TLDMDTBS Chapter 68

Chapter 68

Those strong hands slid down from his shoulders to his waist, holding him tightly.

“Ji Ruan?”

In a panic, Ji Ruan turned around, only to see Gu Xiuyi’s anxious expression.

His heart suddenly relaxed, but the frantic heartbeat was hard to calm down, still pounding in his throat.

Ji Ruan’s eyes were a bit red, and he punched Gu Xiuyi’s shoulder hard: “You scared me to death!”

Gu Xiuyi hurriedly pulled him into his arms, gently running his hand along Ji Ruan’s back: “What’s wrong? Why were you suddenly so scared?”

Ji Ruan’s shoulders were still slightly trembling, clearly very frightened.

Gu Xiuyi was puzzled; he was just holding Ji Ruan as usual, and previously, everything had been fine—why was Ji Ruan so scared today?

“Did something happen?” he asked softly.

The lights in the hall brightened, and after Gu Changyun’s grand entrance ceremony, the banquet hall returned to its initial bright state.

Gu Changyun had lost his former glory and was now just an empty shell, while Gu Xiuyi radiated attention, drawing everyone’s gaze wherever he went.

With so many eyes on him, Ji Ruan couldn’t stay in Gu Xiuyi’s embrace any longer. He took a breath and pulled away a bit: “… it’s nothing.”

“—Our Young Master Fang has prepared the East Sea Night-Shining Pearl!” The host exclaimed excitedly. “Look at this rounded, large, translucent, and plump appearance; it’s truly a good thing!”

Ji Ruan and the others looked toward the stage, where Fang Qiming was squatting down, presenting a small box to Gu Changyun, saying respectfully, “Legend has it that the Night-Shining Pearl radiates light at night and continues for years on end. I wish you, like this pearl, the fortune of the East Sea and longevity equal to that of the South Mountain!”

Gu Changyun was clearly pleased with the gift, smiling benevolently: “Young Fang is thoughtful.”

Li Yuan, standing next to Ji Ruan, quietly asked, “Is there really such a thing as a Night-Shining Pearl? Does it really glow at night?”

“It’s just a regular mineral,” Ji Ruan smiled and said, his voice sounding somewhat weak. “It’s not a priceless gem.”

“Not to mention,” Li Sui’an added, “If this thing can really glow in the dark, who knows how many radioactive elements it might have? Using this every day to try and live forever must be hard—Old Gu, your cheap brother is quite considerate.”

Gu Xiuyi didn’t mind Li Sui’an’s teasing; he pulled Ji Ruan back to a nearby sofa, holding his cold fingertips: “Are you a bit tired?”

“No…” Ji Ruan met Gu Xiuyi’s worried gaze and paused, swallowing the instinctive denial.

He sighed and honestly said, “I think I just saw Lin Qing, but it should just be my eyes playing tricks.”

Gu Xiuyi frowned, not taking Ji Ruan’s word that it was just a hallucination. He pondered for a moment and said, “That person is definitely not on the guest list… I’ll have Song Ling check again.”

Saying this, he took out his phone and typed a text message.

Ji Ruan chuckled: “It’s really okay.”

Gu Xiuyi’s attitude was serious: “Although he’s not on the guest list, many guests today brought male companions, so it’s not impossible for him to sneak in. You might not just be seeing things; checking would be reassuring.”

Actually, Ji Ruan mentioned it casually, intending to brush it off as just his imagination, but unexpectedly, Gu Xiuyi took it so seriously.

Though he felt it was a bit exaggerated, he couldn’t help but admit that this side of Gu Xiuyi made him feel very secure.

Gu Xiuyi gently squeezed his fingers: “It’s fine; this isn’t a crucial banquet. If you don’t want to stay, we can go back.”

At this moment, all eyes were focused on the stage as Gu Zhaoxu and Fang Lan went up to present gifts. Occasionally, whispers from Li Yuan and Li Sui’an could be heard from the front.

