Yuan Xi looked at the three-section jade bracelet that had fallen on the marble floor tiles and picked it up, "Chu Yan, what makes you think this jade bracelet is fake?"
Chu Yan lightly scoffed, "It is fake. If this were a real green jade bracelet, the price would be over five hundred thousand. You have two? Together that would be over a million. How could you afford it with your salary?"
Yuan Xi said, "My salary, plus bonuses, and the year-end bonus, after taxes, my annual income is six million. What makes you think I can't afford this jade bracelet?"
Chu Lin took a sharp breath, "Gu Hanchen is really so generous to you, no wonder he doesn't let you leave even ten minutes early."
Bao Yan commented with a cold laugh, "Secretary Yuan, you really have no experience. Although it's Yang Green, if the quality of this green jade bracelet were real, its price wouldn't be much less than that of Emperor Green. Besides, it's a pair made from the same piece of material, and their estimated value should be around twenty million. You don't even know the price of the bracelet and you still won't admit it's fake."
Chu Yan added, "Sister, actually, if you bought some cheap jewelry, mom wouldn't mind. Why bother buying a fake one?"
Yang Ying took the broken bracelet from Yuan Xi's hand, comforting her, "Real or fake, it was a gift from Xinxin, and I like it. Please, Mrs. Bo, could you help find a craftsman to fix this broken bracelet?"
Mrs. Bo snorted lightly, "Mrs. Chu, we never repair fake jadeite."
Bo Fan said from the side, "Aunt Yang, give me the broken bracelet. I happen to know a master in jade bracelet repair who can fix it so it won't be noticeable."
Bao Yan frowned, "Brother, that's not a good idea. Our Bo Family is also in the jewelry business. If people found out you're repairing fake jadeite, how can we do business..."
Yuan Xi thought her good temper had been honed by Gu Hanchen. Everyone at Mi Chen always said Secretary Yuan was good-tempered. But this time, Yuan Xi didn't want to hold back, "Mrs. Bo and Miss Bo specialize in the jewelry and jade business, yet you can't even distinguish between a real and a fake jade bracelet. It's better to close up shop early."
Bo Fan closely inspected the broken bracelet in his hand and frowned at Chu Yan, "This jade bracelet is real."
"How can that be? Such high-quality goods..." Mrs. Bo stepped forward for a look, "Isn't this the pair that was just sold recently from Ping City? It sold for three million six, it's this pair of jade bracelets."
Yuan Xi looked at Chu Yan, "How do you plan to compensate?"
Chu Yan hugged Yang Ying's arm, "I was just worried about mom's health, I'm sorry, sister. You don't need to get angry over a jade bracelet."
Yang Ying said, "Xinxin, Yanyan was indeed wrong, but she has already apologized to you, let's forget it. Let's all go inside, it's quite hot out here."
Mrs. Bo walked up to Yang Ying, "Yanyan giving you this 'No Matter Plate' is from the best of my collection..."
Yuan Xi watched as Chu Yan, Mrs. Bo, and Yang Ying all went inside together, her hands clenched into fists then released.
Chu Lin patted Yuan Xi on the shoulder, "Chu Yan was indeed wrong just now, but since the Bo Family is here today, mom can't scold Yanyan in front of the Bo Family. Besides, Yanyan has apologized to you, and isn't there still one bracelet intact? Let's not talk about compensation among family."
Yuan Xi covered her mouth with the back of her hand, stifling the urge to vomit, "Why can't we talk about it?"
Chu Lin said, "Yuan Xi, do you think it's appropriate to make a joke out of the Chu family's discord in front of the Bo Family over twenty million? Yanyan did apologize, didn't she? If you're missing that twenty million, I'll give it to you!"
Yuan Xi asked Chu Lin, "May I see the watch on your wrist?"
Chu Lin unfastened the watch band for Yuan Xi, "You like it too? I can ask someone to keep an eye out for it if there's stock."
Yuan Xi took the watch and tossed it into the fountain pool nearby, "Sorry, and you don't need to pay. Keep it and continue buying watches!"
Chu Lin saw the watch thrown into the fountain and quickly scooped it out, but it had already cracked.
"Yuan Xi! Do you realize the value of this watch?"
