Chapter 68: Brazen Partiality

Meng Shutang followed Zhou Songyan upstairs and ran into Gu Yunci in the corridor.

Zhou Songyan leaned close and whispered, "President Gu, did you not clear things up with Shutang? I hadn't said two words before she came over.

Shutang is very warm-hearted—when a colleague needs help, she loves to pitch in."

Gu Yunci glanced at Meng Shutang and gave a slight nod.

Meng Shutang didn't look at him. "Manager Zhou, let's go."

As soon as they entered the exhibition hall, they ran into old acquaintances.

Bai Cixian and Gu Yenan were talking in the tea-break area. Turning her eyes, Bai Cixian saw Meng Shutang walk in.

The two exchanged a glance for a second, and Gu Yenan asked curiously, "Cixian, what's going on?"

Bai Cixian knew that Xiao Tang had been in a car accident and that Zhou Songyan was worrying over a new presenter, but she never imagined that Zhou Songyan would have Meng Shutang step up to fill the emergency.

"It looks like he wants Meng Shutang to do the presentation. But Meng Shutang hasn't done this in four years. On such a big occasion today, can she handle it?"

Bai Cixian's mind was full of how Meng Shutang had self-righteously mocked her mother last night—her mother, such a noble and elegant person, aloof as the moon. How did she make her sound like some rat that couldn't see the light of day?

She was holding back a surge of anger in her heart.

She also knew that Gu Yenan hadn't let go of being publicly exposed at the autumn auction that day, so she began to fan the flames.

"Uncle, do you think Meng Shutang has that kind of ability?"

"Of course she doesn't." Gu Yeheng rose abruptly to his feet. Bai Cixian made a show of holding him back. "Uncle, don't go."

Gu Yenan shook her off. "Uncle knows his limits."

He came to Meng Shutang's side and grabbed her. "What are you doing? Instead of staying properly on the second underground floor restoring artifacts, you come up here to show your face?"

Zhou Songyan, all smiles, politely pulled Gu Yenan's hand away. "Vice President Gu, Xiao Tang, who was to present the Shang Dynasty ancient beads today, had a car accident. No one else could do it, so I had Shutang come over.

Rest assured, Shutang is very experienced. She definitely won't disappoint anyone."

"She hasn't presented in four years. If she suddenly takes the stage now and bombs, isn't that losing face for our Gu family?"

Gu Yenan spoke very loudly. The surrounding presenters and crowd all heard him.

"We spent hundreds on tickets to get in, and Gu Clan brings in a rookie who hasn't been on stage in four years to fool us?"

"What's this person's background? Didn't they say Gu Clan's selection of exhibition presenters was always very strict, like CCTV selecting hosts?"

"What exactly is going on? If this isn't explained clearly, we're not watching. Refund our tickets!"

One person shouted for a refund, and a hundred voices echoed.

Quite a few people gathered around, shouting for refunds.

Zhou Songyan never expected things to turn out like this either. He was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan, on one hand trying to placate Gu Yenan to stop him from fanning the flames further: "Second Master, say a few words less. If you have anything to say, tell me privately. You can't say such things in front of so many people."

On the other hand, he placated the audience: "Everyone, listen to my explanation. Our presenter Xiao Tang had a car accident, and no one else could present, so I invited Shutang over.

She's a big name in the ancient bead industry. I guarantee with my life that there is absolutely no fooling anyone."

Gu Yenan: "Good one, Zhou Songyan. Everyone says you're upright and incorruptible, but I think you're the biggest hypocrite—putting on an act while harboring selfish motives behind everyone's back!

Now that something has happened, instead of thinking about solving the problem, you blame me for being the one who reminded everyone.

Everyone's money didn't just blow in on the wind. I kindly offered a reminder—what's wrong with that?"

Audience 1: "Enough talk. Have whoever's in charge come out. We want refunds."

Audience 2: "Is refunding tickets enough? I took half a day off to come see the collection. How do you account for that!"

The exhibition was about to begin, and the situation grew increasingly out of control.

Meng Shutang stood to the side watching, her heart like a bead suspended in midair, her fingertips gripping so tightly they turned white.

She felt that agreeing to Zhou Songyan had been a mistake—not only had she failed to help, she had brought him big trouble.

But Zhou Songyan had real backbone, keeping her shielded behind him the whole time.

Seeing this, Gu Yenan shot a glance at Secretary Zhang.

Secretary Zhang reached out and yanked Meng Shutang out from behind the others with brute force. She stumbled forward, and the next second crashed into a warm, solid chest, her cheek pressed against his cool, pristine fabric, caught steadily in his arms.

