Volume One, Chapter 16: Lin Qiao Fiercely Confronts Her Former Mother-in-Law

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Lin Qiao was busy with work and had no intention of getting entangled with Cheng Ru any further.

“One million each.”

“One million each? Have you lost your mind?!”

Cheng Ru hurled abuse at her over the phone. “I knew it. You’re an orphan with neither father nor mother. Now that you’ve left Tianlang, you can’t even get by.”

“Lin Qiao, if you speak to me properly, I can still ask Tianlang to consider giving you a little more alimony in the divorce.”

Lin Qiao’s patience with her former mother-in-law had reached its limit.

She had initially said the price offhandedly, but now she meant it.

“One million each. No bargaining.”

Cheng Ru was furious. Ever since Lin Qiao had given birth to her child, she had never once dared to defy her like this.

Who could have known that the Qin Group would recently acquire an investor whose two children happened to adore palm weaving?

After somehow finding a few palm-woven pieces, the investor’s children had become obsessed with them and clamored for more every day.

Qin Tianlang’s company had already been squeezed out by the Lin Group to the point where it could no longer secure any business.

Cheng Ru had thought that if she could find a few palm-woven items to please the investor’s children, perhaps they would help Qin Tianlang’s company obtain a few contracts.

Swallowing her anger, she said to Lin Qiao, “Fine. We’ll buy them at market price.”

Lin Qiao refused outright and shot back, “If you want to pay market price, then go buy them at the market. There are plenty of palm-woven goods there.”

With that, she hung up.

Cheng Ru’s face turned from livid to pale and back again. If she had not seen how deft Lin Qiao’s hands were and how vividly lifelike her palm-woven creations looked, why would she have come to endure such humiliation?

Cheng Ru picked up the phone and asked several friends. They all told her that the craft of palm weaving was becoming increasingly rare and had already been recognized as an intangible cultural heritage tradition.

Finding a skilled artisan was even more difficult.

Just then, Qin Yi happened to come to the mansion to play. As though she had grasped a lifeline, Cheng Ru asked him, “Do you still have those little palm-woven toys Mom used to make for you on your birthdays?”

The moment Qin Yi thought of palm weaving, he remembered the humiliation he had suffered at the shopping mall that day.

That very night, after returning home, he had stomped on and thrown away every palm-woven gift Lin Qiao had given him for his birthdays. Only then had he felt satisfied.

Even now, he was still indignant. “I threw all that stuff away ages ago!”

Thrown away?!

Cheng Ru felt faint. The child had actually thrown away every single birthday gift his mother had given him.

Qin Yi did not care in the slightest. “They weren’t worth anything anyway. Just have Mom make a few more.”

He still preferred the diamond lapel pin and the Lego set Aunt Moon had given him.

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Cheng Ru’s mouth tasted bitter. A million for one palm-woven piece, and he said they were worthless.

All she could do was hope that her friends could help her find a palm-weaving artisan. She would never lower herself to ask Lin Qiao.

…

“Against the Light” Photography Studio

It was Lin Qiao’s first time entering the studio. Bai Xin had rented an entire floor in the very heart of Sea City, where every inch of land was worth a fortune, and converted it into the studio’s offices.

When Bai Xin saw Lin Qiao, she happily took her on a tour.

“Qiaoqiao, the chief executive of Vif will be here soon. Let’s do our best to win this contract.”

After the successful photography campaign and online promotion for Qin Group Jewelry, the studio had caught the attention of Vif, an international menswear brand. Lin Qiao knew that the opportunity to meet with them had been extremely hard-won.

The Vif delegation arrived soon afterward. At the head of the group was a tall, middle-aged blond man.

Lin Qiao had seen his photograph on social media. He was Vif’s chief executive officer, Green.

The assistant, Mu Rongrong, brought in coffee, but Green did not drink it. He tapped his fingers unhurriedly against the tabletop, arrogantly surveying the studio.

