《Reborn As Super Heiress》


 Chapter 1 - Chapter 1: Chapter 1 The Body at the Bottom of the Sea

    Chapter 1: Chapter 1 The Body at the Bottom of the Sea


    ¡°`


    Whoo¡ª Whoo¡ª Whoo¡ª


    Huo Sining slowly opened her eyes to the sound of a ship¡¯s whistle in her ears.


    The sound of the ocean waves slapping against the windows and the rolling motion of the vessel made her realize she was on a yacht or a cruiser.


    Huo Sining was perplexed. She had gone to Haicheng on vacation with her boyfriend, Zhao Mingcheng, and had no plans to set out to sea on a yacht.


    How had she mysteriously appeared here?


    Huo Sining furrowed her brow, her last memory being dinner with Zhao Mingcheng at a seaside hotel. Under the breeze, his sweet nothings had left her utterly captivated.


    Encouraged by Zhao Mingcheng, Huo Sining, who never drank, had downed a low-alcohol cocktail he had handed her¡­


    ¡°The effect of the anesthesia is about to wear off; go and ask Miss Liang if she wants the surgery to continue.¡±


    A strange man¡¯s voice inside the room interrupted Huo Sining¡¯s train of thought.


    Huo Sining was slightly stunned and only then noticed there were other people in the cabin.


    Her eyes followed the source of the sound, and she saw three people in white coats, resembling medical staff, gathered around an operating table, accompanied by the beeping of various machines.


    ¡°Excuse me, have you seen Zhao Mingcheng?¡± Huo Sining, somewhat groggy, couldn¡¯t help but ask aloud.


    No one paid any attention to her; it was as if no one had heard her question.


    Huo Sining was taken aback and uncontrollably wanted to move closer to the bed.


    However, she quickly realized that other than being able to open her eyes, her body seemed to be restrained, unable to move at all.


    Huo Sining was horrified as she sensed that something was terribly wrong.


    A nurse, upon hearing the doctor¡¯s order, turned to leave the cabin.


    Huo Sining was standing right behind her, but the nurse walked forward as if she didn¡¯t see Huo Sining at all, bumping into her.


    Huo Sining didn¡¯t have time to dodge and reflexively tried to push the nurse away with her hand.


    What happened next was eerie.


    The nurse passed right through her body and walked straight to the cabin door, opened it without a care, and stepped out.


    Huo Sining was startled and stared dumbfounded at this scene, her eyes wide with shock.


    What on earth¡­ was that all about? Why had she become transparent?


    Huo Sining¡¯s heart thumped wildly, and she had an ominous premonition. She jerked her head toward the operating table.


    On the white operating table lay a woman, sleeping peacefully, her body laced with needle marks and tubes.


    But Huo Sining saw clearly¡ªthe woman¡¯s features were gentle and soft, with a fair, egg-shaped face and a demure dimple that appeared on her visage.


    That person on the bed was none other than herself!


    Staring incredulously at the person in the bed, Huo Sining¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, and her mind went blank in an instant.


    What in the world was going on? Huo Sining was both shocked and horrified.


    Just then, a deep and thick male voice, tinged with confusion and hesitation, came from outside the door:


    ¡°Are you certain the surgery is voluntary?¡±


    ¡°Young Master Gu, do you doubt me? This is Huo Sining¡¯s voluntary organ donation consent form, with her handwritten signature.¡±


    It was a woman¡¯s voice, not loud, but it wafted through the door panel and clearly into Huo Sining¡¯s eardrums.


    ¡°Young Master Gu, I know you¡¯re cautious, and I¡¯m not deceiving you. Huo Sining¡¯s uncle owes the casino three million in debt, and her cousin has crippled someone. Without the money you paid, not just her, but the rest of the Huo family wouldn¡¯t survive. The Huo family has already taken the cheque and guaranteed that there will be no further trouble.¡±


    Organ donation? Voluntary agreements?


    Huo Sining heard the woman very clearly, but she didn¡¯t understand the meaning of her words at all.


    Huo Sining¡¯s heart tightened. She listened intently to the conversation outside, her ears pricked up, holding her breath.


    Outside the door, Gu Xu scanned the thin agreement in his hands. His brow furrowed imperceptibly when his eyes crossed over the graceful signature of Huo Sining at the bottom.


    A trace of uneasiness passed through his heart, and Gu Xu lifted his head, his piercing gaze sweeping over the woman in front of him.


    Noticing her tense and evasive demeanor, Gu Xu couldn¡¯t help but pause, intending to halt the surgery.


    Just at that moment, his phone suddenly rang from his pocket.


    Seeing the incoming call number, Gu Xu¡¯s expression changed drastically, and he quickly answered the phone.


    ¡°A Xu, come back quickly, Huizi¡¯s condition has deteriorated again.¡±


    ¡°`

 Chapter 2 - Chapter 2: Chapter 1 The Body at the Bottom of the Sea_2

    Chapter 2: Chapter 1 The Body at the Bottom of the Sea_2


    On the other end of the phone, a middle-aged woman was sobbing uncontrollably, her voice filled with an urgency and panic she had never felt before.


    Gu Xu¡¯s expression instantly darkened, and a flicker of panic appeared in his normally calm demeanor; the struggle and doubt in his heart could no longer withstand the impending peril to his brother¡¯s life.


    Brushing aside the unease in his heart, Gu Xu stared at the woman before him with a grim face, his eyes filled with an unprecedented determination and seriousness.


    ¡°I won¡¯t pursue whether things are as you say they are. You had the audacity to do this, so if it causes trouble, I¡¯ll handle it. My brother¡¯s life is hanging by a thread right now, and I¡¯m only giving you two hours to make sure you deliver the item to the hospital safely!¡±


    After saying this, Gu Xu hurriedly turned and left the cabin.


    Even though he was well aware that there was something fishy about this situation, he chose not to investigate, clearly distinguishing between what was urgent and what was not.


    Gu Xu was in a rush to get back to the hospital, and therefore did not notice the sinister smile that appeared on the woman¡¯s face behind him.


    The cabin door was soon pushed open from the outside, and a woman walked into the room where Huo Sining was.


    A body-hugging chiffon dress accentuated her graceful and sexy figure, her waist-length curly hair tinted with a hint of gold, making her pale, delicate skin and exquisite features even more alluring, exuding charm from every angle.


    But Huo Sining was in no mood to admire the beauty. Seeing the woman¡¯s face, she felt both surprised and confused.


    Although it had been many years since they had seen each other, Huo Sining recognized at a glance that the woman before her was her once best friend, Wu Jingyi.


    Hadn¡¯t she returned to the Imperial Capital Liang Family to become a pampered Miss? Why was she here? Huo Sining¡¯s mind was filled with questions.


    Just like the nurse before, Wu Jingyi did not notice ¡°Huo Sining¡± standing in the center of the cabin.


    She slowly walked up to the operating table, her eyes fixed on the Huo Sining lying on the hospital bed, her smiling face not reaching her eyes, as if she was looking at a mere plaything.


    Huo Sining¡¯s heart sank. Thinking back to the strange conversation she had overheard outside between Wu Jingyi and that unfamiliar man, she felt like she understood something, and an ominous premonition began to loom in her mind.


    ¡°Should I say you¡¯re unlucky, or just plain stupid?¡±


    Gazing at the tranquil sleeping face before her, Wu Jingyi¡¯s eyes shifted elegantly, and she said with a slight smile.


    ¡°Why do you think a man like Zhao Mingcheng would be interested in you? Do you really think you¡¯re naturally beautiful and stunning? If I hadn¡¯t offered Zhao Mingcheng a bigger reward, why would he stoop so low to get close to you?¡±


    Hearing these words, Huo Sining, no matter how naive, realized she had been set up. Reflecting on the events before she lost consciousness, she quickly grasped the essence of the problem.


    At the seaside hotel, there was something wrong with the cocktail that Zhao Mingcheng had given her!


    ¡°Why? I¡¯ve done nothing to harm you, so why would you want to hurt me?¡±


    Huo Sining couldn¡¯t help but raise her voice in question to the woman before her, wondering why she would do such a thing.


    Unfortunately, no one but she could hear her interrogation.


    ¡°Oh well, there¡¯s not much time left. Considering the generous donation of your heart, I might as well let you die knowing the truth.¡±


    Perhaps sensing the rage and resentment brewing in Huo Sining¡¯s heart, Wu Jingyi started talking to herself.


    ¡°Do you know why I was able to return to the Liang Family and become Miss Liang? It¡¯s all because of this.¡±


    Wu Jingyi slowly raised her right hand, her thumb and index finger delicately pinching a pendant around her neck.


    ¡°Without this Jade Pendant you gave me, how could I have lived the luxurious life of a wealthy heiress? Do you realize what this pendant signifies? It¡¯s a Liang Clan heirloom! Tsk tsk tsk, such an important token of identity, and you didn¡¯t care at all, just gave it to me so casually?¡±


    The sleeping face on the hospital bed lay still, undisturbed, while the Huo Sining standing in the center of the room turned pale in an instant.


    Her eyes widened in incredulity, sweeping over Wu Jingyi¡¯s smug face and finally landing on that familiar pendant.


    Shocked disbelief filled her gaze before she seemed to come to an understanding, and she slowly closed her sorrowful eyes, a bitter smile appearing at the corners of her mouth.


    Huo Sining could never have imagined that the truth of the matter would turn out like this.


    Unaware of the anger and jealousy on Huo Sining¡¯s face, Wu Jingyi was clearly dissatisfied; she couldn¡¯t help but pinch Huo Sining¡¯s rough palm full of calluses and continued:


    ¡°I stole your position as the Liang Family¡¯s Miss, living in luxury every day while you, the rightful heiress, slaved away and were mistreated, enduring such a miserable life. Don¡¯t you feel any hatred?¡±

 Chapter 3 - Chapter 3: Chapter 1 Sunk Corpse at the Sea Bottom_3

    Chapter 3: Chapter 1 Sunk Corpse at the Sea Bottom_3


    Wu Jingyi hooked the corner of her lips smugly.


    ¡°Do you know who caused all of this? It was me. You failed the college entrance examination, and the admission notice you eagerly awaited never arrived. You thought it was because your score wasn¡¯t high enough, didn¡¯t you? Actually, I had someone steal your admission notice. You didn¡¯t know, did you? Your admission notice¡ªit was actually burned by my own hands.¡±


    Huo Sining stood straight in the cabin, her face, which had remained somewhat calm, finally cracked.


    Her eyes were fixed deadly on Wu Jingyi, as if flames were about to erupt from them.


    ¡°You wished to go to the Imperial Capital for college to escape the control of the scum of the Huo family. How could I let you have your wish? The Imperial Capital is the stronghold of the Liang Family. If you, the true owner, arrived and were recognized by the Liang Family people, wouldn¡¯t I, the fake, have to give up my place to you?¡±


    Seemingly seeing the rage and unwillingness on Huo Sining¡¯s face, Wu Jingyi giggled as she continued to list accusations in a casual manner:


    ¡°Also, the drug that was slipped into your drink at the Shengtang Group¡¯s annual meeting¡ªthat was my doing, too. Unfortunately, you escaped too quickly, rendering the several acts I had prepared for you afterwards utterly useless.¡±


    ¡°You! You maniac!¡±


    Huo Sining¡¯s face was a mix of shock and fear, realizing those thugs that day had all been arranged by Wu Jingyi.


    The face of a strange, rugged man flashed through Huo Sining¡¯s mind.


    Indeed, if it wasn¡¯t for that man¡¯s timely help, she would certainly have fallen into Wu Jingyi¡¯s trap that night!


    Just thinking about such a scene, Huo Sining¡¯s complexion turned deathly pale at once.


    Wu Jingyi¡¯s face was blooming with a joyous smile, but her eyes were incomparably cold.


    She reached out and quietly brushed aside the wisps of hair near Huo Sining¡¯s ear. Sure enough, there was a red birthmark behind Huo Sining¡¯s ear, boldly catching the eye.


    ¡°Initially, I only wanted to ruin you, not kill you. Unfortunately, you¡¯ve been too lively. Without the Liang Family¡¯s heirloom, just a birthmark was enough to draw their attention. Hmph, it really seems that dead people are the only ones who can keep secrets. Tell me, if I sink you to the bottom of this sea, who will know that you are the true heiress of the Liang Family?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re utterly heartless! Aren¡¯t you afraid of retribution?¡±


    It was only about transferring a personal amulet to someone else, and Huo Sining could never have imagined that such a routine action would bring about her doom.


    The friend from her past had turned into a ruthless wolf in sheep¡¯s clothing, usurping her identity as the wealthy heiress¡ªnot only that, but Wu Jingyi also wanted to silence her forever.


    Huo Sining¡¯s curses could not possibly reach Wu Jingyi¡¯s ears. Looking at Huo Sining on the operating table, she smiled faintly.


    ¡°Oh, right, I haven¡¯t thanked you yet. If you hadn¡¯t so selflessly donated your heart, I doubt I could have connected with the Gu and Song families so quickly. In a few hours, your lively heart will become a part of the Young Master of the Song Family¡¯s body. Just thinking about it excites me!¡±


    Upon hearing this, Huo Sining trembled uncontrollably all over, her anger boiling over, wanting to rush forward and fight Wu Jingyi desperately.


    However, no matter how much she struggled, her body was completely immobilized.


    Despair filled Huo Sining¡¯s heart, and before she could think of other strategies, she saw two doctors in white coats already approaching the bedside with scalpels in hand.


    Wu Jingyi nodded her assent, and one of the medical staff picked up a syringe and injected it into Huo Sining¡¯s body.


    The cold scalpel incised her abdomen, and she watched helplessly as the doctors extracted her heart from her body.


    Then, her battered and incomplete body was dumped into the sea. The massive waves churned, and in an instant, her body disappeared from sight.


    ¡°No¡ª¡±


    Confronted with such a brutal scene, Huo Sining finally broke down completely, crying out in anguish.


    But no matter how piercing and pained her cries were, no one could hear them.


    Gradually, her consciousness grew blurry, and through tear-filled eyes, she saw the medical personnel passing a glass medicine box containing her heart to Wu Jingyi.


    Wu Jingyi, with a harmless smile on her face and a hint of a cold smirk at the corner of her mouth, took the medicine box nonchalantly and walked out of the cabin as if nothing had ever happened¡­

 Chapter 4 - Chapter 4: Chapter 2: Back to Seven Years Ago

    Chapter 4: Chapter 2: Back to Seven Years Ago


    ¡°`


    ¡°You were supposed to fix the chicken coop roof for the old lady, and you can¡¯t even handle this simple task, did you grow up eating shit? The old lady raised you all these years for nothing!¡±


    A shrill scolding, Huo Sining opened her eyes.


    Feeling a throbbing pain at her temple, she couldn¡¯t help but reach to touch her forehead.


    That touch came back with a handful of bright red blood.


    Huo Sining froze, only then realizing she was lying in a dilapidated courtyard, beneath her a pile of broken tiles and rubble.


    Hadn¡¯t she been harmed by Wu Jingyi and thrown into the sea? How come she was here?


    Huo Sining¡¯s gaze was somewhat vacant, her mind muddled and blank for a moment, unable to discern where she was.


    ¡°Look at the mess you¡¯ve made! All these broken bricks and tiles, do you have any idea how much money you¡¯re wasting for the old lady?! Stop pretending, lying there¡ªare you waiting for the old lady to collect your corpse?¡±


    A broom came flying for no reason, smashing right onto Huo Sining¡¯s body.


    The intense pain caused her to suddenly widen her eyes, gazing at everything in the courtyard!


    What entered her sight was the familiar greenery, a grape arbor covering the entire yard, dotted with crystal-clear fruits.


    She couldn¡¯t help but get up and reach out to touch the grapes on the vines; the cool texture surprised and puzzled her.


    But this action annoyed Huo Longjiang, who was causing trouble in the yard, and as soon as Huo Sining¡¯s hand touched the arbor, the brat started howling at the top of his voice:


    ¡°Mom, come quick! Huo Sining, that bitch, is trying to steal grapes to eat!¡±


    Huo Sining¡¯s hand stopped, and she turned her head to see Huo Longjiang, his young face making a gleeful grimace at her. That left Huo Sining dumbfounded.


    Xu Lian, hearing her son¡¯s cries, rushed out from the kitchen, three steps at a time.


    She was holding a kitchen knife, her face full of anger as she glared at Huo Sining.


    ¡°You shameless slut, who allowed you to filch grapes? Have you no shame, little whore? You think you can get the old lady to send you to college with that attitude, pah, keep dreaming!¡±


    The wound on her forehead throbbed faintly, proving that none of this was her delusion.


    The familiar courtyard, the aunt who cursed with impunity, the cousin with malicious intent¡­


    If Huo Sining still couldn¡¯t understand what was happening, she really would be a fool.


    Her heart was racing uncontrollably, her eyes swelling red, and her clenched hands fiercely holding back the urge to burst into wild laughter.


    The heavens indeed have eyes. In her previous life, she had lived so wretchedly, and in the end, she met with the tragic fate of being gutted and thrown to the bottom of the sea. It seemed even the heavens couldn¡¯t stand by, allowing her to be reborn.


    Maybe seeing the fresh blood on Huo Sining¡¯s forehead and her red eyes made the usually tender-hearted uncle, Huo Yong, misunderstand.


    Thinking that Huo Sining felt aggrieved, and seeing his niece about to cry, he hurriedly stepped in to smooth things over.


    ¡°Enough, enough, it¡¯s just a few broken tiles, I¡¯ll fix them later. Ning girl, go back to your room and take care of that wound first.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re the nice guy, huh? Can you fix tiles that are smashed to bits? If you had that ability, why do you lurk at home like a parasite? Earn some money yourself if you¡¯re so capable! A good-for-nothing and one without a mother, why am I so cursed to deal with the likes of you Huo family members?¡±


    Seeing Huo Yong stand up for Huo Sining, Xu Lian¡¯s anger grew even stronger. She initially directed her rage at Huo Sining but now turned it onto Huo Yong.


    But as she cursed, her eyes were still fiercely fixed on Huo Sining.


    The sharp and shrill scolding lasted for a full half-hour, Huo Yong unable to contend with Xu Lian, his face red with shame as he lowered his head and walked out the door.


    Huo Sining, however, was too preoccupied to pay attention to Xu Lian¡¯s cursing. After returning to her room, she stood quietly before the dressing mirror.


    Looking at the girl reflected in the mirror, with her ponytail and youthfulness yet to fade, her emotions were far from as calm as she appeared on the surface.


    As she passed the living room, she had noticed the yellowed calendar on the wall. The prominent date on the page clearly told her¡ª


    The heavens had not been unkind to her.


    She had unwittingly traveled back to the day after her college entrance exam, seven years ago.


    The wheel of history had yet to start turning, and everything could still be made right.


    Huo Sining¡¯s gaze fell on her neck, where a thin black cord caused her expression to flicker with surprise.


    She instinctively raised her hand and pulled the cord from under her collar, bringing into her hand a green jade pendant.


    It was a Jade Clean Bottle Pendant of no significant size, just the size of a thumb.


    But the bottle was crystal clear, and anyone with a bit of knowledge about jade could tell at a glance that it was a delicate item.


    This pendant was the only thing left to her by her mother.


    When Huo Sining was four or five years old, her mother fell seriously ill, and because she didn¡¯t get timely treatment, she passed away, leaving Huo Sining behind.


    After that, Huo Sining had always lived with her Uncle Huo Yong¡¯s family.


    ¡°`


    Although memories of Mrs. Huo had gradually blurred with the passing of time, Huo Sining¡¯s yearning had not lessened.


    Therefore, Huo Sining cherished the pendant greatly and had always worn it around her neck, never parting from it.


    To protect the pendant from being snatched away by her aunt, Xu Lian, she was even willing to endure Xu¡¯s repeated beatings and abuse.


    But in her last life, it was shortly after the college entrance examination, on Wu Jingyi¡¯s eighteenth birthday, that she gave the jade pendant to her so-called best sister without hesitation, in the name of sisterly affection.


    It was this pendant that brought Wu Jingyi a life of luxury, and also led to Huo Sining¡¯s lethal disaster.


    Had not Wu Jingyi confessed the truth to her, Huo Sining might never have understood in her life.


    Why the good sister who once supported each other and were inseparable suddenly changed her attitude after returning to the Liang Family, growing colder and eventually severing ties with her.


    Grand houses have many rules, and they interfere with even the social interactions of family descendants; Huo Sining once believed Wu Jingyi¡¯s behavior was due to interference from the Liang Family.


    For that reason, Huo Sining had been secretly worried, fearing Wu Jingyi would be wronged when entering the grand household for the first time.


    Little did she know that in the face of boundless wealth and splendor, her so-called sincerity and friendship were nothing more than her own wishful thinking.


    Looking at the jade pendant in her hand, Huo Sining felt complicated emotions.


    In her last life, she had fallen into such a tragic state; surely this jade pendant was the real trigger for her downfall?


    Past events were like fleeting clouds; to her, the Liang Family, the family heirlooms, were nothing more than a joke.


