Chapter 17: Crying Over Beauty

“What?” Jiang You’s beautiful eyes widened in disbelief.

Tang Yu spoke matter-of-factly, “Adding me on WeChat is just the first step. Only the ones I like are qualified to have voice calls with me.”

The girl, unable to contain herself, widened her eyes even more, her face full of naive innocence.

Tang Yu’s voice softened, “Little girl, as long as you’re capable enough, you get to make the rules.”

Everyone plays the game, but some are just here to accompany the players.

It took about an hour for the car to arrive at Xixia Mountain Villa. By now, Jiang You was glad someone was giving her a ride. If she had taken the bus, she would have to walk for another twenty minutes after getting off, and with this heat, by the time she made it home, she would have been nothing but dried fruit.

Tang Yu politely declined Zhang Ayi’s dinner invitation, dropped Jiang You off, and left.

The servant took the bags of dim sum from Jiang You, and Zhang Ayi led her into the Xianhe Building, telling her that Ruan Guixia was practicing “Wild Wolf Di” in the karaoke room.

So on trend.

Xianhe Building was equipped with a dance room, karaoke room, yoga studio, home theater, billiards room… In other words, it was meant for recreation.

As for larger facilities like the tennis court and basketball court… they were set up at the back of the villa.

Zhang Ayi led Jiang You to the karaoke room door and then left.

Jiang You gently knocked, but there was no response. She pushed the door open lightly, and the scene before her was quite shocking.

Ruan Guixia, with long hair cascading over her shoulders, her red lips perfectly done, and dressed in a black, tight-fitting fishtail dress—looking like she was ready for the red carpet—stood in the center of the room.

She held the microphone in her left hand and pointed at the man sitting on the sofa with her right hand, her expression languid and intoxicated, the words tumbling from her red lips.

“The flower in my heart, I want to take you home.”

Fu Qihai waved two glow sticks in the air, shouting, “I’m going home with my wife!”

Ruan Guixia: “In that late-night bar, who cares if he’s real or fake, just sway your body and forget the one you like.”

Fu Qihai: “I only like Xixia!”

Ruan Guixia swayed her waist seductively. “You’re the most charming, do you know that?”

Fu Qihai knelt on one knee, bowing before her like he was worshiping her pomegranate skirt.

Jiang You stood frozen at the door for about a minute, her expression like a leaf falling in the cold wind. She then closed the door and stood still for another half-minute outside, shaking her head and slapping her face, making sure this wasn’t a dream.

When the music finally stopped, she knocked again and heard a voice say, “Come in.”

Jiang You pushed the door open, and Fu Qihai was already sitting on the sofa. Ruan Guixia was holding a bouquet of flowers, standing in front of the man. Both of them looked at the door.

The man’s face showed a hint of shyness, while the woman, elegant as always, greeted Jiang You warmly.

“Little Yòu Bao” you’re back!” The woman walked toward her, pouting her red lips. “Why didn’t you come back last night? Xixia sister missed you so much!”

Jiang You was pulled onto the sofa, and she smiled as she explained, “I went out with a friend last night, and it got too late, so I stayed at my friend’s place.”

This was the cover story arranged with Fu Jin.

“How was my singing just now?” Ruan Guixia asked, but her eyes made it clear to Jiang You that she should answer carefully.

Jiang You nodded seriously. “If you ever debut, Whitney Houston wouldn’t stand a chance!”

Although this was a compliment, it was also true. Ruan Guixia’s voice was seductive and perfectly on pitch, and since she was from Hong Kong, Cantonese was her mother tongue. Her singing was at a professional level.

Ruan Guixia had once tried hard to become a singer, but unfortunately, her father had married her off early, and her dream of being a diva had been crushed.

After they finished singing, the couple took Jiang You out of the karaoke room.

On the way, Ruan Guixia linked arms with Jiang You, winking mysteriously at her. “Little You Bao, Xixia sister has a lovely gift for you!”

The three of them returned to Guihai Building, and Jiang You sat on the sofa while Ruan Guixia ran upstairs to her bedroom. When she came down, she was holding a black velvet gift box.

“Quick, see if you like it!”

Jiang You took the box, already guessing it was some kind of jewelry. She opened it to find a necklace.

The necklace was made of diamonds and sapphires, the two gems polished into teardrop shapes, alternating to form the main chain.

The pendant was two dolphins, one large and one small, intertwined as they embraced each other, surrounding a sparkling blue diamond. The color was pure and flawless.

The entire necklace was dreamlike, mysterious, luxurious, and clean, like the vast, serene ocean—so beautiful it took her breath away.

Jiang You stared at the necklace, her breath catching in an instant.

Memories seemed to flood back to her from that day in eighth grade.

“As long as you give the design to Miao Miao, I’ll agree to meet your mother.”

The man’s cold and indifferent voice echoed in her mind, piercing through her heart and causing her so much pain she almost forgot where she was.

“Do you like it? This necklace represents motherly love. I won it at an auction yesterday. You’re in this business, so I thought you’d love it!” Ruan Guixia’s soft voice asked.

She knew Jiang You and her mother were very close.

The necklace had been designed four years ago and was the winning piece in the national youth design competition. It was a gift from Bai Wenwan’s granddaughter, Cheng Miao, to her mother.

That year, there were numerous replicas, given by children to their mothers.

But the real one was this one.

At yesterday’s auction, Bai Wenwan donated the necklace, and Ruan Guixia thought it would be a great omen and bought it, believing Jiang You would love it.

“Little Yòu Bao? Little Yòu Bao?”

Jiang You snapped out of her trance, seeing Ruan Guixia’s expectant face.

“Xixia sister—” Jiang You’s voice was full of emotion, her eyes turning red.

Ruan Guixia gasped, pulling Jiang You into a tight hug.

“What happened? Why are you crying? Don’t cry, don’t cry! Who bullied our little You Bao? Xixia sister won’t let them off!”

“No one bullied me.”

“Then why are you crying? Do you not like it?”

“I like it, it’s just… this necklace is… too, too beautiful… wu wu wu wu…”

Ruan Guixia and Fu Qihai exchanged a knowing glance before bursting out in laughter.

“My little You Bao, you’re so adorable!!!”

If Jiang You had known that being moved to tears by the necklace would make such an impression on Ruan Guixia, she would have surely found another reason for her tears, like… being hungry…

But it was probably no better than that.

In just two hours, everyone in the manor—along with Wen Nian, Wen Nian’s parents, and Jiang You’s mother—knew that Jiang You had cried over the beauty of a necklace.

At the same time, Wen Nian learned that Jiang You had moved into Xixia Mountain Villa…

“When did you get there? You didn’t even mention it!” Wen Nian asked curiously.

Jiang You had been thinking about Su Rui the whole time yesterday, so she hadn’t brought it up.

“Just the night before last. My little uncle saw no one was home, so he brought me here.”

Mentioning Fu Jin made Wen Nian upset. She couldn’t imagine how she was going to survive the next week.

Wen Nian: “My little uncle is really biased! Everyone went out to play, but how come he only punished me and not you!”

Jiang You: “Well, I wasn’t the one who started it, okay?”

Wen Nian: “What’s the matter? Is it not illegal to hand the knife to the murderer?”