Since the young tour guide knew the man was a professional, he didn't interrupt. However, when it came to the transaction, Mr. Chen realized that his briefcase only contained 570,000 yuan in cash. Helpless, he asked the old man to accompany him to the bank, but the old man was stubborn and refused to go, saying that if there wasn't 600,000 yuan in cash, the deal was off. He said that selling the heirloom bracelet also depended on whether the person had the right connection, and if 600,000 yuan couldn't be produced, it meant they weren't meant to have it.
Qin Yu could imagine what happened next. Unable to buy the blood jade bracelet, Mr. Chen asked the young tour guide to lend him some cash, promising to return it soon with some extra compensation.
"Can I take a look at the bracelet you have?" The key now was the bracelet. If he was right, this bracelet should be a Baile product.
"Look at the bracelet?" The young tour guide hesitated for a moment but still handed the box to Qin Yu. For some reason, after the old man's story, he felt something was off.
The packaging box was very elegant, with a yellow silk cloth at the bottom. On top lay a red jade bracelet, shining brightly.
At first glance, Qin Yu frowned. Jade is a symbol of ancient gentlemen, emphasizing subtlety and restraint. Especially blood jade, which is a premium type of jade. Any craftsman who carves blood jade would carefully polish and wax it, making it smooth and lustrous, not like this.
Picking up the jade bracelet, Qin Yu gently touched the surface. It felt rough, not smooth at all. Jade is a plaything, and a good piece of jade needs to be handled. The longer it is handled, the smoother and more lustrous it becomes. However, this piece of jade felt rough, and if it had been passed down through generations, it would naturally feel smooth and pleasant to the touch.
"This jade bracelet is fake, not blood jade at all. You've been cheated. The old man and Mr. Chen are probably in cahoots," Qin Yu said frankly.
"Fake? Impossible! What do you know, you're just a young man. Mr. Chen is in the jewelry business; how could he not recognize blood jade?" The young tour guide was upset and immediately rebutted loudly.
"What's going on?"
"What happened?"
The young tour guide's loud voice attracted some tourists who had just finished shopping. They gathered around, and the young tour guide recounted the story, pointing at Qin Yu and saying, "He says Mr. Chen is a fraud and that the bracelet is fake. Look at how good the jade quality is, how clear and pure the color is. How can it be fake?"
"This jade doesn't look fake. It should be real."
"What do you mean? I think this young man is right. How could things be so coincidental? This is clearly a setup."
Qin Yu heard the tourists' comments and secretly sneered. The tour guide was still hoping for the best, but if they reported it now, the three scammers might still be caught, and the 30,000 yuan could be recovered. If they waited any longer, the scammers would be long gone.
"Young man, let me take a look at this jade," an elderly tourist stepped forward, took out a pair of reading glasses from his pocket, and put them on. He seemed to know something about jade. Qin Yu quickly handed the bracelet to the old man.
"The young man is right. This bracelet is fake, not real jade," the old man said, holding the bracelet and tapping it lightly with his hand, then examining it in the sunlight for a while before concluding.
"Sir, are you sure? How can this jade be fake?" The young tour guide's expression turned sour, but his tone was not as harsh as it was with Qin Yu.
"Let me do an experiment, and you'll see if this jade is real or fake."
The old man's words made Qin Yu's eyes light up. Although he believed the jade was fake, he couldn't provide evidence.
The old man placed the bracelet on the surface of the box, took out a bottle of mineral water, and slowly dripped a drop of water onto the bracelet. The water droplet quickly disappeared upon contact with the jade.
"Actually, there's a simple method to distinguish real and fake jade called the water drop test. Real jade will form a dewdrop that doesn't dissipate for a long time, while fake jade will quickly disappear. Your bracelet is fake."
"It's really fake. This tour guide is unlucky, falling for the scammers' trick."
"Yes, I heard from a friend in the jade business that the water drop test can indeed distinguish real and fake jade."
The tourists' comments made the young tour guide's face turn pale. 30,000 yuan was a significant amount to him, and it wasn't his money; it was the company's funds, which he had to return.
"Report it to the police. While the scammers haven't run far, we might still catch them," the old man said, putting the blood jade bracelet back in the box and handing it to the young tour guide.
