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“Qingqing, your necklace must be fake!” Xie Wan’ning blurted out.
“Exactly! This jade Green Tara necklace is worth at least tens of millions. You left the Lu family with nothing—how could you possibly afford such an expensive piece?” Lu Yanchuan chimed in.
His mother, Li Xianglan, had never liked Xie Wan’ning. This time, when Lu Yanchuan brought Xie Wan’ning home to meet his parents, he had gone all out, transferring her twenty million yuan so she could buy an extravagant gift to please his mother. Since Xie Wan’ning had accepted the money, there was no way she would have bought a fake jade necklace. That was why Lu Yanchuan was certain that Xie Waning’s necklace was real—and that Song Qingyu’s was fake.
Song Qingyu was stunned. She had never imagined that the gift Li Huaidong had prepared for her was worth tens of millions. Apart from the house in Lan Garden, even if she sold herself, she wouldn’t be worth as much as this jade necklace. Li Huaidong never seemed like someone who would make such a grand gesture. No wonder everyone suspected that her necklace was fake.
But this was personally prepared by Li Huaidong. No matter what, he would never deal in fakes. After all, tens of millions were nothing more than a drop in the ocean for him—he had no reason to buy a counterfeit.
“On what grounds are you claiming my gift is fake?” Song Qingyu asked.
“Because there is only one Jade Green Tara necklace in all of Jin City, and that one is currently on me,” Li Xianglan declared smugly as she unfastened her coat.
Sure enough, hanging around her neck was a jade Green Tara necklace identical to the one inside Song Qingyu’s brocade box.
The guests erupted into murmurs, debating which necklace was real and which one was fake.
“Song Qingyu’s necklace is definitely a fake!” Xie Wan’ning said confidently. “Auntie’s necklace was bought from Jade Pavilion, a century-old reputable store. How could it possibly be a fake?”
“So it’s from Jade Pavilion. That guarantees it’s genuine!” a knowledgeable guest commented. “Jade Pavilion has a strict policy of double-checking authenticity—if any counterfeit items are sold, they’ll pay ten times the price in compensation. Their treasures are worth millions, and with such a rule in place, Jade Pavilion has never been involved in any counterfeiting in its hundred years of history.”
Seeing that someone was backing her up, Xie Wan’ning gained more confidence. She turned to Song Qingyu and asked sarcastically, “Qingqing, where did you buy your jade necklace from?”
The necklace was prepared by Li Huaidong, but Song Qingyu genuinely didn’t know where he had bought it from.
“Why aren’t you speaking? You don’t even know where the gift you received came from?” Li Xianglan pressed aggressively.
“This Miss Song can’t even tell where the jade necklace came from, so it’s highly likely to be fake,” one guest remarked.
“Exactly! Who doesn’t know where their gift comes from? There must be something fishy about this,” another added.
“Honestly, if you couldn’t afford such an expensive gift, you could have just not given one. Why try to fool everyone with a fake? It’s simply self-inflicted humiliation!”
“…”
Seeing that Madam Li Xianglan wasn’t showing any kindness toward Song Qingyu, the guests quickly jumped on the bandwagon, joining in on the attack.
Song Qingyu felt increasingly uncomfortable.
“Stop making a fool of yourself here, get out!” Lu Yanchuan stepped forward and shoved Song Qingyu roughly.
Caught off guard, Song Qingyu staggered backward several steps, and just as she was about to lose her balance and fall, a large hand suddenly steadied her waist from behind.
“Oh, it’s Mr. Li!”
“Mr. Li!”
“Mr. Li is here!”
Song Qingyu turned around and saw Li Huaidong standing behind her, accompanied by a young man dressed in a traditional Chinese-style suit, elegant and refined.
It was Li Huaidong who had caught her, preventing her from falling.
“Mr. Li, it’s been a while,” Song Qingyu greeted him.
A crowd of guests gathered around to greet Li Huaidong. He calmly released his hold on Song Qingyu, though his gaze still lingered on her.
Today, he wore a pair of gold-rimmed glasses, with his eyes hidden behind the lenses, giving his expression an even deeper, more mysterious air.
Song Qingyu had specifically asked Uncle Kang about Li Huaidong’s schedule yesterday. According to what he had said, Li Huaidong was supposed to still be on a business trip in another province today—how could he possibly be here?
“Uncle!” Lu Yanchuan, seeing Li Huaidong, excitedly stepped forward. “You said you wouldn’t be able to come today, didn’t you?”
“I changed my schedule,” Li Huaidong replied briefly.
“That’s great! Please, come this way!” Lu Yanchuan cleared a path through the crowd for Li Huaidong. “Mom, Uncle is here!”
When the invitation for Old Madam Lu’s 80th birthday banquet was sent out, Li Xianglan had her son, Lu Yanchuan, deliver it to Li Huaidong’s company as soon as possible. After all, if Li Huaidong attended the banquet, it would be a big boost to their image. Even her husband, Lu Jianping, would hold them in higher regard because of it.
