My Secret Identity Can't Stay Hidden

Chapter 9 Bai Kexin's Fierce Retort

Xiao Qing'er's heart sank upon hearing these words. She looked at her mother with displeasure and protested, "Mom, Kexin is my daughter. If you don't acknowledge her, I will! As her mother, I recognize her. This is Kexin's home, and no one has the right to drive her away!"

For once, Xiao Qing'er stood her ground, but the old madam wouldn't have it.

"You foolish girl! I'm doing this for your own good! How can you just bring any stray home? It'll only bring you harm! Isn't Qingqing a good enough daughter for you? Why must you bring another one into the family?" Madam Xiao feigned heartbreak.

In her eyes, raising Qingqing was already a great fortune for them. How dare they hesitate? Now that their so-called "real daughter" had returned, were they planning to cast Qingqing aside?

"Qingqing was the one you forced me to adopt. I've raised her all these years. Now that my real daughter has returned, is it wrong for me to treat her well?" Xiao Qing'er coldly questioned.

She knew this wasn't Qingqing's fault, but the old woman kept bringing her up, and over time, resentment had grown.

"I told you, she's not your daughter! Why won't you believe me? Your daughter died long ago!" Madam Xiao declared bluntly.

Xiao Qing'er looked as if she had been struck by lightning, staring at her mother in disbelief.

"No! That's impossible! You're lying to me! Kexin is my daughter—stop trying to deceive me!" Xiao Qing'er refused to believe a single word.

"Old Madam," Bai Kexin sneered, "if you claim her daughter died long ago, how do you know that? And what exactly is my motive for doing this?"

"I just know! It's none of your business how! You're clearly up to no good—you're after the Shen family's money, resorting to any means necessary! I’ll have the police lock you up!"

Madam Xiao was absolutely certain because back then...

There was no way Xiao Qing'er's daughter could be here!

Bai Kexin had to be a fraud.

Her only granddaughter was Shen Qingqing—no one could threaten Qingqing's position!

"Well then, I'll just have to call the police myself," Bai Kexin said coolly. "Let them conduct a DNA test between me and my parents, and then investigate whether my 'reunion' was as 'shameless' as you claim. If not, I'll sue you for defamation. A sixty- or seventy-year-old woman... dragged to the police station by a young girl—now that would make for some interesting gossip, wouldn't it?"

Her deliberately exaggerated pondering successfully amused Shen Zhehan.

This sister is hilarious! What a shame she isn’t an actress!

Even the usually stoic Shen Zefan had to suppress a chuckle.

Bai Kexin turned to her brothers with a tilted head. "If you want to laugh, just laugh! Why hold back?"

Madam Xiao was livid at such blatant disrespect.

"You—you’ve gone too far!"

"Shouldn’t you be the one saying that?" Bai Kexin shot back.

Aunt Liang quietly reminded, "Madam, don’t lose focus. Stick to the main issue."

Suppressing her rage, Madam Xiao ignored Bai Kexin and sat down on the sofa.

"Qing'er, Yanting, everything I’ve done is for your own good. Qingqing is such a wonderful child—why must you bring home some shady stranger? Aren’t you afraid of breaking Qingqing’s heart?" she said, feigning concern.

Shen Yanting frowned, his expression dark. "Mother-in-law, Kexin is not some shady stranger. She’s the daughter Zefan and I went through great lengths to find. The DNA tests were conducted by our people—there’s no mistake. You should stop calling her 'shady.'"

The only reason Shen Yanting remained respectful was for Xiao Qing'er’s sake.

But if this old woman kept insulting his daughter to his face, he wouldn’t hold back!

"Fine! Have you all lost your minds? My words mean nothing now?" Madam Xiao slammed her palm on the coffee table in fury.

No one paid her any attention.

After two minutes, Shen Zefan stepped forward.

"Grandmother, logically speaking, Mom’s daughter is also your granddaughter. Why are you so opposed? Isn’t finding her a good thing? What’s the point of all this hysterical drama?"

