Chapter 67: Shocking Reversal — The White Lotus's True Identity!

As the questioning voice fell, the air in the private room seemed to freeze instantly.

The girl in the white dress who had kept her eyes lowered all along—someone Meng Shutang knew all too well—slowly raised her head, stripping away every layer of gentle disguise.

She looked at her as though she had been waiting for this moment for a very long time, every word clear and piercing.

"Who am I? Meng Shutang, haven't you always known me?"

"I'll tell you everything today—"

"Your father, who vanished for fourteen years, is my biological father."

"My mother is the Auntie Bai you called from childhood until you were fourteen—your mother's best friend, your grandmother's goddaughter."

"And I am their daughter—only three months younger than you."

Boom—

Meng Shutang's world collapsed completely in this moment.

It turned out that four years ago, Gu Yunci forcing her to sign the divorce papers was never an accident.

It turned out that her approaching her step by step, provoking her, scheming against her—all of it was because of this blood tie hidden for twenty-eight years.

Her shattered marriage, the person she had hated for four years, the father she had yearned for fourteen years—everything, in this moment, connected together.

Meng Shutang stood rooted in place, her whole body ice-cold, even breathing carrying a tearing pain.

Bai Cixian watched her look of utter agony and felt only satisfaction.

Meng Zhibang saw this and couldn't bear it. "Tangtang, she is your sister, after all."

Bai Cixian wheedled, "Dad, she asked— it's not like I insisted on saying it."

Seeing Meng Shutang unsteady on her feet, Meng Zhibang walked over to support her. "Tangtang, Dad didn't…"

Meng Shutang shoved him away and looked at Bai Lianyue. "Auntie Bai, I still address you respectfully as Auntie Bai."

"Your life was saved by my grandmother. Without my grandmother, you would have fallen into a cesspit in the countryside and drowned at the age of three."

"You got into the textile factory because my grandfather asked many people to help find you a position."

"You were my mother's best friend."

"They trusted you so much, treated you as a goddaughter, as a sister, told you everything."

"Is this how you repaid them? When their daughter—my mother—had just become pregnant, you slept with her husband?"

Bai Lianyue lived up to her name—immaculate, with eyes and brows as gentle as the bright moon in the sky. But in the instant she was exposed, the panic and guilt in her eyes were like a cesspool. Noble and tender was the mask; foul and repulsive was the true face.

Bai Cixian couldn't listen anymore. She would not allow anyone to slander her mother. She shot to her feet. "Meng Shutang, that's enough."

Meng Shutang grabbed a drink from the side and splashed it in her face. "Bai Cixian, you really think your hands are clean, that nobody knows about the filthy things you've done?"

"Believe it or not, say one more word and I'll make your reputation ruined, so you can't survive at Gu Group."

Bai Cixian stood frozen, and didn't move again.

Meng Shutang finally looked at Meng Zhibang. "My mother has been ill for fourteen years. No matter what anyone says, she has no reaction."

"Only when you're mentioned does her heartbeat quicken."

"After all these years, she still hasn't forgotten loving you."

"She never once doubted you. Is this how you watched over her?"

"Fourteen years with no contact, no inquiries—living with another woman and daughter, playing happy family of three?"

In truth, even now, Meng Zhibang and Zhou Xingfan had never divorced.

Regarding the divorce, Bai Lianyue had pestered and pleaded many times, and Bai Cixian had also talked about changing her surname back to Meng.

He wasn't sure himself why he had never agreed.

Meng Zhibang reached out to pull her to him. "Tangtang, Dad… has you in his heart. All these years, I have never forgotten you."

"I didn't go find you because I…"

He couldn't go on.

Same city, fourteen years with no contact, no inquiries—there was no way to justify that.

"Mr. Meng, from today onward, I have no father."

"You live well with them. My mother… I'll watch over her alone."

"Tangtang…"

Behind her retreating figure was Meng Zhibang's heart-rending cry. He didn't chase after her—Bai Lianyue and Bai Cixian held him back.

After leaving the private room, she had only taken a few steps when, where they couldn't see, in an instant, all the strength in Meng Shutang's body seemed drained away.

She gripped the staircase railing, her fingertips trembling, her whole body cold.

The tears that had refused to fall earlier now broke like a snapped string of pearls, pattering down heavily.

Chen Man happened to come by and caught hold of her. "Tangtang."

Meng Shutang grabbed her in an embrace. "Manman, my heart hurts so much."

"Before, I prayed every day for my mother to wake up. But now, I don't wish for that anymore."

As long as she didn't wake, she would still think that man still loved her.

But once she woke, she would discover that the husband she deeply loved had been having an affair twenty-nine years ago—and the affair was with her best friend…

Could she… bear it?

