CHAPTER 606: EXCELLENT QUESTION!

Selina watched with interest, curious what nonsense Ava would spew next.

Ava sighed, oblivious to the manager’s face turning pale beside her. In a voice not too loud but clear enough for everyone present, she said:

"Selina, Auntie called to invite you, but you refused. That in itself is fine, but refusing on one hand while showing up here to block the entrance... We’re family, of course we don’t mind.

But what about everyone else? What if Teacher Samuel thinks you’re standing here to cause trouble? There are not only family members here today, but also many esteemed figures from the art world. If you behave like this... sigh..."

"In short, could you please leave for now? If you really wish to attend my apprenticeship ceremony, I can send you another invitation later."

She deliberately emphasized the words "my apprenticeship ceremony."

Selina didn’t even lift her eyelids, still lazily fiddling with her phone.

Ava’s eyes turned red, her body trembling as if enduring unbearable humiliation. She feigned concern and said, "Selina... are you refusing to leave because you also want to become a student? But Teacher Samuel rarely takes on apprentices. Still, there are many people here today. If you want, I could introduce you. Only, since you’ve never touched oil painting before, you’ll need to start from scratch—after all, you can’t become a master overnight."

Selina remained still, too bored to respond.

Finally, Ava couldn’t hold back. Her eyes brimmed with tears, and in a blink, they spilled down her cheeks.

"What exactly are you trying to do, Selina?!" June couldn’t stand seeing her daughter cry. She rushed forward, furious.

"Don’t think you can throw your weight around just because of Mr. Reid! You’re blocking these art masters at the door—are you insane? As your elder, I order you to leave right now! You’re not welcome here!"

Selina finally stirred.

She lifted her eyes slightly, glanced around the crowd, and asked with deliberate calm, "Is there a sign here?"

"What?" People blinked in confusion.

Selina arched a brow carelessly. "I don’t recall seeing a sign at NF Restaurant’s entrance that says, ’Only Hills Allowed Inside.’"

The words stunned everyone.

June didn’t stop to think. She exploded, "You’re blocking the entrance where others are supposed to dine—how dare you act so righteous about it!"

Her shout drew everyone’s gaze.

A young girl standing by the door was holding up a large group of guests.

Samuel’s expression darkened with displeasure. "What’s going on here?"

Wherever he went, he was treated with reverence. Never before had he been left waiting at the door like this.

Hannah smiled helplessly, playing the peacemaker. "Master Samuel, please forgive us. That’s our Hill Family’s eldest daughter, recently found and brought back. I did invite her to today’s apprenticeship banquet, but perhaps she felt insecure and declined. Now she seems to regret it and is lingering at the entrance...

The Hill Family owes her, so we’ve always been lenient with her, but..."

Samuel scoffed, his tone filled with disdain. "Tell Ava not to associate with such people. My students cannot afford to be corrupted."

A flicker of shadow passed through Hannah’s eyes, but outwardly she remained composed, still smiling warmly.

"Selina, you heard him. Please step aside. I know you harbor resentment, but blocking so many people here—if not us, NF Restaurant certainly won’t tolerate it."

As if the entire restaurant being stalled was somehow Selina’s fault.

Selina finally lifted her head. Her brows arched, and her gaze turned icy.

"Mrs. Hill, I’ve been standing right here the entire time. I haven’t moved an inch."

Hannah chuckled softly, her tone gentle. "I know, but still..."

Selina’s lips curled faintly. "So standing against the wall counts as blocking the way? Mrs. Hill, if you choose to avoid the wide-open front entrance and insist on squeezing through the corner—how exactly is that my fault?"

The crowd froze, realization dawning all at once.

She was right—Selina had been standing off to the side the whole time. How could that be considered blocking the way?

Selina wasn’t standing in front of the main entrance at all—calling it "blocking the way" was simply ridiculous.

The truth was obvious: it had been Samuel’s student who suddenly stopped, holding everyone up. How had that somehow turned into Selina being blamed?

Hannah’s expression stiffened, a flicker of irritation flashing across her face before she quickly masked it.

But before she could speak, June had already lost her patience and snapped loudly, "If you’re not blocking the way, then tell us—why are you standing here?!"

Selina’s lips curved in a half-smile, half-sneer. She couldn’t help but find it strange—how did a powerful family like the Hills allow someone like June through the door? Shallow-minded, petty, and being used as a pawn without even realizing it.

Her eyes lingered on June’s face with amusement. "Is NF Restaurant owned by your family?"

A number of people frowned—not at Selina, but at June.

After all, Selina had already explained she wasn’t blocking anyone, and anyone with eyes could see it had been Samuel’s student who pulled her aside. Yet June kept pressing the issue. Wasn’t that... unreasonable?

Hannah bit her lip, stepping forward with forced gentleness. "It’s fine, Selina. Let’s head inside now. None of us are blaming you—it’s just that your second aunt can be a bit..."

"Hannah, why are you blocking my guest?"

Mrs. Brown had been waiting inside for Selina for quite a while, but she never showed. Curious, she stepped out to look—only to find Selina stuck at the entrance.

The moment she saw Hannah standing there, realization hit, and Mrs. Brown’s face darkened with fury--So it was you who stole my A-room reservation. I should have guessed. And now you’re keeping Selina at the door?

She let out a sharp laugh. "Well, well... isn’t this the former Mrs. Morris."

At those words—former Mrs. Morris—Hannah’s face went pale, then green.

Back then, she had taken Victoria’s place and married Joe, only to be exposed when it was revealed Selina wasn’t Joe’s daughter and Victoria had never been his lawful wife. After Joe was imprisoned, Hannah became a laughingstock.

Now that she had returned to the Hill Family, most wouldn’t dare mock her openly. But Mrs. Brown, with her status, had no need to fear offending the Hills. She called it exactly as it was.

