The Prudent Heiress: A Homing to the Elite and the Perfect Counterattack

In the superficial world of the elite, there is an unspoken rule: Safety first. I, Sở An An (the true heiress), had this philosophy woven into my very soul. My cautious nature dictated that I never enter any battle without the most thorough preparation.

When I was 18, my biological parents from the Sở family finally found me. But instead of rushing back to claim my identity, I postponed my return for a full ten years. This decade was not spent in hesitation but dedicated to relentless study and certification exams. In total, I acquired 99 professional skill certifications spanning every conceivable field. I knew clearly: in the survival game of the elite, “many skills are never a burden.” Each certificate, each skill, was a solid “magic weapon” securing my unassailable position.

The day I officially set foot back in the magnificent Sở family villa, the atmosphere was taut.

“This girl really makes people worry; she wandered for ten years and finally decided to come back,” my parents, with expressions of weariness and reproach, said, as if I were a naughty child who had merely been lost.

My brother, Sở Trần, stood leaning against the wall, arms crossed, his eyes full of scorn and his tone biting: “This wild brat truly knows no etiquette.”

Amidst this cold and biased reception, only Sở Mộng Giao (the false heiress) was radiant, her beautiful face blooming with a flower-like smile. She took my hand, her eyes glistening as if from a long-awaited reunion.

“Sister An An, Mom and Dad and I have always hoped you would come home soon. Can we be dutiful to our parents and live in harmony from now on?”

I coldly pulled my hand away, my face impassive as stone.

“You lie,” I stated calmly. “In your heart, you hate me to death. You never wanted me back.”

My sharp words were like a splash of cold water on her pretense. Sở Mộng Giao immediately teared up, her lips trembling, portraying such grievance that she might have melted anyone else’s heart.

My brother, Sở Trần, roared in fury, defending his false sister: “Sở An An, don’t push your luck! You just got back, and you’re already causing trouble?”

My parents also chastised me for being petty and unforgiving, specifically emphasizing that Mộng Giao was “pure in nature and incapable of lying.”

I was neither arrogant nor inferior, simply composed as I faced their obvious favoritism. My eyes were fixed on Mộng Giao. When she smiled, she deliberately pulled the corners of her mouth close to her ears; her eyes were unfocused and darting, and her fingers unconsciously gripped the hem of her dress. These were all typical tension responses when lying.

Instantly, I reached into the suitcase beside me and pulled out the first certificate.

“I am a Nationally Certified Psychological Consultant, specializing in micro-expression analysis,” I said, holding up the qualification. “Do you need me to verify the certificate number?”

Sở Trần burst into scornful laughter: “Psychological consultant? You can buy a fake one online for 50 yuan! Who are you trying to fool? Micro-expression analysis? Why don’t you just say you can read minds? Just as expected of a country bumpkin, only capable of making a fool of herself.”

My parents sighed, concurring with the criticism that I was causing trouble, and emphatically stressed that they had raised Sở Mộng Giao for 20 years—an “nurturing grace greater than the grace of birth.” They declared they would never drive Mộng Giao away and told me not to be a petty divider.

Sở Mộng Giao, tears barely dry, quickly played the good person again: “Mom and Dad, don’t blame Sister anymore. After all, I’ve taken her place; it’s normal for her to bear malice towards me. Why don’t we go see the room I prepared for her? I hope she will be satisfied.”

My parents competed to praise her: “Mộng Giao stayed up three nights preparing your room, personally choosing the curtains and carpets—she put more care into it than her own room! You shouldn’t be so spiteful; you should be grateful!”

We all went to the room at the end of the second-floor corridor. I opened the door, glanced around, and immediately rejected it: “There’s a trick in this room. I won’t stay here.”

I pointed directly at the luxurious crystal chandelier: “The chandelier has a micro-camera installed, monitoring my privacy 24 hours a day.”

Then I bent down to the money tree in the corner: “Beneath this pot is buried black peach wood, soaked in black dog blood. This is a deadly feng shui trap set up according to my birth chart, meant to ensure I die a terrible death. Hmph, setting up a feng shui death trap to harm me—what an effort. What a good little sister.”

