Quan Jinbei accompanied her as she got a makeover; she specifically changed into a blue backless cocktail dress and styled her hair into light-golden, large waves, completing the look with a delicate makeup.
After the entire process, it was exactly eleven o'clock.
By the time she arrived at the hotel in Quan Jinbei's car, it was already twenty past eleven.
When she entered the hotel, the engagement ceremony was already more than halfway through, and as soon as she appeared, both her father and mother from the Shi Family noticed her right away.
The couple exchanged a glance, quietly slipped out of the crowd, and without a word, dragged Shi Yaoguang into the resting room.
"Bang—"
The door slammed shut.
"Slap!"
Her father raised his hand and swung a slap towards her with such force that you could hear the wind break.
Shi Yaoguang, before the slap landed on her face, reached out and grasped his wrist.
Her father, restrained by her grip and unable to move, was even more furious and immediately scowled, scolding, "Shi Yaoguang, do you even care about the Shi Family, about your own father? I can tolerate your usual mischievousness, but do you even remember what day it is today?"
"Your unexplained absence on the day of your engagement ceremony—if it weren't for your sister stepping in for you, you would have completely disgraced the Shi Family!"
"If I knew you were going to be such a lost cause, I never should have had you, the shame of our lineage!"
Shi Yaoguang, with her tongue against her cheek and casually tucking stray hairs behind her ear, let out a sigh as if strangling her wrist, "Too bad it's too late for regrets now, hmm?~"
"You, you unfilial daughter!" Her father, seeing that she showed no remorse, was so angry that he raised his hand to hit her again, "If I wasn't sure you were a child of the Shi Family, I would have—"
"Would have what?"
Shi Yaoguang's eyes sparkled with derision, "My dear father, when you everywhere find my behavior unfitting for the daughter of the Shi Family, have you never considered who caused all this?"
"Is it my fault that you failed to watch me, allowing me to get lost? Or are you saying that when I was taken away as a child, it was under your instruction?"
Her father turned ashen, "Nonsense! Even if a mistake was made long ago, didn't we bring you back? What more could you possibly be dissatisfied with?"
"Ha." Shi Yaoguang let out a sarcastic laugh, "Indeed, the Shi Family took me back, but tell me, which of you has ever treated me like a legitimate daughter? Whether it's you, who dote on the impostor as if she's the gem of the family, or the servants who wait on you hand and foot."
Hearing these piercing words, her mother felt that Shi Yaoguang was nothing but an ingrate, "When have we ever shortchanged you in food or clothes? If we hadn't brought you back, you'd probably still be picking trash somewhere!"
Shi Yaoguang clicked her tongue, "From what you're saying, it seems like scavenging through trash in utter poverty is the life I deserve, right?"
Her mother was at a loss for words, not knowing how to counter.
"Creak—" The door opened.
"Dad, Mom, has Sister come yet?"
Following the anxious voice, Shi Yiqing, dressed in an off-the-shoulder, forest-themed sequined sweeping gown and with her makeup done exquisitely, gracefully entered the room.
Seeing Shi Yaoguang's attire, her expression momentarily changed, but she quickly regained her composure. Pretending to be affectionate, she reached out to hold onto Shi Yaoguang's arm while complaining, "Sister, why did you come so late? If you were any later, the engagement party would have ended."
Shi Yaoguang avoided her move and looked at her with a smile that was not quite a smile, "Why I came so late—don't you know?"
Shi Yiqing's eyes flickered, and her face was the picture of innocence, "How would I know?"
She spoke as if making a complaint, recounting the events that had just unfolded, "Sister, you have no idea. At the start of the engagement ceremony, when we couldn't find you, we were almost beside ourselves with worry..."
Shi Yaoguang responded with an "Oh."
Father Shi looked at her attitude and became angry, "Oh, what? You almost ruined the engagement ceremony and that's your reaction? Are you trying to anger me to death?"
Shi Yaoguang shrugged her shoulders, her tone innocent as she retorted, "Aren't you all fine?"
"Those who said they were about to die of anxiety didn't die, and those who said they were about to die of anger are also fine and not dead. Yet it's me who you keep accusing of being absent from the engagement ceremony. Did any of you ask me why I was late?"
She scoffed lightly, emphasizing the word "my," "My engagement party, and I, the rightful female lead, was absent. But the ceremony went on without me, didn't it?"
Shi Yiqing was taken aback and, with a typical White Lotus tone, said, "Sister, Brother Sicheng and I aren't what you think, we have nothing between us. Even if I stood in for you at the engagement ceremony, the person who is engaged to him is still you."
"Besides, I didn't intentionally replace you. The ceremony was about to start, and you were nowhere to be found. I was just worried that people would misunderstand that there's been a change in the marriage agreement between our two families, so I did it."
Shi Yaoguang clicked her tongue, "Now you stand in for me at the engagement, what's next? Are you going to replace me at my wedding, perhaps sleep with him in my stead, and bear his child?"
"Since you're accustomed to usurping, don't say it's for me—just admit it—"
"You just say you're used to occupying the nest of others and want to continue taking over everything that's mine."
As she spoke, she took a step forward, her presence overpowering, "Why can't you be honest for once?"
Shi Yiqing's eyes widened in shock, and then, as if deeply insulted, her delicate frame trembled.
"Sister, how can you think of me like that? I really didn't mean to do that..."
Shi Yaoguang went on, "If I did my calculations correctly, as soon as it struck eleven, you happily replaced me and conducted the ceremony with Quan Sicheng. You didn't even consider waiting one extra minute for me. You really are the devoted sister looking out for me wholeheartedly."
Mother Shi, hearing this, couldn't help but glare furiously at Shi Yaoguang, "It's true that today is your engagement ceremony, but Qingqing is also a victim! If you hadn't been dragging your feet and been late, would Qingqing have done such a thing?"
Father Shi joined in, "If it weren't for Qingqing, do you think today's engagement ceremony could have continued? You don't have to thank Qingqing, but how can you speculate about her with such malicious thoughts?"
"Sister, please believe me, I really didn't do it on purpose. Don't worry, even if... even if I like Brother Sicheng, I will not be with him. After all, you are his fiancée."
After finishing, Shi Yiqing's expression turned somber, "I promise, from now on I will stay away from Brother Sicheng, I absolutely won't interfere with your relationship."
Quan Sicheng, who had hurried over, stepped in front of Shi Yiqing to protect her, his eyes dark and menacing as he glared at Shi Yaoguang, "Shi Yaoguang, are you bullying Qingqing again?"
Shi Yaoguang glanced at him, "Your eyes are useless, you could donate them."
Quan Sicheng got even angrier, and declared vehemently, "In this lifetime, I will only marry Qingqing, don't even dream of stepping into the Quan Family's door! Even if I die, I will not marry you!"
Shi Yaoguang nodded her head, suggesting sincerely, "Then you should die, I won't stop you from proving your point with death."
Quan Sicheng: "..."
He grew even angrier, "Why should I die just because you say so? As long as I'm alive one day, you can forget about marrying into the Quan Family!"
"Not letting me into the Quan Family?" Shi Yaoguang's lips curled slightly, "I'm sorry to say, but with the Quan Family, your word isn't final."