Quan Jiu looked back and, after a moment's thought, remembered He Miao, whom she had met at Jiang Nan Chen's mother's birthday banquet.
She smiled dismissively and turned away, deeming it beneath her to argue with a fool.
Ignored, He Miao grew even more incensed. Enraged, she strode in front of Quan Jiu and said haughtily, "What, pretending not to know me? You were kicked out of my Aunt Jiang's birthday banquet, and you looked like a stray dog, so I remember you particularly well."
Quan Jiu's usual gentle and calm demeanor shifted, and she cast a cold glance at He Miao. While she disdained arguing with fools, since He Miao repeatedly sought trouble, she didn't mind curbing her arrogance.
"Miss He, while your talent for eloquent speech is impressive, this is an art gallery, not a street for your performances. A friendly reminder to mind the occasion and save some face for yourself and your He family."
He Miao's face turned red with anger, and she forgot the setting as she furiously cursed, "You, a vixen, seducing men everywhere, what right do you have to lecture me?
Hmph, that's right, someone as impoverished as you naturally wouldn't know what to say on what occasion. This is an art gallery; I advise you to put away that seductive face and keep your mouth shut to avoid embarrassing yourself and your dilapidated rural shack."
Quan Jiu chuckled lightly, as nonchalant as the noblest empress, deflecting the attack with ease. "I truly feel sorry for your parents."
The surrounding people began to whisper.
"Who is this lunatic, throwing a tantrum here, utterly shameless."
"Heh, covered in gold, yet so crude. Must be a nouveau riche."
"Dressed like that for such a formal occasion, do they think this is a stage?"
He Miao, hearing the murmurs about her, roared, "I am the young lady of the He family, open your eyes and see!"
"The He family? Which He family?" someone asked, confused.
"I don't know. I know all the prominent families, but I've never seen such a vulgar woman. She must be from a second-rate family."
He Miao gnashed her teeth in hatred, blaming that slut. If not for her, Jiang Nan Chen wouldn't look at her coldly; if not for her, she wouldn't be making a fool of herself now.
"Slut, do you think you'll become cultured by looking at a few artworks here? Let me tell you, lowly people will always be lowly. You'll never become a lady like me in this lifetime."
Since her face was already lost, He Miao decided to stop caring. She stood in the center of the exhibition area and shouted, "Distinguished guests, allow me to introduce this lady in a knock-off green rag. Although she comes from a low background, she is unwilling to accept her fate and has tried her best to marry into a wealthy family.
So, you all need to be careful. Gentlemen, be wary of her seductive face, and ladies, watch out for your husbands and boyfriends being seduced."
More uninformed people in the exhibition area turned their heads and followed He Miao's pointed finger towards Quan Jiu.
Dressed in a bean-paste green cheongsam embroidered with green lotuses, Quan Jiu's already fair skin appeared even more delicate and fair, truly beautiful like congealed fat. Her graceful curves were further accentuated by the cheongsam, making her appear elegant, refined, and noble.
In contrast, He Miao, with her off-the-shoulder top and ultra-short skirt, where the skirt barely covered her behind, was exceedingly vulgar. Especially her sky-high heels, which made an ear-piercing sound with every step, utterly disrupting the harmony and tranquility of the art gallery.
Of course, it wasn't just the heels that disrupted the harmony and tranquility, but also the ugly face.
Everyone here was not blind. Having received aristocratic education since childhood, they could naturally discern who was noble and who was vulgar at a glance.
Someone said displeasedly, "Why haven't the security guards escorted this troublemaker out? People like her shouldn't have been allowed in."
He Miao thought she was being agreed with and immediately smiled at the speaker, "Yes, sister, they say this painting exhibition is high-class, but I think it's quite ordinary. How can a woman like her be allowed in? Isn't she lowering everyone's standards?"
"I'm talking about you. Can you please leave? You're disturbing everyone," the young woman said, clearly displeased. "Also, don't call everyone sister. Your face is much older than mine."
He Miao was stumped and angrily retorted, "Who do you think you are? Do you know who my father is? He Dayong. Our He family's porcelain business is all over the country."
The young woman speaking was clearly well-mannered and did not argue with He Miao, but directly called for security.
"Security, someone is causing trouble here. Please 'escort' her out." The woman emphasized the word "escort."
The security guard hurried over and glanced at He Miao. The art exhibition today was for artistic exchange among aristocrats and socialites. In such a formal setting, her attire was extremely inappropriate, and he felt contempt. With a stern face, he said, "You are disrupting the order of the gallery. Please leave."
"On what grounds? Who do you think you are. You fools have all been deceived by that slut. That slut is nothing, just an orphan with no parents, dropped out of college before graduation, relying on a seductive face to seduce men everywhere. For the past five years, she's only managed to become what she is now by being kept."
Quan Jiu's gaze deepened, and she stared coldly at He Miao.
Someone impatiently said, "No matter what grudges you two have, please take it outside. This is an art gallery, not a place for your nonsense."
"Did you hear that? Get out," He Miao said triumphantly.
He Miao's mother, hearing the commotion, walked over and, upon seeing Quan Jiu, immediately understood. She immediately sided with her daughter.
"Everyone, to be honest, that woman stole our Miao Miao's boyfriend, the child of the Jiang family.
Our Miao Miao and the Jiang family's child have been childhood sweethearts with a very good relationship. Just as the two families were about to arrange a marriage, this woman interfered, not only ruining Miao Miao's relationship with the Jiang family's child but also causing a scene at the Jiang family's wife's birthday banquet, and was eventually driven out by Mrs. Jiang in front of everyone.
You all know that Mrs. Jiang is the most cultured person. The fact that even she drove someone away without regard for appearances shows how detestable she is. So don't blame my Miao Miao for being rude earlier; she just couldn't help but get excited when she saw this woman."
The young woman who had previously opposed He Miao still didn't believe it. "This sister looks beautiful and noble; she's not like you say. I think you mother and daughter are deliberately slandering her."
He mother said angrily, "We have no enmity with her, so why would we deliberately slander her? If she hadn't caused trouble first, how could we expose her regardless of the occasion?
Also, you say she's noble, but that's just her wearing high-quality fakes. The dress she's wearing is not from Yun Lan Ge. How could someone like her afford a dress from Yun Lan Ge?"
This statement did attract the attention of some older noble ladies. In fact, many of them had noticed from the beginning that Quan Jiu's dress bore a strong resemblance to Yun Lan Ge's spring collection's summer new arrivals.
However, the color of that dress was too light, only suitable for young people, but many young people didn't like wearing cheongsams, so the noble ladies could only regret that they weren't twenty years younger.
"Now that you mention it, this dress really does resemble Yun Lan Ge's spring collection new arrivals," someone said doubtfully.
"Not similar, it's exactly the same. I went to the launch event and saw it with my own eyes," another person said.
He mother quickly continued, "It's just a high-quality fake. She also presented a Yun Lan Ge dress at Mrs. Jiang's birthday banquet that day.
As you all know, Yun Lan Ge only produces ten haute couture pieces a year. How could she wear them so casually? It's definitely fake. Mrs. Jiang also recognized the dress as fake at the time, so not only did she not accept it, but she also drove her out of the Jiang family."
As she finished speaking, a very dignified and wealthy lady stepped out from the crowd and approached Quan Jiu.
She smiled kindly. Although she appeared to be in her late forties or fifties, she was still noble and beautiful.
She said with a smile, "Young lady, may I take a look at your dress?"