The Tycoon's Mysterious Darling Wife-Chapter 488 - 491. Blessings from a Love Rival (3 more)

Shu Yuwei did not look down on Pei Yinong, you, the honorable Miss of the Pei Family, are not without money. Yet, the gift you chose to give your future father-in-law was just a few pieces of clothing, surprisingly you dared to bring it out. Since Pei Yinong had given her this opportunity, she naturally did not want to let it slip by.

It was just right, this way it could highlight how good Chen Wanqiao was, and also let Mr. Jiang and Mrs. Jiang see who was truly a qualified candidate for daughter-in-law between Chen Wanqiao and Pei Yinong.

"Miss Pei, we all know that you come from a noble house, so surely you wouldn’t be stingy; the thing you brought for the uncle must be good. Please, let us admire it."

Pei Yinong looked at her with a half-smile, this person was targeting her tonight, huh? Shu Yuwei stared back at her unabated, she was set on clashing with Pei Yinong tonight, however, it would turn out.

Seeing someone intent on embarrassing themselves, Pei Yinong naturally satisfied her, speaking lightly with a smile, "Actually, it’s nothing much, just a set of Purple Sand Teapot tea set. Uncle Jiang likes drinking tea, and the Purple Sand Teapot complements tea best, so I bought a set for the uncle, hoping Uncle would like it."

Shu Yuwei sniffed lightly, indeed, the Purple Sand Teapots on the market are priced from a few hundred to a few thousand, not worth much, just objects for play.

"Miss Pei, what kind of Purple Sand Teapot is it? Could you bring it out for everyone to see? I’m very curious," Shu Yuwei said with a smile, only to meet Jiang Yan’s slightly cold gaze. She turned her head, pretending not to see, she found her older cousin sister formidable and hard to deal with. But her cousin sister was already married and didn’t live with them anymore, at most, she would get scolded next time they met, what did it matter.

"This is Yining’s gift for the uncle, it represents Yining’s thoughts toward the uncle," Jiang Yan said with a smile, "Uncle, Chenxi really found a good girlfriend. She knows your preferences so well and always keeps you in mind; this is quite rare."

Mr. Jiang’s eyes and brows relaxed, nodding in agreement with Jiang Yan’s words, "These are all filial children." Regardless of what he truly thought about Pei Yinong, he still had to maintain appearances now.

Since someone had requested to see the item and the others looked eager to watch the show, Pei Yinong naturally wouldn’t refuse, and upon seeing this, Jiang Chenxi stood to fetch the Purple Sand Teapot.

The Purple Sand Teapot was housed in an exquisite box; the packaging alone looked very high-end, something not seen in several thousand RMB goods. When Shu Yuwei saw this packaging, her heart skipped a beat, though it was also possible that Pei Yinong felt the Purple Sand Teapot wasn’t classy enough and deliberately bought an expensive box to package it, such situations of buying the casket rather than the pearl were not unheard of.

"Aren’t you going to open it?" Shu Yuwei said.

Jiang Chenxi placed the box in front of Mr. Jiang. As it was a birthday gift for Mr. Jiang, it was naturally for him to open.

Mr. Jiang opened the box. On seeing the Purple Sand Teapot inside, his eyes lit up. He loved drinking tea and naturally knew a lot about tea sets; he could tell at a glance that this tea set was quite old, likely an antique.

"Old Jiang, this is a fine item," the old gentleman sitting next to Mr. Jiang chuckled, a true antique enthusiast who understood the value of the tea set better than Mr. Jiang.

"Boya Auction House auctioned a set of thirty-year-old Yixing Zisha Pots sign the Chinese Cultural Revolution, could it possibly be this set?" the old gentleman stroked his beard, asking Pei Yinong with a smiley face.

Pei Yinong answered with a smile, "Uncle has good eyesight," thereby acknowledging it.

Shu Yuwei was momentarily stunned. What? This Purple Sand Teapot was bought at an auction? Then the price...

