Chapter 23 Mrs. Lu

Qin Miaoyu glanced at the pair of rings on her hand.

“We bought them at a small jewelry shop in Jingcheng. They’re not as beautiful as the one you’re wearing, madam.”

After she spoke, Qin Miaoyu felt a pang of regret. Perhaps the teachings of her mother, too deeply ingrained, had prompted her to speak so frankly. Though it was the truth, it might come across as flattery.

“Oh? So you have some knowledge of jewelry, Miss?”

“A little. The difference is quite obvious.” The lady beside her seemed to think Qin Miaoyu was being modest, and drew her into a conversation about jewelry. Coincidentally, Qin Miaoyu was familiar with the topics discussed, and the two soon found themselves chatting amiably, their exchange lively and congenial.

“Mrs. Lu, good evening!” someone said, interrupting their conversation with a glass of wine in hand.

Qin Miaoyu immediately recognized the voice—she hadn’t expected Liang Sixuan to be in Ancheng as well...

“May I ask who you are?” the lady beside her inquired.

Liang Sixuan smiled politely. “Mrs. Lu, I am Liang Sixuan from the Liang family in Nancheng. I previously visited the Lu household to pay my respects to Old Master Lu, but unfortunately, you and Mr. Lu were not present, so I didn’t have the pleasure of meeting you.”

Mrs. Lu merely nodded coldly. Ever since the old master began worrying about finding his grandson a wife, visitors seeking his audience had become endless.

The young lady before her was overly eager in her greeting—her intentions were crystal clear.

In the past, her son had strong opinions, so she rarely involved herself in his marriage affairs. Now that he was married, she saw even less reason to interfere.

Thinking of the ring on the young woman’s finger, she recalled her blockheaded son had only bought his wife a ring worth just over ten thousand. How did he ever manage to find a wife?

With that thought, she leaned over and quietly asked the young woman what she thought of such a price for a ring.

“I think it’s a bit expensive. I originally just wanted something costing a few thousand, but my husband wanted to spend a hundred thousand on a pair of rings. Even this ring, over ten thousand, was far beyond my budget.”

Mrs. Lu narrowed her eyes—this story sounded strangely familiar.

Before she could probe further, the young lady across from her spoke.

“Mrs. Lu, I imagine chatting with Miss Qin is quite pleasant? Miss Qin has been trained by Mrs. Qin since childhood and is famous in our Nancheng circle for her eloquence. At every banquet, as long as Mrs. Qin brings Miss Qin, some wealthy matron is sure to be delighted.”

Liang Sixuan had only noticed, when Mrs. Lu turned to converse with the girl beside her, that the one sitting on the sofa was indeed Qin Miaoyu.

Mrs. Lu’s cold attitude toward Liang Sixuan, contrasted with her initiative in speaking to Qin Miaoyu, stirred a sense of jealousy and resentment in Liang Sixuan’s heart. When did Qin Miaoyu become more popular than her?

Qin Miaoyu’s eyes dimmed at Liang Sixuan’s words. Liang Sixuan was right—she had accompanied her mother to countless banquets, her primary role to charm the wealthy ladies her mother wished to befriend, expanding the Qin family’s social connections.

Even when others spoke disparagingly of her as a little thing meant to amuse, she could only, under her mother’s instructions and persuasion, feign indifference and continue to fulfill the duties expected of the eldest daughter of the Qin family.

“Miss Liang, you seem to have misunderstood something. Just now, I was the one asking Miss Qin questions, not the other way around. Miss Qin and I have not finished our conversation. If you have no further business, please refrain from interrupting us.”

Suppressing her temper, Liang Sixuan left. Qin Miaoyu quietly thanked Mrs. Lu.

Mrs. Lu regarded Qin Miaoyu thoughtfully, then asked, “Miss Qin, since we are now acquainted, may I ask your name?”

“Qin Miaoyu. Miaoyu as in ‘pearls of eloquence.’”

“Miaoyu? That’s a lovely name.”

Mrs. Lu’s smile remained unchanged, but inwardly she marveled at her own guess being correct.

Her son’s wife, whom he had been hiding from the family, had appeared so coincidentally at this banquet.

She continued the conversation with Qin Miaoyu, maintaining her composure, until her assistant approached and whispered something in her ear.

“Miss Qin, it was a pleasure meeting you today. Please accept this as a token of our acquaintance, and until next time!”

Mrs. Lu took a newly purchased bracelet from her bag and placed it in Qin Miaoyu’s hand, then hurried off with her assistant.

Qin Miaoyu barely had time to react, and resolved to ask Gu Jing after the birthday party about the identity of the Mrs. Lu who attended today.

“Mrs. Lu? I don’t know either. Let me ask my mother tomorrow—she’ll know better.”

Hua Qingmiao did know.

“The only Mrs. Lu we invited this time is the lady from the Lu family in Jingcheng. If she gave you a gift, she must be quite fond of you. If you feel it’s too expensive, I can help you send it back to the Lu family.”

The two families rarely interacted except at such birthday parties or occasional collaborations, so returning the gift by mail would be faster.

“Thank you, Aunt Hua.”

If it were merely a bracelet worth a few hundred, Qin Miaoyu could reciprocate with a small gift. But this bracelet, with its gemstone inlays, was exceedingly valuable—far beyond what she could afford to return.

While Qin Miaoyu pondered how to return the gift, Lu Qi’an was anxiously troubled by his mother’s words.

He never expected that Qin Miaoyu’s trip to Ancheng would coincidentally lead her to meet his mother, and that his mother would recognize her.

“Mom, you didn’t tell her directly that she’s your daughter-in-law, did you? Please tell me you didn’t!”

On the other end of the line, Mrs. Lu, Xia Yun, found the question odd, but she had indeed refrained from mentioning that she was Lu Qi’an’s mother.

After her son registered his marriage, the family had pressed him to bring his wife home, but he never agreed or explained why.

She worried that her daughter-in-law might fear meeting the family. Seeing that Qin Miaoyu was gentle and mild, she dared not say anything, lest her daughter-in-law become even more reluctant; so she had simply sent a token gift.

Upon hearing this, Lu Qi’an breathed a sigh of relief.

“That’s good. She definitely won’t accept the gift—she’ll probably send it back.”

“You’re so sure?”

“Of course. Didn’t you say she knows a bit about jewelry? She’ll see that the bracelet is worth a fortune. She found ten thousand too expensive for wedding rings—your bracelet, costing several million, will make her hurry to return it!”

“That’s true. By the way, what exactly is going on between you and your wife? Aren’t you going to explain it to your mother?”

Xia Yun had noticed during her conversation with Qin Miaoyu that there seemed to be something strange between her son and his wife, but she couldn’t guess what. So she decided to ask him directly.