The Stepmother’s Counterattack: Raising a Child in a Bygone Era
Chapter 656 - 655: La Shiran’s Trouble

Chapter 656: Chapter 655: La Shiran’s Trouble

To tell the truth, Zhou Shuhuan couldn’t quite grasp why Qiao Ya was angry, but experience had taught him one thing: when a woman is angry, the right move is to appease her.

"Alright, don’t be upset. Tomorrow I’ll accompany you to buy that Hermès bag you’ve always wanted."

Qiao Ya was both shocked and delighted. "Really? You’re not lying to me, are you? That bag costs tens of thousands; can you really bear to part with that much?"

"I can’t."

Before Qiao Ya’s face could fall, he added with a laugh, "But who can I blame for you liking it? No matter how reluctant I am, I still have to be willing to buy it."

Instantly, Qiao Ya’s anger turned to joy, and she happily threw herself into his arms, laughing and playfully clinging to him.

...

Early the next morning, La Shiran had her driver pick up Shen Mingzhu from the hotel and take her to have morning tea.

Eager for that coveted Hermès, Qiao Ya also got up early with the plan to taste Ao City’s special morning tea with Zhou Shuhuan before going to buy her long-desired bag. By a curious twist of fate, they happened to see Shen Mingzhu getting into La Shiran’s car.

"No wonder she hasn’t been willing to hang out with me. She’s climbed up the social ladder!"

Qiao Ya watched the departing Bentley Mulsanne with a sarcastic sneer.

"It’s fine, we can have fun on our own."

"You consider her a friend, but the feeling might not be mutual."

"Pei Yang isn’t that kind of person. You didn’t see that even his wife didn’t accompany him. It’s probably inconvenient for them. We don’t need to impose ourselves."

As a man, Zhou Shuhuan was much more objective and rational in his views than Qiao Ya.

Qiao Ya said discontentedly, "You think I’m eager to suck up to her? I’m just thinking that it’s always good to have more connections; you never know when they might come in handy."

That was one of the reasons Zhou Shuhuan liked Qiao Ya.

She was always considering his interests, paving the way for his career. He needed such a capable and virtuous partner.

"Sweetheart, I know you’re doing it for me, but this time we’re here to have fun. Let’s forget about the unpleasant things. After we get the bag, let’s go look at rings."

With just a few words, he had Qiao Ya beaming with joy, "I’ll listen to you!"

...

The essence of morning tea, besides being delicious and exquisite, lies in its rich variety.

Freshly baked pineapple buns, crispy egg tarts, steaming hot char siu buns, shrimp dumplings, rice noodle rolls, and nutritious seafood porridge make enjoying morning tea a sheer bliss for food lovers.

Drinking tea, chatting, and savoring various delicious foods, they spent a leisurely and laid-back morning.

After the morning tea, the two didn’t take a car but instead walked to the nearby Sogo.

Sogo was currently the largest department store in Ao City, encompassing daily necessities, food, jewelry, clothing, electrical appliances, sports and culture goods, and more.

They started browsing from the ground floor.

It seemed like La Shiran was a regular here, as she was greeted warmly and treated well by the sales staff wherever she went.

"See anything you like? I’ll buy it for you."

Shen Mingzhu asked, "Are you serious?"

Linking arms with her and smiling, La Shiran said, "Yes, to thank you for bringing all those gifts from so far away. I love each and every one."

Shen Mingzhu looked up at the vast department store above her and said, "I think this mall is rather nice, I like it a lot."

After saying that, she looked at the other with anticipation.

"You’ve got quite the appetite," La Shiran teased as she pretended to be angry and tapped Shen Mingzhu’s nose, then added, "Maybe in another ten or twenty years, I might have the means to give it to you, but not right now."

Shen Mingzhu was astonished. "I was joking."

La Shiran chuckled, "I was just teasing you."

However, the part about giving her a gift was true. La Shiran took her into a luxury watch store, intending to give her a watch.

Shen Mingzhu tried to decline but ended up seriously choosing a style.

While she was trying on the watch, a female bodyguard who had been following the two walked up to La Shiran and whispered something. Upon hearing it, the smile faded from La Shiran’s face, and her brows furrowed.

