Chapter 79: I haven't looked this beautiful in a long time

"The original painting is just a common winter plum blossom." Shu Shu glanced at the bad painting placed on the opposite sofa, paused, and said lightly, "Well, I've seen it many times online; it's also a coincidence—I've copied it before, so I remembered it."

"Wow, that's amazing!"

Pei Muyin couldn't help but praise; if this copied painting were framed, no one could tell the difference—basically, in her view, she couldn't distinguish them at all.

Shu Shu put down her paintbrush, gathered her tools to one side, and said, "Leave it here to dry a bit; we can still have it framed before tomorrow's birthday banquet."

"Let's go, it's getting late—go back to your room to rest."

…

Shu Shu finished washing up.

On the bed, Pei Muyin pulled the covers over herself, leaned her head back on the pillow, her soft peach-blossom eyes open and awake, occasionally furrowing her brows in thought—it was clear she still had something on her mind.

Shu Shu dimmed the crystal lamp on the bedside, lay down beside her, and asked softly, "What's wrong?"

Pei Muyin turned her head and said, "Older sister, I've been thinking—using a copy instead of the original painting as a gift, is that still not a good idea? Or else, after I go to the Xu family tomorrow, I could personally apologize to Mr. Xu and explain the situation—would that work?"

What a silly child.

She didn't realize that Song Yunqiu was clearly trying to pin this black pot on her; as long as Song Yunqiu was there adding fuel to the fire, no matter how sincere she was, people would call it sophistry.

Shu Shu tapped the girl's nose, feigning annoyance, and said, "Huh? Didn't you say you'd trust me, Muyin?"

"Yes."

"Since you believe me, promise me you'll stop thinking about it, okay? Just sleep peacefully, huh?"

Pei Muyin blinked, nodded slightly, then turned to her side; Shu Shu opened her arms at the same time, letting her snuggle into her embrace, watching her obediently close her eyes.

A moment later.

From the embrace came the girl's soft breathing.

Shu Shu's hand continued to gently pat her back, gazing at her daughter's peaceful sleeping face, her eyes full of tender pity.

…

Just as Shu Shu had guessed, all the next day Pei Muyin still couldn't get through to Song Yunqiu on the phone; presumably, before the banquet, she wouldn't give Pei Muyin a chance to contact her.

But although attending the banquet in the hall doesn't necessarily require haute couture, one's attire still needs to be formal.

Song Yunqiu said she would bring Pei Muyin to the birthday banquet, but she only gave Pei Muyin an invitation and otherwise left her completely on her own.

And since Pei Muyin had never attended a banquet, she obviously lacked this kind of common sense.

The girl was still wearing the blue-and-white uniform of San Zhong.

Even if she wasn't going to school, Shu Shu noticed that the girl's everyday clothes were ordinary long sleeves and long pants, the kind of outfit that wraps the whole body as if hoping to gain a sense of security from it.

Shu Shu had prepared in advance.

Since they had only been in Gang Cheng for a day or two, Shu Shu and Pei Muyin's belongings could fit in one suitcase, but when Shu Shu went out she also brought along a large suitcase separately.

Pei Muyin had a sense of boundaries and didn't ask what was in Shu Shu's suitcase.

Until the next day, when she heard her sister call her over, she saw her sister take an outfit from that large suitcase, smile, and hand it to her.

Pei Muyin's eyes sparkled with surprise: "Older sister, is this… for me?"

"Yeah, hurry up and try it on to see if it fits."

Actually, that question is unnecessary; this outfit was specially custom-made by Shu Shu according to Pei Muyin's measurements—she had ordered many, about a thousand sets for all seasons, and this one was the first completed and best suited to the season's temperature.

It happened to be usable this time in Gang Cheng, so she brought it along.

A moment later.

Pei Muyin came out from the wardrobe.

—a navy-blue butterfly-collar gentle-feel top, a serene-feeling plaid long skirt for the lower half, paired with white little leather shoes, a Chanel-style set with a touch of luxury.

Pei Muyin's features are naturally beautiful; the girl has clear peach-blossom eyes, snow-white skin, her hands gripping a corner of the skirt, she lifts her gaze and looks over obediently, evoking an inexplicable image of the world's first snow—so pure, so lovely.

"How come our Muyin looks so pretty?" Shu Shu walked over and smiled.

Pei Muyin blushed from the praise and pressed her lips together; Shu Shu led her to the full-length mirror, paused a moment, then Pei Muyin lifted her eyelids and slowly looked at herself in the mirror.

Then, she too was stunned by her own appearance.

Pei Muyin's breath caught slightly, her eyes unblinking as she stared at her reflection in the mirror, and she inexplicably recalled what she looked like the last time she stood before a full-length mirror.

At home—

chocolate smeared all over the corner of her mouth, a mess, clumsy, and pitiful.

Pei Muyin couldn't help but murmur softly, "... Older sister, you look really good."

"Yes, our Muyin really is very pretty."

No, the girl thought to herself, she wanted to say that she hadn't worn such beautiful clothes, nor felt this pretty, in a very long time.

"Older sister, thank you—I really like it."

Although the older sister had said not to keep saying thank you, she still couldn't help wanting to express how much she liked it.

…

Shu Shu then led Pei Muyin to the dressing table.

Pei Muyin sat upright on the soft chair, and through the mirror saw Shu Shu behind her, long eyelashes lowered, her profile focused, using a wooden comb to gently stroke her hair.

"Older sister is beautiful—no matter how many times, I always think so."

Pei Muyin's hair is fine and soft; Shu Shu used a curling iron to add a slight curl to the crown and the ends, sprayed on some setting spray, and gave Pei Muyin a princess hairstyle.

The small braid was secured with an elastic at the back of the head, and using the fine tip of the comb, a few strands of bangs were pulled out to the temples, giving a fluffy feel.

Then, on each of the two little twists, she clipped a butterfly hairpin matching the outfit's color scheme, the centers of the hairpins set with diamonds piled into tiny beads.

Real diamonds.

Finally, Shu Shu took out a small handbag from the large suitcase—dark leather, a style that exudes the cute, playful charm of a wealthy young lady; there are no more than three of these bags in the world, and the last time it appeared in the news was just a couple of days ago when a princess from some royal family, accompanying her parents, carried it to an important banquet.

Shu Shu took Pei Muyin's hand and turned her around, nodding satisfied.

"Perfect~"

Pei Muyin looked at Shu Shu, puzzled, asking Shu Shu if she wasn't changing clothes.

Shu Shu said she had no interest in the banquet, and after accompanying Pei Muyin inside she would just find a place to wait.

…

The Xu Family of Gang Cheng is one of the renowned wealthy merchants; the eldest senior with the highest status in the family is celebrating a birthday, making the scene inevitably grand.

As the banquet time approached, night fell slowly.

The car wound loop after loop up the mountain road, and the Xu Family's ancestral residence, the Knowledge View Manor hidden like a moonlight treasure box in a secret realm forest, gradually came into view.

The invitation had been submitted.

Pei Muyin and Shu Shu parted at the banquet hall entrance; Shu Shu pulled down her baseball cap, didn't ask for directions, and skillfully headed to the side pavilion.

The phone buzzed.

Pei Muyin took out her phone; it was her grandmother, and she answered.

"Have you arrived?"

"I have."

"Did you bring the painting?"

Pei Muyin glanced at the waiter summoned from the hotel for help; the waiter held a wrapped painting, and she replied, "... Brought it."