**Chapter 7**
"Your home is really beautiful. May I take a look around?" Zuo Qinghuan asked, wanting to see how the main wife's residence compared to her own luxurious "golden house."
"Of course." Qin Wanshu replied. She didn't dislike spending time with Zuo Qinghuan; in fact, she found herself liking her a bit. Perhaps it was the ethereal and refined appearance of Zuo Qinghuan that made her feel so approachable.
"This is my husband's study," Qin Wanshu said, leading Zuo Qinghuan into Han Shibin's study.
There was no need for Qin Wanshu to introduce it. Zuo Qinghuan could tell from the photo on the desk of Qin Wanshu and Han Shibin together. Qin Wanshu had her usual graceful, subtle smile, while Han Shibin looked just as handsome. The way he gazed at Qin Wanshu was so soft and focused, making them appear like the perfect couple.
"Your husband?" Zuo Qinghuan pointed at Han Shibin in the photo, pretending to ask knowingly.
"Yes." Qin Wanshu nodded.
"He looks very handsome," Zuo Qinghuan complimented without hesitation. It was no surprise, after all—among so many men, she had chosen Han Shibin.
"Many people say that." Qin Wanshu smiled. Compliments about herself or Han Shibin had long ceased to have much effect on her.
"I imagine a lot of women must like him," Zuo Qinghuan said, giving Qin Wanshu a smile filled with hidden meaning.
Qin Wanshu paused slightly. She knew that many women had their sights set on Han Shibin, but this was the first time a woman had openly expressed her intentions in front of her.
"That should be my pride," Qin Wanshu responded with calm elegance.
In Qin Wanshu's eyes, Zuo Qinghuan showed no signs of displeasure. Zuo Qinghuan mused silently that either Qin Wanshu didn't love Han Shibin, or she was simply too composed and practiced at hiding her feelings.
"What's that room over there?" Zuo Qinghuan quickly changed the subject. She didn't want to reveal her identity as the mistress in front of the wife. Even though she felt Qin Wanshu wouldn't do anything to her, she doubted the benefactor would want to see her getting along too well with his wife.
"That's my study," Qin Wanshu said, noticing that Zuo Qinghuan had lost interest in her husband's study.
Qin Wanshu led Zuo Qinghuan into her own study. She rarely let anyone in, as everything in there was extremely valuable. She even cleaned the room herself. Allowing Zuo Qinghuan into her study was a significant exception.
"You have a lot of interesting little things here..." Zuo Qinghuan said, noticing the unique items around the room. Unable to resist, her fingers wandered over everything. This was human nature—touching things out of curiosity, even without knowing what they were, seemed satisfying.
Qin Wanshu watched Zuo Qinghuan's restless hands with a bit of apprehension, worried something might get broken. It wasn't that these items were expensive, but they were rare treasures, irreplaceable and priceless. She had learned from her grandfather to cherish these antiques as if they were her lifeblood. However, telling Zuo Qinghuan not to touch anything would make her seem stingy. Since touching wouldn't harm them, Qin Wanshu decided to let it be, hoping Zuo Qinghuan would eventually lose interest.
"Are these antiques?" Zuo Qinghuan asked belatedly. She seemed to recall hearing that Miss Qin liked antiques. Looking around at the room full of them, Zuo Qinghuan suddenly realized that Miss Qin's wealth might far surpass that of her own benefactor.
Qin Wanshu nodded.
"How much is this bowl in my hand worth?" Zuo Qinghuan asked, pointing to the bowl she casually picked up. She wasn't interested in how precious the antiques were; what intrigued her was how much they were worth.
"To me, they're priceless," Qin Wanshu replied. She believed these things couldn't be measured by money.
"How much did you pay for it?" Zuo Qinghuan found Qin Wanshu's attitude hard to understand. Spending so much on things that couldn't even be used and needed to be treated like fragile treasures seemed absurd to her.
"Three million." Qin Wanshu answered. Many of the items were gifts from her grandfather. From the time she was born until now, she had received thirty birthday gifts, and this one was bought at an auction during her first outing with her grandfather.
"Wouldn't it be better if you had that money in cash?" Zuo Qinghuan muttered. There were at least dozens of antiques in this room, confirming that Qin Wanshu was far wealthier than she had imagined.
"Everyone has their own passions. I wouldn't sell them for any price," Qin Wanshu said calmly.
"You've never fallen on hard times. Otherwise, you'd realize all this is just junk. Money is more practical," Zuo Qinghuan scoffed. In her opinion, Miss Qin, who had never lacked for anything, didn't understand what it was like to live without money. No matter how exquisite the bowl, it couldn't compare to the bread inside it.
"Maybe," Qin Wanshu didn't argue. She neither denied nor agreed with Zuo Qinghuan's view. Perhaps that was why her grandfather always said he would ensure she lived a life of wealth, so she wouldn't be tainted by the "stench of money."
Zuo Qinghuan wasn't the type to appreciate refinement, and her curiosity about the antiques quickly faded. Qin Wanshu was relieved to lead Zuo Qinghuan out of her study, skipping over her bedroom and instead taking her to the piano room on the third floor.
The piano room was spacious, larger than the study downstairs. Despite its size, the room was sparse, with only a grand piano positioned by the large floor-to-ceiling window and plain-colored curtains, creating an unusual but striking setup.
"It feels empty, almost eerie," Zuo Qinghuan said, finding the room so barren that it made her uncomfortable. She thought whoever designed this space had to be somewhat mentally disturbed. Zuo Qinghuan hated emptiness; for someone who lacked a sense of security, being in a large, open space made her feel exposed.
"The idea was to let the moonlight filter through the window and shine on the piano. I wanted to experience the ambiance Beethoven must have felt when composing *Moonlight Sonata*," Qin Wanshu said wistfully, though it was a pity that moonlight was hard to come by in the city.
"Qin Wanshu, I didn't expect you to be so pretentious," Zuo Qinghuan remarked, finding the whole idea of building such a large room just to replicate Beethoven's experience laughable.
"Pretentious? Do you think so?" Qin Wanshu, never having been called pretentious before, looked at Zuo Qinghuan with a bit of confusion. Didn't everyone have some whimsical dreams? Qin Wanshu tried to justify herself silently, unaware that Zuo Qinghuan was seriously judging her.
"Yeah, pretty pretentious," Zuo Qinghuan replied, seeing the bewildered look on Qin Wanshu's face and confirming her opinion with certainty.
Qin Wanshu's usual graceful expression showed a slight crack, like a child accustomed to praise being suddenly criticized. Zuo Qinghuan couldn't help but find her reaction a bit adorable.
Zuo Qinghuan's attention soon shifted to the grand piano by the window. When she was a child, she had never even touched a piano, as it was something forever out of reach. Her fingers grazed the surface of the seemingly expensive instrument, and then she looked up at Qin Wanshu.
"Can you play?" Zuo Qinghuan asked softly. She knew Han Shibin could play; he had only played for her once. At that moment, Han Shibin had seemed like a prince, full of elegance. This woman, who exuded grace down to her very core, would probably look even more enchanting when playing the piano.