    Although she had learned the truth of her birth from Wu Jingyi, upon rebirth, Huo Sining had never entertained the thought of returning to the Liang Family to be some rich young lady.


    If this pendant was nothing but endless trouble, then what was the point of keeping it? It would be better to destroy it; only without it could she live a peaceful and calm life this time around.


    Pain and reluctance flashed in Huo Sining¡¯s eyes, but soon she steeled her resolve.


    With a heavy heart, she grabbed the jade pendant and harshly smashed it against the table.


    A crisp sound echoed as the Jade Clean Bottle shattered into pieces in an instant.


    Huo Sining felt a sense of relief and was about to clean up the fragments.


    Unexpectedly, as she picked up the pieces of the bottle, a round, plump jade bead rolled out from the shattered pieces, slipped off the table, bounced a few times, and landed at Huo Sining¡¯s feet.


    Huo Sining was stunned and, after triple-checking that the bead had indeed fallen out of the Jade Clean Bottle, she couldn¡¯t help but pick up the bead for a closer look.


    The bead was about one centimeter in diameter and was a greenish color throughout.


    Unlike the soft and gentle texture of mutton fat jade, this bead, though smooth and shiny on the surface, felt extremely cold in her hand, just like a piece of ice.


    A strange expression appeared on Huo Sining¡¯s face.


    She had worn this jade pendant for so many years, yet she had never noticed that such a strange bead had been hidden inside the bottle.


    Looking at the fragments of the Jade Clean Bottle a few times, doubt crept into Huo Sining¡¯s eyes.


    The neck of the Jade Clean Bottle was just the size of a pinhole; how on earth was the bead put inside?


    Huo Sining found it all very peculiar and couldn¡¯t help staring intently at the bead.


    Just then, a drop of blood from the cut on her forehead fell down, landing exactly on the Azure Pearl in her hand.


    Before Huo Sining could react, the drop of blood permeated directly into the bead.


    A bizarre scene unfolded as the Azure Pearl, as if stimulated, suddenly emitted a pale blue light.


    Huo Sining was startled, slowly opening her mouth in shock as she watched the spectacle before her.


    The bead began to spin rapidly amidst the dazzling blue glow, floating in mid-air, and the radiance grew more and more intense, making it difficult to even keep her eyes open.


    Huo Sining was caught off guard when the bead flew straight towards her.


    With no time to dodge, the bead struck her forehead, drilling directly into the cut.


    As the glow gradually faded, the bead vanished from sight.


    Huo Sining was stunned by what had just happened.


    She had been forced by Xu Lian to fix the chicken coop and had never expected to fall from the ladder, cutting her forehead with a half-inch wound; the same thing had happened in her last life.


    It was also because the wound was not treated in time that she had an unsightly scar on her forehead in her last life, which she had to cover with long bangs.


    But now, looking into the dressing mirror, the reflection showed her forehead smooth as before, without a trace of injury.


    Huo Sining gazed dumbly at the girl in the mirror.


    If not for the burning sensation on her forehead, if not for the dried blood on her palms, she would have doubted whether all of this was just an illusion.

 Chapter 5 - Chapter 5: Chapter 3: Seeing Wu Jingyi Again

    Chapter 5: Chapter 3: Seeing Wu Jingyi Again


    What on earth was going on, how could the bead just disappear without explanation, and how did her wound disappear?


    Huo Sining took quite a while to come back to her senses, feeling a sense of panic deep inside.


    She was a bit confused, but one thing she could be certain of was that the strange bead had clearly burrowed into her body.


    ¡°My God, what on earth is going on?!¡±


    How could the bead, out of nowhere, have burrowed into her body? Could it be because of that drop of blood?


    Unable to figure it out and worried that the bead might cause other problems if it stayed inside her body, Huo Sining visibly paled at the thought.


    ¡°Ningning, are you at home?¡± Suddenly, a voice called out from outside the door.


    ¡°I¡¯m here.¡±


    Hearing someone calling her and worried about being discovered in her bizarre state, Huo Sining quickly composed herself and replied without thinking.


    Yet, when she turned around to see who had come in, her expression involuntarily stiffened.


    Hatred and rage surged in an instant, and Huo Sining quickly lowered her head to hide the emotions in her eyes.


    The simple green cotton dress, almost washed white, and her shoulder-length bob cut neatly draped over her shoulders, her skin delicate and fair, and a pair of bright, beautiful eyes.


    Wu Jingyi, seven years ago, was just an ordinary and unremarkable orphan in the orphanage. Life was not kind to her, but she had grown into an elegant and lovely girl, clearly a beauty in the making.


    ¡°Ningning, I was just outside and heard your aunt scolding you. I didn¡¯t dare come over until I saw your aunt leave.¡±


    Wu Jingyi, oblivious to Huo Sining¡¯s odd behavior and seeing that Huo Sining kept her head down, assumed Huo Sining was too upset to look up.


    A gleam of schadenfreude flashed through her eyes as Wu Jingyi inquired in a low voice, feigning concern.


    ¡°Are you okay? Oh, why is your hand covered in blood, did your aunt hit you again?¡±


    If it had been the Huo Sining of her previous life, she would have been deeply moved by these words and thought of Wu Jingyi as a close sister.


    But now, knowing the truth about the past, Huo Sining could only feel a deep malice when she carefully considered Wu Jingyi¡¯s words.


    Huo Sining couldn¡¯t understand it. She had known Wu Jingyi for many years. It was true that Wu Jingyi had a tough life, but although Huo Sining was raised by someone, she was after all dependent on the mercy of the Huo family, and her circumstances might not necessarily be better than Wu Jingyi¡¯s.


    Why was Wu Jingyi so begrudging of her success, to the point of maliciously wanting to destroy her?


    Huo Sining took several deep breaths to calm her inner rage before lifting her head and forcing a stiff smile.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, why are you here?¡±


    They say you¡¯d rather offend a gentleman than a petty person.


    To avoid the petty person¡¯s resentment, Huo Sining didn¡¯t plan to fall out with Wu Jingyi just yet, so she had to hide her emotions well.


    ¡°Have you forgotten? Today we have to go to the school to fill out our college application forms. How could you forget such an important thing? Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s because you didn¡¯t do well on the exams, so you¡¯re not planning to fill them out at all?¡±


    Wu Jingyi glanced at Huo Sining, puzzled, then suddenly remembered that since coming out of the exam room yesterday, Huo Sining had been in a low spirit and looked totally disheartened.


    Could it be because she hadn¡¯t performed well in the exam?


    The thought brought a secret pleasure to Wu Jingyi¡¯s heart.


    Hearing Wu Jingyi¡¯s words, Huo Sining was startled and then remembered that she had been reborn on the second day after the college entrance examination.


    From the fragmented memories in her mind, indeed that was the day to return to school to submit college preferences.


    However, the mention of college entrance preferences involuntarily brought to Huo Sining¡¯s mind her stolen admission notice, and Wu Jingyi¡¯s proud smile from her memories couldn¡¯t be brushed aside.


    Huo Sining¡¯s fists tightened involuntarily, a cold glint in her eyes.


    Given a second chance by fate, she absolutely refused to be someone else¡¯s pawn again, and she certainly wasn¡¯t going to let Wu Jingyi¡¯s scheming succeed again!


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me I guessed right? But how can this be? After all the struggles to get this far, you finally have the chance to leave your uncle and aunt behind. How can you give that up?¡±


    Noticing the shadowy figure of a chubby boy sneaking around outside the side room, Wu Jingyi¡¯s voice became a few decibels louder, asking with a mixture of concern and urgency.


    Huo Sining had long noticed Huo Longjiang eavesdropping outside the door, and seeing Wu Jingyi suddenly raise her voice, how could she not understand what Wu Jingyi was up to?


    Was this meant to let Huo Longjiang overhear her plan and then tattle on her?


    Huo Sining sneered inwardly but forced a look of sadness on her face:


    ¡°I know you mean well, but I¡¯m aware of my own grades. I didn¡¯t do well on the exams. There¡¯s no way I can get into a university in the Imperial Capital. Besides, I¡¯m sure my aunt wouldn¡¯t be willing to pay for my college education. I¡¯m sorry, Jingyi, I have to go back on my word; I won¡¯t be able to go to college with you.¡±


    Wu Jingyi was startled and paused. She had been around Huo Sining for such a long time and had a very clear understanding of the kind of person Huo Sining was.


    Huo Sining¡¯s personality was tough and resilient, with a particularly strong sense of conviction, like a cockroach that couldn¡¯t be squashed, never to be overwhelmed by reality.


    Hearing Huo Sining say she was going to give up, Wu Jingyi felt both surprised and taken aback.


    Although the sadness and loss on Huo Sining¡¯s face didn¡¯t seem feigned, Wu Jingyi always felt that something about Huo Sining was off, but she couldn¡¯t quite pinpoint what it was.


    ¡°Have you really decided? You won¡¯t go to university, and you¡¯re going to give up even your dreams?¡± Wu Jingyi asked, half-believing, unable to help herself from pressing on.


    Huo Sining hung her head and said nothing, but inside, she was mocking herself:


    When did I say I wasn¡¯t going to university? I only said I couldn¡¯t get into universities in Imperial Capital, and I couldn¡¯t study with you, but I never said I wasn¡¯t planning on going to university at all. If I can¡¯t get into a university in Imperial Capital, can¡¯t I attend another in a different province?


    Still at the naive age of seventeen or eighteen, without a cunning heart, Wu Jingyi had already believed Huo Sining¡¯s expressions seven or eight points, seeing her ashamed to meet her eyes.


    Wu Jingyi inwardly ridiculed Huo Sining, thinking that she was truly foolish; timid, easily scared, and shallow. With a university diploma in hand, how could she not rise above others?


    As long as she found a job in Imperial Capital and married a rich man, Wu Jingyi didn¡¯t believe the Huo family would dare to mistreat Huo Sining. They would probably not be able to curry favor fast enough.


    But this was good too, once she made a name for herself in Imperial Capital in the future, she could come back and mock Huo Sining to her heart¡¯s content. Then she would see what right Huo Sining had to pity her!


    Wu Jingyi sighed with feigned regret and patted Huo Sining¡¯s shoulder.


    Just as she was about to turn and leave, Wu Jingyi¡¯s gaze inadvertently fell on the desk in front of her, where the broken shards of the Jade Clean Bottle caught her attention.


    ¡°A Ning, isn¡¯t this your Jade Pendant? How did it break like this?¡±


    Wu Jingyi was taken aback and quickly recognized what those fragments were, exclaiming in surprise.


    Although she didn¡¯t understand the value of jade ornaments, in Wu Jingyi¡¯s eyes, jade was still a luxury item.


    And Huo Sining¡¯s Jade Pendant looked very pretty; she always treasured it close to her body, suggesting it was something valuable.


    Wu Jingyi had long coveted that pendant, thinking to herself that she should find an opportunity to probe Huo Sining¡¯s intentions and see if she could get that Jade Pendant for herself.


    In Wu Jingyi¡¯s view, since Huo Sining was always so open-hearted and obedient toward her, she figured that if she pretended to be pitiful, that idiot would surely present the Jade Pendant to her with both hands.


    But she had not expected that, before she could even speak, the pendant would be broken.


    Wu Jingyi¡¯s eyes showed her regret and unwillingness, as if the broken piece was her own possession.


    Seeing Wu Jingyi¡¯s expression, Huo Sining couldn¡¯t help but sneer internally, though she had to maintain a look of sorrow and frustration on her face:


    ¡°It broke by accident when it fell to the ground just now; I¡¯m sorry, Jingyi. I was planning to give you this pendant as a birthday gift when you turned eighteen.¡±


    At these words, Wu Jingyi¡¯s face stiffened, and a flash of anger and annoyance passed through her eyes, barely stopping herself from grinding her teeth in frustration.


    She forced a smile and said in a comforting tone, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, that pendant was a keepsake from your mother, it was never meant to be mine.¡±


    Though she said this, Wu Jingyi¡¯s eyes remained fixed on the jade fragments, unwilling to move away.


    She didn¡¯t know why, but seeing those fragments made her feel especially dejected.


    It was as if there was a hole in her heart, as if she had lost something vitally important to her life.


    Seeing Wu Jingyi lost and despondent, Huo Sining felt a surge of vindication.


    She thought to herself, Without this pendant, I want to see how this Cinderella intends to return to the world of the wealthy and pretend to be Miss High and Mighty.


    Wu Jingyi¡¯s interruption had caused Huo Sining to forget to check the mysterious bead that had burrowed into her forehead, and it wasn¡¯t until after Wu Jingyi had left that she suddenly remembered it.


    However, seeing that there was nothing amiss with her body, she didn¡¯t detect any issues and thus pushed it aside for the time being.


    The pressing issue now was to sort out the choices for her college application. The thought made Huo Sining¡¯s brow furrow.


    The day after the college entrance examination was the time to fill in preferences, and Wu Jingyi, with her crafty mind, wouldn¡¯t easily forgo her schemes.


    To avoid Wu Jingyi¡¯s machinations, the only way was to list an address for the admissions notice that Wu Jingyi didn¡¯t know, so she could receive it unbeknownst to anyone.


    Moreover, Huo Longjiang had already sensed the issues from Wu Jingyi¡¯s words. That guy was always against her; by now, he had probably gone to Xu Lian to tattle.


    Xu Lian had long since declared she wouldn¡¯t allow her to go to university and would certainly be on guard against her. Huo Yong, being a yes-man at home, didn¡¯t even dare to contradict Xu Lian¡¯s words and was absolutely unreliable.


    To prevent Xu Lian from meddling, Huo Sining had to figure out her own solution.


    As Huo Sining pondered over strategies, a person suddenly crossed her mind, and an idea flashed through her.

 Chapter 6 - Chapter 6: Chapter 4 Re-filling College Entrance Exam Preferences

    Chapter 6: Chapter 4 Re-filling College Entrance Exam Preferences


    ¡°Are you saying you want me to help you collect your college admission notice? Why?¡±


    Jin Chenyu looked at Huo Sining with bewilderment, somewhat surprised by the girl¡¯s abrupt visit, and even more so by her strange request.


    ¡°Because my family disagrees with sending me to college, I¡¯m worried that even if I were admitted, the admission letter wouldn¡¯t reach my hands,¡±


    Huo Sining said with a forthright smile.


    Upon hearing this, Jin Chenyu couldn¡¯t help but think of the rumors he had heard about this girl when he first came into contact with her class.


    A glint of understanding flashed in his eyes and he couldn¡¯t help asking curiously,


    ¡°If you really get admitted, what do you plan to do? If your family refuses to pay, where will you get the money for tuition fees?¡±


    With a smile on her face, Huo Sining said, ¡°I can work part-time while studying, or apply for a student loan; there will always be a way. Such difficulties won¡¯t be able to knock me down.¡±


    Huo Sining spoke very seriously because, in her previous life, she had jumped between numerous companies and worked in many positions, so finding a part-time job was not difficult for her.


    Yet, listening to Huo Sining¡¯s seemingly nonchalant tone, Jin Chenyu was taken aback.


    Seeing the firmness flicker across Huo Sining¡¯s face, he found himself admiring this mentally mature and resilient student, who was not at all like her peers, and he couldn¡¯t help but agree,


    ¡°Okay, I agree to your request. Fill out your application form, and I will fill in my home address for you.¡±


    Huo Sining felt grateful in her heart; she dared not take the risk of having the admission notice mailed to the school, as Liang Jingyi might still be able to steal it.


    Only by changing the mailing address to a place completely unknown to Liang Jingyi could she ensure the safety of her admission notice.


    And the only person who met this condition and whom she knew was Jin Chenyu, the substitute homeroom teacher.


    Because Jin Chenyu was at the school for an internship, he had told the class before they took the college entrance exams that this was his last semester of internship.


    Once Jin Chenyu finished dealing with all the work for the graduating class, he would leave.


    As far as Huo Sining knew, Jin Chenyu was from S City, and he would soon return there, which is why she felt reassured to approach him.


    Seeing that Huo Sining filled out the application form without hesitation, Jin Chenyu was surprised.


    During this time, he had seen quite a few students who came to him for advice on how to choose colleges for the entrance exams.


    Mist graduates were confused and troubled when it came to selecting universities, rarely as decisive as Huo Sining.


    This made Jin Chenyu even more curious about the girl before him.


    He picked up Huo Sining¡¯s application and glanced at it, then looked up at her, somewhat surprised, ¡°S University? Are you only applying for this one school?¡±


    Huo Sining nodded affirmatively. She had been reborn the day after the college entrance exams, and her grades were already set in stone.


    However, compared to the other students, she had an absolute advantage¡ªthat she knew that year¡¯s college entrance exam scoreline very well.


    In her previous life, her exam scores were just on the threshold for first-tier universities, but because she had filled in her application based on an estimate, she had been very conservative in her assessment of her scores, afraid to choose schools with higher score requirements.


    In addition, her whole heart was set on going to the capital with Wu Jingyi, away from the Huo family, so in the end, she only applied to a few rather ordinary second-tier universities in the Imperial Capital.


    Unexpectedly, when the results came out, her score was much higher than her estimate. What was even more disappointing was that she did not receive an admission notice from the Imperial Capital.


    Because she did not receive an admission notice, Huo Sining thought she had failed in her college entrance exams, which was a source of shame and led to a long period of dejection, without making any contact with her classmates.


    It wasn¡¯t until years later, when she attended a high school reunion, that she overheard classmates mentioning,


    That year, S University admitted a large number of students with lower scores; with her college entrance exam results, if she had applied to S University, she would have definitely secured an admission notice.


    Having been reborn, she already knew her exam results; there was no reason to pass up a better first-tier university to choose an ordinary second-tier one.


    Past years of struggles and experiences told Huo Sining how important a diploma from a prestigious university was in the vast sea of the job market.


    Moreover, deep down, Huo Sining harbored a reluctance towards the Imperial Capital.


    She had no intention of becoming entangled with anyone from the Liang family, nor did she intend to continue the pretense of being best friends with Wu Jingyi.


    Thus, in this life, she was determined to stay far away from the controversies of the Imperial Capital.


    S City and the Imperial Capital, one in the south and the other in the north, were far apart and unrelated; it seemed no one could disturb her life again.


    Huo Sining¡¯s thoughts were wishful, but unfortunately, she would soon find things would not go as desired.


    It wouldn¡¯t be long before those familiar strangers from her past life would appear one after another before her, catching her off guard.


    Only then would she realize how naive her current thoughts were.


    Before leaving the school, Huo Sining did not forget to remind Jin Chenyu to keep her secret; should anyone ask about her application, he must tell no one.


    Jin Chenyu found it strange but still nodded without asking much about the reasons.


    Although Huo Sining had not had much interaction with Jin Chenyu in her past life, she knew from her classmates that he was extremely trustworthy and warm-hearted, otherwise, she really would not dare to trust him so easily.


    Huo Sining secretly rejoiced that she could still dredge up such a person from her memories of the past years; otherwise, she really wouldn¡¯t have known what to do.


    After submitting her college entrance exam preferences, Huo Sining¡¯s heart, which had been suspended, finally settled down.


    Because she had taken the chance to wash clothes to slip away hurriedly to the school, Huo Sining was worried that Xu Lian would find out, so she didn¡¯t linger to chat with Jin Chenyu and quickly rushed back instead.


    When she finally reached the pond where she was washing clothes and saw that the wooden basin and clothes were still there, Huo Sining breathed a sigh of relief.


    But before she could rejoice, Fatty Huo, Huo Longjiang, emerged from the trees nearby.


    ¡°Sneaking off to play while supposed to be washing clothes, Huo Sining, you dare to be lazy! I¡¯m going to tell mom!¡±


    Damn it! How did this little fatty see her?


    Huo Sining¡¯s heart tightened. It wasn¡¯t that she feared Huo Longjiang telling on her, but she worried that Xu Lian would discover that she had filled out her college entrance exam preferences.


    Since Xu Lian had hidden away Huo Sining¡¯s ID card and household registration, she didn¡¯t want to complicate matters without those two documents in hand.


    Thinking this, Huo Sining couldn¡¯t help but turn her head to glare at Huo Longjiang, but upon seeing the bulging pockets of the little fatty, she couldn¡¯t help laughing out loud.


    ¡°Huo Longjiang, did you steal your mom¡¯s private stash of money hidden on top of the wardrobe again?¡±


    Huo Longjiang¡¯s complexion changed dramatically upon hearing this. He looked down and indeed spotted a strip of snack wrapper peeking out from his pocket.


    Subconsciously, he shrank back and covered his pocket with his hand, yet his eyes darted warningly towards Huo Sining as he attempted to sound calm:


    ¡°Who says I stole money? My mom gave it to me!¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    Huo Sining didn¡¯t know Xu Lian¡¯s temperament well; even if Xu Lian were willing to give Huo Longjiang some pocket money, she wouldn¡¯t likely give him so much at once.


    Moreover, Huo Longjiang¡¯s shifting gaze was an obvious sign of his guilt.


    Huo Sining snorted with laughter, beckoned at Huo Longjiang with her finger, and smiled triumphantly.


