As netizens were busy coming up with all sorts of conspiracy theories, Gu Ruoying finally learned that her beloved was her cousin.
"How can this be? No, no, no, this must be a mistake, right? How could he be my brother? I don't have a cousin. I don't believe it!"
Watching her suffer and struggle, the Gu family couldn't help but feel sorry for her. But at this point, all they could do was try to console her.
Gu Ruoying simply couldn't accept this reality. She had thought that as long as she worked hard enough, she could win Han Junqing's heart. But now she was being told that they were siblings, and that they could never be together. No matter how hard she tried, there would be no happy ending. This realization nearly broke her.
"This isn't real! I don't believe it! I don't want this brother, I don't want him to be my brother! Grandpa, please don't let him come back to the Gu family. Please don't let him come back! I can't accept it!"
If he didn't come back, she could continue to deceive herself into believing that it wasn't true. She knew that her request was unfair to Han Junqing, but she just couldn't face him. She couldn't bear to live under the same roof as him.
Gu Ruoying begged and pleaded, her eyes filled with despair that broke everyone's hearts. Seeing his granddaughter in such pain, Grandpa Gu couldn't bear it and quickly promised, "Don't cry, Xiaoying. Grandpa promises you that we won't let him come back, okay?"
What happened in the Gu family was unknown to outsiders, but Wen Qing saw everything clearly. She never had much hope for this unpredictable family that lived in their own little world. Han Wenqing was lucky not to be found.
When Wen Qing broadcasted these images to Han Junqing, the last bit of restraint in his heart finally disappeared without a trace. "I don't need to pay attention to the Gu family anymore. They have nothing to do with me."
At first, Lin Tiance was worried that the Gu family's announcement would make his grandson think. But he saw clearly that the Gu family's feelings for his grandson were not deep, and their status in the Gu family's heart was even lower than that of the fake daughter. Moreover, the Gu family's habit of protecting their own regardless of right and wrong meant that when there was a conflict of interest between his grandson and them, they would definitely side with their own and make his grandson suffer.
How could he allow his own precious grandson to be mistreated by them? But if his grandson really chose to acknowledge the Gu family, he would consider his grandson's feelings and endure the nausea of socializing with their family. Now it seemed that his grandson's eyes were bright!
So after the Gu family posted that announcement, there were no more updates, which only fueled the conspiracy theories of the onlookers. Just like the "conclusive evidence" that was once made about Han Junqing, the fact that Gu Nian's biological mother exchanged the two children for the sake of fame and wealth became the so-called "truth".
"I knew it, how could there be so many coincidences? It turns out someone did it on purpose."
"I think when Han Wenqing was sold by his adoptive father, Gu Nian was involved. Maybe Gu Nian had already recognized Han's father at that time, and Han's father knew that Han Wenqing was not his daughter, so he sold her!"
"That's terrifying if you think about it! Wasn't it also Gu Nian who blacklisted Han Junqing before? She was afraid that Han Junqing would get angry and be discovered by the Gu family, so she wanted to get him out of the entertainment industry!"
"That makes perfect sense! I was wondering at the time why even actors who had filmed adult films could still stay in the entertainment industry, but Han Junqing's mother's actions 20 years ago were so hated. Obviously, someone was manipulating the situation!"
"Someone is definitely trying to manipulate public opinion! Looking back now, was there any solid evidence for those who claimed that Han Junqing had a chaotic personal life? Since his debut, he hasn't even had a rumored romantic partner, so how could his personal life be chaotic? And as for those who said he used underhanded tactics to climb the ranks, where is the evidence? There is none! At first, there were words like 'possibly' and perhaps', but later they all became facts! However, many of these things cannot withstand scrutiny!"
"The spectators are all stunned! The corruption of the wealthy is beyond what we commoners can imagine!"
"The Gu family is also very strange. They still protect and favor the person, who took their own daughter's place and even caused trouble for their own grandson!"
"Did the Gu family find out something? Is there no follow-up to the announcement? Gu Nian is definitely not innocent, but she has lived with the Gu family for over 40 years. Their relationship is not comparable to that of a biological daughter who has never met them! It's obvious that the Gu family's silence is to protect her. When faced with a biological daughter and an adopted daughter, the Gu family chose the latter!"
"I feel sorry for Han Wenqing. What kind of people are in this Gu family!"
