CHAPTER 385: CHAPTER 385 PERCEPTION

Su Ming had a faint smile on his face, but when he looked at Ding Cheng, there was an underlying hint of provocation.

As the Ding Family’s beloved daughter, her life was swapped by the Su Family, spending years as their workhorse!

Fortunately, when the old Su patriarch unexpectedly got a terminal illness, she and her siblings went for compatibility tests, allowing her to discover the secret and realize she wasn’t a Su Family member.

Su Ming persisted tirelessly; despite being exploited by the Su Family for years, through her own efforts, she became the head of a department in a company of considerable size.

Then, by chance, at a banquet, someone mentioned that Su Ming looked remarkably like the Ding Family’s lady.

Su Ming took it to heart, made inquiries, and sought out the Ding Family.

The moment both parties met, they didn’t even need a paternity test; it was clear Su Ming was the Ding Family’s child!

Her brows and eyes were practically identical to Mrs. Ding’s!

The moment Mrs. Ding saw Su Ming, it was as if a bolt of lightning struck her mind.

She felt the world was too fantastical.

Naturally, she loathed Ding Cheng to the extreme, who had taken her biological daughter’s place!

For years, she treated Ding Cheng like a cherished treasure, but how did the Su Family parents treat Su Ming? They treated her as a free maid, only ever abusing her!

They turned Su Ming into the family’s cash dispenser, funneling all her earnings to support the Su Family’s son!

"Ah Cheng, we have treated you well; this debt of gratitude from raising you over these years, you must repay." Mrs. Ding’s gaze fell on Ding Cheng, her voice calm yet carrying a cold, detached ruthlessness.

At the door, Ding Lei lightly curled his lips, his gaze settling furtively on Xia Mian.

Didn’t this woman want to take Ding Cheng away?

If the Ding Family parents refused, let’s see how she planned to take Ding Cheng away!

Ding Cheng was deeply hurt by the Ding Family parents’ words. All these years, her parents held her dearly; she never imagined one day such cold and ruthless words would come from her parents’ mouths.

"Mom..." Ding Cheng struggled to open her mouth, but before she could utter another word, Mrs. Ding mercilessly interrupted her.

"I’m not your mom!" Mrs. Ding said, her face cold, "That vicious and greedy woman from the countryside is your mother!"

All these years, she’d been wondering, being gentle and dignified, humble and courteous, how could she give birth to such an arrogant and disrespectful daughter like Ding Cheng!

Now, the truth was clear: Ding Cheng was a fake, swapped by the Su Family to give their daughter a better life!

Thinking of all the hardships her daughter had faced over the years, she felt that simply sending Ding Cheng back was letting her off lightly!

The suffering her daughter endured must be repaid by the other family’s daughter!

Ding Cheng was completely stunned. Growing up, her parents had never spoken harshly to her; now they were insulting her, even turning against her for a woman of unknown origins!

Ding Cheng slowly turned to look at Xia Mian.

Not long ago, she hated Xia Mian fiercely, but now, she felt Xia Mian was her only lifeline!

Yet now, Xia Mian did not speak.

Ultimately, this was still a Ding Family matter.

Ding Cheng hadn’t awakened yet; she shouldn’t directly intervene.

After all, once she did, things would deviate even further from their original course, and she couldn’t predict how the world would unfold.

"Starting today, Su Ming will be renamed Ding Ming. Old Ding, you must immediately change Ding Ming’s name and household registration, then organize a banquet to restore Ding Ming’s identity!" Mrs. Ding declared assertively.

"All the best things in this house must be reserved for Ding Ming in the future." Mrs. Ding’s gaze shifted slightly to Ding Cheng, "As for you, Ah Cheng, you can choose to stay in this house and repay the money we spent raising you, or you can choose to return to your malicious parents and let them help you settle this debt."

She was determined to retrieve every penny she spent on Ding Cheng.

The despicable couple from the Su Family mistreated her daughter; she would certainly make their family pay!

Ding Cheng’s face turned ashen, biting down on her lip, "I will repay the money to you!"

The Ding Family parents had taken their words this far; if she stayed with them, Ding Cheng would only be humiliating herself.

"Thank you for your years of nurturing; from now on, I have no ties with the Ding Family!" Ding Cheng tossed out these words, turning to leave.

Ding Lei, however, raised his arm to block her path.

"Ah Cheng, it’s not that I don’t trust you; after all these years, you’ve done nothing but indulge, and if you were to leave now and hide, what would we do if we can’t find you?" Ding Lei smiled meaningfully, "Why don’t you stay as my lover, since we have no blood relation; I’ll take care of you!"

Ding Lei’s words made Ding Cheng widen her eyes in surprise.

Previously, Ding Lei treated her extremely well; everyone envied her for having such an accommodating brother.

Yet now, her good brother harbored such vile intentions?!

The Ding Family parents squinted slightly, seemingly approving of Ding Lei’s suggestion.

After raising her with such effort, letting her go cheaply wouldn’t be right!

After saying this, Ding Lei even deliberately glanced at Xia Mian.

However, Xia Mian felt nothing wrong with this situation, even offering a slight smile.

"You..." Ding Cheng snapped out of her daze, "Don’t be ridiculous!"

If earlier Ding Cheng had any shred of hope for the world, now, her arrogant mind began to notice problems.

The sentiment built over a decade doesn’t just vanish.

But now, the Ding Family parents and Ding Family brother’s attitude toward her was bizarre! Truly too bizarre!

A complete 180-degree turn, with no pause, so smooth, as if an invisible hand manipulated everything behind the scenes.

All those being manipulated were mere puppets.

"Ridiculous?" Mrs. Ding sneered, "What do you have besides a pretty face and physique? If Ah Lei is willing to take pity on you, don’t resist his kindness!"

Ding Cheng opened her mouth, unable to utter a single word.

She found it difficult to connect the hostile woman in front of her with the kind, warm mother she used to know.

But undeniably, they were the same person!

Something inside Ding Cheng’s mind was slowly awakening.

She seemed indeed out of place here.

She really didn’t belong here.

"I will repay the money." Ding Cheng said, already turning to Xia Mian, offering a slight smile, "My distant relative, can I borrow some money?"