“Hey, Sister Shu Shu, over here!”
Jiang Shu had just entered the hot pot restaurant when she heard Lin Miaomiao’s voice. The girl, dressed in youthful and vibrant clothes, waved at her, standing out noticeably in the crowded restaurant.
As she walked toward Lin Miaomiao, Jiang Shu remained unaware that more people’s gazes were actually fixed on her.
A few college-aged boys nudged each other and whispered something, occasionally glancing at her with slightly reddened ears—whether from the steam or something else was unclear.
Lin Miaomiao enthusiastically handed her the menu, pointing at the hot pot ingredients on the table. “I wasn’t sure if you could handle spicy food, Sister Shu Shu, so I ordered a split pot. I also got their most famous tripe—it’s crispy and smooth~ Take a look and see what else you’d like to add, hehe~”
Jiang Shu: “Why don’t you order, Miss Lin? I’m not very familiar with this restaurant either.”
“Alright then, I’ll order! I guarantee you’ll be satisfied!” Lin Miaomiao proceeded to order a pile of beef and lamb, finishing with some green vegetables and potato slices—enough to feed four people.
Server: “Okay, please wait a moment. Your dishes will be right out.”
Jiang Shu glanced at her phone messages. The last WeChat message remained the one where she asked Cheng Xiyu what time he’d be back for dinner.
Cheng Xiyu hadn’t replied.
Jiang Shu considered sending another message to ask if he was returning to Central Mansion, but ultimately decided against it.
Forget it. He’s so busy. If he hasn’t replied, he’s probably eating out.
“Sister Shu Shu, what are you looking at? Hehe, are you reporting to Brother Xiyu?!” Lin Miaomiao picked up a piece of tripe with her chopsticks, smiling suggestively. Unaware of the situation with Bai Yiyi, she genuinely believed the two were dating.
Jiang Shu smiled faintly, neither confirming nor denying.
“Miss Lin mentioned you needed my help with something. What is it?” Her voice carried a clear, lively tone.
“Don’t call me Miss Lin! Just call me Miaomiao. Actually, about this matter… well, how should I put it? Let me organize my thoughts…”
Lin Miaomiao bit her chopsticks, her face full of hesitation, looking utterly conflicted.
“So, for my last birthday, my boyfriend gave me a gift—a bracelet. He said it was genuine jadeite passed down through his family for generations. Then I heard your major is jewelry appraisal, and I wanted you to help me verify if it’s real…” As if worried about being misunderstood, she quickly added, “It’s not about the money—I’m not short on money. It’s just… Sister Gu Ting told me not to be fooled by him, and said he doesn’t truly love me…”
Her voice trailed off as she spoke, her young face clouded with hurt. Even the lamb rolls beside her seemed to lose their appeal.
“Sister Shu Shu, can you help me take a look?” She blinked her eyes pleadingly at Jiang Shu.
“…”
“Sure,” Jiang Shu said. “Did you bring it with you? Or do you have clear photos?”
“Can you look at it now? I didn’t bring it, but I should have photos. Let me check…” She scrolled through her gallery before handing her phone to Jiang Shu. It was a short video.
“This is it.”
A flash of green—an extremely beautiful color.”Appraising solely through video might have some margin of error,” she began, her voice as clear as the first snow. “The color of these bracelet beads is quite beautiful, and purely in terms of hue, they do reach the standard of vibrant green. But upon closer inspection, you’ll notice some beads have flaws and contain adulterated components. It’s now certain they’ve undergone modern craftsmanship processing.”
………………
Lin Miaomiao: “Oh… so, he was deceiving me, right…” Her expression wasn’t particularly surprised, carrying instead an expected disappointment.
Jiang Shu didn’t know how to comfort her. Young girls’ love is always so pure, never imagining their beloved would tell them lies—or if they do know, they often deceive themselves.
“Perhaps… he didn’t know either? It might be better to ask him about such matters.”
“Ah, Sister Shushu, you don’t need to comfort me. I already have an idea in my heart~ There’s still one big meatball left—I’m going to eat it!”
Her sadness came and went quickly, leaving Jiang Shu somewhat unable to keep up, yet also somewhat envious of Lin Miaomiao’s ability to live so freely and passionately.
There was a time when she too could be like that—without hiding her emotions, without feigning composure. But the person who could clean up her messes and make her laugh had already left. She was no longer her youthful self.
7:00 PM
Cheng Family Mansion
The sky had darkened. When Cheng Xiyu drove home from the company, his mother, the Cheng family matriarch Xi Lanjing, was standing blankly by a flower bed.
Long neglected, battered by harsh winds and bitter rain, weeds had overgrown the flower buds, with occasional wildflowers of indistinguishable colors sprouting intermittently.
This area used to be planted with vast stretches of fragrant white lilies of the valley. His father would often water and prune them. Later, after Xi Lanjing went mad, she ordered them all uprooted while his father was away.
No one planted anything there again, leaving it to fall into desolation ever since.
“Mom.” Cheng Xiyu stopped walking, handed his briefcase to Wang Ye, stepped forward, took off his coat, and draped it over Xi Lanjing’s shoulders. “It’s cold outside. Let’s go in first.”
Xi Lanjing looked dazed, then peered behind him, her expression growing agitated: “Where’s your father! Why hasn’t your father come back?! Cheng Bin, Cheng Bin… He went to see that little slut again, didn’t he! Did he go again—”
“Mom, she’s been dead for a long time,” Cheng Xiyu replied calmly. “She died ten years ago. You saw it yourself.”
His words were like a bomb, instantly pulling Xi Lanjing out of her memories. Her face, though no longer young but well-maintained, twisted with jealousy and vindictive pleasure.
“Yes, yes… That slut Ye Zhi has been dead for ages! She looked awful when she died—bang!—fell from the building, all covered in blood… Haha, and the little bastard she gave birth to—”
“It’s been ten years, Mom,” Cheng Xiyu said. “Show some mercy in your words.”
The night breeze gradually softened, brushing gently against them. The atmosphere plunged into dead silence in that instant…
A ferocious glint appeared in Xi Lanjing’s eyes: “Mercy in my words?! I’m the one who gave birth to you—I’m your mother! Your father doesn’t come home, and now you won’t either, is that it?!” Xi Lanjing grabbed his arm, her nails digging deep. “Why did I marry into such a family? Why did I give birth to a son like you? Everything I’ve done was for you! Your father wants to leave the company to that slut’s son—do you know that… do you?!”
“Right, Mom, why don’t you divorce Dad? Are you doing this for me or for yourself?” Cheng Xiyu’s voice was soft, yet it made Xi Lanjing tremble and fall silent.
“Take the Madam back. Where’s the butler? Don’t let Madam come to this flower garden anymore,” Cheng Xiyu said. “Where did my father go? When will he be back? I need to talk to him.”
“Sir, the Master went to the military base two days ago and didn’t mention when he’d return,” the housekeeper said cautiously, afraid of angering him.
“Wang Ye, contact someone at the base. Have my father make time to come back, or I’ll go there. Let him choose.”
“Yes, Sir.”
Seeing Cheng Xiyu turn to leave immediately, the housekeeper hurriedly asked, “Won’t you stay for dinner, Sir?”
“No. Keep a close eye on Madam.”