Meng Shutang stumbled home. Chen Man said she wanted to stay and keep her company. "You're in no state to be alone. I'm worried."

"I won't die. I've survived days harder than this."

"Now, I can get through this too."

Chen Man crouched in front of her and took her hands. "You won't blame me for telling you the truth, will you?"

Meng Shutang gave a faint smile. "How could I? I should thank you for letting me know the truth."

"Hurry back. You have a child at home."

Chen Man thought of something, "Xin Xin, when will you and Grandma come back?"

Meng Shutang, "In a few more days."

"Then, let brother play with sister."

Meng family garden.

Meng Zhibang couldn't eat or sleep peacefully; he still wanted to find Meng Shutang, "Tang Tang, don't you have your sister's phone number? Give it to me; I still can't rest easy."

She, like Zhou Xingfan, is sentimental and stubborn; I'm afraid she can't handle a blow and will do something foolish."

"Dad, don't worry about her; she's a strong woman, her career is even better than yours."

"Around are endless groups of men; it's not your turn to comfort anyone."

Meng Zhibang, "You can't speak of your sister like that; she isn't that kind of person."

Bai Cixian remained silent.

Bai Lianyue watched from the side, her heart in tangled knots.

Doesn't Meng Zhibang love her the most? Why does he become so restless when he sees Meng Shutang and hears Zhou Xingfan?

The next day.

First floor of the Gu Clan Building.

Gu Yunci ran into Meng Shutang by the escalator, "You said your studio has few projects and the collection exhibition is opening these days; how about…?"

Meng Shutang turned around and looked at Gu Yunci.

Her mind was filled with how hypocritical this man was; he clearly knows Bai Cixian is her half‑sister, yet during his marriage to her he kept an ambiguous relationship with Bai Cixian.

Now he maintains a bed‑partner relationship with Bai Cixian and still wants to flirt with her.

Outwardly he is impeccably dressed and elegant, but deep down he's callous and perverse—truly disgusting.

"President Gu, what's our relationship? Why are you helping me like this?"

Gu Yunci was startled.

"Since there's no relationship, please stay away from me from now on."

After saying that, Meng Shutang left, stepping on her stiletto heels.

Qin Zheng, "CEO, why does Miss Meng seem like she's taken some poison? We're being kind, we haven't offended her…"

He hadn't finished speaking when the man's sharp gaze met his, and he fell silent instantly.

Gu Yunci was hardly affected; he was used to her indifference, and it had become normal to him.

A short while later, he went again to look for Meng Shutang.

"Listen to me fully; the collection exhibition needs a guide…"

Meng Shutang was irritated just hearing his voice; he clearly knows her relationship with Bai Cixian yet keeps entangling her again and again—cold‑blooded and hateful, frightening.

"Do you think I'm short of that money?"

She is, after all, a master‑level figure in the Ancient Pearl industry; would she even consider the pay for a Gu Clan exhibition guide?

Meng Shutang felt Gu Yunci's words were meant to humiliate her.

He wanted her not to forget how humbly she once scraped a living at the feet of the Gu Clan.

He is as detestable as Meng Zhibang, equally disgusting.

"I didn't mean it that way, I…"

"I don't care what you mean at all; please step away and don't delay my work."

She didn't even lift her head, cold‑ly shooing him away.

Gu Yunci watched her, then slowly walked out to the second underground level and met Zhou Songyan in the first‑floor lobby.

Zhou Songyan had returned from a business trip, and as in previous years, he was still in charge of organizing the collection exhibition.

"President Gu, you told Shutang, right? Xiao Tang isn't here; she's willing to cover two sessions, isn't she?"

Gu Yunci, "Is she the only one? Can't we replace her with someone else?"

Zhou Songyan, "Here at Ancient Pearl, only she and Xiao Tang are good at speaking; Xiao Tang had a car accident and can't come on short notice, otherwise we wouldn't use her."

"Since that's the case, I'll go myself; I still don't trust the others. This only happens once a year; I can't let an inexperienced person wreck the venue."

Zhou Songyan didn't understand Gu Yunci's relationship with Meng Shutang.

Although for a period the corporation wildly rumored that Meng Shutang was Gu Yunci's secret wife.

But Gu Yunci didn't acknowledge it, so it wasn't true.

He went to the second underground level to find Meng Shutang, "Shutang, the exhibition upstairs is being held today; Xiao Tang had a car accident this morning and is lying in the hospital, unable to come."

"Can you step in for emergency? The audience is already here; we can't let the event fall short!"

Meng Shutang was startled; it turned out Gu Yunci just now wasn't humiliating her!