Sitting beside Chu Mama was tantamount to announcing to everyone present that her status was extraordinary. This was not what Quan Jiu wanted, so she refused, "My identity is unclear, and sitting here will inevitably lead to speculation." She glanced at the child, her meaning self-evident.
Yuan Zijun understood her concerns and, after a moment's thought, prepared to arrange for Quan Jiu to sit with Ye Suhua and her daughter Ren Kui. However, upon a quick glance, she saw Yun Shu and her daughter at the same table, which made her a little hesitant.
Quan Jiu, noticing her hesitation, said, "I'll go sit with my friend. She's the child's godmother."
Wang Feifei was looking at Quan Jiu. Seeing Quan Jiu glance at her, she waved and called out, "Jiujiu."
Yuan Zijun was delighted to see the Wang family mother and daughter and escorted Quan Jiu and the child over.
As they passed the table where Yun Shu was sitting, Quan Jiu hadn't paid much attention to her surroundings, but a scrutinizing gaze suddenly caught her eye. She subtly turned her head and saw a pair of eyes filled with anger.
Quan Jiu's gaze paused slightly. Ta Xue? No, a replica. She mused inwardly but maintained a calm demeanor, then sat beside Wang Feifei.
Ren Kui and her mother were sitting at a nearby table. Seeing their boss move to another table, Ren Kui immediately got up, "Mom, I'm going to sit with my boss."
Before she could finish speaking, she had already moved to the next table. Ye Suhua could only shake her head helplessly and let it be.
Quan Jiu felt an arm link with hers. She turned her head to see Ren Kui. Smiling, she teased, "Sitting with your boss, aren't you afraid I'll talk about work with you?"
Ren Kui chuckled, "One can eat and drink well by sticking with the boss. Boss, your two little cubs are so cute." She pinched Mimi's plump, round cheeks.
Mimi obediently called out "Sister," and Ren Kui's eyes immediately crinkled into a smile. She promptly picked Mimi up and placed her on her lap.
Tu Tu, unwilling to be left behind, wanted to sit in Quan Jiu's arms, but Wang Feifei was quicker. She scooped him up and placed him on her lap, "Tutu, do you miss your godmother?"
Tutu honestly replied that he did.
Taking this opportunity, Quan Jiu greeted the others at the table and then saw another familiar face – embroidery master Bai Jing.
Bai Jing spoke first, "Miss Quan, it's been a while since we last met, and I've been thinking about when we might see each other again. I didn't expect to run into you today. Fate is indeed a wondrous thing."
Someone sitting nearby immediately asked curiously, "Teacher Bai Jing knows her? Could you introduce us?"
"This is the famous painter Mi Tu," Bai Jing said with a smile to everyone.
"She's Mi Tu?" someone at the table exclaimed in surprise.
Although the painter Mi Tu's fame did not rival that of master painters, she was still quite well-known. Especially since recently, there had been people heavily purchasing Mi Tu's artworks, which had caused Mi Tu's reputation to soar. Those present who understood art had heard of her but had never seen her in person.
"I truly didn't expect Teacher Mi Tu to be so young and beautiful," someone remarked with emotion.
Quan Jiu smiled modestly, "I'm not that young anymore, almost thirty."
"Thank you last time. I really love the clothes from Yun Lan Pavilion. If it weren't for you, I don't know when I would have been able to wear clothes from Yun Lan Pavilion," Bai Jing said gratefully, her gaze inadvertently drifting towards Yun Shu.
Another woman exclaimed in surprise, "Does Teacher Mi Tu have a close relationship with Yun Lan Pavilion?"
Bai Jing did not explicitly state it, but her smile revealed everything. For a moment, everyone at the table stared at Quan Jiu with astonishment.
Yun Lan Pavilion had always been a mystery. Many people had tried to build connections but couldn't. This was because everything about Yun Lan Pavilion's operations was decided by the pavilion master. But no one, not even the employees of Yun Lan Pavilion, had ever seen who the pavilion master was, thus shrouding Yun Lan Pavilion in an aura of mystery.
This mysterious woman's connection to Yun Lan Pavilion suggested her identity was likely extraordinary.
"No wonder you can wear Yun Lan Pavilion's clothes. The one you're wearing is Ta Xue from Yun Lan Pavilion, isn't it?" someone praised, "These clothes are indeed unique and beautiful. Wearing them, you and the clothes complement each other, making you so stunning that one can't look away."
"You flatter me," Quan Jiu replied with a modest smile.
