Chapter 12 - One Hundred and Sixty-Five Million
Finally, after spending an entire day shopping, they got what they needed. They had bought over 20 sets of outfits from several different shops, together with matching jewelry accessories, shoes, cosmetics, bathroom accessories and more. Ning Shuqian had spent a lot of money on that day.
They returned to the Wen Family at about 8 p.m. and found Old Mr. Wen sitting in the living room waiting for them.
Wen Xinya was wearing her new yellow dress, looking young, neat and elegant. Old Mr. Wen nodded slightly in approval. Indeed, clothes make the man. He asked, “You are back. Have you had dinner?”
Ning Shuqian felt flattered. She answered, “Yes, we had homemade cooking for dinner. It was good.”
The more Old Mr. Wen looked at Wen Xinya, the more he was satisfied. “After an entire day of shopping, you must be tired. Go back to your rooms to rest! Xinya, stay behind.”
Ning Shuqian smiled reluctantly and agreed. “Yes, Father. You have an early rest too.”
Wen Yuya clenched her teeth tightly. She wondered if she received different treatment because she was an adopted daughter.
“Aunt Ning, sorry to trouble you for the whole day. Goodnight and sweet dreams!” said Wen Xinya smilingly.
Ning Shuqian dragged the angry Wen Yuya as they left the living room together.
Only Old Mr. Wen and Wen Xinya remained in the living room. He said, “The things you purchased have been delivered. I asked Mother Wang to pack them on your behalf.”
“Thank you, Grandpa!” Wen Xinya thanked him with appreciation.
“I’ve done some serious thinking when you were out. I plan to organize an evening banquet three months later to make the official announcement about you returning to the Wen Family. I’ll get Secretary Cao to arrange some etiquette-related classes for you. You have to prove your worthiness as the eldest daughter from an affluent family in three months time. Can you do that?” old Mr. Wen informed her with a stern look in his eyes.
To prove her worthiness as the eldest daughter from an affluent family within three months would be a daunting task for her previous life Wen Xinya. But for the new reborn Wen Xinya, it would be a piece of cake. “Grandpa, please believe me. I will prove my worthiness as the eldest daughter of the Wen Family and make you proud,” she promised.
The smile on Wen Xinya’s face was as beautiful as the blooming flowers on the cliff-wall. It made Old Mr. Wen thought he had made the right choice.
Old Mr. Wen turned around and returned to his room.
At this moment, Mother Wang brought a man who was wearing a blue uniform to the living room. “Miss Wen, this is the delivery from the shop you visited earlier today, Jo-ramst. I have asked someone to send them to your room for packing. But the delivery man said he needed you to sign-off and receive a few items personally,” she informed.
Wen Xinya nodded and walked over to them. The man in the blue uniform handed her the receipt respectfully.
Wen Xinya just took a quick glance at it. She knew what were the items she had purchased earlier. Therefore, she quickly signed and took over the big rectangle box from Mother Wang’s hands.
Wen Xinya returned to her room and opened the big box mindlessly. There were five smaller boxes of premium packaging inside. From the premium packaging, she could tell these boxes contained expensive items. As she doubtfully opened the five boxes one by one, she found the boxes contained the five pieces of expensive jewelry accessories she saw earlier. She was shocked.
She then immediately dialed to the main number of Jo-ramst. Within a short while, someone picked up the line. “I’m Wen Xinya. Can I speak to Manager Ye, Ye Mengjie?” she requested.
“I am Wen Xinya” versus “My name is Wen Xinya” were two different ways of speaking, and they conveyed very different meanings. The first way communicated to the listener ample faith, as if he or she must know who Wen Xinya was. While the latter would present to the listener an introduction with a lack of confidence. The choice between these two messages would also affect the way the listener judged her.
Within seconds, Ye Mengjie answered her call. “Hi, Miss Wen, you’ve called me at a late hour. How can I help you?”
Wen Xinya’s reply was direct. “I have seen five pieces of jewelry in the shop earlier but I did not purchase them. Did you deliver them to my place by mistake?”
