Page 306

The television screen was initially dim because the lights were off.

Then, the lights in the distillery were turned on, and the scene was suddenly exposed to everyone’s view.

Wasn’t that Gu Xiaoxi and Zhang Jingyue in the little hut where the wine was made?

Zhang Jingyue’s voice was the first to be heard, "Gu Xiaoxi, you don’t need to pretend for me. Let me tell you, our family doesn’t welcome you at all."

Gu Xiaoxi just laughed indifferently, "This isn’t your home. We are here to celebrate the old master’s birthday. If you find something unsatisfactory, you are completely free to take a stand with the old master or ask your grandfather to send us away."

"Driving you away is out of the question; even out of respect for Shaoqing, we wouldn’t drive you away. But you opposed me at every turn when I was in the military, and we are not through with that." Zhang Jingyue’s voice sounded somewhat sinister.

The audience on site all stared at Zhang Jingyue, who had gone stiff, unable to believe that she and Gu Xiaoxi were arch-enemies.

At this moment, Master Zhang’s face changed as he watched the video.

The audience continued to watch, and soon Gu Xiaoxi’s voice came through.

On the screen, she stood in the hut, calm and collected, and very composed, "That should be the other way around! I never intended to have problems with you, but Miss Zhang’s admirers opposed me at every chance.

As a girl, I was bullied by your group of admirers, alone and vulnerable.

Don’t I have the right to fight back? Or is it that only your admirers are allowed to bully me, and I am not permitted to defend myself? "

"I never directed them to bully you; they did that of their own free will."

"Then you’ve tacitly allowed it!"

"Yes, I’ve tacitly allowed it. If they can be of use to me, they should feel honored.

But as for you, I can’t stand how you always strive to be the first. If you didn’t scramble for that, wouldn’t nobody bother you?

" Zhang Jingyue spoke arrogantly, quite different from her usual refined and elegant demeanor.

However, Gu Xiaoxi remained unruffled, speaking sternly, "The first place belongs to those with true ability. I’m never afraid of jealousy, but I really dislike underhanded schemes."

"Is that so? Well, let me tell you, I especially enjoy scheming against you," Zhang Jingyue’s tone grew increasingly arrogant, completely upending her previous image of grace and gentility.

"Before the last competition, you had Liu Wenxing scheme against me. If I’m not wrong, you used your grandfather’s promise to help his father get the new investment project approved, and you haven’t managed to pull it off yet, right?" Gu Xiaoxi crossed her arms, speaking with a nonchalant tone.

Zhang Jingyue let out a cold laugh, "That useless fool, he can’t even handle a small matter, let alone help his father with that investment case. He doesn’t even have the guts."

"Tsk tsk, would your grandfather know about such verbal conduct? Do your parents know..."

Before Gu Xiaoxi could finish, Zhang Jingyue huffed, "Cut the crap. I’m a well-protected lady, cherished by my parents. My home isn’t a place for someone like you. If you have any sense, roll back to where you came from."

Everyone knew that Zhang Jingyue was deliberately trying to provoke Gu Xiaoxi, but instead of getting angry, she just sneered, "You truly let down your family’s trust in you.

And Zhang Jingyue, I assure you, this is the last time I will step through this door, even if you begged me on your knees. Next time, I won’t come again."

The video on screen had played up to this point, and Zhang Houde felt a chill in his heart.

He hadn’t imagined that his own granddaughter was such a person. Judging from just the first half of the video, she was like a stranger, with an irritable temperament, full of schemes, and daring to make those dark deals in his name.

Old Master Zhang was shaking with anger, Zhang Jingyue rushed forward and snatched the remote control from Young Master Quan’s hand, stopping the playback.

Quan Shaoqing just sneered indifferently, then walked over to Gu Xiaoxi, gently placed his hand on her shoulder, sheltering her in his arms, and addressed Zhang Houde, "At this point, I don’t wish to say much else.

Since Zhang Jingyue has slandered my wife’s reputation, the apology is surely not to be waived.

A woman of the Quan Family is not someone to be wrongfully accused at will. "

"Grandfather, I didn’t! It’s all her doing; she provoked me, setting traps at every step!" Zhang Jingyue threw herself at the old master’s feet, kneeling and crying hysterically, constantly making excuses.

Master Zhang’s face twisted with angry wrinkles at the disgrace in front of so many people, his life’s reputation ruined by his own granddaughter.

"Apologize to Miss Gu!" Old Master Zhang looked at Zhang Jingyue, booming with a voice overcome by fury.

"Grandfather, you must believe me." Zhang Jingyue knelt on the ground, her hair disheveled, her makeup smeared from crying—her parents couldn’t help but feel heart-wrenchingly sorry for her.

"Dad, let Jingyue finish her words first. Perhaps she really is wrongly accused," Zhang Jingyue’s father said, unable to bear watching his pampered daughter in such a disheveled state, trying to excuse her.