    ¡°How about we make a deal? I won¡¯t tell anyone about you stealing your mom¡¯s money, but you also can¡¯t tell her I was slacking off. How about that?¡±


    Huo Longjiang seemed tempted.


    He was not even ten years old yet, and at his age, he didn¡¯t understand that Huo Sining¡¯s sneaking off was to submit her college applications. He thought Huo Sining, like him, was just playing hooky.


    But Huo Longjiang was clever beyond his years, full of mischievous ideas. He didn¡¯t believe Huo Sining and eyed her suspiciously. His eyes rolled as he asked in return:


    ¡°What if you tell on me secretly?¡±


    Tell on you? Do you think I¡¯m like you, the Tattling King? Huo Sining was speechless. ¡°Whoever tattles is a little dog.¡±


    Huo Longjiang nodded in satisfaction and happily agreed, ¡°Deal!¡±


    Watching Huo Longjiang hopping and skipping back into the woods, Huo Sining couldn¡¯t help shaking her head.


    Because Huo Longjiang was the only male heir of the Huo family, Huo Yong and Xu Lian doted on him excessively, which was the very reason for his bossy and unruly disposition.


    At this point, Huo Sining suddenly remembered the conversation between Wu Jingyi and the strange man just before her death.


    She recalled Wu Jingyi mentioning the Huo family, saying that the uncle had accrued a huge gambling debt of three million and Huo Longjiang had beaten someone to the point of disability.


    Huo Sining was unsure whether this was an excuse fabricated by Wu Jingyi or the actual situation.


    But as far as she knew, since she started working, apart from everyday expenses, all the remaining money she earned was handed over to Huo Yong for safekeeping.


    However, once Huo Yong had the money in his hands, his addiction to gambling only grew stronger. He wasn¡¯t content with just small-time gambling with neighbors anymore and was often seen lingering in gambling dens.


    Huo Longjiang, now in high school, didn¡¯t pay attention in class but knew only to play video games and chase girls, and he frequently fought with local thugs.


    Huo Sining sighed, feeling that what Wu Jingyi said was very likely to be true.


    Thinking of the checks Wu Jingyi mentioned giving to the Huo family, Huo Sining felt a wave of bitterness.


    Even if they didn¡¯t care for her, they were still her blood relatives. She didn¡¯t know how much Wu Jingyi had given the Huo family, enough for Huo Yong to actually sell her life.


    Lost in these thoughts, Huo Sining suddenly felt a huge force push her from behind.


    She was kneeling on the stone steps by the pond, and a mighty push sent her tumbling into the water.


    As she fell into the pond, she heard the schadenfreude laughter of Fatty Huo:


    ¡°Hahaha, what a drenched chicken! You little wench, that¡¯s for threatening me. Let¡¯s see if you dare again!¡±

 Chapter 7 - Chapter 7: Chapter 5 Water-Repelling Pearl

    Chapter 7: Chapter 5 Water-Repelling Pearl


    Huo Sining fell into the pond, and before she realized what happened, she choked on several mouthfuls of water.


    Damn that chubby kid!


    In her past life, Huo Longjiang had always seen Huo Sining as a thorn in his side, and even after Huo Sining started working, Huo Longjiang often tripped her up in front of Xu Lian.


    Huo Sining cursed inwardly, in her previous life she did not want to haggle with Huo Longjiang, but how could she forget that although he was eight years younger than her, his craftiness was no less than that of Wu Jingyi.


    Even though it was midsummer, the water in the pond was ice cold.


    Huo Sining, not a swimmer by nature, floundered a few times in the pond and failed to make it back to the shore, instead getting further away from the washing steps.


    Huo Sining became anxious, yet the more anxious she became, the less she managed to accomplish.


    It¡¯s like leaking roofs during continuous night rains; just when Huo Sining felt her strength was nearly spent, her legs suddenly began to cramp and twitch.


    This is bad, a leg cramp!


    Huo Sining felt her leg muscles stiffen, her chest felt tight from swallowing water, and her head was dizzy.


    What made her want to cry without tears was that she felt her body slowly sinking deeper.


    At that moment, a strange string of characters flashed inexplicably through Huo Sining¡¯s mind.


    As if possessed, she silently recited the characters in her mind.


    Soon, she felt a cool and moist sensation emerge from her forehead.


    A green pearl appeared in her mind.


    She, who had felt suffocated just moments before, found her breath suddenly become smooth.


    Not only that, though she was clearly sinking bit by bit in the water, she couldn¡¯t feel the buoyancy of the pond water.


    Her body kept falling until she landed at the bottom of the pond, her feet on the mud, yet it was as if she was atop solid ground, not sinking further.


    Realizing that the pearl remained inside her forehead, Huo Sining paused, stunned.


    Standing on the fine silt of the pond¡¯s bottom, she instinctively took a few steps.


    It was only when she encountered the smooth, icy pebbles that she realized everything happening was real.


    Huo Sining¡¯s heart shook massively.


    She could actually walk on water as if on flat ground!


    Moreover, while in the water, she felt no discomfort at all, her breathing was not affected, and the surrounding water of the pond seemed nonexistent!


    Not only that, her vision was extremely clear when looking at things underwater; she could see every detail in the light areas of the pond and even in its dark corners.


    This kind of event, which only occurred in myths and legends, was actually happening to her!


    This was too unbelievable!


    With her years of learning and experience, Huo Sining could not explain this at all; it completely overturned her understanding of traditional science!


    Thinking of the bizarre string of characters, like an incantation, Huo Sining felt as if she were in a dream.


    She was very clear that such a defiance of scientific logic could only be attributed to that strange pearl.


    If this pearl was indeed similar to the Water-Repelling Pearl from the myths, why did it appear on her? Did the Liang Family People know of its existence?


    If they knew about this pearl, would they stop at nothing to trace it back to her?


    If she broke the Jade Pendant, could she avoid the Liang Family smoothly?


    Huo Sining was somewhat curious and faintly worried.


    However, the thought of possessing the ability to move freely in the water because of a pearl still excited her.


    She couldn¡¯t swim, but with the Water-Repelling Pearl, she was no longer afraid of water.


    Living by the sea in S City, once she got to S City, she was determined to dive into the sea and have a look around.


    With the Water-Repelling Pearl, she didn¡¯t need any diving equipment to go underwater.


    After all, the deep-sea pressure had no effect on her at all, she could come and go freely without any obstruction, which was much nicer than divers lugging around heavy oxygen tanks!


    Thinking of this, Huo Sining felt joyful and was getting ready to walk back to shore.


    At that moment, a palm-sized crucian carp actually swam around her.


    Apparently having never seen a human-like creature underwater, the fish was not at all afraid and even circled around Huo Sining.


    Feeling amused, Huo Sining couldn¡¯t help but reach out to catch the fish.


    The huge human-like creature unexpectedly attacked it, and the crucian carp realized it needed to escape.


    But no matter how fast it responded, it couldn¡¯t escape Huo Sining¡¯s grasp and was caught within moments.


    The crucian carp struggled in Huo Sining¡¯s hands but suddenly, as if sensing something, calmed down and stayed obediently in her palm.


    Not only that, it even rubbed against Huo Sining¡¯s palm a few times, looking extremely comfortable.


    Huo Sining was stunned and hurriedly opened her hand to let the fish go.


    The crucian carp seemed not to have grasped the situation, looking at Huo Sining doubtfully for several moments, circling around her reluctantly and not willing to leave.


    Huo Sining found this amusing and didn¡¯t think much of it.


    The pond water was clear, and the aquatic plants and fish were visible.


    After letting the crucian carp go, her foot accidentally stepped on a huge clam at the bottom of the pond.


    Startled by Huo Sining¡¯s disturbance, the clam shrank, trying to retract its plump body.


    But Huo Sining had sharp eyes; having spotted it, how could she miss such a rare delicacy?


    Catching the clam in her hand, wow, it was as big as two palms!


    Huo Sining was delighted; she didn¡¯t care for fish, but she particularly enjoyed freshwater delicacies.


    Clam meat is highly nutritious, especially when stir-fried with chilies and perilla leaves into a spicy dish, the taste was both delicious and complementing to rice.


    Even in ordinary restaurants, wild clam meat like this was not cheap.


    A dish of spicy wild clam meat would cost at least forty yuan.


    Thinking this, Huo Sining felt her mouth watering.


    She subconsciously looked down to find a few more to make a dish, and had just taken a few steps when a thought suddenly flashed through her mind.


    Wait a minute¡­


    If wild freshwater delicacies were in demand, why shouldn¡¯t she pick up more clams to sell for money?


    With the Water-Repelling Pearl in her possession, it would be like child¡¯s play for her to collect clams in the water, wouldn¡¯t it?


    Huo Sining¡¯s spirits lifted, and she thought to herself that if that didn¡¯t work out, she could also catch some live wild fish to sell. Once she had enough for tuition, she would head to S University to enroll, without worrying about being unable to afford the fees or having to rush to S City to find a job!


    The more she thought about it, the more excited Huo Sining became. Initially concerned that the pearl inside her body might affect her health, she now cast aside those worries, her apprehension and resistance turning into thrill and secret delight.


    At this moment, Huo Sining had no idea how powerful a cheat the Water-Repelling Pearl in her hand was, and how it would bring earth-shaking changes to her life in the days to come.


    However, the lessons learned in her previous life of dying without a place to bury her kept reminding Huo Sining that innocence is no defense against the charge of holding a jade pendant.


    If others discovered that she had the Water-Repelling Pearl, it would undoubtedly bring fatal trouble to her.


    Thinking of this, Huo Sining¡¯s heart chilled, and her initial excitement gradually cooled down.


    She clenched her fists, silently cautioning herself that although the idea of selling freshwater and live fish was good, she had to plan carefully for the long term.

 Chapter 8 - Chapter 8: Chapter 6 Large Reservoirs

    Chapter 8: Chapter 6 Large Reservoirs


    By the time Huo Sining returned to the Huo family, it was already evening, and as soon as she entered, she heard Xu Lian scolding Huo Yong.


    ¡°Other men bring money into their own homes, but you, the unfortunate one, only know how to give it away! All you do is play cards every day. Your mother must have been blind to pick someone as useless as you!¡±


    As Huo Sining carried a wooden basin into the courtyard, Huo Yong, who was sitting under the grape trellis, looked up at her awkwardly, pursing his lips as if to explain something.


    But Huo Sining was used to it, knowing from Huo Yong¡¯s dejected appearance that he must have lost money, or else Xu Lian wouldn¡¯t be scolding him so viciously.


    Anxious not to draw the ire upon herself, Huo Sining didn¡¯t dare to provoke Xu Lian, who was still fuming.


    With deft movements, she untied the clothesline and began to hang the clothes out to dry on the sunny side.


    While she was busy with the clothes, Huo Longjiang crept carefully into the house from outside, glancing around guiltily as soon as he entered.


    Although Huo Longjiang was overbearing and arrogant, he was only ten years old after all. He had seen Huo Sining struggle in the pond for a bit before sinking to the bottom, which immediately sent him into a panic, staggering as he ran back to the village.


    But for the entire afternoon, he was so restless with worry that Huo Sining might have died, he couldn¡¯t even bring himself to play, regretting the prank he played that pushed Huo Sining into the water.


    Huo Longjiang¡¯s heart was pounding with tension, consoling himself by thinking that Huo Sining was just a wild child, and that even if she died, his mother certainly wouldn¡¯t blame him.


    Yet upon returning home, he was surprised to see Huo Sining standing perfectly fine in the courtyard, which immediately eased his worries.


    He was just about to ask Huo Sining how she got out of the pond when he approached her and noticed something unusual.


    His eyes widened in astonishment as he asked indignantly,


    ¡°Huo Sining, why aren¡¯t your clothes wet?¡±


    Huo Longjiang¡¯s voice was both angry and annoyed, considering he had been worried for so long, only to find that Huo Sining was completely fine, not even her clothes were wet!


    Huo Sining¡¯s heart skipped a beat, but without showing any reaction, she glanced at Huo Yong and saw he hadn¡¯t noticed the commotion. Only then did she relax.


    Standing up straight, Huo Sining turned around and glared fiercely at Huo Longjiang, ¡°What did you say?¡±


    Huo Sining¡¯s voice was menacing, her eyes flashing with a cold glint that seemed to exert an oppressive atmosphere.


    Huo Longjiang¡¯s stance stiffened, and he took a step back in fright.


    Accustomed to bullying Huo Sining, he now felt apprehensive and dared not look directly into her eyes, averted his gaze, and murmured,


    ¡°Next time¡­ If you dare to be lazy again, I will definitely tell my mom!¡±


    Huo Longjiang pretended to be threatening as he waved his fists at Huo Sining, then turned and ran into the house.


    Huo Sining exhaled with relief, secretly feeling fortunate.


    It was lucky that it was this little chubby boy who noticed something was off. If it had been Xu Lian or another adult, it might not have been so easy to fool them.


    After she got out of the water, the Water-Repelling Pearl had disappeared without a trace, but Huo Sining could feel that the pearl was inside her body.


    Her clothes had been soaked through when she fell into the pond, but after getting out, Huo Sining was surprised to find that she was completely dry, without a single water stain or speck of mud on her clothes and shoes.


    After thinking it over, she was certain it was the Water-Repelling Pearl¡¯s doing.


    She had been worried about getting soaked in the water and drawing people¡¯s attention; now, seeing that her clothes were dry, she was reassured.


    Nevertheless, she hadn¡¯t expected Huo Longjiang to notice something odd about her clothes.


    Fortunately, the child¡¯s focus wasn¡¯t on her clothes, and even if he found it strange, he wouldn¡¯t delve too deeply into it.


    True enough, before long, Huo Longjiang¡¯s attention was caught by something else, and he soon forgot the matter.


    Although it was just a minor incident, Huo Sining felt an alarm bell ringing in her heart.


    This time it was a child, but next time she might not be so lucky. It seemed that she needed to be more vigilant and could absolutely not afford to drop her guard.


    Deciding to sell fresh river seafood was not something she took lightly.


    After dinner, Huo Sining started to make her move, discreetly asking Huo Yong about which nearby ponds were rich in river clams and which waters were public territory.


    Huo Sining wouldn¡¯t dare to go to privately contracted ponds.


    Firstly, those places were privately stocked with fish fry that were carefully bred, and each species had an approximate count. If it was noticed that the numbers were off, there would definitely be suspicions.


    Moreover, those places usually had designated people and dogs to guard them, so her rashly entering the water could very likely result in her being caught.


    Secondly, after all, people worked hard for their earnings. If she took without notice, it was no different from theft.


    After scouting out the area, Huo Sining finally chose the most suitable place for her to make her move¡ªthe Baiyun Reservoir located less than two kilometers from the town.


    The Baiyun Reservoir was the largest artificial lake in Baiyun Village, situated at the foot of Baiyun Mountain.


    This reservoir, owned by the public, served as the large dam spanning four thousand mu, providing water for domestic use and agricultural irrigation for the entire Baiyun Village.


    The lake was abundant with aquatic products, especially river clams, river snails, and crabs.


    But because the reservoir¡¯s water level was constantly above fifty meters, no one dared to dive in to collect the river delicacies; at most, people would forage along the dried-up lakebed.


    This was to Huo Sining¡¯s advantage. Possessing the Water-Repelling Pearl, even now in the peak of summer when the reservoir¡¯s storage level reached nearly a hundred meters, she could directly dive into the deep water area.


    That night, after everyone in the Huo family was sound asleep, she quietly got out of bed and moved stealthily toward the Baiyun Reservoir in the dim night light.


    She silently recited that strange incantation and, as expected, the Azure Pearl appeared in her mind.


    Under the moonlight, the lake waters were deep and mysterious. Huo Sining felt a bit apprehensive, but the temptation of the delicacies at the bottom eventually overcame her fear.


    She took a deep breath and slowly stepped into the water.


    With the Water-Repelling Pearl¡¯s ability to see underwater at night, Huo Sining, like someone carrying a searchlight, hadn¡¯t dived long before she spotted a group of river clams opening their shells and struggling to move.


    Huo Sining reached out and caught one.


    It was as big as a dinner plate, much larger than those she had previously found in the ponds near her home.


    After catching only a dozen of the large river clams, the snakeskin bag Huo Sining brought was almost too small to fit any more, and she felt a bit helpless, having to return to shore first.


    A river clam, before being shucked, consists of 70 percent shell by weight alone.


    The dozen or so large clams weighed about thirty jin. While in the water, buoyed by the lake, Huo Sining hadn¡¯t felt their weight, but on the shore, she felt the heft of the snakeskin bag.


    That¡¯s when she realized she might have miscalculated. Even if she managed to sell these clams at the market, beside the question of whether she could sell them, transportation alone was a big problem.


    Huo Sining felt dejected, sitting on the embankment looking at the dozen and a half large clams beside her, not sure whether to laugh or cry.


    River clams were best eaten fresh; typically, buyers on the market preferred those with shells, finding them more reliable to see killed in front of them.


    But if sold with the shell, a big problem arose¡ªhow was she going to transport these heavy creatures out?


    It seemed her considerations were still not comprehensive enough, and Huo Sining furrowed her brows.


    Huo Sining hid the snakeskin bag full of clams among the water plants and without diving for more, she headed straight back.


    She decided to have a look at the market first thing tomorrow.

 Chapter 9 - Chapter 9: Chapter 7: Cold-blooded Kinship

    Chapter 9: Chapter 7: Cold-blooded Kinship


    The next day, early in the morning, Huo Sining got out of bed to make breakfast in the kitchen.


    But no sooner had she reached the kitchen than Xu Lian pushed her out.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it, I¡¯ll do it. You sit down and rest, is the wound on your forehead still hurting? Do you want to go to the clinic to have it checked out?¡±


    Xu Lian looked at Huo Sining with a smile, stretching out her hand to lift Huo Sining¡¯s bangs and check the wound on her forehead.


    The cut on Huo Sining¡¯s forehead had healed without treatment, so how could she let Xu Lian see it? She quickly stepped back to avoid Xu Lian¡¯s hand, and seeing Xu Lian¡¯s attentive demeanor, she grew suspicious.


    In her past life, whether Huo Sining was in school or working, the first thing she did every morning was to prepare breakfast for a family of four.


    If she got up late, she would inevitably be scolded, and sometimes she would even be hit a few times.


    Xu Lian being so pleasant today and even making breakfast herself was truly a first.


    Huo Sining bowed her head but remained inwardly on guard.


    If someone is unduly kind without cause, they must be plotting something; Huo Sining wondered what scheme Xu Lian was up to now.


    Sure enough, when it was time to eat, just as Huo Sining sat down at the dining table, Xu Lian started speaking to Huo Yong.


    ¡°I called your eldest sister last night, and she said that their daughter Mei Ling will be coming back in a few days. Mei Ling is really capable now, she works for some foreign company in Guangcheng. What was that company called? I can¡¯t quite remember; anyway, it¡¯s a very impressive company. I heard she earns four to five thousand just in salary each month. You see, that child didn¡¯t even finish high school, you wonder how she manages to earn so much money.¡±


    The words were directed at Huo Yong, but Xu Lian¡¯s gaze was fixated on Huo Sining.


    Huo Sining sneered inwardly, knowing exactly what Xu Lian was implying the moment she opened her mouth.


    Xu Lian was aware that she had graduated from high school and didn¡¯t want her to go to university; she wanted her to follow her niece, Liu Meiling, to work and make money for her to spend.


    But Xu Lian¡¯s wishful thinking was likely to be in vain.


    Setting aside whether Huo Sining was willing or not, Xu Lian¡¯s elder sister, Xu Xia, was not someone to be trifled with.


    The sisters of the Xu family would not stir without benefit, and Xu Xia, even more so than Xu Lian, would never let Xu Lian set her sights on her daughter.


    Furthermore, the notion of Liu Meiling working at a foreign company was a joke.


    Guangcheng, like the Imperial Capital, belonged to the top tier of cities, where frankly, you could grab a handful of undergraduates off the streets.


    What abilities could Liu Meiling, a junior high school graduate, possibly have to work for a foreign company?


    Such lies could only deceive rural women like Xu Xia and Xu Lian.


    In her former life, Huo Sining always found it strange, Liu Meiling didn¡¯t even know English, how did she get into a foreign company?


    One year, during Liu Meiling¡¯s visit back home for the New Year, Huo Sining, unable to curb her curiosity, asked about it.


    To her surprise, Liu Meiling¡¯s face changed instantly, and she hemmed and hawed, unable to explain.


    It wasn¡¯t until later, when martial law was imposed in Guangcheng and Liu Meiling, who frequented the major entertainment venues, was caught red-handed and made an example of on television.


    The scandal became widely known overnight, even reaching the people of Baiyun Village.


    Only then did the Xu family learn that their daughter was not working for any foreign company, but was instead a streetwalker in Guangcheng!


    Xu Xia, who had always taken pride in Liu Meiling, believing her daughter brought credit to her, knew deep down that being a prostitute wasn¡¯t a respectable reputation, no matter how thick her skin was.