When she caught that familiar, bone-deep cedar fragrance, crisp and cold, she froze for a moment, then hastily pushed the man away.

The man seemed not to notice her coldness and shielded her behind him.

Looking at Gu Yenan, who kept fanning the flames: "Whether she's capable—is that for you to define?"

With one sentence, Gu Yenan's momentum sharply deflated.

He saw the anger in Gu Yunci's eyes, but he was no pushover either. "Eldest nephew, I did all this for Gu Clan's sake.

If she presents poorly, she'll ruin our Gu family's reputation."

"Uncle is so concerned about whether she can present well—why not first concern yourself with this: all these years, besides suppressing your juniors and sowing discord, what proper thing have you ever accomplished?"

Gu Yenan heard this and froze.

Some of the employees who had just questioned Meng Shutang also fell silent.

"She hasn't presented in four years, and she's still better than your half a lifetime of coasting. If you actually understood artifacts, you wouldn't be standing here, relying on belittling others to feel relevant."

Gu Yunci looked at Gu Yenan and continued.

Gu Yenan was completely speechless. "Fine, I won't leave. I'll wait and see if you get slapped in the face."

After Gu Yenan left, Gu Yunci saw him go to Bai Cixian's side.

He cast a faint glance, then looked at the audience.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I am Gu Yunci. I stand here and give you my guarantee.

Ms. Meng hasn't stood at the front in four years, but she hasn't neglected her expertise—on the contrary, she has attained even greater mastery in the ancient bead field.

Today's ancient bead presentation, I will personally oversee. If she presents poorly, I will not only agree to ticket refunds but also offer compensation.

But if you refuse to listen and dismiss her outright, then I'm sorry—I won't agree to that either.

She is not here to make up the numbers. Now, let us see for ourselves her true ability."

Someone objected, "Hold on. If I remember correctly, four years ago, during a very important presentation, her bead string slipped."

Meng Shutang listened, turned her gaze toward Gu Yunci.

From afar, Bai Cixian's eyes also fell on him.

"That mistake had nothing to do with her; someone deliberately sabotaged it, pulling the clasp of the bead string, causing it to fall."

When Gu Yunci finished speaking, the Gu Clan's colleagues immediately chimed in.

Zhou Songyan said, "It seems you're a loyal fan of our Gu Clan's collection exhibition, remembering such an old incident, but I guarantee to you that the matter has nothing to do with Meng Shutang; it was done by someone else."

Xiao Wang said, "I testify; I've seen the surveillance, and it was indeed not Teacher Meng."

With that remark, no one offered a rebuttal.

But Bai Cixian's heart tightened sharply.

What Xiao Wang said—that he had seen the footage—means that many people in the company now know she did it!

All these years, if it weren't for her leveraging that she once bore a child for Gu Yunci, no one would have paid her any attention!

All doubts were suppressed; Gu Yunci looked at Meng Shutang and said, "Begin, I… we'll listen to you!"

Meng Shutang glanced at him, then at Zhou Songyan.

Zhou Songyan gave her a thumbs‑up.

Indeed, she is an expert in this field, embodying the highest industry standards.

She gracefully stepped onto the stage and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, hello; I am today's presenter, Meng Shutang.

Now I will introduce this ancient Shang bead, which has endured three thousand years of wind and frost; within each pattern lies the warmth and faith of the early Shang ancestors…"

Gu Yunci watched the confident, radiant Meng Shutang on stage, then strode over to the whispering Bai Cixian and Gu Yenan.

Gu Yenan was still giving him a cold look for his earlier words; after all, he is an uncle and Gu Yunci is his nephew, so he need not stand.

When Bai Cixian saw him approach, she immediately rose and said, "Brother Yunci, weren't you busy upstairs? Why did you come down all of a sudden?"

Gu Yunci replied, "If I don't come, won't your scheming with second uncle succeed?"

Bai Cixian snapped, "I didn't."

Gu Yunci said, "No? Bai Cixian, I warn you—if you dare speak recklessly again, I will make you unable to hide in front of everyone of the Gu Clan, and everyone will see clearly whether your inner and outer selves are equally gentle and kind."

Meng Shutang remained focused on her profession, showing no sign of a lapse.

Only in a fleeting glance, her peripheral vision brushed the scene and saw Gu Yunci standing beside Bai Cixian, his figure cold and austere.

A slight bitterness rose in her heart, yet her face remained calm and unruffled, and her voice stayed steady without any ripple.