Both were dressed in red, yet the difference was clear!
An Yiqing looked at Qin Jia with a light smile, then turned to the microphone and chuckled softly.
"Second Miss Qin, I think you might be mistaken," she said.
The ears of everyone in the banquet hall perked up, all curious to see how An Yiqing would retort.
True to expectations, An Yiqing continued, "Second Miss Qin, could it be that you have been so devoted to your talents that you’ve neglected your cultural studies? I am nineteen years old this year. After this New Year, I’ll only be twenty. However, Second Miss Qin, you are clearly twenty-three; how could you call me ’elder sister’? That simply won’t do. If outsiders were to hear this, they might think the Daughter of the An Family does not respect her seniors, needlessly losing out on proper etiquette!"
An Yiqing spoke with such cadence and clarity that not even a punctuation mark could be faulted.
The audience below silently applauded in agreement. Some even turned red-faced, barely holding back their laughter for fear of breaking the mood.
The Daughter of the An Family was not only adept with strategies but also had a clever mouth, with each word striking directly at Qin Jia’s heart.
Women around the world, regardless of age or social status, dread growing old the most. Although Qin Jia was only twenty-three, An Yiqing’s words made everyone genuinely feel that Qin Jia seemed much older than her.
Tsk tsk, looking at Second Miss Qin’s thick foundation, the heavy eyeshadow, and lipstick, the more everyone looked, the more they felt there was an air of vulgarity about Qin Jia, as if a woman in her prime had been transformed into an alluring young matron.
Looking at An Yiqing, also in a red dress and of a similar age, she differed from Qin Jia’s deliberate adornment, with only a touch of blush on her face. This was added only after the makeup artist pondered for a long time before carefully applying it. The artist, who held a distinguished international reputation, exclaimed continuously while doing An Yiqing’s makeup that she had never seen such a perfect face before, one that required no artifice, so full of life.
It must be said, An Yiqing inherited all the best features of her parents. She had the gentle and moving charm of Kong Shi and the calm warmth of An Zisheng, combining to form her own unique aura.
Qin Jia’s face turned red, and with a rigid expression, she looked at the guests who were enjoying the spectacle. Then turning her head, her eyes met the grim gaze of Qin Dingshan.
She couldn’t help but shiver and quickly averted her gaze. If today’s performance failed to achieve the results Qin Jia had hoped for, she estimated Qin Dingshan would not let her off easily once they returned home.
Qin Jia clenched her fists and with a feigned smile looked at An Yiqing, and said sweetly, "Xiao Qing, sister has made a mistake. I am really sorry. Would you be so kind as to play a piece for me, to offer some guidance? Everyone is eagerly awaiting the talent showcase of the First Miss of Xuandu City!"
An Yiqing glanced lightly at Qin Dingshan standing below the stage, smiled softly, and nodded towards Qin Jia, "Then I shall respectfully accept your challenge."
She had actually accepted the challenge!
The crowd was taken aback, whispering among themselves. How confident An Yiqing must be to accept a challenge from Qin Jia right in front of her!
Qin Dingshan, who had been silent until now, had very complex thoughts. Though he was indeed angry about Qin Jia’s presumption, he had to admit that foolish as she was, Qin Jia had accidentally hit An Yiqing’s weak spot. It was common knowledge that An Yiqing had been away from home since she was young, and her skills in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting naturally could not compare to that of Second Miss Qin, who had been carefully cultivated. Although Qin Dingshan was not happy with Qin Jia, he was more eager to see An Yiqing make a fool of herself, which indirectly meant a loss of face for the An Family.