"Old Jiang, when will you use this treasure to brew a cup of tea for us old folks?" This old gentleman was quite witty, stating only the origin of this Purple Sand Teapot but not its price, thus saving enough face for Pei Yinong without making others feel that she was overtly flaunting her wealth.

However, without saying, everyone had a rough idea, and it surely wouldn’t be less than six figures. Such an expensive gift, probably a unique one at that.

The Jiang Family, known for their scholarly background, frankly, didn’t have much money, saying they were wealthy definitely doesn’t cut it, but being a century-old household, they certainly had some assets, but spending several hundred thousand to buy a set of tea set was obviously out of the question.

Pei Yinong initially intended to give this tea set as a regular tea set, but then Shu Yuwei stirred up this fuss, and she had no other replacement at hand, so she just had to make do with the teapot.

Mr. Jiang smiled beamingly, even though he felt he couldn’t accept the tea set because it was too valuable, but with so many people around, he couldn’t disregard Pei Yinong’s face, so he said with a laugh, "I really can’t bear to use it, I have to treasure it, otherwise if it gets knocked or bumped, I will surely be heartbroken."

Others laughed along as well, understanding that if it were them, they too wouldn’t bear to use such an expensive set for tea.

When the banquet ended, Pei Yinong and Haohao followed Jiang Chenxi back to the Jiang Family. This was requested by Mr. Jiang, clearly having something to say.

Mr. Jiang placed the Purple Sand Teapot tea set on the table and spoke slowly, "Yining, take this tea set back with you. I appreciate your sentiment."&

Pei Yinong had a gentle smile on her face, "Uncle Jiang, this is specially bought for you, please accept it. Even if I take it back, it wouldn’t be of any use to me."

"I will accept the clothes and supplements you bought, but this set of tea utensils is really too expensive, take it back." Mr. Jiang refused to accept.

Mrs. Jiang added, "Yes, we will accept the other things, but we really cannot accept this set of tea utensils." If they accepted it, what would people think of them? Coveting the girl’s family’s money? That wouldn’t sound good.

Pei Yinong glanced at Jiang Chenxi, hoping he would help say something. Jiang Chenxi spoke up, "Mom and Dad, this is Yining’s filial piety towards you, just accept it. Besides, a daughter-in-law gives gifts to her parents-in-law on their birthdays, why worry about whether it’s too expensive or not? It’s all about the thought. Are you saying that if Yining gives you some inexpensive bowls next year, you would despise them?" He said in a joking tone.

Mrs. Jiang glared at Jiang Chenxi, was that what she meant? Moreover, could this even be compared? This wasn’t a few hundred or a few thousand, this was hundreds of thousands. What did hundreds of thousands mean? It could buy a house in a third- or fourth-tier city. Could they accept such expensive gifts? Let alone the fact that they weren’t even married yet, and even if they were, they still couldn’t accept it.

Actually, this was also because there was a significant difference in the wealth between the two families; Mrs. Jiang was afraid of accepting the gift and being talked about by others that they were greedy for Pei Yinong’s family’s money, which is why they agreed to Jiang Chenxi being with Pei Yinong.

No matter what Jiang Chenxi said, Mr. and Mrs. Jiang simply would not accept the tea set and, in the end, Jiang Chenxi had no choice but to take the tea set back home.

On the way back, Haohao had already fallen asleep in the back seat, Pei Yinong looked out of the window, lost in thought. Jiang Chenxi looked at her with a smile, "Are you still upset because my parents didn’t accept the tea set?"

Pei Yinong shook her head, "Not really, I just feel that I didn’t choose the right gift." If she had chosen a gift with a more moderate price, perhaps it wouldn’t have been like this.

Hearing this, Jiang Chenxi comforted her in a gentle voice, "Yining, you have already done very well, don’t push yourself so hard." Jiang Chenxi had seen how Pei Yinong treated his parents over the years. Honestly, even he might not have managed to be as meticulous and considerate as Pei Yinong. To his parents, no matter who was suffering from a headache or fever, it was always Pei Yinong running up and down, unlike him, who seemed more like an outsider.

