Chapter 71: The Inexpensive Jade Cicada and the Costly Stone

When she neither smiled nor grew angry nor spoke, that was when she was truly most terrifying. Her gaze swept coldly over the stall owner, the old man, and the married couple, as frigid as a drawn blade of ice.

All three shuddered in unison, secretly wondering how this little girl could be so intimidating, what a presence she had!

The bystanders all felt a chill in their hearts.

This young lady was no ordinary person!

The man gritted his teeth. "Let’s just call it our bad luck… let’s go!"

The three of them tried to slip away like rats, but were halted by Sui Yi’s voice: “Wait.”

What now, lady? We’ve already admitted defeat, isn’t that enough?

The trio dreaded offending the well-connected Sui Yi any further and halted, thinking she intended to make more trouble for them.

But instead, she pulled out twenty yuan from her wallet and handed it to the woman. “For your broken bottle… will this suffice?”

The woman was stunned.

Heavens, she’s even offering money?

Even if it was only twenty yuan…

Was this girl a fool? Or just remarkably well-mannered?

One had to admit, Sui Yi’s gesture was the epitome of noble conduct.

The onlookers chattered among themselves.

The woman took the money, trembling, about to say something when Sui Yi turned to the equally astonished stall owner and said, “I’ve compensated you for the item, yet you tried to deceive me. Shouldn’t you offer some recompense as well?”

“I…”

“Consider this item a token of reconciliation… From now on, we owe each other nothing. Is that acceptable?”

Under the clear, piercing gaze of the young woman, the stall owner felt an overwhelming pressure. He nodded, “It’s acceptable.”

Sui Yi then picked up a jade cicada pendant that hung from a string. These things were commonplace, selling for thirty or forty yuan at most.

“Very well… let’s go,” Sui Yi called to Su Ziyi, who snapped out of his daze and followed, clutching his now-cold coffee.

The crowd watched their retreating figures and caught snatches of conversation—

“You’re just letting them off? Doesn’t that seem unfair?”

“Unfair? Didn’t I just make a ten yuan profit?”

“…But that thing is everywhere, probably costs only a few yuan to make…”

“As long as I like it.”

After a while, someone remarked, “Isn’t that the Su family’s boy…”

“It’s him—his grandfather is… And that girl is something else too.”

“Ah, looks like A-Mao picked the wrong people to mess with… Who is that girl? Is she local?”

A-Mao was the stall owner’s nickname.

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Did she really just like it?

Sui Yi played with the jade cicada in her hand. The deep green magnetic energy within was vivid to her senses. As she absorbed the energy into her body, she felt her constitution strengthen once more.

“It looks pretty ordinary anyway, and it’s not even clean. Don’t wipe it with your hand… Wait until we get to my place and use some paper,” Su Ziyi said.

In the world of antiques, “wiping” had its own meaning, but Su Ziyi meant it literally. To him, this was just a trinket—a fake.

Of course, he said this only out of concern, unwilling to see Sui Yi’s slender, fair fingers stained by who-knows-what.

They wandered on, but Sui Yi found nothing else of value. In truth, discovering the jade cicada was enough to consider the day lucky—there was wisdom in the saying that fortune and misfortune are intertwined.

Relaxed, the two strolled and chatted. Sui Yi, lately immersed in biographies and ancient texts, found common ground with Su Ziyi. As they talked, he bought a bag of roasted chestnuts from a street vendor. Despite not knowing Sui Yi for long, he spoke with easy familiarity, occasionally handing her chestnuts.

In fact, his immediate defense of Sui Yi earlier had won her admiration. Few people these days had such a sense of responsibility. Most would have been intimidated by the mention of a two-million-yuan compensation, fearing they’d have to share the burden.

But he had included himself without hesitation.

She wasn’t sure if it was naivete or sincerity.

Sui Yi had few friends—not because of her temperament, but because she moved in different circles. In Old Tang’s world, she encountered only rogues and tricksters, not the sort one could trust. Even at school, given her unique background, she kept her distance.

Now…

Sui Yi subconsciously brushed her palm and sighed. Perhaps the road ahead would be far different from anything she had ever anticipated.

“Sui Yi, look—that’s my grandfather’s shop… Huh, why is there such a crowd?” Su Ziyi pointed to a sprawling establishment ahead. Sui Yi looked up, her eyes flashing.

—Book Fragrance Pavilion?

Could his grandfather be…

“Come on, let’s check it out.”

