For parents whose children had done well on the SATs, Arthur’s score was the ultimate goal—the pinnacle of achievement. But never in their wildest dreams had they expected Arthur to be the one to take first place nationwide! And Ashley, third in the country! Either one of those rankings alone would have been enough to make any family proud for a lifetime. No wonder. No wonder Nancy and Spencer had remained unbothered by all the mockery. If it had been them, they wouldn’t have cared either! Around Spencer, guests immediately stood up to congratulate him. Spencer’s face was practically glowing with joy, his previous stormy expression completely gone. Accepting their well-wishes, he still managed to put on a modest front, saying, “Oh, it’s nothing. It’s just first in the country. There’s still room for improvement.” The crowd: “…” Just first in the country! Still room for improvement! Improve to what—first in the world? First in the galaxy? Everyone, in unison, internally screamed: Humblebrag! Just say you’re bragging, you shameless show-off! But, well… if their own child had scored first nationwide, they’d be flaunting it too. Some would probably print it on a banner and parade it around town. Meanwhile, Luke and the Yarbroughs stood frozen, watching this entire unexpected turn of events unfold. Wait… weren’t we talking about the bidding war? How did this become a discussion about SAT scores?!None of them had young children, and they hadn’t bothered to keep up with SAT results. They had invited Spencer and Nancy to ridicule them—How had it turned into an opportunity for them to flex instead?! Spencer’s smug grin was absolutely unbearable. Seeing that grin, Zane’s patience snapped. He no longer had the luxury of relying on others—he had to step in himself. He cut off the congratulations and forced a smile. “Well, your daughter is certainly impressive, placing third in the country.” “But that Arthur kid? He isn’t even technically part of your family yet, is he? Until they’re married, he’s still someone else’s son, don’t you think?” His voice dripped with sourness. His own sons had barely scraped into their colleges. He’d had to buy their way in. And the difference between earning admission and paying for it? Everyone knew it. It was a topic he was too embarrassed to bring up in public. Zane’s words successfully dampened the celebratory atmosphere for a brief moment. Spencer and Nancy both stiffened. Nancy clenched her teeth, then responded, “They’re still young, still in school. Marriage isn’t something they can rush.” Then, she swiftly turned the conversation. “But, Arthur has already proposed to Ashley. The moment they graduate, they’ll be getting married.” As she spoke, she signaled to a servant. A moment later, a delicate box was brought forward. Nancy had purposely brought it tonight. Not for anything else—just to show off. With a satisfied smile, she opened the box in front of everyone, revealing a stunning pair of supreme-quality jade jade scepters. “Look at this. This was Arthur’s first gift to us when we met.” “If you know anything about jade, you should recognize how valuable these are.” She sighed dramatically. “It was too precious—we didn’t feel right accepting it. But Arthur, that child, is so thoughtful and respectful toward us. He insisted we take it, saying Ashley deserves the best the world has to offer.” At this, Nancy’s eyes shimmered with pride. As parents, what mattered most was knowing their child had found a partner who would cherish them. The guests, who had already been stirred up by the SAT results, exploded again at the sight of the jade. “Wait… that’s supreme-grade jade jade?!?” “That level of craftsmanship—it’s worth a fortune!” “I swear I saw a jade piece like this at an auction a while back…” “Yes! That jade set went for an insane price at the auction!” “Hold on—I was at that auction. Arthur was the one who bought it!” “He just gave such a valuable jade set to his girlfriend’s parents as a first meeting gift?! He’s still a student! Do his parents even know?!” “I remember watching him bid. He was so calm—like money didn’t mean anything to him.” “A student with that much money? Which powerful family is he from?” “Could he be from the capital?” “But I heard he’s from South City.” “South City? But there aren’t any billionaires there who’d let their kid have this much wealth.” “And not just that auction—Arthur attended several auctions afterward and won multiple high-end pieces!”