But unfortunately, the date of the banquet coincided with Li Huaidong’s business trip in another province, which greatly disappointed Li Xianglan. She never expected that Li Huaidong would change his schedule and show up today!
“Huadong! You really came all the way here just to give your sister face. You’re too kind!” Li Xianglan was overjoyed.
Li Huaidong didn’t respond to her praise. Instead, he asked, “Why is everyone gathered at the door?”
“Isn’t it because of Miss Song, Yanchuan’s ex-wife?” Li Xianglan sneered. “Even after their divorce, she still has to come to the Lu family and make a fool of herself. She claims she came to see Old Madam, but in reality, she bought a fake jade necklace to pass off as a gift. And now it’s been exposed!”
“Fake?” Li Huaidong glanced at the jade Green Tara necklace in the brocade box. “Looking at the color, it doesn’t seem like a fake.”
“Uncle, this is definitely a fake. There’s only one Jade Green Tara necklace in all of Jin City. My girlfriend specially went to Jade Pavilion to buy it for my mom. My mom’s already wearing it around her neck. Song Qingyu’s necklace is definitely fake,” Lu Yanchuan once again stepped in to defend Xie Wan’ning.
In the past, Song Qingyu would feel heartbroken seeing how much Lu Yanchuan favored Xie Wan’ning, but now, all that remained was numbness.
“Jade Pavilion?” The young man beside Li Huaidong spoke up. “Jade Pavilion has never sold the Jade Green Tara necklace. The ownership of this particular necklace has always been with Su Fu’an Auction House.”
“Who are you, and how do you know that Jade Pavilion has never sold this jade necklace?” Lu Yanchuan asked.
“Let me introduce him to everyone. This is Yin Shuo, the young master of Jade Pavilion,” Li Huaidong said.
Yin Shuo took a step forward and nodded politely to Li Xianglan. “Good afternoon, Mrs. Lu. I’m Yin Shuo. Originally, it was my father who was supposed to come to celebrate Old Madam Lu’s 80th birthday, but he had to fly abroad at the last minute. He asked me to come in his place and send his regards to the Lu family on this joyous occasion.”
“Thank you, young master Yin, for giving the Lu family face,” Li Xianglan responded enthusiastically.
“Yin Shuo, since you’re an expert, could you help my sister-in-law identify whether the jade necklace around her neck is real or fake? We don’t want her to be deceived by someone with ill intentions,” Li Huaidong added.
“Alright,” Yin Shuo responded, then turned to Li Xianglan. “Mrs. Lu, to avoid causing any offense, would you mind taking off the necklace so I can examine it?”
Li Xianglan was reluctant, fearing she might be publicly humiliated, but with everyone watching, she had no choice. She reluctantly removed the jade necklace and handed it to Yin Shuo.
Yin Shuo carefully examined the entire necklace, thoroughly inspecting each detail, before handing it back to Li Xianglan.
“Well? This necklace is real, right?” Lu Yanchuan asked urgently.
“Young Master Lu, Mrs. Lu, I’m sorry to inform you, but this necklace is fake. None of the jade beads are real, full-green jade. They’re just green agate with a tinted color,” Yin Shuo announced.
A wave of shock swept through the guests.
Li Xianglan’s gaze turned to Xie Wan’ning, and the murderous intent in her eyes was no longer concealed.
“Impossible! I spent over ten million on this necklace! How could it possibly be fake?” Xie Wan’ning’s face turned red with embarrassment. “Young Master Yin, you must have made a mistake. Please, take another look.”
Yin Shuo smiled lightly. “I’ve dealt with jade my whole life. I can vouch for this necklace with my own reputation and the credibility of Jade Pavilion—it is definitely fake.”
“Wan’ning, where exactly did you buy this necklace?” Lu Yanchuan grabbed Xie Waning by the shoulders, his tone firm. “Jade Pavilion says they’ve never sold the Jade Green Tara necklace, but you claim you bought it there. What’s going on?”
“I really did buy it at Jade Pavilion! I have the receipt from there!”
“Where’s the receipt? Hurry up and show it to Young Master Yin,” Li Xianglan demanded.
Xie Wan’ning fumbled through her bag, pulling out the receipt and handing it to Yin Shuo.
Yin Shuo glanced at it before shaking his head. “All receipts from Jade Pavilion are stamped with their exclusive seal. This one only has an unfamiliar signature. This receipt is also fake.”
Xie Wan’ning stood frozen, her eyes filled with unshed tears, disbelief etched across her face. “Yanchuan, I’ve been scammed! I’ve been scammed! All that over ten million… it’s all gone!”
Lu Yanchuan remained silent. With so many guests watching, and the matter affecting his mother Li Xianglan’s dignity, he only felt that Xie Wan’ning was foolish. Not only had she been scammed out of over ten million, but she had also embarrassed his mother.
Li Xianglan was so angry that her blood pressure seemed to rise. She had never liked Xie Wan’ning, and the only reason she had worn the jade necklace gifted by Xie Wan’ning today was because it was the “only one in Jin City.” She never imagined it would end in such a scandal.
