Chapter 5: An Old Acquaintance Revisited

Song Linlang's face turned green with anger. "What nonsense are you spouting!"

Sang Ke remained calm. "Song Linlang, you grew up following your mother around, appreciating famous paintings, yet you lack even this bit of discernment? You’re making a fool of yourself by displaying a forgery as if it were a treasure."

"That’s absurd! Cornell is a senior Linlang met while studying in France. He specially sent this painting as a congratulatory gift for her exhibition. How could it possibly be a fake?" A woman stepped forward to defend Song Linlang.

Recognizing her as the woman who had accompanied Song Linlang to the hospital to pick up medicine last time, Sang Ke offered a playful smile. "Is that what she told you?"

Xu Huijuan, momentarily disconcerted by Sang Ke's smile, looked toward Song Linlang for reassurance.

Pei Xuyun, however, believed Sang Ke was just bluffing. He sneered in disgust, "So many professionals here and none have called it a forgery. Who do you think you are? You’d say anything to smear Linlang. Some things never change!"

Sang Ke sneered coldly.

To him, no matter what she said, she was nothing more than a spiteful villain eager to tarnish Song Linlang’s reputation.

She had someone lift the wooden stand and pull the painting out from beneath. Pointing to the figure of the woman seen from behind, she explained to the crowd, "Aside from this outline—the brushwork here is sharp, carrying Cornell’s distinctive style, and was likely painted by him personally. But everything else is the work of another hand. My guess is this was an abandoned sketch by Cornell, picked up and forged by someone with ulterior motives."

"What evidence do you have?" someone asked from the crowd.

Sang Ke didn’t fall into the trap of proving herself. Instead, she retorted, "It was Song Linlang who demanded $500,000 from me. Shouldn’t she be providing evidence to prove this painting is genuinely by Cornell?"

"It was a gift from a friend. How could there be any documentation?"

"If it’s a friend, then call Cornell right now. As long as it’s proven authentic, I’ll pay up immediately."

"Fine, we’ll call! But when the call connects, don’t you dare—" Xu Huijuan was about to agree on Song Linlang’s behalf when her expression suddenly changed and she fell silent.

It was Song Linlang who, seeing Sang Ke draw all the attention to herself, pinched Xu Huijuan’s arm in secret, signaling her to keep quiet—her foolish ally not only fell for the bait but was about to fan the flames further.

Their strange reaction aroused suspicion among the onlookers.

"Could it really be a fake?"

"It’s possible. If it were genuine, they wouldn’t just let someone slander it without defending themselves."

"Oh my, placing a fake on the Huo family’s territory—if word of this reaches the Huo family..."

Hearing the rising tide of doubt, Song Linlang’s fingers turned white from gripping them so tightly.

Pei Xuyun, unable to bear Song Linlang’s distress, furiously grabbed Sang Ke’s wrist. "Enough! Others may not know, but I do. You didn’t even graduate from college and probably don’t know who Cornell is. Yet here you are, making wild claims! I’m warning you—apologize now and it’s not too late!"

Sang Ke flung his hand aside in irritation. "Pei Xuyun, since you’re so fond of justice, if I prove this painting is a forgery, will you have Song Linlang apologize and admit her mistake?"

Pei Xuyun replied confidently, "Of course. But if you can’t—"

Sang Ke couldn’t be bothered to listen to his bluster. She simply took out her phone and made a video call.

The call connected quickly.

Cornell’s scruffy face instantly appeared on the screen.

Sang Ke put the phone on speaker and aimed the camera at the damaged painting. "Did you paint this?"

Cornell took one glance and shook his head, denying it outright.

The truth was laid bare, simple and direct.

Before the crowd could process what had happened, Sang Ke turned the camera to Song Linlang. "I heard she’s your friend. Do you know her?"

Song Linlang barely had time to cover her face before she heard the humiliating reply—

"Who is she?"

Sang Ke said nothing more, offered a brief greeting, and invited him to visit China when he had the chance, then hung up.