"If you really feel regretful, just buy a simpler set of tea utensils for my dad some other day." Seeing her still troubled, Jiang Chenxi spoke up, and Pei Yinong thought that might be the only solution, as his parents would never accept this set of tea utensils.

However, this incident served as a lesson, reminding Pei Yinong to consider the actual circumstances of both families more when giving gifts in the future. At this moment, Pei Yinong was unaware that Jiang Chenxi’s wealth compared to hers was actually much greater.

Jiang Chenxi was discreet, even his parents didn’t know exactly how much wealth he had. Mr. Jiang somewhat knew that his son had some talent in finance and had made some investments – after all, the money for the house’s renovations was paid by Jiang Chenxi. Although it wasn’t luxurious, each item’s price was more than their salaries could afford. But exactly how much money Jiang Chenxi had made wasn’t clear; it wasn’t that Jiang Chenxi didn’t want to tell his parents, but Mr. and Mrs. Jiang felt there was no need to know. They both had salaries, and compared to the average person, it was quite a lot and sufficient. They didn’t need Jiang Chenxi to provide money.

In fact, Jiang Chenxi had handed his bank cards over to Pei Yinong, which meant she should have been the most aware of Jiang Chenxi’s assets. However, Pei Yinong, unbothered, had simply placed the bank cards in a drawer in the bedside table and had never checked how much money Jiang Chenxi had. When Jiang Chenxi gave them to her, he thought she would check, but she didn’t. It was only later that Jiang Chenxi realized Pei Yinong hadn’t looked—it was then that he decided to see how long it would take for her to find out and didn’t remind her to check.

One hadn’t mentioned, and the other hadn’t looked; the result was that Pei Yinong still didn’t know that she had actually found herself a very wealthy man.

After Mr. Jiang’s birthday, Pei Yinong hadn’t seen Shu Yuwei again. The incident where Shu Yuwei targeted her during the birthday party had also been pushed to the back of her mind.

But just when Pei Yinong was about to forget about the incident, she met Shu Yuwei again, and she was with Chen Wanqiao.

"Miss Pei, I didn’t expect to meet you here." Chen Wanqiao took the initiative to greet Pei Yinong, with a gentle demeanor.

Shu Yuwei saw Pei Yinong and looked slightly displeased, "Wan Jiao, why talk to her? She has plenty of money. At the uncle’s birthday party, she really showed off, flaunting her wealth in every way possible to us."

Hearing this, Pei Yinong’s expression became distant, lightly glancing at Shu Yuwei before turning to Chen Wanqiao, "Miss Chen, long time no see."

Chen Wanqiao smiled and nodded, "Miss Pei, I have a few words I’d like to speak to you alone, if it’s convenient?"

Pei Yinong nodded and moved to one side, with Chen Wanqiao following.

Chen Wanqiao had an apologetic look on her face, "Um, Miss Pei, I’m really sorry about the incident at the last birthday party, I speak on behalf of Yuwei to apologize, she targeted you because of me." After hearing what happened that day from Shu Yuwei, she had felt sorry towards Pei Yinong but had found no chance to speak up.

"I understand, it’s not your fault." Pei Yinong said warmly, not blaming Chen Wanqiao.

"Miss Pei, I have started going on arranged dates recently, and I think I will soon start a new relationship and find my happiness," Chen Wanqiao spoke softly.

"Congratulations," Pei Yinong sincerely wished her well.

"Thank you. You and Chenxi should be getting married soon, right? Is the date set yet? If it is, remember to let me know," said Chen Wanqiao, pausing suddenly and smiling at Pei Yinong. "Miss Pei, you wouldn’t mind me attending the wedding, would you?"

"Of course not, I would welcome you to attend mine and Chenxi’s wedding," Pei Yinong replied, able to see that Chen Wanqiao genuinely wished her well. In fact, Chen Wanqiao was a straightforward pursuer; she liked Jiang Chenxi and never hid her feelings, but after being rejected by him, she didn’t resort to schemes to make him hers; instead, she chose to turn around and leave.

