Nanny Jin was speaking as she opened the multilayered jewelry box, pulling out each layer and pointing at a gilt-edged emerald ornament, saying, "Ye Zi, how about this ornament? The matching bracelet and earrings, with spots of emerald green, will complement your outfit and immediately give off a fresh look."
Ye Xinyan took a look at the ornament and the bracelet with patterns as big as mung beans that matched her clothes well, but she said, "Nanny, isn’t this... a bit too dazzling? If I wear this outfit and put on these pieces of jewelry, I’m afraid the whole village, young and old, won’t need to do anything else. They could just discuss whether the jewelry is real or fake and how much silver it’s worth, and that would see them through the New Year."
"What are you talking about, child? With our family’s status, do we need to care about their gossip about authenticity?" Although Nanny Jin said this, she hesitated a bit, "However, country folks don’t pay that much attention to such formalities. If they really start discussing you, it would be problematic if they only talk about how much silver your outfit is worth."
Ye Xinyan nodded repeatedly, "Exactly, exactly. It’s best to be low-key, keep a low profile, and quietly make a fortune. That’s the true essence of how we ordinary people live."
"Where are you an ordinary person? Ye Zi, you can’t say that about yourself anymore. If we could really conceal our whereabouts then it’d be another story. But that’s not the case now. In these past six months, how many people from the capital have come to Qingyuan County, to Clear Water Village? They all came because of your status. Even if you wanted to be an ordinary person, I’m afraid you no longer have the chance."
As Nanny Jin spoke, she selected a set of plain silver twisted thread jewelry and compared it against the clothes.
"This does match, but it seems a bit too plain to only wear a set of plain silver jewelry for the New Year," Nanny Jin muttered to herself while comparing the pieces against the clothes.
Ye Xinyan, looking at the shimmering silver jewelry made with fine threads and listening to Nanny Jin’s mumbling, could barely keep her mouth shut. Only when Nanny Jin reached for another set of mutton fat white jade jewelry did she speak, "Nanny, are you calling this plain silver jewelry? With the craftsmanship of your ’plain silver,’ it could probably buy a set of plain red gold jewelry."
Nanny Jin looked at the silver thread jewelry she had set down and couldn’t help but laugh, "Look at me, I was so focused on Ye Zi’s status that I didn’t want to leave all these jewels idle, I almost overlooked the craftsmanship."
She then looked at the white jade plum blossom hairpin in her hand and said, "The jewelry that the wife of the heir apparent brought for you, which one has poor workmanship? This set of mutton fat jade jewelry is just as exquisite and looks understated. Why not, Ye Zi, today you should just wear this set with your outfit. It’s gentle and not glaring, there is nothing that matches better than this."
Ye Xinyan, looking at the smooth and lustrous jade hairpin, felt her heart quiver. She herself wasn’t much for understanding jade, but that didn’t keep the original owner from appreciating it. This quality of mutton fat white jade, not to mention being a full set, regardless of the price, was something so rare that money couldn’t necessarily buy. As long as one liked it and gave it to the right person, no price would be considered too high.
To wear such items in her hair? Ye Xinyan couldn’t even imagine what would happen if she was accidentally too rough and dropped the hairpin on the floor... Never mind, just thinking about that scenario made her heart ache.
Ye Xinyan persuaded, "Nanny, I think let’s forget it. Even if you brought out this set of white jade jewelry, to the villagers in Clear Water Village and to the Great Uncle’s family, it may not seem much more valuable than silver jewelry. It’s low-key indeed, but it’s not suited for the occasion."
"That’s right, that’s the logic. Let’s choose again..."
And so, after a few more selections, by the time Qi Jiaer came back sweating bullets, Nanny Jin and Bi Ning had finally finished preparing Ye Xinyan.
Qi Jiaer dashed into Ye Xinyan’s room and before he had the chance to shout in his usual manner, he saw his sister looking different from any other day.
At that moment, Ye Xinyan had just stood up from the dresser, dressed in a watermelon-red brocade dress paired with silver twisted thread jewelry, looking exceptionally pretty and fresh.
Qi Jiaer circled around Ye Xinyan several times before stopping. He touched the fabric embroidered with subtle patterns and exclaimed, "Wow! Sister, your dress is so pretty."
Ye Xinyan glared at Qi Jiaer speechlessly. Little brat, do you know how to speak? Although she wasn’t too particular about clothing and attire, she was still a woman, wasn’t she? It’s intolerable for any woman to be in a situation where only her clothes are complimented without mentioning her own appearance. Such comments made it seem as if only the clothes were pretty and not the person wearing them.
Bi Ning was snickering on the side while Nanny Jin stepped forward to pull Qi Jiaer aside, took out a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from his forehead, and in a gentle voice said, "Could it be that the clothes are so dazzling that Brother Jia didn’t notice whether his sister also became a lot prettier? Brother Jia, take another look—does Sister look pretty?"
Qi Jiaer had no intention of following Nanny Jin’s lead. His bright eyes wide open, he said, "Sister doesn’t need to be looked at."
Ye Xinyan and Bi Ning were momentarily stunned, then listened as Qi Jiaer went on, "Sister has always been the prettiest. Is there even a need to say that?"
Ye Xinyan, looking at the child’s unguarded, innocent expression, couldn’t quite define her feelings—was it pride? Bitterness? Sentimentality? It seemed like none of them and yet all of them at the same time.
Alright, this kid was a born sycophant.