Zhang Lin didn't like all the attention focused on An Yiqing, not even Bai Yiming's gaze. If that bitch made a fool of herself, Young Master Bai might lose interest in her. Tch! The An family of Xuandu City is the only notable household with the surname An among the Five Great Families, and it's well-known that the An family has no daughters. Seeing An Yiqing's "poor" attire, Zhang Lin classified her as someone from an insignificant household.
"Miss An is so talented, may I inquire which family's daughter you are?" Zhang Lin pushed out her voluptuous chest, took a sip of red wine, and her eyes were full of smugness.
Everyone present was from an Aristocratic family and had grown up in a world of scheming and manipulation; each one was a crafty individual. The woman brought by Young Master Bai was clearly one who coveted vanity, a fact clear to everyone.
Bai Yiming, upon hearing her words, did not speak but the smile that had been constant on his lips was gone. He didn't like pets that made decisions on their own; this woman had stepped out of line.
Gu Yelin's starry eyes darkened with warning as he glanced at Bai Yiming, "Get your woman under control."
"Miss Zhang flatters me. I am not the daughter of a wealthy family, orphaned and alone. It's only that my master taught me well from a young age. He always told me to rely on myself, otherwise, I'd be no different from a parasite."
Just as Gu Tingting was about to retort, An Yiqing spoke. Her master had taught her since she was young; if someone offended her, she should retaliate. The woman in front of her, reeking of chemical products, was preventing her from enjoying her meal, and that was an offense.
The few people in attendance silently applauded An Yiqing's clever retort. With neither arrogance nor obscenity, she effectively insulted Zhang Lin as an uneducated parasite.
Even Gu Yelin's eyes held a trace of amusement, the corners of his mouth slightly lifted. This little woman turned out to be a biting rabbit; it seemed he had worried for nothing. But... orphaned and alone? Gu Yelin felt a twinge in his heart. He would need to ask Gu Tingting about this little woman's situation when he got home.
And Bai Yiming was all smiles, his handsome, bewitching face beaming with joy; this beauty was quite interesting.
Zhang Lin, observing the expressions of those present and looking at Bai Yiming's smiling handsome face, clenched her hands tightly under the table. She was no fool and heard the implication in An Yiqing's words all too clearly—insinuating that everything she had was due to men. Hmph, as expected, not as simple-minded as her appearance suggested, a bitch!
If one were to speak of Zhang Lin, she was not a fool; otherwise, she wouldn't have been introduced to Bai Yiming. But to call her smart was an overstatement. Which of the people in attendance could she afford to offend? By ridiculing her friend at Gu Tingting's birthday party, it could only be said this woman's jealousy blinded all reason. The moment she opened her mouth to attack An Yiqing, she had said her final goodbye to the high society she desperately longed for.
"Hehe, Miss An truly has a way with words. However, I feel that what one earns through hard work is never as good as what is given by the affection of others, don't you think, Miss An?" Zhang Lin steadied her mind and asked more sharply.
Those seated all frowned in displeasure. One comment at Gu Tingting's birthday party might have been enough, but why was this woman getting carried away?
An Yiqing nodded as if in agreement, a warm smile on her fair, petite face, "Thinking about it, you're right. Miss Zhang is indeed a stunning beauty and a great star. May the affection you receive last forever."
"Pfft!"
Gu Tingting was the first to burst out laughing, followed by Ruan Xue who laughed heartily. Then, as if catching the contagion, everyone else laughed, and Shen Feng exaggeratedly gave An Yiqing a thumbs-up.
Qingqing was truly a master at insulting people! In only a few sentences, she had reduced that woman to nothing. Having relations in exchange for benefits can only last so long. May the affection you receive not be like that of ancient concubines kept in the harem, who could be cast into the cold palace at any moment.