Inner Voice

To Shen Lantang, watching Zheng Wanru was, to put it bluntly, like watching a clown. An irritating clown, but one she would only have to put up with for a few days. Zheng Wanru's position was rather unusual, too, and provoking her would only bring more trouble. Shen Lantang would rather keep her distance. As the saying went, running away might be shameful, but it worked.

Some things, though, could not be solved by running away. Some people insisted on throwing themselves right into your path.

Shen Lantang let out a breath and put her smile back on: arched brows, upturned lips, every part of it proper.

"If you find my word unconvincing, Miss Zheng, I have another way to prove it. Everyone knows the gem on this hairpin is one whole, large stone. Half of it is set into the pin, but if you took it out, it would still be whole. The gem on your hairpin, however..."

After taking the hairpin back, Zheng Wanru had not put it on. She had left it on the counter. Shen Lantang picked it up, took an inkstone from a nearby shelf, and the next instant—bang!

The inkstone struck the gem. It cracked apart, even the portion set inside the hairpin splitting into several pieces.

Shen Lantang calmly handed the inkstone back to the shopkeeper and said:

"A whole gem would only crack where the heavy object struck it. This one broke apart because the stones inside were separate pieces glued together. Now it should be clear which hairpin is genuine."

"Lan Xin, compensate Miss Zheng for the gem at its market price. I'll buy this inkstone as well. Shopkeeper, wrap it up for me."

"Yes, Miss."

The shopkeeper was delighted. "Of course, of course. Just a moment, Madam."

The whole thing