She furrowed her delicate willowy brows slightly, raised a hand to gently rub her temple, and assumed a weary posture: "I have so many things going on that I tend to forget things once I hear them."
"Maybe Mother only mentioned it once and never brought it up again, so I temporarily forgot."
Su Zhiyi had no idea about any Su family charity gala; no one had ever told her.
Although she didn't know about the gala, her words were tactful and showed no flaw in front of Li Yuexin.
"Oh~" Li Yuexin indeed didn't suspect anything and continued.
"My parents received the invitation from the Su family yesterday. Your family's invitation is quite pretty."
"I brought it with me. Wait, let me find it and show you."
She lowered her head, rummaged through her designer bag, pulled out a golden, exquisite invitation, and handed it to Su Zhiyi.
"Here, this is the invitation our family received. I've already opened and read it."
Su Zhiyi took the envelope from Li Yuexin's hand, rubbing her fingertip over the gold-dusted corner.
She looked down at the invitation in her hand and opened it.
Her slender, fair fingers drew out a very thin piece of paper, unfolded it, and looked at its contents.
She pretended to be reading the invitation, but her mind was already churning like stormy seas.
"Why didn't you tell me earlier that the Su family was holding a charity gala next month?" she complained bitterly to her always-useless system.
System 030 said in surprise, "Oops, I was going to tell you the day before yesterday, but I forgot!"
"..." Su Zhiyi sighed helplessly. "Then tell me all the information about the Su family's charity gala."
System 030 let out two awkward chuckles and then recited the information about the Su family's charity gala.
"On the third of next month, the Su family will hold a charity gala at the Rothschild Hotel. I checked the guest list. This time, the Su family has invited all the upper-class elites, the prominent wealthy families in A City. Naturally, the Si and Song families are on the list."
"And... this charity gala isn't an ordinary one."
Having traveled through so many worlds and pretended to be rich in so many, Su Zhiyi had attended many charity galas and knew that these wealthy families didn't hold them solely for charity.
The Su family was no exception.
They must have other motives for hosting the gala.
Su Zhiyi asked, "What are they going to do at the gala?"
System 030 didn't say directly but subtly reminded its clever host: "This is the first charity gala the Su family has held for upper-class society since Su Qinghuai returned to the family."
"Su Qinghuai will also attend this charity gala. Host, you understand what I mean."
"So, my dear host, are you going to go?"
Su Zhiyi was silent for only a moment, then said decisively, "Yes."
The Su family wasn't that kind; this gala couldn't be just for charity.
At this gala, the Su family would let Su Qinghuai make an appearance.
What intentions the Su family had in holding the gala and sending invitations to so many upper-class families—what it meant...
No one understood better than Su Zhiyi, who had lived in the Su family for eighteen years and knew them best.
The Su family wanted to inform everyone in high society that Su Qinghuai was the true heir.
Of course, she had said she understood the Su family and knew very well what she needed to do next.
The Su family would announce Su Qinghuai's status as the heir at the gala, but they wouldn't mention her. Even if someone asked about her, they wouldn't answer, only remain silent.
The Su family's ambiguous attitude would surely spark rumors in high society, speculating about her relationship with the Su family and with Su Qinghuai.
Someone might even guess that she had been expelled from the Su family four months ago and was not the eldest Miss Su.
Su Zhiyi's fingers curled into a fist under the table as she made up her mind.
She couldn't let others know she wasn't the Su family's eldest daughter.
Even if she wasn't, so what?
Rather than letting others control the rumors about her in high society, she would rather control her own rumors.
She would cement her identity as the Su family's eldest daughter.
Author's note:
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A cornered dog might even bite (？