After Mr. Bair ended the call, he reflected on the stark contrasts between River City and River Town.

River City, known as the capital and the economic center of Asia, is home to the country's most prominent families and stands as a symbol of power and privilege.

It's surrounded by four cities, each significant in its own right, creating an exclusive circle of the elite that remains impenetrable to many.

The aspiration to attend River City University, a symbol of status, begins from birth for most.

On the other hand, River Town is a small border city characterized by its mix of inhabitants, including international fugitives.

It's a place where disappearances are common, and most residents live on fixed incomes, leading to unchanging lives. Despite its reputation, Mr. Bair doubted that Harper would ever go there. His once affectionate relationship with Melissa Ji had faded, leading to Harper's diminishing status within the family.

The Bair family, like many wealthy households, struggled with equality among its members, which only highlighted Mr. Bair's oblivion to Harper's departure.

The servants were left confused by Mr. Bair's orders, uncertain how to bring Harper back. When informed of Harper's decision to leave for River Town without a second glance at the family shrine, Mr. Bair coldly commanded that Harper also remove her household registration, cutting all ties with the Bair family and leaving her fate detached from their legacy.

While the Bair family once had high hopes for Harper, those expectations had shifted entirely to her siblings. The family patriarch expressed regret not over Harper's departure but the loss of a valuable apprenticeship letter, underscoring Harper's perceived insignificance.

Meanwhile, Harper had already arrived at her uncle's apartment in River Town, unconcerned with the Bair family's affairs. Her uncle's neighborhood, much older and less developed than North City, contrasted sharply with her past life. Harper's calm demeanor stood out against the modest backdrop of her uncle's apartment and the cautious welcome from her aunt.

Her first meeting with her grandfather, Ji Heng, revealed years of estrangement from her mother, Melissa Ji. The conversation shifted to Harper's school transfer, surprising her aunt and revealing Harper's decision to start anew in River Town, far from the shadow of the Bair family.

Harper wiped the corner of her mouth with a napkin and said nonchalantly, "So, it means I've been kicked out, and my household registration needs to be moved out too. I can't go back."

"What?!" Aunt Ji's voice rose sharply. "What about your dad?"

Harper gave her an "What do you think?" look, a blend of innocence and sarcasm.

Aunt Ji didn't find any trace of joking on Harper's face.

Throughout the meal, Aunt Ji barely ate, lost in thought and couldn't resist pulling out her phone to search for something. Whatever she saw on the news, it left her with a grim expression, and she didn't even bother washing the dishes.

Uncle Ji arrived home early, not even having the chance to greet Ji Heng before Aunt Ji pulled him aside into their room. The sound insulation wasn't great, and Aunt Ji's voice could faintly be heard, "Ji Shaojun, did you know she would be staying with us and even had me prepare a room for her?"

"Keep your voice down," Uncle Ji whispered, "Dad and Harper are right outside—"

"But look at the size of our place..."

Soon after, they both emerged from the room. Ji Heng, picking up his pipe from the table, tapped it loudly, his expression unreadable as he lit it, his face obscured by smoke. "Harper, come with me to my place."

Ji Shaojun looked at his father, mouth agape, knowing well that once Ji Heng made a decision, it was final.

Aunt Ji paused for a moment, then, trying to lighten the mood, suggested, "Dad, why don't you stay for dinner?"

"No," Ji Heng exhaled a ring of smoke and turned to Harper, "Come back with me."

Following Ji Heng out the door, Ji Shaojun turned to his wife, "Shen Qing, do you hear yourself? Harper just got back today. Was it appropriate to say those things?"

Having been together for years, Shen Qing was not without social awareness. Ji Shaojun couldn't understand why she deliberately made such comments in front of Ji Heng and Harper.

"I said it on purpose for your father to hear. Everyone in your family is the same. If you don't make things clear, your father simply won't get it," Shen Qing retorted coldly as she picked up a rag, her frustration evident.

She knew well the kind of trouble Harper could get into—fights, drag racing, clubbing, nothing was off-limits. When Melissa Ji turned eighteen and had a fallout with Ji Heng, no one in the Ji family knew she had married into wealth. Shen Qing had secretly seen it on Ji Shaojun's phone.

The Bair family had never acknowledged their poor relatives from the Ji family, never once visiting River Town. Shen Qing had hoped Harper's return to River Town might lead to some interaction with the Bair family.

But it turned out Harper was just like Melissa Ji, having a fallout with her wealthy father.

"I'm asking you, she's in her senior year like Wanxuan, right? If she doesn't get into university next year, are we supposed to continue supporting her? Between Melissa Ji and Ji Shaorong, you don't ask them for help but clean up after her?" The more Shen Qing thought, the more aggrieved she felt, adding, "Your family really is one of a kind, thinking you're above it all. No wonder the Bair family prefers that illegitimate child."

"This isn't about being high and mighty; it's about having principles," Ji Shaojun said before leaving, pausing at the door to look back at Shen Qing, "And don't compare that illegitimate child to Harper."

Shen Qing stood there, face cold, tossing the rag into the sink.

Had she said anything wrong?

Harper's own mother had abandoned her, leaving her nothing but the shelter of the Bair family. How could that compare to the Bair family's highly intelligent illegitimate child?

She didn't understand what Ji Heng and Ji Shaojun were holding on to.

Outside, Ji Shaojun caught up with the two, silently taking Harper's suitcase.

Harper paused, looking at Ji Shaojun for about ten seconds before letting go.

Ji Shaojun carried the suitcase.

Harper watched his retreating back, then slowly put on her hat.

She trailed behind, leisurely browsing her phone for things that interested her. A message popped up on WeChat from one of Harper's acquaintances, the only one who had contacted her in the last few days.

Acquaintance: "What's up with your fiancé?"

They sent a screenshot.

Harper opened it to find a screenshot of a social media post.

Bianca Bair: "This is what you get for looking down on people 😜 [Photo]"

The photo showed her ex-fiancé, Simon Song, from the side, wiping a window with a cloth.

Bianca's post was popular, with many likes and comments.

Everyone in North City knew Simon Song, the third young master of the Song family.

The comments read:

—Glad to see our Simon has come down to earth.

—Only you could manage this, goddess!

—LOL, insiders say Simon never believes in superstitions, but did he forget that Bianca is Mr. Bair's sister?

—Yeah, he must've thought Bianca was that lady who couldn't last a day in our International Class, struggling with science and then getting kicked out by our teacher to study humanities!