Chapter 159 Three Gifts

Yin Xiaoya was the first to take out the two bottles of Moutai. "So this is the 1965 Moutai. It really looks quite old."

"To think it is fifty-year-aged Moutai; this is truly a rare find. Old Yin is certainly in for a treat." The Yin family had once known wealth, so they naturally understood how precious these two bottles of wine were. However, Chen Anhui expressed pleasant surprise rather than overwhelming astonishment, striking just the right balance in her attitude.

Seeing that Yin Qinglun still remained silent, Xiao Yao looked over at him and took the initiative to speak, "I wasn't sure which brand of liquor Uncle Yin preferred, so I brought these two bottles of Moutai first. If Uncle Yin isn't used to this taste, I have aged Wuliangye as well as some old home-brewed spirits from lesser-known distilleries at my place. Another day, I can bring over a few more bottles for Uncle Yin to sample."

Despite lowering his stance so much, Xiao Yao still met with some lingering wariness in Yin Qinglun's heart, though the older man could hardly give him too much of a cold shoulder. With a faint tone, Yin Qinglun replied, "Fifty-year-aged Moutai is already more than enough. I've never had the chance to taste it before. Thank you for your thoughtfulness."

Glad to see his prospective father-in-law finally soften his temper, Xiao Yao quickly added, "If Uncle Yin enjoys it, I have plenty more. I'll bring you a few more bottles next time."

"I appreciate the gesture, but there's no need to bring any more. Such fine wine is enough when tasted on rare occasions; how could one drink it regularly? Even with the means to do so, one must understand the principle of cherishing one's blessings." Although Yin Qinglun's attitude had improved, he still could not resist offering a brief piece of moral advice.

Xiao Yao smiled and said nothing. Instead, Chen Anhui glared playfully at her husband before turning to Xiao Yao with a smile. "Your Uncle Yin just has this kind of temperament—he simply wasn't born to enjoy luxury. He'll definitely save such fine wine and begrudge himself a single sip."

Yin Xiaoya opened one of the jewelry boxes and gasped in astonishment at the sight of a pair of lustrous, white jade bracelets resting inside. "These jade bracelets are so gorgeous! The color is so pure and the luster is so warm—could these be mutton-fat jade?"

Xiao Yao nodded. "Indeed. This is a pair of top-grade mutton-fat jade bracelets. The design is simple and elegant, which I thought would be most suitable for Aunt Chen to wear. I just don't know if Aunt Chen will like them."

"Of course I like them. You are so thoughtful, Xiao Yao." Chen Anhui's gaze lingered on the bracelets as she said with some emotion, "Top-grade mutton-fat jade bracelets like these are far too rare. I used to own a pair of Hotan white jade bracelets myself, and their quality was quite good, though they still fell short of the mutton-fat jade tier. Later, when Old Yin's business failed, we had no choice but to part with them with a heavy heart."

The two bottles of Moutai that Xiao Yao had given to Yin Qinglun already constituted a heavy gift; fifty-year-aged Moutai was virtually unpurchasable on the open market and could only occasionally be glimpsed at auctions. A single bottle easily fetched upwards of half a million, and price aside, such profound thoughtfulness was truly difficult to come by.

Otherwise, given Yin Qinglun's stubborn temperament, he would never have reined in his attitude merely upon seeing those two bottles of wine.

The pair of mutton-fat jade bracelets Xiao Yao gave to Chen Anhui was even more expensive.

The market value of this pair of mutton-fat jade bracelets was at least five million and above. Owning a pair of top-tier mutton-fat jade bracelets was the lifelong dream of every woman. The moment she laid eyes on them, Chen Anhui was completely captivated.

What moved her was not the monetary value of the bracelets, but the heartfelt sentiment embedded within the gift.

Especially for Chen Anhui, Hotan white jade bracelets held a special significance. Back when the family's financial situation was at its peak, Old Yin had gifted her a pair of exceptionally fine Hotan white jade bracelets. They had once been her prized possession, the piece of jewelry she cherished above all others.

Having to sell her favorite pair of bracelets due to the company's bankruptcy had long been one of her deepest regrets.

Now, her prospective son-in-law had presented her with an even higher-quality pair of mutton-fat jade bracelets, finally offering a chance to heal that lingering regret in her heart.

Hearing his wife's words, a bittersweet pang struck Yin Qinglun's heart. He said, "Our business is gradually picking up now. In another year or two at most, we'll have paid off our debts. Once our family has savings again, I'll definitely buy you back a pair just like the old ones."

"Let the past be the past; people must look forward. How can anyone go through life without a single regret? I am already very fond of this pair of mutton-fat jade bracelets Xiao Yao gave me. If you still have this knot in your heart, you can buy me an even better pair of bracelets once you have savings," Chen Anhui said with clear perspective, displaying a much broader and more open mindset than Yin Qinglun.

"Let's not dwell on the past. Today is Xiao Yao's first time visiting our home, and we should all be cheerful," Yin Xiaoyan chimed in. Seeing that the gifts Xiao Yao had brought for her parents were so valuable, she could no longer suppress her eagerness. "Sis, this last box is Xiao Yao's gift for me. Let me open it myself."

"Look how impatient you are. Since it's a gift for you, it's not going to grow legs and run away," Yin Xiaoya retorted to her younger sister, but she still handed the jewelry box over to her.

"Wow, this bracelet is so gorgeous! Are these rubies inlaid on it?" Yin Xiaoyan exclaimed after opening the box.

"This is a Cartier ruby bracelet. The authentication certificate is right inside the packaging bag, so make sure you keep it safe," Xiao Yao reminded her.

"It's a Cartier piece? It must be very expensive, right?" Yin Xiaoyan couldn't wait to fasten the bracelet around her left wrist. Overjoyed, she felt that today was the happiest day of her entire life.

"It's not all that expensive. As long as you like it," Xiao Yao replied without taking the initiative to mention the price.

Although Yin Xiaoyan was clever, she lacked worldly experience and saw no impropriety in directly asking about the price.

The previous two gifts Xiao Yao presented were both extremely valuable, yet both Yin Qinglun and Chen Anhui had deliberately avoided mentioning their prices to prevent Xiao Yao from perceiving them as overly mercenary or petty.

It was naturally inappropriate for the younger daughter to ask about the price either. Fortunately, the unfiltered speech of youth could be interpreted as a sign of innocence and lack of artifice, so it wasn't an entirely ungracious faux pas.

Chen Anhui intervened just in time to salvage the moment. "Since your brother Xiao Yao gave you such a wonderful gift, you must take good care of it. If you carelessly lose it, you'll be letting down all of Xiao Yao's thoughtfulness."

"Mom, don't worry. I'm not a child anymore, I definitely won't lose it. In fact, I'm planning to keep this bracelet as a family heirloom."

As she spoke, Yin Xiaoyan casually picked up the authentication certificate and the receipt to take a look. While the certificate was a bit hard to decipher, the row of numbers printed on the receipt instantly shocked her. "Oh my god, a bracelet like this costs over six hundred and fifty thousand? That's way too expensive! I'm almost afraid to wear it out now. If I somehow lost it, I'd practically die of grief."