Chapter 54 The Truth Revealed!

“Oh, sorry about that, I dropped it,” Zhao Hui said, feigning regret, though his eyes were full of scornful laughter.

Zheng Mei snorted, “It’s just some cheap trinket worth a hundred yuan or so. If it’s broken, so be it.”

Only Lin Changli looked genuinely regretful; he could tell that the little jade pendant Ye Tianci had given was no ordinary item.

Ye Tianci stared coldly at Zheng Mei and Zhao Hui. “Who said my gift is only worth a hundred yuan? That’s its value,” he replied, holding up a single finger.

Zhao Hui mocked him, “Oh, I must have underestimated you. You’re saying that little trinket is worth a thousand yuan?”

Zheng Mei chimed in again, “Ye Tianci, even if you spent a thousand yuan, it’s nothing compared to Zhao’s gift. He spent half a million!”

“Auntie, since you’ve spoken, I can’t be too stingy. I broke it, so I’ll pay for it,” Zhao Hui said, taking out his wallet and pulling out ten red bills, tossing them in front of Ye Tianci with a smug grin.

Ye Tianci’s gaze grew colder as he watched Zhao Hui act the clown.

“My item is worth one million. If you want to compensate, you’ll need to pay a million,” he said.

Zhao Hui sneered, “Kid, no one opens their mouth wider than you. One million? How dare you ask for that?”

Zheng Mei slapped the table in anger. “Ye Tianci, you’re outrageous! Trying to extort a million for some cheap trinket?”

“This pendant is from the Western Zhou period. I bought it for six hundred thousand and had a blessing charm carved into it. Even saying it’s worth a million is an understatement,” Ye Tianci replied, his eyes indifferent.

“Western Zhou? More like last week! And a blessing charm? You’re full of nonsense! My brush washer could buy a thousand of your roadside goods!” Zhao Hui boasted arrogantly.

“Zhao Hui, your brush washer is the real trinket here. It’s a fake, worth no more than fifty yuan,” Ye Tianci replied coldly.

He hadn’t intended to make things difficult for Zhao Hui, but the man kept dancing in front of him, trying to humiliate him. Naturally, Ye Tianci didn’t mind swatting this fly.

Zhao Hui felt a pang of anxiety. His brother-in-law had said it was bought for fifty yuan; how could Ye Tianci guess the price so accurately?

He forced himself to stay calm, pointing angrily at Ye Tianci. “Not only are you lacking in character, but your words are venomous, slandering my gift as a fake.”

“Ye Tianci, you’re despicable. Get out of my house!” Zheng Mei shouted.

“Aunt Zheng, make him apologize to me before he leaves,” Zhao Hui demanded.

“Yes, yes, you should apologize to Zhao first,” Zheng Mei urged.

Ye Tianci ignored them, turning to Lin Qingqian, speaking unhurriedly, “Qingqian, do you know how to tell real porcelain from fake?”

Lin Qingqian shook her head.

Ye Tianci continued, “This counterfeit is the worst kind, and the easiest to spot. Just soak it in white vinegar and it’ll change color.”

“I’ll do it!” Lin Qingqian ran to the kitchen and came back with white vinegar, pouring it over the brush washer.

In an instant, its sky-blue color faded, turning to a dull earthy gray.

Once she rinsed off the vinegar, the earthy gray vanished.

“Dad, Tianci was right—it’s fake!” Lin Qingqian exclaimed.

Zhao Hui’s face turned sour. He gritted his teeth, “Miss Qingqian, don’t listen to this guy’s nonsense. How could the gift I gave your father be fake? He’s just angry I accidentally broke his item and is taking it out on me!”

Ye Tianci’s expression remained impassive. “Don’t be so hasty, Zhao Hui. I’m not finished. Not only is your brush washer a fake, but so is the diamond necklace you gave.”

Zhao Hui exploded with rage. “Ye, you’re talking nonsense!”

“Still stubborn?” Ye Tianci beckoned to Zheng Mei, “Give me the diamond necklace, I’ll prove it.”

Zheng Mei handed over the necklace, scoffing, “Let’s see how you prove it!”

No sooner had she spoken than the diamond set in the necklace crumbled into powder at Ye Tianci’s touch, falling from his fingers.

Ye Tianci calmly brushed his fingers, a slight smile on his lips, “See? It shattered with a gentle squeeze. If it were real diamond, how could it break so easily?”

“Is it really fake?” Zheng Mei stared blankly, stunned.

Zhao Hui’s eyes widened in shock. He blurted, “My diamond necklace is real! I paid over thirty thousand for it! Ye, you owe me compensation!” As soon as the words left his lips, he instinctively covered his mouth.

Ye Tianci smiled, “So your diamond necklace is real? In other words, you admit your brush washer is a fake?”

In truth, Zhao Hui’s necklace was genuine, but Ye Tianci had shattered the diamond with his powerful inner energy.

Zhao Hui’s eyes flickered anxiously. He forced himself to appear calm. “I never admitted it! Don’t try to trick me!”

Ye Tianci pressed on, “Both gifts you brought are fakes. And you didn’t help with Uncle Lin’s job either. If I’m not mistaken, your brother-in-law is Lei Hong?”

Zhao Hui was startled, “How do you know my brother-in-law?”

Ye Tianci didn’t answer. He simply called Lei Hong to come upstairs.

Soon, there was a knock at the door. Lin Qingqian ran to open it.

“Miss Lin,” Lei Hong greeted her respectfully, then caught sight of the brush washer in her hands and exclaimed in alarm, “Miss Lin, how did you come by this brush washer?”

Lin Qingqian pointed at Zhao Hui, “Your brother-in-law gave it to my dad as a birthday gift, claiming he bought it for half a million.”

Lei Hong’s face changed dramatically.

His brother-in-law loved to swagger and deceive, but to cheat Ye Tianci’s father-in-law? Worse, he himself had helped buy the fake porcelain; if Ye Tianci hadn’t been there, he’d never be able to clear his name.

Lei Hong’s anger erupted. He strode forward and slapped Zhao Hui twice.

“Brother-in-law, why are you hitting me?” Zhao Hui cried, clutching his face in grievance.

“Lei Hong, hold on, let’s clear things up first,” Ye Tianci said coldly. “Your brother-in-law came here for a matchmaking session with my fiancée, brought fake gifts to deceive, and claimed he helped Uncle Lin with his job. Ask him yourself.”

Lei Hong was terrified, his heart pounding. His brother-in-law was a real scoundrel.

“You bastard, confess everything or I’ll break your legs!” Lei Hong threatened, his eyes fierce.

Zhao Hui’s legs gave out. He knew Lei Hong meant what he said, so he fell to his knees and spilled everything.

The brush washer was a fake, bought for fifty yuan from a street vendor.

He didn’t work at city hall, and the Mercedes was rented.

Uncle Yu, who had answered his call earlier, was just a car dealer, and hadn’t promised to help.

Also, it was Lin Changren who introduced him to Lin Qingqian for the matchmaking, hoping to force Ye Tianci out or at least embarrass him.

“Brother-in-law, that’s the whole truth. I haven’t hidden anything. Please spare me,” Zhao Hui pleaded from his knees.

The truth was exposed.

Lei Hong couldn’t control his fury. He grabbed Zhao Hui by the hair, dragged him across the floor like a dead dog, and hauled him out.

“Brother-in-law, spare me!”

“Ah!”

“Ow, it hurts! Go easy, brother-in-law!”

Zhao Hui’s wails echoed from the hallway, mixed with the thuds of flesh hitting concrete as Lei Hong dragged him downstairs.