Sở Mộng Giao’s face instantly went pale; she trembled as she denied it: “Sister, what nonsense are you talking about? I arranged these things according to ‘warm bedroom’ guides online! The money tree was bought at a market; the owner said it brings wealth! Why are you slandering me?”

My brother and parents once again accused me of making trouble, saying I was too sensitive and superstitious.

Without debating, I acted. I pulled out two more certificates: Senior Electrician Certification and Cyber Security Specialist Certification.

“Dismantling cameras, checking anti-surveillance wiring… I am fully proficient.”

I pulled over a table, climbed up, opened the chandelier’s rim with my hands, and twisted gently. Click! The base separated from the light. Inside, there was indeed a micro-camera. I then crouched down by the money tree and dug into the soil with my bare hands. After only about 2 cm, a piece of black peach wood was revealed, wrapped in a thin red thread, emanating a faint, metallic odor.

Everyone was stunned. They hadn’t expected me to actually find something.

Sở Mộng Giao’s lips still trembled as she weakly denied: “The camera… the camera is to protect you! And that piece of wood… I don’t know what it is; maybe the market owner put it in… I’m innocent!”

My father’s face was grim, extremely impatient, and he snapped: “Enough! Mộng Giao is so kind; what malice could she possibly harbor? What ‘feng shui trap’? It’s all feudal superstition! I think you read too many fantasy novels. It’s just a piece of wood; why are you making such a fuss?”

I smiled coldly, once again showing a fourth certificate.

“I am a Feng Shui Master certified by the National Feng Shui Culture Research Association. Don’t challenge my expertise with your ignorance.”

My father was speechless. My brother shrieked: “Sở An An, I think you’re bored and looking for trouble, delusional and harmful! Go take your medicine! Stop pretending to be a ghost or a god!”

“You’re right about that,” I calmly agreed. “I confirm your words. I am inherently cautious; safety is paramount. I don’t harbor ill will, but I must be prepared. This villa is not safe; I want to build a small, independent house in the back garden.”

I produced my First-Class Architect Certificate. “Design, construction, supervision—I can do it all myself. You just need to pay for it.”

“Absolutely not!” My mother yelled. “The back garden is Mộng Giao’s rose garden. She’s been growing those roses for three years in preparation for her wedding to Thẩm Mộ Ngôn! You can’t have that plot!”

I countered with a cold smile: “Those roses are planted in an unlucky, bad-romance position. I predict her marriage to the Thẩm family won’t happen.”

My parents and brother were still firmly against it, refusing to give me either the land or the money.

I then pulled out the final qualification for this debut: a Lawyer’s License.

“The Sở family’s ancestral land was divided in my grandfather’s generation. As a direct bloodline, I have the right to 1/3 inheritance. I want to divide the land to build my house; it is lawful, reasonable, and protected by law. I also have a share in the Sở family’s assets. I’m not begging for money; I’m taking what belongs to me. If you disagree, let’s go to court now to divide the assets. I will be my own defense lawyer.”

The room fell silent. Finally, my father ground his teeth and stamped his foot: “Build! You build! I’ll see what kind of monstrosity you build!”

They left in a rage. The last look Sở Mộng Giao gave me—the venomous hatred in her eyes could no longer be concealed.

That evening, at the welcome dinner, eight dishes and one soup were served—all Mộng Giao’s favorites, none to my taste. Mộng Giao brought a plate of exquisite Tiramisu from the kitchen and placed it before me.

“Sister, this is Tiramisu I learned from a three-Michelin-star chef; I practiced for a whole week and even burned my hand on the oven. Please taste it and see if you like it.”

My mother tenderly pulled her hand to blow on it. I didn’t taste it; instead, I took a small silver metal box from my handbag, containing test tubes, reagents, and miniature testing equipment.

“Portable rapid toxin testing equipment,” I explained with a smile. “I have a Intermediate Toxicology Certification. My toxin analysis report has legal validity. Anything that goes into my mouth cannot be taken lightly. I must check it.”

“By the way, Sở Mộng Giao, do you know how many years in prison you get for poisoning?”

