Chapter 28 Destroying the Painting

Ji Xuan sighed with a hint of regret, “I really wanted to see what kind of handsome man Miss Gu has her eye on!”
What kind of man, exactly?
Qin Miaoyu couldn’t help but let her thoughts wander down that path. When she realized what she was thinking, she promptly shook her head. Now was hardly the time for such idle musings.
“Ji Xuan, will the Liang family throw a birthday party for Liang Sixuan this year?”
“Of course. I’ve heard that the Liang family plans to make a big move at this party. They might use it as an opportunity to pick the most suitable candidate for a marriage alliance.”
“A marriage alliance? Who’s getting married?”
“Who else but Liang Sixuan.”
Qin Miaoyu was full of confusion. “Isn’t she with An Xingmo?”
She remembered how Liang Sixuan’s followers had targeted her because An Xingmo had helped her. The An family seemed quite satisfied with Liang Sixuan as well.
“The An family is pleased with Liang Sixuan, but if An Xingmo isn’t, it’s useless. He rushed into marriage as soon as he was old enough to get a certificate. Naturally, the marriage alliance between the An and Liang families fell through.”
“He got married?”
“That’s right. Word is, An Xingmo claims he’s become the son-in-law, so the An family is now his wife’s family. It infuriated the elders of the An family.”
Qin Miaoyu hadn’t expected such twists and turns, but what she found more intriguing was why Liang Sixuan would agree to another marriage alliance.
“Why else? She wants to find a more powerful match to slap An Xingmo in the face. After all, the An family is on the decline now. It’s not so hard to find a family more prestigious than the Ans, though I imagine Liang Sixuan’s standards are sky-high.”
“Tell me more?”
“I heard she and the Liang family have their sights on the Lu family in Jingcheng. She apparently went there recently just to negotiate a marriage alliance with them!”
The Lu family in Jingcheng—Qin Miaoyu wasn’t much interested in the affairs of Jingcheng’s elite, but she’d heard about the Lus from her colleague Su Qiaohui. Wealth accumulated over several generations, and each successor was a shrewd manager. That’s why the Lus had never lost their title as the city’s top family and richest clan.
But the Lu family was famously low-profile. There were hardly any photos or news about them online.
“Ji Xuan, where do you get your information? It’s so detailed.”
Ji Xuan was startled by the sudden shift in topic. “Working as an entertainment reporter—how could I not know about these things?”

Seeing Ji Xuan’s evasive gaze, Qin Miaoyu pressed, “You never used to give such detailed accounts.”
In the past, Ji Xuan’s information was often inaccurate, and she’d always speak with a tone of uncertainty, but now…
Ji Xuan waved her hand dismissively. “Hey, I met someone through my mentor, someone who can provide reliable sources. This time, the news is definitely accurate. Aren’t you hoping to attend Liang Sixuan’s birthday party? Let me figure something out for you!”
Ji Xuan’s plan was to find someone who could bring Qin Miaoyu inside.
When Qin Miaoyu saw the person waiting in the distance, she glanced at Ji Xuan with some hesitation. “Are you sure he’s trustworthy?”
He was the notorious playboy of South City, famed for never letting a single leaf stick to him in the midst of a hundred flowers. His reputation was so widespread that even someone like Qin Miaoyu, who rarely read gossip news, knew his name.
There was no avoiding it—scandalous stories blanketed the media, and Qin Miaoyu had inevitably scrolled past a few.
Ji Xuan nodded vigorously. “Don’t worry, he’s absolutely reliable. You can trust my judgment, can’t you? There’s a reason behind his situation, but it’s hard to explain quickly. Just go with him!”
Qin Miaoyu trusted Ji Xuan’s character, but the endless rumors made her nervous. With no time to find another way in, she could only walk slowly toward him.
“Mr. Gu, hello. Ji Xuan said you’d help me get into the Liang family’s birthday party.”
Gu Xunan looked at her, a playful smile flickering in his eyes. “Yes, I’ll take you inside, but wait a moment—I forgot to tell my friend something. Let me send a message.”
Qin Miaoyu had no objections, and his polite, proper manner reassured her a bit.
When Gu Xunan finished messaging, Qin Miaoyu took his arm and entered the banquet hall.
The grand, opulent hall was filled with the sound of glasses clinking and laughter. As soon as Gu Xunan appeared, a group of friends gathered around him, teasing, “Hey, Brother Nan, got a new one already?”
Gu Xunan, unlike his usual self, did not laugh along. For once, he was serious: “Don’t talk nonsense. She’s a friend’s partner—I’m just helping her get in.”
After explaining, Gu Xunan turned to Qin Miaoyu. “You’ll be fine on your own, right?”
Last time, Lu Qi’an had asked him about Qin Miaoyu’s previous engagement, which had given him a fair understanding of the history between Qin Miaoyu and Liang Sixuan.
“I’ll be fine, Mr. Gu. Go ahead.”
“Alright.”
Once Gu Xunan and his friends left, Qin Miaoyu found a seat and watched as the Liang family mingled with guests in front of several paintings.

The group talked as they walked, revealing the full view of the paintings that had previously been blocked.
Qin Miaoyu stood up abruptly—right in the center was Liang Sixuan’s painting, “Metamorphosis”!
Unable to help herself, she took her wine glass and walked over.
Closer, Qin Miaoyu realized this seemed to be the original painting by Liang Sixuan.
She couldn’t resist leaning in for a closer look, wanting to study the details. Suddenly, someone bumped her arm, causing her wine glass to tilt upward. The spilled wine splashed directly onto Liang Sixuan’s painting!
“Qin Miaoyu, what are you doing!”
The startled cry silenced everyone for a moment, and Xia Min strode over in her high heels.
“Qin Miaoyu, this is Sixuan’s signature work! Are you trying to destroy it on purpose?”
“I didn’t mean to damage the painting. I just wanted a closer look. Someone deliberately bumped me, and that’s how the wine spilled!”
Qin Miaoyu was certain of this.
The painting was not hung low, and given the height and angle at which she held the glass, an ordinary collision would never have sent the wine upward. Besides, apart from the person who bumped into her and immediately ran off, no one else was nearby.
At that moment, Liang Sixuan approached, surrounded by admirers.
“What happened?”
“Sixuan, Qin Miaoyu ruined your painting! This is your masterpiece—she must be jealous. After all, she plagiarized this very work before!” Xia Min said quickly.
Liang Sixuan’s eyes flickered with displeasure at the phrase “masterpiece,” but none of it showed on her face. Instead, she looked at Qin Miaoyu with trembling, tearful eyes.
“Miaoyu, if you’re upset about things I didn’t know about and couldn’t prevent, you can come directly to me. There’s no need to vent your anger on my work. This painting means a lot to me, and it’s scheduled for further exhibitions. Now that it’s ruined, I…”
“That’s right, Qin Miaoyu. Sixuan didn’t know about those things. Why take it out on her?” Hu Qiaoqiao chimed in.
Their back-and-forth sparked murmurs among the crowd, growing louder by the moment, and the looks directed at Qin Miaoyu became increasingly scornful.