"I hope Han Junqing can see the true nature of this family and not return to them!"
"The waters run deep in the world of the wealthy!"
...
Netizens turned into Sherlock Holmes one by one, and found the "truth" from the slightest clues, and condemned the Gu family and their fake daughter, Gu Nian, for it.
In fact, there was no conspiracy or trickery in the events of the past. Han Wenqing's foster mother was taken ill on the road and was urgently sent to the nearby hospital by a passerby, coincidentally the same hospital where Gu's mother was. At that time, the Gu family was being targeted by their enemies and they were caught up in a riot in the hospital. Amidst the chaos, the child was mistakenly taken.
After Han's mother gave birth to the child, Han's father heard about the high medical fees from the nurse and knew that they couldn't afford it. So, the couple took the child and left without leaving any information. This is why the Gu family couldn't find Han Wenqing twenty years later.
It can be said that everything was just a series of unfortunate events.
However, the netizens' accusations against Gu Nian were not entirely unfounded. Although she had been reincarnated, her soul was that of an adult. Even as a baby, she could sense that something was wrong outside and was aware of being switched at birth. She just used the excuse of "being confused after just reincarnating" to deceive herself, so that she could enjoy Han Wenqing's life with peace of mind.
At first, she felt guilty about occupying someone else's identity. But now, she no longer felt any guilt about it, in the face of all the conspiracy theories online.
She didn't choose to be switched at birth, she was also a victim who was separated from her biological parents. Why did they have to use such malicious thoughts to speculate about her? She wanted to come forward and clarify the truth, but she also knew that taking it too seriously would only make things worse. Nevertheless, seeing all those hurtful comments made her feel so frustrated.
She had traveled through time and had lived a smooth-sailing life for more than 40 years. Yet, for the first time, she encountered such a heart-wrenching situation. In the past, whenever she was wronged, her family would always stand up for her. However, this time was different. Even the Gu family couldn't stop the netizens from spreading rumors. Having been used to a luxurious and pampered life for more than four decades, Gu Nian couldn't stand this kind of injustice, and her anger boiled inside her.
When there's fire burning inside someone's heart, it's easy to make mistakes and say the wrong things. And that's exactly what happened to Gu Nian, as she offended a few wealthy ladies with her thoughtless words. The Gu family had always been protective of their own, and they always sided with their family members regardless of the circumstances. But this time, their blind support had consequences. These wealthy ladies were once close allies of the Gu family, and their relationship was built on mutual benefit. However, Gu Nian's actions had a negative impact on their relationship. In the business world, there are no permanent friends, only permanent interests. Sometimes, a single misstep can lead to a complete disaster. The Gu family wasn't irreplaceable, and if there were other potential partners available, why would they choose someone who treated them poorly?
This wasn't the first time something like this had happened. Gu Nian could have swallowed her pride and tolerated the other party's behavior, considering the Gu family's power and status. But this time, there was someone supporting this from behind. Who would be willing to endure such humiliation in this situation?
It was the Lin family who stood behind this. If it weren't for the old man's statement, everyone would have thought that the Gu family had formed a kinship with the Lin family. But that wasn't the case. The old man's statement was clear - the Lin family has nothing to do with the Gu family. Those who were shrewd enough could see the underlying meaning behind his words. The old man didn't want the Gu family to use his influence, and his intentions were crystal clear.
With the Lin family's position and attitude, they were not hesitant to cut off ties with the Gu family. With the Lin family taking this stance, the Gu family had no support and were left in a sorry state.
No matter how powerful they were, they could not withstand being isolated and ignored by everyone! Looking at the current state of the Gu family, their downfall was only a matter of time.
Wen Qing watched this family self-destruct with a cold gaze and did not make any further moves. When Han Junqing asked her not to pay attention to the Gu family, she stopped telling him about their affairs. Now that Han Junqing's "The Rightful Emperor" has finished filming and he has recorded his first album, there were various appointments. He knew that these opportunities came with his identity rather than his acting skills, and he refused them one by one, calming down and settling himself.
It wasn't until "The Rightful Emperor" aired that Han Junqing's superb acting skills completely amazed the audience and garnered praise from various industry professionals. Only then did Han Junqing consider accepting another role.
It was a small independent film, and the character he chose wasn't even the male lead, but the second male lead. Since he wasn't acting for fame or fortune, he naturally chose the character he liked.