The atmosphere was instantly awkward.

Who would have thought that the heiress of the Song Family Group would stoop to impersonating Cornell’s friend and use a forgery to boost her reputation? On the contrary, this unremarkable woman before them was actually friends with an industry heavyweight, and judging by their cordial exchange, their relationship was hardly superficial!

Those who had previously criticized Sang Ke now fell silent, unwilling to take sides.

The first to act were the Huo family’s people.

Without waiting for Song Linlang to explain, the person in charge simply tossed the fake out of the venue.

It was a silent slap across Song Linlang’s face.

Sang Ke’s satisfaction was palpable.

She glanced at the despicable pair and reminded them, "Apologize!"

Pei Xuyun, realizing his always-underestimated wife had connections to such a figure, was filled with a sense of having been made a fool. He gritted his teeth and demanded, "You did this on purpose, didn’t you?"

Deliberately holding back such evidence, letting him dig his own grave before delivering the blow.

"Can’t handle losing?" Sang Ke ignored him and turned to the silent Song Linlang. "If you can’t bring yourself to apologize, then forget it. It’s not the first time you’ve tried to weasel your way out. But you tricked everyone here with a forgery—aren’t you going to give them an explanation?"

With these words, the weight of every gaze pressed down on Song Linlang like a mountain.

Her face instantly turned ashen.

If she couldn’t explain this, how could she ever show her face in high society again?

Yet before buying this painting on the black market, she had consulted several experts. All confirmed it was genuine, which was why she dared display it at the exhibition to enhance her image.

If even the experts couldn’t tell, how on earth did that wretched Sang Ke see through it?

"Linlang, what’s really going on?" Xu Huijuan asked softly.

Song Linlang forced out a few tears and spoke pitifully, "I don’t know either. The painting did come from France, signed by Cornell. I thought, since I’d won an award in France and he presented it to me, he’d remembered me and sent this as a token. I didn’t think much of it. Now, it seems someone deliberately sent a forgery to frame me."

She didn’t name names, but it was clear she was hinting it was Sang Ke’s doing.

How could it be so coincidental? That painting was conveniently damaged by Sang Ke, and she just happened to know Cornell.

Sang Ke, once again witnessing Song Linlang’s ability to distort the truth, calmly took out her phone. "If that’s the case, let’s call the police."

The mention of the police made Song Linlang go even paler.

Just as she was at an impasse, Liu Wanqin arrived in time.

"Call the police? Don’t be ridiculous!"

Unlike other wealthy ladies in the capital, Liu Wanqin possessed none of the airs of the nouveau riche. She was as elegant and refined as a willow in spring.

Looking at this old acquaintance after so many years, Sang Ke realized her heart didn’t ache as much as she’d imagined.

Compared to Song Linlang’s betrayal, it was Liu Wanqin’s blind favoritism back then that had truly wounded her.

That year, she awoke in a hotel bed, her clothes in tatters, blood staining the sheets—frightened and overwhelmed. Not wanting to worry Mrs. Pei, the first person she called for help was her mentor, Liu Wanqin.

But when she opened the hotel door, it wasn’t kind words that greeted her, but a barrage of photos from Liu Wanqin’s phone and a check tossed in her face: "You tried to set up Linlang last night and got what you deserved. Take this money and keep your mouth shut about what happened. If I hear any rumors that harm Linlang, these disgraceful photos of yours will be posted online."

Five years. It was all in the past.

Sang Ke pressed a hand to her chest and told herself as much.

Seeing her mother, Song Linlang lowered her head in fear. "Mom, why are you here?"

"Linlang, how have I always taught you?" Liu Wanqin asked, frowning.

"Mom, I know I was wrong." Song Linlang answered humbly, but her fingers, white from her grip, betrayed her desire to tear Sang Ke apart.

Watching her daughter, who thought herself so adept at concealing her emotions, Liu Wanqin’s eyes flashed with disappointment.