The scene fell into a stunned silence.

"What’s the matter, Mrs. Morris? Do you own NF Restaurant now? Do all its guests have to curry favor with you? Selina came here to celebrate my birthday—why should she need your permission? I told her to wait for me at the door. How is that blocking your way? What a joke."

"You like to parade yourself as some model socialite, yet this is how domineering you are? There’s no sign at NF Restaurant that says it belongs to Hannah Hill! You don’t get to decide who can or can’t enter."

At that moment, the manager stepped forward. "Mrs. Hill, Mrs. Brown and Miss Clark are also among NF Restaurant’s most valued guests."

Hannah’s face flushed crimson. She clenched her fists so tight her nails dug into her palms.

Mrs. Brown’s words had been like two sharp slaps across the faces of both Hannah and Ava, shattering their self-assured façade.

June, still not fully grasping the situation, looked flustered, fumbling for words. "But—but it was Selina who clearly—"

Hannah shot her a vicious glare.

June shrank back and fell silent.

Forcing herself to keep a smile, Hannah finally said, "So that’s how it is. Then it seems we truly misunderstood Selina."

Hannah wanted to smooth things over, pretending to be gentle. "Since that’s the case, let’s all go in together, Selina. Just now, we were only worried..."

"No apology?" Selina’s lips curved in a mocking smile.

Hannah’s face stiffened.

Mrs. Brown cut in sharply. "Exactly. Mrs. Hill, all of you ganged up on my girl, insisting she was blocking the way. Now it’s clear you were wrong. Don’t you think an apology is in order? Just because you outnumber her doesn’t mean you’re automatically right. My girl is reasonable, but she won’t shoulder blame for something she didn’t do."

"You accused Selina of keeping Master Samuel from entering, when in fact it was your own people blocking the way. The truth is plain now—so apologize."

Ava blurted out without thinking, "But we weren’t really—"

"Selina, we’re truly sorry. This was our fault."

Hannah quickly shook her head with a sigh. "Ava only meant well and ended up making things worse. She was so excited, thinking you had come to her apprenticeship banquet, that she created this misunderstanding."

Then she turned smoothly toward Samuel. "Master Samuel, and all the esteemed elders here, we sincerely apologize for the delay. Let’s go inside now."

Mrs. Brown let out a cold laugh.

Selina wasn’t surprised. If Hannah didn’t know how to fake sincerity, how could she have turned her mother into a foil twenty years ago?

Mrs. Brown couldn’t be bothered with them anymore. She looped her arm through Selina’s and said warmly, "Come, Selina. Today isn’t just my birthday—it’s also the day we welcome you home. Your Uncle Brown has even prepared a gift for you."

Selina hadn’t expected the Brown Family to treat her so kindly, even preparing a welcoming celebration. "Thank you."

"No need for thanks between family. Come along."

Just as they were about to head inside, Ava suddenly piped up. "Selina, I was wondering—which private room are you in? Later, I can come toast you."

A flicker of annoyance crossed Hannah’s eyes. The best outcome would have been for Ava to keep quiet and let Mrs. Brown and Selina leave. But since Ava had already spoken, Hannah’s gaze shifted, an idea forming.

Their room was A Room, the finest in NF Restaurant. Mrs. Brown’s must be lesser. That could serve as the perfect moment to put Selina down—just like she once did to Victoria.

Hannah smiled sweetly. "Yes, Selina. Since today is Mrs. Brown’s birthday, we should also offer a gift."

Mrs. Brown frowned. She knew Hannah wasn’t being kindhearted. Such little games were transparent. She was about to speak, but Selina beat her to it, her tone indifferent. "Mrs. Hill, are you asking questions you already know the answer to?"

Hannah feigned surprise, then laughed lightly. "Ah... I see now. Earlier, the manager mentioned a birthday banquet in B Room. So that’s Mrs. Brown’s. Selina, I really hadn’t thought much about it."

Ava chimed in with a bright smile. "Selina, I’ll come find you later. But it’ll be a little while. After all, our room is A Room, the very best in NF Restaurant, while yours is B Room. They’re on different floors, two levels apart. Once my banquet is finished, I’ll come down to toast you. I hope you and Mrs. Brown won’t mind the delay?"

The syrupy sweetness in Ava’s tone was suffocating.

Mrs. Brown nearly choked on the sheer shamelessness. What was this—other than bragging about having the better room?

Inside, Ava was secretly gloating.

NF Restaurant wasn’t just a place to dine—it was a symbol of status.

And now, A Room, the finest of all, belonged to her.

June puffed up with pride. "Selina, don’t be disappointed. You just got back to City N—of course there are areas where you can’t compare to Ava yet. It’s normal that her room is better. Besides, you even bothered the manager earlier. Do you think NF Restaurant belongs to you? Keep being this willful and you’ll suffer later! Everything I say is for your own good. I’m your elder!"

Mrs. Brown’s face instantly darkened.

Elder? June thought she counted as one?

Selina suddenly stopped in her tracks, amusement flickering in her eyes as June’s words replayed in her mind—

Do you think NF Restaurant belongs to you?

Selina turned her head with a bright, almost playful smile. "Oh, as it happens—it does."

The words were strange, dangling without context.

June froze, then burst into mocking laughter. "Selina, what nonsense are you spouting? You’re claiming NF Restaurant belongs to you? Don’t be ridiculous! Look around—do you even know where you are? You, a country bumpkin, bragging so wildly... Aren’t you afraid NF Restaurant will blacklist you for this?"

Selina didn’t answer directly. Instead, she asked coolly, "Mrs. Bryant, Mrs. Hill, Miss Hill—you all feel so honored being in NF Restaurant’s A Room, don’t you?"