Sở Mộng Giao’s face instantly went white. She snatched the plate, dumping the Tiramisu into the trash. “You’re going too far! Why judge a gentleman’s heart with a villain’s mind? If you’re not comfortable, don’t eat it! Why throw it away?”

I calmly used a spoon to scoop a piece of the cake into a specimen bag and labeled it: “Evidence of poisoning by Sở Mộng Giao, serial number 001, awaiting examination.”

Sở Mộng Giao whined to my brother: “Brother, won’t you control her? She’s really trying to kill me!”

My brother instantly lunged at me, raising his hand to slap me. “Sở An An, damn it, I’ve had enough of you! You’re a home-wrecker; you didn’t come back for family recognition, you came back for revenge, didn’t you?! Mộng Giao treats you well, and you accuse her again and again. If I don’t beat you to death today, I’ll stop being a Sở!”

I didn’t dodge. I simply caught his wrist, twisted, and pulled. He lost his balance. I leaned in and executed a standard shoulder throw. CRASH! My brother was slammed onto the ground, his face bruised, and he lost a tooth.

I smiled, pulling out my Karate Black Belt Certificate. “I am born cautious. Why wouldn’t I learn martial arts?”

My mother screamed: “You dare to hit your own brother?!”

My father slammed the table: “Do you have any respect for your parents? Do you know hierarchy? You insist on turning the Sở family upside down and creating chaos before you’re satisfied, don’t you?”

I was fearless: “From the moment you found me at age eight, I saw your favoritism toward the fake heiress. That’s why I spent ten years earning these degrees. If I didn’t have the skills to protect myself, wouldn’t I be jointly suppressed by you and Sở Mộng Giao? It’s not that I don’t want peace; it’s that you’ve never considered me family!”

My father was so enraged he was frantic: “If you have the guts, don’t eat a single grain of our rice! Starve, you unfilial daughter!”

I walked into the kitchen. Thirty minutes later, I returned with a tray. Crystal shrimp, sweet and sour carp, steamed cabbage, Wensi tofu soup, and perfectly cooked white rice. The aroma filled the dining room. I have a Special Grade Chef Certificate; I won’t starve. I ate my fill, while the Sở family were too angry to eat.

That night, as an excellent Cyber Security Engineer, I only took 3 minutes to crack Sở Mộng Giao’s social media account and find her hidden diary: the True Heiress Purge Plan. I also tested the Tiramisu, confirming the presence of toxins. Only after securing this evidence did I feel safe enough to sleep.

The following evening, the Sở family villa was brightly lit. Although it was officially my welcome party, the main character was still Sở Mộng Giao. She wore a diamond-studded white dress, radiant as she held hands with Thẩm Mộ Ngôn, the heir to the Thẩm Group—her fiancée.

Sở Mộng Giao dragged Thẩm Mộ Ngôn to my side, ostentatiously flaunting their affection.

“Sister, this is my fiancé, Thẩm Mộ Ngôn. We’ve been engaged for three years.” She spoke loudly, ceaselessly provoking me. “Sister, although you are the true heiress, Mộ Ngôn loves me. Don’t dream of stealing my man. Don’t play any cheap tricks, or you’ll be nothing but a lowlife that anyone can ride!”

My parents and brother immediately chimed in, calling me a “homewrecker,” “shameless,” and “unworthy to carry Mộng Giao’s shoes.”

I wasn’t flustered at all; instead, I smiled: “I certainly won’t fight for him, but who Thẩm Young Master chooses to marry? It seems you don’t get to decide.”

Sở Mộng Giao doubled over with laughter: “Are you crazy? How could Mộ Ngôn choose you? We’ve been in love for three years; our relationship is deeper than gold. Look at yourself! You have nothing! What do you have to offer?”

She tugged at Thẩm Mộ Ngôn’s arm, whining: “Mộ Ngôn, you only choose me, right? When are we getting married?”

As soon as she finished speaking, Thẩm Mộ Ngôn forcefully shoved her hand away with such strength that Sở Mộng Giao stumbled. He walked straight up to me, and amidst the astonished gaze of the entire hall, he dropped to one knee.