“After all this, it turns out that the jade necklace Miss Xie Wan’ning gave was fake, while the one Miss Song gave is real. We truly wronged Miss Song earlier!” one of the guests apologized.
Xie Wan’ning refused to accept it, choking up as she sharply asked, “Just because my necklace is fake, does that mean Song Qingyu’s must be real?”
Li Huaidong glanced at Yin Shuo, who immediately understood. He walked over to Song Qingyu’s side. “Miss Song, may I have a look at your Jade Green Tara necklace?”
“Of course.”
Song Qingyu handed the entire brocade box to Yin Shuo.
Yin Shuo once again carefully examined the jade necklace, even inspecting the brocade box it came in.
“This Jade Green Tara necklace is genuine. Every bead on it is the highest-grade glass type, rare and precious. Additionally, the brocade box it’s housed in is exclusive to Su Fu’an Auction House. The fabric used to make the outer layer of the box is woven with luminous brocade, and Su Fu’an’s silver logo is directly embroidered into it. This kind of craftsmanship is impossible to replicate by ordinary vendors. The box itself is worth a considerable amount.”
Yin Shuo’s detailed explanation made it clear that he truly understood the necklace and its origins.
The guests at the scene all raised their thumbs in approval, and their glances toward Xie Wan’ning grew increasingly meaningful.
Xie Wan’ning, filled with both shame and anger, could only suppress her feelings, unable to lash out.
Yes, it was a fake that she had bought. The money that Lu Yanchuan gave her to buy a gift had actually gone toward paying off the debts she had accumulated from splurging on luxury items abroad. She had specifically had someone make a counterfeit necklace identical to the genuine Jade Green Tara necklace, thinking it was a foolproof plan. She never expected to cross paths with Song Qingyu’s gift.
That damn Song Qingyu was truly her nemesis!
Song Qingyu, seeing the crisis averted, let out a quiet sigh of relief.
“Thank you, Young Master Yin, for clearing my name,” she said, her gaze naturally drifting toward Li Huaidong, silently thanking him as well.
She knew that Yin Shuo, as the young master of the prestigious Jade Pavilion, would never have acted so decisively and publicly against the Lu family without Li Huaidong’s guidance.
“Sister-in-law, Young Master, please listen to me…” Xie Wan’ning cried pitifully, playing the victim. “I really was deceived. It’s all my fault for being so naive and trusting a scammer…”
Her voice trembled, and she looked genuinely distressed, hoping for sympathy. However, deep down, her bitterness toward Song Qingyu only grew. The embarrassment of being exposed and the anger of having lost so much money made it hard for her to control her emotions.
Lu Yanchuan stood there, his expression unreadable as he looked at her. His silence only made Xie Wan’ning feel even more isolated. She expected him to comfort her, but instead, she could sense the distance growing between them.
“Stop,” he said quietly, his voice colder than usual. “We don’t need to discuss this here.”
His words were sharp, and his gaze was distant, as though the issue no longer mattered to him. He had already grown tired of the drama surrounding her, especially when it was becoming more about her own foolishness than anything else.
“Shut up!” Li Xianglan threw the necklace in her hand at Xie Wan’ning. “Take your fake goods and leave right now!”
“Aunt…” Xie Wan’ning’s tears streamed down her face as she grabbed Lu Yanchuan’s wrist. “Yanchuan, please talk to Aunt for me. I really didn’t mean to, I didn’t want any of this to happen.”
Lu Yanchuan made a shushing gesture toward Xie Wan’ning, whispering in her ear, “Wan’ning, I know you’re upset. Go back first, and I’ll come find you once this is all over.”
Knowing she was in the wrong, Xie Wan’ning said no more, crying as she left the hotel.
After Xie Wan’ning left, Lu Yanchuan turned and linked arms with Li Xianglan, trying to comfort her. “Mom, don’t be mad at Wan’ning. It’s just a necklace. I’ll buy you an even better one another day.”
“Is this just about a necklace?” Li Xianglan glared at him fiercely. “Because of Xie Wan’ning, today, I ended up wearing a worthless fake necklace in front of so many guests, losing all my face. Tomorrow, the entire high-society circle of Jin City will know about my embarrassing moment! How am I supposed to face anyone? Lu Yanchuan, I’m telling you, break up with Xie Wan’ning immediately! Otherwise, don’t ever call me your mother again!”
“Mom, breaking up is unnecessary. Wan’ning didn’t do it on purpose.”
“Whether she did it on purpose or not doesn’t matter! You and her are not meant to be! I went through so much to help you get rid of a servant’s daughter, and now you turn around and find another one? Are you trying to stir up trouble in the servant’s den? Why must you choose such lowly women? You’ve already lost your father’s favor, and if you marry some woman who can’t even help you in your career, how are you supposed to compete with Lu Shiyuan, that illegitimate son?”
“Mom, I really love Wan’ning. When I was young, she saved me, and I’ve always had feelings for her.”
“Stop with the pure love nonsense. Great men don’t get bogged down by love.” Li Xianglan gave him an ultimatum. “You need to break up with her today. Next week, I’ll arrange a blind date for you!”