Chapter 49: The Jade Bracelet

However, An Tong’s avoidance only made the old matron’s eyes shine with barely suppressed excitement. She had already taken Yi Ke’s words to heart, and was now even more convinced that An Tong’s parents possessed a status beyond compare. One could say that An Tong had inadvertently pleased her, and for the old lady, it was exactly what she hoped for.

Time passed swiftly, and when Li the steward came to ask if the old matron would be staying for lunch, An Tong realized it was almost noon. The old matron pressed her temples, showing signs of fatigue as she waved her hand, “No lunch for me today. You all go about your business. I’d like to have a few words with Xiao Jiu alone.”

At the entrance, the bodyguards turned and left with disciplined precision, and An Tong stood up as well. Seeing this, the old lady suddenly called out, “Xiao An, wait a moment.”

An Tong paused, leaning forward slightly to face the old matron. “What is it? Please, go ahead.”

“I came in such a rush today, and didn’t prepare a gift for you. This bracelet is for you, as a token of our meeting. Next time, I’ll give you something even better.”

An Tong instinctively wanted to decline, “That’s not necessary, this gift—”

“This is my intention. If you don’t accept it, do you look down on me?”

An Tong watched as the old lady effortlessly slipped the jade bracelet from her wrist, torn between acceptance and refusal.

“Since it’s your heartfelt wish…” The long silent Rong Shen broke the impasse with his familiar, gentle voice. “Xiao An, go ahead and accept it.”

With Dr. Rong’s approval, An Tong had no choice but to reluctantly take the jade bracelet. She still had words of thanks on her lips when the old matron’s test arrived, “This jade bracelet is a bit too colorful, and its quality is only average, but Xiao An, don’t disdain it.”

An Tong had intended to accept it now and return it to Dr. Rong later, once the old lady left. But the old matron’s sudden comment made things rather strange.

Was the old lady worried An Tong disdained the bracelet’s quality, or was there another reason?

Holding the bracelet in one hand, An Tong shook her head without hesitation, “You’re being too modest. How could I possibly disdain a jade of three colors symbolizing fortune, prosperity, and longevity?”

The old matron’s fingers, busy with her prayer beads, froze abruptly. Her serious face finally broke into a satisfied smile. “You’re a good child. You’ve kept me company for so long, go rest now. Next time, let Xiao Jiu bring you to the main house for a visit. There are many more there—choose whichever you like.”

…

As soon as An Tong left, the first words the old matron said to Rong Shen were, “This An Tong is truly remarkable.”

The bracelet she had gifted was a rare jade of three colors—red, green, and purple.

Most jade pieces symbolizing fortune, prosperity, and longevity are carved into pendants, gourds, or auspicious beasts. A bracelet with all three colors is considered priceless. Those who’ve never seen such a piece might mistake it for cheap, artificial jade, as did her bodyguard, A Qi.

Yet An Tong recognized its worth at a glance, and her demeanor was poised and graceful. The old matron’s satisfaction was plain to see.

At this moment, Rong Shen, holding a cigarette between two slender fingers, exhaled languidly, his handsome features blurred by the smoke. His tone carried a subtle note of amusement. “You were so displeased with her before, and now just one meeting has changed your mind?”

The old matron felt a bit embarrassed, fell silent for a few seconds, then sighed heavily. “The past is past, let’s not mention it again. An Tong is indeed a fine girl. When do you plan to make things official with her?”

Those who crave power always want to seize the advantage first, fearing outsiders will get ahead. It was the same with Wen Wan in the past, and now with An Tong.

Rong Shen disliked the old matron’s domineering ways, but he had been waiting for this day with great patience.

The man exhaled another cloud of smoke, speaking in a half-smiling, relaxed tone. “Why don’t you open the drawer of the tea table?”

“What for?” The old matron was puzzled, but still bent over and pulled open the small drawer beside her.

Inside was a bright red marriage certificate.

The old matron’s eyelid twitched. She took it in hand, slowly unfolded it, and upon seeing its contents, shook her head with a smile. “You rascal…”

The old matron had always favored Rong Jiu, pouring her efforts into keeping him close, yet always a step behind. But luckily, this time the result matched her wishes exactly.

She nodded repeatedly, her words heartfelt and earnest. “Since you’ve married her, I won’t say more. Treat each other well, and give me a few great-grandchildren to hold as soon as possible…”

…

Elsewhere, An Tong left the front hall and paused at the corner of the foyer, gazing thoughtfully at the three-colored bracelet in her hand.

This was probably not a spur-of-the-moment gift from the old matron, but rather an intentional excuse.

An Tong observed carefully; the old lady had slipped off the bracelet with ease, and both its inner diameter and pristine condition suggested it was not something she’d worn for long.

During their brief exchange, every word the old matron said seemed to carry hidden meaning.

Unable to unravel it, An Tong carefully put the bracelet into her pocket, glanced back toward the living room, and prepared to leave.

“An… Madam!” A nearly whispered call came from the corridor behind.

An Tong turned at the sound. It was Ling Qi, waving at her with a mop in hand.

Her round, doll-like face beamed brightly, and for a moment she reminded An Tong of her own pet, An An—same round eyes, round face, adorably sturdy and lively.

Ling Qi tiptoed up to An Tong, her eyes shining. “Madam, are you heading back to the villa?”

“Just call me An Tong. Yes, I’m going back. Is there something you need?”

Ling Qi seized every chance to get close, smiling as she volunteered, “No other reason. I need to clean anyway, so if you’re going to your room, I’ll go with you.”

An Tong looked at Ling Qi’s sunny smile, surprised. “It’s almost noon. You don’t need a lunch break?”

“No break,” Ling Qi replied, gripping her mop and lying without a blink. “I’m paid by the hour—more work means more pay.”

An Tong said nothing more, nodded in agreement, and let Ling Qi accompany her back to the villa.

Strangely enough, An Tong usually didn’t care for interacting with strangers, but Ling Qi had a lively warmth, and, most importantly, was cute like An An, easily breaking down her defenses.

At that moment, An Tong watched Ling Qi mop the floor with fascination. Ling Qi swung the mop around as if painting dragons, seemingly energetic but actually just going through the motions.

An Tong laughed silently, deciding not to expose her, and shifted her gaze to stroke An An, nestled in her arms.

“Madam, what do you like to do when you’re free?” Ling Qi asked, still “diligently” swinging her mop while trying to strike up conversation.

Cheng Feng had said her youthful appearance and unformed round face were natural advantages, unconsciously lowering Miss An’s guard.

She had lingered in the villa for days, successfully becoming a familiar presence. Now came the crucial step—making friends.

(End of Chapter)