Shuyin did not react at once.
She remained seated, her posture unchanged, her fingers still lightly holding the stem of her glass. For a brief moment she appeared almost unaware of the comment, as if it had simply drifted past her.
Then, with slow and deliberate control, she lifted the glass to her lips, took a small sip, and set it back down on the table. The soft sound of glass meeting wood seemed louder than it should have been in the quieted space.
Only then did she turn her head.
Her jade-green eyes settled on the woman with steady, unhurried focus.
"Something else?" she repeated, her voice calm, clear, and completely unshaken.
The woman's smile deepened slightly, encouraged by the attention now fixed on them both. She took another small step forward, positioning herself where even more eyes could observe the exchange.
"Attention," she said, as if stating something obvious. "After all, such a high bid on a… modest piece is bound to make people talk. It's quite effective."