“This really feels like serving the supreme emperor; anyone who doesn’t know might think it’s a longevity festival…”

“Longevity Festival? That’s the emperor’s birthday! In today’s terms, it’s our Old Gu…”

“Come on, President Gu isn’t that extravagant; what national live broadcast? Didn’t he just have his thirtieth last year without a big fuss? He even received ordinary shirts as gifts; aren’t they about to get worn out?…”

“What do you understand? The cherry blossom trees on the cuffs were embroidered stitch by stitch by his wife. He has to show off wherever he goes; I bet if he truly were an emperor, he’d have to dress up for the coronation…”

“Don’t make me laugh; we are a socialist country; be cautious with your words…”

Seeing that no one around was paying attention to them, Ji Ruan quietly rested his chin on Gu Xiuyi’s shoulder, affectionately rubbing against him: “Okay, when Assistant Song brings the embroidery over, you can take me back to the room.”

Embroidery was his work. Once he handed it over to Bai Yue, this task would be completely fulfilled, and he could go back to rest at ease.

Gu Xiuyi held Ji Ruan close, never contradicting him about these small matters: “Mm, I’ll listen to you.”

Gu Xiuli didn’t know what had taken him to the stage, and brought Bai Yue along looking very dignified.

Gu Changyun held Bai Yue’s hand quite amicably: “Little Bai, when did you return to the country? Grandpa hasn’t seen you for a long time.”

His words undoubtedly made Bai Yue’s connection to the Gu family seem quite close, and Bai Yue shyly smiled: “I came back last month, but I delayed a bit to prepare a birthday gift for Grandpa. He won’t blame me, right?”

Gu Changyun laughed heartily, but due to his frail health, couldn’t make a sound, just barely stopping: “How could I? You grew up in front of me, so tell me… Heh… what did you prepare for Grandpa?”

Bai Yue quickly helped him smooth his chest, acting even more affectionate than a grandson: “I know Grandpa likes traditional craftsmanship like Han embroidery, so I specially invited a famous Han embroiderer to embroider a ‘longevity’ character for you. May Grandpa have eternal peace and longevity!”

Gu Changyun was delighted to hear this, repeatedly saying: “Good, good, good! You’re really a good child!”

Gu Xiuli exclaimed, laughing: “Bai Yue, how can you do this? I also invited a famous embroiderer and had him embroider a ‘longevity’ character for Grandpa! You said it first; others will think I’m following in your footsteps.”

“Is that so?” Bai Yue covered his mouth, pretending to be surprised, and looked down at the crowd, waving his hands in explanation: “This is truly a coincidence; I didn’t expect to hit the same mark as Xiao Li’s gift.”

The crowd below showed no reaction, unabashedly enjoying the show, and media reporters eagerly broadcast live.

Ji Ruan raised his eyebrows, basically guessing who the show was for.

It seemed that he wasn’t hallucinating; Lin Qing had indeed come.

The host stepped in with a smile: “Oh, it’s really a coincidence, but Chairman Gu, since you love Han embroidery, the children are sending Han embroidery gifts. Doesn’t that mean they observe your preferences closely?”

In a flash of inspiration, he suggested: “Hey, since they are both the same work, why don’t we display them together? Han embroidery isn’t common; let’s see something new!”

The audience below finally erupted into applause; nobody hated to see a spectacle.

Bai Yue laughed in response: “Then Xiao Li might lose to me; the embroiderer I invited is impressive—he’s Cheng Yunxiu’s disciple. You definitely know him; it’s Ji Ruan.”

As soon as he spoke, the spotlight accurately captured Ji Ruan’s figure in the audience, and the same image was magnified on the projection screen.

Ji Ruan was sitting on a pure white leather sofa, held almost gently by Gu Xiuyi, who was feeding him lemon water. When the camera swept over, Gu Xiuyi’s napkin had just brushed against his lips.

He hadn’t dressed meticulously like the other guests present; his hair was tousled, his face bare, only wearing a simple white shirt.

Perhaps because the air conditioning in the hall was particularly cold, he was covered with Gu Xiuyi’s coat, which hung down exaggeratedly from his shoulders and needed Gu Xiuyi’s help to keep it from falling.

Even though he had anticipated something unpleasant from Bai Yue’s theatrical declarations, when the spotlight was on him, Ji Ruan still felt an unprecedented sense of ridiculousness.

He glanced at the surroundings, casually lifted the corners of his mouth to create a smile.

Perhaps this smile seemed a bit perfunctory, turning into an aloof distance in the eyes of the crowd.

—A detached smile indicating indifference, eyes sparkling like a sea of stars yet ethereal like mist, his chin slightly retracting, the smooth lines flowing down his white neck into the collar of his shirt, an indescribable elegance and luxury.

