Story
A friend who ruins your work behind your back but speaks sweetly to you in your presence should be abandoned—just like a cup of poison covered with a layer of milk on top.
Comic
The Question of Friendship
An old wise man sits under a large banyan tree. A young student sits before him, looking worried.
The Act of Betrayal
The student’s so-called friend secretly tears the student’s scrolls or spills ink on his writings while the student is away.
Sweet Words, Poisoned Heart
The same false friend smiles warmly and flatters the student, offering him a bowl of milk with a faint dark swirl — symbolizing hidden poison.
The Lesson
The old man raises a finger in wisdom; the student now walks away from the false friend, leaving the bowl of milk behind.
