Chapter Seven: A Love for Freedom

After much deliberation, Mai Xijun took out a slip of paper from her bag. She hesitated for a moment before dialing the number written on it.

“Hello, may I speak to Su Yiduo?” Mai Xijun called with a heart full of unease.

“One moment, please… Young Madam, it’s your call…” After a brief wait, Mai Xijun exhaled deeply, and a quiet voice came through on the other end, “Hello?”

She did her best to steady her nerves and suppress the tumult of emotions within her, speaking in a low, composed tone, “Duoduo, this is Mai Xijun. I’d like to ask you for a favor…”

Su Yiduo was a good person—at least, that’s what Mai Xijun believed. Though they were half-sisters, Yiduo was still willing to help her with such a significant request, and this kindness moved Xijun deeply.

“Swarovski-cut crystals? All right, let me check…” As she spoke, Su Yiduo moved the phone away from her mouth, but Mai Xijun could still make out her words.

“Sister Qiu, what exactly does Murong Jin’s family do? … Then they must have plenty of diamonds and crystals, right? … Oh, could you find his number for me? I’ll give him a call…”

A little while later…

Mai Xijun waited anxiously, pressing her lips together, her heart pounding as though it might leap from her chest.

Soon, Su Yiduo returned to the phone, and the sound of a child crying could be heard in the background. “Sister, whatever kind of crystal you want, his family has it. I don’t really understand how these things are categorized. Why don’t you find some time and I’ll take you over there to have a look?”

A wave of emotion washed over Mai Xijun, her nose prickling and tears almost falling. “Thank you, Duoduo.”

And just like that, the issue of finding ring materials was resolved. What’s more, it was the man Su Yiduo mentioned—Murong Jin—who accompanied her personally to select the very best materials. Having been in the jewelry business for so long, Mai Xijun knew quality when she saw it.

She felt somewhat embarrassed that the first time she reached out to Su Yiduo was to ask such a huge favor. So she promised that if her piece fetched a good price at auction after the competition, she would immediately return the money for the diamonds.

But Su Yiduo refused. “You’re my sister. Besides, the materials from Murong Jin’s family are top-tier. Use as much as you like—no need to return anything.”

Murong Jin couldn’t help but mutter, “Sister-in-law, you really know how to take advantage of me.”

But as soon as he said it, he realized his mistake and quickly grinned at Mai Xijun, “Sister, I didn’t mean it that way. Please, use whatever you need. If there’s anything else, just say the word—Murong Jin is at your service.”

Murong Jin followed Su Yiduo’s lead and called Mai Xijun “sister.” Su Yiduo couldn’t hold in her laughter and burst out giggling. “Sister, just ignore him. If you need any help with the exhibition, call me anytime. I’ll support you with all my heart!”

“Mm!” Mai Xijun’s throat tightened with a dry ache. How long had it been since she’d felt such warmth? She couldn’t remember. Her heart swelled, and a mist blurred her eyes.

Su Yiduo was her half-sister by their father’s side. If not for their chance encounter a few days ago, she might never have had any dealings with anyone from the Su family.

As for Su Yiduo, in order to save the Su family from crisis, she’d been forced into a marriage alliance with the An family, marrying a man six years her senior. Yet that man, a prosecutor, was often away from home, and now had vanished altogether, missing for nearly a year…

Mai Xijun’s heart ached for her, but she never knew how to broach the subject, so she chose, for now, to remain silent.

There were many reasons she hadn’t returned to the Su family. Perhaps she feared that one day Su Shengyuan would arrange her life for her. Or perhaps, she simply had no desire to return. Life, like drinking water, is a matter of personal experience, knowing warmth or cold for oneself. She refused to be caged in. She cherished her freedom—whether to go with the flow, or to live boldly, doing what she pleased, as she pleased.