Meng Xian had already been scheming when she decided to send the welcome gifts.
If Gu Mingyan’s duo accepted the gift, it would make her look generous and magnanimous; if they didn’t, it would highlight their arrogance and lack of appreciation. Either way, she would gain audience favor or sympathy.
However, Meng Xian hadn’t expected Yun Qingqing to break the situation in this way.
The audience in the livestream also hesitated:
【What? Meng Xian sent fake products?】
【Impossible, she’s not short on money.】
【Isn’t Yun Qingqing being too arbitrary and rude by judging without proof…】
“What nonsense are you talking about!” Ding Manni reacted first. She had already held a grudge against Yun Qingqing for pushing her into the pool before. Now, new and old grievances surfacing together made her immediately speak up in defense of her friend: “Xian Xian sent the gifts with good intentions. If you don’t appreciate it, fine, but accusing her of sending fakes? Do you have any evidence?”
Meng Xian quickly composed herself: “These products were purchased by me personally at the counter. They absolutely cannot be fake.”
Faced with the accusation, Yun Qingqing remained calm: “Don’t get excited. I’m not speculating, just stating my observations.”
“First, authentic Lumira packaging uses special eco-friendly material, with a delicate touch and subtle pearlescent shimmer in the light. The box Teacher Meng is holding is a bit stiff, the color too stark white, without luster.”
“Second,” Yun Qingqing’s gaze fell on the logo on the box, “the ribbon knot on genuine gift boxes is a specific ‘Paris knot,’ symmetrical, neatly folded, with the tail cut at a standard angle. Yours, though pretty, is a common gift-shop knot, and the tail is straight cut. Lumira, as a high-end brand, wouldn’t have this inconsistency.”
Her detailed analysis left everyone present and the livestream audience stunned.
【Whoa… so detailed? Sounds really professional.】
【I happen to use Lumira, the packaging details she mentioned seem true.】
【No way, could Meng Xian really have sent fakes?】
As for why Yun Qingqing knew Lumira’s details so well,
her system, which knew her best, couldn’t help but close its electronic eyes in reluctant admiration.
A few days ago, Gu Mingyan had casually given the host a few bottles of Lumira skincare. Excited at the find, she spent an hour examining them, claiming that touching a high-end brand was a gain.
Ding Manni was slightly stunned but still stubbornly tried to back her up: “You—you have no proof. Who knows if you’re making this up?”
She suddenly remembered something and quickly took out a genuine product from her bag, a different series of the same brand, “I happen to have a real one here. Let’s compare and see!”
Confident, she picked up the bottle from Meng Xian’s gift box.
The comparison was shocking.
Up close, the differences between the two bottles were obvious.
The genuine product Ding Manni held was transparent, with clear font and a refined pump;
the one Meng Xian sent was slightly cloudy, the font edges a bit rough, and the pump quality slightly inferior.
Even Ding Manni noticed and lowered her voice: “Mine’s from the duty-free shop, maybe slightly different from the counter version…”
“The duty-free and counter versions may have minor differences in packaging or gifts, but the core product material and craftsmanship are consistent.” Gu Mingyan lifted her chin.
Yun Qingqing looked at Meng Xian with concern: “Teacher Meng, are you sure you bought this at the counter? Or do you still have the receipt? Maybe you can show it so everyone can see. If it’s truly a dishonest seller, you can protect your rights in time.”
Her tone was sincere and gentle, leaving Meng Xian in a difficult position.
She had no counter receipts to show.
To save money, Meng Xian had bought them from a so-called insider dealer, nearly forty percent cheaper than the counter. At the time, she thought she’d gotten a bargain; now, it backfired.
Meng Xian couldn’t help blaming Ding Manni—if she hadn’t insisted on showing a genuine product for comparison, it wouldn’t have been immediately confirmed that she sent fakes.
“I shop casually, the receipt might have been thrown away.” Meng Xian stammered, trying to gloss over it.
As Yun Qingqing silently marveled at this poor excuse, the system warned anxiously: 【Host! Even if what Meng Xian sent is fake, it’s still recommended not to offend the female lead.】
Yun Qingqing snapped angrily: “This still counts as a female lead! Look at Gu Mingyan, giving me money, jade, high fashion—now that’s generosity. And look at this so-called female lead, being stingy and sending fakes as gifts! How much are fakes worth?”
System: 【……】
No hope, money in her eyes.
