Yu Yin and Mo Qianyao, upon hearing Xiang Yue vividly recount these gossip events, both sighed at what a spectacular drama it was.
Xiang Yue asked Yu Yin, "Did Zhao Shunian explain anything to you?"
Yu Yin was considering how to describe what happened last night. Mo Qianyao and Xiang Yue both looked at her, waiting nervously for her answer.
Seeing them like this, Yu Yin was reminded of the hundred-meter sprint at the university sports meet, when Xiang Yue held her breath at the starting line waiting for the gunshot, while she and Mo Qianyao watched from the sidelines, equally nervous as they waited for the sound.
She figured they were certainly spinning wild theories again. If not for their shared tastes—no, their shared interests—they wouldn't have become such good friends. She still decided to skip the details and only share the key point. "He just said things like they're not involved."
Mo Qianyao and Xiang Yue received the signal and, without restraint, happily discussed this rollercoaster of entertainment gossip, taking the opportunity to scold Zhao Shunian a bit on Yu Yin's behalf.
Throughout it all, Yu Yin's smile never faded as she chatted and laughed with them.
In the first six months after Yu Yin married Zhao Shunian, they lived in the old residence in Gangcheng, where his grandparents and parents resided. His second uncle's family, who had moved out but frequently returned, also lived there, and his domineering, willful third aunt would often visit as well. There was also a young aunt and young uncle who were younger than herself. As someone who had been pushed into the role like a duck forced onto a perch—a substitute—she had to be cautious and careful everywhere in the Zhao family, her nerves constantly on edge.
Later, when the studio was established, she found an excuse to stay in the capital and not visit Gangcheng often. With work and friends by her side, she finally lived a free and carefree life.
…
In the afternoon, Mr. Lang, the collector Xiang Yue had described as conservative, came to the exhibition venue with his girlfriend, Miss Hong.
Mr. Lang was around fifty years old, with a short beard and a tall stature. His attire leaned toward a traditional Chinese style, and he was very well-groomed—a man who paid attention to his appearance.
The Miss Hong beside him was only in her early thirties, with voluminous wavy hair, exuding the charm of a mature young woman.
It was Mo Qianyao who had first met Miss Hong at a beauty salon and inadvertently discovered that she had a need to host an exhibition.
Miss Hong was completely at a loss when it came to exhibition matters—seven of her eight apertures were open, but not a single one was of use. Under Mo Qianyao's persuasive coaxing, she developed the intention to have Yinyue Studio organize this exhibition.
Mo Qianyao brought Miss Hong to the studio. The moment she saw it, she thought the location was excellent and the studio's interior design was extremely refined. She asked Mo Qianyao whether the rent, property fees, and soft furnishings added up to a significant expense. Mo Qianyao gave a vague response, which only further confirmed her suspicions.
Miss Hong thought to herself that the studio was truly impressive in its capabilities. Even though Xiang Yue introduced and explained the exhibition planning to her, she didn't absorb much of it. But when she left the studio, she told them she would come back another day with her boyfriend.
Yu Yin, afraid that Miss Hong might be too busy and forget, scheduled the next meeting time during their conversation.
Mr. Lang hadn't wanted to come at first. If given the choice, a curation studio with a short history and a focus on commercial exhibitions wouldn't have earned his consideration. But he couldn't resist Miss Hong, so he reluctantly made the trip.
And so Mr. Lang was brought to Yinyue Studio by Miss Hong. Xiang Yue presented the exhibition design proposal, and Yu Yin explained to him how the plan would be executed. He set aside his dismissive attitude and seriously engaged in discussing the proposal.
In the end, Mr. Lang agreed to entrust this exhibition event to Yinyue Studio.
Mr. Lang was a repatriated antique collector, though the items he was exhibiting this time were not precious porcelain or calligraphy, but ancient coins.
The exhibition was modest in scale—small yet refined—and operated on an invitation-only basis. It was primarily meant to invite like-minded collectors from across the country to appreciate the pieces together, making it a form of art exhibition.
Journalists and media staff would also be invited to attend. Mr. Hong intended to use this opportunity to promote himself and strengthen his network of connections. He had plans to organize a traveling exhibition with other collectors in the future, and this event was a precursor to that.
Xiang Yue had returned to the studio to work, while Mo Qianyao was entertaining Miss Hong.
The exhibition venue was a historic private club, and she was giving Miss Hong a tour of the premises, as Miss Hong was quite interested in the setting.
Yu Yin was reporting to Mr. Lang on the current state of the exhibition setup as the two walked and talked.
They paused by a display case where professionals were placing Warring States knife coins inside.
"I've noticed, Miss Liang, that you're also quite knowledgeable about coins," Mr. Lang said, no longer discussing work matters with Yu Yin.
"You flatter me, Mr. Lang. In front of an expert like yourself, I'm merely showing off my meager skills."
Zhao Shunian's grandfather was an avid coin collector, and Yu Yin had done thorough research on the subject to avoid appearing ignorant in front of him. It turned out that knowledge she'd acquired was never wasted—she never expected to use it in her work one day.
"Not at all, you're being modest. But humility is a rare quality. Miss Liang, your name is Liang Yuyin—does it have something to do with the phrase 'yuyin raoliang' (the lingering sound of music circling the rafters)?" Mr. Lang brought up a new topic.
Yu Yin could now see what he was getting at, but she still smiled and said, "It's just a coincidence."
Yu Yin's adoptive father's surname was Yu. Originally, her adoptive parents had wanted to name her Yu Yun, and her sister was named Yu Hao—together, their names meant "good luck." It was a simple wish that their children would be blessed with fortune.
In fact, those names had originally been chosen for their biological son.
During the fishing moratorium, they had fled to a big city to evade the family planning policy, working odd jobs while waiting to give birth.
But the child died just over a month after being born. Her adoptive mother was deeply traumatized and became mentally unstable.
By chance, her adoptive father discovered a baby girl in a garbage heap. Thinking of his own child who had died so young, he was moved by compassion and took her in.
Because of her arrival, her adoptive mother's mental state gradually improved. She would hold her all day and refuse to let go. They decided to treat her as their own daughter—not as a replacement for the son they'd lost—and brought her back to their hometown.
However, when registering her for a household permit, the clerk made a typo, changing "Yun" to "Yin." Her adoptive parents had a natural fear of government officials, and the clerk's attitude had been rather poor, so by the time they noticed the mistake, they didn't dare say anything. And so Yu Yun became Yu Yin.
After Yu Yin was reclaimed by the Liang family, Liang Lisheng wanted to change her name. But she had been called Yu Yin for over twenty years and didn't want to change it. Seeing her insistence, Liang Lisheng respected her wishes, as it was ultimately a harmless matter…