Chapter 92
"But there's no need to take just this one." Xiao Xiao looked at her distressedly, with obvious disapproval in her voice. "There are so many things in the warehouse, just pick one at random."
Every item in the study has a different meaning to Yang Ye.
To put it a little more pretentiously, perhaps every item here embodies the epitome of Yang Ye's past few decades, carrying a part of her life, the hope for perfection, and also the pain she endures alone after her hope is dashed.
Yang Ye's gaze never left the jade pendant. Silently, her fingertips gently caressed the cool jade. With a little pressure, she pressed the pattern on the pendant. She took a deep breath, then exhaled, as if making some kind of resolution. She pushed back the turmoil of her emotions, opened the next drawer, and pulled out a package of brand-new, unopened silk handkerchiefs.
"They may not take the bait with ordinary things," Yang Ye said, slowly and carefully rewrapping the jade pendant and putting it into another empty sandalwood box.
'Click'
The metal sheets snapped together and the box was closed.
She turned around and looked at Xiao Xiao who had been standing by the door. She said in a gentle tone, "Please help me put on some makeup so that I don't look like someone who is not easy to mess with."
Xiao Xiao looked at Yang Ye, the apprehension she had suppressed. She was clearly smiling, but within that smile, Xiao Xiao saw a tinge of fear, like a needle piercing her heart. Xiao Xiao looked at her intently for a long time. From the moment they first met until now, she had never looked at her as carefully and intently as she did this time.
"I've been feeling a little uneasy lately," Xiao Xiao said, sitting cross-legged on the bed, her phone pressed to her ear. There were no lights on in the room, only the brightness of the alarm clock by the bed. "Ever since the boss got sick and woke up, especially with the recent incident with Grandma Chen, I've been feeling like he's going to leave us."
"I feel the same as you," said Li Cheng on the other end of the phone.
Xiao Xiao's voice suddenly became much softer, "Do you think the boss will die?"
"Everyone will die." Liu Guoxing's voice came from the receiver in a calm tone.
"But Boss..."
"The longer she lives, the greater her desire for death becomes. Xiao Xiao, we should respect her departure," Liu Guoxing said. "Between a lonely and painful life and a quick and clean death, I prefer the second."
'but……'
"Xiao Xiao, she has really lived alone for too long," Li Cheng also said.
Xiao Xiao didn't say anything else in the end. She turned around and went downstairs to get the makeup bag she often used. She asked Yang Ye to sit down and began to carefully paint on her face, which was already stunning enough and did not need too much modification.
The spread foundation evenly covered the haggard look on Yang Ye's face caused by days of worries. The perfect eyeliner, darkened eyeshadow and slightly brightened highlights worked together to instantly make her eyes deep and three-dimensional, and even added a bit of sharpness that should not be underestimated.
The blush and lipstick colors are both low-key but can enhance the complexion. They are not too ostentatious, but they greatly enhance the overall spirit. Xiao Xiao put down the tools in her hands and looked at Yang Ye intently. When she met her seemingly aggressive eyes, Xiao Xiao's heart moved and she raised the corners of her mouth, happy to see her.
The makeup enhances Yang Ye's inherent coolness and dignity, and also gives rise to a kind of confidence that comes from within, which can be said to be her innate confidence.
"Boss, you are so beautiful," Xiao Xiao exclaimed.
Yang Ye was stunned for a second, "You look good too"
“I’m serious.”
"Me too"
Xiao Xiao was still holding a makeup brush, and the bristles rubbed against the palm of her hand, bringing a slight itch, "Boss, you really look like a princess."
Yang Ye was startled by her words. After she came to her senses, she looked at Xiao Xiao with a smile and said, "The princess is no longer here. If you still want to wear that princess costume, when this matter is over and we have a chance to go to Beijing, you can wear it again."
"Okay, you choose for me then."
"Then I will definitely choose the most beautiful one for you." Yang Ye stood up and walked to the closet. She found a dark green cheongsam from the innermost part of the closet that she hadn't worn for a long time. It was a long cheongsam, just reaching her calves. It was well-cut, with a perfect waistline, which appropriately outlined her slender but upright body contours.
The satin velvet cheongsam, its brightly colored threads hidden beneath the fluorescent light, shimmered softly, flowing gently as she raised her hands. Yang Ye fished out an off-white woolen shawl from the nearby closet and draped it over her shoulders. When she stood before the old dressing mirror again, she saw the figure in the mirror—the slender figure, the graceful demeanor, the calm and composed gaze—and even she herself was momentarily bewildered.
The person in the mirror looked both strange and familiar. That posture was the upbringing and rules engraved in her bones, and also the clear eyes that she had not seen for a long time. In a trance, Yang Ye could not tell whether the person in the mirror was looking at her, or she was looking at her former self.
