[Gold Powder GL] True Elegance Comes with Knowledge - Chapter 11

Qingqiu, ever honest and sincere, tried to explain herself, but Bai Xiuzhu wasn’t buying it. With a sarcastic smile, she said, “What a rare stroke of fate. The Seventh Master secretly rented a place outside and never told a soul. If he had just said something earlier, we might’ve met Miss Leng long ago instead of waiting until today.”

Her bitterness was obvious. Qingqiu understood immediately—Xiuzhu was jealous of Yan Hui. Naturally, she didn’t want to take the fall.

So, she responded with a smile, “It’s a pity our family’s humble and doesn’t socialize much. We rarely get to meet someone as lovely as Miss Bai. If you don’t mind, I’d love to invite you to my home sometime.”
She was so gracious that Xiuzhu had no response.

Still, watching Qingqiu and Yan Hui laugh and chat with everyone made her stomach twist.

Especially seeing how Yanxi’s eyes lingered on Qingqiu—he was always trying to be near her. Xiuzhu’s heart grew heavier. Before she met Qingqiu, she could still convince herself it was some seductress who had bewitched him. But now, seeing them together, it was obvious: Yanxi was pursuing Qingqiu, not the other way around. That was harder to swallow.

Yanxi had once treated her the same way.

The word “once” stung. It reminded her that those tender moments were in the past. Now, all she felt was resentment and helplessness.

Qingqiu caught her expression and couldn’t help feeling conflicted. If she hadn’t changed, she might have ended up like Bai Xiuzhu—clinging to someone who no longer cared.

What woke her up was Yan Hui. It was Yan Hui who opened her eyes to a wider world. Thanks to her, Qingqiu could now stand here with composure, no longer burdened by what she couldn’t repay.

Opera, though a pillar of Chinese culture, required a certain appreciation—and patience. Yan Hui had neither. If it were a silent film, she might sit through it. But listening to opera? That was another story.

So, not long after the show began, she started scanning the room in boredom, looking for a distraction.

Qingqiu noticed her restlessness and, without prying, leaned over and said kindly, “It’s crowded and stuffy here. Want to go out for a walk?”

Tempting. But Yan Hui knew how much Qingqiu loved opera—and how rare it was for her, given their financial situation, to attend.

She shook her head. “Forget it. Just enjoy the play. Don’t worry about me.”

But Qingqiu ignored her protest and gently pulled her up. They were near the front—causing a scene would disrupt others. So, Yan Hui, not wanting to make a fuss, let herself be led away.

They stepped outside into the Jin family’s spacious, well-manicured courtyard. They didn’t walk far—just sat on the front porch, talking quietly and enjoying the fresh air.

Not long after, Jin Yanxi followed them.

He had been watching Qingqiu all day. Though she always looked elegant, today her long robe was especially eye-catching. Her attitude toward him, however—cold and inconsistent—only made him more intrigued. Finally getting her to come out today, he wasn’t about to waste the chance.

When he saw her slip out with Yan Hui, he quickly found an excuse to leave as well. But as soon as he stepped outside, a few others followed—young men and women, including Meili and Xiuzhu. They playfully blocked him and brushed past. Yanxi never showed displeasure to women, so he could only step back and apologize.

But deep inside, he grew more frustrated. All he wanted was a quiet moment with Qingqiu.

That desire returned, stronger than ever. After a moment of hesitation, he called out loudly, “It’s getting cramped in here. Why don’t we head upstairs to the dance hall? We can play some music and dance!”

Compared to sitting through opera, dancing was far more appealing to the younger crowd. Besides, dancing meant forming couples—it gave everyone a reason to mingle. One by one, they agreed and headed upstairs.

The Jin family often hosted banquets, so their ballroom was well-equipped. Soon, servants set the tables with afternoon tea, coffee, and pastries. Without a live band, they simply used a phonograph and played records.

After some light refreshments, the dancing began.

Yanxi, of course, wanted to invite Qingqiu. But she was surrounded—Meili and Xiuzhu sat on her left, Yan Hui on her right, and behind her was Miss Qiu Xizhen. All except Yan Hui and Meili were close to Yanxi.

Though he favored Qingqiu now, he didn’t want to offend the others by ignoring them. So, he hesitated.

Noticing his hesitation, Yan Hui leaned toward Qingqiu and whispered, “Want to dance?”

