By this time, the news anchor had just finished introducing and, with a stretch of his hand, released the live video footage of the ginseng transaction.
The newly excavated Thousand-year Ginseng looked white and tender, and its human-like shape and extremely long roots could easily be mistaken for a large white radish if one didn't look closely.
But why did it look so familiar?!
It resembled... the piece Mu Jinyu was eating, didn't it?!
A number of people couldn't help but turn their heads back to look at the ginseng Mu Jinyu was gnawing on, and the more they looked, the more they felt it was the same.
But they couldn't bring themselves to believe it and kept shaking their heads, self-hypnotizing, saying it was just an illusion.
However, at this moment, the news showed a woman appearing, taking out an antique-looking wooden box and placing the Thousand-year Ginseng inside it.
The news ended there.
And when the crowd saw the antique wooden box, they turned back to look at the wooden box in Mu Jinyu's hands, and upon comparison...
It was indeed identical!
Could it be... that everything Mu Jinyu said was true?!
The large white radish he was about to finish eating was actually the Thousand-year Ginseng that someone had bought for Five hundred million?
"My goodness!"
Some of the greedier aunts and great-aunts, upon having this thought, felt dizzied, almost toppling over, as if their entire worldview were collapsing.
"Crack!"
Amidst the exclamations of the crowd, Mu Jinyu continued his motions without stopping, just then shoving the last piece of ginseng into his mouth, chewed it for a while, and swallowed it down.
Gu Zhengxin's eyes widened as he watched, unable to do anything as the Thousand-year Ginseng that was supposed to be given to him as a Birthday Gift was eaten by Mu Jinyu, and his heart felt like an overturned jar of seasonings, a mix of sour, spicy, bitter, and astringent flavors...
A feeling named regret suddenly sprang up from his tailbone, sent shivers down his spine, and finally exploded in his heart.
Gu Zhengxin was filled with regret.
So much so that he could turn his intestines green with it.
After all, he was already old, with his body gradually decaying, and he truly needed such a life-extending treasure like the Thousand-year Ginseng to prepare for hanging onto life in the future.
But now, because he believed Zhang Qiuhuai's nonsense, a rare Thousand-year Ginseng had slipped through his fingers just like that.
He indeed wished he could kill Zhang Qiuhuai, that fool!
Zhang Qiuhuai, unaware of Gu Zhengxin's desire to kill him, stood there with a vacant look in his eyes. After seeing that news report, his mind felt as if a nuclear bomb had exploded within it!
'The antique I bought for Fifty Million is just a forgery, worthless!'
"The large white radish I ridiculed that guy for, was actually a Thousand-year Ginseng worth over Five hundred million..."
Zhang Qiuhuai's mind repeatedly churned with these two thoughts.
It almost turned his brains to mush!
Zhang Qiuhuai originally came to the evening event full of vigor, planning to use the "Fortune and Longevity" Famille Rose Porcelain to gain Gu Zhengxin's favor and then capture Gu Xiyan's heart. Now, that thought had completely vanished.
He felt like the complete butt of the joke.
And his previous actions, where he instigated the crowd and frantically belittled Mu Jinyu, now seemed utterly laughable.
'In that guy's eyes, I must have been a Clown from start to finish, right?!'
Zhang Qiuhuai was disheartened, no longer harboring the triumphant hope of winning a beauty's love.
Mu Jinyu leisurely ate up the Thousand-year Ginseng bite by bite, swallowing it down, and found the expressions of regret, frenzy, struggle, and annoyance on everyone's faces rather amusing.
However, he had no intention of continuing the game with these fools any longer. Now that he had finished the Thousand-year Ginseng and made them realize their own foolishness, he could leave with his mission accomplished.
"Let's go."
Mu Jinyu, taking hold of Gu Xiyan's arm, which was also slightly dazed, walked towards the exit of the banquet hall.
Not until they had left the banquet hall did anyone utter a word to say, "Get lost by yourself, and leave Gu Xiyan behind."
After leaving the star-rated hotel, Gu Xiyan finally came to her senses. She looked up at Mu Jinyu with an odd expression and thought, 'This guy really wasn't bragging; his carrot was indeed a Thousand-year Ginseng.'
Noticing the look in Gu Xiyan's eyes, Mu Jinyu released her arm and stopped walking. In a sincere tone, he said, "I'm sorry, I couldn't control my feelings, the task wasn't completed, and I made things difficult for you. I'll return this one hundred thousand yuan to you."
As he spoke, he took out the thick envelope containing one hundred thousand yuan in cash that Gu Xiyan had given him earlier, intending to return it to her.
"There's no need; you did very well."
However, to Mu Jinyu's surprise, Gu Xiyan immediately shook her head and refused after hearing his words.
"Hmm? Why?" Mu Jinyu was puzzled.
Logically, despite being paid, one should endure any grievances; that was professional ethics.
Yet, he not only had failed to complete her task of pretending to be her boyfriend but also cursed out her relatives and the entire family.
Though he had vented, he hadn't managed the task well, and reimbursing her was only right.
But she... actually thought he had done very well?!
Mu Jinyu began to wonder if there was something wrong with Gu Xiyan's brain.
"Don't look at me with that kind of eyes."
Gu Xiyan gave Mu Jinyu a reproving glance, alluring and indifferent, "I've been quite annoyed with that bunch for a while. So, I think you did a great job cursing them out, even better than I expected. I guess they won't insinuate anymore that Zhang Qiuhuai and I are a match made in heaven."
Gu Xiyan had been annoyed with them for always harping on about her and Zhang Qiuhuai being childhood sweethearts and a perfect match, suggesting she should marry him and such.
Even her parents were happy to see it happen and said nothing more.
This had always made her feel suffocated, but she was unable to lash out.
Now, seeing them put in their place by Mu Jinyu's scolding, although life might get harder, she didn't work at Gu Corporation and never depended on them for a living, so she had little need to be concerned.
"Then I'm relieved."
Mu Jinyu, hearing Gu Xiyan say this, didn't quite understand the relationship within her family, but it didn't matter to him. He was too lazy to delve into it since he and she were merely passing through each other's lives.
Having said this, Mu Jinyu quickly stashed the thick envelope back into his pocket, as if afraid Gu Xiyan might change her mind.
Of course, Mu Jinyu felt a pang at the thought of returning the money he had already received, but since Gu Xiyan had said so, he was delighted to accept it again.
Seeing Mu Jinyu's action, Gu Xiyan couldn't help but give him another reproachful look, then a thought struck her, and she asked, "By the way, how did you figure out that the Famille Rose porcelain piece that Zhang Qiuhuai had was a fake?"
She was clever not to directly ask Mu Jinyu why he had the Thousand-year Ginseng.
At this point, she was quite relieved. Fortunately, the Gu family members did not accept Mu Jinyu's Birthday Gift, or else if they had, she would at least owe Mu Jinyu five hundred million.
And where would she find that much money; wouldn't she have to compensate him with her whole self?!