Chapter 69

Chapter 69: Clear-Heart Dew

The whispers around them spread fast.

Before tonight, many people might not have known Qiao Qing Yan’s name. But after the banquet entrance and what followed inside the hall, plenty of people knew exactly who she was now.

“Only 100,000?” someone scoffed. “That’s way too stingy. She’s a celebrity and she even won Best Actress—there’s no way she can only take out that little.”

“Didn’t Miss Su’s friend say even one handbag costs more than 100,000?”

“Madam Ji defended her so openly, and now this?” Someone clicked their tongue. “That’s embarrassing to the extreme.”

“Shh.” Another voice dropped low. “Did you forget she snapped the Ji family’s business card?”

In the front row, the Ji family couple naturally heard the chatter.

Madam Ji’s gaze swept lightly over Su Luo Yu and the few female entertainers beside her.

“Luo Yu,” Madam Ji asked, voice calm, “are your friends celebrities too?”

Su Luo Yu’s throat tightened. She didn’t answer.

Madam Ji continued evenly, “Since they’re here with you to have fun, then just have fun. They don’t need to donate. Their work isn’t easy either.”

Then she smiled faintly, and the smile made the entertainers’ blood run cold.

“Later, I’ll have my assistant transfer their donations back to them.”

The three female entertainers instantly turned deathly pale.

They hadn’t donated anything at all.

They’d been flattering Su Luo Yu the entire night, not because they cared about charity, but because they wanted to climb. They’d come to meet big shots, to find opportunities, to attach themselves to power.

So they’d kept their hands in their pockets.

Only when Madam Ji mentioned it did Su Luo Yu glance at the screen and realize their names weren’t there either.

Her fingers clenched hard enough to hurt. She lowered her head, not daring to speak.

Beside Ji Chang An sat an old man. He looked past the Ji family couple and toward Su Luo Yu, amusement curling in his eyes.

“That’s Old Man Su’s granddaughter?” he asked.

Ji Chang An’s expression tightened. He hadn’t expected Su Luo Yu to fool around in private and still behave like this in a setting like tonight.

“Yes,” he said, and the word tasted unpleasant.

The old man chuckled and didn’t comment further.

Old Master Su was someone who cared about face. Wherever he went, he insisted on looking dignified and proper.

Who would’ve thought his granddaughter would specialize in dragging the Su family through the mud?

Her words stirred resentment in the room, yes—but whose face was she truly slapping?

Wasn’t this the Ji family’s charity gala?

The Ji family didn’t force anyone to donate. But Su Luo Yu’s pointed mockery made it sound like anyone who attended had to give something—and the value couldn’t be too low.

To wealthy families, 100,000 might be less than a meal, a dress, or a handbag.

But for ordinary people, it could be a year’s living expenses.

The Ji family worked hard at charity, yet in private, people began dividing others into ranks.

If that reputation spread, then—

—

Su Luo Yu’s provoking look didn’t escape Qiao Qing Yan.

She simply didn’t care.

Her gaze shifted to the stage, calm and unreadable.

“Who from the Si family came,” she asked, “and what did they donate?”

Si Jin Nan pointed toward the middle of the first row. “There. As for the item—you’ll see it soon.”

Onstage, the host’s voice rang out again. “Next is a donated item from the Si family.”

A beautiful attendant carried a red tray onto the stage, walking slowly, deliberately, as if drawing out suspense.

With a swift motion—

Whoosh.

The red cloth lifted, revealing a white jade porcelain bottle.

“Three drops of Clear-Heart Dew!”

“Hiss…”