"Actually, to be honest, Miss Pei, I never thought that Chenxi would like you. I thought he would prefer a gentle woman," like herself.

"But I can tell that Chenxi really loves you, so much so that no one else stands a chance." If that weren’t the case, she wouldn’t have easily let go, even if there was the slightest hope. After all, she hadn’t expected to fall so deeply and for so long for someone.

"Miss Pei, to be honest, I’m very envious of you," Chen Wanqiao’s face showed a hint of admiration. "To meet someone you like, and that person also likes you back."

"You will meet someone who truly loves you eventually," Pei Yinong sincerely said.

Chen Wanqiao gave a small smile, "Thank you for your blessings. When I find my true love, I will definitely invite you and Chenxi to our wedding."

"Good, then I wish you find them soon."

After Pei Yinong left, Shu Yuwei approached, "Wan Jiao, what were you just talking to her about?"

Chen Wanqiao lightly smiled, "Nothing much, just some casual chat. Yuwei, I know you mean well, but you should stop targeting her. Chenxi has never liked me, and it has nothing to do with her."

Shu Yuwei strongly disagreed, "What do you mean it has nothing to do with her? She stole your boyfriend. Plainly speaking, she’s just a shameless homewrecker."

"Yuwei, she isn’t. Strictly speaking, I was the one who came between her and Chenxi. If anyone stole, it was me who stole her love. Chenxi has never liked me, not even a little bit. He had already fallen in love with a woman named Pei Yinong before he met me."

A tinge of sadness flickered through Chen Wanqiao’s eyes, causing Shu Yuwei to sigh and pat her shoulder, "Forget him, why pine over a man who doesn’t love you? Didn’t your mom introduce you to a potential match recently? Have you met him? What do you think of him?" Not wanting to upset Chen Wanqiao further, Shu Yuwei shifted the subject.

"He’s quite nice, a very gentlemanly person. I’ve met him a few times, and the feeling is quite good so far. If possible, I’ll continue to see him," Chen Wanqiao said.

"Wan Jiao, do you actually like this matchmaking candidate?" Shu Yuwei asked curiously.

Chen Wanqiao slightly raised her head towards the distant sky, "Does it matter?" Right now, she just wanted to find someone who would love and cherish her, to spend a lifetime with.

Shu Yuwei frowned, "Of course it matters. He’s going to be the one you spend your life with. If you don’t like him, how are you supposed to spend a lifetime together?"

"Then I’ll try to fall for him. From our few interactions, he’s been very good to me. If he continues to treat me well, I think it should be easy to like him," Chen Wanqiao said.

At this moment, Chen Wanqiao truly wanted to get to know this man better, to find her own happiness, but little did she know how things would later take such a turn, altering her life forever.

Though Shu Yuwei could be a bit harsh, she was genuinely good to Chen Wanqiao and felt distressed seeing her this way. She also knew that Chen Wanqiao had not yet moved on from Jiang Chenxi.

The reality of the situation between Jiang Chenxi and Pei Yinong made it clear that no third person could interject. Even if Chen Wanqiao couldn’t let go, the pain belonged only to her. Thus, Shu Yuwei could not bring herself to encourage Chen Wanqiao to not give up or to fight for him.

If she did say that and Chen Wanqiao acted on it, she would only end up hurt. Chen Wanqiao was her best friend, and she couldn’t bear to see her get hurt or sad. If in the future Chen Wanqiao could truly move on from Jiang Chenxi, that might not be a bad thing at all.

"Forget about Jiang Chenxi; talking too much about it is suffocating. By the way, I bought two tickets for tomorrow’s movie. Do you have time to join me?"

Chen Wanqiao apologetically smiled, "I can’t tomorrow, I have plans."

"Is it with the matchmaking candidate?"

