"Sorry, Ms. Qin, we are here to trouble you again," he interjected quickly before Old Madam Bai could say anything more.
"It's alright," Qin Xiangnuan also sat down, gesturing to the chair on one side, "Please have a seat, Mr. Bai."
"Thank you," Bai Xingqi exhaled in relief, thankfully there's no anger.
"Do you have sothing on your mind?" Qin Xiangnuan asked knowingly while pouring tea for everyone, as that's the basic courtesy for guests.
"Sigh..." Bai Xingqi sighed softly, "I have to apologize again. I won't beat around the bush. This matter was mishandled by our Bai Family. To win the competition, we 'borrowed' that Qingming River Painting, which my niece acquired, claiming she bought it from soone who is no longer alive. So, we..."
Qin Xiangnuan's face darkened. The nerve, are they cursing her death?
And Bai Xingqi's face was indeed quite embarrassed. He glared at He Juan. If she hadn't talked nonsense, things wouldn't have escalated to this point. If he had known that the painting had an owner, he wouldn't have entered it in the competition, to be cornered by foreigners like this.
He Juan shrank her neck when glared at but fiercely glared back at Qin Xiangi.
Just like Qin Xiangi, the two clearly disliked each other, yet oddly they could still stand together in the sa air, sa space, quite the spectacle indeed.
And she didn't know that, not long ago, these two who were like water and fire were sitting together. Even if their eyes were full of loathing and disgust, they could stand each other for such a long ti.
He Juan: "Don't you feel that cooperating with would be all advantages and no disadvantages for you?"
Qin Xiangi: "Like with a swindler like you?"
He Juan: "Yes, I'm a swindler, but we're cut from the sa cloth. You're no angel either. We made a deal, willingly, and that thing wasn't even yours. You didn't get 500 yuan for nothing. You seed quite happy spending that 500 yuan, didn't you?"
Qin Xiangi: "Stop talking nonsense, what do you want?"
He Juan: "I have no special aning, just here to discuss a proposition with you, though it's not exactly business. It's beneficial to both you and . You must also be aware of our Bai Family's fa and status in Capital City. Your life as a rural woman married into the Song Family can't be easy, right?"
Qin Xiangi clenched the cup on the table so tightly, she wished she could leave claw marks on it.
He Juan sneered, apparently hitting right where it hurt in Qin Xiangnuan's heart, scouring it raw so the skin and flesh ached.
Qin Xiangi: "What do you want to do?"
He Juan: "Now you're talking. Why dwell on the past? There are no eternal enemies in this world, just eternal interests. What I'm asking you to do is simple: just make Qin Xiangnuan admit that she embroidered that painting, and our Bai Family won't treat you unfairly."
She sneered on her face.
And Qin Xiangnuan sneered in her heart.
Selling their surna too, ah, 'our' Bai Family, completely forgetting what their own surnas are.
So today she ca here, but just catching a glimpse of Qin Xiangnuan made that unsubsiding jealousy in her heart nearly drive her insane.
Why, oh why does Qin Xiangnuan have a better life than hers? She was the golden phoenix that soared out of the mountains, not Qin Xiangnuan.
Qin Xiangnuan is no longer the frail girl she and Qin Pengfei used to bully. She used to treat Qin Xiangnuan like a horse to ride without care, but now, that ugly duckling has grown up, beco beautiful, and is extrely capable, having married a secretary and birthed three children. How many people in this world could rival such luck?
She couldn't help it; feeling no jealousy or hatred was impossible.
Qin Xiangnuan slightly lowered her eyelashes, wondering why in this lifeti everything seed turned upside down. No, it was still not right; she once envied Qin Xiangi, but now Qin Xiangi envied her, jealousy beco nature, jealousy drove one mad.
Bai Xingqi was looking from one to the other, instinctively sensing a very strange atmosphere.
His gaze fell upon He Juan, who, startled by his look, broke into a cold sweat.
Bai Xingqi put on a smile on his face nonetheless, knowing it wouldn't do to let the room go cold.
"Ms. Qin, regarding this matter, we'll need you to intervene. As for your loss, our Bai Family is willing to compensate. As long as this matter can be resolved smoothly, let's not discuss the rest. I believe Ms. Qin wouldn't want the country's dignity to be compromised, right?"
Qin Xiangnuan looked up, asking Bai Xingqi directly, "What do you want to do?"
Bai Xingqi visibly relaxed, as if things were much easier than he'd thought. He hurriedly said, "Ms. Qin, it's like this: My grandmother is very fond of you, so perhaps it would be appropriate for you to beco our sworn kin, what do you think?"
So this was their idea. Qin Xiangnuan had prepared for this possibility, but she still despised this family. Old Madam Bai, who always acted so high and mighty, was going to recognize her as what? A sworn granddaughter? Was she so cheap as to beco soone's sworn granddaughter?
She had heard of Old Madam Bai—her embroidery skills were legendary, a colossus in the embroidery industry. Her double-sided embroidery was particularly renowned, famous both dostically and internationally. She must have reserved so skills for herself, or else why would no one in the Bai Family surpass her? Was the old lady planning to take such extraordinary talent to her grave?
Old Madam Bai clearly looked down on Qin Xiangnuan; it seed she never gave Qin Xiangnuan a straight look from start to finish.
Sorry, but Qin Xiangnuan had no interest in receiving anyone's disdain, especially when it had nothing to do with her.
"I think, I do not wish for a sworn grandmother. I have enough elders in my family, all of whom I already struggle to take care of properly."
Her aning was simple; she already couldn't manage to dote on her own relatives, so why should she attend to soone else's?
"Young lady, you shouldn't speak too absolutely," Old Madam Bai finally spoke, still with an elder's reproachful tone, "being part of the Bai Family would be your good fortune. Once you join our family, you'll have the opportunity to learn our embroidery techniques. I see you're in this line of work too. Not just anyone can enter our Bai Family."
"Thank you for your high regard, Old Madam," Qin Xiangnuan's attitude was very modest, not talking back to the old lady. At her age, should she be provoked into illness, Qin Xiangnuan couldn't take that responsibility.
"Hmph!" Old Madam Bai huffed dismissively, reverting to her coldly aloof deanor, acting as though everyone had owed her for generations.
"Mr. Bai," Qin Xiangnuan smiled at Bai Xingqi, who seed sowhat flattered by the attention.
Qin Xiangnuan's smile then widened, warm as the spring breeze, cheerfulness beaming.
"I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you. That painting did not co from my hands, so, I cannot be of any help to you."
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