Beside him, Wen Ningchen’s wife, Li Yuzhen, was actually egging Qingmo on, saying, “Qingmo, it’s only two thousand taels of silver. Mother will pay for it anyway. Go ahead and buy it, and lend it to me to try out in the coming days.” “Hehe, Eldest Sister-in-law truly dotes on Qingmo, wanting this small stone for two thousand taels. If it were my Qingran (the name of the Second Madam’s daughter), I couldn't possibly indulge her this much,” the Second Madam said with a smile.

Although her words were framed as a laugh, Lin He felt the underlying sarcasm was glaringly obvious. “Indeed, Miss Qingmo has excellent taste. Among so many items, she immediately set her heart on this cat's-eye stone. Such a fine thing—I would want to buy it for our Qingxin as well.

Though I don't have the money, I find this piece truly exceptional. If Madam doesn't want it, I might just sell everything I own to scrape together enough to get it for our Qingxin.” Auntie Luo immediately chimed in, adding a jesting comment. Lin He glanced at Madam Wen’s expression and chuckled inwardly. Now, let’s see what you do.

Buying it would genuinely sting the heart, and I’m sure it would be hard to pass muster with the Old Madam and Uncle Wen. Besides, the Second Madam’s comment was already a clear jab at you. In reality, two thousand taels weren't a huge sum for the Wen family, but spending that much on a small piece of jewelry for a young girl felt excessive. Furthermore, Madam Wen was the mistress of the household, and using money so lavishly might invite unwanted speculation, especially since the entire extended family lived together.

Even if it wasn't public funds, people would inevitably start murmuring. However, not buying it would be difficult for the shopkeeper to handle. The dealer’s previous flattering remarks were actually a subtle form of pressure, essentially implying, Aren't the Wens known for their wealth? Yet here they are, hesitant to part with a few thousand taels, just like anyone else.

More importantly, the item was already physically in hand, and a price had been settled. Backing out now would be inappropriate; the shopkeeper might spread word that the Wens were reneging on a deal. These jewelers who came calling always carried precious articles. If they left the Wen residence today, perhaps tomorrow they'd be at the Li or Huang residences.

If the shopkeeper spread gossip, the Wen family’s reputation would suffer. Technically, the payment hadn't been made, so refusing it was permissible. But Lin He understood the delicate posturing of the wealthy, which is precisely why she was deliberately creating this dilemma for Madam Wen and her daughter. Lin He watched Madam Wen’s face shift, clearly indicating she was preparing to refuse the cat's-eye stone.

Just as she was about to speak up, Lin He preemptively stood. “Mother, if Qingmo doesn't want it, and you have no objections, I’d like to purchase this cat's-eye stone. It is a bit pricey, yes, but I find it quite appealing, and this price is quite reasonable for what it is. I will have my Ningxuan arrange to have it set into a piece of jewelry when I return; it likely won't be inferior to that bracelet.

And the dealer mentioned it’s a unique piece.” Having spoken, Lin He gestured for Ziyu beside her to fetch the money. Just as Ziyu began digging into her purse, Qingmo cried out, “Mother, I want this cat’s-eye stone! I absolutely love it. I saw it first—buy it for me!” “Oh, you want it, Qingmo?

Well, in that case, there's nothing to be done. Perhaps I’ll look for something else instead,” Lin He said, deliberately casting a reluctant glance at the cat's-eye stone still clutched in Qingmo’s hand. While selecting jewelry, Lin He subtly scanned the Old Madam. The Old Madam hadn't uttered a word the entire time, her expression placid as she examined some pieces in her hand, seemingly deaf to the conversation.

This struck Lin He as odd. The Old Madam usually cared deeply about the Wen family's reputation; why the silence today? What exactly was going through her mind? And then there was the Second Madam, who clearly had friction with Madam Wen.

When Lin He and Qingmo had their previous spat, the Second Madam seemed to be speaking up for Lin He, yet ordinarily, she and Madam Wen appeared to get along well, sharing many words. Ah, just these few women, and the relationships were already so tangled. After waiting a while, Lin He saw Madam Wen subtly signal Qingmo, clearly intending for her to relinquish the stone. It was unclear if Qingmo noticed, but she certainly held fast and refused to put it down.

Lin He knew the Eldest Miss was determined to acquire this stone today. She might have wavered initially because of the two thousand taels, but after Lin He’s preceding remarks, Qingmo was probably prepared to fight tooth and nail to keep it. Otherwise, she would never be able to hold her head up in front of Lin He again, especially after constantly mocking her as a country bumpkin and calling her poor. If she was now proven inferior even to a 'country girl,' how could she accept that?

After more waiting, Qingmo still clung to the cat's-eye stone, and everyone watched Madam Wen, eyes wide, to see how she would resolve the situation. Objectively, Madam Wen’s best move would have been to let Lin He buy the stone. That way, the Wen family wouldn't lose face, and no one could question her management of the household funds. But for Madam Wen, letting Lin He buy it meant losing face regardless.

Although she never spoke ill of Lin He, anyone perceptive knew that Qingmo’s audacity in confronting Lin He in her presence was ultimately linked to Madam Wen. Today’s dispute over the stone was ostensibly a contest between Qingmo and Lin He, but beneath the surface, it was a battle between Madam Wen and Lin He. This contest, however, offered Lin He no real downside; at worst, she would simply buy the stone and lose some silver. But Madam Wen was trapped between a rock and a hard place.

Finally, the shopkeeper, unable to wait by Qingmo’s side any longer, prompted them skillfully, “Miss Qingmo, regarding the payment today, should the money be in banknotes or recorded in the ledger?” “Shopkeeper, are you addled? It will certainly be paid in banknotes. Isn't Madam’s maternal family exceedingly wealthy? Why would we resort to keeping a ledger?

Have any members of the Wen family ever had jewelry purchases recorded in a ledger?” Auntie Luo sharply questioned the shopkeeper in a feigned scolding. “Yes, yes, this little one’s oversight. The Wen family never keeps accounts recorded,” the shopkeeper replied, smiling apologetically. Madam Wen had no choice but to have her maid fetch the money from the inner rooms to settle the bill.

Seeing her mother pay, Qingmo proudly played with the cat's-eye stone in her hand, occasionally casting a condescending glance toward Lin He. Lin He merely offered a faint smile outwardly, but inwardly, she was thoroughly amused. You great fool, did you think I actually wanted that stone? What haven't I seen in my previous life?

This object holds no novelty for me. After Madam Wen paid, the dealers smiled broadly and departed with the banknotes. Now that only family members remained in the room, the Third Madam and Li Yuzhen incessantly discussed how beautiful the cat's-eye stone was, remarking how wonderful it would be if they could borrow it for a day. The Old Madam, however, swept a stern gaze over Qingmo before turning to Madam Wen.

“Eldest Daughter-in-law, you spoil Qingmo excessively. Spending two thousand taels on this cat’s-eye stone for her? She is still young and has no need for such expensive jewelry.” Since Madam Wen had already bought it, she had clearly anticipated the Old Madam’s reaction. When questioned, she replied calmly, “Mother, this piece is indeed expensive, but I observe that Qingmo is not so young anymore; she will be engaged within a couple of years.

Consider this cat’s-eye stone part of her dowry. It is rare that she liked something so much.”