For a brief moment, the audience went silent, with only the media reporters quickly reacting, immediately turning the camera to capture Ji Ruan’s face, shifting the lens to include President Gu.

If Gu Xiuyi saw this scene, he might feel it resembled the footage from their wedding photo shoot, prompting Song Ling to buy the film back.

Bai Yue’s fingers were tightening slightly, looking towards Gu Xiuli, trying to assertively steer the conversation back: “Xiao Li, who did you invite?”

“Xiao Li?!”

Gu Xiuli was momentarily stunned, and it took Bai Yue calling him twice before he came back to reality, somewhat at a loss for words: “Oh, oh, I—I invited someone too; he’s also Master Cheng’s disciple.”

Bai Yue was dissatisfied with Gu Xiuli’s stutter, shot him a glare, and Gu Xiuli hurriedly added: “Oh right, to prepare this gift for Grandpa, he spent three months embroidering it with great care.”

While Gu Xiuli was speeching, he felt somewhat displeased; the increasing curious gazes from the crowd made him feel like he was being uncovered, increasingly embarrassed at helping Bai Yue act out this drama.

But with no choice due to the arrow being nocked, Lin Qing had appeared, holding up a painting frame covered with red silk, joyful all around.

Gu Xiuli had to brace himself up and introduce: “This is Lin Qing, a very talented Han embroiderer, and this artwork is a culmination of his three months of effort.”

Bai Yue gasped in shock, covering his mouth: “Three months? That’s quite a while?”

He shook his head in embarrassment: “In that case, I can’t compare. The piece I had Ji Ruan help me with hasn’t even been a month yet, how could it even begin to compare?”

Ji Ruan lowered his eyes, suppressing a roll of his eyes.

Lin Qing approached at the right moment, smiling politely at Gu Changyun and the guests below: “Art creation has no high or low; every piece is the creator’s hard work. Mr. Bai need not worry too much.”

Bai Yue smiled: “Mr. Lin is really understanding.”

Lin Qing humbly shook his head: “Ji Ruan and I were both students of Master Cheng; he is also my junior. I wouldn’t compare myself with him.”

“Yes, yes, yes, I was too hasty.” Bai Yue said apologetically, bowed slightly, but Lin Qing quickly put on an act to prevent it.

Gu Xiuli may not have learned much but had inherited a significant part of his grandfather’s pride. Watching from the sidelines, he felt a bit nauseous, recalling his earlier performance, and couldn’t bear the embarrassment any longer, quietly stepping back.

Bai Yue gave a sweeping glance at the crowd, confirming everyone was earnestly focused on what was on stage, before he said to Lin Qing: “Then Mr. Lin, let’s have a look at your creation.”

Lin Qing nodded, humbly saying: “I’ll embarrass myself.”

He pulled off the red silk, revealing, as Gu Xiuli had said, a large “longevity” character, embroidered in dark red thread, surrounded by a giant golden dragon, with a base of glossy flowers depicted with golden, silver, and colorful threads; the color vibrantly rich and luxurious.

The audience erupted in a small chorus of admiration.

“… It looks quite precious, doesn’t it?”

“After all, he’s an artist who spent three months; it can’t be that bad, right?”

“But who is this person? I’ve never heard of him. Isn’t Master Cheng the one always showcasing Ji Ruan and his daughter? When did someone with the surname Lin emerge?”

“Why care? His skills are evident regardless.”

Lin Qing listened to the discussions below, as if months of humiliation had been washed away, and he couldn’t help but smile and lift his chin.

Bai Yue gaped: “This is so exquisite. If I’d known someone like Mr. Lin would be here, I wouldn’t have sent something the same! Oh, how embarrassing….”

On the surface, his comments seemed to blame himself, but in reality, he was subtly implying that Ji Ruan’s skills were inferior, and the guests below weren’t naive; they picked up on the nuance and hesitated to agree.

Stealing glances, Gu Xiuyi was still embracing Ji Ruan, and indeed, his expression looked slightly displeased.

Bai Yue said slightly apologetically to Ji Ruan: “I’m really sorry, Xiao Ruan; I shouldn’t have asked you to design this piece for me.”

Lin Qing stepped forward with a laugh: “It’s fine, Ji Ruan is also my junior, so this can be viewed as a skill exchange between our school. I’d like to see if his needlework has improved lately.”

Bai Yue felt relieved: “That’s good; speaking of which, I haven’t seen that piece yet—Xiao Ruan, it’s fine! You can showcase it; nobody will mind.”

