The Cinnabar Mole of a Beijing Circle Tycoon

The elevator smoothly arrived at the top floor. Shen Qingyao swiped her card to enter, and the motion-sensor light in the entryway turned on, its warm yellow light dispelling the chill of the night.

She casually draped her coat over the entryway cabinet, placed her bag aside, kicked off her boots, put on soft slippers, and walked briskly into the living room.

She swiped her finger across the phone screen and sent Meng Jiangyu a message: "Just got home, wait for me for two minutes~"

After sending the message, I casually put my phone on the sofa, turned around to pour myself a glass of warm water, and took the glass and phone back to my room.

Shen Qingyao picked up her phone, skillfully opened the chat window with Meng Jiangyu, and pressed the video call button.

The moment the screen lit up, Meng Jiangyu's face popped up. The background was an office, and he seemed to be leaning back in his chair waiting for her, a gentle smile in his eyes: "Are you home?"

"Mmm!" Shen Qingyao nestled into the sofa on the balcony, a satisfied smile on her lips. "I had so much fun with Lu Ying and the others tonight, we talked about so much gossip from our class."

Meng Jiangyu's gaze fell on her smiling face, his voice as soft as if coated with sugar: "Seeing your eyes crinkling with laughter, you must have forgotten about me and been busy having fun with your friends?"

Shen Qingyao deliberately tilted her head, a sly glint in her eyes: "No way!"

She paused, her fingertips gently tracing the edge of the phone case, her tone softening, "Mr. Meng, are you jealous?"

A gentle ripple of tenderness instantly appeared in the man's eyes. His Adam's apple bobbed, and his voice was low and lingering: "Yes, so let me take a good look at you."

Shen Qingyao smiled and stepped back, turning around in front of the camera. Her beige knitted sweater made her skin look even whiter than snow, and she couldn't hide the smile in her eyes: "Look around as you like."

"Beautiful." Meng Jiangyu praised her without reservation, his gaze fixed on her.

"By the way, yesterday I went to Wangjinglou with Lu Ying, and the manager said I'd put it on your tab from now on. When did you tell them that? You were still asleep when I finished eating!"

"I told you that when I took you there the first time!" Meng Jiangyu smiled gently. "You like the corn juice at Wangjinglou? Next time, I'll have Zhang Ma learn how to make it so you can have it at home."

Shen Qingyao felt a warm glow in her heart and poked his face on the screen with her fingertip: "Mr. Meng is so considerate. You're going to spoil me rotten."

"It's good to spoil them." His smile deepened, tinged with a domineering indulgence. "I will spoil you for the rest of my life."

A soft knock came from the video. Meng Jiangyu raised his chin and said, "Come in."

Jason pushed open the door and entered, followed by a jeweler in a suit and tie, both carrying exquisite velvet gift boxes.

The jeweler walked to the coffee table, carefully opened the gift box, and a row of colorful jewels instantly unfolded in the warm light.

A set of fiery red rubies, a necklace of deep blue sapphires, a starry set studded with diamonds, along with pink morganite and clear aquamarine—more than a dozen sets of jewelry are arranged in a staggered manner, their facets reflecting a dazzling light that is hard to look away from.

Shen Qingyao didn't speak instinctively, assuming Meng Jiangyu was about to start working: "If you're busy, I won't bother you~"

"Don't hang up." Meng Jiangyu walked to the sofa and sat down, pointing his phone camera at the jewelry on the coffee table, a smile in his eyes. "It's not work, it's for you."

"For me?" Shen Qingyao stared blankly at the screen full of gems.

"Hmm." Meng Jiangyu picked up a necklace and earrings inlaid with pigeon blood rubies and waved them at the camera. The rubies shone with a rich luster under the light.

"A new batch of goods just arrived, see if you like them?"

The jeweler, with keen insight, picked up a set of aquamarine gemstones and showed it to the camera. The clear gemstones resembled a pool of seawater, both lively and elegant: "Ms. Shen, these sets are all the latest designs, made with unheated natural gemstones with extremely high clarity."

Looking at the rows of sparkling jewels on the screen, Shen Qingyao's heart pounded, and her fingertips felt hot: "So many... these are so beautiful."