    Seeing that her actions were exposed, Liu Meiling no longer dared to return home.


    Yet Xu Lian, shameless as she was, would often boast to Huo Sining that her elder sister had raised a good daughter who made a lot of money.


    Leaving aside what happened in the past life, right now, Xu Lian had said a lot, but Huo Sining was distracted and hardly listened to any of it.


    Xu Lian always meant what she said and, seeing Huo Sining have no reaction, her face immediately darkened as she slammed down her chopsticks and scolded:


    ¡°What¡¯s the use of a girl reading so many books? Liu Meiling only went to school for a few years, and she¡¯s making enough money to buy my eldest sister a house in the city. Tell me, besides being able to read yourself to death, what else can you do? You can¡¯t even mend a chicken coop, and you¡¯ve been leeching off the Huo family for so many years. Is this how you repay me?¡±


    Xu Lian could change her face faster than flipping a book; she had been all smiles just a moment ago, and now she couldn¡¯t help but burst into scolding again.


    Regaining her senses, Huo Sining¡¯s eyes filled with thick contempt:


    ¡°Auntie, let¡¯s not talk about how much work I¡¯ve done for the Huo family over the years, you know very well whether those were in vain. Let¡¯s talk about the year my mother died. The bankbook that was in her hand¡ªwhose hands did it fall into? How much money was in it? You should be clearer about that than me. Uncle promised my mother he would raise me and send me to school. The money in that bankbook was enough for my expenses for over ten years. You say I¡¯ve been freeloading off the Huo family¡ªI won¡¯t agree with that!¡±


    Mrs. Huo had given all the money in her hands to Huo Yong before she died, amounting to as much as a hundred thousand yuan.


    Because Huo Sining was only four or five years old at that time and could not remember anything, she was completely ignorant of this.


    Therefore, even though she was mistreated by the Huo family, she never dared to have any complaints.


    In her eyes, after all, it was her uncle and aunt who had worked hard to earn money to raise her; she couldn¡¯t be an ungrateful wretch.


    However, a few months before Huo Sining¡¯s death, she accidentally heard Huo Yong and Xu Lian arguing.


    Huo Yong had come back drunk from outside and the first thing he did was to ask Xu Lian for money to go gambling.


    Xu Lian refused to give it, saying she had no money, and in a fit of anger, Huo Yong slipped up and demanded to know where the hundred thousand yuan from Mrs. Huo had gone.


    Only then did Huo Sining find out from the two of them that her mother had left her such a substantial inheritance before she died.


    Thinking about the hardships she had endured at the Huo family and her own hard work, Huo Sining felt a chill in her heart that she couldn¡¯t warm up no matter how hard she tried.


    She was not a saint and could not repay evil with good; she couldn¡¯t afford such kinship.


    Xu Lian didn¡¯t know Huo Sining had experienced life and death in her previous life, and when she heard Huo Sining talk back to her, she was prepared to yell back.


    But she didn¡¯t expect that when Huo Sining finally spoke up, she would reveal such shocking information.


    Xu Lian¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and her complexion instantly turned deathly pale as she turned her head and glared at Huo Yong with anger: ¡°Did you tell her?¡±


    Xu Lian had deliberately avoided mentioning the big daughter¡¯s incident all these years for fear that Huo Sining would find out about the money.


    The fact that Mrs. Huo had handed the money over to her was something only Huo Yong and she knew. Since she hadn¡¯t spoken, the only person left who could have leaked it was Huo Yong.


    Good for nothing but messing things up!


    Xu Lian was furious, thinking Huo Yong had told Huo Sining, and she couldn¡¯t help glaring at Huo Yong with fury.


    Poor Huo Yong was being wronged; he was planning on using that money to turn his luck around, why would he talk about these matters with his niece? He even wanted to ask if Xu Lian had accidentally let something slip.


    Seeing Huo Yong¡¯s guilty appearance as he hung his head and didn¡¯t dare to look at her, without offering a single word in defense, the last bit of hope in Huo Sining¡¯s heart dissipated.


    She looked at Xu Lian coldly and said, ¡°Auntie, it doesn¡¯t matter who told me. What matters is, I, Huo Sining, don¡¯t owe you anything. Even a clay figure has a hint of anger¡ªif you push too hard, nobody benefits!¡±


    Hearing this, Huo Yong froze, and even Xu Lian¡¯s face stiffened.


    Seeing their reactions, Huo Sining stood up satisfied, washed the bowl in her hand in the kitchen, and then walked out the door without looking back.


    ¡°That damned girl, when did she become so tough?¡±


    It wasn¡¯t until Huo Sining had left that Xu Lian came back to reality and shouted angrily towards the door:


    ¡°You and your shameless mother are the same, both cheap women! The elder got together with some wild man without a matchmaker, and birthed a little whore without a mother¡¯s care!¡±


    Outside, Huo Sining¡¯s eyes were icy cold. She owed the Huo family nothing; she didn¡¯t want their kinship in this life¡ªshe just wanted to live well.

 Chapter 10 - Chapter 10: Chapter 8 Selling River Delicacies

    Chapter 10: Chapter 8 Selling River Delicacies


    By Baiyun Reservoir, Huo Sining had just removed the wild clams from the snakeskin bag and was hastily heading to the county town.


    At the entrance of the village, there was a bus to the county town. Huo Sining was lucky¡ªshe had just reached the entrance when she saw a bus coming.


    She deftly climbed onto the bus, the driver glanced at the burlap bag she carried on her back but didn¡¯t pay much attention.


    From Baiyun Town to the county town, it was only a half-hour drive, and a few dozen meters from the town was a large market.


    The place was crowded with vendors from the countryside coming to the city to trade, so Huo Sining¡¯s arrival did not stand out.


    Arriving at the market, she found a corner and laid out the clams one by one on the ground.


    The clams, previously frightened and withdrawn into their shells, now sensed the crisis was over and began to stretch out again.


    Huo Sining had never sold anything before, and she was shy, not daring to shout like the other vendors.


    Moreover, since she was hiding in a corner, there were very few buyers who came to look at her clams.


    Finally, a woman came by, saw the large size of the clams, and couldn¡¯t help but be suspicious, muttering to herself:


    Such big clams, they must not be wild. They are probably farmed, might even be hormone-treated. She quickly walked away after a few glances.


    If Huo Sining had known what the woman was thinking, she would have cried:


    What farmed breeding? Dear lady, these are genuinely authentic wild clams, no fakes at all! I caught them myself in the reservoir!


    By ten in the morning, the market started to empty out.


    The sun became more scorching, and those who had stalls were better off as they had some shade to sit under.


    But the roaming vendors had no choice but to worry about their goods wilting in the sun, and could only carry their loads and head home.


    Huo Sining squatted in the market for over two hours, her legs went numb, and not a single customer stopped by.


    The clams, deprived of water for a long time and exposed to the sun, would not survive much longer.


    Huo Sining felt increasingly dejected; she had not anticipated such a scenario, which was entirely different from what she had imagined.


    Aren¡¯t wild delicacies in high demand? Why can¡¯t she sell even one clam?


    This heavily dampened Huo Sining¡¯s enthusiasm, and the thought of making money by selling wild delicacies slowly receded.


    Just as Huo Sining was about to give up and go home, a lean man in his forties or fifties entered the market.


    He walked past her stall, intending to head directly to the fresh and aquatic products section, but his eyes unintentionally glanced and caught sight of what was on Huo Sining¡¯s stall.


    His eyes lit up involuntarily, he let out a surprised ¡°huh,¡± and his hurried steps came to a sudden halt. He turned and stood in front of Huo Sining.


    Startled, Huo Sining looked up just as the man squatted down and picked up a clam.


    Huo Sining was overjoyed and quickly asked, ¡°Sir, would you like to buy some clams? My clams are of the highest quality and are absolutely genuine. Why not buy some and try?¡±


    Liu Qingdong weighed the clam in his hand, counted the growth rings along the shell, and the more he looked, the more delighted he became. He couldn¡¯t help but raise his head and ask:


    ¡°Young lady, how do you sell these clams?¡±


    Huo Sining hurriedly replied, ¡°I¡¯m selling them in their shells, three yuan per pound.¡±


    Liu Qingdong was stunned, looked again at the clam in his hand, thinking he had seen incorrectly: ¡°These clams aren¡¯t wild?¡±


    Huo Sining laughed, ¡°What are you saying? If they weren¡¯t wild, would I dare advertise them as wild seafood? It¡¯s one-to-ten if it¡¯s fake, this is genuinely authentic wild clams, just caught this morning.¡±


    Seeing how seriously Huo Sining spoke, Liu Qingdong suddenly laughed, ¡°Young lady, is this your first time doing business?¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡±


    Huo Sining was dumbfounded, not knowing how Liu Qingdong could tell. She felt embarrassed and touched her nose.


    ¡°How did you know?¡±


    Liu Qingdong smiled and said, ¡°I come over here to pick ingredients every day. I¡¯m very familiar with this area. Seeing your unfamiliar face, I knew it was your first time at this market. Besides, there are certain rules to dealing in wild river delicacies, and river clams aren¡¯t sold this way. Did you know that?¡±


    Huo Sining paused, then looked to Liu Qingdong, sincerely asking for advice:


    ¡°Uncle, what you said is right. I just finished my exams and wanted to make some money, so I thought I¡¯d sell river delicacies. I¡¯ve been here for a while now but no one has bought anything. I¡¯m new to this and don¡¯t know the rules. If you don¡¯t mind, could you give me a few tips?¡±


    Liu Qingdong was interested in the batch of goods Huo Sining had and appreciated her earnest attitude. He didn¡¯t hold back and took a river clam in his hand, starting to lecture.


    ¡°Clams are long-living creatures, rich in calcium. The longer they live, the more nutritious they become, and the meatier they are when chewed¡ªjust like how old chickens taste better than young chickens. The deliciousness of river clams is greatly related to their age. Likewise, for clams to grow, they need water. The cleaner the lake water, the fresher and more tender the clam meat will be. Only clean water can nurture quality clams.¡±


    Huo Sining nodded earnestly.


    Baiyun Mountain is rich in minerals, and the mountain water is sweet and tasty, with several drinking water companies sourcing from here.


    The water in Baiyun Reservoir comes from the mountain, so of course, it¡¯s clean and clear¡ªno wonder it can nurture such large river clams.


    ¡°How do you assess the quality of river clams? First, look at the size of the clams¡ªalso their weight, like this one I¡¯m holding. You can tell just by holding it in your hand.¡±


    ¡°This river clam¡¯s weight should be around two and a half pounds; then look at its age. The growth lines of a clam, similar to those of a tree, are denser from spring to autumn.¡±


    ¡°A clam that has grown several years will have thick, dark concentric rings formed on its shell. To determine the age of a clam, count the number of growth lines.¡±


    ¡°For example, this clam is roughly estimated to be over five years old; lastly, choose based on the meat quality. Generally, the more bulging the base of the clamshell when closed, the thicker the meat inside and the higher the cost-performance ratio.¡±


    Shocked, Huo Sining never imagined a simple river clam could have so much to discuss. Thinking back to Liu Qingdong¡¯s earlier comment about the rules of selling river delicacies, her curiosity peeked:


    ¡°You mentioned earlier that river clams aren¡¯t sold this way; how should they be sold?¡±


    ¡°They should be sold individually, not by weight,¡± Liu Qingdong explained with a smile.


    ¡°Ah?¡± Huo Sining widened her eyes in surprise.


    Liu Qingdong continued, ¡°Ordinary river clams are only about the size of a palm, and it¡¯s fine to sell those young clams by weight. But your clams are extraordinary. Selling them by weight is truly a waste. It¡¯s fortunate that no one recognized their value this morning; otherwise, selling this premium delicacy for three yuan per pound would have been a huge loss for you!¡±


    Huo Sining was both amused and frustrated by Liu Qingdong¡¯s words.


    Even being sold individually, she had been at the stall for several hours with no one even bargaining. Not a single clam had been sold.


    Seeing Huo Sining¡¯s conflicted expression, which likely revealed her thoughts, Liu Qingdong felt a mix of disappointment and ridicule.


    ¡°Why can¡¯t you see the obvious? This high-quality clam is something you find once in a lifetime in a grocery store. Bringing it to sell at a food market, how can you expect it to sell?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Huo Sining¡¯s eyes lit up.


    Right, why hadn¡¯t she thought of that? If it couldn¡¯t sell at the market, she could take it to a grocery store, where high-quality goods are in demand. Her wild river clams were of such excellent quality, they were sure to be sought after.


    No sooner thought than done, Huo Sining bowed deeply to Liu Qingdong. Having gained valuable advice, she couldn¡¯t just take advantage without giving something back. Generously, she said, ¡°Uncle, thank you for the advice. Please, have these river clams as a taste of my gratitude!¡±


    With that, she picked up the snakeskin bag and began to pack the river clams.


    Since they weren¡¯t selling, she saw no point in staying there in the sun any longer; it was better to try her luck at a grocery store.


    ¡°Hey, wait, what are you doing?¡±


    Seeing Huo Sining pack up all the clams into the snakeskin bag, Liu Qingdong immediately got anxious and grabbed her arm to stop her.


    Huo Sining looked puzzled and said, ¡°I¡¯m packing up the clams to sell them to a grocery store.¡±


    ¡°Just when I said you were being obtuse¡ªwhat¡¯s the rush? I haven¡¯t even finished talking,¡± Liu Qingdong said, both annoyed and amused. ¡°Why do you think I spent so much time giving you all that information? Do you think I¡¯m running a charity? I¡¯ll take all these clams.¡±

 Chapter 11 - Chapter 11: Chapter 9: Making Money

    Chapter 11: Chapter 9: Making Money


    ¡°Ah?¡±


    Huo Sining was stunned, she hadn¡¯t misheard, had she?


    Liu Qingdong gave Huo Sining a blank look and repeated helplessly,


    ¡°I said I¡¯ll take all these goods off your hands. I run a restaurant, and we¡¯ve run out of fresh produce. I just happened to come here looking to stock up, and after seeing your river clams, I reckon nothing else will catch my eye at this point.¡±


    Seeing that Huo Sining was still standing there dumbfounded, Liu Qingdong continued,


    ¡°You won¡¯t be at a loss. I¡¯ve been dealing with fresh produce for decades; I can tell the price of each type of river clam with one look. Your clams are all at least three years old. Let¡¯s do this, twenty-five yuan per five-year-old clam, fifty for those six years old, and ten for the ones younger than five years. How about that?¡±


    Huo Sining nodded hurriedly.


    She was kidding herself; she had finally encountered such a generous buyer, why would she refuse?


    Selling a river clam for dozens of yuan, she was making a killing.


    Seeing that Huo Sining agreed, Liu Qingdong stopped chattering and started to pick and sort the clams, separating those of the same age.


    It didn¡¯t take long for him to sort out a heap of river clams.


    Three six-year-old clams, four five-year-old clams, and the rest were all under five years old, five in total, exactly three hundred yuan.


    It was only after Liu Qingdong had packed all the river clams back into the snakeskin bag that Huo Sining came back to her senses.


    Clutching three hundred-yuan bills in her hand, she looked foolishly delighted.


    Liu Qingdong, seeing how happy she was, found it somewhat amusing,


    ¡°You¡¯re this happy over three hundred yuan? Here, this is my business card. If you have more of these good products to sell next time, you can come directly to me.¡±


    Liu Qingdong, head chef of Jixian Restaurant?


    Huo Sining looked at the business card in her hand and was overjoyed.


    So this man was the head chef of a restaurant¡ªjust what she needed when she was worried about not being able to make a long-term profit from the river clams. Now she had found a way.


    Seeing Liu Qingdong about to leave, Huo Sining hurriedly asked, ¡°Uncle Liu, how often do you usually need to restock?¡±


    At her question, Liu Qingdong paused in his tracks and turned back to look at Huo Sining,


    ¡°These quality river clams are not common. How many can you supply me with daily?¡±


    Huo Sining hesitated, Liu Qingdong¡¯s eyes scanning her like a detector. Her heart skipped a beat and she immediately wished she could bite off her own tongue.


    Why couldn¡¯t she remember that Liu Qingdong was an expert? High-aged river clams were a rarity; how could she possibly supply them regularly?


    If she really went every day to deliver the clams to Liu Qingdong, she feared it wouldn¡¯t be long before people got suspicious.


    Huo Sining forced herself to calm down and said with a smile,


    ¡°Providing them daily is definitely not possible. It¡¯s a coincidence this time; I just happened to find a pond with a good number of these clams, so I thought I¡¯d try to see if I could sell them. Plus, I¡¯ve just finished my college entrance exams and will soon be leaving for university, so long-term supply is naturally out of the question.¡±


    Liu Qingdong, having lived almost fifty years, had noticed the oddness in Huo Sining¡¯s behavior and naturally knew that the girl in front of him wasn¡¯t telling the truth.


    However, he did not possess such a strong curiosity to delve into the matter. At most, he just thought that Huo Sining was a bit cunning, which was not altogether blameworthy.


    For Liu Qingdong, he wasn¡¯t interested in the girl¡¯s small schemes; what mattered most was getting good-quality river clams.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± asked Liu Qingdong.


    Huo Sining smiled, but inside she was nervously drumming,


    ¡°Since Uncle Liu knows so much about aquatic produce like river clams, you probably also know how to raise them, right? I¡¯m thinking, how about this: I¡¯ll get up early tomorrow, get my family to help, and we¡¯ll fish out all the clams from that pond. I¡¯ll call you the day after tomorrow morning, and then you can send a vehicle to collect the goods at my place. How does that sound?¡±


    Nights are long and full of dreams, it¡¯s safer to make a one-time deal.


    Huo Sining chose the safest method, which was to gather more river clams these past nights and transport them all to the village entrance.


    Then tomorrow night she would stay there to guard them until the early morning, when Liu Qingdong¡¯s truck would come to pick up the goods.


    That way, she wouldn¡¯t have to worry about her secret being discovered and it saved her the daily hassle and conspicuousness of going in and out of the city.


    When Liu Qingdong heard this, he had no suspicions, only thinking that Huo Sining really had stumbled upon a deep pool teeming with many old river clams.


    As a young girl, seeing how profitable river clams could be, it was normal for her to worry that someone else would find them and to want to scoop them all up first.


    It was rare to come across old river clams, and if this young girl could indeed supply them in large quantities, Liu Qingdong would take as many as she could provide.


    Even if the restaurant didn¡¯t need so many, he could always sell them to others. No matter what, he wouldn¡¯t suffer a loss.


    So, after hearing Huo Sining¡¯s words, Liu Qingdong didn¡¯t hesitate, nodded with a smile, and said,


    ¡°No problem. I¡¯ll just have to mention it to our boss and it¡¯ll be done. When the time comes, we will follow the price we discussed today.¡±


    Seeing that Liu Qingdong had agreed to her proposed plan, Huo Sining couldn¡¯t contain her joy and hurried back gleefully.


    The bus made a stop in Baiyun Town and a few more passengers got on. Huo Sining was calculating how much tuition and living expenses she would need for her first year of university when she suddenly heard a surprised exclamation.


    ¡°Ningning, what are you doing here?¡± Wu Jingyi said, looking at her in amazement.


    Why do I run into her everywhere I go?


    Huo Sining had the impulse to roll her eyes. Ridiculous, this bus isn¡¯t owned by your family. If you can ride it, why can¡¯t I?


    Unaware of Huo Sining¡¯s inner ridicule, Wu Jingyi didn¡¯t even ask; she simply took a seat beside Huo Sining without any qualms and grabbed her arm, pretending to be friendly as she asked,


    Aren¡¯t you afraid you¡¯ll get prickly heat from sticking together in such hot weather?


    Huo Sining was speechless, she shifted to the side but failed to shrug off Wu Jingyi¡¯s arm.


    Feeling Wu Jingyi¡¯s half body weight press against her, Huo Sining ran out of patience: ¡°Don¡¯t you feel hot?¡±


    Unfortunately, Wu Jingyi acted as if she couldn¡¯t grasp the implication of Huo Sining¡¯s words: ¡°Not hot, the window is open. By the way, Ningning, I¡¯ve chosen Imperial Capital Medical University as my college preference, what do you think?¡±


    Although she seemed to be sincerely asking for Huo Sining¡¯s opinion, the smugness in Wu Jingyi¡¯s eyes was unmistakeable.


    Huo Sining sneered inwardly, so you¡¯re trying to provoke me, aren¡¯t you? Well then, I¡¯ll give you a taste of displeasure.


    ¡°That¡¯s great, you performed well this time, and with your scores, you¡¯ll definitely get in,¡± Huo Sining said with a beaming smile, appearing genuinely happy for the other person.


    However, she then paused and asked with some concern, ¡°But I heard that tuition at the Imperial University is not cheap, especially for medical studies. I heard tuition alone is over ten thousand yuan a year, and with the high cost of living in the capital, I guess living expenses for a month would also be quite substantial.¡±


    Wu Jingyi¡¯s smile immediately faded, and she looked up at Huo Sining before sighing and looking down,


    ¡°I know, but I want to go to the Capital City. I¡¯ve lived in Baiyun Village for over ten years, and I want to venture out. The Imperial Capital is the most bustling place, and I feel that¡¯s where I belong.¡±


    Huo Sining fell silent.


