Chapter 152: The Lie Exposed

Jian An'an, acting like a hedgehog with its quills raised, eyes wide, spun around abruptly—but she saw nothing. There was only the elevator rising to another floor and a few customers who had just stepped out.

Song Wanning was nowhere to be seen.

She let out a sigh of relief, then turned back to the sales clerk, her face twisted in anger. "I bought this here, so why won't you let me return it now?!"

The clerk looked troubled. "Please, miss, don't get so agitated. Without a receipt, I truly cannot process a return for you."

"How can you not process it? It's just that you don't want to help me!"

Jian An'an was wearing a mask, a hat, and her hair was loose; she wasn't worried about being recognized, so she didn't bother to restrain her temper, saying whatever came to mind. In truth, she was right—if they stocked the same items, they could technically process a return. But without a receipt, even if the clerk had a sharp eye for quality, she wouldn't dare. She was naturally afraid of being scammed by high-quality replicas, for which she would have to pay out of her own pocket.

"If you really don't want it, I can only suggest you pawn it. I cannot process a return without the receipt."

Jian An'an was furious. Jin Jianyi had never intended to return the earrings in the first place and had casually tossed the receipt aside when he gave them to her. It wasn't until after her tea party that Jian An'an realized it was missing; upon asking, she learned he had thrown it away. Since he was the one who bought them for her, she couldn't scold him, and having no excuse to return to the Huadu Plaza, she had been forced to swallow her frustration.

This time, she had used a fake stomachache as an excuse to slip away and sneak back here, successfully shaking off her cameraman. She thought she was being clever, but in reality, the cameraman had simply sensed something was off and guessed she was up to no good. At first, he had followed her, but eventually, he learned the pattern: whenever he lost track of her, it was better not to look. She would always reappear in his frame once she was done with her secretive business, so he was currently squatting in a corner, playing on his phone.

Time was short, and Jian An'an didn't want to argue anymore. "Fine, do you take gold? Just pawn it for me, and make it quick, or I'm leaving."

Hearing she wanted to pawn it, the clerk immediately took care of it. A moment later, she returned. "The gold weight is only worth ten thousand, and the gemstone is a bit more valuable. That's thirty-five thousand in total."

Jian An'an’s eyes widened like brass bells. "I spent over a hundred thousand here! And now you're telling me it's only worth thirty-five thousand?!"

The clerk nodded. "That's the price for these earrings. If you think it's unfair, you're welcome to go elsewhere, but I can tell you quite responsibly that nowhere else will offer you a higher price."

"Then why were they so expensive when I bought them? This is daylight robbery!"

"Miss, without a receipt, there is no proof that it was purchased here." The clerk wore a polite smile, but it made Jian An'an’s hands tremble. She had checked the market rates online and knew that, indeed, she wouldn't get a better offer. Furthermore, Zhou Xiancheng was pressuring her for money, and she still owed Sister Yu eighty thousand. With no other choice, she gritted her teeth. "Fine, I'll pawn it. But I'll remember you!"

Jian An'an glared at her with a venomous expression. The clerk faltered for a second under the sinister gaze but ultimately steadied her voice. "Will you take that thirty-five thousand in cash or by bank transfer?"

"Bank transfer!"

...

Meanwhile, Song Wanning had gone to the clothing section on the third floor. The space was vast, with gorgeous evening gowns on the left and daily casual wear on the right. Song Wanning browsed the left side first, ignoring Gu Yan’s questions about what she was looking for. Later, as they moved to the right and passed the central counter, Song Wanning saw a familiar figure. It was Jian An'an!

Gu Yan finally recognized her too and tugged on Song Wanning’s arm. "Hey, look over there. Is that Jian An'an? Your colleague?"

As soon as she mentioned it, the viewers in the livestream, who had been busy helping Song Wanning pick out clothes, shifted their attention immediately.

[I told you I wasn't seeing things! When the elevator opened on the second floor, I saw Jian An'an at the counter, but you all said I was wrong!]
[If Jian An'an is here, does that mean the others are here too?]
[Not necessarily.]
[Oh, our cameraman is so attentive today!]

The perceptive cameraman not only moved the lens toward them but silently zoomed in. Everyone could see that Jian An'an had a piece of green fabric pressed under her hands.

[Look at that color—it's so close to the dress she gave Song Wanning!]
[It is! And she seems to be arguing with the clerk; it doesn't look like she's shopping.]
[Cameraman, be a hero and get a little closer! I can't hear what they're saying, and I'm dying of curiosity!]
[Are you stupid? The microphone is on Song Wanning.]

The people in the livestream couldn't hear, but Song Wanning could. Ever since she had transmigrated, her hearing and vision had been sharper than a normal person's—a mystery she had yet to solve. Looking at the familiar dress and recalling what Jian An'an had said to Deng Jinfeng earlier, she walked forward silently, closing the distance.

Jian An'an was still arguing with the clerk and hadn't noticed anyone behind her.

"I have the receipt for this dress, and it's in perfect condition—no tears, no stains. Why can't I exchange it?! Is this how you merchants act, bullying your customers?"

This clerk was more assertive than the previous one and gave Jian An'an no pleasantries. "If this dress had never been worn or washed, it could be exchanged. But you modified the stitching yourself; that cannot be undone. You have destroyed the integrity of the garment."

"That's because your quality was poor! It broke on its own, which is why I had to fix it!"

The counter came up to a normal person's chest, but since the clerk was sitting, Jian An'an—even while leaning over the counter—was still shorter than her. The most ridiculous part was that Jian An'an was desperately standing on her tiptoes.

The clerk’s attitude remained cool. "Rest assured, miss, we verify that all our merchandise is flawless before we sell it."

Just then, Song Wanning reached Jian An'an’s side. She spoke in a cold, sharp tone: "Jian An'an, didn't you say you didn't have the dress? Then what is this?"