Yun Shu, sitting next door, could no longer stand it. The words of praise, when heard in reverse, were like subtle insults. Overwhelmed with anger, she blurted out, "Yun Lan Pavilion's clothes are nothing special. They plagiarize other people's clothing designs and still have the audacity to sell them. Don't they feel ashamed?"
Quan Jiu smiled, "I wonder which embroidery house your outfit is from?"
"Fang Tian Embroidery House. Since you're asking, I'll ask you too, why does Yun Lan Pavilion have identical clothes to Fang Tian Embroidery House?"
Quan Jiu nodded, "I'm also very curious."
Fang Tian received a signal from Yong Cuirong and immediately said, "I haven't seen any clothes from Yun Lan Pavilion, but I've heard many people praise them highly, so I held a certain respect for Yun Lan Pavilion.
However, upon seeing them today, I realized that Yun Lan Pavilion is actually a thief, stealing my clothing designs and presenting them as their own original creations at their fashion shows. If the pavilion master of Yun Lan Pavilion truly has any conscience, they should come out and confront me. I'd like to see how many designs she has stolen."
Bai Jing glared at Fang Tian, "Years ago, you plagiarized your master's creations and angered her to the point of death. But out of師徒情誼 (master-disciple affection), your master did not publicize your disgrace, only expelled you from the sect. How dare you twist the facts."
Fang Tian let out a cold snort, "Anyway, my master is no longer here, so you can fabricate whatever you want. I have nothing to say. But I started embroidering this dress three years ago, and even the fabric was handwoven by me on a loom. You say I'm twisting the facts? If you have the guts, call out the pavilion master of Yun Lan Pavilion. I dare to confront her, but I don't know if she dares to show herself."
Bai Jing remembered how this junior had infuriated her master to death, and her anger could no longer be contained. "You scoundrel! Everyone knows the pavilion master of Yun Lan Pavilion has a mysterious identity. You're simply banking on no one stepping forward to expose you, which is why you're so brazen. But if you walk down a dark road too often, you'll eventually run into a ghost."
Her voice was not quiet, attracting the attention of many people around.
Fang Tian also happened to want to take this opportunity to showcase herself, so she stood up and said, "I have a clear conscience, so I'm not afraid of ghosts knocking on my door. Yun Lan Pavilion stealing original designs from my Fang Tian Embroidery House is a fact. Originally, I wanted to settle this privately due to Yun Lan Pavilion's reputation, but since my senior sister keeps pushing me, don't blame me for disregarding Yun Lan Pavilion's reputation.
Everyone present, if you know the pavilion master of Yun Lan Pavilion, please convey a message for me: if she has the guts, she should show herself, and we'll talk face to face."
Her gaze fell upon Quan Jiu, filled with a challenging glint.
Quan Jiu gently brushed away a stray strand of hair from Mimi's temple and smiled, "Words are not proof. How can you prove that this dress was your design?"
Fang Tian was prepared. She opened her phone and flipped through photos, saying, "These are my design blueprints, and my employees also know that I started embroidering this dress long ago."
Yun Shu, seeing that Fang Tian had produced evidence, finally relaxed her anxious heart and said triumphantly, "Yun Lan Pavilion is nothing special. They even plagiarize others' designs. Fortunately, the one I'm wearing is the real deal, otherwise, I'd be embarrassed."
Jiang Guixiu, a loyal fan of Yun Lan Pavilion, naturally defended them. "All the clothes from Yun Lan Pavilion are personally designed by their pavilion master. Each piece is original and has its own unique style. The design style of the piece you're wearing is the same as her previous works, clearly from the same person."
Yun Shu, already fearing being called out for wearing a fake, lost her temper and couldn't help but retort angrily, "The one I'm wearing is the real one. If you don't have good taste, don't speak."
Jiang Guixiu, no matter how unobservant she was, could now see at least two or three points of Yun Shu's character. Cultivation emanated from the bones, but Yun Shu's cultivation was superficial, meaning it was fake.
She completely dismissed any thoughts she had, smiled faintly, and said indifferently, "It's fine." After all, she wouldn't be her daughter-in-law. All the prominent families of A City were here today. It wasn't her who was losing face, so why should she care so much.
Seeing that Jiang Guixiu said no more, Yun Shu let out a triumphant scoff and sneered, "Fang Tian Embroidery House has evidence. I wonder what Yun Lan Pavilion has to say now."
She deliberately wanted everyone around to hear, so her voice was not quiet. For a moment, even the male guests from a distance looked over.