Chapter 63: Blue Diamond

At 5:30, the two of them left their home and headed to the charity dinner in the evening.

The car stopped in front of the banquet hall. The driver got out and opened the door, and Li Qingji and Jiang Nai stepped out. He stood at the top of the stairs, placing her hand on his arm. Jiang Nai naturally looped her arm around his.

The path from the entrance to the banquet hall was lined with a red carpet. Inside, the hall was spacious and bright, with a band playing soothing music. Tables nearby were adorned with wine glasses, desserts, and flowers, filling the air with the pleasant scents of flowers and fruits.

The men and women walking around were all dressed in luxurious attire, young and old, all looking exquisite. As Li Qingji and Jiang Nai entered, they quickly caught the attention of those around them.

A few people who were familiar with Li Qingji came forward first, greeting him warmly and then politely greeting Jiang Nai, addressing her as “Miss Jiang,” to which she responded politely.

A waiter approached at that moment, offering two glasses of champagne.

Li Qingji took one glass and turned to Jiang Nai, asking, “Would you like this? Or juice?”

“This one is fine,” Jiang Nai replied.

Li Qingji nodded, took another glass, and handed it to her. He then asked, “Do you want to go eat something first?”

They hadn’t had dinner yet, but given the nature of the event, Jiang Nai felt awkward about saying she was hungry. “No need…”

However, Li Qingji knew she was likely hungry. He turned to the others and said, “I’ll take her over there first. You all can do as you wish.”

The others quickly nodded, “Alright, alright.”

Li Qingji led Jiang Nai to a nearby food table.

“Would you like some dessert?”

Jiang Nai coughed lightly and leaned closer to him, whispering, “I actually do want to eat, but I’m worried it won’t look good. This fabric of the dress tends to show a little belly.”

Li Qingji smiled. “Jiang Nai, it’s more important not to go hungry.”

He picked up a plate of small cakes and handed it to her. “Go ahead and eat.”

It looked so delicious…

Jiang Nai couldn’t resist anymore, took the cake and a small fork, and cautiously said, “Then I’ll have just one piece.”

Li Qingji watched her with interest. “You can eat as many as you want.”

Not far away, a few elegantly dressed women were standing by the window, watching them for quite some time.

“It looks like what Xu Yan said is true. Li Qingji and Jiang Nai won’t be getting divorced.”

“I told you the other day, right? A friend of mine saw them having dinner alone together. Their relationship is fine. She even showed some interest, but Li Qingji didn’t even add her on WeChat.”

“Yao Yao, what’s going on? Didn’t you say before that without your family’s backing, Jiang Nai and Li Qingji would definitely split?”

“Exactly.”

Jiang Yao’s face turned ashen. She hadn’t wanted to come to this party at all tonight, but her mother insisted. She didn’t expect that, upon arriving, she’d immediately see Jiang Nai and Li Qingji together.

“Hey, does Li Qingji really like Jiang Nai?”

“It seems so.”

“I used to always see Li Qingji as cold and distant, but he’s not the same around Jiang Nai.”

“Tsk, looks like Li Qingji has his moments…”

“That dress she’s wearing is from X’s haute couture collection. I couldn’t even get my hands on it, and it’s here with her.”

“Do you think it would even fit you? Look at her tiny waist.”

“Hey, that’s body-shaming.”

“Don’t say that, Jiang Nai really is beautiful. I can now understand Li Qingji’s feelings.”

“Enough already.” Jiang Yao glared at the group of women gossiping nearby. “Can you all just shut up?”

“……”

The conversation faltered, and with a cold expression, Jiang Yao stormed off.

The others exchanged glances until she was completely out of sight. One of them let out a soft hum, “Were we not just stating the facts? Why is she so upset?”

“How could she not be upset? Doesn’t she hate her sister and Li Qingji the most?”

“I believe she hates her sister, but Li Qingji? Heh, I think she’s just mad because she can’t get him.”

“You’ve hit the nail on the head, I was too shy to say it before,” she said.

The group exchanged smiles, clinking their glasses in a playful and somewhat disdainful manner. In the end, Jiang Nai only ate a small piece, as the dress was rather tight.

“I’m not eating anymore, I’m full.”

Li Qingji: “Really full?”

Jiang Nai cleared her throat softly and whispered, “Not really, but I’ve decided to eat more when I get home after this.”

Li Qingji smiled, “Alright, let’s head back early then.”

“Mm.”

The two of them walked hand-in-hand, and along the way, Li Qingji kept greeting people who came up to him.

“Qingji, Jiang Nai.” Suddenly, someone called out to them. Jiang Nai looked over and realized it was Li’s family.

