Jin Jumo tried several times to free her hand from his grasp, but to no avail.

As they got closer to the banquet hall, Jin Jumo’s eyebrows furrowed tighter.

Just as they were about to reach the banquet hall, Jin Jumo, summoning strength from who knows where, forcefully pulled her hand away from his palm.

Rong Mochen halted his steps, his long brows knitted tightly. He turned his head to stare at Jin Jumo, his thin lips pursed coldly.

Jin Jumo glanced toward the banquet hall, holding her breath lightly, she said to Rong Mochen, "To avoid unnecessary misunderstandings, it’s better if we don’t go in together."

Unnecessary misunderstandings?

Rong Mochen’s dark eyes suddenly became sharp, his face becoming cold, "Misunderstandings? What misunderstandings?"

Jin Jumo was not lacking in perception. Seeing his ominous expression at this moment, she knew her words had displeased him. Not wanting to further provoke him at such a critical point, Jin Jumo squinted her eyes lightly, her tone softened, "Today is Xixi and Hanhan’s fourth birthday, let’s not create an awkward situation for everyone, okay?"

"If you had known it would come to this, why did you act that way in the first place!" Rong Mochen stared coldly at Jin Jumo for a moment, then threw out this sentence in a deep voice before turning and entering the banquet hall.

Jin Jumo pressed her lips tightly, watching Xiao Su’s upright back, and finally exhaled the breath she had been holding in her chest.

A few minutes after Rong Mochen entered the banquet hall, Jin Jumo went in.

As soon as she appeared, the gazes focus on Rong Mochen and Ying Jingyao both shot toward her.

Jin Jumo’s eyebrows imperceptibly furrowed as she glanced at the spot where Jian Liangtong had been standing, but Jian Liangtong and Jian Chenghao were nowhere to be seen. Her heart tightened, and paying no mind to whether everyone’s gazes were on her, Jin Jumo pressed her lips, her eyes searching all over the banquet hall for Jian Liangtong’s figure.

"Mom." Hanhan’s soft voice drifted over.

Jin Jumo looked over.

Hanhan was being led by Ying Yunheng, his little face hanging with a bit of worry, as he looked at Jin Jumo.

Jin Jumo’s eyes flickered lightly, she quickly walked forward and picked him up from Ying Yunheng’s grasp.

Hanhan wrapped his arms around Jin Jumo’s neck, looking at her anxious eyes, and said in a low voice, "Aunt Jian and Brother Hao were taken away by Uncle Ruan’s men."

Ruan Chen?

Jin Jumo’s brows twitched lightly as she looked toward Ruan Chen.

Her gaze swept over the situation locked in a standoff, narrowing slightly.

Ruan Chen nodded at her.

Jin Jumo’s heart that had been suspended finally settled down.

"Mommy." Xixi stretched her chubby little body out from Xu Ruyao’s arms, reaching her plump arms out for Jin Jumo to hold.

Jin Jumo put Hanhan down and picked up Xixi.

"Mommy, where did you just go?" Xixi cupped Jin Jumo’s face, her soft voice slightly startled as if scared.

Jin Jumo shook her head, lightly touching her nose.

At this moment, the banquet hall was unlike when they entered, lively and boisterous; it was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Thus, Xixi, as a whole, seemed a bit uneasy, especially needing Jin Jumo, her small arms clinging tightly around her neck, her head resting limply on her shoulder.

Jin Jumo reached out and gently patted her back, ignoring the varied gazes cast her way.

"Xiao Xiao, are you okay?" Xu Ruyao’s face showed genuine concern, mixed with puzzlement and inquiry.

Jin Jumo lowered her long lashes, looking at Hanhan standing quietly next to her, her voice calm without any disturbance, "I’m fine. Thank you for your concern."

Xu Ruyao nodded, her eyes on Jin Jumo, wanting to speak but holding back.

Ying Yunheng’s face was solemn, his gentle eyes glancing at the imposing Rong Mochen not far away.

Today, Rong Mochen wore a high-collared black coat, his towering height of 1.9 meters almost the tallest in the banquet.

He stood there silently, not needing to speak, the coldness and aloofness emanating from his body, coupled with the calm and authoritative air rooted in his very core, was enough to make most present people hesitate to approach lightly.

Ying Yunheng secretly observed Rong Mochen, his gaze moving from Rong Mochen’s tightly pressed thin lips to his defined jaw, his eyes suddenly trembled, then quickly looked at Hanhan standing by Jin Jumo’s leg.

Hanhan too had his lips pressed, a four-year-old child at this moment exuding a hint of aloofness as well, that expression, those squinting eyes with their calm gaze looking back at him, clearly... clearly a replica of someone...

Ying Yunheng was shocked by his own thought, staring fixedly at Hanhan for a long while.

Ying Yunheng suddenly stepped forward, walking over to Ying Jingyao and the others.

Xu Ruyao, seeing this, was startled, staring unblinkingly at Ying Yunheng.

Jin Jumo had noticed Ying Yunheng’s actions earlier, so she wasn’t surprised at his move now.

Lowering her head, Jin Jumo freed one hand, silently holding Hanhan’s small hand.

"Jingyao, tell me the truth, Xixi and Hanhan really..." Ying Yunheng, shaken by this discovery, had lost his composure somewhat, not caring about much else as he walked up to Ying Jingyao, bluntly wanting to ask outright.

"Dad." Ying Jingyao lightly frowned, interrupting Ying Yunheng, his gentle eyes fixating deeply on him, "I will explain everything when we get home."

"..." Ying Yunheng heard his words and his heart had already gone cold.