Ji Ruan sat as usual, his expression calm, seemingly unaffected by the previous interplay between the two.

However, his silence and lack of expression caused the surrounding sounds to grow increasingly unusual with each passing second.

“Could it be that he really can’t compare?”

“Probably, why take this nonsense? If he had a showcase-worthy piece, he’d have shown it already instead of enduring this humiliation.”

“Those two seem a bit off; no matter what, Ji Ruan is still Gu Xiuyi’s lover. Humiliating him is like humiliating President Gu; that’s not a good thing…”

“Right! I heard the Bai family’s relationship with President Gu isn’t that great. Last time, someone tried to leverage that connection but received no consideration from him.”

“Can hearsay be taken as truth? Just look at the Old Master’s attitude earlier to know their families aren’t ordinary!”

“Old Master’s words can have no value now; we all know President Gu is the one calling the shots. His poor relations with the Bai family are common knowledge…”

As the guests chattered more passionately, nobody could genuinely convince anyone else.

Lin Qing smiled sweetly: “Ji Ruan, it’s fine! We’ve both come from the same mentor. We’re just exchanging skills, there’s no need to feel awkward.”

“Exactly,” Bai Yue echoed, “Mr. Lin is your senior, right? He can definitely provide you with some pointers.”

Li Yuan couldn’t help but intervene: “How can you say he’s not on par when you’ve not even seen it? I just want to ask, if Ji Ruan takes it out and it turns out better than yours, how will you feel?”

Lin Qing chuckled: “Ji Ruan is my junior; if his needlework progresses, I’ll surely be happy for him.”

“Show off, will you?” Li Yuan rolled her eyes in disbelief: “While you were working on your project for three months, he churned out something in a month. What nerve to be boasting? So, unbothered about the skill gap, and yet to comfort him before you even see it!”

“Plus, I don’t understand, isn’t this just a birthday gift? As long as the host is happy, why suddenly compare? Are you really a disciple of Master Cheng? Which one are you, because I’ve never heard of you?”

Li Yuan spoke rapidly, firing off sentences and didn’t even offer Lin Qing a chance to retort, leaving him flushed with embarrassment and unable to respond.

He was forcing a smile, asserting that he was from the same school, but it was merely a word game, withholding the fact that he had long been expelled, shamelessly referring to Ji Ruan as his fellow apprentice, using the status to save face.

Thus, Lin Qing was left speechless, fearing that speaking too much would reveal his situation, casting him a sidelong glance at Bai Yue for help.

Bai Yue turned his view away, pursing his lips, seemingly considering how to respond.

The main characters on stage went quiet, while the audience continued to chat animatedly, largely agreeing that Lin Qing’s words held merit, unwilling to offend President Gu because of someone whose name they hadn’t even heard.

Even if Ji Ruan’s display turned out to be less skilled than Lin’s, they could still close their eyes and praise, so who would be foolish enough to stir trouble here?

Gu Xiuyi had heard enough compliments; he raised his hand: “Everyone, please calm down.”

Ji Ruan’s work was familiar to him, as he had watched each stitch being crafted while holding Ji Ruan in his arms. He knew very well the level of skill compared to Lin Qing’s flashy artistry, which wouldn’t come close to Ji Ruan’s work.

It wasn’t that they were embarrassed to reveal it or were intentionally dragging things out for the guests.

It was just that—Song Ling was a bit slow.

They certainly couldn’t keep a nearly half-meter-wide framed artwork in hand at all times, so they had to wait for the banquet to begin for Song Ling to bring it over. Who would have expected him to be late by several minutes, coinciding with everything happening in the venue to create this predicament?

So, when Song Ling finally arrived holding the framed piece, he was met with everyone’s attention.

The boss is hosting the banquet, making the employees the busiest. He had to help Gu Xiuyi keep an eye on that treasure and investigate how Lin Qing managed to get in, without a moment to spare to catch the live broadcast, naturally unaware of the grand spectacle unfolding in the banquet hall.

Thus, under the spotlight, Assistant Song was suddenly overwhelmed, awkwardly adjusting his bowtie, finding the cameras in the crowd, smiling brilliantly, displaying eight gleaming white teeth.

Ji Ruan: “…”

Gu Xiuyi: “…………”

All the guests were thinking: What is this person doing?

So this guy can be the top assistant? Then I can be too.