His grandparents, as well as his parents, were all there. Jiang Nai’s heart tightened slightly, feeling a little nervous. Since her fallout with the Jiang family, she hadn’t seen them at all. Li Qingji seemed to sense the subtle shift in her mood and gently patted the back of her hand, leading her over.

Li Qingji: “Grandpa, Grandma, Dad, Mom.”

Jiang Nai also greeted the four of them.

Grandfather Li Chongfeng gave a slight nod and glanced at their intertwined hands but didn’t say anything.

Grandmother Fu Rongzhen, however, stepped forward and tugged at Jiang Nai: “Jiang Nai, you’ve been busy lately, haven’t been to our house for a meal.”

Jiang Nai: “Sorry… Grandma.”

“It’s fine, it’s fine. It’s good that young people are busy. But I miss you, if you have time next weekend, come back for a meal. I’ll cook something nice for you again.”

Jiang Nai had expected her grandmother to perhaps change her attitude, but she didn’t. She was still very warm toward her. She felt happy because among Li Qingji’s family, Fu Rongzhen was the one she liked the most.

She nodded, “Okay, thank you, Grandma.”

“No need to thank me, we’re family, why thank me?”

“Alright, the auction is about to begin, let’s go inside.” Li Chongfeng’s face remained as serious as ever, and he turned to head inside.

Fu Rongzhen let go of Jiang Nai’s hand, “Qingji, take good care of Jiang Nai.”

Li Qingji: “I know, Grandma.”

The elders went in first, and Li Qingji and Jiang Nai followed shortly after.

Tonight’s charity event was focused on an auction, and all the items were private collections. The proceeds from the auction would go to charity. After Li Qingji and Jiang Nai sat down, the auction started just a few minutes later.

The first few items were modern Chinese antiques. Jiang Nai wasn’t very familiar with these, but she was curious, so she paid close attention, listening to the bids. Some of the antiques were priced very high, far beyond their actual value.

“This painting, is it really this expensive?” Jiang Nai asked quietly.

Li Qingji: “Not really, but since part of the proceeds is for charity, many buyers will offer a bit more, almost like donating.”

“Ah… I see.”

After the antiques, they moved on to jade jewelry, and Jiang Nai saw that Li Qingji’s mother raised her paddle and won a bid at a high price. After several rounds of precious jewelry, a diamond was placed on the stage.

It was blue.

“This is a blue diamond from the late Ms. Liu Fengning’s private collection. Before her passing, she donated this diamond and stated that all the proceeds would go towards supporting impoverished children in China, ensuring their growth and education. This 5.2ct blue diamond has been certified by GIA as a type IIb diamond, with a clarity grade of VS1…” 

Liu Fengning…

Jiang Nai recognized the name. She was a very famous entrepreneur from the last century, known for being an avid collector of diamonds.  She hadn’t expected to see one of her collections at this auction.

“What a beautiful blue,” Jiang Nai said, admiring the diamond. She loved the color blue, and seeing such a diamond naturally struck her as incredibly beautiful.

This diamond had a reserve price of six million dollars, which was actually much lower than the price Liu Fengning had originally paid for it. It was quite a bargain. Soon, someone knowledgeable in the field raised their paddle, offering seven million dollars.

Then others followed suit.

Seven hundred fifty thousand, eight hundred thousand, eight hundred two thousand, eight hundred five thousand…

Jiang Nai listened as the numbers continued to rise, still in dollars, and she couldn’t help but marvel at the sums. After several rounds of bidding, it became a two-person contest.

The price had reached nine million dollars. The pace slowed as the two participants hesitated. Nine hundred twenty thousand, nine hundred fifty thousand… until it finally stalled at nine hundred fifty thousand, with one of the bidders stepping back, clearly giving up.

The woman who had called out nine hundred fifty thousand let out a quiet sigh of relief, feeling confident that she would win.

However, just as the final price seemed to be settling, someone raised their paddle again.

“1205.”

The woman who had bid nine hundred fifty thousand froze, quickly glancing toward the newcomer. He remained calm, as if he had been testing the waters, waiting for the right moment to make a bold move with a high bid. Others in the room were also taken aback, turning to look at the man in the third row.

Of course, the most surprised was the person sitting next to him… Jiang Nai.

She never expected Li Qingji to join in the bidding for this diamond. She turned to look at him in shock, and he gently squeezed her hand but said nothing.

On stage, the auctioneer confirmed the new bid, and the woman who had bid nine hundred fifty thousand had clearly reached her limit. She knew that if she followed up, Li Qingji would likely raise the price again. So, she remained silent, and the auctioneer brought the gavel down.

The blue diamond was now in Li Qingji’s possession.

Once the dust settled, Jiang Nai was still a bit dazed.

“It seems like a good size.”

Jiang Nai slowly turned to Li Qingji, “Huh?”

