Shen Qingqing quickly said, "Name your price, and tell me any conditions you have. I will do my best to fulfill them."
Mr. He placed the necklace on the tray, relaxed his back, and leaned against the sofa. His faint gaze swept over Shen Qingqing and her husband. His voice remained unchanged from beginning to end, but his words were firm.
"I will not sell it."
Shen Qingqing pursed her lips, "Under what circumstances will you sell it to me?"
"There is no possibility." Even as he refused her, Mr. He's face remained gentle. "I don't know why you want this necklace, but I can tell you that this necklace holds a different meaning for me. It's not like my other collectibles. I cannot sell this necklace for any amount of money."
Shen Qingqing stared at him blankly.
"I have many collectibles," Mr. He said with an open and even gentle demeanor. "Unfortunately, this necklace is my favorite. If you want any others, I might be willing to part with them, but this one is an exception."
"Why?!"
Although Shen Qingqing knew she was being unreasonable, she couldn't bear to give up. "Mr. He, as far as I know, you are unmarried. You collect this necklace but cannot wear it yourself. Instead of keeping it locked away, wouldn't it be better to give it to the person most suited for it?"
"Are you implying yourself?"
"No." Shen Qingqing wasn't that conceited. "Of course not me. I mean..."
Mr. He raised an eyebrow, waiting for her answer.
But Shen Qingqing couldn't possibly bring up her deceased mother, as it would sound like she was trying to gain sympathy. "I mean, I can find someone who is a suitable match for it."
Mr. He shook his head, his eyes on the necklace with a hint of deep affection.
"There will not be such a person again."
The person most suited for it was long gone.
At this point, Shen Qingqing understood that Mr. He truly cherished the necklace and would never agree to sell it. She felt a pang of disappointment and sadness but knew she couldn't force him.
"Never mind. If you are unwilling, I cannot force you. It's just that if I want to see the necklace in the future, would you allow it?"
"Of course," Mr. He smiled. "I haven't been back in the country for long, and I don't have many friends here. If you are willing to visit me more often, I would be very happy."
His words were quite clear: friendship was welcome, but the necklace was out of the question.
Shen Qingqing gave a wry smile. "Alright, then we will take our leave."
Mr. He had someone escort them to the door. He was very polite and hospitable, everything was impeccable, except that Shen Qingqing didn't get what she wanted.
Standing at the villa entrance, looking at the azure sky and the somewhat dazzling sunlight, she squinted her eyes.
At that moment, a pair of hands appeared before her, blocking the sun.
She turned slightly and met a pair of deep, dark eyes. A gentle warmth gradually welled up in the depths of those bottomless eyes.
"I'll help you."
Shen Qingqing hugged the man's waist and rested her forehead against his chest, her voice muffled. "No, I don't want to force him."
"But..."
The broad palm gently stroked her back, effectively calming the restless emotions in Shen Qingqing's heart. She raised her head, her radiant and bright face finally breaking into a smile.
"Forget it. Perhaps it's better that the necklace remains in his hands."
Fu Jingshu remained silent, his gaze fixed on her.
It was as if he were observing her expression, trying to ascertain if her words were true.
But Shen Qingqing's expression was flawless. Every word she spoke came from the heart. Her decision to let go was real, and so was her sense of peace.
Fu Jingshu stopped speaking and simply stroked the back of her head.
It was a silent form of comfort.
Shen Qingqing held him, resting her chin on his arm. Her gaze passed over his shoulder to the closed villa door, and Mr. He's face involuntarily appeared in her mind.
...
On the way back, Shen Qingqing kept looking out the window.
She didn't notice when Fu Jingshu looked at her several times, not until his hand, resting on her leg, was held. She instinctively tried to pull it away.
The man's grip suddenly tightened, and he looked at her with dissatisfaction.
Shen Qingqing glanced ahead at the road and realized they were at a traffic light. She let out a silent sigh of relief and said softly, "You need to focus on driving. There are too many cars on the road, you need to be careful."
Fu Jingshu still wouldn't let go. "Are you still thinking about that Mr. He?"
His tone was a little off.
Shen Qingqing looked at him leisurely and teased, "Are you perhaps jealous?"
Fu Jingshu paused and didn't deny it.
Shen Qingqing found it both amusing and exasperating. "What's there to be jealous about? He's so much older. Would I prefer an older man over my handsome, distinguished, young, and accomplished husband?"
The frost on Fu Jingshu's face gradually melted away.
"Then what are you thinking about?"
As the traffic light hadn't turned green yet, Shen Qingqing reached out and held the man's hand. She felt a warmth flow from her palm into her heart.
"I was just wondering if Mr. He might have known my mother."
Just as the light turned green, Fu Jingshu squeezed his wife's hand again before releasing it and starting the car. "It's possible."
Shen Qingqing's eyes lit up. "You think so too, right? I found his attitude very strange. That was clearly my mother's possession, so why does he seem to care about it so much?"
Furthermore, observing Mr. He's age, if her mother were still alive, they would indeed be of the same generation.
Fu Jingshu couldn't bear to see her looking troubled. "I'll have someone investigate."
Shen Qingqing had already decided to give up and no longer investigate Mr. He, but upon hearing this, she couldn't resist the temptation.
She could do without the necklace, but she still wanted to understand the relationship between Mr. He and her mother.
"Alright, but you have to do it secretly. Don't let him find out."
"Don't worry."
Fu Jingshu replied calmly with two words.
Shen Qingqing turned her head. Something flashed past her eyes, and she quickly said, "Stop the car."
Fu Jingshu quickly found a parking spot and pulled over. Watching his wife open the door and get out, he followed her with the car keys.
"Where are we going?"
"Before we left, our son said he wanted to eat red velvet cake." Shen Qingqing remembered her son's request and thought he would be disappointed if she didn't buy it.
The couple went to the cake shop. Fu Jingshu's phone rang, and he watched his wife go inside while he stepped aside to take the call.
Shen Qingqing bought the red velvet cake and had it packed. As she pushed the door open, her gaze fell upon Fu Jingshu's broad back as he stood with his back to her, talking on the phone.
A flicker of a smile appeared in her eyes.
She didn't know when it started, but whenever she saw her husband, she couldn't help but smile.
As she was about to walk towards her husband, a white figure suddenly appeared before her and lunged at her. Shen Qingqing instinctively dodged.
With a "thump."
A woman in a white dress fell to the ground. She looked up, her disheveled hair revealing a face filled with resentment, hatred, and a touch of madness.
Shen Qingqing frowned. "Ning Su, what are you doing here?"