Chen Wanqiao nodded. Hearing this, Shu Yuwei winked playfully, "Nice, nice, do go. And don’t forget to share the good news with me if there is any."

Chen Wan Jiao smiled softly.

**

After Mr. Jiang’s birthday, Haohao went to his hometown with Duan Ling.

"Haohao, we will see Grandpa and Grandma soon. Are you excited?" Duan Ling asked.

Haohao nodded and looked up at Duan Ling. "Will Grandpa and Grandma like me?"

"Grandpa and Grandma will definitely like you," Duan Ling confidently said. Ever since his parents found out that he had another child, they had wanted to meet Haohao but were refused by him.

This time, knowing that he was bringing Haohao home, the old couple was overjoyed. They had been calling twice a day, urging them to come back. Just this morning alone, he had received three calls asking if they had arrived and if they were on the airplane. Now, as soon as they got off the plane, another call came in.

"Mom and Dad, Haohao and I have already left the airport. Yeah, we’ll take a taxi home soon, and you don’t need to pick us up; we can manage. Right. Haohao doesn’t have any dietary restrictions. Hold on, I’ll ask him." Duan Ling moved the phone away and asked Haohao, "Haohao, is there anything you eat that you’re allergic to?"

Haohao shook his head. "He said he isn’t allergic to anything."

Duan Ling’s hometown was no longer in the original location. Since his company abroad had started doing well, he had bought a new house for his parents. This return was also to the new house.

As they approached, he saw his father standing at the gate of the villa, looking around eagerly, clearly waiting for their return. Upon seeing Duan Ling, his gaze immediately fixed on the little person beside him, not blinking an eye.

Duan Ling’s father had also been an employee in a state-owned enterprise, but he had retired early a few years ago due to poor health.

Mr. Duan’s gaze stayed on Haohao, his cloudy eyes could not hide the excitement. Rubbing his hands, he tried to speak gently, "Are you Haohao?"

Haohao smiled and nodded, "Hello, Grandpa. I’m Pei Hao, and I’m seven years old this year."

"Very good, very good," Mr. Duan said "good" three times, "Come in quickly, it’s hot outside."

Mrs. Duan was cooking in the kitchen. Hearing the noises, she hurried out, "Oh, you’re back! So, this is Haohao, let Grandma have a good look at you."

Mrs. Duan was about to go hug Haohao when she realized she still had the spatula in her hand, "Look at me, I forgot I was still cooking. Haohao, you sit with your father on the sofa for a while. There are candies and snacks on the table, take whatever you want. Grandma will cook for you."

"Thank you, Grandma; you’ve worked hard," Haohao said sweetly, charming Mrs. Duan who headed back into the kitchen with a spring in her step.

Duan Ling watched the excitement his parents showed upon seeing Haohao, a slight sourness in his eyes. If, if he hadn’t left Pei Yinong back then, would his parents have enjoyed the joy of a family reunion much earlier? But now, it was too late to say all this.

Mrs. Duan, unclear about Haohao’s preferences, cooked a big table full of delicious food, constantly adding more to Haohao’s bowl during the meal, "Haohao, eat the vegetables, tell Grandma what you like, and I’ll serve you."

Haohao’s bowl was already piled high with food, his mouth full as he chewed hard while struggling to speak, "Grandma, your cooking is delicious, I really like it, this is enough, I can’t eat anymore."

"If you like it, eat more; this is all for you." Hearing her grandson say he liked her cooking made Mrs. Duan even happier.

At that, Haohao made a distressed face, he couldn’t eat anymore, but his mother had told him not to waste food.

Seeing Haohao’s dilemma, Duan Ling took some food out of Haohao’s bowl, "Eat as much as you can, Daddy will eat the rest."

Haohao nodded and continued to eat diligently from his bowl. He called Mr. and Mrs. Duan Grandpa and Grandma effortlessly, yet he never called Duan Ling Daddy. But Duan Ling knew that without Pei Yinong’s permission, Haohao would not change, so he never forced him.