The old lady carefully examined the craftsmanship of several pieces of jewelry. Whether it was a bracelet or earrings, each piece displayed a three-dimensional beauty in its workmanship, patterns, and even intricate hollow carvings. The flowers etched on them were lifelike.
Every piece of jewelry was exquisitely made with a refined style. The old lady finally decided to buy silver jewelry from this shop as gifts for their meeting.
Chen Lan mentally estimated the total number of children, young girls, and young wives in the valley.
Finding the number roughly correct, she immediately used her mind to open the system and purchased one of each style of silver bracelet and silver earrings from that well-reputed, old-brand jewelry shop.
Chen Lan immediately took them out of the system's warehouse for her mother to admire first, letting her take a good look.
The old lady casually picked up an exquisite gift box containing a silver bracelet with intertwined flowers. Upon opening it and examining it closely, she discovered that the silver bracelet was made from the finest soft silver, twisted into a delicate strand. The bracelet itself was meticulously engraved with the veins of vines, and the points where the small, delicate leaf-shaped sections met were completely imperceptible, making it appear as if it were naturally formed. It looked exceptionally beautiful.
Reluctantly setting aside the silver bracelet into its gift box, she picked up a slightly smaller, exquisite gift box. Upon opening it, she found a pair of delicate and refined small earrings. The earrings revealed even finer craftsmanship. Their petite shapes were thoughtfully crafted into different flower petals, some budding, some just revealing their stamen, each displaying a myriad of captivating forms. Upon closer inspection, one could see that each petal retained its original texture, or the appearance of morning dew not yet dispersed, truly lifelike.
The old lady was delighted with the delicate earrings in beautiful flower petal shapes. Seeing how much her mother liked them, Chen Lan suggested, "Mother, if you like them, why don't you choose a few pairs of earrings for yourself to play with first. I can buy other styles for them later!"
The old lady replied bashfully, "Lan'er, these are all new styles for young girls and new brides. If an old woman like me wears such new jewelry, won't people call me an old hag?"
Upon hearing her mother's words, Chen Lan immediately retorted, "Mother, you are not old at all. You've just turned forty this year, and you don't look your age. If you don't believe me, let's go out for a walk. No one will think you are my mother. Look at your appearance, look at your demeanor; people will think we are sisters!"
Hearing Chen Lan's words, the old lady burst into laughter. She playfully pointed at Chen Lan's forehead with her finger and said, "You! You're already a mother of two, and you haven't changed a bit. Just like when you were little, you always know how to make your mother happy!"
Seeing that her mother still didn't believe her and thought she was just flattering her, Chen Lan decided to go all out. She decided to first take out the dark green velvet qipao and shawl for her mother to wear, to prove her words were true. She immediately opened the system's warehouse with her mind, retrieved the silk qipao and white faux fox fur shawl she had bought for her mother, and handed them over.
Upon seeing the qipao and shawl, the old lady asked uncertainly, "Lan'er, did you buy this qipao for me? You've really spent too much."
Chen Lan said with displeasure, "Mother, what do you mean too much? Please don't say that again. This is your birthday gift. Hurry up and change into it, so I can see if it fits. If it doesn't fit, I can quickly get it exchanged for you."
After her mother changed into the qipao and came out of the washroom, Chen Lan found that her mother exuded a unique charm in the dark green velvet qipao. The dark green color made her skin appear fairer and more radiant. The high stand-up collar lent an ancient elegance, complemented by the classical knotted buttons, a perfectly fitted waist, and an appropriately slit hem. Paired with a pair of low-heeled leather shoes, her walk would surely be graceful and captivating, as if she were a woman stepping out of a painting, serene and elegant.
With this thought, she immediately used her mind to open the system. She selected an online direct sales store of a famous women's shoe brand and carefully browsed for a while. She found a pair of simple and elegant lambskin low-heeled leather shoes and immediately placed an order. Taking the lambskin shoes from the system's warehouse, Chen Lan quickly opened the packaging and urged her mother to change into them.
Indeed, her mother emanated a rhythm from within, an Oriental charm, like a mysterious orchid blooming in the depths of time. Serene, tranquil, noble, and dignified.
Chen Lan then chose a pair of exquisite clover-shaped long earrings for her mother to wear.
Unexpectedly, the silvery-white ornaments, when worn by her mother, conveyed a sense of practiced and dignified nobility, adding a mature charm to her, making her appear exceptionally intelligent and captivating.
Chen Lan then pulled her newly dressed mother to the large mirror in the washroom, letting her see herself. The old lady's eyes widened in surprise as she saw herself in the mirror. The woman in the mirror had a gentle and serene elegance in her features, nurtured by the passage of time. Her beautiful eyes showed no traces of the harshness of the years; instead, one could see a unique depth bestowed by time in her gaze, with her bright eyes constantly shifting.
In the mirror, the beautiful woman's eyes held a touch of time's gift, yet showed no sign of the vicissitudes of weathering storms, appearing so soft and lively, like a lifelike meticulously painted portrait of a court lady. She seemed to have drifted out of the painting when one wasn't paying attention, gracing the human world.
It was no wonder people often said that time spares beautiful women, and even fleeting years treated them with extraordinary tenderness and favor.
The old lady asked disbelievingly, "Lan'er, is the person in the mirror really me?"
Chen Lan smiled and said, "Mother, why don't you blink at the person in the mirror to see if it's you?"
The old lady really did as Chen Lan said. She blinked at her reflection, opened her mouth, and then made a funny face. Finally, she exclaimed with surprise, "Lan'er, look quickly, the woman in the mirror really is me."
Hearing her mother's words, Chen Lan couldn't help but burst into laughter. The old lady then ignored Chen Lan and continued to admire herself in the mirror, turning her body left and right, front and back, appreciating her reflection.
Chen Lan paid no mind to how her mother admired her graceful figure in the mirror. She also took out her own red velvet qipao from the system's warehouse and quickly put it on.
Standing before the mirror, Chen Lan found that the red color suited her perfectly, making her appear more delicate and radiant. The red velvet qipao enhanced her fair, creamy skin. The black and yellow patterns on the qipao were interwoven, not appearing chaotic at all, but rather lending an air of elegance.
However, she lacked the composure and serenity that came with the passage of time, which her mother possessed.