C15 A Show of Force!

Fake?

Joy froze on Fu Jianing's face in an instant. Even Fu Guoyi, who had remained silent up until now, looked up in shock.

Fu Yunyi, seemingly grasping Shen Qingli's implication, couldn't help but let out a snicker, only to receive a sharp glare from Chen Xueli.

Chen Xueli shook her head, bemused. "Qingli, surely you're kidding."

Shen Qingli's face, previously marked by a mocking smile, turned icy. "Auntie, do I strike you as someone who jokes?"

"But... but this is somewhat unbelievable."

Chen Xueli's words tumbled out in a jumble, her reluctance to accept the man's words as truth evident.

"Brother-in-law, please stop joking." Jianing's face drained of color. "How could you possibly deceive me with a fake?"

Despite her disbelief, her voice trailed off, becoming nearly inaudible even to herself.

"People are judged by their clothes just as horses are by their saddles. A person gets what suits them," Shen Qingli remarked nonchalantly, toying with a white jade fork. "In fact, this jewelry set has been dominated by the black market from the start, with countless fakes flooding the market soon after."

"My intention in giving you this jewelry was simple; considering your family background, I thought it appropriate."

His tone was both arrogant and contemptuous. "Initially, I was worried you'd find it too cheap and dislike it, but now that you've expressed your fondness, I can rest easy."

At that moment, Jianing's expression was as vivid as if she had been slapped in public.

Fu Guoyi's heart ached for his daughter, and he stood up, unable to contain himself any longer. "Qingli, what are you implying?"

First, he had stood him up in front of a crowd, then he had wronged Miss Wang, and now he was presenting Jianing with fake jewelry and insulting her.

It was clear, without a doubt, that Yunyi was behind this!

"What do I mean? Father-in-law, isn't it obvious?"

Fu Guoyi's face darkened with understanding, grasping Shen Qingli's insinuations without needing them to be spelled out.

He was well aware that the Shen family had never been known for their kindness, particularly Shen Qingli, who epitomized the family's trademark coldness and arrogance. He was accustomed to looking down on everyone else.

Yet, despite his aversion to him, Shen Qingli was not only his son-in-law but also the heir to the Shen family, a man he simply could not afford to provoke.

"Qingli, on such a fine day, why stir up trouble?" Fu Guoyi managed to say, swallowing his anger. "Moreover, Jianing hasn't done anything to offend you. Why turn a pleasant meal into such an ordeal?"

"Dad, let it be—" Fu Jianing's eyes brimmed with unshed tears, yet she bore an air of letting bygones be bygones. "After all, it was Miss Wang who upset my brother-in-law. It's understandable that he's angry."

"Indeed, let's put this behind us. We are family, after all..."

Comforted by his wife and daughter, Fu Guoyi's face softened, the embarrassment lessening.

The three of them sought to smooth things over, but Shen Qingli was not one to be easily appeased. His fingers tapped methodically on the tabletop, and the curve of his smile sent a chill down one's spine.

"You may wish to forget this incident, but I do not," Shen Qingli declared with defiance. "Yunyi is the Fu family's young lady. That no one defended her when she was slighted is bad enough, but to then place the blame on her?"

Were the members of the Fu family blind?

Did they truly believe that Shen Qingli's wife could be bullied without consequence?

Fu Yunyi was stirred by his words, a complex mix of emotions welling up inside her—was it admiration or unease? She lifted her gaze to Shen Qingli, whose striking features were etched with determination as he demanded justice for her. He exuded an intimidating presence.

For a moment, Fu Yunyi was lost in thought, finding the man before her strangely unfamiliar. Yet she had known him for over two decades, intimately familiar with his nature and moods. Why, then, did he seem so enigmatic to her now?

The woman silently set down her fork, realizing she had lost her appetite for the meal.

"Qingli, let it be..."

Her voice was calm and cool. "After all these years, I've grown accustomed to it."

The moment her words hung in the air, Chen Xueli's facade of amiability crumbled, her eyes flashing a warning as she glared at the woman. She was itching to silence her right then and there.

Was this wretched girl starting a revolt on her very first day as Mrs. Shen?

Fu Jianing could no longer keep up the pretense either. Her smile was forced as she asked with a hint of hostility, "Sister, what are you implying?"

"The meaning is quite clear," Fu Yunyi replied with a graceful smile. "It appears we've lost our appetite for this meal. Qingli, we should leave."