Chapter 30: Showing Off Wealth
After Jiang Chuchu finished regretting missing the scene, she quickly turned to explain to Yu Xin, “Xin Bao, I wasn’t talking about you just now.”
“I know,” Yu Xin replied calmly. She did want to be loved by her family, to have that kind of affection that always seemed out of reach.
But she would never just stand by and let her friends be humiliated.
Gu Qinghuan’s counterattack had been perfectly justified — they’d brought it on themselves.
Whether it was Gu Qinghuan or Jiang Chuchu, both had always been looking out for her. Of course she wasn’t going to misunderstand them over something like this or think they disliked her.
The three didn’t go to the dining room but headed straight to Jiang Chuchu’s room instead.
Calling it a “room” wasn’t quite right — the whole floor belonged to her. Gu Qinghuan’s eyes darted everywhere, dazzled, until she finally flopped onto the sofa. “Now I really understand how Granny Liu felt when she first walked into the Grand View Garden.”
Jiang Chuchu plopped down cross-legged on the sofa too. “What do you want to drink? I’ll have it sent up with the sauce pancake.”
“Soy milk, extra sugar,” Gu Qinghuan raised her hand.
“I already ate at home. Just water for me,” Yu Xin said as she slowly sat down.
“How about that sparkling water from last time? The peach-flavored one. Do you want it chilled or room temperature?” Jiang Chuchu asked immediately.
“Room temperature’s fine.” Yu Xin felt a little warm inside — she had only mentioned it in passing last time, yet Jiang Chuchu remembered.
Jiang Chuchu ordered milk for herself. Soon, the sauce pancake and drinks were brought in.
Somehow, Uncle Liu had reheated the pancake without it becoming dry or hard — the crust was just as crisp as when fresh from the pan, and the inside was still pleasantly chewy.
Forks, chopsticks, and disposable gloves were all provided. Gu Qinghuan slipped on a pair of gloves, grabbed the pancake, and bit in — she’d been busy all morning and was starving.
Jiang Chuchu had planned to use chopsticks, but seeing Gu Qinghuan eat like that, she thought for a moment and changed to gloves too.
The two were eating so happily that Yu Xin, rarely tempted by food, suddenly found herself craving a bite. She was just about to sip some water to suppress it when Gu Qinghuan held a piece up to her mouth. Seeing this, Jiang Chuchu quickly grabbed gloves and handed her a piece as well.
“Eat! We’re not going to finish it anyway!” Gu Qinghuan washed it down with soy milk. “After eating with your family, how could you have any appetite? Xin Bao, let’s eat together!”
Jiang Chuchu let out a small burp. “It’s tasty, but eating too much is a bit heavy.”
“I usually just buy a thirty-yuan one. Who can finish a whole giant one like this?” Gu Qinghuan grumbled.
Watching the two joke and laugh, Yu Xin finally relaxed completely.
When you’re hanging out at a friend’s place, there’s no need to think about those joyless family members — at least she didn’t want to spoil her friends’ mood.
After eating and drinking her fill, Gu Qinghuan slumped on the sofa, ready to laze around. But Jiang Chuchu pulled her up, wanting all the details about the face-slapping incident.
Gu Qinghuan didn’t really want to say — but with Yu Xin right there, she ended up recounting everything in painstaking detail, to the point where she wished she could crawl into a hole.
When Jiang Chuchu finished listening, she was still unsatisfied and even tried to persuade Gu Qinghuan to livestream next time. Gu Qinghuan quickly cut her off: “Let’s first talk about how to cover the lie.”
“What lie?” Jiang Chuchu blinked, then realized. “Oh, you mean the thing about me having all the limited editions and custom pieces?”
“Yeah. You don’t actually have to buy them all, but if anyone asks, you should at least know about it,” Gu Qinghuan said.
“I get it. You mean, if someone asks whether I’ve ever said something like that in front of you, I need to say yes,” Jiang Chuchu nodded.
“Right. The brand doesn’t have to be exactly that brand — I can say I remembered wrong — but the fact needs to hold up,” Gu Qinghuan confirmed.
“Do you still remember what that logo looked like?” Jiang Chuchu asked.
“Kind of like a design made from a few letters,” Gu Qinghuan recalled, sketching shapes in the air with her fingers.