Ye Mengjie responded with a chuckle. “Miss Wen, you are kidding with me, aren’t you? At Jo-ramst we’d never make such a mistake. That five pieces of jewelry and accessories were the latest collection from the new season and were transferred to us directly from the main branch of the Wen Corporation’s jewelry shop. It was originally designed to match Gu Yihan, Master Gu’s five award-winning sets of clothes in Paris. They were the sculptured White-jaded rose, Pigeon-blood red ruby, South-Ocean powdered pearl, Burmese wreath gem, and South African liquid diamond. They are worth a hundred and sixty-five million dollars. The Pigeon-blood red ruby was the most expensive amongst them all. It has a 10-carat ruby and is worth eighty-five million dollars. These are gifts to Miss Wen by a Mister, and he has already paid for them.”
Gu Yihan was the top designer in the Wen Corporation, and she had won the fashion competition championship in Paris for three consecutive years. The fashion pieces designed by her carried the unique nostalgic trend of Z-Country’s style. This style was popular and highly sought after internationally.
It was actually late Madam Wen’s idea to cross-sell matching outfits with jewelry and accessories. All these years Wen Corporation did remarkably well with this strategy.
Each of these five pieces of jewelry was highly-priced, specifically created to match Master Gu’s five award-winning pieces of clothes. This cross-sell strategy worked well and saved them a huge amount of advertising fees.
Wen Xinya instantly recalled the man whom the shop assistant mentioned, but she didn’t put it to heart earlier. “Who is that Mister?” she asked. Now she found it difficult to make any linkage to this man.
Ye Mengjie laughed. “Sorry, I’m unable to disclose his identity. However, Miss Wen shall find out when the time comes. But I can let you know, it will be of great fortune to be able to know this man.”
Wen Xinya returned coldly. “Although I wasn’t well educated, I’m well aware of the concept of not accepting any form of reward that I do not deserve. I will get someone to send these back. You can decide what to do with them!”
If this mysterious man had guessed that Wen Xinya would be elated to receive these pieces of expensive jewelry, then he had guessed wrong. No pain, no gain. Wen Xinya believed there must be a secret intention for sending her such expensive gifts.
Ye Mengjie rubbed her forehead, thinking to herself this Miss Wen was a tough nut to crack. “Miss Wen shouldn’t take it to heart. One hundred and sixty-five million dollars may sound like a huge amount of money, but it’s only the tip of the iceberg for that Mister. Maybe there was something about you that attracted and made him admire, hence he just randomly picked a few items as gifts for you. That’s all,” she persuaded.
Wen Xinya did not get the answer she was seeking, but from Ye Mengjie’s words, she felt a great level of suspense. If even as an employee of the Wen Corporation Ye Mengjie had chosen to hide the man’s identity, there must be something going on. That man must be of higher status than the Wen Family.
“Buying jewelry from the Wen Corporation and sending them to me as gifts? I bet he must have some ulterior motives!” she exclaimed. Everyone knew that she just returned to the Wen Family and would not be able to afford such expensive jewelry. If Grandpa, Grandma or Father found out about this matter, it would create a perfect opportunity for Ning Shuqian and Wen Yuya to make a molehill out of a mountain!
Ye Mengjie knew that she was carrying a heavy responsibility of convincing Miss Wen. “Receiving gifts from an anonymous person would certainly cause someone to be uneasy, but I suggest you keep these pieces of jewelry properly. If you insist on returning them and unintentionally offend that Mister in the process, it won’t do you or the Wen Family any good,” she advised.
Wen Xinya didn’t feel good after hearing Ye Mengjie, but she was no longer the same Wen Xinya of her previous life. “Okay, I understand. I hope you can help me keep this a secret,” she requested.
Ye Mengjie acknowledged with a huge sigh of relief. “I will. Definitely.”
After hanging up the phone, Wen Xinya decided not to let this matter bother her anymore. She covered the big box and left it in the cloakroom. Out of sight, out of mind.