xiang Li snapped out of her daze and quickly opened the shoe cabinet, only to be embarrassed.

After Ruan Xiyin had left the Ruan household, she had ordered the servants to pack up all of her things. She hadn’t even left a pair of slippers for her.

But Ruan Xiyin didn’t look surprised. “No need. I’m just here to say a few things. I’ll leave as soon as I’m done.”

Hearing her cold tone, Xiang Li’s eyes immediately filled with tears. “Xiyin, I’m so sorry… Can you forgive your mother…?”

Ruan Xiyin remained silent.

Seeing this, Ruan Yi hurriedly interjected, “Don’t worry, Xiyin. We’ve already decided to kick out that disgrace. Didn’t you once say you liked her room? That room is yours from now on…”

As he rambled on, Ruan Xiyin couldn’t help but find it somewhat amusing.

Yes, she had once said she envied Ruan Wenrou’s room—but it wasn’t the room she envied; it was the care and love they had showered upon Ruan Wenrou.

Back then, they had all coldly told her not to covet Ruan Wenrou’s things.

Now that she no longer cared for those things, they were offering them up as if they were precious gifts.

At that moment, Ruan Wenrou, who had been halfway through packing, came out to get a drink of water and saw the scene in front of her.

The calm smile on Ruan Xiyin’s face felt like a painful stab.

If only…

If only Ruan Xiyin had never returned to the Ruan family.

Then she would still be the cherished Ruan family heiress, living a life of privilege, adored by her family and admired by outsiders.

Instead of being stripped of everything and driven out in disgrace.

Why did you have to come back, Ruan Xiyin?!

Her gaze turned hateful as her nails dug deeply into her palms.

She returned to her room and took out a small vial from her luggage. Inside was a liquid that could permanently damage someone’s vocal cords.

She had prepared it a while ago but had hesitated, unsure if she could go through with it.

But now, with nothing left to lose, all hesitation had vanished.

Why did Ruan Xiyin get to be so happy?!

When no one was watching, Ruan Wenrou sneaked into the kitchen.

There, a pot of bird’s nest soup was simmering—something Xiang Li had specially prepared for Ruan Xiyin before her arrival.

Ruan Wenrou poured the entire contents of the vial into the soup, then slipped back upstairs and hid at the top of the staircase.

She wanted to see Ruan Xiyin lose her voice with her own eyes. Once that happened, Ruan Xiyin would be of no use to either President Gu or the Ruan family. They would both abandon her for sure.

The thought almost made her laugh out loud.

Meanwhile, in the car outside, Gu Xingshi was exchanging messages with Wen Yue when he suddenly heard his system announce, [Host! This is bad! Ruan Wenrou has poisoned Ruan Xiyin’s food!]

Gu Xingshi: [!!!]

Without a moment’s hesitation, he put down his phone, dialed the police, and then rushed out of the car, sprinting toward the Ruan house.

Just as he entered, he saw Xiang Li handing Ruan Xiyin a bowl of bird’s nest soup. “Xiyin, this is bird’s nest soup your mother made for you personally. I truly regret everything… I don’t expect you to forgive me, but please accept this soup as a small gesture of my remorse…”

Ruan Xiyin hesitated for a moment but finally accepted the bowl.

Gu Xingshi shouted, “Don’t drink it!”

Ruan Xiyin, startled, looked up. “President Gu!”

Gasping for breath, Gu Xingshi said, “Don’t… don’t drink it. There’s poison in the soup!”

Ruan Yi, who was already irritated by Ruan Xiyin’s earlier rejection, felt his anger spike. Seeing Gu Xingshi appear only made his rage boil over. The recent scandal exposed by #10086 had turned his family into a laughingstock, and now Gu Xingshi had the nerve to burst in, spouting nonsense and trying to drive a wedge between him and his daughter.

Furious, he snatched the bowl from Ruan Xiyin’s hands.

Before Gu Xingshi could stop him, Ruan Yi had tilted his head back and downed the entire bowl.

Gu Xingshi: “…!”

Ruan Wenrou, spying from the top of the stairs, was completely stunned.

After finishing the soup, Ruan Yi turned to Ruan Xiyin with a mocking expression. “Parents wouldn’t harm their own child! Don’t be swayed by outsiders. Only your mother and I—”

Mid-sentence, he suddenly realized something was wrong. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out.

In horror, Ruan Yi clutched his throat.

Xiang Li, terrified, screamed, “Honey, what’s wrong? Honey!”

Just then, a team of police officers burst through the door. “Who called to report on poisoning?!”

Ruan Yi: [!!!]