He looked at the two women and spoke fluent Chinese. “Hello.”

Bai Xin introduced Lin Qiao to Green as the studio’s photographer.

Green looked Lin Qiao up and down. His expression made it clear that he did not entirely believe someone so young could shoulder such responsibility.

Switching to English, he continued, “Does the studio have any other photographers?”

Bai Xin had received an elite education from childhood and had always had a foreign tutor by her side.

She naturally took over the conversation in English. “Lin Qiao is the studio’s only photographer. Her abilities are beyond question, and she is our only choice.”

Green turned to Lin Qiao, who had remained silent until then, and said mockingly, “Vif is an international brand, and our models are foreigners. Setting aside Miss Lin’s abilities for the moment, will we need to provide her with an English interpreter during the shoot?”

Mu Rongrong’s English was not very good, but she understood most of what he said.

Mr. Green was deliberately making things difficult for Sister Qiao.

There was no question about Sister Qiao’s photography skills, yet now he expected her to be good with languages too. He was being impossibly demanding!

Bai Xin glanced at Lin Qiao awkwardly.

She knew Lin Qiao’s circumstances very well. Although Lin Qiao had worked hard to gain admission to Sea City’s finest university, she had never had the opportunity to receive a proper English education while growing up. Language might prove difficult for her.

Just as Bai Xin was wondering how to respond, Lin Qiao spoke.

“Mr. Green, the most important quality in a photographer is photographic skill. As for the language issue you mentioned, you needn’t worry.”

Lin Qiao spoke in English as well—fluent, with impeccable pronunciation, as though it were her mother tongue.

Mu Rongrong’s eyes lit up. She gazed at Lin Qiao with sparkling admiration.

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Sister Qiao was simply amazing.

Lin Qiao continued in an unhurried voice, “Language should never become an obstacle to art.”

While managing her X account, Lin Qiao had met an online friend who was both mentor and confidant, offering her a great deal of guidance. That person had always chatted with her in English, and it was during that time that Lin Qiao had honed her authentic English accent.

Green was still unconvinced. He looked at Lin Qiao and began speaking a string of fluent French.

Lin Qiao could tell that he was intentionally trying to make things difficult for her.

Just then, a soft laugh sounded behind her.

A man walked in through the studio entrance and replied to Green in French.

Then he switched to German, Spanish, and Swedish. Every language flowed as smoothly as his mother tongue.

The man was tall and straight-backed, with an extraordinary bearing. His features were strikingly handsome, and his beautiful, alluring eyes lent his exceptionally refined face an almost mesmerizing charm.

Bai Xin’s eyes brightened. She leaned toward Lin Qiao and whispered, “Our savior, Ji Yu, has arrived.”

The first time Bai Xin had met Ji Yu was while traveling in a small country. She had become separated from her tour guide and sought help from a local, but the person could not speak English and instead babbled at her in an incomprehensible language.

Just as Bai Xin had been at a complete loss, Ji Yu happened to rescue her. He conversed with the local effortlessly, without the slightest difficulty.

Ji Yu was a powerful and mysterious man, as well as the studio’s largest investor.

At last, Green switched back to Chinese. “I concede.”

He took the initiative to shake Ji Yu’s hand. “I admit defeat.”

Green turned to Lin Qiao. “Miss Lin, I hope we can enjoy a pleasant collaboration.”

Lin Qiao had never expected a business negotiation to begin and end with a contest of languages.

Bai Xin beamed as she led Green away to discuss the details of their cooperation.

Only Lin Qiao and Ji Yu remained behind.

Lin Qiao extended her hand first. “Hello, Mr. Ji. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Lin Qiao.”

Ji Yu extended his hand as well and shook hers.

His palm was warm and dry. Just as Lin Qiao was about to withdraw her hand, he did not let go.

Ji Yu held Lin Qiao’s hand firmly in his own.

“Miss Lin, this isn’t our first meeting.”