Bai Cixian left Meng Shutang's side and headed straight for Gu Yunci.
"Yunci, you came to keep an eye on things because you're worried about Miss Meng, right? Don't worry, I went over to calm her down just now. I'm sure she'll perform just fine today."
Gu Yunci didn't look at her. He said nothing.
Meng Shutang delivered a flawless performance that day. The crowd erupted in thunderous applause.
There were more than a dozen guides at the exhibition, all talented. But a few had no experience with ancient pearl restoration, so their explanations only scratched the surface.
Meng Shutang was different. She didn't just talk about the pearls—she brought the history and culture behind every single one to life.
The crowd hung on her every word, cheering louder with every story she told.
Visitors who'd been with the other guides flocked to her side, one after another.
Zhou Songyan, the exhibition director, stepped up to Gu Yunci. "Mr. Gu, everyone loves Miss Meng's tours. Let her handle the rest of the event alone."
Bai Cixian hated the thought of Meng Shutang stealing all the spotlight.
"Miss Meng only studied the Southern Song pearls. She's never even touched the pieces from the Southern Chen and Wei-Jin dynasties."
Zhou Songyan laughed. "With all respect, Director Bai, you don't know Miss Meng's background. She trained under one of the most legendary masters in the industry. These pieces are child's play to her."
Bai Cixian seethed. She hated hearing anyone talk about Meng Shutang's so-called "legendary master". Who even was this person? She'd love to meet them, just to see if they were half as good as everyone claimed.
"Director Zhou, Miss Meng made a huge mistake yesterday," she said sharply. "I don't think she's as talented as you all make her out to be."
Zhou Songyan's face flushed. "Yesterday was a total fluke. There's no way a necklace clasp would just pop open on its own. Either it was worn down from age… or someone tampered with it on purpose."
"I inspected the necklace after it happened. It was clearly messed with. Someone wanted to sabotage the entire exhibition. I put it all in the review report for Mr. Gu, and even asked to pull the security footage to find out who did it."
Bai Cixian's heart dropped. Her fingers clenched tight at her sides.
"Mr. Gu said… it was just a piece of jewelry. Making a big deal out of it would look bad. He told us to drop it."
Bai Cixian let out a quiet breath of relief. Her white-knuckled grip loosened.
"But I know for a fact it wasn't Miss Meng," Zhou Songyan said firmly. "We've worked together for years. That was the first time she'd ever handled that necklace."
Gu Yunci cut him off before he could finish. "Enough, Songyan. Do what you planned."
Zhou Songyan nodded. "Yes, Mr. Gu."
Before he left, he added with a grin, "Out of everyone here, Shutang's work is the only one I trust completely."
For the rest of the day, the exhibition became Meng Shutang's stage. She was the moon, and every ancient pearl on display was a star, orbiting around her, shining brighter because of her words.
Bai Cixian's jaw tightened with jealousy. "Yunci, you promised I could lead the tours yesterday. I stayed up all night studying for it, I didn't even eat! But in the end, I couldn't help the company at all… Miss Meng is so well-liked. I envy how much you and Director Zhou trust her."
The man's gaze was fixed on Meng Shutang at the center of the hall. His voice was cold. "She's her. You're you. Do your own job. Stop comparing yourself to her."
Bai Cixian heard Zhou Songyan call Meng Shutang by her first name as he left. "Yunci, do you think Director Zhou has a thing for Miss Meng? He's so serious and stiff. I've never seen him fight for anyone the way he fights for her."
Gu Yunci's face stayed blank. "He's married. He just appreciates talent. I have work to do. I'm leaving."
With that, the man stuffed one hand in his pocket and turned to walk away.
Bai Cixian stood there watching for a minute—not at Meng Shutang, but at Zhou Songyan.
Zhou Songyan lived up to his name—steady as a pine, unshakable as a rock.
Last night, when she'd left the CEO's office, Gu Yunci had promised her the tour spot. But after Zhou Songyan went in, then Meng Shutang? The job was Meng Shutang's again.
