CHAPTER 312: CHAPTER 101: LISTEN TO THE ELDER (PART 2)

Qiu Zhi squeezed himself into the limited space of the chair, motionless, unsure where to rest his eyes and could only stare at the continuously steaming spout of the teapot.

"Qiu..." Su Ziceng, after the previous incident with Miss Annie’s "lady" situation, became more cautious in addressing women. Practice had shown that from eighty to eight, you should always err on the side of younger.

"Just call me Granny," Mrs. Qiu Senior unabashedly took advantage of Su Ziceng’s politeness. It’s all Zhi’s fault for not being sensible. With how things were lingering with Wen Maixue, I’m afraid that in the next life, she still won’t approve of our Zhi. Mrs. Qiu Senior could only settle for the next best thing and turned her sights on Su Ziceng.

"Granny Qiu," Su Ziceng had only ever cursed at others’ ancestors, calling them "granny" felt very awkward for her. But under the old lady’s warm reception, she dared not retort and could only desperately make faces at Qiu Zhi, hoping he would send his grandmother away soon so they could discuss what to do next.

"Ziceng," Old Lady Qiu started again: "What do you think of our Zhi?"

"Him?" Su Ziceng hadn’t even reacted before Qiu Zhi continued staring at the teapot spout, his hands and feet properly placed together, even more restrained than a bride waiting in seclusion to be carried on the wedding sedan. The situation seemed as if Su Ziceng wasn’t at the Qiu Family’s place but rather as if Qiu Zhi was at the Su Family’s house.

"Everything is quite good, except he’s a bit big-sized, has a good appetite, says too little, sweats a bit too much, other than that, everything is quite good," Su Ziceng subtly expressed her opinion.

Her words caused Qiu Zhi’s gaze on the teapot to last even longer. Except the tea had been placed on the table, without warming, its steam dissipating, leaving nothing to look at.

"That’s good, you two must get along well in the future, Zhi will be in your care," the Old Lady Qiu stated profoundly after finishing her speech.

While Su Ziceng wasn’t sure whether to ponder the words or to taste the tea, Qiu Zhi finally regained his composure, "Granny, you’ve forgotten about the important matter."

You’re the one who forgot about the important matter, you foolish boy, Mrs. Qiu Senior glanced at Qiu Zhi both annoyed and affectionately. What could be more important than continuing the Qiu Family’s lineage? But there was no hurry, both of them were just over twenty. It wouldn’t be too late to marry when Zhi could stand on his own two feet.

Mrs. Qiu Senior might look like a frail old woman, but her mind was sharp. She heard Qiu Zhi mention the Su Family’s daughter several times and felt something was amiss. After some pressing, Qiu Zhi spilled everything. Last night’s auction also gave Mrs. Qiu Senior a new understanding of the Su Family, especially Su Ziceng, but she merely thought behind Su Ziceng, there was a capable strategist. Hence, today’s tea session came to be.

Having a wife like Wen Maixue is both a blessing and a curse, a woman too capable, especially in a major family like the Qiu Family, would face more criticism. It’s better to find someone simpler. Old Lady Qiu mistook Su Ziceng’s misunderstanding of Qiu Zhi’s affections as a display of innocence.

"The elderly are all like this, they forget about serious business when they are happy. I’ve heard that Ziceng is very interested in gem jewelry," Mrs. Qiu Senior found this not surprising at all—what woman wouldn’t love jewelry? And Mussen’s Blessing was the gem of gems.

"Granny Qiu’s management of Qiu Sheng Jewelry is also top-notch in the industry, so I believe you must know a lot about this set of jewelry," Su Ziceng’s words weren’t all flattery.

The Qiu Family differed from the Wen family; the Qiu Family’s old master died early, and the entire family business fell on Mrs. Qiu Senior’s shoulders when she was just a young widow in her early thirties. Later, when she was over fifty, Qiu Zhi’s father also passed away. Qiu Sheng Jewelry was like her other son, nurtured carefully to garner today’s success.

As a woman herself, Mrs. Qiu Senior could hear from Su Ziceng’s words a genuine praise, not accompanied by much flattery. She opened up a bit more as well. "It’s all thanks to everyone’s appreciation. The jewelry business is a family tradition. Over so many years, I have just diligently done my part to prevent the Qiu Family from declining."

Having come to this point, Mrs. Qiu Senior sighed. Her original intention today was to probe Su Ziceng’s thoughts under the pretense of having tea, yet she didn’t expect to actually engage in a heart-to-heart so soon.

Hearing grandma getting a bit sentimental again, Qiu Zhi hurriedly comforted her. The elderly usually enjoy nostalgia. It was also because of Mrs. Qiu Senior’s special affection for Qiu Sheng Jewelry, that he didn’t dare to suggest shifting the Qiu Family’s focus to the stock market. Affection had become chains that restrained the development of Qiu Zhi.

"We’ve digressed again," Mrs. Qiu Senior wiped the corner of her eyes, checked the teapot with her hand, and called over a servant, bringing a small stove to heat the water.

The newly added water quickly boiled on the charcoal stove, and Mrs. Qiu Senior moistened her mouth before continuing: "There are many incredible legends in the world of jewelry. Some are fabricated by people, others are baseless rumors, most of the time spread by jewelers who wish to use these stories to speculate on the value of jewels for profit. But Mussen’s Blessing is different; its last appearance was twenty years ago." (To be continued. If you like this work, please head to Qidian (qidian.com) to cast your recommendation tickets and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)