He took a diamond ring the size of a pigeon’s egg from his pocket and sincerely proposed:

“An An, I have waited for you for three years, and today I finally waited for your return. I officially propose to you. Please marry me. I love you, forever and always.“

The entire hall erupted in chaos. The smile on Sở Mộng Giao’s face froze, and then she shrieked: “Thẩm Mộ Ngôn, you’re crazy! We’re the couple! How can you propose to her?”

My parents and brother yelled at me for being a vixen and urged Thẩm Mộ Ngôn not to be deceived.

Thẩm Mộ Ngôn was unmoved. He looked directly at everyone: “Three years ago, I had a yacht accident and nearly drowned at sea. Sở An, wearing diving gear, saved me because she holds a Diving License and is a Senior Rescuer. I fell in love with her at first sight then. If I didn’t know she was the true Sở family heiress, how could I have agreed to this engagement? I waited three years, specifically for her return. As for Sở Mộng Giao, she’s merely a narcissist. For these three years, I never crossed the line with her. She often tried to sleep with me, but I chastely refused.“

Thẩm Mộ Ngôn was publicly humiliating Sở Mộng Giao.

Sở Mộng Giao trembled all over, driven mad. She pointed at me, screaming: “A damn diving license! You have a diving license too?! Sở An An, what else do you have?! Bring them all out! Let everyone see what a monster you are!”

I smiled, instructing a servant to wheel out my large suitcase. It was overflowing with certificates. I took them out, one by one, displaying them: Lawyer’s License, Toxicology Certification, Mountaineering Certificate, Diving License, Karate Black Belt, Senior Electrician, Cyber Security Engineer, Special Grade Chef, Architect’s License… A total of 99 certificates covered the table, the gold-embossed letters dazzling painfully under the light.

The guests were stunned, grabbing their phones to take pictures.

Sở Mộng Giao stared at the pile of degrees, her eyes vacant, before she suddenly screamed and ran to the backyard. She returned leading a pitch-black Tibetan Mastiff, a gigantic beast, baring its fangs.

“Sở An An, you stole everything from me! I’ll make you die!” Sở Mộng Giao removed the chain, pointed at me, and shouted at the mastiff, “Bite her! Bite her to death!”

The mastiff roared fiercely, charging at me like a small tank. The guests screamed and fled. My brother even gave a cold, smug smile. Thẩm Mộ Ngôn moved to protect me.

I shook my head: “It’s just an animal. What’s there to worry about?”

The mastiff lunged. I suddenly asked Sở Mộng Giao a question:

“Sở Mộng Giao, do you know how to get a Animal Trainer Certificate?”

Sở Mộng Giao was startled, turning to flee in horror. But it was too late. I opened my mouth and let out a series of low, strange syllables. The Mastiff instantly spun around, its bloody mouth lunging at Sở Mộng Giao.

Playing animal tamer with an animal trainer. Sở Mộng Giao, you truly brought disaster upon yourself!

The mastiff fiercely bit Sở Mộng Giao’s arm, violently slamming her to the ground. Sở Mộng Giao shrieked heartbreakingly. The hall became a blood-soaked hell. The sleeve of her wedding dress and a large piece of her skin were torn away. The mastiff continued to bite her thigh, shoulder, and back—every bite drew blood and flesh.

My parents and brother stood by, screaming uselessly, daring not to approach.

I calmly watched Sở Mộng Giao being torn apart. Only when she was covered in blood, with even her nose bitten off, did I utter two syllables. The mastiff immediately let go, crouched beside her, licked the blood from its claws, and wagged its tail at me in pride.

I opened another compartment of my suitcase, revealing dozens more certificates. I walked over to Sở Mộng Giao, looking down at her:

“Sở Mộng Giao, you will never know how many degrees I have in this lifetime; you will never see through my trump cards. Are you worthy to fight with me?“

Sở Mộng Giao lay in a pool of blood, convulsing, staring at me with wide eyes. She mumbled, trying to curse me, but then passed out.

