Xiang Caiping was not wearing a pleasant expression at all. At this moment, she had completely lost all interest in purchasing this jade pendant.
She lifted her arms to shake off Madam Luoâs and Madam Songâs grip, attempting to get away from them. However, their hands remained clasped around hers tightly.
âWhat are you doing?â
Besides the ugly look on her face, Xiang Caipingâs voice was extremely cold too. She glared at Su Peizhen, thinking that this girl was absolutely detestable.
âTell them to let me go.â
âAuntie. The boss is here already. Didnât you want to buy this? Why arenât you interested anymore?â
Su Peizhenâs scornful laughter was jarring to the ears. Xiang Caiping had already lost all interest in buying the pendant, but now she was just pissed off.
âSu Peizhen, donât push it.â
âOh, Auntie, just look at yourself. How am I pushing this? Didnât I say that Iâd buy this for you as a gift? Donât be ungrateful.â
âI donât need you to buy me anything as a gift.â Xiang Caiping glared at Su Peizhen. This girl must have grown up wrongly somehow â she shouldnât have any connection to her at all.
Su Chenghui was such a modest gentleman when he was young, yet now he had a daughter like that.
Xiang Caiping lamented her fate, and suddenly, the idea of educating Su Peizhen dawned upon her.
âMiss Su, as someone who has clearly lived longer than you, I would like to give you some advice. Donât just look at the surface of things, whether it concerns a person or something else â if you donât understand, youâre better off keeping your mouth shut.â
âYouââ Su Peizhen never expected to be chided by a homewrecker like Xiang Caiping. âWhat did you say?â
Xiang Caiping gave Madam Luo and Madam Song a cold look. She had not bothered to maintain her appearance in these last few years, so she appeared to look much older than she really was.
Facing a glare like that, Madam Luo and Madam Song couldnât help but release their grip on her.
Xiang Caiping glanced at the jade pendant on the countertop. âSir, from what your shop assistant told me earlier, the price of this jade pendant after the discount is 440,000. I donât like this number at all. Iâm interested in buying this jade Buddha as a gift to somebody else. Tell me straight â is it possible to sell it at 390,000? If itâs possible, Iâll swipe my card right away.â
The shopkeeper stopped short before returning her gaze. The quality of this jade pendant was indeed great. It was just that he did not expect Xiang Caiping to be so committed to buying it.
âYou canât? Thatâs fine, then.â Xiang Caiping had really liked that jade Buddha, but it wasnât like she couldnât live without purchasing it. She still could afford to get something nice at the price she was willing to pay.
âSorry to interrupt.â
âYes, we can negotiate the price. Your offer sounds good to me.â The shopkeeper said as he wiped away the non-existent sweat on his forehead. âFor Miss Suâs friend, I can make a discount.â
Xiang Caiping was already meaning to take out her card to make the payment but stopped short when she heard that. âSir, sell it only if youâre willing to. Donât feel like you need to make any special discount for me. I donât want any favors.â
âThatââ
The shopkeeper felt that he could neither agree nor disagree.
Su Peizhen and her entourage stood there without uttering a word. They didnât intend to say anything more for the moment.
âIt seems like it is impossible, then. If thatâs the case, I donât think we have a deal.â
Xiang Caiping had an indifferent expression on her face and did not intend to stay any longer. She turned around and started to head out.
Madam Luo and Madam Song both sneaked a glance at Su Peizhen, clearly waiting for her reaction.
Su Peizhen watched Xiang Caipingâs back and sneered, âIf you canât afford it, just admit it. Why do you need to justify it by saying you donât want any favors from me?â
She turned around and gazed at Bo Gu Zhaiâs shopkeeper. âSir, you donât have to take my presence into account. Just tell this lady if youâre willing to sell the jade piece at the price she offered or not.â
âMiss Su, look at the way you phrased it.â
The shopkeeper could finally tell the animosity between Su Peizhen and the woman just now.
He had dabbled in this business long enough and his sharp, perceptive eyes were well-trained on such nuances. The woman might just happen to be able to afford it.
However, he didnât want to offend Su Peizhen. He gave it a momentâs thought. Then, he walked from behind the counter and stopped before Xiang Caiñing.
âMaâam, you donât need anybodyâs intervention if you really want to buy this piece. How about this â 390,000 it is. If you still intend to purchase it, Iâll have somebody pack it up for you.â
Xiang Caiping had already intended to leave. However, seeing that this shopkeeper meant well, she wasnât totally unforgiving.
âSir, think carefully. This isnât a matter of pleasing anybody. Are you sure youâre willing to sell it at this price?â
âYes. Of course.â
A transaction of a few hundred thousand â he would be an idiot for not going through with it. With a wave of his hand, the boss called for that shop assistant to wrap up the jade Buddha.
âNow, would it be a card or transfer?â
âIâm old-fashioned, I donât really know how to use a transfer app. The card will do.â
With that, she went away with the shop assistant to swipe her card.
At this moment, Su Peizhen, Madam Luo and Madam Song all witnessed this scenario with their own eyes: So, Xiang Caiping actually had the means to make the purchase?
It did not mean that much to Madam Luo and Madam Song. That was somebody elseâs business after all â they need not intervene.
However, Su Peizhen had an ugly look on her face.
She remembered that Li Qianxue had told her once that Su Qingsangâs mother had hailed from a simple background. So if she could afford an expensive jade pendant, what did it suggest?
Despair crept up her heart. She felt that Su Chenghui had given Xiang Caiping the money when she was in the dark.
She wouldnât feel a thing if she was spending someone elseâs money. Otherwise, how could she afford to be so generous?
Su Caiping didnât know what Su Peizhen was mulling about. She swiped her card and accepted the jade pendant from the shopkeeperâs hands.
The shopkeeper snapped out of his daze. He caught up by listening to the shop assistantâs account of how this situation came to be.
He glowered at the shop assistant. She bore an extremely ill expression â clearly, she painfully regretted her erroneous judgment now.
After all, now that the boss was here, she wouldnât receive any commission for the sale of this jade pendant.
The boss threw a resentful glare at her, thinking that this particular shop assistant of Bo Gu Zhai deserved more proper training.
Seeing that Xiang Caiping was about to leave with the jade pendant, he called for his shop assistant to retrieve a jade bangle priced around 60,000.
âMaâam, look, our shop assistantâs attitude towards you was a little questionable just now. This jade bangle is of pretty good quality and itâs our gift to you, so please accept it. If thereâs anything else you fancy, please visit us at Bo Gu Zhai again.â
Xiang Caiping looked at the box offered by the shopkeeper. The meaningful glance reflected in the shopkeeperâs eyes was much kinder than the expression on Su Peizhenâs face.
âThank you.â She graciously accepted the jade bangle. That was an added bonus for her.
âIf thereâs anything else I fancy in the future, Iâll pay you a visit again.â
Parting with these words, Xiang Caiping turned and headed out of the store.
If Su Peizhen doubted whether Su Chenghui had given Xiang Caiping the cash earlier, the shopkeeperâs actions had just confirmed whatever doubts she had in her heart.
The shopkeeper gifted her a bangle the moment she swiped her card.
What does this mean? It seemed to suggest that the card the woman had swiped belonged to a person the shopkeeper knew. Overthinking it, she was sure that there was something dishonorable going on between Xiang Caiping and Su Chenghui.
She felt as if her heart was set on fire, burning her almost to the point of insanity.