Chapter 7
This translation is originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. and check out other stories too.
“Your home is really beautiful. Can I take a tour?” asked Zuo Qinghuan, curious to see how the main residence of the wife differs from her own luxurious abode.
"Of course, you can," replied Qin Wanshu. She didn't mind spending time with Zuo Qinghuan, and in fact, she found herself liking her a little. Perhaps it was Zuo Qinghuan's elegant and ethereal appearance that brought about this affinity.
"This is my husband's study," Qin Wanshu led Zuo Qinghuan into Han Shibin's study.
Without needing any introduction from Qin Wanshu, Zuo Qinghuan noticed the couple's photo on the desk. Qin Wanshu had her usual graceful smile, and Han Shibin looked handsome and focused, a perfect match of male talent and female beauty.
"Your husband?" Zuo Qinghuan pointed to Han Shibin in the photograph, pretending to ask knowingly.
"Mm. " Qin Wanshu nodded.
"He does look handsome," Zuo Qinghuan praised generously. "I mean, if he wasn't handsome, why would he be chosen from so many men?"
"Many people say the same," Qin Wanshu replied with a smile, accustomed to compliments about both herself and Han Shibin.
"He must have many women who admire him," Zuo Qinghuan said, her tone carrying a meaningful hint.
Qin Wanshu was slightly taken aback. She knew that many women had their eyes on Han Shibin, but this was the first time she witnessed someone revealing their admiration for her husband in front of her.
"Well, that's my pride," Qin Wanshu responded gracefully. In her eyes, there was no sign of displeasure. Either she didn't care for Han Shibin or she was truly magnanimous. Zuo Qinghuan couldn't help but wonder.
Changing the subject, Zuo Qinghuan asked about the adjacent room, trying not to reveal her identity as the other woman. She didn't want to be seen as too cozy with the wealthy husband and his wife.
"That's my study," Qin Wanshu replied as she led Zuo Qinghuan to her own study. It was a rare occasion for her to let anyone into her study, as each item in there was precious to her. Even the cleaning was done personally by her. Bringing Zuo Qinghuan into her study was already a deviation from the norm.
"You have quite a collection of small trinkets in your study..." Zuo Qinghuan found Qin Wanshu's room fascinating, and her fingers couldn't help but touch everything. It was a human flaw—when encountering something curious, one couldn't resist touching it.
Qin Wanshu watched nervously as Zuo Qinghuan's restless hands roamed around. She was afraid something might break. It wasn't because these items were extraordinarily valuable, but each one was a precious antique, unique in the world. She cherished them dearly, influenced by her grandfather's teachings. But if she stopped Zuo Qinghuan, she would seem petty. As long as nothing was dropped or broken, touching them wouldn't cause any harm. So Qin Wanshu decided to let Zuo Qinghuan play around until she got bored.
"Are these antiques?" Zuo Qinghuan asked belatedly. She had heard that Miss Qin liked antiques, but seeing the whole room filled with them, she suddenly felt that Miss Qin's wealth might be even greater than her own benefactor's.
Qin Wanshu nodded.
"How much is this bowl worth?" Zuo Qinghuan pointed to a random bowl she picked up. She had no interest in the true value of these antiques, but she was curious to know their monetary worth.
"For me, they are priceless," Qin Wanshu felt that these things were beyond monetary measurement.
"Then how much did you buy them for?" Zuo Qinghuan found it difficult to understand people like Qin Wanshu. Spending so much money on things that couldn't be used and had to be treated like servants for these treasures—she thought it was simply absurd.
"Three million yuan," Qin Wanshu replied. Many of these items were gifts from her grandfather. Since her birth, she had received thirty birthday gifts, and this particular one was acquired when she attended an auction for the first time with her grandfather.
"Wouldn't it be better if you could exchange them for cash?" Zuo Qinghuan muttered to herself. There were at least dozens of antiques in the room, and Qin Wanshu's net worth seemed to be quite substantial.
"Each person has their own preferences, and some things are priceless," Qin Wanshu said calmly.
"You've never been destitute; otherwise, you'd realize that these things are all garbage, not as practical as money," Zuo Qinghuan sneered. Miss Qin stood there talking without experiencing the hardships of lacking money. How could she understand what it's like to live in poverty, where even a bowl of plain steamed buns is more practical than the most exquisite bowl?
"Perhaps," Qin Wanshu didn't argue. She neither denied nor approved of Zuo Qinghuan's point of view. Maybe that's why her grandfather always said she should preserve her wealth and not be tainted by worldly desires.
Zuo Qinghuan wasn't a refined person, and her curiosity about these antiques quickly waned. Qin Wanshu promptly led her out of her study. Skipping her own bedroom, she took Zuo Qinghuan to the piano room on the third floor.
The piano room was spacious, even larger than the study downstairs. It felt quite open and empty, with only an expensive-looking grand piano placed in front of the large French windows. The curtains were in monotone, giving the room a peculiar ambiance.
"It feels so empty and eerily quiet," Zuo Qinghuan remarked, feeling a bit scared by the desolate atmosphere. She believed that whoever designed this place must have had some psychological issues. Zuo Qinghuan disliked any sense of emptiness; large spaces made her feel insecure as if she might expose herself entirely.
"The idea was to let the moonlight shine through the French windows and scatter on the piano, to experience the ambiance Beethoven had while playing 'Moonlight Sonata'..." Qin Wanshu sighed with regret. Unfortunately, in the city, one couldn't see the moonlight as clearly as in a rural area.
This translation is originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. and check out other stories too.
"Qin Wanshu, I didn't expect you to be so pretentious..." Zuo Qinghuan felt that wealthy people were truly pretentious, having such large French windows and wasting so much space just to play the Moonlight Sonata like Beethoven.
"Pretentious? Am I?" Qin Wanshu was hearing someone call her pretentious for the first time. She looked at Zuo Qinghuan with some discomfort. Actually, doesn't everyone have some fanciful thoughts in their hearts? Qin Wanshu defended herself in her mind. Little did she know that Zuo Qinghuan severely disdained her fanciful thoughts.
"Yes, quite pretentious," Zuo Qinghuan said, looking at Qin Wanshu's bewildered expression, very certain in her judgment.
Qin Wanshu's usual elegant expression showed a slight crack as if a child accustomed to praise suddenly faced criticism and felt a bit lost. Her expression was just too cute, Zuo Qinghuan thought.
Zuo Qinghuan's attention quickly turned to the grand piano near the French windows. She had never even touched a piano when she was young. In her memories, it was something forever out of reach. Zuo Qinghuan's fingers slid over the seemingly expensive piano, then she looked up at Qin Wanshu.
"Do you play?" Zuo Qinghuan asked softly. She knew that Han Shibin could play. Since she had been with him, Han Shibin had only played for her once. At that time, he seemed like an elegant prince, and this elegance was deeply ingrained in this woman. Playing the piano would probably make her even more enchanting.