Li Sui’an sighed with exasperation: “How could I know such a foolish person? No wonder he can’t find a girlfriend even after attending class at my place every day.”

Li Yuan smiled in disbelief, nudged her boyfriend’s elbow: “Enough, why are you bashing your own people?”

Fortunately, Song Ling had some professionalism and wasn’t too dazed by the sudden attention. Sensing the atmosphere was off, he immediately collected himself and stepped forward to hand the frame over to Ji Ruan, bending down to whisper to Gu Xiuyi:

“Lin Qing came in with Gu Xiuli but used a pseudonym at the time, so he wasn’t noticed.”

Gu Xiuyi nodded, covering his mouth as he relayed a few words before waving him off to attend to his duties.

The cherished frame had finally arrived, and everyone craned their necks to see. The banquet director cleverly pointed the camera at Ji Ruan’s hands.

The nearly half-meter-wide frame was cloaked in a semi-transparent dust cover, making it glimpse through, only stirring everyone’s curiosity to see what lay hidden within.

Ji Ruan, maintaining his calm expression, raised a hand: “Mr. Bai, your gift has arrived; should we check it now?”

Doubts among the audience were growing larger. Bai Yue couldn’t wait any longer for Ji Ruan to be humiliated, wanting him to also taste the feeling of mockery.

“Alright,” he said without hesitation, snatching the frame from Ji Ruan’s hands, pulling off the dust cover: “I’m curious to see what my order is—”

But his voice abruptly cut off.

The guests rushed to the screen, eager to view whether it was a more exquisite and luxurious piece of art or just ordinary, unremarkable embroidery.

Simultaneously, everyone froze, and the venue fell silent.

The screen revealed a piece that was completely different from everyone’s expectations, neither extravagant nor ordinary.

It was very simple; against the backdrop of dark silk with dragon patterns, it only had a large “longevity” character embroidered in gold thread. No floral designs, no flying dragons, yet the embroidery shimmered exquisitely under the light.

The stitches were so intricate they were almost invisible to the naked eye. From afar, it looked like a large character written with liquid gold ink, as if it wasn’t even dry and shimmered like dew.

People had once seen calligraphy that transcended paper, not realizing that the most exquisite embroidery also cut deep. It seemed those golden threads weren’t merely stitched on but rooted deep within the silk, anchoring decades of power, blossoming into something exceedingly rare.

Lin Qing’s face changed first among those familiar with embroidery.

The guests, though not experts, were collectively struck with awe.

“… What?!”

“So this is Han embroidery… our cultural heritage…”

“It would be a loss as a gift; it could fetch an exorbitant price at auction…”

“The writing is superb. He must have done it himself! Is it now necessary to understand calligraphy to do embroidery?”

“It’s not just understanding; such skill takes at least a dozen years of practice. How many can achieve this level? Let alone doing it with a needle!”

“… Damn…”

“Who’s going to look down on a one-month effort after seeing this? How embarrassing…”

Gu Xiuli shrank into the crowd, hearing this remark, his face burned with embarrassment, relieved to have snuck away early; otherwise, he’d be the one facing the embarrassment.

Lin Qing hurried to Bai Yue’s side, exchanging glances, both puzzled.

His expression was gloomy, and despite desperately trying to control it, he couldn’t stop his facial muscles from slightly trembling.

When compared side by side, his intricate floral designs lost their charm, appearing excessively gaudy and insipid against Ji Ruan’s minimalist elegance.

He clenched his fists, forcing through a statement: “You’ve really improved a lot.”

Ji Ruan smiled: “Thank you.”

Bai Yue’s face shifted dramatically, ultimately succumbing to the mounting praise enveloping him, half-heartedly squeezing out a smile: “Xiao Ruan, you’re incredible; to produce such an exquisite piece in under a month.”

Lin Qing, lowering his head, silently unexpressive for a moment but then straightening his back: “It’s said that pieces with such dense stitches typically take two embroiderers three months to complete; you actually finished it in a month—it’s remarkably impressive.”

He seemed to switch tactics, beginning to go with the flow of compliments: “Compared to the last time I saw you, you’ve transformed completely; it’s astonishing to the point I can’t recognize you anymore. You truly deserve to be Master Cheng’s student.”

Those words, although meant as flattery, uncomfortably carried an undertone, as if Ji Ruan’s progress was belittled, causing Ji Ruan to support his cheek and respond: “It’s not that extreme; it wasn’t a complex craft; anyone can finish it alone.”

