Manager Su took out a transparent small bag containing a half piece of fingernail painted with red nail polish, “We recorded video and took photos throughout the process of evidence collection.”
“Very good!”
Jian Xi’s lips curved, and she smiled coldly.
“Miss Jian, should we call the police?”
“Not for now.
If this is done well, bring me an SUV later!”
“Yes, Miss Jian!”
Manager Su was overjoyed, as this brand’s SUV cost over a million as well!
He felt as if he had stepped in dog shit luck, ordering two luxury cars in just two days!
From now on, he would cling tightly to Miss Jian’s coattails.
“Here, the keys are yours.
Go get me a snazzy license plate!”
“Yes!”
Jian Xi tossed the car keys to the manager and then went to browse through a nearby shopping mall.
She had only brought a small carry-on case this time returning, filled mostly with art supplies and only one set of clothing to change into.
Feeling so good today, why not go shopping?
…
Shopping doesn’t require going to any fancy places.
The fancier the place, the more mass-produced everything is.
Sometimes it’s the small streets and alleys where you can fish out unexpected treasures!
Jiangcheng is famous for its purple pottery, and there’s a Zitao Street specializing in it.
You can find prized collectibles by renowned masters, as well as unique small pieces created by local craftsmen.
Jian Xi took a cab straight to Zitao Street.
She was still dressed simply – instead of a white shirt, she had switched to a plaid one paired with jeans.
With a small backpack slung over her shoulders, she walked on the cobblestoned street in her sneakers.
The midday sun was fierce, and the street wasn’t very crowded.
Both sides of the street were lined with stalls and shops selling all kinds of purple pottery.
The area brimmed with buildings styled in imitation of ancient architecture.
Lanterns and flags fluttered in the breeze, giving the illusion of having transmigrated in time.
Jian Xi strolled leisurely, admiring the art on display, occasionally stopping to look closely.
There were half-person-tall jars for storing liquor, tiny pottery figurines the size of a fingertip…
“Girl, would you like to learn how to make purple pottery?”
Suddenly, an elder from a roadside stall asked.
Jian Xi paused in her steps.
The old man appeared to be in his seventies and was very spirited, his face glowing with health and a big white beard that made him look a bit like Santa Claus.
Behind him stood a shabby shop, long unattended, cluttered with pottery of all sizes.
It contrasted sharply with the other tidy shops around it.
“Girl, I can teach you to make purple pottery, no tuition fee!” the old man said with a toothy smile, stroking his beard.
Jian Xi smiled wryly, “Grandpa, I am quite crude with my hands and can’t do such delicate work.”
“Not at all, your hands look very artistic,” he countered.
Jian Xi looked startled and raised her own hands.
Her fingers were slender and supple, indeed very artistic.
Who would have expected that these hands had also once clenched a gun and wielded a knife?
“Grandpa, really, I can’t!”
“How do you know if you don’t try?
Look, the apprentice I took on today also said he couldn’t at first, but now he can already make big bowls.”
The old man got up and led Jian Xi inside.
This street had been converted from an old one with many shops having a front retail space and a courtyard in the back; several had their own small kiln.
Jian Xi’s interest was suddenly piqued, and she followed him in.
There was a man in the yard playing with clay…
“Is it you?”
Jian Xi stopped in astonishment, her apricot-shaped eyes widening in disbelief.
The man playing with the clay looked up and was equally stunned to see Jian Xi, “How did you get here?”
“Ah, you know each other?” the old man clapped his hands in high spirits, celebrating, “If you’re acquainted, that’s even better.
You two can play with clay together!”