Qin Hanyue was clearly keeping an eye on the forum all the time to listen for news about his sister.
The less straight balls Qin Hanyue hit, the more Qiao Yi understood his intentions.
Feeling there was nothing that could not be said, he simply told him, "I have always admired the god Xu Zhiyi and taken him as a learning model. My sister took me to see him."
Mr. Qin: "I was just asking casually, no other meaning, don't get me wrong. So it turns out you like Xu Zhiyi, Qiao Yi!"
Qin Hanyue thought to himself: Isn't his sister more awesome than Xu Zhiyi? How come he doesn't worship his sister? A little boy's mindset is somewhat difficult to guess.
He didn't know if this Xu Zhiyi had any inappropriate thoughts about the young girl. He'd better not have any.
Mr. Qin: "I'm also quite good at math. If you have anything you don't understand in your studies, if your sister doesn't have time, you can come to me."
Qiao Yi looked at the message Qin Hanyue sent and fell silent for a moment. After a while, he replied with a "Okay, thanks Mr. Qin."
Then he immediately took a screenshot of their chat and sent it to his sister.
Another phone call came in, it was his second sister Qiao Lingling calling again. The smile at the corner of Qiao Yi’s mouth dissipated little by little.
He held the phone without moving, neither answering nor hanging up, acting as if he hadn't seen it, waiting for it to automatically hang up after no one answered. Qiao Yi still didn't move.
Sure enough, after a while, his mother's phone call followed...
Seeing the chat content, Qiao Ying was genuinely amused by Qin Hanyue's enthusiasm.
It reminded her of her student days.
She knew without thinking that it was when Qin Hanyue had sent clothes to Qiao Yi last time that he took the initiative to add Qiao Yi on WeChat. It was admirable for someone of his status to do these things.
Just as she was thinking,
A message came from Qin Hanyue: "When is Dr. Qiao free? My family has always wanted to invite you, the great benefactor, to dinner to thank you in person, especially my father, who keeps mentioning that he wants to meet you."
Dr. Qiao? Just reading the words, Qiao Ying could imagine the lazy and magnetic tone Qin Hanyue used when he said "Dr. Qiao".
It seemed he was addicted.
Give him an inch and he'll take a mile.
Before Qiao Ying could reply,
Qin Hanyue followed up: "If Miss Qiao doesn't like crowds, I can only arrange for my parents to meet Miss Qiao."
He had even considered this for her, showing his sincerity.
Qiao Ying: "Let's see."
Qin Hanyue: "Then thank you first for Miss Qiao's kind consent. Bring your brother along when the time comes, you set the time, I'll arrange everything else."
Qiao Ying: "Okay."
Qin Hanyue: "The weather is getting cooler, remember to dress warmly."
Principal Zhang was about to turn sixty soon, which was also his retirement age. His family wanted to hold a grand celebration for him.
He himself had always advocated thriftiness and disliked unnecessary extravagance, but he couldn't prevail against his family.
When Qiao Ying was giving him acupuncture, Principal Zhang solemnly invited her.
"Whether other people come or not doesn't matter to this old man, but you must definitely come, Qiao. Originally I didn't even want to hold this event full of empty pleasantries, if you don't come, this old man will want it even less."
A couple days before Principal Zhang’s birthday banquet,
Qiao Ying went to a jewelry store.
The store was not big, nor was it located in a prosperous area. The interior decoration lacked the bright, modern look of jewelry stores in shopping malls. On the contrary, it gave off a sense of simplicity like a century-old shop, looking more like an antique shop.
However, this seemingly ordinary little shop attracted Beijing's famous ladies and madams like moths to flames.
Many of the items inside were rare treasures.
Yet in this seemingly ordinary store, unbeknownst to most, the tea table for receiving customers was made of premium huanghuali wood worth tens of millions; the inconspicuous lamp hanging above came from the design of an international master;
That set of tea sets was a collectible beyond valuation. The tea leaves brewing inside were hundred-year-old tea cakes. As one entered, the carpet under one’s feet was a handmade Persian import.
The cheapest thing in the entire store was probably the items openly displayed in the display cases...
Qiao Ying entered the store, and the owner, who was over fifty, smiled and came up to greet her, "You must be Miss Qiao right? Please have a seat."
Owner: “Our boss specifically instructed me to serve you well. Whatever catches your eye, feel free to take it."
Qiao Ying: “Is your boss doing well recently?"
Owner: "Thanks for your concern. Very well. Miss Qiao why not come upstairs and rest your feet for a bit? I’ve already brewed hot tea."