Yuan Xi, of course, knew, as Gu Hanchen had once asked her to buy a similar one. The price of the watch had skyrocketed and was now almost at twenty million.
Yuan Xi smiled faintly, "We're family, is brother really going to argue with his sister over a watch worth less than twenty million?"
"Hehe."
Yuan Xi heard a cold laugh and turned around to see Bo Fan leaning against the pillar at the entrance, chuckling, "No wonder Hanchen is so well-behaved around Secretary Yuan."
Yuan Xi said, "How could I have such great ability? It's Gu Hanchen who has me well in hand."
Bo Fan said, "So you earn such a high salary working for Gu Hanchen, no wonder you never wanted to switch over to Fan Yan."
Bo Fan could only offer Yuan Xi a salary of up to two million before taxes. She had not expected Gu Hanchen to pay such a high salary, especially since Mi Chen had only been established for six years and was already making a killing.
Yuan Xi said, "Mr. Gu is indeed very generous when it comes to salary."
Bo Fan said, "Yanyan's temperament is spoiled, like a pampered heiress. She doesn't mean any harm. I apologize on her behalf for today's incident..."
Yuan Xi said, "It's fine."
Inside the room, Chu Yan, looking through the French windows at the two people at the door, smiled sweetly while flattering Mrs. Bo, but her heart was filled with unease.
Seeing Yuan Xi and Bo Fan enter together, Chu Yan, with a smile, said to Yang Ying, "Mom, I'm about to have my wedding with Bo Fan soon. Sister is around my age; I don't know if she has a boyfriend. She's already twenty-six, it's about time she settled down and got married too, shall I introduce her to some candidates?"
Bao Yan said, "Actually, I have a good candidate. My driver is twenty-eight this year, should be two years older than Secretary Yuan, and would be a good match for her."
Yuan Xi said, "Thank you for the kindness, Miss Bo, but I'm already married."
"What?" Chu Lin, with his trouser legs damp, came in frowning, "When did you get married? When did you have the wedding? Why hasn't Gu Hanchen mentioned it?"
Yuan Xi said, "It's only been a few days since the marriage, and we won't be having the wedding for a while."
Hearing this, Chu Yan let out a big sigh of relief, feeling reassured, "Congratulations on your marriage, sister."
Yang Ying was also surprised, "Xinxin, you got married? Who is your husband? Why didn't you bring him to meet us earlier? Call him and have him join us for dinner."
Yuan Xi said, "He lives far away, by Ruohu. With the evening rush hour, it would take him nearly an hour to get here, let's not bother."
"Ruohu?" Chu Yan said, "Isn't that area all rural? Doesn't your husband have a house in Jiang City?"
"None." Yuan Xi said calmly, "He only has two houses by Ruohu."
"Even if you have many houses by Ruohu, they are still in the countryside."
Chu Yan said, "Sister, how could you marry someone from the countryside? I really owe you an apology; my wedding should've been yours..."
Bo Fan said, "I heard that Shiyi Group is already assessing the area next to Ruohu, planning to create a high-end travel and vacation resort integrating a golf course, racecourse, and other facilities. If your area undergoes demolition, the compensation from Shiyi Group won't be low."
Yuan Xi had not heard this news before, "Is that so?"
Bo Fan nodded, "Isn't Gu Hanchen saying that Huo Shiyuan is in Jiang City? Huo Shiyuan, the young master of Shiyi Group, must have come to Jiang City for this big project in Ruohu."
Yang Ying turned to Yuan Xi, "Call your husband over, it's just an hour's drive, not far."
Yuan Xi said, "Let's wait a few days. We have the homecoming banquet on the 22nd, right? I'll bring him over then."
Yang Ying said, "Xinxin, I think you should let us meet your husband to see what he's like. If it doesn't work out, you can get a divorce first. Maybe you'll meet your true soulmate at the homecoming banquet..."
Yuan Xi said, "Mom, I'm pregnant, so a divorce really isn't a possibility."
Chu Yan looked at Yuan Xi in shock but felt completely relieved. What did it matter if Yuan Xi was a true heiress?
Her profession was a secretary, and she had married a man from the countryside; she would never be able to compare with Chu Yan who—though not a true heiress of the Chu Family—was at least engaged to Bo Fan.
"Sister, then we'll look forward to you bringing your husband to the homecoming banquet."
"Okay."