Republic of China's Young Lady

In her youth, Su Mei was a prominent socialite in the Shanghai Bund. Her social circle included Zhang Liying, Zhou Zhifu, Yan Renmei, Wu Jing, Sheng Aiyi, and, of course, the renowned Miss Zhao Four.

These young ladies shared a common trait: their families were incredibly wealthy, both in the past and in the present. Some were close friends of Li Hongzhang, or descendants of Viceroys of Liangjiang and Liangguang, Beiyang ministers, founding fathers of the Republic, or heads of government. Others came from old-money capitalist families that didn't even look twice at the "Four Great Families."

Miss Zhao Four's status was considered relatively low among them, as her father was merely a Vice Minister in the Beiyang government's Ministry of Communications—equivalent to a vice-ministerial level today. Being the child of a high-ranking official was nothing special in their circle. Miss Zhao Four had no choice but to elope with Zhang Xueliang, because in the eyes of their families, Zhang Xueliang's background was insufficient, even if his father was Zhang Zuolin.

The country was in ruins and the people were destitute, yet this did not stop the upper class from maintaining the scholar-official demeanor they had cultivated for three thousand years. At that time, Lu Xiaoman and Lin Huiyin were certainly famous and talented, but many of the socialite heiresses looked down on them, seeing them as either fallen from grace or merely the granddaughters of local officials who had earned their status through the imperial examinations.

Old Madam Zhu—or rather, Miss Su as she was known then—did not care for the flowery, hedonistic lifestyle of those socialites. She, Qin Peng, and Ye Sijin were close friends who dedicated much effort to the revolution and the war of resistance, rather than posing for photos with Tagore, shooting birds, fishing, or feigning a melancholic air to project the image of a patriot suffering for the world.

In the decades of turmoil that followed, who hadn't known displacement? The Zhu family left the mainland, but after the Reform and Opening-up, the country was in dire need of investment. Qin Peng personally invited the Zhu family back to invest. Over the years, the Zhu family's investments on the mainland blossomed everywhere, a success undoubtedly facilitated by the bonds of their old friendship.

Like Qin Peng, Su Mei, who had managed the Zhu family for over sixty years, had stepped back from active duty. However, ever since the Qin and Zhu families resumed contact, their relationship had remained extremely close. Zhu Juntang had known Qin Yanan since she was a young child.

Before marrying into the Zhu family, Miss Su had also experienced romance. That story of flowers and moonlight was said to have its share of romance and tragic heartbreak. Men were always fickle, women always sorrowful, and in the end, it all came to nothing—a story lacking any novelty.

"I remember you saying that the man in the photo on my great-grandfather's desk looks a lot like the man your great-grandmother used to paint, right?" In the Republican era, these women were expected to be cultured; otherwise, they wouldn't be considered presentable. Sketching, oil painting, or traditional Chinese painting were mere parlor tricks to them—not necessarily mastered, but enough to perform for men, earn their praise, and add to their charm.

"Very similar, but I asked her about it, and she wouldn't tell me. Her expression turned quite ugly, so I didn't dare ask a second time." Zhu Juntang feared this great-grandmother most of all. Even though she was also the one who doted on Zhu Juntang the most, she was utterly merciless when it came to disciplining her if she caused trouble.

Qin Yanan took out her phone, searched for a long time, and found the photo she had taken of the frame on her great-grandfather's desk, pointing at the mysterious man.

Zhu Juntang nodded vigorously. As a close junior, she had visited to offer birthday wishes before Qin Peng's actual birthday celebration—that had been the real, intimate family banquet; what happened a few days later was merely a political event.

Zhu Juntang had already been to Qin Peng's study to speak with the old man at that time, and she had indeed seen that photograph.

"Why are you suddenly asking about this?"

"That man might just be your great-grandmother's first love from back then," Qin Yanan said with some certainty. "Only a first love would be remembered with such lingering obsession."

"Why are you digging up these old rumors?" Zhu Juntang said, somewhat displeased. The Su family had once been a powerhouse, and the Zhu family also possessed deep foundations. When Su Mei first married into the Zhu family, she inevitably encountered the typical melodramatic plots of wealthy households. Rumors about her past romances had spread throughout the inner chambers, with some even whispering that Su Mei was no longer a virgin and questioning whether the young master was truly the biological son of the Zhu heir.