    In her previous life, Wu Jingyi had also chosen Imperial Capital Medical University, and not long after receiving her acceptance notice, she was taken by the Liang Family to the Capital City, naturally without having to worry about tuition fees.


    But in this life, Wu Jingyi didn¡¯t have such luck. Without the Jade Pendant as a token for recognition, the Liang Family would never find her.


    Huo Sining couldn¡¯t help but sneer inwardly. She wanted to see how, without the Liang Family, Wu Jingyi would pay such hefty tuition fees and how she would manage to live in the capital.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about me. What are your plans for the future, Ningning? I used to think you were joking, but I inquired with Teacher Jin yesterday, and I found out you really didn¡¯t fill out your college entrance application. Why would you be so reckless? You worked hard for three years in high school just to look forward to this day of passing the college entrance exams. You¡¯re giving up so easily¡ªyou¡¯re going to regret it later on.¡±


    Wu Jingyi wore a disposition as if she was frustrated by incompetence, but Huo Sining knew all too well how gleeful she must be feeling inside.


    Huo Sining sighed to herself; it seemed her worries were justified. Wu Jingyi indeed had inquired about her college entrance application from Jin Chenyu, but fortunately, Jin had been forewarned by Huo Sining not to divulge her college application details to Wu Jingyi.

 Chapter 12 - Chapter 12: Chapter 10: Getting the ID Card

    Chapter 12: Chapter 10: Getting the ID Card


    ¡°Ningning, you still haven¡¯t said how you ended up on the bus, did you go to the county town?¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    Huo Sining really had no patience to deal with Wu Jingyi, yet Wu Jingyi thought her little tricks were so clever, which left Huo Sining quite vexed.


    ¡°You just sneaked out like this, aren¡¯t you afraid your aunt will scold you?¡±


    Seeing that Huo Sining was somewhat perfunctory towards her, Wu Jingyi frowned and gave Huo Sining a calculated glance without a change in expression.


    ¡°What did you go to the county town for?¡±


    Wu Jingyi spoke with the tone of an interrogator, as she had always spoken to Huo Sining in this way, so she saw nothing wrong with it.


    Huo Sining, however, was very uncomfortable and cursed herself internally for being so blind in her past life to have become good sisters with such a person!


    ¡°Who said I sneaked out?¡± Huo Sining chuckled coldly. She had walked out the door right in front of Xu Lian¡¯s face, in broad daylight, ¡°Moreover, what business is it of yours why I go to the county town?¡±


    Wu Jingyi was stunned.


    Probably because Huo Sining was always gentle and easy-going, Wu Jingyi was quite surprised to hear Huo Sining speak with such a sharp tone, and she felt displeased at once.


    Anger flickered in Wu Jingyi¡¯s eyes, but she put on a wronged face: ¡°Ningning, how can you say that? I¡­ I¡¯m just worried about you, your aunt is so fierce, always beating and scolding you at the drop of a hat, I¡¯m just concerned you¡¯d be wronged.¡±


    As she spoke, her eyes slowly misted up, as if she was going to cry.


    Here come the tears, right on cue. You¡¯re really wasting your talent by not going into show business¡ªyou¡¯d definitely win Best Actress!


    Having lived an extra seven years, Huo Sining had seen far more advanced white lotus and green tea bitch tactics on the internet in her past life than Wu Jingyi could ever manage; Wu Jingyi¡¯s tricks were nothing to write home about.


    ¡°No, don¡¯t. How could I ever afford such concern from you. You¡¯d better worry about your own tuition. In a few days, you¡¯re turning eighteen, and obviously you can¡¯t keep living at the orphanage. What do you plan to do?¡±


    Wu Jingyi¡¯s face stiffened. Recently, she had been completely preoccupied with how to tamper with Huo Sining¡¯s college entrance exam choices and hadn¡¯t even thought about this issue.


    Now that Huo Sining had reminded her, she recalled the head of the orphanage notifying her a week before the college entrance exam that, once she turned eighteen and legally became an adult, she was required by regulation to move out of the orphanage.


    Even if she were admitted to university, there were still two months before the school year started, and with neither money nor connections, Wu Jingyi really didn¡¯t know how to cope for the time being.


    ¡°How about we move out and rent a place together?¡± Wu Jingyi suggested.


    ¡°Renting together, what¡¯s that got to do with me?¡± Huo Sining was somewhat baffled by Wu Jingyi¡¯s logic.


    ¡°Since you¡¯re just getting bullied at your uncle¡¯s place, it¡¯s better to move out and live with me. Besides, you haven¡¯t filled out your college entrance exam preferences yet, and probably your aunt will soon force you to go work. I think you¡¯d be better off leaving early. I reckon you could rent a place in the county town, so we could live together, and I could even weigh in on finding you a job, what do you think?¡±


    Let me find a place, so you can freeload until early September?


    Huo Sining gave Wu Jingyi a look as if she were an idiot, trying to work out Wu Jingyi¡¯s baffling thought process.


    Darling, feeling so entitled to take advantage of others, is that really okay?


    Wu Jingyi had made a nice little plan, but unfortunately, Huo Sining was not buying it.


    Huo Sining had her own plan all along: to resolve the tuition issue within three days, then make things clear to Huo Yong¡¯s family and leave straight away. How could she possibly allow Wu Jingyi to scheme against her?


    ¡°Forget about renting a place, I plan to go to Guangcheng with my cousin in a while. She works in a foreign company there. My aunt has already spoken to her older sister and she will help me get a job at the company when the time comes.¡±


    Huo Sining¡¯s smile was tinged with mockery as she declined Wu Jingyi¡¯s suggestion.


    Wu Jingyi¡¯s expression soured, especially when she heard Huo Sining mention moving to Guangcheng with her cousin. Jealousy flashed across her eyes, and her face twisted slightly.


    She forced a stiff smile: ¡°Is that so? Well then, I guess I¡¯ll rent a place by myself.¡±


    Curious upon hearing Huo Sining was going to Guangcheng, Wu Jingyi kept asking which foreign company Huo Sining¡¯s cousin worked for.


    Huo Sining couldn¡¯t be bothered with her. As soon as they reached the village entrance, without even a goodbye, she hurried off the bus, leaving Wu Jingyi staring after her in exasperation.


    That night, Huo Sining took advantage of the dark and windy conditions to slip out again.


    Once a stranger, twice familiar; when she got to Baiyun Reservoir, she didn¡¯t hesitate and grabbed a snakeskin bag before diving into the water, happily gathering river clams.


    She worked tirelessly throughout the night, and not until 4 a.m., as the predawn light showed the white belly of fish in the sky, did Huo Sining stop for fear of being seen.


    After hiding dozens of bags of river clams, Huo Sining hurried back home, and just as she lay down, she heard the crowing of roosters.


    Awakened by the noise in the eastern wing, Xu Lian called out to Huo Longjiang, telling him to get up and get ready for school; Huo Longjiang mumbled under his breath.


    Huo Sining breathed a sigh of relief and thought to herself, ¡°That was close,¡± nearly getting caught.


    Since the issue of the 100,000-yuan inheritance left by Mrs. Huo had been revealed, Xu Lian was displeased, so there were no complaints when Huo Sining didn¡¯t get up to make breakfast.


    Feeling guilty himself, Huo Yong always felt awkward and uncomfortable when faced with Huo Sining¡¯s clear and penetrating eyes, as if she knew everything. Seeing that Huo Sining hadn¡¯t gotten up for breakfast, he actually felt relieved.


    Huo Sining ended up sleeping until the sun was high in the sky, and Xu Lian went out early in the morning to visit relatives.


    It was said that Liu Meiling had returned yesterday, and knowing Xu Lian¡¯s nature, she probably couldn¡¯t wait to go and take advantage of her.


    Huo Yong wasn¡¯t home either; one didn¡¯t even need to think to know he was certainly sitting at the gambling table.


    Huo Sining curled her lips, had lunch at her leisure, and then sat under the grape trellis to cool off, calculating how much money she could get for the clams she had gathered the day before.


    Now aware of the price of river clams, Huo Sining¡¯s approach to harvesting them this time around was not as disorganized as before.


    Younger clams didn¡¯t sell for much, so she became choosy when gathering them, mainly picking the older clams and discarding any under three years of age.


    By her estimates, she only needed to collect some more river clams that evening to have enough to pay her tuition.


    Huo Sining was excited at the thought. Once she had the tuition in hand, she planned to move away quietly.


    At this thought, Huo Sining paused, suddenly remembering that her ID card and household registration were still tightly held by Xu Lian.


    With Xu Lian and Huo Yong out of the house, and even the ¡°walking monitor¡± Huo Longjiang absent, it was the perfect opportunity to act.


    Moved by the thought, Huo Sining leaped down from the stone slab in a couple of strides.


    In her past life, Huo Sining had lived in the Huo family for over twenty years, so she was intimately familiar with Xu Lian¡¯s habits.


    Xu Lian liked to hide things in the crevice under the bed plank. Knowing her son loved to rummage through things, she purposefully placed a collection box on top of a cabinet, putting less important items and change inside the box.


    Huo Longjiang was easy to deceive; entering the room, he always focused on that collection box above, never suspecting there was anything beneath the bed plank.


    But what Xu Lian didn¡¯t realize was that her so-called clever hiding method had long been in plain sight to Huo Sining, clear as day.


    Huo Sining sneaked into the eastern wing room and crawled under the bed, quickly coming across a bag wrapped in silk.


    Opening the bag, she indeed found her ID card and household registration book inside.


    A slight curl appeared at the corner of Huo Sining¡¯s mouth as she took her belongings.


    Just as she was about to put the silk-wrapped bundle back, her eyes suddenly caught sight of a dark red credit union passbook.


    Feeling a surge of curiosity, she opened it, and a six-digit number boldly presented itself.


    This was the passbook her mother had left behind.


    Huo Sining caught her breath, touching the name of Mrs. Huo on the passbook, her voice choked up.


    After standing in a daze for a while, she took a deep breath and solemnly placed the passbook back in the silk cloth bag.


    She was not an ungrateful person. Although she had suffered so much over the years, her uncle had raised her to adulthood.


    Since the 100,000 yuan was meant for her uncle¡¯s family by Mrs. Huo, she would consider it as paying back the kindness she owed over the years.


    After tomorrow, once she walked out of the door of the Huo family, she would have nothing more to do with Huo Yong¡¯s family from then on.

 Chapter 13 - Chapter 13: Chapter 11 The Deepwater Golden Softshell Turtle

    Chapter 13: Chapter 11 The Deepwater Golden Softshell Turtle


    ¡°`


    Huo Sining took away her ID card and household registration book, but she still felt a bit nervous inside.


    If Xu Lian found out, a big fight was inevitable.


    Although she wasn¡¯t afraid of Xu Lian, she would rather not leave the Huo family on bad terms.


    Luckily, in the evening Xu Lian called, saying she would stay the night at her older sister¡¯s place.


    Huo Sining immediately breathed a sigh of relief.


    As long as she wasn¡¯t discovered tonight, she would fly far away tomorrow, and by then even if Xu Lian knew about it, she could do nothing to her.


    Huo Sining went out again at night.


    Since she had plenty of time, she wasn¡¯t in a rush. After entering the water, she didn¡¯t start working immediately but dove deeper towards the lake bottom.


    River clams generally live around the edges of the lake; the closer to the center of the lake, the clearer the water and the fewer the clams, but the more fish there would be.


    Huo Sining planned to catch a few wild river fish to give to Liu Qingdong.


    She wasn¡¯t ungrateful; even though her clams were valuable to Liu Qingdong, he had recognized right away that Huo Sining was a novice.


    If Liu Qingdong hadn¡¯t told her the rules for selling old river clams that day, she probably would¡¯ve really thought herself lucky to sell the clams to Liu Qingdong for three yuan per kilogram.


    Liu Qingdong was a straightforward person, and naturally, Huo Sining was also willing to return the favor. The fish in the reservoir were plump and delicious, and Liu Qingdong, a true gourmand, would certainly like them.


    Huo Sining wasn¡¯t very knowledgeable about fish species, but after living many years in Baiyun Village, she still knew which fish were more expensive.


    Searching through the water, she spotted a mandarin fish that weighed about four to five kilograms and couldn¡¯t help but extend her ¡°claws¡± towards it.


    Although the mandarin fish was fat, it was also strong.


    She thought it would take quite an effort to subdue this big fellow, but to Huo Sining¡¯s surprise, once she caught the mandarin fish, it was very docile, letting her handle it as easily as one would a rabbit.


    Huo Sining froze.


    She recalled the last time Huo Longjiang had pushed her into the pond, she had caught a crucian carp, which had reacted just like this mandarin fish.


    Thinking of this, she couldn¡¯t resist letting go and conducting an experiment once more.


    Sure enough, the mandarin fish seemed to have tasted something sweet and kept squeezing up to Huo Sining, its antennae rubbing against her nose as if sniffing something.


    Once could be a coincidence, but with fish behaving like addicts again and again, something was definitely odd.


    Huo Sining realized there was an issue. It seemed like the Water-Repelling Pearl had made her attractive to these fish; otherwise, these cunning creatures wouldn¡¯t be so unable to resist the temptation.


    She remembered that every time she went into the water and muttered the incantation, the Water-Repelling Pearl would emit a gentle aura that enveloped her entire body.


    It was likely that the fish were attracted to this Spiritual Energy, which is why they kept sticking around her and refused to leave.


    This discovery both shocked and delighted Huo Sining, and after a few more tests, she became more certain of her speculation.


    With the assistance of Spiritual Energy, Huo Sining turned into a master fish catcher.


    With little effort, she caught a few mandarin and perch fish and felt that was enough. Just as she was about to head back, she stumbled over something.


    She hadn¡¯t been paying attention and had kicked an object.


    Looking down, Huo Sining wanted to see what it was, but saw a dark shadow extruding from the mud, slowly floating up, its legs flailing as though it wanted to flee.


    A turtle?


    Huo Sining was a bit surprised and, without much thought, chased after the timid creature.


    Upon closer inspection, she realized she had made a mistake.


    This was no turtle, but clearly a softshell turtle.


    It¡¯s often that people curse ¡°turtle egg¡± as an insult, but actually, a turtle and a softshell turtle are different species.


    ¡°`


    ¡°`


    The turtle¡¯s shell was hard, with crack-like patterns on the back that resembled a thirteen-petal flower.


    However, the softshell turtle had a smooth shell with no patterns on the back.


    The most important difference was that turtles were gentle by nature, while softshell turtles were fierce and easily provoked, and skilled at attacking.


    Perhaps sensing danger from Huo Sining¡¯s chase, the softshell turtle labored to paddle its four hooves forward while it craned its neck backward to glare at Huo Sining with anger in its eyes, revealing sharp teeth within its open mouth.


    Softshell turtles are an extremely ferocious aquatic species; if angered, they could fight humans to the death. Although Huo Sining had the Water-Repelling Pearl, she couldn¡¯t afford to be careless.


    She seized the opportunity to snatch the creature¡¯s shell from behind.


    After being captured, the softshell turtle initially tried to break free but soon seemed to sense something. It halted, sniffed before Huo Sining, and suddenly became docile.


    Even such a ferocious creature could be subdued¡ªclearly, the spiritual energy of the Water-Repelling Pearl was incredibly tempting to these aquatic beings!


    Huo Sining was overjoyed. Softshell turtles were much more valuable than ordinary fish and were seldom seen in Baiyun Village. Many believed them to be beneficial for health and virility; even the ordinary softshell turtles could sell for dozens to hundreds of yuan each, let alone wild living ones, which were extremely rare.


    Usually, the older the softshell turtle, the more expensive and medically valuable it was. However, Huo Sining didn¡¯t know how to determine their age. The turtles she had seen all had dark green shells, but the one she was holding was yellow and incredibly large, probably weighing at least ten kilograms.


    Instinct told Huo Sining that this big fellow must be very valuable.


    After tying up the large softshell turtle and separating it from the live fish, Huo Sining caught some clams, estimated the time¡ªit was almost four in the morning¡ªand then went ashore.


    Baiyun Reservoir was about three or four kilometers from the entrance of the village. During the day, Huo Sining had borrowed a tricycle from Old Zhang in the village to quickly drag the clams to the entrance and hide them in a nearby water channel.


    Having finished all this, she hurriedly returned the tricycle and rushed home.


    Liu Qingdong was woken early by his ringing phone. Groggy, he opened his eyes and saw an unfamiliar landline number on the display.


    He almost hung up, but then he suddenly thought of someone and hurried to answer the call.


    ¡°Uncle Liu, I¡¯m at the entrance of Baiyun Town. I¡¯ve prepared the goods for you, could you please send a vehicle to pick them up as soon as possible?¡±


    Liu Qingdong glanced outside the window; it was still somewhat dark¡ªwasn¡¯t it just before six o¡¯clock?


    However, the girl on the phone sounded anxious, so he quickly got up and promised he would arrive within half an hour.


    Huo Sining was also anxious. The bus to the county town departed at six thirty, and it wouldn¡¯t be long before people would arrive at the village entrance to catch it. If they found out she had caught so many clams, busybodies might spread the word to Xu Lian, which could potentially kick up a big fuss.


    Huo Sining did not want to take any risks, especially since Xu Lian was due back in the morning, and she had no wish to run into the woman.


    True to his word, Liu Qingdong drove up to the village entrance in less than half an hour in a van.


    From a distance, he saw a young girl standing by the roadside, craning her neck in anticipation, which brought a smile to his face.


    But his amusement was short-lived as his eyes widened at the sight of bag after bag of clams in the water channel.


    My goodness, he estimated roughly; there had to be five to six hundred pounds of them.


    ¡°You¡¯ve cleaned out all the old clams from your secret pond, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    Liu Qingdong was astonished. The young girl was formidable¡ªcatching clams was no easy task as they hid in the mud, and one had to dive to the bottom of the water to feel for them. It seemed this girl was quite adept at swimming.


    If Huo Sining knew what Liu Qingdong was thinking, she would have laughed out loud. She was a landlubber¡ªwhat the devil was swimming skill, and could it be eaten?


    Despite his surprise, Liu Qingdong¡¯s movements were efficient, and he quickly loaded the clams onto his vehicle.


    As he picked up the last snakeskin bag, its contents suddenly jerked, startling Liu Qingdong: ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s for you, Uncle Liu¡ªjust some wild fish, not worth much.¡±


    With a smile, Huo Sining opened the snakeskin bag: ¡°Also, I caught a big softshell turtle. Could you please check for me, Uncle Liu, how much this turtle might be worth?¡±


    ¡°A big softshell turtle?¡± Liu Qingdong¡¯s eyes lit up, and his curiosity piqued. He hurried over and sucked in a breath of cold air when he saw the yellow turtle in the bag.


    ¡°Is this¡­ a Golden Softshell Turtle?¡±


    ¡°`

 Chapter 14 - Chapter 14: Chapter 12 The First Bucket of Jin

    Chapter 14: Chapter 12 The First Bucket of Jin


    Huo Sining was stunned, ¡°Is this called a Golden Softshell Turtle?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± Liu Qingdong glanced at Huo Sining sideways.


    Seeing Huo Sining shake her head, Liu Qingdong was somewhat speechless.


    ¡°In ancient times, the Golden Softshell Turtle was a nourishing tribute presented to the Royal Family. These years, they have become increasingly rare, especially the wild ones. Looking at the shell, this one must be at least fifty years old. You don¡¯t know anything, yet your luck is quite good; you¡¯ve managed to encounter such a rarity.¡±


    Seeing Liu Qingdong¡¯s probing gaze and his pensive expression, Huo Sining tensed up inside but could only play dumb and silly, scratching the back of her head with a foolish smile:


    ¡°Hehe, that¡¯s true, I am indeed lucky; otherwise, how could I have met someone as kind as Uncle Liu.¡±


    Liu Qingdong was both amused and exasperated, ¡°Stop buttering me up. What do you plan to do with this turtle? If you want to sell it, I can find a buyer for you.¡±


    ¡°That would be great.¡± Huo Sining brightened up as she looked at Liu Qingdong, ¡°Is the Golden Softshell Turtle very valuable?¡±


    Liu Qingdong replied helplessly, ¡°This kind of thing is priceless; if you find a buyer who likes it, no matter how expensive, there will be takers. But if you¡¯re in a hurry to sell, it¡¯s hard to say what the price will be. However, I conservatively estimate someone would take it for seven or eight thousand. Rest assured, the buyers I find are always reliable; I won¡¯t let you be taken advantage of.¡±


    Huo Sining was quite relieved by this point. Although she had only dealt with Liu Qingdong a couple of times, she felt she could trust his character.


    Otherwise, with Liu Qingdong¡¯s capabilities, he could have used another excuse to lower the price of the turtle in her hands, pocket the Golden Softshell Turtle himself, and be done with it; why go to the trouble of finding a buyer for her?