Li Yuan stifled laughter: “That’s too funny! Some think two people couldn’t finish it in three months, yet some think one can easily manage it in a month; what a contrast in ability, hahaha—”

She chuckled for a while before realizing something was off: “Wait, is he implying Ji Ruan didn’t do it himself?”

Li Sui’an shot her a glance: “You just figured that out?”

Guests began to guess due to that insinuation, feeling that for such exquisite embroidery, a month’s time did indeed seem short. Yet since none were experts in the field, they refrained from jumping to conclusions and kept whispering quietly.

Li Yuan, angry again: “Are they all insane? Why do you trust what others say? Open your eyes and see; that’s a character! Not just any flowers or grasses! You have to recognize the handwriting in calligraphy, right? It’s not something anyone can just stitch out!”

“Even if there is, how could two people possibly stitch identical characters?”

The audience was an uninformed bunch but were all people of substance, and laymen could weigh in on calligraphy, and many took the opportunity to express their opinions.

“Indeed, that’s a good point! If several people stitch the same character, there would inevitably be inconsistencies…”

“Plus, this character has a distinctive personal style.”

“The font is free and easy, powerful yet elegant; this could have only come from one hand.”

“… Do they really think we’re all fools? We can tell the difference!”

Regardless of whether the audience’s discussions were good or bad, Ji Ruan remained detached, uninterested in people’s alliances.

He had grown weary; Lin Qing had dragged this out too long, and with no notable outcome, the fun of watching had morphed into sheer boredom.

He sighed and leaned against Gu Xiuyi.

Gu Xiuyi immediately understood , pulling Ji Ruan in close.

This was their secret signal; the smart ones knew well that Lin Qing wouldn’t create any waves. If he caused a ruckus and Ji Ruan found it entertaining, Gu Xiuyi would keep him company.

But once Ji Ruan lost interest, in Gu Xiuyi’s eyes, Lin Qing lost all value.

“Let’s take a break.” He kissed Ji Ruan’s brow softly, gently turning off the cochlear implant behind Ji Ruan’s ear, then focused his gaze on Lin Qing, his expression suddenly hardening.

“Mr. Lin, I believe you need to apologize for the slander you placed upon my lover.”

The crowd around Lin Qing instantly dispersed, leaving him exposed and vulnerable in front of everyone. After all, Gu Xiuyi appeared serious, and no one wanted to be swept into his chilling aura.

Lin Qing shivered at the attention, forcing bravado: “What slander did I speak? Clearly, I didn’t say anything, and it’s just wild assumptions on their part; why am I being blamed?!”

Gu Xiuyi maintained his hold on Ji Ruan, pinching the bridge of his nose; the bright, warm lights in the hall couldn’t suppress his inherent pressure.

It was as if once confirming Ji Ruan wouldn’t hear him any longer, he could show nothing but icy resolve—his features lost in shadow yet his gaze sharp and cold piercing directly at Lin Qing.

“You need to be clear; I am not seeking your opinion nor do I care about the context. What I need from you is a serious, formal apology.”

If prior to this everyone felt emboldened to discuss amongst themselves, Gu Xiuyi’s words cast an air of chilling silence across the room, as if wiping away all traces of living creatures.

No one dared to speak at this moment, afraid to touch Gu Xiuyi’s sensitive spot.

Lin Qing stumbled back half a step. He could argue shamelessly with everyone, but he too feared Gu Xiuyi’s intense glare.

It felt as if under such a gaze, one could almost feel a hundred blades slicing through their skin; he absentmindedly sensed his blood ebbing away until his cheeks and lips turned pale with fright.

Lin Qing could no longer spot Gu Xiuli in the crowd and turned his pleading eyes desperately at Bai Yue.

But Bai Yue had already seen the situation change, crossing his arms and taking several steps back, entirely cutting himself off from Lin Qing’s pleading glare.

“Hey, I just found this person online!”

Someone suddenly shouted from the guests.

Then, everyone collectively turned on their phones.

“Wait? His story is ridiculous?!”

“Turns out he stole artwork online during the New Year?”

“Even worse, he stole Ji Ruan’s work, and his expression on stage back then was identical to his now! Hahaha, how ludicrous…”

“How daring is he? Does he think no one knows?”