"Report it... Yes, I'll report it. These damn scammers." The young tour guide quickly took out his phone and dialed 110.
Qin Yu shook his head. He doubted the police would be of much help. The young tour guide's face indicated he was destined to lose money, and the 30,000 yuan would not be recovered.
...
...
NC City, the capital of JX Province, was bustling with people at the long-distance bus station. Qin Yu got off the bus, put on a light travel bag, and took a motorcycle to NC University.
The young tour guide did not return with the bus. After reporting the incident, he went to the police station to give a statement. Qin Yu was no longer concerned about whether the scammers would be caught. His interest in the matter was to test the accuracy of the physiognomy recorded in the Zhuge Nei Jing. Now that the results proved the physiognomy was effective, he was satisfied.
The motorcycle took a shortcut through the streets, soon passing by a construction site. This was a commercial complex under construction, not far from NC University. Qin Yu knew that in the next three years, this area would become a new commercial center.
Glancing sideways, he saw that the basic structure of the commercial complex was already complete, with only a landmark building still under construction. Qin Yu scrutinized the building, sensing something was off.
However, the motorcycle quickly moved away, and the building disappeared from Qin Yu's sight, leaving only a vague outline.
Back at the dormitory, the building was quiet. The residents were all fourth-year students, most of whom had left for internships at various companies. Some were packing their bags, preparing to leave.
Qin Yu's dormitory had only two of the four roommates left, one of whom was preparing for the postgraduate entrance exam and hadn't left. As for Qin Yu, he hadn't decided where to go yet.
Finding a job in his major, Chinese History, was not easy. Unless he joined a research institution or an archaeological team, which were mostly government agencies or public institutions, and in today's society, even the most obscure departments were highly competitive. Qin Yu came from an ordinary working-class family and had no connections to compete.
"Knock! Knock!"
Qin Yu was lying on his bed, planning to take a nap, when he heard a knock on the door. The familiar voice of the dorm manager called out from outside:
"Qin Yu, someone is looking for you downstairs!"
"Oh, I know, I'll be right down!"
He quickly responded, got dressed, and went downstairs.
"Who would come to find me right after I got back, and at such a precise time?"
Qin Yu's mind raced, but he couldn't think of anyone. Most of his acquaintances had already left the school. The second roommate was preparing for the postgraduate exam and spent most of his time in the library, only appearing for meals. If he needed to find Qin Yu, he could come up directly without the dorm manager's notification.
Exiting the dormitory, Qin Yu saw a Range Rover parked outside. The imposing vehicle, with its rugged lines and large tires, caught the attention of many students.
A man in his thirties leaned against the car door. Seeing Qin Yu at the dormitory entrance, his eyes lit up, and he walked over quickly.
"Are you Qin Yu?"
"Yes, I am. Who are you? I don't think I know you," Qin Yu said suspiciously, not recognizing the man.
"Ha ha, I'm Meng Fang, Meng Yao's brother. If it's convenient, let's talk over there."
Qin Yu noticed some students looking at him and Meng Fang. The Range Rover parked downstairs was too eye-catching, and it wasn't appropriate to talk here. Moreover, Meng Fang's identity made it hard to refuse. They quickly walked to a corner.
Meng Yao, Qin Yu's current girlfriend. They had been together since their first year and were still together now. Thinking of their first meeting, a gentle smile appeared on his face.
Their first meeting was in the cafeteria. He went to buy breakfast for his roommates who had stayed up all night playing games. A girl walked towards him, wearing a mini skirt and carrying a large bag of breakfast, just like he was. Her clear and elegant face stood out in the crowd, drawing the attention of many male students. Her long hair flowed, and as she walked, her short skirt swayed, revealing a pair of snow-white legs that were captivating.
"Sir, can I have four bowls of lotus seed porridge?" The girl walked past Qin Yu and said to the cafeteria staff, her voice clear and melodious, like a string of jade beads falling into a dish, or a yellow oriole singing in a valley, with the soft charm characteristic of a southern Chinese woman.
"There's no lotus seed porridge left. The last two bowls were bought by the student behind you," the staff replied.
Hearing this, the girl turned around, her gem-like eyes staring at Qin Yu, and a charming smile appeared on her face. She opened her lips and said:
"Hello, I'm Meng Yao. Can you help me with something?"