    Following Liu Qingdong to the county town and arriving at Juxian Restaurant, there was already someone waiting. As soon as the car stopped, a man in his thirties hurried over.


    Liu Qingdong nodded and said to the man, ¡°The goods have arrived; take them to the warehouse first.¡±


    The man nodded and followed the van without another word.


    When they reached a bungalow at the back door, the man opened the door, and Huo Sining got out of the car along with Liu Qingdong.


    ¡°Uncle Dong, who is this young lady?¡± The man gave Huo Sining a few looks and asked in wonder.


    Liu Qingdong gave the man an annoyed look, ¡°Do you only take the goods without paying? I can¡¯t pull out that much cash in hand. This is my niece. She heard you were buying river delicacies. The poor girl and her family have been busy for two days straight just to catch these goods. Later you better count carefully; don¡¯t miscount the money.¡±


    The man laughed upon hearing this, ¡°Uncle Dong, look at what you¡¯re saying. How could I ever cheat your niece?¡±


    Liu Qingdong scoffed, ¡°Heh, I know what you¡¯re like, you slippery merchant. Your parents are both honest people. I really can¡¯t tell who you take after, being so stingy, not willing to part with a single hair!¡±


    ¡°Uncle, if I weren¡¯t stingy, how could I have earned this bit of wealth? There are seven or eight mouths in my family waiting to be fed.¡±


    The man laughed, not at all offended by Liu Qingdong¡¯s remarks, and instead seemed rather pleased with himself.


    Liu Qingdong turned his head to look at Huo Sining, ¡°Huo girl, this is my boss, Zhao Xian, the owner of Juxian Restaurant. Although I¡¯m the one who placed the order with you, the money still has to come from the big boss. You should ask him for the money later.¡±


    Huo Sining nodded and, seeing Zhao Xian look over, she extended her right hand generously, ¡°My name is Huo Sining. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Boss Zhao.¡±


    Zhao Xian was taken aback for a moment, but quickly reached out and shook hands with Huo Sining, saying with a smile, ¡°Calling me Boss Zhao feels too distant. I¡¯m a bit older than you, so I¡¯ll take the liberty of having you call me Brother Zhao.¡±


    ¡°Brother Zhao.¡± Huo Sining quickly corrected herself, her face showing no awkwardness at all.


    Seeing that Huo Sining was young but spoke and acted with the experienced maturity of a city office worker, Zhao Xian found it refreshing, and the smile at the bottom of his eyes became much more sincere.


    ¡°Stop just talking; before the sun comes out, let¡¯s quickly get the goods sorted and into the pond.¡±


    Seeing Zhao Xian keep staring at Huo Sining, Liu Qingdong frowned and interrupted the two¡¯s conversation.


    Men are strong and can easily carry several snakeskin bags at once; it didn¡¯t take much effort for them to move the goods in a line on the ground.


    ¡°Hey, this batch of goods is fresher than the one from a couple of days ago; look at how the flesh is poking out.¡±


    Some clamshells were originally open, but they snapped shut instantly when startled. Zhao Xian¡¯s face lit up with surprise; it was rare to see such fresh large clams.


    Two days ago, Liu Qingdong had taken all of Huo Sining¡¯s river clams at the market. As soon as he brought them back to the restaurant, some customers saw them and clamored for Liu Qingdong to prepare a taste for them.


    With no other choice, Liu Qingdong picked some and made a dish called ¡°Old Clam Gives Birth to Pearls¡±.


    Unexpectedly, this started an uncontrollable craze; other guests who caught the fragrance insisted on ordering Old Clam Gives Birth to Pearls, and more than a dozen old clams were sold out in just one meal.


    Those who didn¡¯t get to taste the dish sighed with frustration. Yesterday, they came back to ask if there were any more wild river clams available.


    Who knew a dish could ignite the restaurant¡¯s business like that? Zhao Xian saw a financial opportunity and, upon hearing from Liu Qingdong that Huo Sining might be able to supply in bulk¡ªeven if just for once¡ªhe had no reason to turn away the cash at hand and readily agreed.


    ¡°They were in the water just before, and they were delivered here not long after being caught,¡± Huo Sining explained with a smile, ¡°The river clams Uncle Liu bought last time had been out of the water for half a day and under the sun, so they weren¡¯t as fresh.¡±


    Of course, the next step was to grade the river clams according to their age and quality.


    Because Huo Sining selectively harvested, there were not many three to five-year-old river clams; most of them were over five years old.


    After Liu Qingdong sorted the clams into piles, he noticed this issue, looked up at Huo Sining, and then started recording.


    The quality of this batch was indeed high, and even a connoisseur like Liu Qingdong could find no fault with them.


    After calculating, five to six hundred pounds of old clams managed to sell for twelve thousand and five hundred yuan, which even surprised Huo Sining.


    Although Zhao Xian was sly, he was very straightforward when it came to paying, taking out the money and handing it to Huo Sining without any trickery.


    Of course, Huo Sining dared not carry so much cash on her person¡ªthis was her first big earnings, and if she lost it, she would have nowhere to cry.


    Huo Sining decided to go to the bank afterward, open a bank account, and deposit the money.


    Having sold the river clams, Huo Sining felt at ease; at least she no longer had to worry about her tuition fees for the upcoming school term.


    Helping Liu Qingdong and Zhao Xian, the three of them carried the clams in batches to the breeding pool and walked out of the warehouse.


    Just as they returned to the entrance of the restaurant, a group of people rushed towards them.


    ¡°Uncle Liu, I heard your place got a batch of old clams. You didn¡¯t do right by us,¡± one man said discontentedly. ¡°We have had many years of friendship, and I¡¯ve been a regular at Juxian Restaurant. How could you get good stuff and not let me know?¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± echoed a few others. ¡°Five-year-old clams are rare; you should have called us to try them first instead of letting others eat them. Is this how you treat old friends?¡±


    Only then did Huo Sining notice these people were about Liu Qingdong¡¯s age but dressed luxuriously and were plump in stature.


    No need to say more; at the very least, they must be doing well financially, which explained how they caught wind of the delicacy so quickly and rushed over eagerly for the sake of a good taste.


    However, Liu Qingdong was caught between laughter and tears: ¡°I forgot to notify you when the clams arrived. I only got about a dozen the other day, and even I didn¡¯t get a taste before they were all sold out.¡±


    At this, he couldn¡¯t help but look at Zhao Xian with a touch of resentment; if it weren¡¯t for this money-eyed guy, he would have saved a few to try for himself.


    ¡°Sold out?¡± The men were dumbfounded. ¡°How can that be? We heard you had good stuff and hurried over here. Are you telling us that it¡¯s all sold out and we¡¯ve come for nothing?¡±


    Liu Qingdong opened his mouth to explain, but Zhao Xian interjected eagerly:


    ¡°Gentlemen, don¡¯t be in a rush. Uncle Dong hasn¡¯t finished speaking. The supply from two days ago did sell out, but starting today, Juxian Restaurant will offer a limited supply of wild river delicacies. Old clams from three to seven years old are available, six per day, first-come, first-serve. If you want to sample them, please head to the restaurant and book your meal with the bartender.¡±


    Hearing this, the customers were overjoyed and scrambled to make reservations.


    Who would have thought that old clams could be so popular? Zhao Xian indeed had a talent for business.


    The number of river clams wasn¡¯t high and the restaurant ran out of supply, yet Zhao Xin knew to apply a strategy of limited availability.


    A steady trickle ensures supply during the high demand season for river clams; his restaurant won¡¯t have to worry about running out.


    Moreover, with only six per day, it keeps people¡¯s interest and desire to taste fresh. With this hunger marketing approach, as long as he promotes the signature wild old clams, his restaurant is sure to be extremely busy for a while.

 Chapter 15 - Chapter 15: Chapter 13: Selling at a High Price

    Chapter 15: Chapter 13: Selling at a High Price


    After greeting those customers, Zhao Xian had the kitchen bring up breakfast.


    Huo Sining had been busy since early in the morning and was indeed hungry, so he naturally didn¡¯t hold back.


    Huo Sining had planned to go get a bank card first, but Liu Qingdong¡¯s actions were clearly faster than Huo Sining¡¯s.


    While still having breakfast, he began making calls, and as soon as he mentioned the Golden Softshell Turtle, the person on the other end immediately agreed to hurry over and take a look.


    Perhaps feeling that the price of the Golden Softshell Turtle was too volatile, he was somewhat uneasy, making three or four calls one after another, all to his merchant friends.


    No sooner had Huo Sining and the others finished breakfast than the people who came to look at the goods had already arrived outside the restaurant.


    ¡°Golden Softshell Turtle, I say Uncle Dong, how come you didn¡¯t tell me about this treasure at the warehouse just now?¡±


    Upon hearing that Huo Sining had a Golden Softshell Turtle that weighed over ten pounds, Zhao Xian immediately widened his eyes discontentedly at Liu Qingdong, feeling that he had lost out.


    This Golden Softshell Turtle was a treasure; if the price was right, he would also want to buy it.


    Liu Qingdong glanced at Zhao Xian and sneered:


    ¡°Don¡¯t I know what kind of person you are? If I had told you about the Golden Softshell Turtle just now, you would have definitely driven the price down. Even I am not sure how to price this thing, do you think they would be willing to sell it to you cheaply? Come on, don¡¯t be greedy, just be happy with the clams you got, and know when to stop.¡±


    Feeling guilty, Zhao Xian touched his nose and muttered in a mixture of embarrassment and reluctance:


    ¡°Uncle Dong, why do you always have to undercut me? I was just asking. Besides, selling it to others is a sale, but selling it to me is considered selling cheaply?¡±


    Watching the two bicker, Huo Sining found it interesting.


    Although Zhao Xian was the owner of this restaurant and held some authority here, he was oddly fearful of the chef, Liu Qingdong.


    Moreover, the two didn¡¯t seem like the typical boss and employee, but rather like a senior interacting with a junior.


    A chef constantly challenging the owner, and Zhao Xian not getting angry, was truly fascinating.


    After the meal, a middle-aged man entered the restaurant and eagerly asked upon seeing Liu Qingdong, ¡°Uncle Dong, where¡¯s the Golden Softshell Turtle?¡±


    Liu Qingdong pointed unhurriedly at the room behind the man.


    The man, puzzled like a monk unable to find his head, pushed the door open only to see familiar faces, and his smile froze:


    ¡°Well done, Uncle Dong, you¡¯re being sneaky with me, calling so many people over. Are you afraid I¡¯ll drive the price down and you¡¯ll be at a loss, or what?¡±


    Liu Qingdong walked into the room, saw the disapproving expressions on the faces of the other merchants, and couldn¡¯t help but laugh:


    ¡°Today, indeed Uncle Liu didn¡¯t handle things properly, but I dare say that everyone here is an old friend of Liu Qingdong. I have no reason to cheat any of you. Golden Softshell Turtles are rare, and a fifty-year-old one even more so; mainly, I wanted you all to come over and broaden your horizons. If we weren¡¯t so close, I wouldn¡¯t have called you.¡±


    After hearing what Liu Qingdong said, everyone in the room looked a bit better, and Liu Qingdong continued to explain:


    ¡°Honestly, I¡¯ve never come across a Golden Softshell Turtle. I¡¯ve seen a fifty-year-old one, but never a Golden Turtle; therefore, I don¡¯t have any reference for pricing it. If it were mine, I wouldn¡¯t sell it, I¡¯d simply invite everyone over for a meal at my place. But this turtle belongs to a young friend, and the young lady is counting on selling this turtle to go to university. I really wouldn¡¯t feel right about cheating her.¡±


    ¡°So what you¡¯re saying is, if we offer too low a price today, we¡¯d be deceiving her, right?¡± a man said with a laugh.


    ¡°Alright, Old Liu, there¡¯s no need to play the sentiment card. Let¡¯s see the goods first. If it really is something good, we hearty men won¡¯t let a young lady suffer a loss!¡± someone said impatiently, urging them on.


    Pleased with this remark, Liu Qingdong nodded contentedly and smilingly welcomed Huo Sining who was outside the door into the room.


    Huo Sining was carrying a snakeskin bag, and under the watchful eyes of everyone, she boldly opened the bag.


    A round, hard-shelled object rolled out; its golden-yellow shell still faintly wet, shone brilliantly under the light, as impressive as armor.


    Goodness gracious, that thing must weigh at least ten pounds, right?


    Seeing such a huge creature, everyone inside the room was incredibly surprised, their eyes widening instinctively as they swallowed their saliva covertly.


    Before anyone could ask, Liu Qingdong had already fetched an electronic scale, placed the Golden Softshell Turtle on it, and my, it weighed a hefty sixteen and a half pounds.


    With the Golden Softshell Turtle on the ground, several Taotie hurriedly crowded around it.


    Nobody had ever seen such a large creature, and they couldn¡¯t help but be a bit curious.


    One of the men reached out to flip the turtle over, but just then, the turtle suddenly stuck its head out.


    The Golden Softshell Turtle had been uncomfortable inside the snakeskin bag; Huo Sining had just untied the vines that bound it, and it was feeling pleased when suddenly someone came over trying to fiddle with it, which instantly angered it.


    An enraged Golden Softshell Turtle can be quite terrifying; once a turtle gets vicious, it won¡¯t let go after biting.


    There¡¯s a saying that goes, ¡°When an old turtle bites, it won¡¯t let go until it thunders.¡± This saying alone illustrates the turtle¡¯s ruthlessness.


    The Golden Softshell Turtle at hand seemed to be in a fighting mood, stretching its neck and opening its mouth wide; if Liu Qingdong hadn¡¯t quickly reacted by kicking the turtle away with his foot, that man¡¯s fingers would have been bitten.


    The Golden Softshell Turtle, flipped onto its back with its stomach facing skyward, was still flailing its legs about, but its eyes still stared at the people resentfully.


    The man who narrowly avoided being bitten didn¡¯t get angry; instead, he laughed, pointing at the Golden Softshell Turtle and said joyfully, ¡°This creature is no ordinary turtle, so fierce! You must have put in a lot of effort to catch it, right? How did you manage to get it?¡±


    Huo Sining¡¯s eyelid twitched subtly, and without any change in her demeanor, she glanced at Liu Qingdong and responded with a smile,


    ¡°It was indeed a bit difficult to deal with. It¡¯s very alert and rarely surfaces, usually hiding in the mud. We spotted it and watched the spot for several days, and it took a colossal effort to catch it.¡±


    Huo Sining lied without a blush or a skip of her heart, speaking as if it were all true.


    In reality, her story was quite far-fetched. Although it explained why the turtle was difficult to catch, she didn¡¯t reveal anything about how it was actually captured.


    Luckily, the man wasn¡¯t genuinely interested in the process of catching the Golden Softshell Turtle. His question was just casual talk, and after receiving Huo Sining¡¯s reply, he nodded and didn¡¯t pursue it further.


    The people in the room observed the Golden Softshell Turtle for a while, clicking their tongues in admiration.


    Liu Qingdong started the bidding, and without any idle chatter, the price started being called out. After a round of bidding, the price astonishingly reached fifteen thousand.


    Huo Sining was somewhat dumbfounded; the money she had worked hard for over several nights couldn¡¯t even match what she got from catching an old turtle randomly?!


    Even when a large stack of banknotes was in her hands, it still felt a bit surreal to her. In just one morning, she had earned twenty-seven thousand yuan?

 Chapter 16 - Chapter 16: Chapter 14 Tearing Off the Mask

    Chapter 16: Chapter 14 Tearing Off the Mask


    ¡°`


    She went to the bank and got a bank card, depositing the twenty-seven thousand yuan she had into the bank.


    With the remaining five hundred yuan in hand, plus the three hundred yuan from selling river clams two days ago, she had a total of eight hundred yuan for her petty expenses.


    Figuring this money should be enough for her trip to S City, Huo Sining finally headed toward the Huo family¡¯s home.


    She hadn¡¯t expected that just as she arrived at the doorstep, she would hear Xu Lian¡¯s laughter.


    Huo Sining frowned and walked into the room, only to find that in addition to Huo Yong and Xu Lian, there were also Xu Xia and two people she didn¡¯t recognize.


    One was a portly old man, around thirty years of age;


    As well as a village woman around the same age as Xu Xia, dressed gaudily and flamboyantly.


    Seeing these three people, Huo Sining felt a sense of dislike welling inside, and her brow furrowed involuntarily.


    When Xu Lian saw Huo Sining return, she was actually delighted and hurried over to greet her.


    Huo Sining thought she would be reprimanded for her whereabouts, but she didn¡¯t expect Xu Lian to look so pleasant and easy-going.


    ¡°You¡¯re back? Your uncle said you left early in the morning, have you had breakfast? There are two red bean buns left in the pot for you, shall I warm them up?¡±


    Seeing Xu Lian putting on this act, even if Huo Sining was hungry, she wouldn¡¯t dare to accept her offer, quickly replying, ¡°No need, I¡¯ve already eaten outside.¡±


    Ate outside? Where did this wretched girl get the money?


    Xu Lian¡¯s face stiffened, wanting to question whether Huo Sining had stolen the money from atop her cupboard, but considering the three people sitting behind her, she had to bite back her question in frustration.


    The flamboyant woman in the room, however, couldn¡¯t sit still and said in a shrill voice:


    ¡°Oh my, Xu family¡¯s sister, you really are generous, being so kind to your niece. This must be your niece, right? She¡¯s quite delicate looking.¡±


    At these words, Xu Lian¡¯s grim face softened and she smiled broadly, ¡°Look at what you¡¯re saying. Even though I, as an aunt, am one step removed, this child is all alone in the world; if I don¡¯t cherish her, who will?¡±


    Xu Lian gave Huo Sining a warning look that told her not to speak carelessly, then turned back and continued:


    ¡°Not to hide anything from you, Zhou Sao, my niece indeed has had a hard life. Her mother passed away early, and as you can see from our household¡¯s condition, it was tough to raise her. I even sent her to high school. If it were any other family, they would have already sent the girl out to work and earn money. But in our family, this one stays at home like a young lady, pampered and spoiled. She doesn¡¯t even do the rough work at home; that¡¯s how much we¡¯ve indulged her.¡±


    Pampered and indulged her? Xu Lian was not afraid of her tongue twisting with her lies!


    Huo Sining¡¯s eyes swept toward her uncle Huo Yong, who sure enough turned his head away guiltily, not daring to meet her gaze.


    A mockingly contemptuous look flickered in Huo Sining¡¯s eyes. She really wanted to show her calloused hands and ask Xu Lian what those were.


    Hearing Xu Lian¡¯s words, Zhou Sao did not pick up the conversation but instead turned to her son beside her, ¡°What do you think?¡±


    The fat man had been staring at Huo Sining with a sleazy expression ever since she entered the room. Now, when Zhou Sao asked, he hurriedly nodded in agreement.


    Zhou Sao had been somewhat hesitant before, but seeing that her son was interested, she relaxed slightly and nodded, ¡°Well, she is a bit thin, but that¡¯s alright. The girl looks lively enough and probably doesn¡¯t have any health problems; she can just be nourished. The children are also willing, so I think we might as well settle it today, right?¡±


    Settle it, what does she mean by that?!


    ¡°`


    Huo Sining had kept her head down and remained silent until she heard Zhou Sao¡¯s words, at which point she fiercely raised her head.


    Meanwhile, Xu Xia couldn¡¯t help but chime in:


    ¡°That¡¯s right, Zhou Sao, don¡¯t be fooled by how delicate and pretty the girl looks. She¡¯s very honest and obedient. A fortune teller even read her fortune years ago and said this child is destined for wealth and honor. If your family takes her as a daughter-in-law, your husband and sons are sure to prosper, and money will flow in like water.¡±


    A daughter-in-law? Was Xu Lian planning to sell her off?!


    Rage surged in Huo Sining¡¯s eyes.


    She had returned to discuss moving out with Huo Yong and had no intention of falling out with Xu Lian.


    But Xu Lian was just too disgusting, having seized the assets left by her mother, exploited her for so many years, and now she even wanted to sell her off to another family as a daughter-in-law!


    Enough was enough. Huo Sining furiously asked:


    ¡°Auntie, being illiterate and ignorant of the law doesn¡¯t mean you won¡¯t be punished. Our constitution clearly stipulates that forced marriage carries criminal responsibility. We now live in a society governed by law, where nobody has the right to interfere with another person¡¯s freedom to marry. You¡¯re discussing marriage matters without the consent of the person involved¡ªme. This doesn¡¯t count at all!¡±


    Xu Lian¡¯s smile froze on her face, and seeing Zhou Sao¡¯s countenance darken, she became frantic. Her previous pretense of kindness fell away as she cursed:


    ¡°What nonsense are you spouting, you wretched girl? This marriage proposal is perfect. The Zhou Family of Baiyun Town is wealthy and well-off. Instead of suffering with your uncle and me, it would be better to marry into the Zhou family. Once there, you would be the young mistress, a lady of leisure. This is a golden opportunity most people would beg for!¡±


    Huo Sining let out a cold laugh, ¡°If you think this match is so good, auntie, why don¡¯t you marry into their family yourself? Why did you marry my uncle? I think this gentleman is more age-appropriate for you, and even in stature, the two of you match quite well. Aren¡¯t you two the perfect pair?¡±


    ¡°You shameless hussy, little harlot, dare to speak such nonsense! Watch as I tear that mouth of yours apart!¡±


    Xu Lian, with her bulky figure, simply couldn¡¯t stand anyone pointing out her size. Huo Sining¡¯s blatant mockery finally drove Xu Lian to fury.