Zhou Songyan thought she was unqualified, that she'd only gotten her job through nepotism. He'd made his dislike for her clear, time and time again.
She'd always seen Zhou Songyan as a thorn in her side. But in that moment, a wicked idea popped into her head.
"Look at the way he looks at her," she sneered to herself, crossing her arms. "Who would believe he doesn't have feelings for her?"
Bai Cixian let out a cold laugh, folded her arms over her chest, and walked away slowly.
The exhibition was a massive success. When it ended, Zhou Songyan heaped praise on Meng Shutang.
The other guides, now seeing her true skill, all came over to congratulate her.
"Shutang, you were incredible today!" one guide gushed. "When we talked about the agate pearls from the Guo State tombs, a visitor asked such an obscure question—I was terrified you wouldn't know the answer! But you nailed it without even hesitating. You could easily host your own lecture series, no exaggeration."
"What makes Shutang so amazing is that she doesn't just read from a script," another said. "She brings the history, the stories, the beauty of these relics to life. Even someone who's never seen an ancient pearl before can understand why they matter."
"A bunch of visitors were asking when you'll be leading another tour," a third added. "They're not even from Jiangcheng—they flew here just for this!"
Zhou Songyan saw the crowd around her and stepped over. "Alright, it's the end of the day! Stop crowding her, finish up, and go get some rest!"
One young staff member piped up. "Director Zhou, we worked so hard on this exhibition, and it was a huge hit! When are we having the victory dinner?"
In past years, it would have been scheduled for the very next day. But this year, after the necklace incident…
"I'll announce the date in the group chat once it's set," Zhou Songyan said.
After everyone left, Meng Shutang walked up to him. "Director Zhou, I'm so sorry about yesterday. I've been kicking myself over it…"
"Don't be. It had nothing to do with you," he said firmly. He paused, then grinned. "Shutang, you blew me away today. The part about the eye beads and the jade court beads? Even I, who work with these relics every day, was hooked. I keep telling everyone—for the big events, you're the only one for the job!"
Meng Shutang smiled brightly. "I only got this chance because of you. If you hadn't seen my potential, I'd still be stuck in the shadows somewhere. I'll never forget that you're the one who brought me to Gu Group."
"Oh, stop being so modest!" he laughed. "Your amazing work has gotten me more than a few bonuses over the years, too."
*Ahem.*
Gu Yunci had appeared beside Zhou Songyan without either of them noticing.
"Having a nice chat? Don't you have work to do?"
"Mr. Gu, it's after hours," Zhou Songyan said. He pulled out his phone. "I recorded Shutang's talk about the Shang Dynasty jade beads just now. I'll send it to you later. You said you wanted to learn about this stuff, right? This is the most authoritative lesson you'll get."
Meng Shutang had been staring at the floor, but at his words, she lifted her head and looked straight at Gu Yunci.
"You don't know, do you, Shutang?" Zhou Songyan grinned. "Mr. Gu really admires you. He's asked me about you nonstop in private. After you left yesterday, he was the one who gave the VIPs the rest of the tour. And where'd he learn all that stuff? From you!"
A strange, restless feeling washed over Gu Yunci. It wasn't irritation—he couldn't even name it. "You two keep talking. I'm leaving."
"Shutang, help the team clean up. I'm going to ask Mr. Gu about the victory dinner," Zhou Songyan said.
Before she could reply, he'd already run off.
She turned to grab a rag and help the team clean up. That's when she heard Qiao Mo whispering to the other staff nearby, her voice sharp and bitter.
"Why are you all still kissing up to her? She humiliated us all yesterday! I've worked at Gu Group for years, and I've never been so embarrassed! Victory dinner? We'll be lucky if Mr. Gu doesn't tear us apart at the meeting tomorrow!"
Meng Shutang's fingers froze around the rag. She'd thought the worst of the scandal was behind her, but with Bai Cixian's wicked new plot already in motion, and Gu Yunci's hidden admiration for her finally laid bare—would this be the moment her carefully rebuilt world came crashing down around her?!