The little girl was so frightened that she couldn't speak. Tianyun had no choice but to explain for her, his tone still very gentle: "Lingqi used to pack my dressing case for me. She remembered what it looked like after seeing it so many times. Miss Yu's hairpin is somewhat similar to mine, so she mistook it for mine."
The remaining people exchanged glances, remaining silent and waiting to see what would happen. The heavily made-up woman, however, was unfazed and added fuel to the fire, saying, "There are so many similar hairpins, why did this servant specifically choose the one on Shan Lai's head? I think she did it on purpose! Could it be that you, as her mistress, often speak ill of others behind their backs, and this servant has heard it all and is now waiting for a chance to retaliate?"
Lingqi glared at her. This woman was incredibly barbaric. She hadn't said a single kind word from beginning to end and only knew how to find fault with people's words. Now she was dragging the girl into it. She was truly despicable.
Lingqi mustered her courage and retorted, "We girls would never stoop to such a thing..."
Even the best temper can be provoked. Tianyun frowned, her face turning icy: "I have only met Miss Yu a few times. Why are you talking about her behind her back? Miss, don't make things up without evidence."
The heavily made-up woman shrugged and said innocently, "I was just guessing. Why are you reacting so strongly? It makes others think that I hit the nail on the head, which is why you're so guilty."
Her words seemed to sway Yu Shanlai, whose gentle face darkened as she questioned Tianyun: "Shangguan Tianyun, I thought I treated you well, but I never expected you to be so dark-hearted. All my good intentions were wasted, and I even thought I could befriend you!"
Since things had come to this point, and she still refused to join forces with him, Yu Shanlai simply decided to break off all pretense and occupy a weaker position that was advantageous to her.
Tianyun frowned: "I said no, and I mean no. Why are you being so persistent?"
More and more onlookers gathered, and arguing here would only make them a laughing stock. Besides, he didn't want to antagonize Yu Shanlai in the first place; her kind of seemingly innocent but actually cunning nature was the most difficult to deal with!
Tears welled in Yu Shanlai's eyes, as if she had been hurt. Her tone was full of resentment: "Today I have seen your true nature. You are a two-faced person. I will never dare to associate with you again."
This affected manner is strikingly similar to her feigned weakness when she confronted Mu Yaozhi.
Instead of getting angry, Tianyun smiled and issued an ultimatum, asking softly, "Do you really want things to get this out of hand?"
The woman who had exclaimed how beautiful the hairpin was spoke up in defense of Shanlai, saying, "You're the one who's in a mess, aren't you? What did Shanlai do wrong to deserve such slander from your servant? Are you expecting her to swallow this bitter pill?!"
Instead of urging everyone to speak up for her, Yu Shanlai was no longer in a hurry. She returned to her usual soft-spoken and gentle demeanor and acted as a peacemaker: "It was this servant who started this trouble. I won't make things difficult for my sister. As long as she apologizes to me, this matter will be over."
After saying that, she gave a wink to the heavily made-up woman, who understood and said arrogantly, "Shanlai is kind-hearted and forgave you so easily, but I won't stand for it. This lowly servant must kneel down and kowtow three times before this matter is over!" She was most skilled at this kind of coercion.
Lingqi trembled with fear, tears falling into the fish tank. Tianyun couldn't bear it and wiped away her tears, his heart burning with anger. He stopped her from kneeling, his voice as cold as an icy pool.
"The ruby inlaid on this hairpin has the character 'Yun' engraved on its base. My father bought it from a Persian merchant when I was thirteen years old and gave it to me as a gift. He also commissioned a skilled craftsman to engrave the character on this delicate hairpin. Although the character is small, you can see it in sunlight." If you are unkind, don't blame me for being impolite!
She spoke with such conviction, as if it were true, that Yu Shanlai felt a sudden pang of unease, cold sweat beading on her forehead. Could that slut Yu Lan really have stolen something?
Their confrontation had already attracted a lot of onlookers, and now she was truly in a difficult position.
The heavily made-up woman was even more excited than she expected this unexpected turn of events, repeatedly saying, "Take it off and let me see! Let me see!" She loved getting involved in these kinds of exciting things!
Yu Shanlai bit her lip tightly, reached out to protect the hairpin in her hair, and hesitated to take it off.
The onlookers had already noticed something amiss and began to jeer.
"Just pull it off and the truth will be revealed!"
"What are you dawdling about? Are you feeling guilty?"
Yu Shanlai's heart pounded, and her face suddenly turned deathly pale. Forcing herself to remain calm, she said to the heavily made-up woman, "This matter has nothing to do with you, so why should I show it to you?"
Why didn't you say it had nothing to do with her when you were using her? Tianyun sneered inwardly, a chilling glint in his eyes: "Then give it to me, let me see."
The situation has taken a sharp turn for the worse, and now the one who is relentlessly pursuing the matter is Tianyun.
He had given her a chance, and even asked Yu Shanlai if things really had to get to this point. Unfortunately, she didn't seize the opportunity and still wanted Lingqi to kowtow and admit her mistake. Then she couldn't blame him!
Yu Shanlai glared at her fiercely, then suddenly pulled out the hairpin and threw it to the ground, trying to destroy the evidence, but the heavily made-up woman caught it with lightning speed.
The woman held up the hairpin to the sunlight and, sure enough, saw a small character for "cloud" on it. She exclaimed, "There really is a character for 'cloud'!"
The people who had been standing next to Yu Shanlai all quietly walked away from her side.
In any era, theft is the most despicable act. If you get close to her, who can guarantee you won't be the next victim of theft?
Yu Shanlai's gaze was fierce, no longer showing her former gentleness. Tianyun, however, was not afraid at all, and said indifferently, "I will not offend others unless they offend me. Today you have only yourself to blame. Don't call me sister anymore. It makes me feel nauseous."
After saying that, he took Lingqi's hand and left.
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