But before Mu Yinyin could speak, Liang Min preempted her.
"How did Yinyin know? Because Yinyin's birthday gift to me was a jade carving of a crane."
Liang Min busied herself calling a servant to bring out Mu Yinyin's gift, taking out the jade carving of a crane among pine trees from the box.
"Yinyin sent it privately, and I didn't expect this to happen."
Placed side by side, the two jade carvings showed a discernible difference in quality to the naked eye.
Nan Shiqing's face turned deathly pale.
"The rumors outside are true; before Mr. Zhang retired, he did have a jade carving of a crane, which he sent to a private collector's museum."
Mu Yinyin lowered her gaze, looking at the jade carving before her.
"I once did Mr. Zhang a favor, and he gifted me this jade carving. Mr. Zhang would always leave a small seal script character 'Zhang' after completing his works."
"This bracelet I'm wearing was obtained from Mr. Zhang."
Old Madam Li extended her wrist, wearing the jade bangle. She took it off and examined it carefully.
For a moment, the atmosphere in the room froze to an extreme.
"It's really there."
"The authenticity of the jade carving can be verified with a single look," Mu Yinyin calmly opened her palm.
Upon inspection, Mu Yinyin's jade carving indeed bore the small seal script engraving, while Nan Shiqing's did not.
Even without the engraving on the jade carving, based on the material and craftsmanship alone, Mu Yinyin's jade carving had already crushed Nan Shiqing's.
At this moment, Nan Shiqing wished she could burrow into a hole.
A wave of intense embarrassment surged through her, making her ears ring. The surrounding gazes felt like sharp blades, scraping against her skin and bones.
Nan Shiqing's hands and feet turned cold, her whole body trembling.
The scornful looks from those around her made her face turn even paler.
Even when her design was exposed for plagiarism in a competition, Nan Shiqing had never felt this mortified.
"I contacted a private collector, and I didn't expect that..."
Tears welled up in Nan Shiqing's eyes. Her slender body trembled incessantly, her innocent and pitiful appearance making her seem as if a gust of wind from the door could sweep her away.
"I'm sorry, Si Ye." Nan Shiqing's fingertips lightly brushed against Fu Si Ye's cuff.
Mu Yinyin watched this scene with a half-smile.
She admitted that she was a little gloating.
However, the current situation was brought about by Nan Shiqing herself.
Putting aside whether she received a fake item or not, Liang Min had already asked her to place her gift aside, but she insisted on taking it out and flaunting it.
"It's normal for you to not recognize these items since you're young."
Old Master Fu offered a word of comfort, but he was also displeased that Nan Shiqing had created such an embarrassing situation.
Truly an unpresentable stepdaughter, weak and unable to offer any assistance.
In contrast, Mu Yinyin surprised him greatly; he hadn't expected Mu Yinyin's network to be so extensive.
"I'm sorry, Grandma. It was all my momentary carelessness."
Nan Shiqing apologized to Liang Min with even more guilt, but halfway through her words, she seemed unable to support herself, swaying a few times.
Fu Si Ye lightly steadied Nan Shiqing's arm.
"Your body hasn't fully recovered yet, don't overexert yourself."
However, Fu Si Ye did not embrace Nan Shiqing as he usually would. Instead, he called for a nearby servant, causing Nan Shiqing, who had intended to lean into Fu Si Ye's embrace, to freeze in place.
"I'll have someone send you back to rest."
Fu Si Ye also felt awkward.
For Nan Shiqing, leaving now was naturally the best option.
"But... but it's Grandma's banquet today, I don't want to leave so early."
Although she said this, Nan Shiqing's palm pressed against her chest, her breathing becoming rapid.
"You shouldn't have forced yourself to come today in the first place." Fu Si Ye's brows furrowed even tighter.
"Grandma, I'm truly sorry." Nan Shiqing added again.
Liang Min also heard the conversation between Fu Si Ye and Nan Shiqing.
When Nan Shiqing turned towards her, Liang Min instantly leaned back, as if afraid of being tainted in the slightest.
She waved her hand, her tone quite perfunctory.
"Go on, go on."
Perhaps feeling that her tone of dismissal was too obvious, Liang Min added an excuse.
"Young people should take care of their health."
Mu Yinyin, standing beside Liang Min, raised her eyes and met Nan Shiqing's tear-filled pupils.
Mu Yinyin calmly averted her gaze.
Though she hadn't uttered a single word, in Nan Shiqing's eyes, it seemed like the scorn of a victor.
Only then did Nan Shiqing almost lose her breath.
Amidst the clinking of glasses, only Nan Shiqing left in a dispirited and unnoticed manner.
What had just happened was merely gossip among others, likely to be mentioned in passing with a few words and then forgotten.
As the banquet officially began, Mu Yinyin, who had already stolen the spotlight with her birthday gift, was pulled by Liang Min to sit beside her, almost pushing Fu Si Ye aside.
However, Mu Yinyin did not want to be too ostentatious or eye-catching, so she sat next to Old Madam Li, but on the other side, she was still close to Fu Si Ye.
The banquet was filled with blessings and congratulations. Liang Min smiled radiantly and even snatched a glass of wine from Old Master Fu.
Suddenly, Mu Yinyin heard a muffled cough.
Mu Yinyin looked up, her gaze falling on Fu Si Ye.
She saw him sitting beside his grandmother, his lips pale, his complexion terrible, but he lowered his eyes, trying his best to conceal it.
Could the poison in his body have relapsed?
This was no small matter; she should...
Mu Yinyin's heart tightened. She then remembered Fu Si Ye's frenzied behavior at her home that night, gnashing his teeth in anger.
She quickly put aside her helpful inclination and quietly lowered her head to eat.
"Grandma, I'm going to leave for a bit. Please enjoy yourselves."
After a short while, Fu Si Ye politely stood up, pretending nothing was wrong, and turned to leave the banquet.
Liang Min also seemed to notice something amiss with Fu Si Ye and looked at him with concern.
She then glanced at Mu Yinyin, who was quietly eating, hesitated, and said no more.
...
In the old house's corridor.
As Fu Si Ye was about to return to his room to rest, a sharp pain in his temple made his head spin.
A chill flashed in his eyes. He grabbed onto the wall beside him, barely managing to steady himself.
He had no symptoms these past few days since returning to the country, so why had the poison suddenly recurred?
Cold sweat had already soaked the strands of hair on his forehead. Fu Si Ye gasped heavily, feeling his body uncontrollably sinking.
The next second, he collapsed heavily onto the ground.
"Fu Si Ye!"
A familiar voice sounded in his ears.
Mu Yinyin, who was "passing by," happened to see Fu Si Ye stumble and fall. Almost instinctively, she rushed over to support him.
She saw her long fingers quickly press against the pulse points on his wrist, her beautiful thin lips pursed slightly as she listened carefully.