My mother rushed to embrace Mộng Giao, sobbing, then turned to me and shrieked: “Sở An, you’ve gone too far! You are a murderer!” She lunged at me, trying to scratch my face, but Thẩm Mộ Ngôn blocked her.

I looked at my biological mother and coldly retorted: “The mastiff was trained by me, so I am the murderer? If you’re not blind, you saw the whole process: Sở Mộng Giao released the dog to attack me. If I didn’t know animal language, the one in that miserable state would be me. This is justifiable self-defense; she brought it upon herself. Sở Mộng Giao deserved it.”

I called 110, reporting the intentional assault and demanding the police arrest Sở Mộng Giao.

My parents and brother went mad, calling me vicious and “too much,” arguing that Mộng Giao was pure and kind, and “you forced her to it; it’s understandable!”

I laughed disdainfully: “I am the biological daughter of the Sở family; this position was inherently mine. And Thẩm Mộ Ngôn was never hers. Where is the stealing?”

I displayed the file saved on my phone onto the large screen: Sở Mộng Giao’s secret True Heiress Purge Plan, a total of 33 malicious schemes, from self-harm to slander, planting evidence, fake suicide, cyber-bullying, all the way to poisoning, faking car accidents, and hiring people to kill and sell me to Myanmar for organ harvesting.

The hall was in shock. My brother still screamed, “It’s fake!”

I then projected the Toxicology Report for the Tiramisu, clearly showing the presence of colchicine.

This time, even my brother, who had been constantly spitting vitriol, was speechless.

The police arrived quickly. Seeing Sở Mộng Giao’s injuries and the evidence I provided, they prepared to take her away.

My mother hesitated for a few seconds, then forcefully pushed Mộng Giao away, screaming fiercely: “Officers, her business has nothing to do with us! We knew she was mistakenly switched long ago, and we’ve already cut off ties! She’s so vicious; we’ve been blind to raise her for decades!”

My father also nodded decisively, cursing Sở Mộng Giao severely: “You bitch, wait for the punishment of the law!”

They had ruthlessly turned on her. Sở Mộng Giao, abandoned like trash, couldn’t endure the shock. Her body and mind severely assaulted, she vomited a mouthful of fresh blood and passed out again.

Only my brother stood by the non-blood-related fake heiress, rushing to stop the police. “Don’t arrest Mộng Giao! Arrest me instead! Mộng Giao is innocent!” He then turned to me, pleading for the first time: “An An, I beg you, please forgive Mộng Giao just this once. She’s suffered enough. If you let this go, I promise I won’t cause you trouble anymore.”

My brother’s plea was a show of concession, but he didn’t forget to include a threat: “Sở An An, I am the eldest son of the Sở family. The Sở family will be mine in the future. You know better than to offend me, right? Otherwise, how will you stand firm in the Sở family?”

I looked at his self-important face and chuckled softly: “Brother, you still want to protect her? You can’t even protect yourself. Because today, not only Sở Mộng Giao but you too must get out of the Sở family. From now on, you have no connection to the Sở family.”

“You’re crazy! Based on what? I am the only son of the Sở family!” My brother jumped up.

My parents were anxious. They could abandon Sở Mộng Giao, but not their son. The more elite the family, the more they valued males. “Sở An An, don’t go too far! Your brother, Sở Trần, is our most important child. You can never replace him. The Sở family can exist without Mộng Giao, and without you, but not without Sở Trần.”

Hearing those heart-stabbing words, I was not saddened; rather, I became even calmer. I looked at my brother, who was sweating cold, and produced a set of certificates: Evidence Appraiser and Forensic Scientist.

“I am a forensic scientist and a special police forensic expert.” Then I brought out a sealed evidence bag containing fragments of bedsheets and other samples. “This is the DNA I collected from Sở Mộng Giao’s bed. After DNA testing, it all belongs to my brother. Sở Trần, do you dare say this evidence wasn’t left by you?”

My parents were thunderstruck. My brother’s face turned from red to white, then ashen. He trembled, trying to deny: “I—I didn’t! You slandered me! You stole my hair!”