Meanwhile, the livestream chat continued debating Meng Xian’s act of sending fakes:
【She can’t even produce the receipt, isn’t that obviously suspicious?】
【Either don’t give gifts, or give real ones. Meng Xian did wrong here; you can’t just give A-grade stuff for the face, what if someone’s allergic?】
【No wonder Yun Qingqing didn’t want it. Who would feel comfortable using a fake gift?】
Meng Xian’s fans were desperately defending her:
【Why jump to say it’s fake? Even if the packaging or material is slightly different, maybe it’s a version or production location issue?】
【Xian Xian is also a victim! She must have been tricked by a dishonest dealer!】
But these defenses looked pale and powerless compared to the concrete differences and Meng Xian’s inability to produce proof:
【Fans stop defending, can production location differences really make such a gap? Do you take us for fools?】
【The person herself said it was bought at the counter, now the fans say she was tricked by a dealer, is this a conflict in logic?】
The fans were furious, angrily criticizing the audience:
【Those in the chat defending Yun Qingqing have no judgment at all, their values probably follow their eyes. How shallow reality must be!】
No matter what her fans said, Meng Xian still faced the awkward situation of being unable to produce purchase proof.
She quickly weighed the pros and cons, knowing that continuing to deny it would only make things worse. She then swiftly bowed to everyone: “It was my oversight, almost letting everyone use something subpar. I am truly, truly sorry!”
Ding Manni, Ji Sihan, and the others tried to smooth things over, saying, “It’s fine, the thought counts,” but the hot potato gift in hand was awkward either way—accepting it or refusing it both felt wrong, leaving the atmosphere unbearably tense.
Fortunately, at that moment, a sudden commotion came from the side.
“Xian Xian! Xian Xian, look over here!”
“Xian Xian, we’ll always support you!”
Seven or eight young girls holding Meng Xian support banners and lightboards broke through the program crew’s barrier, excitedly running over.
It turned out Meng Xian’s fan club had learned the show’s departure location and had spontaneously come to see her off.
Meng Xian, worried about losing face, quickly adjusted her expression to greet them: “Thank you all for coming to see me off, I appreciate it!”
She warmly shook hands and signed autographs. The head fan, while interacting with her, happened to glance at Gu Mingyan standing not far away.
The head fan’s expression instantly changed, pointing at Gu Mingyan and loudly accusing: “Gu Mingyan, how dare you steal Xian Xian’s endorsement?!”
The loud voice immediately drew everyone else’s attention.
Other fans followed the pointing finger and were instantly stirred, shouting passionately:
“Using your filthy money to snatch someone else’s resources, have some shame!”
“You must apologize to our Xian Xian!”
Gu Mingyan coldly sneered at this sudden accusation: “The brand already clarified there’s no endorsement-stealing involved. Can’t you understand human language?”
Her disdainful attitude only further enraged the fans.
The head fan, blood boiling, pushed past the staff, wanting to rush over at Gu Mingyan: “How dare you be so arrogant!”
“Hey hey hey, don’t hit her,” Ji Sihan quickly reached out to stop her.
Seeing the situation about to spiral out of control, Yun Qingqing sidestepped and swiftly blocked in front of Gu Mingyan.
“I advise you not to act recklessly.” She scanned the agitated fans with a smile and reminded them, “The vintage necklace around her neck is valued at 800,000; the full-green jade bracelet on her wrist is worth 3 million; the platinum diamond earrings are at least 200,000. Are you sure you can afford to damage any of these?”
Upon hearing the prices, the aggressive fans immediately hesitated, exchanging nervous glances.
Only the head fan seemed well-off, still clenching her teeth in anger: “It’s just money, my family can pay! If I break anything, I’ll compensate double. Anyway, Gu Mingyan has to give us an explanation today!”
“Double?” Yun Qingqing’s eyes instantly lit up as if hearing the greatest news ever.
She immediately touched the jade amulet Gu Mingyan had gifted her, eagerly leaning forward toward the head fan, her tone unusually enthusiastic:
“Friend, you’ve got a big heart! I’m her partner, so if you’re dissatisfied, push me instead! Come on, push here! This amulet isn’t worth much; break it and pay me double, that’s fine!”
Yun Qingqing’s desperate plea to be pushed left the head fan utterly confused.
She instinctively took a step back to keep her distance.
Seeing that the head fan not only didn’t act but actually stepped back, Yun Qingqing became dissatisfied.
“Don’t go, friend!” She leapt forward, almost pressing her face against the fan’s hand, eyes full of encouragement and anticipation. “I promise I won’t dodge! Push me, push me, go ahead!”
The head fan looked at the eager, enlarged face in front of her, lips trembling.
Damn, she seemed to have encountered a lunatic.