“What?”
The corner of Ellen’s mouth twitched. “Don’t tell me that you don’t know them.”
Lin Xinyan indeed did not know until she saw the people at the exhibition section.
It was Su Zhan and Shen Peichuan.
“Who designed this?” Su Zhan was standing in front of a long dress. It had a visible signature stating who the designer was, but he pretended not to see it and deliberately asked Qin Ya.
“I did.” If she had not known that this man was not only rich but also powerful, she would have cursed him. Not only was he a man looking at dresses, but he kept asking questions.
“Oh—” Su Zhan dragged his word and it made others uncomfortable. Qin Ya said impatiently, “Do you have other questions? If not, you can look around by yourself. I’m busy.”
“I have more questions.” Su Zhan pulled the thin dress strap. “What’s your design inspiration? The dress strap is so thin. Is it for taking off easier or to show more of your skin?”
Qin Ya’s face turned red and she glared at him.
“You’re here to mess things up, aren’t you?” She said in a cold tone.
“No, no. I’m just curious.” Su Zhan smiled. “Mess things up? I’d like to live longer.”
This was Lin Xinyan’s place.
Who was Lin Xinyan?
She was the light of Zong Jinghao’s life right now. He did not dare to cross her.
“If you like it, you can buy it. Then, I’ll tell you where my inspiration comes from. How about that?”
“I don’t have a girlfriend. What use do I have for a dress?” Su Zhan’s mouth twitched.
Qin Ya smiled, and cute dimples appeared on her cheeks. “If you’re interested, you can get it for yourself.”
Su Zhan was rendered speechless.
Hah!
Beside him, Shen Peichuan could not hold back his laughter.
“Not bad, he can get it for himself. Let me tell you, he certainly has this kind of preferences.” Shen Peichuan took the opportunity to make a dig at him.
Su Zhan glared at him. “No one would think you’re a mute if you don’t talk.”
“Of course— What are you looking at?”
Shen Peichuan realized Su Zhan’s expression had suddenly changed.
He followed Su Zhan’s gaze and saw Yuxiu walking in the entrance.
As Zong Jinghao’s buddies, Su Zhan and Shen Peichuan knew that Yuxiu was Zong Jinghao’s stepmother.
It was because of this woman that Zong Jinghao had moved out and lived by himself at a young age.
It was because of her that Zong Jinghao and Zong Qifeng’s relationship was terrible.
Naturally, they would not have a good impression of her.
However, this was only about her relationship with Zong Jinghao.
Although Yuxiu was the mistress, she did not dress fancily. The feeling that she gave others was that she was a gentle and peaceful person.
“What is she doing here?” Su Zhan narrowed his eyes.
Shen Peichuan did not say anything, but he knew it must not be anything good if she was here.
Yuxiu had bad heath and her face was pale. To avoid others knowing about it, she had put on light makeup.
Qin Ya walked over to greet her. “Madam.”
“I’m looking for—”
At this moment, Lin Xinyan had walked over. When they met last time, she said to invite her for the shop opening and Lin Xinyan had given her an invitation. She had not thought that she would be this early, because it was not the intended time yet.
“You’re here.” Lin Xinyan smiled as she greeted her.
“Of course.” She was not planning to stay for long. She had intentionally come earlier to avoid Zong Jinghao. She knew that if he was to see her here, he would be unhappy.
“Can I have some time with you?”
There was still time left, so Lin Xinyan agreed. “Of course, come with me.”
Lin Xinyan walked in front of her.
Yuxiu deliberately walked slowly to look at her back. She was skinny, and the pink dress fitted perfectly on her.
She looked young with no hint of ever having a baby.
My son is outstanding, and this daughter-in-law is not bad too, she thought.
She liked her even more when she found out that she had given birth to her son’s twins.
Although the testing results were not out yet, she knew that they must be Zong Jinghao’s children.
Lin Xinyan pushed open the meeting room door and turned to say to Yuxiu, “It’ll be quiet here.”
“Alright.” Yuxiu walked in and sat on the couch.
Lin Xinyan poured a glass of water and placed it in front of her, then she sat on the couch opposite hers.
No matter how long Yuxiu looked, Lin Xinyan still looked gorgeous.
Lin Xinyan felt shy from her constant staring, so she said, “How have you been? You don’t look too well.”
Yuxiu returned to the present and she dismissed her questions, “It’s just a little cold.”
She took the glass of water and drank from it to hide her embarrassment from spacing out just now.
When she put down the glass, she said, “Don’t tell Jinghao that I came here today.”
