Chapter 29: Why Didn’t You Livestream?
Gu Qinghuan had never seen nor recognized that logo before — though she could instantly identify the packaging of all kinds of milk tea.
Still, just looking at the packaging box, she could guess the contents weren’t cheap. Combined with what Yu Xin’s mother had said about a “gift,” it wasn’t hard to figure out it was something meant for Yu Xin to bring to Jiang Chuchu.
In her mind, a set of scales appeared. She compared the gift with the sauce-flavored pancake, then shamelessly tipped the weight toward the pancake.
And so, it was time to lie with a straight face.
She racked her brain, pulling from the bits she’d picked up from idol dramas about “rich people” and “luxury goods,” and spoke with feigned composure.
Things like “this season’s new arrivals” and “custom-made” — she was just making it up. If she got called out, she could just say she remembered wrong!
She was so calm about it, it didn’t sound like a lie at all. At least, the three people standing at the door believed her.
Yu Jinxin’s face was dark. Just moments ago, he had called Yu Xin petty, only to be slapped in the face by this turn of events. He could hardly contain his anger.
But could he direct that anger at Gu Qinghuan? No!
Right from the start, she had claimed to be from an ordinary family that had only gotten her into Mingde High through sheer dumb luck. She gave off the air of someone shallow and tactless — if he argued with her, it would only make him look bad.
While he was still fuming, Yu Yuan suddenly spoke up: “Since Miss Jiang already has one, this gift is kind of redundant. Why not give it to Miss Gu instead? It’d fetch a good price if she resold it.”
Yu Xin clenched her teeth. At breakfast just now, Yu Yuan had said she wanted it herself. Now she was “kindly” offering it to Gu Qinghuan? Obviously she just wanted to mock her for being poor!
Yu Xin was about to speak when Gu Qinghuan tugged her arm, looking up with a bright smile. “Sure — just give me the receipt.”
Yu Yuan’s expression turned pitch black.
“My pancake’s getting soggy, we’re in a hurry to go. You find the receipt first, and just give it along with the gift to Xin Bao tomorrow at school!” Gu Qinghuan said with perfect sincerity.
As she shepherded Yu Xin toward the car, she made sure to speak loudly enough for the others to hear: “Although there’s a matching set that’s nice, cash is more practical. Oh, by the way, yesterday Vice-President Bai took me to the third floor of the cafeteria — the food there is amazing! Once I get the money, I’ll take you and Chuchu there…”
The Jiang family’s car drove away, leaving only the lingering smell of sauce pancake in the air.
Yu Jinxin finally couldn’t hold it in and burst out angrily, “What kind of person is that?! And Yu Xin’s associating with her! No wonder she turned out like this!”
“Wait, brother — just now, that girl said Vice-President Bai took her to eat on the third floor of the cafeteria.” Yu Yuan grabbed his arm, pausing before adding, “Vice-President Bai… she meant the vice president of the student council, Bai Hanshan, right?”
At the name “Bai Hanshan,” Yu Jinxin froze. If it were just Bai Hanshan, he wouldn’t be concerned — but Bai Hanshan was the right-hand man of that Xia He…
“Enough, stop talking.” Cui Wanning pressed her forehead, feeling a throbbing pain at her temples. “Old Zhao.”
She summoned the butler, her tone uncharacteristically irritable. “How much is that necklace?”
There was no way she could let someone take the receipt for something the Yu family bought and return it! If Gu Qinghuan returned it, the boutique staff would spread the news through their social circles in no time.
When that happened, how would she face the other society ladies?
So the best way was simply to give money.
The butler reported the price. Cui Wanning instructed, “Round it up, transfer it from my account to Yu Xin’s card. When she comes back, tell her clearly to transfer it to that Miss Gu tomorrow.”
Having said that, she no longer concerned herself with the matter. She tossed out, “Yuan, you keep the gift,” and went upstairs to rest.
Yu Yuan glared at the necklace box. Now she didn’t want it at all!
Compared to the stifling atmosphere in the Yu household, things were much livelier elsewhere.
As soon as Gu Qinghuan got in the car, she screamed, “Ahhh! I’m so brave!”
Yu Xin was still in a bit of a daze when Gu Qinghuan quickly whipped out her phone to make a call. “I just borrowed Senior Bai’s name — I need to give him a heads-up.”
Bai Hanshan, having the entire scene of her humiliating the Yu family relayed to him, had to try very hard not to laugh into the phone.
He was glad it wasn’t a video call — if she saw his twisted expression from holding back laughter, she might be startled.
Clutching his stomach, Bai Hanshan’s voice trembled as he said, “You don’t have to report something like this to me. Use my name whenever you like.”
Gu Qinghuan instantly relaxed, hung up, and winked at Yu Xin with smug satisfaction. “With acting like this, I should at least win an award, right?”
Yu Xin nodded seriously. “Mm!”
By the time the two arrived at the Jiang residence, Yu Xin’s mood had settled. In fact, compared to the unpleasantness at the Yu house, the sheer scale of the Jiang estate was even more astonishing to them.
“I’m not imagining this,” Gu Qinghuan said suspiciously as she got out of the car. “This sloped platform thing… what’s it called? Isn’t it usually built in front of hotels?”
“I thought the Yu house was already huge, but driving from the main gate to the front door, we passed flowerbeds, lawns, a plant maze, a glass conservatory, fountains, and ponds… Something’s not right, is it?” Yu Xin felt dazed too.
“That’s called a porte-cochère,” Jiang Chuchu suddenly appeared. “I also thought it was hotel-like at first. I wanted it to look livelier, but my brother said this design was more convenient.”
Gu Qinghuan jumped. “Where did you come from?”
Jiang Chuchu pointed to the rope ladder hanging from the porte-cochère’s roof. “I was up there watching you come in.”
She held out her hand matter-of-factly. “Where’s my sauce pancake?”
Gu Qinghuan fetched it from the back seat. “It’s gotten a bit soft. Do you have an air fryer? Reheating it would help.”
Jiang Chuchu waved her hand, and a waiting apprentice immediately took it to the kitchen. “Don’t worry, Uncle Liu will take care of it.”
“Is Uncle Liu your chef?” Yu Xin asked.
“He’s the chef in charge of pastries at our house,” Jiang Chuchu explained. “When he heard I bought a sauce pancake, he got upset and said no store-bought one could match his.”
“If he can make them, why’d you still buy one?” Gu Qinghuan was puzzled.
“He didn’t make sauce pancakes this morning,” Jiang Chuchu stuck out her tongue. “I saw your post and just wanted to eat it.”
The three chatted as they walked in. For the first time, Gu Qinghuan learned that some people built elevators in their homes — both freight elevators for large items and circular sightseeing elevators.
She realized she had underestimated how rich the Jiangs were. Her earlier lies might still hold up, but she figured she should give Jiang Chuchu a heads-up.
Gu Qinghuan cleared her throat. “Um, Chuchu, something happened at the Yu house just now…”
After listening, Jiang Chuchu’s expression turned into a colorful palette of emotions. Finally, in the midst of Gu Qinghuan’s unease, she spoke in a regretful tone, “I shouldn’t have just sent the car to pick you up — I should have gone with you!”
“Damn it! I missed such a good show!” She grabbed Gu Qinghuan’s shoulders. “Why didn’t you livestream it? I could have tipped you!”
Gu Qinghuan regained her composure. Alright, she got it — next time, she could go even harder with the face-slapping.