He glanced at Rong Mochen, then looked at Xixi and Hanhan. Ying Yunheng closed his eyes slowly. In a short time, he truly experienced the discrepancy from heaven to hell.

When he found out that Xixi and Hanhan were Ying Jingyao’s children, he was so excited and thrilled. Now that he knows Xixi and Hanhan are not of the Ying family bloodline, the disappointment after the extreme joy will only multiply.

Xu Ruyao looked at her husband’s devastated face with confusion.

Ying Jingyao’s eyes flashed quickly with emotions. He pursed his lips and turned his gaze away from Ying Yunheng’s face, coldly staring at Rong Mochen, "Today is a birthday party I organized for the two children. If President Rong is here to celebrate, I naturally welcome him..."

As he spoke, Ying Jingyao glanced at the black-clad men standing at both ends of the entrance’s red carpet, his voice becoming increasingly chilly, "However, as of now, President Rong doesn’t seem to be sincerely here to celebrate, so... I have to ask President Rong to leave!"

"Whose children are they?" Huo Chengjin sneered coldly.

Ying Jingyao’s eyes narrowed halfway, "Xiao Xiao’s children are mine!"

"Xiao Xiao?" Huo Chengjin raised the corner of his mouth mockingly, squinted at Jin Jumo, and asked sarcastically, "Who is Xiao Xiao?"

Ying Jingyao’s lips curled into a cold smile, "Second Young Master Huo naturally wouldn’t know."

"I indeed don’t know Xiao Xiao, but I do know Miss Jin!" Huo Chengjin spoke, with his hands in his pockets, lazily approaching Jin Jumo, looking into her eyes with a mysterious smile, "Miss Jin, do you still recognize me?"

"Miss Jin..."

An exclamation erupted in the banquet hall.

"How could it be Miss Jin, isn’t she surnamed Ye?"

"Yes, she’s surnamed Ye..."

"Could it be that Miss Ye is actually Miss Jin?"

"..."

The discussions among the audience grew louder.

It was debated for a long time whether Jin Jumo was "Miss Ye" or "Miss Jin", until finally the crowd gradually quieted down, all looking at Jin Jumo with curiosity and suspicion.

"Xiao Xiao, what’s going on?" Xu Ruyao grasped Jin Jumo’s hand and asked in astonishment.

Jin Jumo curled her fingertips into her palm. Looking up into Huo Chengjin’s piercing eyes, her face showed no superfluous emotion, "The Second Young Master of the Huo family, known for his catering empire, now President of the Huo Catering Group; who wouldn’t recognize him?"

Huo Chengjin nodded, pursed his lips in a smile, inexplicably staring deeply at Jin Jumo, then leisurely walked back to Rong Mochen’s side, looking at Rong Mochen with deep sympathy, "Brother, you truly are pitiful."

Rong Mochen furrowed his brows, glanced at Jin Jumo, his dark eyes seemed to carry a hint of indulgence and helplessness.

Jin Jumo lowered her eyebrows and turned her gaze away.

Xu Ruyao observed Rong Mochen’s gentle gaze towards Jin Jumo and then thought of Ying Yunheng’s earlier reaction, her heart sank uncontrollably. She tightened her grip on Jin Jumo’s hand, "Xiao Xiao, tell Aunt, who are you really?"

Jin Jumo’s peach blossom eyes flashed with an apology, "Aunt, I..."

"Mom, she is, of course, Ye Xiao!" Before Jin Jumo could finish, Ying Jingyao spoke abruptly.

Xu Ruyao’s brow twitched, she frowned tightly, looking at Ying Jingyao with suspicion.

Ying Jingyao came back, his eyes gentle and elegant fixed on Jin Jumo, "She is Ye Xiao, not Miss Jin."

"But..." Xu Ruyao suspiciously looked at Rong Mochen.

Ying Jingyao lightly squinted his eyes, "People can look alike. It’s probably because Xiao Xiao resembles someone from President Rong’s past, so President Rong mistook her for someone else."

Even a three-year-old child wouldn’t be fooled by such words!

Xu Ruyao’s eyes revealed deep disappointment, her face instantly became dim and listless.

"People look alike? Young Master Ying, why delude yourself." Gu Yan snorted, stepping forward to Hanhan, bending slightly, lifted him up in one swift motion, "I won’t say much, but anyone with eyes can see!"

Xu Ruyao trembled all over. Her eyes filled with leftover hope shifted between Rong Mochen and Hanhan. Suddenly, at a certain moment, Xu Ruyao’s breath caught harshly, and she backed away uncontrollably.

Jin Jumo was the closest to Xu Ruyao and instinctively reached out to support her.

But just as her hand touched her arm, it was abruptly and forcibly brushed away.

Jin Jumo’s arm ached, yet her face showed no hint of pain or restraint. She lightly bit her lower lip, looking at Xu Ruyao.

Xu Ruyao, short of breath, stared fiercely at Jin Jumo as if she were a detestable tumor that needed to be removed swiftly!

The discrepancy before and after was immense.

Jin Jumo’s heart is not made of stone. Although she appeared calm on the surface, as if she had anticipated such a shift in attitude, was her heart truly untouched, not in the slightest bit hurt?

"Oh my, this child looks exactly like President Rong, look at those eyebrows, that mouth, that chin, and the expression, how alike they are!"

"So her surname really is Jin, not Ye, and the two children are actually President Rong’s, not Young Master Ying’s..."

"Miss Jin and President Rong even have children together, so why is she involved with Young Master Ying?"

"President Rong is a top-tier tycoon in the country, and Young Master Ying is the sole heir of the Ying Group, with immeasurable assets. With two such exceptional men, any woman would hesitate to choose between them."

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by lotustale.com