C6 My Heart Is in Pain

Chiang Ci quickly stopped the waiter from retrieving the clothes, swiftly removing the pearl hairpin from her hair. In a few deft moves, she used it like a pin to fasten the broken straps of her dress. Then, she untied the small scarf from her wrist, tying it into neat knots on either side of the exposed threads, with the middle draped over her shoulder.

The elegant pearl hairpin against the soft blue scarf instantly transformed the otherwise simple dress into something stylish, highlighting the wearer's bright eyes and graceful demeanor. Instead of witnessing Chiang Ci's embarrassment, the crowd saw her seize the moment to shine even brighter. This left Chiang Xinxin feeling a deep, clawing frustration. She clenched her fingers tightly, glaring at Chiang Ci with a dark expression while listening to the murmurs around her.

"Who spread the rumor that she was mute? It's a shame we didn't meet her sooner; she's stunning."

"Speaking of which, her status should be better than Chiang Xinxin's, right? After all, she was born to the first wife!"

"Then why is Chiang Xinxin older than her?"

The knowing laughter that followed sent a chill down Chiang Xinxin's spine, her molars grinding in anger. This was the root of her hatred for Chiang Ci. If it weren't for her and her mother, how could she have lived for years under the label of an illegitimate child? Why didn't she manage to get rid of that wretched girl last time?

"It's getting more interesting," Shaang Peiyan murmured with a playful smile, holding a glass in an unassuming corner. "Fancy meeting you again so soon, little one. It must be fate."

After mingling for a while, Chiang Ci decided she had enough of the bustling crowd and headed towards the quieter lounge area. Near a corner, something on the ground caught her eye, reflecting light. She stepped forward and picked up an elegantly designed, antique-looking bracelet.

The bracelet was adorned with jewels and featured a large pearl pendant, though the pendant seemed to be barely hanging on, as if the connection to the bracelet was broken. It looked familiar, and just as she was about to examine it further, someone shoved her from behind, snatching the bracelet from her hand. A sharp female voice pierced the air, "Lirong, is this your bracelet? She broke it!"

Chiang Ci looked up to see a girl dressed in a stylish outfit, flanked by another girl with short hair, whose eyes were filled with disdain and scorn. Their tone was arrogant, clearly looking for trouble.

The short-haired girl inspected the bracelet with a dark smile and said, "This is an antique my father bought at a high price, worth over a million dollars. Now that you've damaged it, how do you plan to compensate?"

The recent scolding caught the attention of some onlookers, who were equally shocked by the price. Some questioned whether the plainly dressed girl could afford to pay, while others, with a hint of sarcasm, remarked that someone so pretty surely wouldn't lack money.

The fashionably dressed girl, who typically looked down on those who relied on their looks to get by, chimed in smugly, "Lirong, people like her probably have never seen such expensive antique jewelry in their lives. Don't scare her to tears!"

Young Master Lee, Young Master Bai, and Chiang Xinxin had been mingling around but noticed the gathering. Seeing Chiang Ci at the center, Lee Jiayi quickly pushed through the crowd to protect her.

"Ding Lirong, stop trying to scam people. It's just a pearl necklace; it can't be worth that much."

Ding Lirong let out a cold laugh, her gaze shifting from Lee Jiayi back to Chiang Ci, her eyes filled with even more resentment.