The Xie family has the heating on.
Ning Youguang came in and took off the big coat from outside.
Underneath, she wore a beige cashmere long dress that wrapped her slender body, making her figure look perfect and exuding an air of elegance.
Because the dress was simple in style, Ning Youguang wore a delicate necklace around her neck, with a particularly unique design.
It was a brand that Xia Youqing was very familiar with, but she had never seen this design at that counter.
Instinctively, she scrutinized it, "Your necklace is really pretty."
Ning Youguang had just changed into silk slippers, placing her black short boots into the shoe cabinet, "A gift from Wang Yue."
Xia Youqing said lazily, "He has good taste, this design is quite unique."
Ning Youguang smiled, "He came up with the inspiration and ideas himself, and had the brand’s designer craft and design it."
Xia Youqing nodded, "That’s considerate."
Ning Youguang took the handbag she was carrying from the ground and placed it on the cabinet.
Only then did Xia Youqing notice the bag she had today.
As soon as she saw it, her gaze couldn’t be moved. She was startled to get closer to the bag, "This bag..."
She asked, "Can I take a look?"
Ning Youguang casually handed the bag to her.
Xia Youqing took it in her hands, looked at it closely once again, and then asked in amazement, "Is this the one that appeared at the recent auction? How is it in your hands?"
"Was it at the auction?" Ning Youguang was taken aback, "I didn’t know, Wang Yue gave it to me a while ago, and I’ve kept it in the cabinet, only taking it out for this trip to Jincheng."
Xia Youqing, who was lovingly touching the bag over and over, didn’t know what to say.
She just said, "This is the last bag personally crafted by the deceased top fashion master of the C brand during his lifetime. There are only ten bags of this design globally, and the one in your hand is a rare exclusive piece. To commemorate the master, C set it apart and specifically embroidered a personal badge of the master on the limited edition pattern of the bag. It appeared at an auction recently, where countless socialite women were competing to get it, but it was finally purchased by an anonymous party, said to have been gifted to a lover. At that time, my sisters and I, along with other ladies and young misses present, were tremendously envious and terribly vexed, thinking what was that "stinky man" doing competing with us over the bag! I never expected this bag would be in your hands."
Ning Youguang was stunned.
Soon, when Xia Youqing returned the bag to her, she immediately took out a tissue and carefully wiped off the water marks on the bag.
"I truly didn’t know this bag was so expensive." Ning Youguang looked pained, "If I had known, I wouldn’t have taken it out to use."
Such a super rare, absolutely exclusive piece should only be kept in the display cabinet, waiting for another deep-pocketed buyer to take it home, so she could make a hefty profit.
Otherwise, it would truly be too much of a loss!
"What a silly child, buying such an expensive bag?!"
...
"Is Youyou here?"
Tomorrow is New Year’s Eve, a rare occasion with Xie Baosheng at home.
He was quite happy upon seeing Ning Youguang enter the door.
"Uncle is at home, haven’t gone out?" Ning Youguang said joyfully.
"At home, not going out." Xie Baosheng said, "I don’t want to socialize now, it’s exhausting, and there’s not much point. Instead of wasting time, it’s better to spend it with family at home."
Ning Youguang sat down next to Xie Baosheng, "Seems like uncle decided to live differently now?"
"Can’t strive as hard as before, that time when Yiyi disappeared really scared me, and made me realize that wealth and such things we deem important, truly are trivial when facing life and death." Xie Baosheng said, "You see, at my age, why keep pushing so hard?"
He added, "Previously, I always thought, as long as I could strive, I should do more. But now, it seems that what the children want is not what I imagined."
Ning Youguang nodded with a warm smile and asked, "Where’s Yiyi? And grandma?"
Xia Youqing replied, "Yiyi hasn’t finished his company training yet, grandma is out with her group of close friends for wellness activities."
"Is grandma feeling unwell? Seeking wellness?"
"It’s her leg issue, she said lately a friend recommended a traditional Chinese medicine doctor, and they’ve been visiting him together."
"Didn’t hear you say grandma was feeling unwell before?"
"You’re in Beijing, there’s no need to tell you. Saying it would only worry you unnecessarily." Xia Youqing said.
Xie Baosheng agreed, "Exactly, as long as the elderly found a doctor who can treat her, it’s fine. No need to trouble you, you’re busy yourself."
"Then I’ll wait for grandma to return and take a look before heading back." Ning Youguang said.
Then she asked Xia Youqing, "It’s almost New Year’s, why hasn’t Yiyi got a holiday?"
"He doesn’t have holidays this year, so Old Xie and I plan to stay at home with mother-in-law through New Year then go to Beijing to visit him." Thinking of her son’s situation, Xia Youqing felt helpless, "He’s managed strictly at the company every day now, really exhausted."
"Last time when your mom went to the company to secretly check on your brother, she came back really broken-hearted." Xie Baosheng said.
"Is his daily course schedule heavy?" Ning Youguang asked.
"It’s intense. Vocal lessons, including rhythm training, sight singing and ear training, multi-part singing, and physical lessons which include dance, fitness, instrumental classes, they all have to be taken." Xia Youqing said.
"These courses, did you talk to Yiyi about them before he joined the company?"
"We did, but knowing and actually doing are different things. Those tasks can make one’s scalp tingle just thinking about them, so much harder than when we were in college." Xia Youqing said, "Besides, they also have to take psychology classes."
"Psychology classes, are they to train their mental strength?" Ning Youguang asked.
"I suppose that’s what they’re for." Xia Youqing said, "Anyway, his courses are quite a lot now, tiring him every day."
Although Xie Baosheng also felt sorry for his son, he still believed experiencing hardships was good for boys.
"Didn’t we visit the company before Yiyi joined? There are no trainees who don’t have it tough." He reassured his wife, "To be precise, any career is hard, it’s up to Yiyi himself. If he’s ambitious and wants fame, he must strictly push himself; then it’s hard work. If he wants to get by and blend in, then it won’t be hard."
"Uncle is right." Ning Youguang said with a smile, "What’s Yiyi’s attitude like in the company?"
Hearing her daughter’s question, Xia Youqing couldn’t help but smile, "Privately, the company people told me your brother’s attitude is very good, exceptionally good."
"Very good attitude?" Ning Youguang asked with a smile.
"Yes, a very good attitude." Xie Baosheng also sighed, "He’s very diligent every day, and trains hard. Honestly, I was surprised hearing it."
"I didn’t believe it at first either." Xia Youqing said. 1314