A Warm Marriage After Rebirth

Chapter 134: Chapter 134: Loud Face-Slapping (Part 7)

”Don’t be so anxious. Just watch.” In contrast, Seraphina Sterling was far more composed.

”It’s been almost half an hour! We’re still waiting? How much longer do we have to wait? Why isn’t Michelle Galloway done talking yet! How long is this going to go on? I stopped listening ages ago!” Genevieve Churchill had never been patient. If she weren’t expecting to see a disaster unfold, she wouldn’t be paying this much attention at all.

”Calm down. You’re not the only one who can’t stand it anymore.” Seraphina Sterling glanced at Simon, and Genevieve Churchill immediately understood.

”When Michelle Galloway makes a fool of herself depends on when *he* decides to blow up. Getting him to sit quietly through an event is absolutely impossible!” This was Seraphina Sterling’s conclusion, based on past experience.

However, even after Michelle Galloway uttered her final word, Simon remained quietly seated, not saying a thing. None of Seraphina Sterling’s predictions—the trouble-making, the nitpicking—had come to pass. Nothing had happened at all!

This unexpectedly smooth event put Michelle Galloway in a great mood. She shot a glance at Seraphina Sterling. ’What do you think of that? I told you it would be fine! See? *This* is real talent. All you can do is brew some lousy tea. What’s so great about that!’

Seraphina Sterling simply offered a faint smile. ’The real winner is the one who smiles last.’

Not getting the reaction she’d hoped for, Michelle Galloway looked away. After offering her closing thanks, she prepared to leave the stage. But just then, to her surprise, Simon made his move!

”I’m surprised Galloway is so knowledgeable about ancient Apex artifacts. I wonder if Galloway could explain why this dilapidated Purple Clay Teapot is somehow the most expensive item among these pieces. From where I’m standing, it’s just a teapot made from a pile of cheap clay! Does this mean Apex antiques are valued based on their level of decay? In most countries, newer things are more valuable. You people from Apex are fascinating—the more broken and old something is, the higher its value. Is Apex a country that recycles garbage?”

This time, Simon’s words were even harsher. Anyone could tell he was being deliberate—deliberately nitpicking, deliberately putting Apex on the spot. All eyes turned to Michelle Galloway, awaiting her reply. Everyone wanted to see how she would respond to Simon’s pointed criticism. The reporters zoomed in for a tight close-up on Michelle Galloway, eager to record the moment for a future feature.

”Simon, as I already mentioned, this Purple Clay Teapot is a work by the Ming Dynasty master, Mengchen Holloway. He was instrumental in advancing the craft of making these teapots. Its age is precisely why it shows some wear. In fact, very few of Mengchen Holloway’s works survive today, which is what makes this one so incredibly precious!”

Michelle Galloway had wanted to emulate Seraphina Sterling’s way of handling Simon: a nonchalant attitude that delivered a knockout blow, leaving him speechless. However, her execution was lacking. After hearing her explanation, not only did Simon not shut up, he broke into an even wider grin.

”After all that, Galloway, you’ve only proven my point. If we’re talking about age, isn’t there also a Ming Dynasty blue-and-white porcelain piece over here? This porcelain is so exquisite and beautiful, yet its value is somehow lower than that shabby Purple Clay Teapot? Doesn’t that just prove that in Apex, the more broken-down and ancient something is, the more valuable it is?”

Simon was the king of killing the mood. A perfectly fine cultural exchange had once again fallen into a dead silence. Everyone was already used to these shifts. They just looked at Michelle Galloway with anticipation, hoping she could at least give a serious answer to Simon’s question. As for overpowering Simon’s presence or actually defeating him in an argument—they knew they couldn’t count on Michelle Galloway for that anymore.