Zhu Juntang naturally disliked these rumors and the associated gossip.

"What you're saying is really far-fetched..." Zhu Juntang said, before suddenly realizing, "You mean this matter might be connected to my great-grandmother?"

Qin Yanan nodded.

"This must never reach my great-grandmother's ears. If she finds out, she might insist on coming to see him. What if she gets too excited seeing a face that looks vaguely familiar and kicks the bucket?" Zhu Juntang still deeply loved and respected her grandmother. Even though she had lived as long as Old Master Qin Peng, Zhu Juntang still hoped she would live one more day for every day she had.

"I actually think my great-grandfather might tell your great-grandmother, after all, it's the descendant of their mutual close friend from back then." Qin Yanan narrowed her eyes, sizing up Zhu Juntang with ill intent. "Think about it, my great-grandfather would do that, but what about yours? I think you and him are quite a match."

"Don't you dare dump this on me! I'll feed you to the dogs later," Zhu Juntang said fiercely, deliberately baring her small fangs to show her resolve.

Zhu Juntang was also quite worried. She could fathom a bit of a grandmother's heart, especially with Su Mei's personality. If she couldn't have the man back then, having that man's descendant marry into her Zhu family as a live-in son-in-law—such revenge was entirely possible. Although, in Zhu Juntang's view, this wasn't revenge at all. Whoever could marry into the Zhu family and become her husband would be a man who had cultivated enough merit since the dawn of time to marry a fairy.

Qin Yanan, however, was considering the feasibility of the idea. Should she turn around and sell Zhu Juntang out?

Seeing the look on Qin Yanan's face, Zhu Juntang knew she was up to no good and scolded, "Stop eyeing me! I, Zhu Juntang, would rather jump off this building than be with a man you don't like! I'd rather steal the man you like!"

"Little girl, do you think you could actually steal a man I like?" Qin Yanan said dismissively. She then looked at herself in the mirror, a look of disbelief gradually appearing on her face. "Do you think I look ugly?"

The beauty in the mirror revealed her upper body amidst the flowers, her posture graceful, her brows and eyes holding a faint trace of sorrow. Without that deliberately projected coldness, the helplessness gathered at the corners of her lips made her temperament increasingly resemble that of Ye Sijin in the photograph.

"Average, I guess." Zhu Juntang paused. Qin Yanan's topic had jumped too abruptly tonight, so she answered reluctantly, "I am the most beautiful fairy in the world, and you can be the second."

"Let me tell you, I'm not what you think I am..."

"Like this, like that! Stop mimicking me, talk properly!"

"He said that because I look too much like my great-grandmother, he can't accept my appearance... Do you think this is a subtle way of saying he thinks I'm ugly and isn't interested in me?"

Zhu Juntang looked at Qin Yanan carefully and said angrily, "Damn his blind eyes! But he probably really meant that; otherwise, there's no reason why he wouldn't accept you just because you look like another great beauty."

"There are all kinds of people, what a lousy excuse. Who cares about him anyway? Little brats don't understand the beauty of a mature woman. I guess in his eyes, a young girl like you is his type," Qin Yanan said with a hint of jealousy. She was facing an incredible fact: it wasn't a question of whether she liked Liu Chang'an, but that Liu Chang'an simply didn't like her at all. His excuse about her looking like Ye Sijin was a terrible one, and Qin Yanan could only conclude that Liu Chang'an preferred girls his own age. Otherwise, why else?

"That's..." Zhu Juntang was about to feel smug, but immediately became alert. "Don't try that on me. You're the second most beautiful fairy, and I'm not much different. If he doesn't like you, he won't like me either. Don't count on using me as a shield."

Qin Yanan rolled her eyes at her. Their sisterhood was truly made of mud. However, she didn't really intend to push Zhu Juntang forward. If Liu Chang'an didn't like her, so be it. Was she supposed to beg to marry him? She had already followed her great-grandfather's wishes, and if Liu Chang'an didn't want to, then it was none of her business.