ine expressed her discontent, saying, “I never imed that! What I meant is that the brand items are just too pricey; they aren’t at all cost-effective. How could someone practical like me be fond of something so overpriced?” After that, she turned to Charlie and added, “Good son-inw, if your heart is in the right ce, Mom is really happy. Just remember, don’t buy things on a whim!”


    Charlie smiled and nodded slightly, replying, “Okay, Mom, I understand.”


    Though ine wore a somewhat mncholic expression, she turned her attention to the Van Cleef & Arpels article with keen interest, quickly bing engrossed in the jewelry box she held.


    As she opened the box, she mused, “I just purchased a Bulgari Emerald Goddess’s Dream Ne a few days ago. I wonder what Bulgari jewelry Charlie got for me this time. If it’s the bracelet of the Emerald Goddess’ Dream, it would match my ne perfectly!”


    With that thought, she eagerly opened the box.<h3 style="background-color:DodgerBlue">


    What she saw inside left her momentarily speechless.


    “This… this…” ine gasped, staring at the familiar ne nestled in the jewelry box. “This… isn’t this the Emerald Goddess’ Dream ne?”


    At that moment, disappointment washed over ine.


    After all, she had bought the same ne just before arriving in the United States, so receiving another felt somewhat disheartening.


    ine was someone who cherished her image and status above all. While this ne was undoubtedly expensive and impressive, owning two identical pieces would only allow her to fake uniqueness.


    Wearing this one today and that one tomorrow would leave others thinking she had just one ne on both days.<fnf0da> Newest update provided by find?novel</fnf0da>


    However, it was impossible to wear two nes at once, which made the gift Charlie gave her feel almost like it didn’t count at all.


    Meanwhile, Charlie noticed the unmistakable disappointment in her eyes and pretended to be surprised, asking, “Mom, you know this so well! I didn’t even remember the name all the way.”


    ine retorted with a smirk, “Oh, I’m just doing my research!”


    She then added seriously, “You two have no idea! I’ve been hanging out with Souna, who’s practically broke. I’m running low on funds myself, yet she insists on dragging me to these luxury stores every day. Honestly, if it weren’t for her constant chatter, I wouldn’t remember so many brands!”


    ire chimed in, “Mom, are you spending time with Souna again?”


    ine rified, “It’s not just hanging out; after you all left, I’ve been alone in Tomson Yipin, which gets pretty dull. She’s somewhat of apanion now, and she’s been a lot more down-to-earth than before, so I’ve been taking some strolls with her.”


    After saying that, she looked at the Goddess’ Dream Ne in her hand, her mncholy deepening.


    Charlie smiled to himself, realizing his strategy had worked; it was clear ine was feeling a bit frustrated at that moment.


    ire, who hadn’t noticed her mother’s mood shift, turned to Charlie and said, “Thank you for the gift, husband, but please don’t buy such expensive luxury items in the future. I’ve heard that luxury jewelry doesn’t retain its value very well, which makes it a bit wasteful.”


    Upon hearing the term “value retention,” Charlie had an idea. He nced at ine and said deliberately, “It seems that this Goddess’ Dream ne still holds value in the second-hand market. If the packaging and receipts are intact and it’s well-maintained, you should still be able to sell it for about 20% less.”


    As expected, ine’s demeanor transformed instantly. Her eyes lit up, and the disappointment was reced by palpable excitement!


    She quickly eximed to ire, “Oh dear, my daughter, I suddenly feel such a wave of homesickness…”<h3 ss="has-text-align-center wp-block-heading" id="chapter-list"><strong></strong>