Married First, Loved Later : A Flash Marriage with My Ex's 'Uncle' Chapter 545: Tit for Tat

Paula’s eyes lit up.

Ella’s smile deepened. "Have you ever heard of Mr. Ronald?"

Paula froze. "The chief perfur of Country Y’s royal family—he’s attending this competition too?"

"Of course. Ronald studied under the legendary Piper..." Ella’s lips curved into a smirk. "These two are the treasures of Country Y. With them here, Selina is bound to lose completely."

...

The next day.

A thousand perfurs arrived in City A to be interviewed.

Such a large-scale competition, held in cooperation with the royal family of Country Y, naturally drew the attention of the entire Country M, Country Y, and even the world.

Each perfur was asked a few simple questions, introducing their design concepts and perfus. The interviews lasted just a minute or two, and after editing, each person’s screen ti would only be a few seconds. But for many perfurs, this was already a golden opportunity.

Country M had countless perfu studios. Most weren’t well known, their products weren’t expensive, and not to ntion abroad—even dostically, many people had never heard of these perfurs’ nas. But that didn’t an they weren’t outstanding. What they lacked was simply a stage.

Reid Group gave them that chance.

By the ti Selina finished her interview, it was already three in the afternoon.

She was just about to leave the venue when a commotion broke out in front of her. A crowd was gathered like stars around the moon, escorting soone and blocking her path.

After listening for a while, Selina finally understood—Country Y’s chief perfur, Ronald, had also arrived and would be serving as a judge for the competition.

This man carried significant weight in the global perfu industry. With him there in person, it was no surprise that the perfurs from Country Y treated him like a star surrounded by devotees.

Selina, however, had no interest in Ronald. She turned to leave—when suddenly—

"Is this Miss Clark?"

Ronald stepped into Selina’s path.

Selina turned around, raising her brows slightly.

To her surprise, Ronald declined the invitations from the other perfurs and instead walked straight toward her. The perfurs who had been trailing Ronald now shifted their attention to Selina.

Selina still had no interest in Ronald. She had first heard of him back when she entered the perfu industry at fifteen, under the pseudonym "Piper." Her impression of him had never been good.

So when Ronald stopped her, Selina narrowed her eyes. "Mr. Ronald."

Ronald wore a smile, though it didn’t reach his eyes. There was a trace of disdain in his tone as he spoke mockingly: "After yesterday, Miss Clark has beco a household na. Everyone in Country Y has now heard of you."

The room fell silent. No one present was a fool; everyone understood Ronald’s insinuation. The perfurs from Country M didn’t look pleased.

But Selina remained calm and unruffled. "Well, since I was the one Miss Paula apologized to, it’s only natural I beca well known."

Her words directly threw Ronald’s comnt back at him—why was she famous? Because Paula had apologized to her.

As for why Paula had apologized—Selina was certain Ronald wouldn’t dare push the matter too far.

Sure enough, Ronald’s smile stiffened, though he quickly continued: "Miss Paula is still young. She was only joking with you, Miss Clark. Who would’ve thought you’d take it so seriously, even troubling the queen herself?"

Ronald sighed. "Ah, are people from Country M always so petty and humorless? Seems we in Country Y are much more generous, hahaha."

The Country Y perfurs around him echoed, "That’s right. We all knew Miss Paula was joking, but the won of Country M actually thought Paula was insulting her. What a joke!"

"Maybe Miss Clark has never had any friends before, which is why she can’t take a joke. Poor Miss Paula—she only wanted to befriend Miss Clark, but Miss Clark turned out to be so stingy."

Ronald looked as if he were helpless. "Sorry, Miss Clark. We people of Country Y are simply more easygoing. Joking is our way of making friends, but you... ah, never mind. Perhaps it’s just cultural differences between our two countries—can’t be forced."

Selina actually laughed in anger.

Everyone present knew perfectly well what Paula had ant.

—Paula had deliberately insulted Selina, telling her to wear a nightclub dress, degrading her, comparing her to a woman who sells her smile.

But in the mouths of these Country Y people, this was supposed to be a joke?

The perfurs from Country M couldn’t take it anymore.

"What nonsense! A joke? Does Miss Clark even know Paula that well for her to joke like that?"

"Here’s a fun fact: for sothing to be called a joke, the person being joked about has to find it funny. That’s what makes it a joke!"

Ronald put on the sa helpless act again. "See? See? This is exactly what I an about people from Country M—you just can’t say anything to them."

The perfurs from Country Y around him burst out laughing.

"Hahaha, so sensitive—they can’t even handle a few words."

"It was just a joke! We already said it’s part of our Country Y culture."

"Hilarious! People from Country M really can’t handle the spotlight."

Then Selina suddenly pulled out two hundred in cash and said slowly, "Mr. Ronald, you’re fairly easy on the eyes. Take this as a tip for keeping company."

She added with deliberate calm, "Mhm, though Mr. Ronald is a bit older, I suppose he’d still be considered handso in Country Y."

So perfurs from Country M imdiately caught on.

"I wonder how much Mr. Ronald charges per hour? The top hosts at nightclubs can cost hundreds of thousands an hour."

"Mr. Ronald’s fee must be even higher than that."

"Hahaha, who would’ve thought Mr. Ronald makes money this way? Well, to each his own, I suppose."

Ronald’s face instantly darkened. He realized—Selina had actually likened him to a male escort hired for entertainnt!

Without thinking, Ronald roared in fury, "Miss Clark! Is this the Country M way of treating guests? I am the chief perfur of Country Y! How dare you insult ?!"

But Selina remained as composed as ever, even lazily lifting her eyelids.

"Mr. Ronald, you’re overreacting. I was only trying to befriend you, and I made a little joke."

"Just monts ago, I heard Mr. Ronald say Miss Paula was only joking with . You said this is the culture of Country Y. Now I understand—so this is how Country Y people joke with each other."

"Since I wanted to be friends with you, naturally I should follow local customs and adopt Country Y’s way of joking."

Selina tilted her head slightly, as if puzzled. "But why is Mr. Ronald angry all of a sudden?"

...

...

The entire room went dead silent. Ronald nearly choked on his own breath.

His face turned crimson, his fingers trembled as he pointed at Selina, sputtering "You—" for a long while, but not managing to say a single word. He looked utterly furious, nearly beside himself.

"Pfft—hahaha..." Laughter finally broke out among the crowd.

"Why is Mr. Ronald angry? Isn’t this your Country Y custom?"

"Exactly. Or... could it be that Mr. Ronald was lying?"