I took a step forward, staring into his eyes, my voice soft but authoritative: “Sở Trần, look into my eyes. Relax. Don’t be tense. Now you are very sleepy. You want to tell the truth.” This was hypnosis. Naturally, I had held a certification for it for a long time.

Under my practiced guidance, my brother’s eyes became hazy, his body relaxing. I continued to ask, “What is your relationship with Sở Mộng Giao?”

“Nominally siblings, but actually no blood relation.” My brother answered obediently.

“Do you like her?”

“Yes.” My brother’s eyes were blurred, his face even flushed. “I knew she wasn’t my biological sister, so I started liking her.”

“Have you ever slept together? Tell me the time and place.”

“On my 18th birthday, in my room. That day she wore a pink dress and said ‘Happy Birthday’ to me. And—and what’s so great about Thẩm Mộ Ngôn? I cheated on him, didn’t I?” My brother’s words were vulgar, yet he looked satisfied and proud.

“And then what? You maintained an illicit relationship and conspired to harm me together, right?”

“Yes.” He readily admitted. “Mộng Giao said you would come back and steal everything from her, and steal my inheritance rights. We planned to drive you away, install a camera in your room, and set up a deadly feng shui trap. I knew about the plan to poison you.”

“What other conspiracies do you have? For example, with Mom and Dad?”

“Mộng Giao hates Mom and Dad very much. She blames them for bringing you back. She said if we couldn’t drive you away, we should kill Mom and Dad too, so I could inherit the assets early. Hehe, fake car accident, drunk driving. Mộng Giao said we had to make it look like an accident.”

My parents were utterly shattered. Their family shame had been revealed, and now they heard that Sở Mộng Giao intended to murder them, with their own son as an accomplice. They couldn’t bear it anymore.

“Beast! You are a beast!” My father slapped my brother hard across the face, the blow breaking the hypnosis. My brother woke up, stared blankly around, remembered what he had just said, and his face turned white. His pants were wet with fear.

“Get out! Get out of the Sở family! I don’t have a son like you!” My father pointed at him, his hand shaking.

My brother knelt down, crying and begging. “Dad, I was wrong! Sở Mộng Giao seduced me! She forced me!”

“You’re still blaming her, and you wanted to harm your own mother!” My father kicked him in the face. “Get out! Get out immediately!”

My brother crawled to me like a stray dog, begging: “Sister, little sister? I was wrong, forgive me! We’re biological siblings!”

I looked down at him: “Sở Trần, when you helped Sở Mộng Giao harm me, did you ever consider that we are biological siblings?” He was speechless.

“Drag him out! Freeze all his bank cards! Take back his car keys and access card! I don’t want to see this bastard again!” My father roared. “I officially declare the severance of my relationship with Sở Trần!”

Two bodyguards immediately came in and dragged my brother out. He struggled, wailing like a dog driven from home. My mother watched her son’s back, tried to stop the bodyguards, but didn’t dare, then rolled her eyes and fainted.

The hall finally fell quiet. My father slumped onto a chair, looking ten years older. I put away my phone. “I’m going to the police station to make a statement.”

Thẩm Mộ Ngôn followed: “I’ll go with you.”

As we walked to the door, my father suddenly called out, “An An.” I turned back calmly. He moved his lips, but in the end, only said, “Be careful on the road.”

I nodded and left. Even now, he refused to utter a single word of apology. Hmph. I didn’t care anyway.

Sở Mộng Giao was prosecuted for multiple charges, including attempted murder, poisoning, and illegal wiretapping. My brother was kicked out, reportedly renting a basement in the city slum, spending his days drinking, gambling, and whoring.

My parents began to show cautious concern for me, treading lightly. “An An, this is bird’s nest stew your mother made for you.” “An An, take this card, buy whatever you like.” I accepted everything but maintained a cold attitude.

A month later, I used my Certified Public Accountant Certificate to audit all the Sở family’s financial books and discovered the truth: the Sở family was already financially exhausted; their splendor was all on the surface.

I looked out the window at the independent building I was rapidly constructing. I would not rely on this rotten elite family. I would use my 99 certificates to create a kingdom of my own, right next to the man who truly loved me.