But she couldn't wear anything too "outstanding" when accompanying her mother to Aunt Cui's house for tea.
Shen Banxia changed into a fairly conventional casual outfit, but her tall, slender figure made it look quite nice, giving her a youthful, energetic air.
Her makeup was lighter than before, though her dark complexion still had a reddish cast. It simply wasn't as exaggerated now.
Shen Shuyi wore a black modernized cheongsam with a subtle woven pattern, paired with an emerald necklace and earrings she hadn't worn in some time. She looked elegant and dignified.
The place where Cui Yushu had invited Shen Shuyi for tea wasn't the Xie Family's main residence, but a property she owned herself-the Book Garden.
It was a two-story building in a traditional style, located in a villa community beside a park.
The spacious tea room was furnished in an antique style. Steam curled through the air, and the fragrant tea lent the room an almost ethereal quality.
Outside the tea room lay a garden with an unobstructed view. The rockery and fountain, lush pines and cypresses, and flowers in full bloom were all a delight to the eyes.
In summer and autumn, the large garden could host barbecues or small gatherings. In spring and winter, they could stay in the heated rooms while still enjoying the full beauty of the scenery outside.
Having a retreat like this, where one could spend time alone or gather with close friends, couldn't have been better.
When they arrived, Shen Shuyi's close friend Cui Yushu was already waiting for them with tea, pastries, and fruit prepared.
As she looked Shen Banxia over, she offered generous praise.
"So this is your biological daughter. She's so pretty."
"You're kind to say so! Banxia, say hello to Aunt Cui," Shen Shuyi replied with a smile.
Of course she wouldn't find fault with her own child, but there was really no need for Cui Yushu to force out praise she didn't mean.
"Hello, Aunt Cui!" Shen Banxia greeted her sweetly.
So she's the wife of the richest man. If I sneak a little touch of her hand, will some of that wealth luck rub off on me?
Cui Yushu froze for a moment, then took Shen Banxia's hand herself.
"Hello, hello. Don't stand on ceremony at Aunt Yushu's house. Sit down and make yourself at home."
Cui Yushu invited them to sit, then teased Shen Shuyi.
"I'm being sincere, yet you think I'm just humoring you.
"Look at that lovely wheat-colored complexion. It's exactly my idea of the perfect tan.
"And those beautiful big eyes-she inherited them entirely from you!
"I told you Mingyue didn't look like you, but you said there was something wrong with my eyes."
"Yes, yes, I was the blind one. You've got good eyes." This time, Shen Shuyi willingly admitted her mistake.
In the past, when Yushu said Mingyue looked more like Xu Junshan than her, she'd been unhappy about it.
Now it seemed Yushu really did have a sharper eye. She'd spotted the problem at a glance.
Mingyue was Xu Junshan's biological daughter, so naturally she resembled him. She wasn't related to Shen Shuyi by blood, so naturally she didn't resemble her.
"As long as you know. But that's all in the past, so there's no need to bring it up.
"What matters most is that you've found your biological daughter."
After saying that, Cui Yushu led Shen Banxia over to sit on the sofa.
"Have some tea first. I'll go get something."
Before long, Cui Yushu came downstairs carrying a brocade box.
Once seated, she took a glass-grade Muna jadeite bangle out of the box.
"I only found out at the last minute that you were coming, so I didn't have time to prepare a welcome gift.
"I loved this bangle when I was younger, but it doesn't fit me anymore.
"I think it'll fit you perfectly, so consider it my welcome gift. I hope you won't mind."
"Yushu, this is far too valuable. No, absolutely not!" Shen Shuyi hurriedly refused.
This bangle had been part of Yushu's dowry. How could she give it to Banxia?
"I'm giving it to Banxia, not you. What are you getting so worked up about?" Cui Yushu replied with a stern face, feigning anger.
"No, it's just too valuable," Shen Shuyi explained, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
"Thank you, Aunt Cui. Then I'll gratefully accept!" Shen Banxia glanced at her mother before replying with a smile.
Aunt Yushu had already brought it downstairs, so she clearly meant to give it to her. Refusing it would be tactless.
"That's more like it. Let me help you put it on."
Cui Yushu picked up some hand cream and rubbed it onto Shen Banxia's hand, making sure to turn and tease Shen Shuyi.
"Your daughter's much more gracious and easygoing than you."
With the hand cream applied, the bangle slipped on easily.
Her fair, delicate hand and the glass-grade jadeite bangle complemented each other beautifully, creating a truly striking sight.
Cui Yushu said smugly,
"Shuyi, look. Isn't it beautiful?"
"It's glass-grade jadeite. How could it not be beautiful?" Shen Shuyi said with a laugh.
"It's about finding the right match. What does the grade have to do with it? Why are you so materialistic?" Cui Yushu chided.
Shen Shuyi's smile grew even brighter.
"You think everyone can treat money like dirt the way you do!"
With wealth on the scale of Yushu's husband's family, any amount of money was merely a number.
Naturally, money itself meant little to her. What mattered more was a feeling, a mood-in other words, that sense of the right match.
"I forgot to tell you, Wanzhi originally invited me to an exhibition this morning, but I told her I'd arranged to have tea with you.
"She said she hadn't seen you in a while and wanted to come over too, and bring a friend along.
"If you mind, I'll make an excuse and turn her down," Cui Yushu told Shen Shuyi as she brewed the tea.
"Not at all. The more, the merrier," Shen Shuyi replied with a smile.
Wanzhi had been classmates with both her and Yushu from elementary school through high school. Her family and Wanzhi's had once been neighbors too, and they'd been quite close.
Only after they each married had they gradually fallen out of touch.
Later, after Wanzhi's birth family fell on hard times and moved away, her husband's family business also plummeted following the financial crisis, and Wanzhi rarely appeared in their circle anymore.
Recently, she'd heard that Wanzhi's husband had made a fortune from investments abroad. Wanzhi had become active again as well, frequently appearing at luxury fashion shows and parties.
Cui Yushu replied to Wanzhi, telling her to come over for tea if she was free.
"What business is Wanzhi's husband in? I hear he's doing exceptionally well," Cui Yushu asked casually as she set down her phone.
Scamming. Tiny investment, enormous returns. He specifically swindles rich people out of their money.
He's quite good to the poor, though. He runs charity events from time to time to help them.
She's coming today to trick Aunt Yushu into investing in their trust.
Cui Yushu turned to look at Shen Banxia. She was happily eating a plum-blossom pastry from the Imperial Cuisine Pavilion and hadn't said a word.
Yet Cui Yushu had definitely heard what she'd just "said."
When she realized that what she'd heard might have been Shen Banxia's thoughts,
Cui Yushu's eyes instantly lit up, as though she'd discovered a treasure.
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