Chapter 22: Arrest

Seeing Chu Miaoyi come up and immediately point at her friends to complain to her fiancé, Chu Miaojing frowned. "Is there some kind of misunderstanding?"

Chu Miaoyi finally looked at her and sneered. "What kind of misunderstanding could there be? Why, sister, are they your friends? Oh, I see. No wonder I was wondering how they could afford such expensive jewelry. It was your money, wasn't it?"

Chu Miaojing’s frown deepened. "Qiongqiong has her own money."

He Fangfeng looked coldly at Lin Qiongqiong. He had a very poor impression of this friend of Chu Miaojing’s. Hearing Chu Miaoyi’s words, he also concluded that Chu Miaojing had given them the money for the jewelry and gowns, just so her friends wouldn't embarrass her at their engagement banquet.

"Ms. Lin, you claimed our He’s Jewelry sells fakes. What evidence do you have?"

Lin Qiongqiong shrugged. "Just take them to a professional appraisal agency, and you'll find out."

He Fangfeng felt she was just putting on a front because she couldn't actually back up her claims. He turned to Chu Miaojing and said, "Miaojing, it would be best to cut ties with such low-class friends. I don’t want to see them at our engagement banquet."

Chu Miaojing’s expression turned ugly. "He Fangfeng, Qiongqiong was only giving a kind warning. Besides, what friends I choose to keep is not for you to decide."

Chu Miaoyi clung to He Fangfeng’s arm and said in surprise, "Sister, how can you speak to Brother Fangfeng like that? Could it be that these two low-class friends are more important than your own fiancé?"

An Ling could take no more. She looked Chu Miaoyi up and down and mocked, "Oh, so this is your brother-in-law? I actually thought he was your fiancé!"

The moment she said this, the expressions of both Chu Miaoyi and He Fangfeng darkened.

Lin Qiongqiong added, "I’ve truly never seen a sister-in-law more intimate with a man than his own fiancée."

He Fangfeng flew into a rage. "Throw them both out!"

Lin Qiongqiong instinctively looked at where she was standing, then patted her chest. "You scared me! I thought I was standing in your He’s Jewelry, but I’m actually at Jingyao Jewelry!"

An Ling asked, "To throw us out, are you implying you own this shopping mall?"

He Fangfeng’s face looked ghastly.

Just then, a refined and distinguished young man walked over.

"Of course, this mall is not owned by the He family."

He Fangfeng frowned upon seeing him. "Jing Huaiyao, what are you doing here?"

Jing Huaiyao glanced at Lin Qiongqiong and An Ling. "I think it is I who should be asking Young Master He what right he has to drive away the honored guests of our Jingyao Jewelry?"

He Fangfeng knew Lin Qiongqiong’s background from Chu Miaojing—that she was just a nouveau riche from the countryside. He sneered, "Young Master Jing, even with the current economic downturn, you don't have to treat two upstarts as honored guests, do you?"

Jing Huaiyao replied with a modest demeanor, "At Jingyao Jewelry, we never look down on anyone. Ms. Lin spent thirty million in our store in one go; how could she not be considered an honored guest?"

"Thirty million?! How is that possible?"

He Fangfeng looked stunned. Even for wealthy second-generation heirs like them, thirty million was not a small sum.

He frowned at Chu Miaojing. "Miaojing, even if you didn't want your friends to embarrass you, you didn't have to give them that much money, did you?"

Chu Miaojing was also shocked that Lin Qiongqiong had spent so much. Hearing He Fangfeng’s words, she couldn't help but sneer, "I told you, Qiongqiong’s money is her own. I don't have that kind of money."

"How is that possible?" He Fangfeng frowned and blurted out, "Aren't you the true daughter of the Chu family? How can you not even come up with a few tens of millions?"

In his mind, Chu Miaoyi, the adopted daughter, bought handbags worth hundreds of thousands and jewelry worth millions without a second thought. How could Chu Miaojing, the true heiress, be worse off than her?

Chu Miaojing gave a self-deprecating laugh. "The 'true daughter'?"

If the Chu family truly cared about her, would they have turned around and adopted Chu Miaoyi immediately after losing her? If it weren't for the fact that Chu Miaoyi had found a better option, would the engagement to He Fangfeng have ever fallen to her?

However, Chu Miaoyi, still clinging to He Fangfeng’s arm, hurriedly cut in, "My sister has so many places to spend money, it’s only natural she wouldn't have that much left."

He Fangfeng’s expression darkened. He was now convinced that Chu Miaojing had given the money to Lin Qiongqiong and her band of hangers-on. If she was this extravagant before they were even married, once they were wed, the He Group would be squandered away by her!

Jing Huaiyao turned back to Lin Qiongqiong. "Ms. Lin, in your opinion, does our Jingyao Jewelry have any fakes?"

Lin Qiongqiong shook her head. "No."

He Fangfeng, standing to the side, sneered, "Jing Huaiyao, you actually believe a bumpkin like her knows jewelry appraisal? Could it be that she’s a plant hired by your Jing family to damage the reputation of He’s Jewelry so you can step on us to climb higher?"

Lin Qiongqiong was also puzzled, wondering why this stranger, Jing Huaiyao, would trust her so completely.

Jing Huaiyao gave a light chuckle. "Young Master He will find out soon enough."

Just then, several police officers walked over.

"Are you the person in charge of He’s Jewelry?"

He Fangfeng assumed his own staff had called the police. He hurriedly pointed at Lin Qiongqiong and said, "That’s right. I am the person in charge of He’s Jewelry. Officers, it’s her! She is spreading rumors and slandering our He Group by claiming our jewelry is fake, causing us serious harm!"

Chu Miaoyi crossed her arms, smiling at the anxious-looking Chu Miaojing, and shook her head with a sigh. "Sister, look at the kind of friends you keep."

However, to everyone’s surprise, the police did not move to arrest Lin Qiongqiong; instead, they apprehended He Fangfeng.

He Fangfeng was stunned. "What are you arresting me for? It’s Lin Qiongqiong who is spreading rumors!"

The police officer said coldly, "We have received reports that He’s Jewelry is involved in fraud, selling a large amount of counterfeit jewelry for massive illegal gains. Mr. He, please come with us."

"What? Counterfeit?!"

He Fangfeng and Chu Miaoyi were both terrified. The crowd of onlookers erupted into murmurs.

"A company as big as He’s actually selling fake jewelry?!"

"So that Ms. Lin really is a jewelry appraiser! She said Jingyao Jewelry is fine, so let's buy from them instead."

Even Chu Miaojing and An Ling, who knew Lin Qiongqiong well, were astonished. They had no idea she actually knew how to appraise jewelry!

In front of everyone, He Fangfeng was taken away. The jewelry in the counters was sealed by the police as evidence, and He’s Jewelry was shut down for good.

In contrast, Jingyao Jewelry was bustling with customers. With Lin Qiongqiong’s endorsement, people felt secure buying jewelry there.

Lin Qiongqiong eventually realized what was happening and looked at Jing Huaiyao. "Did you know about this all along, Young Master Jing?"

Jing Huaiyao handed her his business card and smiled gently. "Ms. Lin, let's get acquainted. Are you interested in becoming a jewelry appraiser for our Jingyao?"