Chapter 2
Sure enough, five days later Qingyan returned.
She was alone this time, without even a maid. As soon as she entered, she asked for me.
“Mistress, I’d like to choose a hairpin.”
I hurried forward to welcome her. “What price did you have in mind, miss? Would you like to browse downstairs or upstairs?”
Her gaze traveled calmly around the room, coming to rest on the hairpin counter. She walked slowly toward it.
I stiffened a little.
It was from that very counter that the heir had once chosen a peony hairpin carved from pink jade, its delicate leaves trembling. Charming and dainty, it was clearly meant for a young girl.
I had teased him at the time. “For your sweetheart?”
The tips of his ears had flushed, but he hadn’t answered.
I had thought that pin would end up in Qingyan’s hair.
A flower pin on a beautiful woman. A pleasure to behold.
Instead, the pin in her hair had been the plain jade one I had thrown in that day.
Qingyan’s gaze settled on a white jade peony pin in the same design.
“Mistress, do you have this in any other colors?”
I understood at once.
She had come prepared.
“Only this white one remains,” I told her truthfully.
She nodded, then moved to the other display cases.
Pink gemstone earrings worked with gold wire, a dangling jade hair ornament shaped like a ruyi scepter, a pink coral bracelet set with pearls…
Every piece she asked about was a design I had sold to the heir.
“These all look rather elaborate and luxurious. Do you have anything plainer?”
My heart gave a heavy thump.
I immediately thought of the little extras I had given away.
They were worth so little that I kept them all piled in the drawers beneath the counter.
If I laid everything bare and offended the heir, I could say goodbye to my shop.
I smiled. “That white peony pin you just saw is wonderfully simple and elegant. It would suit you very well. Would you like to try it?”
Something flickered in Qingyan’s eyes.
A moment later, understanding dawned on her face.
“Just wrap it up for me.”
“And the earrings, the dangling hair ornament, and the bracelet I looked at. Wrap those as well.”
She had chosen precisely the pieces he had bought but never given to her.
As I packed them, Qingyan asked gently,
“I hear you offer a gift with every purchase. Will there be any gifts with the jewelry I’ve bought today?”
My fingers stiffened slightly. I understood what she was really asking, and I knew what to do.
“Of course.”
I crouched and took a plain jade pin, silver earrings, a velvet-flower pin, and a shell-inlaid ring from the drawer, one by one.
They were exactly the same as the extras I had given him before, identical in every detail.
Set beside those exquisite, glittering jewels, the cheap, plain ornaments looked particularly drab and pitiful.
I watched Qingyan’s expression discreetly.
She showed none of the anger or hurt I had expected. Instead, she gave an almost inaudible little laugh.
I said nothing. Head down, I silently wrapped her purchases, pretending to know nothing at all.
As she was leaving, she suddenly turned back and spoke with real feeling.
“Thank you, mistress.”
I waved my fan and smiled. “I’m the one who should thank you for your custom. Do come again!”
Only when her figure had faded from sight did I let out a long breath.
The shopgirl came up beside me. “Mistress, you did that on purpose, didn’t you?”
“Did what on purpose?” I asked, feigning bewilderment.
“The pieces that young lady bought are all designs from months ago. They should have been moved into a corner to make room for the new stock.”
“But a few days ago, you made a special list and told me to put them where everyone could see them.”
She scratched her head, thoroughly confused.
“How did you know she would want those particular pieces?”
I smiled without answering.
Ever since I stumbled on his secret that day, I had paid particular attention to the conversations of the noblewomen who shopped here.
I learned that Qingyan was the daughter of the current Grand Secretary, making her an eminently suitable match for the duke’s heir.
When it came to actual power, however, the Grand Secretary held the advantage.
Remembering her suspicion that day, I guessed she must know the cousin.
And even if she didn’t, she would probably find a way to see her and test her suspicions.
As I had expected, she had come with the answer and left with the evidence.
The following day, an invitation arrived from the Grand Secretary’s residence.
In beautiful, delicate small-script calligraphy, it invited me to Miss Qingyan’s birthday banquet at the end of the month.
The shopgirl stared in amazement. “Mistress, you’ve really made something of yourself! You’re going to a banquet at a great family’s house!”
I held the paper tightly between my fingers, lost in thought.
It wasn’t that simple.
There would be quite a spectacle at Qingyan’s birthday banquet.