"Mingzhu, sorry, I’ve got something to take care of and can’t keep you company any longer," she said.

"No worries, go do what you need to do. We can meet up after you’re done," Shen Mingzhu replied.

La Shiran originally wanted to leave her bodyguard with Shen Mingzhu to continue shopping, but after Shen Mingzhu politely refused, she did not insist and stood up to walk out of the watch store.

Shen Mingzhu also left, planning to return to the hotel to meet up with Pei Yang.

While waiting for the driver in front of the department store, La Shiran explained to her, "There has just been a piece of expensive jewelry stolen from the store, and I need to deal with it."

Shen Mingzhu nodded in understanding and tactfully did not ask further, but she heard the other party voluntarily bring up the incident, "This is the third time now. Three pieces of expensive jewelry have been stolen in less than two months."

No wonder it could give such a top-tier rich lady a headache and irritation.

For something to qualify as expensive jewelry, each piece would have to be worth at least six, maybe even seven figures; even if her family owned a gold mine, they couldn’t sustain such a hemorrhage of wealth.

The car quickly pulled up in front of them.

La Shiran, worried about her going back to the hotel alone, asked her to get in the car with her.

The public safety and environment in Ao City were not as good as back home; a single and beautiful woman from out of town could easily attract the attention of some unscrupulous characters.

With nothing urgent in the car, Shen Mingzhu asked about the process in which the jewelry was lost.

The first time a piece of jewelry went missing, it was from a well-known socialite in Ao City visiting the store and specifically requesting to see the best jewelry pieces. In such cases, the manager would lead the client to a VIP room to be served, and of course, the store’s finest items would be brought out for selection as per their request.

After browsing, the client didn’t buy anything, and once she left, they realized an item was missing upon counting their inventory.

The second time involved another lady of wealth, employing a tactic similar to the first. The manager, now vigilant, stopped her upon noticing a piece of jewelry missing.

Naturally, the woman denied any theft. In the end, the police were called and searched the lady.

As one might expect, they found nothing, which only served to offend her and create an ugly scene. The matter was eventually settled thanks to the intervention of people from Cui Rumao’s entourage.

Because of this, La Shiran faced considerable criticism and ridicule.

Not half a month had passed before another item went missing from the store.

The manager had managed to keep the customers inside the store, waiting for La Shiran to decide what to do next, but even La Shiran was troubled and unsure of how to proceed.

To search the customers would risk repeating the last incident where nothing was found, potentially leading to a situation impossible to resolve.

Yet, failing to retrieve the jewelry was a minor issue compared to the cost; the outside world and the Cui Family would perceive it as her incompetence, unable to protect her own property.

Whether it was out of feeling wronged or smothered, La Shiran seemed very downcast, a stark contrast to her bright mood during the shopping trip earlier. Her eyes and brows were clouded with worry, conveying a fragile look of distress.

Shen Mingzhu didn’t usually like meddling, but seeing La Shiran in this state, she couldn’t help but show concern, "If it’s alright with you, I’ll accompany you to have a look. Although I’m unsure if I can be of any help."

La Shiran held her hand, her beautiful face revealing gratitude, "It’s okay, I appreciate that you’re willing to accompany me."

Then she couldn’t help but sigh, "When everything’s fine, there are always so many people around me. But when I’m actually in trouble, I don’t even have anyone to talk to. Am I living my life all wrong?"

Shen Mingzhu shook her head, "Everyone can add a flourish to prosperity, but true help in adversity is rare in this world. It’s fortunate to have three or five close friends who support each other throughout life, but even without them, it’s not that big a deal."

"Living in this world, all is suffering, and only self-reliance prevails. Rather than waiting for others’ salvation, it’s better to improve oneself, to become stronger, as in the end, the only one you can truly rely on is yourself."

La Shiran looked deeply at her, "I always felt you were special, but couldn’t put my finger on what exactly made you so. Now, I know."

"You have a kind of energy that can warm and inspire those around you."

As they spoke, the car stopped in front of a luxurious and elegant jewelry store.