"Zhao Zhao, I believe you are not a weak person."
"A Zhao, nowadays, people should have two sides: one for others and one for yourself. It doesn't matter if you are truthful to others, as long as you have a clear conscience. To yourself, just be sincere and have a clear conscience."
After everything was ready, Yang Ye took the rosewood box containing the jade pendant and walked down the stairs. Zhou Yiheng was already waiting to take it. Hearing the footsteps coming down the stairs, he turned around.
His gaze fell on Yang Ye's exquisitely dressed face, then swept down to the elegant cheongsam she was wearing, and finally to the wooden box she was holding. Zhou Yiheng's eyes seemed to waver, and a flash of surprise crossed his eyes.
Xiao Xiao walked over and gently bumped Zhou Yiheng's arm, saying with a bit of pride, "I put on makeup for the boss. Doesn't it look really good?"
Zhou Yiheng didn't say anything more, just nodded to Yang Ye and said calmly, "The car is already at the door."
He watched Yang Ye walk down the stairs. When he was about to reach him, he added, "I called a business car, which will definitely match your outfit today."
The three of them got in the car and headed to Jinshizhai again.
Unlike the last time Yang Ye came here alone, every step they took from the moment they got off the car to the moment they walked to the lobby of Jinshizhai attracted a lot of attention.
"How can I help you?" The receptionist still had that formal smile on her face, but when she saw Yang Ye's outfit, especially when she saw the green jade bracelet on Yang Ye's wrist, her original gaze turned into undisguised eagerness and respect.
Almost at the same time, Manager Wang also came down from upstairs.
It was hard to tell whether it was a coincidence or he had been observing upstairs, but when he just came down, his eyes quickly swept over the three people standing in the lobby, and he stayed on Yang Ye the longest.
The woman was dressed exquisitely, and her every move was elegant. Especially when he, like the receptionist, saw the expensive green jade bracelet on Yang Ye's wrist, the most standard smile on his face was slightly changed because of the shock and joy in his eyes. He walked over and looked at them enthusiastically.
"Excuse me, how can I help you?" Manager Wang came over and said.
"Who are you?" Seeing Manager Wang appear in front of her, Yang Ye's eyes flashed with confusion, and she looked the man up and down.
"I'm the appraisal manager here, my last name is Wang," Manager Wang said, taking out a business card from his pocket and handing it to her.
Yang Ye took it with a sidelong glance, pinched the edge of the card with his fingertips, quickly glanced at the name on it, without even stopping for half a second, and then handed it to Zhou Yiheng behind him as if throwing away waste paper.
Zhou Yiheng took a half step forward after receiving the business card, firmly blocking Yang Ye slightly to the side, forming a silent but effective protective posture. He looked at Manager Wang, his voice not loud, but every word carried a weight that should not be underestimated, "Manager Wang, right? You guys are collecting things, but our boss has something he wants to sell to you."
"We are here to collect things," said Manager Wang. He then looked at Yang Ye and asked, "May I ask, Boss, what is your name?"
"My last name is Yang," Yang Ye said softly. Her tone was flat, with the usual aloofness of a superior. She didn't even give Manager Wang any extra glances. She just looked at the shawl she was wearing outside, and then unfolded it to see her nails, which she hadn't done for a long time.
"Boss Yang," Manager Wang said, his smile growing wider. "What is it you're planning to sell? Would it be convenient for me to take a look first?"
Yang Ye did not answer, but turned her head slightly and glanced at Xiao Xiao. Xiao Xiao understood and took out the rosewood box from her bag. She swiftly unfastened the metal snaps on the lid and opened the lid a crack, perfectly displaying the jade pendant half-covered by silk inside to Manager Wang.
Manager Wang had just seen it and he didn't even go over to appreciate it carefully. Just from the luster and carving of the jade pendant, he could be sure that it was definitely a top-grade item, and it was also an old item with a long history and excellent condition.
"Can you guys take this?" Yang Ye raised her eyebrows slightly and asked Manager Wang again.
"Yes, of course," Manager Wang responded hurriedly. He quickly glanced at the people coming and going in the lobby. He felt that talking here might be a little inconvenient and uncomfortable. He took another half step forward, almost bumping into Zhou Yiheng. He lowered his voice and said to the others, "Boss Yang, there are too many people here. Why don't we go upstairs to discuss it in detail?"
"Sure," Yang Ye replied lazily.
Manager Wang turned aside and led them to the stairwell on the second floor. Before going upstairs, he said to the front desk, "Xiao Chen, go get the jar of Mingqian Longjing tea in my cabinet. Brew it and send it to the VIP appraisal room on the second floor."
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