Qingqiu shook her head quickly. “No.” Though she had learned the steps, she still wasn’t comfortable dancing in public—especially not with a man she didn’t know well.

Yan Hui chuckled. “Then dance with Master Jin Qi?”

Qingqiu glanced at Yanxi, her face cooling. “No need. He’s clearly torn and doesn’t know who to pick.”

“True.” Yan Hui smirked.

Three women sat nearby—one an ex-girlfriend, one a future wife, and Qingqiu, the newest interest. Either of the other two would’ve made a more appropriate partner. Yan Hui felt Qingqiu didn’t need to dance with Yanxi just to fit in.

In the original novel, Yanxi once thought after dancing with Qiu Xizhen: It’s a pity she’s not as gentle as Qingqiu. Qingqiu is lovelier, more reserved. And yet, there was no hope of ever dancing with her.

If that’s the case, why give him hope?

Or better yet—why not give him hope just to let him down?

Yan Hui grinned mischievously and said aloud, “Look at Seventh Master, still hesitating over there. Maybe if there were fewer people around, he’d finally come over.”

With that, she grabbed Qingqiu’s hand. “Let’s free up some seats so he can approach.”

Xiuzhu and Qiu Xizhen’s expressions turned subtle, but neither moved.

“Where are we going?” Qingqiu asked as Yan Hui led her toward the dance floor.

“I finally learned these steps,” Yan Hui said with a laugh. “And now we have a dance party! What a shame to let it go to waste. Since you’re not ready to dance with someone else, why not try it with me?”

Qingqiu hesitated, but since it was with Yan Hui, she didn’t object. The two entered the dance floor to the surprise of everyone around them.

No one had expected that. But in truth, Yan Hui in a fitted men’s suit didn’t look out of place at all. In fact, her charisma turned heads.

Some of the women without dance partners began to consider the idea of dancing with another woman. Others admired Yan Hui’s outfit and made mental notes to try something similar next time.

The men were… less enthusiastic.

There were already fewer young women than men, and now two of the most striking girls were dancing with each other. A missed opportunity—doubly frustrating.

No one was more disappointed than Yanxi.

As the host, he could have asked anyone to dance and wouldn’t have been turned down. But he hesitated too long—and now Qingqiu was already dancing.

Still, he couldn’t bring himself to choose between Bai Xiuzhu and Qiu Xizhen either. By the time Qingqiu and Yan Hui finished their dance, he was still frozen in place.

Feeling cheeky, Yan Hui walked up behind him and patted his shoulder. “Seventh Master, still haven’t decided who gets your first dance?”

Yanxi turned—and his eyes immediately lit up when he saw Qingqiu.

But Yan Hui quickly turned to her and said, “You must be tired. Go rest and grab something to eat.”

Qingqiu nodded and slipped away.

Yanxi’s disappointment was clear. Yan Hui, pretending not to notice, added playfully, “Still deciding between Miss Bai and Miss Qiu? Tough call—they’re both outstanding.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Yanxi muttered, clearly irritated.

“Come on,” Yan Hui teased. “If you admit it, I can help. If not, then I’ll leave you to it.”

“What kind of help?”

“Well,” said Yan Hui with a grin, “you were alone before, so it was hard to choose. But now there are two of us. I’ll invite one, and the other is all yours. How’s that for a solution?”

If she had said this before their dance, Yanxi would’ve dismissed it as a joke. But now… it actually seemed reasonable.

“Alright then,” he said with a wry smile. “You go first, Brother Yan Hui.”

Without missing a beat, Yan Hui walked up to Bai Xiuzhu. “Miss Bai, may I have this dance?”

Xiuzhu, seeing them whisper earlier, assumed this was Yanxi’s doing. Her heart filled with anger.

She had thought she had Yanxi in the palm of her hand, that their marriage was just around the corner. But now everything was unraveling. Still, they were in public, and she had to keep face. So, with clenched teeth and a forced smile, she placed her hand in Yan Hui’s.

Author’s Note:
In the original novel, on Yan Xi and Qingqiu’s wedding day, he looked at Qiu Xizhen and thought:

A man can’t marry all the good women in the world. Choosing one doesn’t mean he was unjust to the others. Yet… for some reason, he still felt sorry for his old flame.

He might be a great friend—but as a lover, he’d make you suffer in a hundred different ways.

Qingqiu’s tragedy was that she had to be the one who woke him up from his “romantic innocence,” only for someone else to enjoy the result.