Madam Xiao’s eyes flickered with guilt, though her expression remained unchanged.

"I’m just trying to protect you from being deceived! Ungrateful wretches!"

"Well, you don’t need to worry about that," Shen Zefan said calmly. "All the DNA tests were done by my friend. If you’re implying he knows Kexin, I won’t believe it."

His friend had met Xiao Qing'er many times. If he had recognized Bai Kexin, he would’ve raised questions long ago—not waited to process multiple test reports.

"You—!"

Madam Xiao could see the entire family’s unwavering support for Bai Kexin.

What kind of spell has this girl cast on them?!

"Fine! If you insist on recognizing Bai Kexin, then what about Qingqing? What will you do with her?"

Her primary concern was Shen Qingqing—her status must remain secure!

"What do you mean? Shen Qingqing is just an adopted daughter, not a Shen by blood. She’ll continue living here as before. And Grandmother, didn’t you say you’d find her biological parents? Twenty years have passed—still no luck?" Shen Xiaoming retorted.

With Big Brother leading the charge, even if punishment comes, we’ll face it together—and he’ll take the brunt of it!

"Nonsense! Qingqing has been raised by the Shen family for twenty years—she is a Shen child! Are you planning to abandon her now?" Madam Xiao began twisting the narrative.

She shot Xiao Qing'er a venomous glare before turning her wrath on Bai Kexin.

"I knew you were trouble! The moment you come home, you’re already scheming to drive Qingqing away! What are you plotting?!"

Bai Kexin: "?????"

People should at least have some conscience.

She had only met Shen Qingqing once—she didn’t even know what kind of person she was!

And now this accusation?

"Grandmother, don’t twist the facts," Shen Qingqing finally spoke up, breaking her silence. "Kexin never said anything like that. You were the one who promised to help me find my biological parents. Third Brother isn’t wrong—it’s been twenty years. Where are my parents? If I have parents, why won’t you let me return to them?"

Bai Kexin was taken aback.

No dramatic rivalry? No tearful pleas from the white lotus adopted daughter? No moral blackmail from the old woman?

What kind of plot twist is this?

"You silly girl! Biological parents aren’t that easy to find!" Madam Xiao then seemed to realize something. "Have they been mistreating you here? Is that why you want to find your real parents? Tell me—I’ll stand up for you!"

Shen Qingqing shook her head awkwardly. "No one has mistreated me. I’m just stating facts."

"What facts? If no one bullied you, why did you move to the dorms?"

"Grandmother, I’m in graduate school now. Living on campus is completely normal."

Bai Kexin: "......"

"You heartless beasts! Look how you’ve bullied Qingqing into submission—she won’t even speak the truth!" Madam Xiao projected her own narrative, convinced Shen Qingqing was suffering in silence.

Shen Qingqing: "......"

Every explanation just leads to more assumptions. If I argue further, she’ll only get angrier.

"Mom, be fair," Xiao Qing'er said, aggrieved. "Haven’t I treated Qingqing well? The best food, clothes, everything—all the latest limited editions! What more do you want? She’s twenty-three! Should I cradle her in my arms and coo at her?"

"Tsk, I thought the old madam raised the child herself," Bai Kexin remarked pointedly. "Turns out she dumped her on the Shen family but still wants to dictate everything. One might mistake my father for a live-in son-in-law, letting his mother-in-law scream at him like this. But really, it’s just because he loves my mother and tolerates you. Yet you don’t know when to stop?"

"This won’t do. My paternal grandparents are still alive, aren’t they? How angry would they be, seeing you berate their son like this?"

Her sarcasm was razor-sharp—perhaps a little too piercing for her parents’ hearts.

"Mom, Dad, I’m sorry if my words hurt you. That wasn’t my intention. Your loving relationship is admirable, and your filial piety sets a great example. But not everyone deserves respect. They say 'no parents are ever wrong,' but some people’s hearts are just crooked—you can’t fix that. Trying to move them is futile."

Shen Yanting nodded approvingly.

"Well said. You’re truly a Shen."