At this moment, a voice that was elegant, captivating, yet slightly tinged with irony resounded; it was Yiren, who pretended to look utterly astonished, her beautiful face revealing an expression of great surprise and innocence.

"Brother, you must be joking, right? Could there be some mistake? The Hua family only has me as a daughter, don’t they? How could a sister of unclear origin suddenly appear? I remember after my parents got married, they only had me as a daughter. How could it be possible that they had another daughter, and I wouldn’t know?"

Hua Yueqi’s face turned a bit awkward, while Hua Lunxi’s expression was not very pleasant, as he frowned his handsome brows and looked at her displeased.

"After our Hua family’s rigorous verification, how could it be a joke?"

Anyone could detect that her question seemed innocent and puzzled, but in reality, it was like a hidden blade. By saying repeatedly that her parents only had her as a child, the implication was that she was hinting at her own legitimate daughter status, and that Ye Lu was a bastard of unknown origin.

Everyone knows that even in developed societies like Europe and America, bastard children are not so discriminated against, but they’re still not quite as recognized as legitimate ones.

Especially in high society which is actually quite conservative, paying great attention to status and bloodline, bastards are outwardly unremarkable in the eyes of the great families, but inwardly they are looked down upon.

Therefore, when Yiren said this, the guests present maintained a calm exterior, but their favorable impressions had taken a hit internally.

The gazes returning to Yiren’s form increased.

Yiren raised her eyebrows high, secretly sneering to herself.

The spotlight of the banquet has always been on her. Ye Lu thinking of taking it away? Ha, what a joke. A legitimate daughter is a legitimate daughter; this child of the mistress, Ye Lu, shouldn’t dream of surpassing her own limelight.

Ye Lu’s heart sank. As soon as she appeared, this woman immediately came up to give her a disheartening challenge, sugar-coated malice, mocking her identity as an illegitimate child, it was utterly despicable.

Even though Ye Lu was angry, she also had the ability to keep her cool.

She didn’t show any awkwardness or anxiety, nor was she enraged by Yiren’s provocative words. Instead, she responded with a faint smile, gentle and intellectual, appearing very composed and graceful.

"What’s so strange about that? Just as I have never heard of your existence, father has never mentioned you to me and mom." Ye Lu tilted her chin slightly, her demeanor neither servile nor overbearing, fight back with skill and ease.

The implication was that their father obviously didn’t value Yiren; otherwise, he wouldn’t neglect to mention her.

Yiren’s chest tightened, a cold light flashed in her eyes as she stared at Ye Lu, "Such a glib, sharp-tongued wretched woman.

Clearly just a bastard, outed in public, yet she has no sense of shame, instead turning around to insult me. Such shamelessness."

"Hmpf, of course father wouldn’t mention me to you all." Yiren’s beautiful and delicate face was proud and disdainful, "After all, I am the legitimate daughter of him and mother, while you are just a bastard child of a mistress. You people don’t have the right to know of my existence!"

"Yiren—" Hua Lunxi’s brows furrowed even more.

Even if Yiren was unhappy with Ye Lu, this was the Hua family’s banquet, and speaking in such a way was to embarrass Ye Lu in public, and also to make the Hua family lose face.

"Brother, did I say anything wrong?"

Yiren’s eyes reddened, brimming with tears, showing a semblance of grievance and indignation.

"Even if she is my biological sister, do I have to accept the daughter of the mistress who caused my family to break apart? Forgive me for not having such a big heart. Even if you all decide to give her all the wealth, I would have no complaints.