The planet-shaped brooch was quite unique, leaving a deep impression while simultaneously feeling incredibly familiar. The expressions of the guests present were somewhat subtle, as many were experts in facial expression management and managed to hide their true thoughts. Luo Yuan, however, was different. He was straightforward and said exactly what was on his mind.
Noticing that the brooch on the table looked very familiar, he quickly looked up at Jiang Chuhe’s chest. The brooch was still there, which proved that the identical one on the table belonged to Jiang Xu.
“The brooch Film Emperor Xu picked up is Jiang-ge’s!” Luo Yuan said excitedly. “I told you Jiang-ge’s brooch was the same as Jiang Chuhe’s, and I was not wrong. My memory is excellent. Mm!”
A piece of pastry was stuffed into Luo Yuan’s mouth. He glared angrily at Ling Jiuxiao, who was sitting next to him, eyes widening in accusation. Are you crazy? I could have choked to death by suddenly shoving a pastry in my mouth!
Ling Jiuxiao pressed his head down: “Your memory might be good, but your brain is mostly not very useful. Eat more almond crisps to nourish your brain.”
Luo Yuan glared at him with hatred. If his mouth had not been occupied, he absolutely would have cursed back.
It was a unique, one-of-a-kind item, yet two had suddenly appeared. Either one was a fake, or both were. No matter who was using the fake, it would be embarrassing to be exposed in public. The atmosphere on set became tense and oppressive, while the discussions in the chat were intense.
【This is getting interesting! Who is the imposter?】 【Celebrities wearing high-quality knockoffs is not new, but it is awkward when they get recognized.】 【Jiang Chuhe’s family is very wealthy. He often shares jewelry and luxury cars on Instagram; I believe he absolutely would not use a knockoff.】 【I heard Jiang Xu has a lot of jewelry and luxury accessories. If they were all purchased, his film salary would not be enough! Besides, stars have to pay high taxes. After deducting taxes and necessary expenses from a film’s salary, there probably is not much left.】 【The Jiang Group’s profit last year was over five billion. That is not something an ordinary celebrity can compare to. I think everyone knows who is using a high-quality knockoff now!】 【I believe Xuxu would not use a knockoff. Those of you waiting to have your faces slapped, just wait!】
On the show, Cui Qinglan spoke up to ease the tension: “The pastries today are quite good. They smell wonderful.”
Ling Jiuxiao was just about to follow his lead and shift the topic elsewhere when Ni Wentian suddenly asked, “Whose brooch did Film Emperor Xu pick up? How could it be exactly the same as Chuhe’s?”
Cui Qinglan looked at him sideways, his brow furrowed. He knew Ni Wentian was deliberately provoking conflict.
Jiang Chuhe said: “Although my brooch is one of a kind, perhaps the brand decided to release a commemorative edition for Jiang Xu. After all, Jiang Xu is a national idol with strong appeal. It makes sense for the brand to want him to promote it.”
These words seemed to be easing the tension for Jiang Xu, but in reality, they carried hidden meanings. If it were truly a commemorative edition from the brand, it would have been officially announced and widely known by the public.
Jiang Xu saw through his petty tricks and said quite calmly, “This brooch is indeed mine.” He reached out his hand, intending to take the brooch back.
Xu Zhiyan picked up the brooch first: “What do these two letters on the brooch mean? JX. It is your name’s abbreviation, right, Xuxu?” He turned the brooch over to display the letters engraved on the back, clearly presenting them to everyone.
Luo Yuan blinked his large eyes and said, “JX is Jiang Xu!”
Xu Zhiyan continued, “Every product from this brand is engraved to avoid being mimicked by high-quality knockoffs.”
As soon as he finished speaking, everyone’s gaze shifted to Jiang Chuhe. Those probing, skeptical, and mocking glares made Jiang Chuhe’s face burn. Xu Zhiyan’s words were like a slap to his face, making him feel incredibly humiliated. He clenched his fingers tightly, trying his best to maintain the smile on his face: “I really am not sure about what Film Emperor Xu is talking about. It is possible. It is possible that my father forgot to have it engraved when he ordered the custom piece.”
“You are not wrong about one thing.”
“Which part?”
“You said the brooch was a birthday gift, and that is not wrong.”
Xu Zhiyan curled the corners of his lips: “This brooch is indeed a birthday gift; it was a gift Jiang Xu received when he celebrated his birthday last year.”
Jiang Chuhe’s heart gave a violent jolt. He never expected that wearing a high-quality knockoff would lead to such a disaster. In the past, many of the items he showed off while pretending to be wealthy were knockoffs, and he had never been caught before. In order to save face, Jiang Chuhe gritted his teeth and said, “High-quality knockoffs really do look very real now. Jiang Xu must have been unaware; if he had known it was a knockoff, he absolutely would not have worn it.”
A hint of a smile overflowed from Xu Zhiyan’s lips, but this smile was full of sarcasm: “Mr. Jiang, as a jewelry designer, you should have some understanding of luxury brands. Are you unaware that the LIO brand requires real-name registration for purchases?”
Jiang Chuhe’s face turned ghastly pale in an instant: “I… this LIO brooch was bought by my father; I do not know if real-name registration was required.” He distanced himself completely.
“I do not remember when I suddenly had a son.”
Xu Zhiyan’s words made Jiang Chuhe’s face flush red and turn pale. His eyes brimmed with redness: “Film Emperor Xu, what do you mean by that?”
Xu Zhiyan sneered: “You can check the official website. If you open your phone and search, you will know that the purchaser of this brooch is Xu Zhiyan.”
Jiang Xu really wanted to poison Xu Zhiyan’s throat into silence. How is this any different from a public relationship announcement? What normal person sends such an intimate birthday gift?
Jiang Xu closed his eyes in despair. He should not have been soft-hearted toward Xu Zhiyan; he should have just taken care of the jerk last night to avoid future trouble. To prevent Xu Zhiyan from saying anything even more shocking, Jiang Xu snatched the brooch from his hand: “Thank you, Film Emperor Xu, for finding my brooch. I am quite careless and did not even know I had lost it.”
Xu Zhiyan smiled: “It is just a brooch; losing it is no big deal. If you like it, I can send you one every birthday.”
Jiang Xu glanced at him: Have you said enough?
Xu Zhiyan smiled and did not speak further. He had succeeded in exposing Jiang Chuhe’s attempt to claim the brooch as his own and had filled the air with ambiguity; his goal had been achieved.
The chat in the comments section scrolled by rapidly.
【To those who said Jiang Xu was using a knockoff, just ask yourselves if your faces hurt?】
【Jiang Chuhe is too pretentious. What was he showing off with a knockoff? I reasonably suspect that the jewelry he usually shows off is also fake.】
【The fake met the real deal.】
【Am I the only one who wants to know why Xu Zhiyan gave Jiang Xu a birthday gift?】
【Someone has dug up the timeline; follow the link to Weibo.】
The gossiping crowd flocked to Weibo and, sure enough, found a glaring trending topic at the top of the list: #XuZhiyanSentJiangXuABirthdayGift#.
There was plenty of relevant content within the tag. Someone posted the purchase record for the brooch, and the purchaser was indeed Xu Zhiyan. But even more intriguing was the caption for the brooch series: #The scattered thoughts of you constitute a galaxy.#
The romantic confession was off the charts. The #WishStarRiver# CP fans rejoiced, once again feeling completely vindicated.