A burning pain spread across Tian Xiaoyuan’s lips, and the metallic taste of blood filled her mouth.
Her eyes reddened, and tears dripped onto the floor as Qin Su’s voice echoed in her ears.
“See? I told you so.”
Told me so, my foot!
If Qin Su hadn’t deliberately cursed her, she wouldn’t have stormed off in anger.
If she hadn’t walked so quickly, she never would have fallen.
Filled with anger and humiliation, Tian Xiaoyuan struggled to her feet and limped away.
She felt as though everyone around her was laughing at her.
The pain in her mouth only fueled the hatred burning inside her like a prairie fire.
Touching her lips, she realized one of her front teeth seemed slightly loose.
Her expression grew dark.
She would remember this grudge.
…
Qin Su withdrew her gaze and continued waiting for the plane to board.
Cui Mingyu had heard bits and pieces about Qin Su from his uncle.
He also knew that the Feng Shui artifact used in the family’s formation had been selected with Qin Su’s help.
So he didn’t treat her words as a joke.
He asked,
“Was everything you said just now true?”
Without realizing it, he had begun addressing Qin Su with the respectful “you.”
Qin Su replied casually,
“I have no reason to make things up just to annoy her.”
She had merely offered a warning.
Whether Tian Xiaoyuan chose to believe it was entirely her own decision.
Everyone had their own destiny.
If she happened to like someone and they were fated to meet her, she might help change their fortune.
As for Tian Xiaoyuan…
Cui Mingyu’s expression became serious.
“Then… what about me?”
Qin Su studied his features.
Although she couldn’t determine the exact details, his face clearly carried the signs of wealth.
“You should make money on this trip.”
A hint of delight appeared on Cui Mingyu’s face.
“Then I’ll gladly accept your auspicious prediction.”
Qin Su took out her phone and casually started reading a novel.
It was none other than Tian Xiaoyuan’s Emerald Eyes, the novel that had successfully sold its adaptation rights.
Whatever else could be said, the fact that it had caught Director Zhou’s attention was well deserved.
The story was genuinely engaging.
Its plot rose and fell dramatically, drawing readers into the protagonist’s fate.
The satisfying moments flowed naturally, delivering one gratifying payoff after another.
After finally clearing a level in her game, Tu Qing noticed what Qin Su was reading and widened her eyes in surprise.
“You’re reading her novel?”
Qin Su smiled.
“Know your enemy, know yourself, and you’ll never lose a battle.”
Her soul was much stronger than an ordinary person’s.
She could read at an astonishing speed.
By the time boarding began, she had already finished the entire novel.
…
There were no direct flights from K City to the capital of M Country these days.
They had to transfer flights along the way, and by the time they reached their destination, it was already evening.
If Qin Su had gone to the local jade mines by herself, the mine owners would never have brought out any quality rough stones for her to inspect.
Only with an industry insider like Cui Mingyu making introductions could she gain access.
To outsiders, the jade trade was full of mystery.
From the airport, it took another eight hours by road to reach the nearest jade mining area.
It was said that this year’s public jade auction had been postponed because continuous rainfall in M Country had washed out both the roads leading to the jade mines and the smaller paths into the mining sites, leaving them accessible only on foot.
Cui Mingyu was no stranger to the area and had already reserved rooms for them in advance, one room per person.
They planned to rest nearby for the night before setting out the next day for the nearest Longken mining area.
After getting off the plane, Tu Qing looked rather unwell.
Her face was pale, making her appear even more pitiful.
Qin Su recalled that during the flight, Tu Qing had never once looked out the window and had even worn earmuffs throughout the journey. She suspected Tu Qing suffered from a fear of heights.
In her current condition, Tu Qing clearly couldn’t join them for dinner, so she stayed behind at the hotel.
Qin Su decided she would bring back a bowl of porridge for her later, so at least she wouldn’t go hungry.
Because the jade public auction was approaching, there were many Chinese tourists visiting the area.
Even while sightseeing, Qin Su could hear familiar Mandarin conversations all around her.
A pot-bellied man was proudly boasting to his female companion.
“See this Imperial Green jade necklace? It came from a rough stone I bought last time. I had an entire jewelry set made from it.”
“Someone offered me twenty million yuan for it, and I still couldn’t bear to sell it.”
“It’s not like I’m short on money.”
“Top-quality jade is something you can only encounter by chance.”
Wrapping an arm around his companion, he pinched her waist.
“If you behave yourself, I’ll have an even prettier piece made into jewelry for you next time.”
His companion widened her eyes and coquettishly replied,
“Chairman Dong, don’t lie to me. I’ll take you seriously.”
“At the very least, it has to be better than the bracelet you already gave me.”
Qin Su’s gaze swept over the emerald-green necklace hanging from his neck.
It certainly looked beautiful.
Yet it contained not the slightest trace of spiritual energy.
Even the inexpensive oil-green jade she had casually purchased contained some spiritual energy.
This one had none at all.
Clearly, it was fake.
Watching him show off counterfeit jewelry in front of a beautiful woman amused her.
Still, his vanity had nothing to do with her.
They were complete strangers, so she had no intention of speaking up.
After finishing her meal, she asked the waiter to pack a takeaway portion.
Perhaps because there were so many Chinese tourists in the area, several of the restaurant staff understood Mandarin.
The transmigrator had once used the system to enhance Qin Su’s voice, making it exceptionally sweet and pleasant.
Anyone hearing it would immediately imagine a great beauty.
Chairman Dong was instantly captivated by the sound.
Turning around, he was completely stunned by Qin Su’s beauty.
For a moment, he lost all sense of time.
The beauty in his arms was instantly reduced to an ordinary woman in comparison with the young woman standing not far away.