"If she is wrongly accused, then let the video play to the end. Her repeated grabs for the remote control show her guilt. Now refusing to admit her mistake and compounding it, she’s hugely disappointed me," Zhang Houde said, covering his chest, sinking heavily onto the sofa from a lack of physical strength, frightening his grandsons into quickly coming forward to support him.

The Zhang family was in an uproar.

Meanwhile, Gu Xiaoxi stood in the crowd, merely watching Zhang Jingyue with detached indifference, as if she were an onlooker witnessing a farce performed by her own kin.

They wanted to splash dirty water on her, but did they even consider whether she possessed such skill?

At that moment, people looked at Zhang Jingyue as if she were a dung beetle rolling in a pile of excrement.

The once well-mannered and elegant Miss of a wealthy family turned out to be a vile and two-faced crook with a gentle exterior but a malicious heart—completely overturning everyone’s previous assessments and perceptions of her.

The men who had admired her were now hesitating, wondering if they had been deceived by her dignified and graceful appearance.

Those with a bit of cunning began to feel a sense of wariness towards Gu Xiaoxi.

She appeared gentle and amiable, yet her tactics were anything but gentle.

From her ability to record videos, it was clear that she had been on guard against Zhang Jingyue from the beginning.

Her seemingly casual conversation with Zhang Jingyue had actually been a trap, pushing her to confess to her past deeds.

Gu Xiaoxi, no matter the situation, always maintained her composure.

People understood that a woman like Gu Xiaoxi was truly worthy of Quan Shaoqing’s trust and protection. She was incredibly astute and forthright.

She was leagues ahead of Zhang Jingyue.

"I think that’s all there is to the Zhang family. With people like this, it’s better not to associate with them!"

"To have raised such descendants, the old master has certainly tarnished his lifetime reputation."

"I wonder if the old master truly did, for his own selfish desires, assist others in committing deeds unfit for public view."

"I used to think she was so kind and pleasant, yet she turned out to be someone who took advantage of her admirers. What gave this woman the confidence that being used by her would be an honor!"

"Buddy, see it clear, and don’t let this Miss use you as a pawn in the future."

People whispered and gossiped, with conversations that were more unpleasant to hear.

There were always those ready to kick someone when they were down.

The well-wishers who came to offer congratulations did so out of respect for Old Master Zhang, aiming to forge marital ties with the Zhang family.

Now that Zhang Jingyue had shown her true colors, naturally, no one wished to marry into the family.

At least some people held suspicions against the Zhang family and planned to distance themselves privately, fearing association in case of the family’s downfall, which could damage their own reputations.

Frankly speaking, Old Master Zhang was nothing but a has-been official. In an age where benefits were paramount, who would twist the facts and help them unconditionally anymore?

The status and background of Quan Shaoqing were certainly not something they could deceive, and his current stance was even more resolute, just like Old Master Zhang had been when he attempted to stand up for Zhang Jingyue earlier, leaving no room for compromise.

Zhang Jingyue had to publicly apologize to Gu Xiaoxi.

And there Guang Xiaoxi stood, like an ethereal being descended from the heavens, her demeanor calm and her aura noble and elegant, with no intention whatsoever of easily forgiving Zhang Jingyue.

Old Master Zhang, overcome with anger, slapped Zhang Jingyue hard, causing even the side of her face that was previously unblemished to swell up.

Zhang Jingyue fell to the ground in a disheveled heap, her face swollen like a pig’s head, looking incredulously at her own grandfather, still unaware of how her actions had brought immense disgrace to the once highly reputable Zhang family.

Even Zhang Fenglin beside her was staring at Zhang Jingyue with fury, clearly feeling humiliated.

This time, it wasn’t just a loss of face for the Zhang family; it was as if they had fiercely slapped their own faces. Not only had their dignity been dragged through the mud and the family’s honor sullied, but it seemed they had also jeopardized the bright futures of the Zhang clan.

In the living room, people pointed and made comments, their eyes full of questioning as the birthday celebration turned into a farce.

There was no end to the drama in sight, with Quan Shaoqing strongly defending his wife and Gu Xiaoxi’s expression remaining cold, her stance resolute.

At that moment, a man in his twenties stood in a corner, watching everything that unfolded in the Zhang family, and couldn’t help but shake his head.

Afterwards, he turned and walked towards the main entrance.

Even as he passed by everyone, no one could see him; he had clearly deployed the Invisibility Technique.

Only outside the Zhang family’s gates did the man reveal his true form. He strode towards a car parked by the roadside, got in, and then took out his phone to make a call.

"How’s the matter I asked you to investigate coming along?" he spoke into the phone, as an elderly voice responded from the other end.

The man narrowed his dark, profound eyes and smiled, "Boss! What happened tonight was truly eye-opening. The whole Zhang family has lost face completely. Your daughter-in-law, she’s quite formidable."