Picking the Golden Romance

Singapore

Whenever Astrid felt she needed to clear her head, she would visit her friend Stephen.

Stephen has a small jewelry store on the upper floor of the Paragon mall, just off the back corridor to avoid other high-end boutiques.Although his store lacks visibility compared to the brightly lit flagship stores of local high-profile jewelery brands such as "Oriental Jewelry" or "Junwen Jewelry", "Stephen Chia Jewelry" has been recognized by Singapore's unique domestic vision. Highly rated by jewelry collectors.

Astonishing as Stephen's eye for unearthing gems may be, it is his use of niche markets that is most commendable.
The business model, the service provided is a true sense of absolute discretion.For example, a socialite might run into his store and sell an heirloom without anyone knowing in order to pay off her idiot son's financing bond as quickly as possible; The auctioned "very valuable jewelry" was sent to Singapore for inspection, just to avoid the eyes and ears of the auction house's gossip staff.It is said that Stephen's store is especially favored by the wives of Arab sheikhs, Malaysian sultans, and Indonesian Chinese oligarchs. You don't have to worry about being seen buying jewelry worth millions in boutiques on Orchard Road.

The shop has a small, shabby front room with three Empire glass windows displaying a small selection of mid-priced jewellery, mostly by emerging European artists.Behind that Buller-esque desk, however, opening the mirrored door leads to a porch.There was a security door in the porch, and behind it was a narrow passage leading to another room.Astrid just loves being here—in this private salon that smells of tuberose, is upholstered in light blue velvet from floor to ceiling, and features a Lucamier Lady's chaise longue.Astrid would slump her feet in a chair, drink lemon soda, and gossip with Stephen, who carried tray after tray of shiny gems in and out of the room.

The two first met in Paris a few years ago.

When Astrid walked into a jewelry store on Peace Street, Stephen happened to be an apprentice there.At that time, whether it was meeting a Singaporean girl who was interested in nineteenth-century cameo gems, or seeing young Chinese men standing
Even behind the counter of a general high-end jewelry store, it is a very strange thing, and the two immediately became acquainted.

Astrid was grateful to have met someone in Paris who understood her discerning taste, and Stephen was willing to accommodate her capriciousness and accompany her in the search for rare accessories that might have once belonged to the Duchess of Lamballe.But in fact, he could tell at a glance that this young girl was the daughter of a certain important person, and after three years of deliberation, he finally found out her true identity.

Like other world-renowned jewelry designers, from Gianni Bulgari to Laurence Graff, Stephen spent years honing his skills to better suit the whims of the rich.Now he can read the psychological activities of the richest people in Asia without any mistakes, and he has also become an expert in predicting Astrid's mood. how do you feel.

Today, the first time in the 15 years Stephen has known Astrid that she has seen her like this, it is clear that something is wrong.

When he showed her Carnet's latest collection of bracelets, her mood hit rock bottom.

"Is this the most elaborate bracelet you've ever seen? It seems inspired by Alexander von Humboldt's botanical drawings. Speaking of bracelets, do you like the pendant bracelet your husband gave you?"

Astrid looked up at Stephen, confused by his question: "Pendant bracelet?"

"Yeah, Mike bought it for your birthday last month. Wait a minute, don't you know he came to me to buy it?"

Astrid looked away, not wanting to show her surprise—she hadn't received any presents from her husband at all.Her birthday was in August, Mike knew that well, and he wouldn't buy her jewelry at all!

She felt the blood rushing up all over her body, and her whole face was flushed red. "Oh, yes, I forgot—that's a beautiful bracelet," she said softly. "Did you choose it for him?"

"Yeah, he came into the shop in a hurry one evening, and it was hard to make up his mind which to choose—I guess he was afraid you wouldn't like it."

"Of course I like it, thank you for helping him." Astrid tried to maintain her composure.

Oh my God, really, no way!Is Mike really stupid to come to my friend Stephen Xie's store to buy jewelry for someone else?

Stephen wished he hadn't mentioned the bracelet.He guessed that Astrid hadn't been very pleased with the gift her husband had given her.To be honest, he wasn't sure Astrid would wear something as mundane as a teddy bear pendant bracelet with pavé-set fancy diamonds.It was the last bargain he had in the store, and he knew that Mike was the typical dumb husband who would just go out of his way to find something that fit his budget.At that time, he really had good intentions.

But now, Astrid has only been in the store for 10 minutes, and has bought a very rare three-carat blue diamond ring that has just arrived from Antwerp and is studded with diamonds. It once belonged to Clark Gay. Beau’s Art Deco cufflinks, and a Cartier vintage white gold and diamond chain bracelet; she’s even seriously considering a pair of eccentric earrings from VBH — Stephen bought them just to show her What a silly pair of earrings, she hadn't expected her to be interested.

"The pear-shaped stone is called a spodumene and it weighs 49 carats; these shiny rounds are 23 carat ice diamonds. It's a very original design. You want to wear it to the Khoo wedding next week. Are you going to participate in the new jewelry?" Stephen tried to chat with his unusually attentive customer.

"Oh... maybe," Astrid replied, looking into the mirror to examine the colored gemstones hanging from the large earrings.The bottom of the gem kept touching her shoulder.The earrings reminded her of Native American dream catchers.

