Love Affairs in Melbourne-Chapter 238 - 235: Making a Living by Skills

Investigating Yan Yan further only added wilder rumors about her.

Local rumors claimed that even Allegro herself had said that Yan Yan’s family background was stronger than her own.

The rumors and the facts were obviously at odds.

Allegro’s family was an ancient European nobility with assets that far surpassed those of someone from a "small household" like Yan Yan.

But families like Allegro’s already had very mature succession plans, where legal documents about the family’s assets were stacked as high as a person.

These documents outlined how the family’s wealth was to be passed down.

Every next generation of the family needed to fulfill certain conditions to access their own trust funds.

Every detail was clearly documented in the family’s succession plans and legal documents.

Because there were many members, by Allegro’s generation, each member’s final trust fund might not even amount to what Yan Yan already owned personally.

If Allegro had inquired carefully, she would have discovered that Yan Yan actually had no such family background, but rather, her parents had transferred all the income from "selling land" to her name.

With her parents in the prime of their lives without having written a will or set conditions, just giving their property to their children, such an act was utterly incomprehensible to someone like Allegro who grew up in a European noble family with centuries of heritage.

It was just like how Yan Yan couldn’t understand that if Allegro couldn’t get into the world’s top business schools, she wouldn’t be able to access the trust fund her grandfather had set up for her.

In Allegro’s household, everything was clearly documented, and the family’s trust funds were categorized accordingly.

While some were accessible to any child of the family, most could only be accessed based on merit after meeting certain conditions.

When Chinese families divided their properties among several children, fairness was usually emphasized, but in families like Allegro’s, the better-suited often received more to ensure superior succession.

Those with limited capabilities could only receive the minimal portion.

Yan Yan wasn’t sure if Allegro had really made that comment about her family background.

But even if she had, given the differences in their upbringings, it wasn’t incomprehensible.

In 2012, during the Fall/Winter Fashion Week, Yan Yan was wholly focused.

Since she had virtually no friends in Italy and the people she met through internships and school weren’t exactly at the center of fashion.

Thus, it took quite some time before rumors about Yan Yan reached her ears.

When Yan Yan heard the rumor, she took it as a joke and shared it with Allegro.

Allegro just laughed.

Socialites have their own circles, and Yan Yan "stealing the show" during Fashion Week meant she had captivated much of the attention that normally went to socialites.

An "old money" socialite looked at Yan Yan with displeasure and asked Allegro why she associated with someone of unclear origins who looked poor yet pretended to fit in.

There were many types of ladies; one was like Allegro, who was consistent inside and out, and another was those who appeared polite on the surface but were not humble at all.

Allegro wasn’t particularly close to this gossip-seeking "socialite," responding casually only because Allegro’s family had some business relations with the woman’s father.

According to Allegro, Yan Yan should not be considered of questionable origin.

Rather, it was because of a private equity fund in which Yan Yan and her family invested that they often came together.

Finally, with a hint of self-deprecation, Allegro added, "If we are talking about looking poor, I certainly don’t have as much money as the poor-looking person you’re referring to."

With this, the once disdainful socialite underwent a complete 180-degree shift in her attitude towards Yan Yan after getting this "inside information" from Allegro.

In the world of socialites, birds of a feather flock together, and someone like Yan Yan needed to become a part of their circle.

Allegro’s words, after being polished and edited, became that Yan Yan’s family background was extremely strong, beyond comparison with Allegro’s.

Subsequently, this socialite made moves to have Allegro introduce her to Yan Yan occasionally. ƒreewebηoveℓ.com

Allegro still took these requests lightly.

Time passed quietly day by day, and more people came to inquire about Yan Yan from Allegro.

Allegro’s family was prestigious with many who sought to connect with her.

But the education Allegro received from childhood was to earn one’s way, and she preferred people who shared her beliefs.

Allegro and Yan Yan occasionally dined and shopped together, initially talking about funds and insurance matters, agreeing to help because she got along well with Yan Ling.

But gradually, Allegro began taking an interest in Yan Yan’s dress style.

During their shopping trips, Yan Yan was always stylishly dressed but never seemed to buy clothes or shoes herself.

It was always Allegro buying ready-to-wear, while Yan Yan just watched.

Allegro asked Yan Yan why she never even tried on any of the beautiful clothing.

Yan Yan explained that during Fashion Week, she had worn many brands’ ready-to-wear and ultimately felt that nothing beats tailor-made clothing.

Yan Yan had become somewhat perfectionistic about silhouettes, and even if she had ready-to-wear altered, it still had some imperfections.

Suddenly, Yan Yan felt reluctant to wear clothes not tailored to her body.

After hearing this, Allegro asked which Haute Couture Maison made the clothes Yan Yan was wearing.

.........

The concept of Haute Couture has been overused not just in China but worldwide.

It’s the same with the concept of Champagne.

Anyone who has attended a wedding in a hotel has likely seen the bride and groom pour champagne.

Many "Champagne Towers" are just for show provided by the hotel, and hardly anyone actually drinks the "Champagne" in them.

In reality, the fizzy wine provided by the hotels should be called Sparkling Wine, and they are quite basic in the realm of bubblies, far from real Champagne.

Champagne is indeed a type of sparkling wine, but it is a very specific subcategory tied to a place name.

Only sparkling wine from French Champagne Town can be called Champagne.

All other sparkling wines must be referred to by their proper name—Sparkling Wine.

The French have always had their own definitions of tradition and nobility.