He hurriedly released his companion, straightened his sleeves, and walked over to Qin Su.
Taking off his necklace, he said,
“A piece of jewelry like this should be worn by someone as beautiful as you.”
Qin Su glanced at the necklace and smiled politely.
“No, thank you. You should keep it yourself.”
Chairman Dong shook his head.
“Don’t be so polite.”
“It’ll definitely look beautiful on you.”
His female companion watched the scene, her face twisting with anger.
Qin Su sighed softly.
“Giving me fake jade, are you trying to insult me?”
Her tone was certain, and her gaze seemed capable of seeing straight through him.
Chairman Dong froze.
The moment she exposed the truth, his face darkened.
“I, Dong Dashan, am a respected man.”
“If you keep slandering my reputation, don’t blame me for being rude.”
“Tell me, were you sent by one of my competitors to smear my name?”
“Was it the Gu family?”
“You’re so young. Why don’t you learn to behave yourself instead?”
He reacted quickly, immediately turning the accusation back on her.
Qin Su raised an eyebrow.
Some people really didn’t know how to appreciate being shown courtesy.
Cui Mingyu picked up Dong Dashan’s necklace and examined it carefully under the light.
Calmly, he said,
“This should be made of Australian jade.”
“Genuine Imperial Green jade has a fibrous interwoven structure, while Australian jade has a granular structure.”
“Any appraisal agency can easily tell the difference.”
He took out his business card.
“My surname is Cui.”
“If anyone isn’t sure how to identify jade, you’re welcome to visit any branch of Yupin. Every one of our stores has a certified appraiser.”
He took the opportunity to advertise his family’s business.
Yupin enjoyed an excellent reputation throughout China, with multiple branches in every province.
Those nearby who understood Mandarin immediately began looking at Dong Dashan with subtle contempt.
Dong Dashan didn’t dare accompany Cui Mingyu for an appraisal.
He knew perfectly well that the necklace was a fake worth only a few thousand yuan.
His chest rose and fell violently, yet he couldn’t utter a single word.
Qin Su’s gaze shifted to the uncertain-looking female companion.
It lingered briefly on the exquisite bracelet she was wearing.
There was still no trace of spiritual energy.
It was fake too.
She reminded the woman,
“The bracelet you’re wearing is fake as well.”
The woman in the red dress turned alternately pale and flushed with anger.
Grinding her teeth, she shouted,
“Well done, Dong Dashan!”
“No wonder you’ve never bought me a house or a car.”
“So you only ever gave me jewelry!”
Furious, she rushed forward and slapped him across the face, leaving a distinct handprint on his cheek.
Then she grabbed her handbag and stormed off.
By then, the waiter had finished packing the porridge.
Without sparing Dong Dashan another glance, Qin Su picked it up and left the restaurant.
…
After leaving the restaurant, Cui Mingyu said politely,
“I didn’t expect you to know so much about jade, Master Qin.”
“Even someone like me had to inspect it carefully from up close before noticing anything unusual.”
“You spotted the problem from a distance.”
Qin Su smiled faintly.
“I’ve simply been luckier than most people.”
Cui Mingyu didn’t believe it was merely luck.
Qin Su’s confidence had been far too absolute.
Still, he had no intention of probing further.
Smiling, he changed the subject and began talking about the jade mines.
This was exactly the kind of topic Qin Su was interested in, and she listened with great enthusiasm.
After returning to the hotel, she first took the boxed porridge to Tu Qing’s room.
Only after watching her finish eating did she return to her own room to rest.
…
After circulating her spiritual energy through her body several times, Qin Su felt the temperature around her begin to drop.
With a sharp click, the light overhead, which had been switched off, suddenly turned itself on.
It flickered on and off, adding an eerie atmosphere to the room.
The previously silent room was soon filled with the sound of high heels clicking across the floor.
Click.
Click.
Click.
It sounded as though they were right beside her ears.
Qin Su let out a sigh and opened her eyes.
She only wanted to cultivate in peace.
Why did someone always have to interrupt her?
On the ceiling was a face.
Half of it was covered in blood, long black hair hanging down, her expression cold and sinister.
Their eyes met.
The female ghost bared her teeth in a grin, making her look even more terrifying.
Having her cultivation interrupted left Qin Su in a foul mood.
She grabbed the ghost by the hair and yanked her straight down from the ceiling.
The astonished expression on the ghost’s face froze in place.
She watched as the seemingly slender and delicate young woman pulled a massive hammer out from her chest and smashed it down at her without mercy.
What followed was too pitiful to watch.
The vicious ghost was beaten until tears and snot streamed down her face, her miserable screams echoing nonstop.
“Talk. Why did you come looking for me?”
The ghost had been beaten to the point where she was almost scattered into nothingness. She didn’t dare hide anything.
“I… I was sent by Dong Dashan. He promised to make offerings to me afterward if I succeeded.”
She had no descendants, so after her death, no one made offerings to her. She had been reduced to taking on shady jobs for the living in exchange for joss paper and offerings.
Her assignment had been to frighten Qin Su into losing her mind.
She had thought it would be an easy task.
Instead, she had run headfirst into someone she absolutely couldn’t afford to provoke.
She regretted it deeply.
Qin Su raised an eyebrow.
She hadn’t expected Dong Dashan to be so vindictive.
Just because he had been humiliated, he had actually sent a female ghost to scare her.
She casually swung the hammer in her hand.
Her expression remained calm.
“I’ll give you two choices.”
“Either let this hammer eat you…”
Qianjin cooperatively opened her enormous mouth, the aura radiating from it making the female ghost tremble uncontrollably.
“…or obey my orders.”