Li Qingji smiled lightly, “I mean, it would be perfect if made into a diamond ring.”

Diamond ring…

Jiang Nai stared, wide-eyed. “What do you mean?”

Li Qingji said, “We’re getting married. Besides the wedding rings, I’m also missing a diamond ring for you. Today, I just happened to find the perfect one.”

Jiang Nai froze in place, her mind completely blank. Slowly, she began to realize something was off.

1205…

That number… wasn’t it her birthday?

“Li Qingji, what are you thinking?”

Li Qingji held her hand, his expression calm and clear. “What I just said is exactly what I’m thinking.”

“But… this diamond’s price…”

“Don’t worry, it’s worth it. Last year, a 11ct blue diamond of similar quality went for over 25 million dollars at an auction in Hong Kong. And besides, isn’t this for charity?”

Whether it’s worth it isn’t the point. The point is… he bought such an expensive diamond to make her a diamond ring?

“Li Qingji actually bought a diamond? He never bought jewelry before, right?”

From a distance, someone whispered, and another voice quickly responded, “Could it be for his wife?”

“…Maybe. The teardrop shape is perfect for jewelry.”

“If all goes well, their wedding is coming up. It could be for the engagement ring.”

“Really?”

“How generous! My husband didn’t even buy me such an expensive diamond ring!”

“Still talking about divorce… Jiang Yao’s mouth is as reckless as ever.”

…

The news of Li Qingji buying the blue diamond at the charity auction quickly spread. While people were discussing it, the couple in question left the auction halfway through. 

It was Saturday, but the road outside the banquet hall was empty. They didn’t get in the car and just walked along the road aimlessly. Li Qingji took off his suit jacket and hung it on his arm, while holding Jiang Nai’s hand with his other.

“Did you just have a sudden idea, or… did you already plan this?” Jiang Nai couldn’t help but ask.

Li Qingji glanced at her. “I knew this diamond would be here tonight.”

“So you had already planned 1205…” 

Li Qingji replied, “That wasn’t planned. I didn’t know how much others would bid.”

“Oh…”

“Don’t like it?”

Jiang Nai touched her nose and murmured, “It’s so expensive, who wouldn’t like it…”

Li Qingji smiled slightly. “If you like it, then it’s worth it.”

Jiang Nai glanced at him. She liked it, but not because she particularly liked the diamond. It was more about the feeling of being treasured, of being taken seriously. Since her parents passed away, Li Qingji was the only one who had ever valued her like this.

“Are you hungry?” Li Qingji asked.

Jiang Nai suppressed the emotions in her eyes and nodded.

Li Qingji smiled. “What do you want to eat? We can go now.”

Jiang Nai thought for a moment. “Right now, I really want to eat wontons, with a lot of vinegar and chili.”

In one moment, it was a priceless diamond; in the next, it was a humble bowl of wontons. Jiang Nai felt a sense of mismatch after she said it.

But Li Qingji indulged her, “Then let’s have wontons.”

“Really?”

“Yes.” Li Qingji checked the map on his phone. “About 200 meters ahead, there’s a street with lots of eateries, including a wonton shop. This one.”

He showed her the screen.

Jiang Nai’s eyes lit up. “This one’s good. I’ve ordered their takeout at work, and it’s delicious.”

“Then let’s go,” Li Qingji said, glancing at her shoes. “They’re so high. Are you sure you can keep walking?”

They had already walked a bit, and she did feel it was somewhat difficult, but the wontons were so close. She had to have them.

“Should I take off my shoes and walk?”

Li Qingji lowered his gaze to her and sighed softly. “Hold my coat for me.”

Jiang Nai instinctively took his jacket, about to ask him what was going on when Li Qingji suddenly bent down and picked her up in a bridal carry. Jiang Nai gasped and tried to get down.

Li Qingji, however, walked on without hesitation, his tone calm. “There aren’t many people on this stretch of the road. When we reach the more crowded area, I’ll let you down.”

The night wind blew, and the streetlights shone brightly. The light cast down on his head, highlighting his well-defined profile.

He was calm, yet gentle.

This felt like the Li Qingji who belonged only to her. Jiang Nai’s heart softened, and she hooked her arms around his neck, gazing at his side profile. His full forehead, thick lashes, high nose…

As she looked at him, almost without thinking, she leaned in and kissed his cheek. The kiss was crisp and clear in the quiet of the night. Li Qingji paused for a moment, stopping in his tracks.

Jiang Nai’s face flushed slightly but, inexplicably, she felt bold. “Li Qingji.”

“Hmm?”

“You’re really good-looking.”

Li Qingji was momentarily stunned, lowering his eyes to look at her.

Jiang Nai’s lips curved into a slight smile as she rested against his shoulder. “I really like you…”

Previous

Next