    Enraged, Xu Lian stood up and lunged towards Huo Sining.


    Huo Sining had anticipated Xu Lian¡¯s move and deftly dodged her clawing hands, subtly tripping her.


    Unable to stop her momentum, Xu Lian plunged toward the ground, face-first, in a sprawling fall.


    This sudden turn of events left Xu Xia and the others dumbstruck.


    Zhou Sao was also shocked; she hadn¡¯t expected the seemingly obedient and honest girl described by Xu Xia to be so fierce.


    Seeing Xu Lian fall to the ground, unable to get up, Zhou Sao involuntarily took a sharp breath and frowned.


    She certainly didn¡¯t want such a formidable daughter-in-law. If she took her home, wouldn¡¯t her son be bullied?


    She was thinking too far ahead, though. Even if the Zhou family were bold enough to pursue, would Huo Sining agree to marry such a corpulent and elderly man?


    ¡°Huo Yong, you useless thing, didn¡¯t you see your own mother being bullied? Won¡¯t you come out and teach this wild brat a lesson for me?¡±


    Xu Lian wailed continuously on the ground, yet her eyes fixed on Huo Sining with venom.


    Huo Yong had always been timid and hesitated upon hearing Xu Lian¡¯s words. Just as he was about to stand up and play peacemaker, Huo Sining looked at him sharply, her face expressionless:


    ¡°Uncle, did you know about this matter from the start, and you agreed to let me marry into the Zhou family?¡±

 Chapter 17 - Chapter 17: Chapter 15: Arrival in S City

    Chapter 17: Chapter 15: Arrival in S City


    Huo Yong felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up under the steady gaze of Huo Sining¡¯s eyes.


    Looking at Huo Sining¡¯s face, he couldn¡¯t help but think of his deceased sister.


    Over the years, Huo Sining had always been oppressed by Xu Lian in the Huo family, and he had never lifted a finger to help.


    Every time he thought about this, Huo Yong felt a sense of guilt, and couldn¡¯t help but hang his head in shame.


    But Huo Sining was utterly disappointed in Huo Yong.


    No matter how the world changed, whether she was reborn or not, she couldn¡¯t deny one fact ¡ª the man in front of her was her blood relative.


    In her previous life, Huo Sining had always felt that Huo Yong was the only family she had in this world and the only person she could truly trust.


    So no matter how she was treated by the members of the Huo family, her affection for Huo Yong had never changed.


    It was only at this moment that she realized that in the Huo family, the most selfish person wasn¡¯t Xu Lian, but Huo Yong.


    Being timid and cowardly was no excuse; the only person Huo Yong ever truly loved was himself.


    Well then, if that was the case, why should she torment herself?


    She had long been tired of dealing with the Huo family, and today¡¯s incident provided a perfect excuse to move out openly and rightfully.


    Better to have it out and from now on, simply never to have anything to do with each other.


    Huo Sining cast away the last bit of miscellaneous thoughts in her heart and said to Huo Yong, her voice calm:


    ¡°Uncle, this is the last time I will call you uncle. Today, in front of these people, I¡¯m not afraid to lose face ¡ª you know better than anyone how I¡¯ve been living these years. My mom left me to you, not to be a slave for the Huo family.¡±


    ¡°You little bastard, without our additional care over the years, would you still be able to stand here all well and fine? You¡¯d have become a beggar whore ridden by thousands!¡± Xu Lian, always coarse in speech, couldn¡¯t help but curse upon hearing Huo Sining¡¯s words.


    At this juncture, Huo Sining had no intention of sparing Xu Lian any face:


    ¡°Aunt, did you take me in for any other reason than the hundred thousand yuan my mother left? Ask yourself, that money is enough to cover the cost of my food, clothing, housing, and transportation for over a decade in the Huo family, not to mention the hard labor I¡¯ve done for you all these years!¡±


    Seeing Huo Sining bringing up the hundred thousand yuan again, especially in front of Xu Xia and Zhou Sao, Xu Lian¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and her complexion instantly turned sinister as she denied flatly, ¡°What hundred thousand yuan? I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about?¡±


    Knowing Xu Lian would never admit it, Huo Sining scoffed:


    ¡°You really don¡¯t know, aunt? That dark red bankbook hidden in the secret compartment under the floorboard of your bed in the east wing room, isn¡¯t it written in my mother¡¯s name?¡±


    Xu Lian¡¯s face turned pale, and she was unable to refute.


    Even Huo Yong was unaware that she had hidden the passbook under the bed, and Huo Sining had hit Xu Lian¡¯s Achilles¡¯ heel dead on.


    ¡°I¡¯ve decided to move out, and from now on, I will have nothing to do with the Huo family.¡±


    Huo Sining left these words behind, turned, and left the Huo household without a single hint of attachment.


    Seeing her actually walk away, Xu Lian was at first stunned, then a wave of resentment rose in her heart.


    ¡°Ungrateful wretch, now that your wings are hard, no one can control you, is that it? If you have the guts to walk out that door, then don¡¯t come back! I warn you, you better not regret it!¡±


    Xu Lian chased to the doorway, cursing and swearing, but Huo Sining didn¡¯t slow her steps in the slightest.


    How could she regret it? With her own two hands and the Water-Repelling Pearl by her side, she was determined to live a better life than anyone in the Huo family, even without relying on anyone else.


    Huo Yong thought that Huo Sining was merely acting on a momentary impulse and would return once she cooled down, but by evening, there was still no sign of her.


    Only then did he feel something was amiss and tugged at Xu Lian, wanting to go to the village to find people.


    Xu Lian, with her face swollen and bruised from Huo Sining¡¯s trip, wished she could give Huo Sining a good beating to vent the hatred in her heart. Seeing Huo Yong actually wanted to find that little wretch, she was unwilling to comply and said impatiently,


    ¡°Find what? She isn¡¯t without legs, can¡¯t she come back on her own? Do you think she can really get that far? Her identity card is with me, without it, she can¡¯t even find a job once she¡¯s out. I bet it won¡¯t be many days before she comes back on her own!¡±


    Huo Yong was stunned, ¡°Why are you hiding her identity card? Where is it?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t she want to go fill out her college entrance examination choices? I was afraid she would stealthily take her identity card and run away, so I hid her ID and household registration in the gap between the boards of our bed¡­¡±


    Before she could finish speaking, Xu Lian¡¯s face turned white as she suddenly thought of the ten thousand yuan savings book Huo Sining had mentioned. Her heart skipped a beat, and she exclaimed, ¡°Damn, that wretched girl knows where I hide the savings book; she might have stolen our family¡¯s savings book and run away!¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Huo Yong also panicked when he heard this, ¡°How could you keep the savings book, and how could you let her steal it?!¡±


    Xu Lian rushed to the eastern wing in a flurry, lifted the bed board, and with trembling hands, took out the silk-wrapped package.


    Only when she saw that the dark red booklet was still there did Xu Lian¡¯s hanging heart finally settle down.


    However, before she could rejoice, she noticed a big problem¡ªHuo Sining¡¯s identity card and household registration book were gone!


    ¡°This shameless wretch, I knew she wasn¡¯t clean, secretly taking off with the ID card and household book!¡±


    Xu Lian was so angry her face contorted, and even the fat on her body quivered.


    She had not expected that this wild girl Huo Sining, who was usually silent, had such deep schemes, silently stealing the household and ID cards!


    Xu Lian grew even more certain that Huo Sining¡¯s departure from home was likely pre-planned.


    Compared to Xu Lian¡¯s unwillingness, Huo Yong felt an indescribable relief.


    Ever since he brought Huo Sining back home, he had become a sandwich cookie.


    Seeing his niece being bullied by his own wife, his heart was uneasy.


    But every time he spoke up for Huo Sining, Xu Lian would scold him, and in this house, he always felt an invisible pressure.


    This time, with Huo Sining gone, Xu Lian couldn¡¯t take her anger out on Huo Sining anymore, and he was happy to be at ease.


    Seeing Xu Lian angry, he couldn¡¯t help but comfort her,


    ¡°Let it go, let it go, she¡¯s gone, she¡¯s already an adult. She¡¯s studied so much, Mei Ling from my older sister¡¯s house can still earn four or five thousand a month. She¡¯s got hands and feet, she won¡¯t starve to death out there.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know shit!¡±


    How could Xu Lian possibly worry about Huo Sining¡¯s well-being? She was simply not content.


    She had waited so many years, finally seeing the wretched girl grow up into an adult, just on the verge of getting married.


    Zhou Sao even promised that if her son¡¯s affair with Huo Sining went through, the Zhou family was willing to give the Huo family a bride price of one hundred and twenty thousand.


    Xu Lian was set on getting that one hundred and twenty thousand in hand, and just as it was about to happen, Huo Sining had ruined her plans.


    No matter how angry and unwilling Xu Lian was, Huo Sining was, after all, gone.


    Apart from the ID card, household book and bank card, she didn¡¯t take any extra things, not even a change of clothes.


    That very afternoon, she took a three-hour bus ride to the provincial city, then bought a night train ticket from there to S City, and soon climbed aboard the train to S City.


    The train traveled for nearly forty hours. On the third day in the afternoon, just after three o¡¯clock, it finally arrived at S City.

 Chapter 18 - Chapter 18: Chapter 16: Dog Blood Again

    Chapter 18: Chapter 16: Dog Blood Again


    Huo Sining felt extremely fortunate that she had chosen S City when she reapplied for her college entrance exam.


    S City is a prosperous international metropolis, situated at the junction of the Yangtze River Delta and the East Sea in Huaxia.


    Compared to the Imperial Capital, this place is rich in aquatic products and is also one of the largest consumer cities for aquatic products in the country.


    This made it even more convenient for Huo Sining to use her cheating device.


    With less than thirty thousand yuan in her hands, that amount was certainly not enough to live in this dazzling center of fashion and finance.


    Fortunately, Huo Sining was not worried about her survival here. Upon reaching S City, she found a chain hotel to stay in.


    Although she had been on the train for forty hours, Huo Sining felt very energetic.


    She could vaguely sense a cool aura slowly permeating from her forehead into the meridians throughout her body. After being purified by that spiritual energy, Huo Sining felt exceptionally comfortable.


    She had a feeling that the spiritual energy emitted by the Water-Repelling Pearl was not only beneficial to aquatic species but also greatly advantageous to her own health.


    After resting in her room for a while, Huo Sining went out to find a restaurant to eat.


    It was her first time in S City, and her heart was a little excited. She had heard in her previous life about the extreme prosperity of S City, especially the beautiful night view of the Huangjiang Bund. Huo Sining decided to go see for herself.


    The lights were brilliant, and the buildings on The Bund shone under the night sky and the lights like numerous palaces made of crystal, a sight too beautiful for words.


    The summer breeze was gentle as Huo Sining stood by the banks of the Yellow River, but her mind was already elsewhere.


    As the river slapped against the splashing waves on the stone steps of the bank, she unconsciously recited the incantation, and the pearl in her mind emerged in an instant. Vaguely, she felt the urge to jump into the water again.


    ¡°Ye Zixin, don¡¯t go too far!¡±


    Just as Huo Sining was struggling with whether to take the opportunity to dive into the river unnoticed, a woman¡¯s suddenly heightened voice reached her ears.


    Huo Sining turned her head at the sound and saw a woman standing there, looking very alive.


    The woman was biting her lips, her face flushed, her clear eyes faintly misted, presenting a pitiable and moving demeanor. Any man who saw her would likely be stirred.


    However, it was a pity that the person she was arguing with was not a man.


    The woman who raised her voice was sitting with her back to Huo Sining but now stood up, looking somewhat agitated:


    ¡°Who are you putting on that act for? I treated you as a friend, but how did you treat me? Zhou Zhen and I are engaged, and yet you flirt with your best friend¡¯s fianc¨¦. Do you have no shame?¡±


    ¡°Qingqing, you¡¯ve misunderstood. I had too much to drink that night, and A Zhen just kindly wanted to take me home. It¡¯s not what you think¡­¡±


    Ye Zixin spoke with a delicate and soft language, her voice full of an indescribable coquettishness. If it weren¡¯t for the fleeting look of disdain that flashed through her eyes, Huo Sining would have almost been fooled.


    Another white lotus with the same tricks as Wu Jingyi, Huo Sining thought with a deepening smile in her eyes. She simply sat down along the column behind her and quietly watched the drama unfold.


    ¡°Still saying it¡¯s nothing, you know best what¡¯s in your mind. Why didn¡¯t you call me when you went to the bar, but called Zhou Zhen instead? Why refuse others but let my fianc¨¦ take you home when you were drunk? Also, stop calling him ¡®A Zhen¡¯ so intimately; it¡¯s disgusting!¡±


    The girl named Qingqing was so angry that she gritted her teeth. She stood up and reached out as if she was about to slap the other woman.


    At that moment, Ye Zixin¡¯s expression suddenly changed, and she hastily retreated several steps, huddled up, and covered her face with a look of surprise and fear:


    ¡°Qingqing, there¡¯s really nothing between A Zhen and me. It¡¯s okay for you to hit me, I¡¯ve wronged you. Please, don¡¯t blame Zhou¡­¡±


    ¡°What are you doing?!¡± Before Qingqing could react, a man hurried over from not far away.


    Seeing Qingqing reaching out her hand, while Ye Zixin was covering her face, the man thought Qingqing had hit Ye Zixin. Anger surged within him as he hurried over and took Ye Zixin¡¯s hand, asking in a comforting tone, ¡°Are you alright? Does it hurt?¡±


    As soon as he finished speaking, the man turned around and glared angrily at Qingqing, ¡°Su Qingqing, you shrew! What does Ye Zixin have to do with this? Why did you hit her?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Su Qingqing felt her eyes burning red with anger. She stared at Zhou Zhen in disbelief:


    ¡°My best friend seduced my fianc¨¦. She had the nerve to do such shameless things, so why can¡¯t I hit her? She¡¯s asking for it by being so cheap; hitting her is what she deserves!¡±


    Even though Su Qingqing hadn¡¯t actually touched Ye Zixin, as soon as these words came out of her mouth, she inadvertently sealed her own guilt, and Zhou Zhen became even more furious.


    Right at this moment, Ye Zixin added fuel to the fire, ¡°A Zhen, don¡¯t blame Qingqing. It was my fault for not being cautious and coveting something that didn¡¯t belong to me.¡±


    Zhou Zhen had never liked Su Qingqing, finding her loud and rash like an idiot, with no poise at all. Compared with the gentle and understanding Ye Zixin, he found nothing pleasing about Su Qingqing.


    Now hearing what Ye Zixin said, he couldn¡¯t help but pause and think to himself, ¡®Could it be that Ye Zixin is also interested in me?¡¯


    With this thought, Zhou Zhen couldn¡¯t help but turn his head to see Ye Zixin looking at him with a gentle expression, and his heart swelled with joy.


    Feeling encouraged, when Zhou Zhen turned back around, he subconsciously positioned Ye Zixin behind himself, and with a cold look towards Su Qingqing, he said:


    ¡°Su Qingqing, I¡¯ve told you before to stop making unreasonable scenes. Our engagement was just the wish of our families; did you really think I was interested in you?¡±


    Su Qingqing stood aghast: ¡°What are you saying?¡±


    Zhou Zhen let out a cold laugh, ¡°Since it has come to this, I might as well tell you, I like Ye Zixin. Our engagement is off from now on. I will discuss this with my family. You just wait to attend Ye Zixin¡¯s and my wedding!¡±


    Tears immediately filled Su Qingqing¡¯s eyes. She involuntarily took a step back, looking at Zhou Zhen in disbelief, ¡°Zhou Zhen, don¡¯t you regret this!¡±


    On the other side, Zhou Zhen crisply took the engagement ring off his ring finger and threw it into the Yellow River with a flick of his hand.


    In the darkness of night, the river water glistened. The ring plunged without a splash, and before Su Qingqing could react, he walked away with Ye Zixin.


    Ye Zixin looped her arm through Zhou Zhen¡¯s, glancing back at Su Qingqing as they walked away.


    Only then did Su Qingqing notice the slight upward curl of Ye Zixin¡¯s lips, her pretty face bearing a victoriously smug smile, her eyes filled with indescribable mockery and disdain.


    Such melodrama in the Jianghu!


    Witnessing this scene, Huo Sining couldn¡¯t help but sigh. In her previous life, wasn¡¯t she played just like this by Wu Jingyi?


    Looking at Su Qingqing crying her heart out, the poor girl probably didn¡¯t even realize she had been schemed against by her best friend.


    But what good would crying do?


    Having experienced her previous life, Huo Sining finally understood one thing: the only way to deal with scumbags is not to seek wild revenge against them, but to live a better life than they do.


    Only if she lived well would the scumbags feel unsettled, and deep jealousy would make them suffer every day.


    Well, the show is over; time to go back.


    Huo Sining stood up, patted the dust off the back of her pants, and was about to leave.


    Unexpectedly, at that moment, something out of the ordinary happened.


    Su Qingqing, who was sobbing inconsolably nearby, suddenly acted as if she were provoked, rushed to the river bank, clambered over the railing, and was about to jump into the river.

 Chapter 19 - Chapter 19: Chapter 17 Retrieve the Ring from Underwater

    Chapter 19: Chapter 17 Retrieve the Ring from Underwater


    Hey, hey, hey, big sister, what are you doing?


    Seeing the situation, Huo Sining didn¡¯t have time to think and rushed to grab Su Qingqing, who was about to jump into the river.


    The grabbed Su Qingqing was not at all grateful and turned around to curse at Huo Sining, ¡°Who are you, and why are you grabbing me?¡±


    Huo Sining helplessly said, ¡°What are you doing? Jumping in? I can¡¯t just watch you throw your life away!¡±


    ¡°Who asked you to meddle?¡± Seeing Huo Sining insist, Su Qingqing¡¯s face darkened, ¡°I just want to go down and pick up my engagement ring!¡±


    Pick up an engagement ring? Huo Sining was dumbfounded. What kind of joke was that? This was the Yellow River, not your home swimming pool, jumping in could cost your life!


    Huo Sining was simply speechless and asked, ¡°Do you know how to swim?¡±


    Su Qingqing was taken aback and finally realized the problem. She turned her head to look at the waters below, her face turning red with embarrassment as she shook her head.


    Where did this naive young lady come from? No wonder she was being tormented to pieces by that white lotus flower just now.


    ¡°Just wait.¡± Huo Sining couldn¡¯t help but sigh. He pulled Su Qingqing down, then turned around and directly jumped into the Yellow River.


    Su Qingqing¡¯s eyes widened in shock, and after a second she finally reacted.


    She frantically rushed to the railing, but the river was turbulent; where was Huo Sining¡¯s figure?


    Su Qingqing felt a bit panicked inside; although the engagement ring was important, it was not as valuable as a human life.


    Before, her desire to jump was just an impulsive reaction, and it was only after Huo Sining¡¯s pull that she came to her senses.


    Now Huo Sining had jumped in to help her fetch the ring. What if he lost his life because of it? Wouldn¡¯t she be the cause?


    Realizing the seriousness of the problem, Su Qingqing panicked and quickly took out her phone to make a call:


    ¡°Brother¡­ wuwuwu, there¡¯s been a huge accident, come quickly to save someone!¡±


    The person on the other end, Su Jinyuan, panicked as soon as he heard his sister¡¯s crying voice on the phone and hurriedly asked, ¡°What happened? Speak slowly.¡±


    ¡°Zhou Zhen said he likes Ye Zixin, and he wants to break off our engagement, and he threw the engagement ring away. Wuwuwu¡­¡±


    Saying this, Su Qingqing cried even harder.


    ¡°What? How dare he? It seems that kid has been too comfortable lately! Sister, wait, I¡¯ll go to the Zhou Family now to avenge you!¡±


    Su Jinyuan trembled with rage; he had long told his sister that the Young Master Zhou couldn¡¯t be trusted, but she wouldn¡¯t listen and insisted on getting engaged to Zhou Zhen.


    Look, now trouble has indeed happened!


    Hearing his sister crying on the phone, Su Jinyuan didn¡¯t say another word, stood up, and rushed out.


    He was going to the Zhou Family to beat Zhou Zhen to a pulp.


