C20 Bastard!

It was clear that it was intentional!

Gu Ruoshan clenched her fists so tightly that her nails dug deep into her flesh.

Upon seeing Gu Zhiwei's outfit, Zhao Qiao immediately slammed her wine glass down in a fit of rage. Ignoring Qin Lang's attempts to stop her, she stormed toward the entrance.

"Gu Zhiwei!" Her roar echoed through the banquet hall.

The guests were startled, halting their activities to look toward the door.

Zhao Qiao's face turned beet red with fury. "Dressing up like a ghost, are you deliberately trying to upset Ruoshan?"

Gu Zhiwei acted as if she hadn't seen her. "What's this? A stray dog barking?"

"Don't push it!" Zhao Qiao, pointing at Gu Zhiwei's nose, lashed out, "You're nothing but a castoff of the Gu family. What's there to be smug about?"

Gu Zhiwei's gaze grew icy. "Zhao Qiao, there's a limit to everything."

"You..." Zhao Qiao's retort was cut short as her face met with a stinging slap.

"Smack!"

The sharp sound rang out, piercing the silence of the hall.

Just then, Gu Tingchuan emerged from the crowd, his face livid with anger. "Enough! Gu Zhiwei, isn't this shameful enough for you?"

"Tingchuan, take it easy," Lin Li soothed, patting his back. "They're just kids having a spat. It's not serious."

With a frosty glare, Gu Zhiwei slapped again amidst the onlookers' astonished stares.

"Apologize!"

The crowd was taken aback by her boldness, inhaling sharply.

"Gu Zhiwei!" Gu Tingchuan bellowed, "What do you think you're doing? How do you think this reflects on the Gu family?!"

Gu Zhiwei paid no heed to Gu Tingchuan, her eyes fixed on Zhao Qiao.

Zhao Qiao felt her heart squeeze.

For a split second, she feared Gu Zhiwei might actually kill her!

"I... I'm sorry..." The words struggled out of her throat.

Only then did Gu Zhiwei relent. Without giving Gu Tingchuan a second glance, she headed straight for the lounge area and took a seat on the sofa.

Nearby, several guests pointed at Gu Zhiwei, murmuring among themselves.

"It hadn't crossed my mind, but now that you mention it, Gu Zhiwei really doesn't resemble Gu Tingchuan much at all."

"Could she actually be the illegitimate child Qin Xiaodie bore?"

"Shh! Keep it down, don't let her overhear. You don't want to mess with this fury."

"What's there to fear? Qin Xiaodie was coerced into marrying Gu Tingchuan by her own family, leading her to cut ties with the Qin family. Not even eight months after the wedding, she had Gu Zhiwei. Who's to say she wasn't fooling around before tying the knot?"

"Come to think of it, didn't Qin Xiaodie have a son sixteen years ago? Gu Tingchuan threw a lavish full-moon celebration, but then, just ten months later, the Gu family abruptly declared the child had died suddenly. It's possible Gu Tingchuan discovered the boy wasn't his own flesh and blood..."

The crowd inhaled sharply.

"No way. Did Qin Xiaodie cuckold Gu Tingchuan twice?"

"It's hard to believe. She looks so demure, but apparently, she's quite promiscuous..."

Gu Zhiwei rose to her feet, her face a mask of indifference, and grasped a glass of red wine before striding towards the group.

"Ah!"

The gossipers were drenched in wine, eliciting involuntary shrieks from them.

"This is outrageous! Unacceptable!" Gu Tingchuan's chest heaved with fury, so enraged he could barely stand.

"Quick, grab her and take her straight to the police station!"

Gu Zhiwei let out a scornful laugh, "You think you can catch me?"

A phalanx of bodyguards, electric batons at the ready, closed in on Gu Zhiwei.

The tension in the air skyrocketed, and the bystanders were too afraid to even let out a breath.

"Stop!"