Her gaze swept over the bracelet adorned with tiny pink diamonds, her eyes filled with amazement. "No need to buy it. I don't need these at school, it's a waste."

"Beautiful things are often impractical," Meng Jiangyu interrupted her, his tone gentle yet firm. "If you like them, take your time choosing. No rush. Or if you like them all, keep them all."

Looking at the dazzling array of jewelry on the screen, Shen Qingyao gently shook her finger and said with a serious tone, "No need. I don't need so much jewelry at school. It's just sitting there idle. It's not worth it."

Meng Jiangyu smiled upon hearing this, his fingertips caressing the setting of a sapphire ring. His tone was calm and patient: "Honey, these aren't ordinary pieces of jewelry. Buying natural gemstones with appreciation potential isn't consumption, it's investment."

"Look, these are all unheated natural gemstones. Their clarity and color are top-notch. These kinds of hard currency are movable assets with strong value retention. They can be liquidated at any time if needed in the future."

The jeweler added, "Ms. Shen, Mr. Meng is right. The appreciation potential of top-quality natural jewelry has always been very stable, especially for these rare categories, which become more valuable the longer they are kept. Moreover, these designs are not easy to go out of style, making them suitable for personal wear or inheritance."

As Shen Qingyao gazed at the jewels shimmering under the warm light on the screen, her hesitation gradually dissipated.

She always trusted his judgment and knew he would never do anything to make her suffer. Finally, she gently bit her lower lip, nodded, and gave a slightly coquettish concession: "Well... okay. But I have decision-making anxiety. All of these look so good, I really can't choose."

She looked up at the camera, her eyes shining with dependence, "Ayu, you have better taste than me, you choose, I like everything you choose."

"Since you like them both, then buy them both." Meng Jiangyu's eyes lit up with a smile. He glanced at Jason beside him and said decisively, "Go and complete the formalities."

"Huh? Is it really necessary to buy so many?" Shen Qingyao's eyes widened, her tone full of confusion.

"It's nothing to me," he said casually, but his eyes held a doting indulgence.

"Brother, you're showing off your wealth again!" Shen Qingyao wrinkled her nose at the camera, her tone slightly sarcastic, but the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up slightly, her eyes full of unconcealed laughter.

Shen Qingyao twirled the tassels of a throw pillow on the sofa with her fingertips, a gossipy smile in her eyes: "By the way, I went to Wangjinglou for dinner with Lu Ying today and ran into Mr. Lu and Sister Fang! They were holding hands and looked very intimate. Have they been together for a long time?"

In the video, Meng Jiangyu paused, a subtle hint of something deeper flashing in his eyes, before quickly regaining his gentle expression and replying in a calm tone, "They've known each other for quite a while, and their relationship has always been good."

"How long is 'a long time' in your opinion?" Shen Qingyao pressed, her eyes sparkling. "They don't seem like they just got together. They have amazing chemistry. And the way Sister Fang looks at Mr. Lu is full of admiration!"

Meng Jiangyu picked up the water glass on the table, took a sip, avoided the specific year, and changed the subject with a smile: "The two of them are compatible and get along very well. Why are you suddenly so curious about them?"

"I just think they're a good match!" Shen Qingyao smiled slyly. "I want to know how long they've been dating and if they have any plans to get married. Aren't you quite close to Lu Linchuan? You must know the inside story, right?"

Meng Jiangyu tapped his fingertips lightly on the table, pondering in his mind.

He was well aware that Lu Linchuan and Fang Shuning had been silently together for eight years, but because Lu's parents had never approved of Fang Shuning's background, they had not been able to get married.

He couldn't say this, for fear that if Shen Qingyao heard it, she would think of themselves and worry about their future, causing unnecessary anxiety.

"I didn't ask for specifics; matters of the heart should be left to nature."

He smiled at the screen, his tone gentle and reassuring, "They're doing fine now, and that's enough. You shouldn't always worry about other people's business."

Seeing that he was unwilling to say more, Shen Qingyao did not press him further, completely unaware of the careful consideration hidden behind Meng Jiangyu's gentle smile.