Lin Xinyan smiled. “Alright, I won’t.”
“I know you won’t.” She had so many things to tell her, but she did not know where to start. She took a wooden box from her purse and pushed it in front of Lin Xinyan. “This is for you.”
Lin Xinyan did not want to receive it so she pushed it back to her. “It doesn’t seem good for me to accept this.”
After all, they were not familiar with each other.
Furthermore, as Zong Jinghao’s wife, he would be unhappy if he found out that they had been in contact.
“You’re going to reject me without taking a look at it?” Yuxiu looked at her. “Are you scared that Zong Jinghao would not be happy?”
Lin Xinyan pursed her lips. She was right.
However, there was also another reason for her not to accept it. This was just their second meeting; it would be inappropriate for her to accept her gift as they were still unfamiliar with each other.
Neither would they be familiar with each other in the future.
After all, they were standing on opposite sides.
“I have to take his feelings into consideration.” Lin Xinyan used Zong Jinghao as her excuse.
If Yuxiu and Zong Jinghao were not having the kind of relationship that they were having, she would not have been rejecting this woman.
She was like water, gentle and elegant.
Yuxiu felt upset and happy at the same time.
She was upset that Lin Xinyan would not accept her gift, but she was happy that Lin Xinyan cared about Zong Jinghao.
“You don’t need to overthink our relationship. You’ll still be you and I’m still me, there would be nothing else in between. I’m just here for your opening. I can’t come empty-handed as your friend.” She pushed the box over again. “Open it and take a look.”
“This isn’t appropriate—”
“Open it and take a look.” Yuxiu said again, as if she would continue to repeat this until Lin Xinyan accepted it.
Lin Xinyan reached out to open the box. Lying in the brocade box was a translucent emerald green jade bangle. There were no impurities in the jade and the color was outstanding. With one look, she knew that the bangle must be costly.
Lin Xinyan felt even more reluctant to accept it. “This gift is too expensive for me to accept it.”
What did she mean? By giving her this lavish bangle, did she mean to bribe me? Lin Xinyan thought.
“You’re the Zong family’s daughter-in-law. Why can’t you take it?”
Lin Xinyan could not give her an answer for a moment.
She didn’t even know what her relationship with Zong Jinghao was. Were they husband and wife? Were they lovers? Were they friends? None of these could describe her relationship with Zong Jinghao.
Yuxiu took out the bangle and wore it on Lin Xinyan’s wrist. Lin Xinyan instantly kept her hands to herself, but her hands were gripped by Yuxiu. Yuxiu looked at her. “Don’t reject me.”
She had a low tone as she spoke, as if she was trying her best to hide words that could not be spoken out loud.
Lin Xinyan was stunned. “But…”
“I like you very much.” Yuxiu tightened her grip. “When I have a chance, I’d like to tell you a story next time.”
Lin Xinyan saw the sorrow in her eyes and she stopped struggling. Yuxiu slid the bangle onto her wrist. “This was given to me by my mother-in-law, and now, I give it to you.”
Her mother-in-law?
Was that not Zong Jinghao’s grandmother?
Was she not a mistress?
Lin Xinyan was confused.
“You should be very busy today. I’ll take my leave now.” She said as she stood up. Lin Xinyan followed after her. “Let me send you off.”
“Alright.” Yuxiu was joyous.
Yet Lin Xinyan felt anxious. She did not feel comfortable receiving this gift.
She would return it to her when the time comes.
Yuxiu’s car was just parked by the road. Lin Xinyan opened the car door for her and Yuxiu entered the car. She winded down the window to look at Lin Xinyan and praised her as she smiled, “You look beautiful today.”
Lin Xinyan had a slightly tense look on her face. “Thank you.”
Yuxiu made her return back to the store, then she winded up the window and told the driver, “Let’s go.”
Lin Xinyan stood at the side of the road and watched the car drive off. She narrowed her eyes. She was not familiar with Yuxiu. She had not seen her many times.
Although, she could sense that Yuxiu was not a bad person.
There were many things hidden in her eyes that seemed like she could not say.
That kind of suppression—
Lin Xinyan did not know how to describe it.
Yuxiu must have her own secrets.
She was spacing out in her thoughts, and had not known that not too far away, a black car had stopped at the side of the road.
The man was wearing a fitting suit. The lines were smooth, and no one could see a single wrinkle on it. It made him look aristocratic. The sunlight littered along the pathway. The cold weather, combined with the bright sun, made the air feel perfectly cool.
His gaze fell onto the delicate body enveloped by the sunlight.
