The eldest sister's two sons had gone to school, leaving only her youngest daughter at home. The last time Qin Xiaoyu came, the child was as weak as a little chick, but now, thanks to the eldest sister's care, she's strong, healthy, sunny, and confident.
She had just woken up and ran downstairs. When she saw that her older sister wasn't there, she didn't feel like a stranger to Qin Xiaoyu at all. She greeted her crisply and called her "Auntie".
When she saw someone coming, she ran to the door first.
Qin Xiaoyu heard only a few words.
My mother isn't here.
"Is this for my mother? Okay, I understand, thank you. Bye."
The youngest daughter ran in and handed an invitation to Qin Xiaoyu.
"Let's wait until your mother comes back to see it." Qin Xiaoyu understood this basic etiquette; she didn't want to pry into her older sister's privacy.
“No, this is for you.” The younger daughter shook her head seriously.
Qin Xiaoyu suddenly realized, this is a challenge, isn't it?
Lin Yaofangfei also came over. She opened the invitation, and Linda's English name was signed inside.
As expected, it was a challenge; Linda invited them to a banquet that evening.
"She's always been very concerned about her image and wants everything to be done perfectly," Lin Yaofangfei sighed.
"It seems we'll have to go tonight. Do you need to go back and prepare?" Qin Xiaoyu knew that attending a banquet wasn't something you could just do in any dress. Linda might have prepared some kind of trap for them, and the people she invited were probably not to be offended. They had to take it seriously.
"Okay, I'll head back now. See you tonight." Lin Yaofangfei hadn't received an invitation, but she knew without a doubt that it was waiting for her at home.
With no word from A Lei and the others, Qin Xiaoyu, bored, took her youngest daughter to her house next door.
Just then, one of the older sister's maids was cleaning, so they were let in.
Stepping into Qin Xiaoyu's walk-in closet, her youngest daughter's eyes lit up. This is a woman's nature; no matter how old a woman is, they're all the same.
Qin Xiaoyu couldn't help but smile as she helped her choose an evening gown. Although her youngest daughter hadn't spent much time with her eldest sister, she had absorbed a lot of knowledge and offered many insights.
What surprised Qin Xiaoyu the most was that, because her older sister had taken her to banquets several times recently, she could clearly tell the latest fashion trends.
“This dress is pretty, but Miss Louisa wore the same one last time, which makes people think you’re copying her style.” The youngest daughter rejected an organza piano pleated skirt; this child’s speech and mannerisms were nothing like those of a four or five-year-old.
"The fashions here are outdated." Qin Xiaoyu realized with frustration that she probably wouldn't have a chance to wear the dresses that A Lei had prepared.
"If we don't follow the latest trends, we might be able to avoid it." The youngest daughter's insight was truly astonishing, and her words reminded Qin Xiaoyu.
Actually, she could have figured it out if she were calm, but right now her mind was in turmoil, completely focused on the leaked video. She leaned down and kissed her youngest daughter's cheek, "Sweetie, you're amazing. You can help me from now on."
She found a vintage-style dress on the innermost rack, a style popular in the 1930s. The ice silk fabric was studded with rhinestones, making the fabric drape heavily. The design couldn't be simpler: strapless and straight-cut.
The outer layer was a thinner layer of gauze than ordinary ice silk, which was transparent and decorated with rhinestones. This gauze probably represented the highest level of textile industry at that time. Its thinness and transparency did not affect the texture and material.
This dress is perfect for petite women; it exudes an indescribable charm and a strong sense of femininity.
Qin Xiaoyu picked up the dress and examined it repeatedly for a long time, then held it up to her body before turning her gaze to her youngest daughter, waiting for her opinion. Her daughter grinned and made an OK sign.
Sister-in-law Xiao Si called to say that she had found the video recorders in the other two meeting rooms.
Upon hearing about this, she returned directly to Guangzhou and, to avoid alerting the mole, personally conducted the inspection under the pretext of checking hygiene.
It seems Qin Xiaoyu's guess was correct; Linda had more than one video recorder installed.
"Don't dismantle it, leave it as is, observe it carefully, and catch the mole. Also, don't tell my brother." Qin Xiaoyu instructed, knowing that Qi Si had a frightening temper and would definitely make a scene if he heard about it, firing all the employees. He was capable of such a thing.
Ah Lei and his older sister returned in the afternoon, but they didn't get any results.
Upon seeing Linda's invitation, Are casually tossed it onto the table.
"She's still so disgusting."
"That was your favorite back then too." Qin Xiaoyu added with a hint of jealousy.
"Forget it, she's the one who's been pursuing me. How could I possibly love her the most?" A Lei was displeased by this.
“I can testify to this. Alex has always been passive in his relationship with Linda. She created many opportunities, including through her family, who have been trying to bring them together and even approached me.” The eldest sister couldn’t sit still any longer and went upstairs to prepare her clothes for the evening. Nothing was more important than this.
"She's trying to stall us for time; we probably don't have much time left," A Lei said with a troubled expression.
"We've searched these twelve places, but there are still over twenty left, which won't be easy to find. We might as well confront them head-on; maybe we'll find some clues." Qin Xiaoyu had survived many close calls and had become quite resilient, with much better mental fortitude.
"Then let's take it one step at a time." A Lei hardened his resolve.
When Qin Xiaoyu came downstairs after changing her clothes, her older sister and A Lei were already waiting. She took a long time to change because she had to put her hair up in a bun. She has a lot of hair, and it was difficult to do without help.
Fortunately, her skills hadn't rusted; the older sister's eyes said it all.
“You’re always so beautiful.” A Lei couldn’t help but lean down and kiss her ear.
This time, she deliberately didn't wear high heels, but instead wore a pair of light gray rhinestone-studded lambskin boat shoes, which were almost flat. Sandwiched between the tall A Lei and the eldest sister, she looked even shorter. However, after giving birth to Xiao Jiajia, her gaze became even more gentle and tender, which would soften the hearts of anyone who saw her.
The youngest daughter wore a princess dress and had her hair styled in two little buns; she looked very clever and adorable.
When they arrived outside the Huo family's gate, Lin Yaofangfei was just getting out of the car. Her makeup was heavy, giving her a menacing look. She hadn't been getting enough rest lately, and she had gone to great lengths to cover her dark circles and eye bags.
She followed behind Qin Xiaoyu and the others like a female iron guard, attracting everyone's attention as soon as the group entered.
All eyes lingered on Qin Xiaoyu for a moment. This little woman didn't appear often, but every time she did, she was surrounded by an aura of brilliance.
Now they understand. They used to think that A Lei was bewitched by a rich woman from the mainland, but now they realize that he has struck gold. Who wouldn't be envious?
Linda approached, her attire today quite different from usual, a complete departure from her usual style. She wore a white evening gown, paired with light makeup, looking elegant and refined—was she trying to convey innocence?
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