"Striking, isn't it? I think it's very Millicent Rogers. What kind of dress are you going to wear?"

"I haven't decided yet," she said, almost murmuring.

She wasn't really looking at the earrings. In her mind, she just saw her husband putting some piece of jewelry on a woman's wrist.First the text message, then the receipt from Petrus' restaurant, and now the expensive pendant bracelet.Nothing more than three.

"If you decide to wear these earrings, you should wear a dress with a simple design," Stephen added.He was beginning to worry a little: the girl was out of order today.Usually she would pop into his shop, eat the delicious homemade pineapple tarts he prepared every time, chat for an hour, and then spend an hour or so looking at the jewelry before he showed her the wares.Afterwards, she might hand him a trinket and say, "I'll have to think about it," and blow him a kiss goodbye.She's not the type of client who'll spend millions in 10 minutes.

However, Stephen always valued her time in the shop.He liked her sweet demeanor, her impeccable attitude, and her true nature.She feels lovely, unlike those noble ladies who often appear in his shop, who need constant caressing from others.He also enjoyed reminiscing with Astrid about the absurd years of his youth in Paris, and he also admired her unique taste.She cared about the texture of the gemstones, but never the size, and she was completely uninterested in ostentatious jewelry.Why should she care?
Her mother has long been the person with the largest collection of jewelry in Singapore, while her grandmother Shang Suyi has a bunch of legendary jewelry, which he can only know from word of mouth. "Jades from the Ming Dynasty that you have never seen before, as well as jewelry from the Tsarist period, were bought by Shang Longma from the grand duchess who fled to Beijing during the Russian Revolution. After the old lady passed away, your friend As Trid is her favorite granddaughter and will inherit the unparalleled jewels.” Stephen heard these words from Huang Pengfan, a respected art historian, one of the few people who has been lucky enough to see the Shang family’s famous collection One of the outsiders of the product.

"Okay, wrap this pair of earrings for me too." Astrid said and stood up, smoothing her pleated skirt.

"You're leaving? Don't you want a Diet Coke?" Stephen asked in surprise.

"No thanks, I won't be drinking today, I'm in a hurry, too many chores. Can I take this Art Deco cufflink now? I promise I'll have the money in your account by tomorrow."

"Honey, don't be silly, you can take whatever you want now, let me help you find a beautiful box." Stephen left the room, thinking that the last time Astrid was as impulsive as today was when When I broke up with Charlie Hu.

Hmm... Is there something wrong with "Paradise"?
Astrid returns to the mall's parking lot, unlocks the car, gets in, and puts the black and beige parchment shopping bag — cleverly embossed with the words "Stephen's Jewels" — in the passenger seat. superior.Sitting in the car without air conditioning, she soon felt a little tight in her chest.

At this moment, she felt her heart beating very fast.

She just spent 35 on a diamond ring she didn't want at all, 28 on a bracelet she liked, and 78 on earrings.She wore those earrings like "Pocahontas Conti"

’ It was the first time in weeks that she had such absurd notions.

Then she remembered something, reached out and rummaged through the bag, and found a box.The Art Deco cufflinks she had bought for Mike were in this blue velvet jewelry box, fastened to a satin lining that had been flecked with yellow with age.

She stared at the pair of silver-cobalt alloy artifacts.These cufflinks touched Clark Gable's wrist, Astrid thought.

Hadn't the charming, naturally romantic Clark Gable been married several times?Of course, he had been in love with many women in his life, and rightfully had affairs without telling his wife—even Carole Lombard.Why would anyone betray a woman as diverse as Carole Lombard?But it happens sooner or later—men all have affairs.

Men are always surrounded by mistresses, girlfriends, and playthings.This is normal, because of status, you have to get used to it.Great-grandfather also had several concubines, Uncle Freddie even started another family in Taiwan, and Cousin Eddie had had several mistresses by now—I lost count.this is nothing.Men just need this kind of cheap thrill, and just go to bed with any woman; men need to hunt, it's in their nature; they just want to scatter the seeds...

I miss you so much inside of me.

No no no, this is not serious.Maybe he met this woman when he was on a business trip, they had a big dinner, had a one-night stand, and then he gave her a bracelet.A stupid pendant bracelet, so corny.At least he was cautious, at least he met and slept with that woman in Hong Kong, not in Singapore.Many wives have to put up with more, think of my friend, think of the humiliation that Fiona Tong went through when she married Eddie.I'm lucky, I'm much luckier.Don't be so ignorant, he's just playing around, there's nothing to make a fuss about.Remember, have grace, grace...

Grace Kelly and Clark Gable also slept together while filming "Dust."Mike is as handsome and tall as Clark Gable, and now I'm going to give him the cufflinks Gable wore, he'll love it.The cufflinks are not very expensive, and he will not be angry.He will love me, he still loves me.He didn't stay away from me, he was just too stressed, and the work was overwhelming him.

This October we will be entering our fifth year of marriage.Oh my god, within five years he started "stealing" outside, and he doesn't like me anymore.To him, I'm not young anymore, he's tired of me.Poor Cassian, what should Cassian do?
I'm done, it's all over.How could such a thing happen?Can't believe this is happening to me.