They approached.

Indeed, a dense crowd had gathered in front of Book Fragrance Pavilion. What was usually a broad plaza was ringed with people—many in sharp suits, some older folks with imposing air.

People continued to stream in, calling out about stones, raw jade, and the like…

Su Ziyi, as the young master of the house, was immediately recognized by the staff, who called out, “Young Master!” and cleared a path for him and Sui Yi.

Once inside the circle, Sui Yi finally saw what was so peculiar on the ground.

Stones—hundreds of them—were laid out, alongside a large machine for cutting and polishing.

Old Han, who had been chatting with friends, spotted his grandson and broke into a smile. “Ah, Ziyi… come here—wait, who’s this?”

He noticed Sui Yi behind Su Ziyi, showed a flash of surprise, then grinned and called out, “Old Tang, come see who’s here!”

A scruffy old man surrounded by business owners turned and, seeing Sui Yi, lit up.

“Hey, Sui Yi! How did you end up here?”

Old Tang, having no children of his own, had always cherished Sui Yi as his apprentice.

He beckoned her over.

“Everyone, this is my apprentice, Sui Yi…”

Old Tang and Old Han were leading figures in Nanxun Town, both influential and well-connected. The business owners all vied for their favor. Now, seeing both men greet this beautiful girl so warmly, they were astonished.

Su Ziyi was puzzled too, glancing at Sui Yi as Old Han clapped his shoulder and drew him over. “I always thought my grandson should study biographies and ancient texts, so he’d have things to talk about with Sui Yi, but never had the chance to introduce you two. Well, now you’ve met… Ziyi, you ought to learn from Sui Yi. If you can master even a third of her skills, our family business will be in good hands. And you two should support each other in the future…”

Old Han’s words seemed casual and kindly, but those present instantly grasped their deeper meaning.

First, Old Han’s business was destined for his only grandson.

Second, Old Tang’s affairs would be entrusted to Sui Yi.

Third, the alliance between these two elders was so solid it was now extending to the younger generation.

With the grand antique fair approaching, the two of them would control the lion’s share, making these two juniors pivotal figures.

Such matters were no surprise to Su Ziyi, who already saw Sui Yi as someone worth befriending. He would not refuse. Sui Yi smiled, “You flatter me, Old Han… But may I ask, what is all this?”

She deftly shifted the topic to the stones on the ground.

She noticed that those immaculately dressed people were squatting to inspect the rocks, picking through them as if shopping for vegetables, some even using magnifying glasses.

Did stones really require such scrutiny?

A middle-aged man in a brown jacket and gray trousers approached, stone dust clinging to his moustache.

Following him were several familiar faces.

Most of the participants from the previous treasure appraisal and gambling match were present—Boss Wang, Boss Quan, and others.

Even Boss Qian, who lost a million to Sui Yi, was there. Enemies meeting face to face always felt a sting; Qian’s expression darkened at once, and the girl beside him looked displeased too.

Qian Fengling was Boss Qian’s granddaughter. Sui Yi had already learned this from Yan Qingwu’s casual hints, but hadn’t expected to meet both here—neither of whom was friendly to her.

“It’s Sui Yi. Why is she here!” Qian Fengling had noticed Old Han and Old Tang’s actions earlier. The sudden rise in status of someone she’d always looked down on was hard to swallow, making her tone sharp.

She couldn’t help but speculate about Sui Yi’s presence in the worst possible way.

“Ling, do you know her?” Boss Qian asked.

“My classmate… She’s just an orphan… Grandpa, is she that Old Tang’s…”

“Who knows… She’s not bad looking,” Boss Qian grunted.

Qian Fengling, who never admitted Sui Yi’s beauty, was willing to concede it now.

Quan Ling, standing by his father, had long since forgotten any embarrassment from last time. Seeing Sui Yi again, he thought she looked even more stunning than before.

To him, Sui Yi was now the ideal target—beautiful, young, refined, intelligent, wealthy, and promising.

As his father said, marrying such a girl would be a credit to their family.

Her only weakness was her background, but that was hardly an issue; lacking family ties would only make her easier to control. Of course, if his charm was enough, he wouldn’t mind keeping her as a mistress instead.

In truth, both he and his father leaned toward the latter.

A woman’s heart—once won, everything else followed; she’d have no choice but to obey.

Thinking thus, Quan Ling broke into a smile and approached to greet Sui Yi.

(To be continued.)