“In his circle, stealing works is a serious crime; turns out he was expelled by Master Cheng long ago but still dares to flaunt that title!”

“I’ve lived until now without encountering such an unabashed personality; this truly opens my eyes.”

The unsympathetic discussions sent Lin Qing’s complexion into a tailspin, his eyes bloodshot as he realized he was being exposed; in a panic, he turned to flee but stumbled and fell to the ground.

A finely dressed lady nearly got knocked over and, avoiding him in disdain, scoffed: “What’s with all these riffraff at the Gu banquet? Doesn’t the Gu family feel ashamed?”

This one remark completely infuriated the long-silent Gu Changyun.

People only heard a sudden hoarse cough from the stage. Gu Changyun coughed until his face turned red, unable to speak, striking his hand against the wheelchair’s armrest, while the nurse calmly patted his back, adeptly doing so.

The bodyguards nearby stood at attention with a crack, and the captain turned his gaze toward Gu Xiuyi.

Gu Xiuyi was already intolerant; having held out for so long, all his remaining patience had been exhausted, raising his hand palm inward nonchalantly.

The captain of the bodyguards understood immediately, stepping forward to grasp Lin Qing with one hand as if disposing of trash and tossed him out.

At this point, even if Lin Qing was cleared from the banquet, the event would find it hard to continue. Gu Changyun remained on stage, and the guests couldn’t simply leave.

Pretending to have casual conversations down below while simultaneously browsing online for reports, they checked how netizens were commenting on this disturbance.

Gu Changyun nearly coughed out his lung on stage, forcing Gu Xiuyi to bring the doctor on stage for an assessment.

Ji Ruan felt a bit dizzy from this poorly scripted farce. Taking the opportunity for the atmosphere to revive, he went to wash his face in the restroom, still feeling a bit stifled, so he walked a few more steps to the deck for some fresh air.

To his surprise, he saw Lin Qing again.

The bodyguards seemed to view him as unlucky, tossing him onto the deck and neglecting him afterwards.

Ji Ruan saw him and immediately turned to leave, avoiding any contact, but Lin Qing hurriedly blocked him.

At last, Ji Ruan couldn’t hold back, frowning fiercely: “What do you want?”

Lin Qing’s face was marred with tear stains, as if he had been crying: “You ask what I want; why don’t you ask yourself why you have to snatch my things?”

He had seen the news just now: everyone was insulting him, calling him crazy, and saying he wasn’t mentally stable.

It didn’t bother him; his reputation had long been ruined. However, he couldn’t stand it when others cursed him while praising Ji Ruan.

He couldn’t accept that Ji Ruan was stepping over him, climbing higher in the eyes of outsiders.

Stepping over the work he had labored through three months to create and converting it into Ji Ruan’s wedding dress—how could that not diminish him to nothing, yet they claimed Ji Ruan was a talent?

Ji Ruan was almost amused: “What have I snatched from you?”

“Clearly, I was the disciple of Master Cheng, yet you stole my position.”

“The fame and glory you’ve gained now originally belonged to me!”

“You merely climbed over me to rise to success, are you proud to have taken all that is mine?”

Ji Ruan wanted to say that even without him, his level wouldn’t have caught a whiff of fame or glory.

But he realized Lin Qing’s mental state was indeed a bit off, resembling a rabid dog forced into a corner.

He wasn’t sure what a crazy person pushed to the edge might do, so he didn’t dare provoke him and quickly stepped back to distance himself.

But Lin Qing refused to let him go, clinging tightly to his garment and wrist.

In the chaos, Ji Ruan stumbled and fell, striking his head against the railing, causing his cochlear implant to fall off.

His vision went black for two seconds.

The sudden surge of adrenaline prevented him from confusion.

Afraid of Lin Qing chasing after him for more, he forced himself to regain clarity, stretching out his arm to grab the cochlear implant that had fallen not too far away.

One second, two seconds, but Lin Qing didn’t pursue him to attack.

Ji Ruan quickly picked up the cochlear implant at his fastest speed. The moment it was placed at his ear, he heard a loud splash.

A heavy object had fallen into the water.

He turned around in shock but couldn’t locate Lin Qing’s figure anymore.

Simultaneously, a scream resonated from below:

“Someone has fallen into the water!”

Ji Ruan was startled, subconsciously holding onto the railing to look down, only to lock eyes with a crew member below who had a concerned expression.

His heartbeat accelerated suddenly.