On Old Madam Qiao's birthday banquet day, Rong Dai got up early and carefully picked out a proper set of clothes. She had a good figure, long straight legs, and a pretty face - she was just like a clothes hanger.
"Don't talk too much with other men," Huo Shao Ting held her waist very domineeringly and cautioned her.
Rong Dai laughed and struggled out of his embrace, "I'm just going with mother to attend Old Madam Qiao's birthday banquet. Hearing you say that, it's as if I'm going matchmaking!"
Huo Shao Ting looked at her and took a deep breath. He lowered his head and lightly pecked her lips, "I'll come to pick you up later."
"No need, I'll come back with mother," Rong Dai shook her head.
"Your mother has a driver to pick her up. We'll eat out tonight," Huo Shao Ting insisted. Now he wished he could accompany her 24 hours a day.
Rong Dai helplessly nodded.
After going downstairs, she went to the Qiao's house with her mother-in-law.
Old Madam Qiao was celebrating her longevity birthday, and the Qiao family had a red revolutionary background, so the guests were all prestigious people in the circle.
Seeing Lu Zheng bringing Rong Dai over, many people couldn't help but gossip in private.
Rong Dai pretended not to hear. She accompanied Lu Zheng to see Old Madam Qiao and Madam Qiao.
The Lu family and the Qiao family had a long-standing relationship. Madam Qiao and Lu Zheng were classmates and best friends, so of course the two had endless conversations.
Rong Dai didn't feel good about eavesdropping, so she found an excuse to go to a secluded corner in the yard and watched the bustling crowd from afar.
She had originally wanted to sneak away for some peace and quiet, and was too lazy to listen to idle gossip. However, things didn't go as she wished.
"Shi Ning, your embroidery skills are getting better and better! With you at the Brocade Embroidery Workshop, you are definitely the most suitable successor to Master Shi Yue's mantle!"
"Yes, yes! Nowadays, good embroideries from the Brocade Embroidery Workshop sell out as soon as they come out. If you weren't so busy, Shi Ning, I would ask you to embroider something for me."
Rong Dai looked in the direction of the voices. Under the flower trellis in the yard, several young ladies were chatting. One of them was Shi Ning.
"Shi Ning, did you embroider this too? This Nan Mountain Green Pine is embroidered so well, your skills have improved again!"
The Brocade Embroidery Workshop was very famous nationally. Each of its embroideries was exquisite and a masterpiece. Coupled with the popularity of Hanfu in recent years, the workshop's embroideries were even more popular.
These young ladies pursued such leading international trendy brands. The Ji family was also quite prestigious in Shengjing.
As the successor personally cultivated by Master Shi Yue, Shi Ning was naturally very popular.
Rong Dai listened carefully and saw the opened Nan Mountain Green Pine embroidery when she heard what they said.
She was of course very familiar with this embroidery, because it was from her own hands.
"So she commissioned it."
Rong Dai suddenly understood, but didn't think too much about it. She was about to leave when she saw Shi Ning nod and admit that the Nan Mountain Green Pine was from her own hands.
Rong Dai immediately frowned.
It wasn't that she wanted to make trouble, but that embroidery was from her hands.
Shi Ning admitted it was embroidered by her, and she couldn't tolerate it.
It was like a thief had stolen her work.
If she hadn't happened to hear it today, she could have let it go. But since she heard it, she wouldn't just sit idly by.
Moreover, embroidery was something she planned to develop as her future career, and Shi Ning's actions had already infringed upon her rights and interests.
She walked over to the flower trellis. Seeing her appear, Shi Ning's expression changed slightly. She didn't expect Rong Dai to be here.
She took a special look at where Rong Dai had been sitting just now - she must have heard everything Shi Ning said earlier.
She had brought this embroidery today originally intending to pass off someone else's work as her own.
But she didn't expect Lu Zheng to also bring Rong Dai, so she could only gift something else instead.
These young ladies were chasing after the Brocade Embroidery Workshop. The Ji family was also quite prestigious in Shengjing.
She was used to being sought after, and just casually went along with these ladies' words earlier, admitting it was hers without thinking carefully.
But she didn't know Rong Dai had heard everything clear as day.
As an embroiderer herself, she certainly knew how precious embroideries were to their embroiderers.
Seeing Rong Dai come over, she knew something was wrong.
She immediately went up and revealed a smile on her gentle and graceful face, "Madam Huo, I didn't expect you to be here too."
Rong Dai gazed at her. Her face was very deceiving.
Gentle and beautiful, she was the type that elders really liked.
Seeing her beseeching eyes, Rong Dai pursed her lips tightly.
"I'll explain to you later. Today is Old Madam Qiao's birthday banquet."
Shi Ning quickly lowered her voice and spoke very fast.
Rong Dai looked at her and frowned slightly. She thought about how her mother-in-law had brought her here today out of good intentions.
If she directly exposed Shi Ning's lies now, she could defend the rights to the embroidery, but it might ruin the old lady's birthday banquet mood today.
"Alright," she agreed after thinking it over several times.
Shi Ning immediately breathed a sigh of relief when she agreed.
When she saw those few people still ogling the Nan Mountain Green Pine, she felt a little angry and jealous.
Rong Dai didn't say much before leaving. She wasn't familiar with those young ladies either.
They also looked down on someone like her who married into a prominent family. Of course they wouldn't take the initiative to make small talk with her.
Rong Dai was quite happy to be left in peace.
"Madam Huo, can you come over for a moment?"
Taking advantage when everyone was toasting and chatting merrily, Shi Ning found an opportunity to see her.
Rong Dai nodded and followed her to the Qiao family's garden.
"The embroidery technique on that Nan Mountain Green Pine is exquisite, Madam Huo. Just now, I was about to leave and afraid they would pester me. After all, the Brocade Embroidery Workshop's embroideries are in short supply now.
"I thought casually agreeing would stop their probing, and didn't intend to offend you. Thank you for not exposing me just now. When the timing is right, I will find an opportunity to explain clearly."
Shi Ning spoke very calmly and frankly.
Rong Dai looked at her. Since she had already said so, Rong Dai didn't feel good about pressing her further.
"Miss Shi knows embroidery is tedious work, and cherishes her own embroideries. Since Miss Shi has said this, I won't make a big deal out of it either.
"I just hope Miss Shi doesn't pass off others' work as her own again in the future. Once a misunderstanding arises, it is very difficult to explain clearly."
Shi Ning's expression was a little stiff as she stared at Rong Dai. In her heart, she certainly looked down on Rong Dai.
But Rong Dai's embroidery skills were good, this was something she had to admit.
"Thank you for the reminder, Madam Huo. If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave first."
Shi Ning didn't want to say any more. Rong Dai didn't keep her either. Although Shi Ning's explanation was a bit far-fetched, she didn't feel good about being too aggressive either.