Qiao Ying: "No need, I’ll take the item and be on my way."
"Please wait a moment, I’ll go get it for you right away." The owner turned and instructed a shop assistant, then went upstairs himself.
The young shop assistant quickly brought over a cup of hot tea.
While waiting, Qiao Ying casually looked around the display cases.
Seeing that she had looked at a piece of jade several times, the shop assistant, very perceptively, took out the item.
“This is top-grade Zhengyang green Burmese jadeite that has just been shipped over from Myanmar the day before yesterday.” The shop assistant enthusiastically and professionally introduced it to Qiao Ying.
“I’ll take this.” A woman walked in and said.
The shop assistant looked over and greeted with a nod, “Miss Su you’re here, please take a seat.”
Su Lingwei walked over. “I want that piece of jade you’re holding.”
After speaking, she looked at Qiao Ying unpleasantly, “What a coincidence seeing you again.”
Miss Su?
Among the prominent families of Beijing, there was probably only one with the surname Su who could make that list. So if she was not mistaken, this should be Su Qingyu's cousin, the one who was almost engaged to Qin Hanyue before.
Qiao Ying looked up at the other party and casually glanced at her twice.
She didn't recognize this face in her mind, but from the woman's voice and her words, it wasn't difficult to guess that this woman was the unlucky loser she had outbid at the auction last time.
What a small world.
The shop assistant smiled embarrassedly, “Miss Su, this jade is currently being viewed by this customer. Please wait a moment.”
Su Lingwei curled her lips disdainfully. “Her? Look at her, does she even look like she can afford it?”
Hearing Su Lingwei’s words, the shop assistant couldn't help but glance at Qiao Ying, then back at Su Lingwei, wanting to speak but hesitating.
She thought to herself: This Miss Qiao is a VIP guest that the boss personally instructed to serve well. How could she not afford it?
"Lingwei, don't be rude." A woman walked in and gently admonished Su Lingwei.
She turned to Qiao Ying apologetically, “Young lady, I’m truly sorry. She hasn’t been in a good mood recently. Please don’t take offense.”
“Mom why are you apologizing to her? It’s a free market. She didn't complete the purchase anyway. What’s wrong with me buying something normally?” Su Lingwei glanced at Qiao Ying and said, “Besides, she can’t afford it anyway.”
The woman was about to try persuading her,
When Qiao Ying glanced at the jade’s price tag at this time and casually said, “This jade is two million eight hundred thousand.”
“What, didn’t get to bid enough last time at the auction? Still want to compete with me? Fine, I’ll add five hundred thousand.” Su Lingwei leisurely thought to herself, let’s see if I can scam her this time!
When she can’t take out the money to buy later, I’d like to see her keep pretending.
At the last auction, Qiao Ying had crashed into her line of fire and made her a huge loser in front of so many people. Su Lingwei had held this grudge till now.
Looking at Qiao Ying’s pretty face, Su Lingwei felt even more unhappy inside and her desire for revenge grew. She thought that as long as she dared to raise the price once, she would make her the unlucky loser again.
But Qiao Ying simply turned to the shop assistant and said, "Package it for her."
Imagining how Qiao Ying would soon embarrass herself, Su Lingwei was stunned for a moment. “What do you mean?”
Qiao Ying: “Highest bidder wins. You’ve won.”
She thought to herself: With this temperament and brains, no wonder Qin Hanyue would have wanted to be engaged to her after drinking snake gall bladder soup with bitter melon.
The shop assistant was a little confused and also somewhat amused.
Su Lingwei's face was ugly. “Can’t take out the money so you’re trying these little tricks huh? Same as last time at the auction. Are you some kind of scammer?” She turned to nitpick the shop assistant, “Has Lin Yuxuan's business gotten so bad that you need scammers posing as customers?”
Qiao Ying: “What, can’t afford it so you want to renege?”
“You think everyone’s as broke as you pretending to be rich.” Su Lingwei took out a card from her bag and slapped it on the table. “Let me tell you, even if I bought this whole shop, I, Su Lingwei, wouldn’t even raise an eyebrow.”
Qiao Ying: “No one’s stopping you.” Not my damn business.
The shop assistant looked at the card on the table. She thought to herself, we’ve never made sales this way, people always negotiate the price down. This is the first time I’ve seen someone raise the price.
Just then the old owner came down cradling an expensive-looking box. “Miss Qiao, I’ve brought down the item you wanted.”