Yu Xin had already looked up the brand and handed them her phone. “It’s this one.”
Gu Qinghuan glanced at it. “Yep, that’s it! Xin Bao, your memory’s amazing!”
“Yu Yuan really likes this brand’s jewelry. She’s mentioned it a few times before, so I remembered.” Yu Xin’s gaze lingered on the screen’s price tags — every random click brought up five-digit figures. She had no idea what the necklace from today was priced at.
“Oh, that one.” Jiang Chuchu clearly recognized the brand too.
She patted Gu Qinghuan’s shoulder. “Your mouth is like it’s been blessed by the gods.”
“Huh?” Gu Qinghuan didn’t get it, but Jiang Chuchu had already grabbed both her and Yu Xin by the arms and was dragging them to a room dedicated to storing jewelry and accessories.
When she pushed the door open, she stepped aside, turned, and with a flourish, pointed toward a corner piled with bags of all sizes bearing the familiar logo. “Ta-da.”
Gu Qinghuan stared at the logos, incredulous. “You actually have them?!”
Jiang Chuchu shrugged. “My mom is one of the shareholders of the company that owns this brand — an anonymous shareholder, so not many people know.”
Gu Qinghuan decided to skip the unfamiliar corporate terms. “So these are, like, shareholder perks? Do you actually get custom-made pieces?”
“No personal custom orders, but there are shareholder-exclusive gifts.” Jiang Chuchu rummaged through the bags and pulled out a box only slightly bigger than her palm.
Yu Xin leaned in curiously. The box was even more refined than the one for the necklace she’d seen earlier — the logo wasn’t embossed but embroidered with silk thread, and the edges had decorative detailing.
Inside was a pendant: a red gemstone carved into a three-dimensional flower. Under sunlight, it reflected waves of intoxicating crimson, like red wine swirling in a glass — vivid and lifelike.
“It’s beautiful,” Yu Xin said sincerely. Compared to the necklace from before, this pendant was far prettier.
“Gorgeous,” Gu Qinghuan agreed, before pulling Yu Xin along to dig out the Yu family’s gift.
She’d only seen the box earlier and had no idea what was inside, but fortunately Yu Xin had, and quickly retrieved the necklace.
After checking it on the brand’s official site, Gu Qinghuan confirmed the price. “Ninety-six thousand! Why is it so expensive?!”
“That’s just how the brand is,” Jiang Chuchu replied without batting an eye.
Gu Qinghuan’s initial shock quickly turned into excitement. “We’ve struck gold! Once the money’s in hand, it’ll go to Xin Bao—”
Yu Xin quickly cut her off. “Wait, they said it’s for you.”
“I don’t need it. Your family’s money should be for you to use,” Gu Qinghuan waved it off. “Of course, we’re still going to the third floor of the cafeteria — but you’re paying.”
Yu Xin wanted to argue, but Jiang Chuchu shook her head. “Give it up. Do you really think you can out-stubborn Qinghuan?”
Apparently not. And besides, Gu Qinghuan always had a hundred reasons to persuade people. Yu Xin could only let it go.
Jiang Chuchu glanced again at the pendant, then clasped it around Gu Qinghuan’s neck.
The chain was nothing special, but it made the pendant stand out even more.
“What are you doing?” Gu Qinghuan had a bad feeling.
“It’s a reward,” Jiang Chuchu said with full heiress confidence. “Wear it properly next week — and make sure to show it off in front of Yu Yuan as much as possible.”
“This must be expensive!” Gu Qinghuan tried to take it off, but Jiang Chuchu pressed her hand down. “This kind of thing isn’t sold to the public — it doesn’t even have a price.”
In other words, money couldn’t buy it. Suddenly, Gu Qinghuan felt the pendant weighing heavy on her neck.
Seeing her still hesitate, Jiang Chuchu gestured to the pile of unopened boxes on the floor. “You think I can wear all of this?” Then she gestured to the display cases and jewelry stands filling the room.
“Things the brand sends me — unless I really like them, most end up being gifts for others. I was going to give it away anyway, so why not to you?” Jiang Chuchu said, then went to the cabinet for another necklace and clasped it around Yu Xin’s neck.
“There. Next time, you two go out together — that fake heiress will be green with envy. In this level of flaunting wealth, I have never lost.”