    ¡°No, brother, wait!¡± Su Qingqing saw her brother was about to hang up the phone and instantly became anxious, ¡°Brother, don¡¯t go to the Zhou Family first, you got it wrong, I¡¯m not asking you to teach Zhou Zhen a lesson. A friend of mine has fallen into the Yellow River, you need to call someone to help me quickly.¡±


    Su Jinyuan was dizzy after hearing his sister¡¯s incoherent words, somewhat like a monk who was baffled,


    ¡°Qingqing, what exactly is going on, what does Zhou Zhen wanting to break the engagement with you have to do with your friend falling into the Yellow River?¡±


    But Su Qingqing was too anxious to care about clarity: ¡°It¡¯s because Zhou Zhen threw the ring into the Yellow River, and my friend jumped in to fetch it for me. If you don¡¯t send help soon, it will be too late!¡±


    Jump into the Yellow River to retrieve a ring? Wasn¡¯t that like looking for a needle in a haystack? Where did such a fool come from?


    Su Jinyuan was speechless but knew the urgency of the situation. Without further ado, he hung up on Su Qingqing and called friends nearby The Bund.


    Under the waters of the Yellow River, Huo Sining had no idea that her jump into the river would cause such chaos; all she did as she went underwater was sigh.


    Ever since she acquired the Water-Repelling Pearl, she couldn¡¯t help but feel an urge to get into the water, finding complete comfort whenever she was submerged.


    Fortunately, she still remembered what she had come for. Although the Pearl allowed her to see everything underwater with clarity, a ring was simply too inconspicuous.


    After estimating the parabolic trajectory where Zhou Zhen had thrown the ring, Huo Sining conducted a carpet search in the area where it might have fallen, but even with her eyes strained, she couldn¡¯t spot the target.


    Just as Huo Sining was about to give up, she stepped on a large rock and suddenly felt the Azure Pearl on her forehead flash.


    Huo Sining felt perplexed and couldn¡¯t help but bend down to lift the large rock.


    In a split second, a river crab scuttled out from under the rock, clumsily trying to escape.


    Huo Sining took a closer look and couldn¡¯t help but laugh¡ªwhat was hanging from the crab¡¯s outstretched claw, if not the diamond ring?


    ¡°I¡¯m near the dock on The Bund, I¡¯m standing at¡­¡±


    Su Qingqing was on the phone with Su Jinyuan when a head suddenly popped out of the churning water.


    Huo Sining calmly walked out of the water, facing Su Qingqing with a smile all over her face.


    ¡°Hey, Qingqing, can you make it clear where you are? I didn¡¯t hear you,¡± demanded Su Jinyuan from the other end, eager to hear the rest.


    Su Qingqing, however, stared dumbfoundedly at Huo Sining coming ashore before snapping back to reality, ¡°Brother, no need, my friend is fine.¡±


    Huo Sining, fearing Su Qingqing might notice something was off, deliberately soaked her clothes before coming ashore.


    Though it was summer, the night was still a bit chilly, especially after being drenched in cold water, and she felt a cool breeze raising goosebumps all over her as soon as she reached land.


    Su Qingqing hurried over, with a flicker of concern in her eyes, ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    Huo Sining shook her head and extended her hand to offer the ring to Su Qingqing, ¡°Here, your ring.¡±


    Tears welled up in Su Qingqing¡¯s eyes as she retorted with frustration, ¡°Who are you, huh? Who asked you to go down and fetch it? Is a lousy ring worth risking your life like this? You¡¯re crazy!¡±


    Huo Sining was stunned; after searching for so long underwater to find the ring, she didn¡¯t expect to be scolded instead of being thanked.


    She immediately felt annoyed and her expression darkened as she retorted coldly, ¡°If you think I shouldn¡¯t have meddled, then I¡¯ll just throw it back for you, please do fetch it yourself!¡±


    Realizing her words had offended, Su Qingqing quickly tried to explain, ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant, you misunderstood.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, then?¡± Huo Sining was a bit angry; she didn¡¯t like to be met with coldness when trying to help.


    Su Qingqing awkwardly glanced at Huo Sining and stuttered, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to blame you just now. I saw you jump in and then you just disappeared; I was afraid the river had swept you away. You really scared me. If you didn¡¯t come up soon, I was going to call the police.¡±


    Huo Sining felt much better when she heard these words, realizing this girl wasn¡¯t entirely ungrateful. Stashing the ring into Su Qingqing¡¯s hand, she turned to leave.


    ¡°Wait, where are you going?¡± Su Qingqing quickly called after Huo Sining.


    Huo Sining pointed to her drenched clothes and said with a smile, ¡°Do you think it¡¯s appropriate for me to stand here like this?¡±


    Summer attire was generally light, and Huo Sining¡¯s drenched clothing clung to her body, her woebegone appearance drawing the side glances of many bystanders.


    Suddenly feeling embarrassed, Su Qingqing quickly said, ¡°Are you heading back? Where do you live, I¡¯ll give you a lift.¡±


    Saying this, she fished out a set of car keys and dangled them in front of Huo Sining.


    Seeing the English letters on the car key, Huo Sining raised an eyebrow in surprise.


    It turned out this Su Qingqing was actually wealthy.


    Huo Sining lowered her head to look at the water stains on herself, feeling somewhat uncomfortable, and no longer declined, she nodded in agreement to Su Qingqing¡¯s offer.

 Chapter 20 - Chapter 20: Chapter 18 The Silly Su Qingqing

    Chapter 20: Chapter 18 The Silly Su Qingqing


    After arriving at the hotel, Su Qingqing followed Huo Sining into her room, sat on the bed, and refused to leave.


    Huo Sining didn¡¯t bother with her and went to take a shower in the bathroom.


    Fortunately, she had bought two sets of clothes after getting off the train, otherwise today¡¯s events would have been really embarrassing, with no clothes to wear.


    As she walked out drying her hair, she saw Su Qingqing sitting on the bed, looking at her with great interest.


    ¡°I¡¯m Su Qingqing, what¡¯s your name?¡±


    Huo Sining wasn¡¯t shy and introduced herself straightforwardly, ¡°Huo Sining.¡±


    ¡°Why are you staying in a hotel, are you here for a trip? I can tell from your accent, you¡¯re not from S City, right?¡±


    Glancing around the room, Su Qingqing didn¡¯t see Huo Sining¡¯s suitcase and became somewhat puzzled.


    Huo Sining smiled, ¡°I¡¯m from Rongcheng, I came here to go to university.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Su Qingqing immediately got the wrong idea and asked excitedly,


    ¡°Which university do you attend and what year are you in? I¡¯m at S University, I¡¯ll be a sophomore after school starts!¡±


    Hearing this, Huo Sining raised her eyebrows, it seemed she had encountered a senior.


    Confident about the university entrance exam choices she had made and not worried about failing, Huo Sining responded calmly,


    ¡°I¡¯ll be at S University too, but a year below you; I start and enroll in September.¡±


    Su Qingqing paused, then realized the implication behind Huo Sining¡¯s words and suddenly laughed,


    ¡°One grade below, just finished your college entrance exams, it sounds so mystical. You almost had me confused. How can you be sure you¡¯ll be admitted?¡±


    Huo Sining just smiled and didn¡¯t say anything.


    Su Qingqing seemed quite amused, ¡°Have you always been this cool? I find the way you talk interesting.¡±


    Cool? Huo Sining was speechless. In her last life and this one, she had never had anything to do with being ¡®cool.¡¯ Big sister, what are you looking at?


    ¡°Thank you for helping me retrieve my ring.¡±


    Seeing Huo Sining wasn¡¯t talking, Su Qingqing didn¡¯t feel awkward and continued,


    ¡°Speaking of which, you¡¯re really good at swimming, can you teach me how to swim?¡±


    The corner of Huo Sining¡¯s mouth twitched¡ªswimming, what¡¯s that? Could she admit that she didn¡¯t even know how to swim?


    Yet seeing Su Qingqing¡¯s earnest expression, she found it difficult to speak up and could only give a forced laugh.


    Su Qingqing had just said it in passing and seeing that Huo Sining didn¡¯t agree, she simply gave herself an out,


    ¡°Nevermind, I¡¯m quite clumsy, probably wouldn¡¯t learn it anyway, there¡¯s nothing wrong with just being a duck that stays on land.¡±


    After taking a train ride and then retrieving a ring for someone, all this activity¡ªeven someone extremely capable would feel tired, wouldn¡¯t they?


    Finally, Huo Sining couldn¡¯t resist asking her guest to leave, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going yet?¡±


    Su Qingqing¡¯s eyes darted around,


    ¡°You¡¯re here in S City so early, almost two months before school starts, you¡¯re not planning to stay in a hotel all this time, are you? It¡¯s not safe for a girl to stay here alone, and since we¡¯ll be schoolmates anyway, how about I stay and sleep with you?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not necessary, I¡¯m only staying here for a few days, I¡¯ll leave once I find a place to live.¡±


    Huo Sining finally realized she seemed to have attracted a major problem. How could there be such a woman who was as clingy as gum, impossible to shake off?


    For Su Qingqing, she didn¡¯t consider herself a nuisance, rather she was very enthusiastic; her eyes lit up the moment she heard Huo Sining mention house hunting,


    ¡°You¡¯re looking for a place to rent? That¡¯s great. I happen to have an old place that¡¯s empty. You might as well move in there. It¡¯s a bit late today to see the house, so here¡¯s what we¡¯ll do: let¡¯s get some sleep, and I¡¯ll take you to see the house tomorrow!¡±


    Huo Sining: ¡°¡­¡±


    Su Qingqing, fully aware, went to bed consciously, while Huo Sining¡¯s face twitched. She finally couldn¡¯t resist the drowsiness, turned off the lights, and soon fell asleep in bed.


    In her deep sleep, she didn¡¯t notice that on the other side, Su Qingqing, who had already been fast asleep, suddenly opened her eyes wide, her large eyes gleaming in the night.


    The next morning, Huo Sining was dragged out of bed early by Su Qingqing, who insisted on showing her that old house of hers.


    Huo Sining was practically speechless.


    Her arrival in S City was planned; she wanted to earn some more money during these two months, as once school started, she¡¯d have no time.


    She had intended to spend the day checking out real estate agencies and the listings on the billboards, but why was she now standing in front of a school district house right across from S University? And it was a villa area, no less!


    ¡°This is the ¡®old house¡¯ you mentioned?¡± Huo Sining¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°How is it, not bad, right? This house is usually empty; it¡¯s just empty and still has to be cleaned by a maid. If you live here, you can even save me some housekeeping expenses!¡± Su Qingqing said with a face full of disdain.


    Huo Sining simply didn¡¯t know how to describe her own feelings. She always thought that Su Qingqing was just a bit wealthy, but now it seemed she was mistaken.


    This wasn¡¯t just a bit of wealth, this girl was outright rich. Rich people really can do whatever they want!


    Without another word, Huo Sining turned and walked out. With less than thirty thousand yuan on her, rent a villa to live in?


    What a joke. With her current financial status, even selling her wouldn¡¯t cover such an expense.


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Seeing that Huo Sining was about to leave, Su Qingqing suddenly panicked and quickly grabbed Huo¡¯s arm.


    ¡°Hey, why are you leaving? Don¡¯t you believe me? This really is my house, I have the keys on me, for real.¡±


    Huo Sining turned around helplessly, ¡°Senior Su, I know you¡¯re not lying to me, but could you please stop joking around? I just want to rent an affordable one-bedroom apartment, even a studio would do. I don¡¯t have the money, do I look like someone who can afford to live in a villa?¡±


    Caught off guard, Su Qingqing said, ¡°But I didn¡¯t say I would charge you rent.¡±


    ¡°Without merit, one shouldn¡¯t accept rewards. I, Huo Sining, am not the kind of person who takes advantage of others. Besides, we¡¯re just acquaintances. Why would you let me take such advantage for no reason?¡± Huo Sining looked somewhat cold.


    Su Qingqing naturally replied, ¡°But you helped me pick up the engagement ring, didn¡¯t you? How is it without reason?¡±


    Huo Sining was at a loss for words; it seemed her brain wasn¡¯t working well enough:


    ¡°Picking up a ring is nothing to me. What do you take me for? Forget it, I won¡¯t discuss this with you anymore. I appreciate your good intentions, Senior Su. We¡¯ll meet again when school starts.¡±


    Not wanting to argue pointlessly with a fool, Huo Sining turned and walked away, but behind her, Su Qingqing was smiling slyly.


    Only after Huo Sining had left the villa area did Su Jinyuan come out from behind the villa.


    Seeing her own brother, Su Qingqing lifted her chin proudly, ¡°How about that, brother? I told you I didn¡¯t make a wrong judgment this time, didn¡¯t I?¡±


    Su Jinyuan was somewhat skeptical, ¡°Is this the friend you mentioned who jumped into the Yellow River to fetch your ring? Are you sure she held her breath underwater for more than ten minutes before coming up?¡±


    Su Qingqing got upset when Su Jinyuan doubted her, and, stamping her foot, she pouted:


    ¡°Would I lie to you? Look, this is the engagement ring Zhou Zhen lost. She helped me pick it up last night.¡±


    If that was true, then this girl must be a swimming prodigy; such talent, if recruited into special departments, would definitely be valued.


    Su Jinyuan¡¯s eyes flashed. If this girl were sincere towards his sister, he wouldn¡¯t mind giving her a push and recommending her.


    With that in mind, Su Jinyuan couldn¡¯t help but rub his sister¡¯s head, his eyes full of affection:


    ¡°Hmm, your judgment is not bad this time. The girl seems to come from an average background based on her clothes, but she has a clear and honest gaze, devoid of complex scheming. She¡¯s worth befriending, much better than your so-called bestie Ye Zixin!¡±


    At the mention of Ye Zixin, Su Qingqing¡¯s face instantly darkened, ¡°Brother, don¡¯t mention that person to me!¡±


    Feeling his sister¡¯s anger, the protective Su Jinyuan quickly soothed, ¡°Okay, okay, don¡¯t be angry, I won¡¯t mention her again.¡±


    Though he spoke soothingly, a chill flashed through Su Jinyuan¡¯s eyes.


    Zhou Zhen, you want to cheat, to bully my sister and even break off an engagement? If I don¡¯t teach you a lesson, you won¡¯t know not to mess with Su Jinyuan!

 Chapter 21 - Chapter 21: Chapter 19 Picky Old Granny

    Chapter 21: Chapter 19 Picky Old Granny


    After walking out of the villa, Huo Sining intended to find a nearby real estate agency to inquire about the situation, but unexpectedly, she passed by a fresh market on her way.


    With a thought, she paused in her steps and turned into it.


    Every regional market has its own characteristics, and since she wanted to make money in the seafood industry, it was essential to know what kind of seafood the locals liked to eat. Only by knowing both oneself and the enemy could she strike accurately.


    Huo Sining got out of the car and walked into the market, surrounded by the cries of vendors everywhere.


    The stench of fresh seafood didn¡¯t deter Huo Sining; she looked over the stalls one by one, asking the vendors whether the high-priced wild fish species and live seafood were imported from other places or local products, only leaving after receiving satisfactory replies.


    People in S City love seafood, but in reality, the local seafood supply in S City¡¯s market is pitifully scarce.


    In fact, the aquatic resources native to Shanghai are not abundant, with the annual catch at the Yellow River estuary not even meeting one-third of S City¡¯s yearly consumption.


    Thus, a large batch of foreign aquatic products travel across the ocean to arrive here.


    Huo Sining might not be able to get her hands on foreign aquatic products, but she could certainly have a try with the freshwater delicacies from the Yellow River.


    If one were to mention the most expensive fish in the Yellow River, of course, one would have to talk about the ¡°Three Delicacies of the Yellow River.¡±


    The so-called ¡°Three Delicacies¡± refer to Huangjiang Knifefish, Yellow River reeves shad, and Yellow River pufferfish.


    Especially wild knifefish and reeves shad, the prices of these two kinds of fish are usually above a thousand yuan, earning them the reputation of freshwater fish aristocrats in the seafood market.


    However, it¡¯s said that the Yellow River reeves shad has been extinct since the eighties, so Huo Sining set her sights on the wild Huangjiang Knifefish.


    Although knifefish was less plentiful at this time due to their seasonal migration, Huo Sining still planned to try her luck at the Yellow River after renting a house.


    Emerging from the fresh market, Huo Sining wasn¡¯t in a hurry to return.


    Walking further into the old alleyways, she saw some rental advertisement posters on the walls.


    Although unsure about their reliability, Huo Sining still carefully jotted down the phone numbers with a pen.


    That¡¯s when she realized the importance of a cellphone.


    Previously, in Baiyun Village, Huo Sining didn¡¯t feel the need for it, as few people used cellphones in the countryside, and even if they had to contact someone, they mostly used landlines.


    But upon arriving in S City, she found it very inconvenient without a cellphone, so Huo Sining thought it was time to buy one.


    Although she didn¡¯t have much money in hand, she would have to spend it where necessary.


    Moreover, in the future, when she would be selling seafood and live fish, having a cellphone would at least make it convenient to contact people.


    With that in mind, Huo Sining didn¡¯t hesitate and headed straight for the phone market, soon walking out awkwardly carrying an old Nokia model.


    Having been used to smartphones, transitioning to using this kind of bar phone with nine buttons was quite uncomfortable.


    Checking the time and seeing it was not yet ten o¡¯clock, Huo Sining took out the rental information she had copied from the advertisements and dialed the numbers provided.


    To her surprise, after several calls, they all claimed to be agents rather than landlords, which left Huo Sining frustrated. Nonetheless, she reluctantly made a call to the last number with a try-and-see attitude.


    The phone rang for a long time before it was finally answered by an old granny with a hoarse voice: ¡°Who are you looking for?¡±


    A spark of excitement lit up in Huo Sining¡¯s heart, as it seemed this time it was not an agent. She quickly asked,


    ¡°Hello, I saw your rental advertisement in the alley. I was wondering if your house is still for rent?¡±


    After listening, the old granny paused, then grumbled impatiently,


    ¡°Oh, so it¡¯s about renting a house. Ala thought it was someone coming to help me watch the fish. The house is still available. Are you one person or two?¡±


    Huo Sining didn¡¯t understand the first part of the sentence, spoken in Shanghainese, and she was puzzled about its meaning, but the latter part was in clear Mandarin. Relieved, she responded,


    ¡°I¡¯m by myself. Could you tell me the exact address? I¡¯d like to come and see the house.¡±


    The old granny casually answered, repeating the address once before hanging up the phone directly.


    Luckily, Huo Sining had good listening and shorthand skills; otherwise, she would have never remembered such a long address.


    She felt somewhat helpless and nervous; people often said that S City residents were exclusionary, and it seemed to be true.


    After asking for directions for a long time, Huo Sining arrived at an old residential area and found the house mentioned by Old Granny by following the house numbers in an old alleyway.


    It was only after asking people by the roadside that Huo Sining learned that most of the residents here were old Shanghai locals, and because they hadn¡¯t been relocated yet, the housing in the area was relatively cheap.


    However, thinking about the attitude of that old lady, Huo Sining felt somewhat jittery. S City residents were exclusionary, and she was an outsider; she feared that renting a house wouldn¡¯t be easy.


    Huo Sining had a bad feeling, her intuition telling her that the landlady Old Granny would be difficult to deal with.


    She politely knocked on the door, and it opened from the inside, with a woman in her sixties stepping out.


    Huo Sining greeted her with some restraint, ¡°Auntie, hello.¡±


    The old lady did not speak; she just stared at Huo Sining, scrutinizing her from head to toe.


    It wasn¡¯t until Huo Sining began to feel uncomfortable from her gaze that the old lady finally spoke up, ¡°Are you the one who called about renting the room?¡±


    Huo Sining nodded, and then the old lady started probing:


    ¡°You¡¯re from out of town, aren¡¯t you? Where is your family from? You look quite young, what do you do for work, and why on earth do you need to rent a room?¡±


    Huo Sining frowned slightly; she didn¡¯t like the old lady¡¯s blunt questions and the slightly disdainful and scornful look in her eyes. Yet she also knew that renting a house in a place like S City was indeed difficult, and a person had to bow her head under someone else¡¯s roof:


    ¡°I¡¯m from Rongcheng; I¡¯m here to attend university. My family isn¡¯t very well-off, so I plan to find a summer job here in S City during the vacation to earn some living expenses.¡±


    She had thought such an explanation might make the old lady look down on her even more, but unexpectedly, after hearing what Huo Sining said, a smile appeared in the old lady¡¯s eyes, and her attitude was no longer cold and impatient:


    ¡°So you¡¯re a university student! Sorry about that, my dear, I misunderstood. I thought you were one of those disreputable women. You wouldn¡¯t know, but recently some women from outside came to the alley, they do not work properly and instead partake in shameless activities, attracting all sorts of messy men to come and make trouble. We would never rent our house to such riff-raff!¡±


    Huo Sining was stunned.


    Yet the old lady warmly pulled Huo Sining into the house while continuing to ask, ¡°How old are you, my girl, and which university do you attend?¡±


    The difference in treatment before and after was so great that Huo Sining was taken aback, seeing the old lady looking at her with a smiling face, she replied:


    ¡°I just turned eighteen, studying at S University.¡±


    The old lady couldn¡¯t help but give Huo Sining a thumbs-up: ¡°You¡¯re ambitious, considering other¡¯s burdens at such a young age. You¡¯re much better than my grandson who only knows how to hole up in his room and tap away at the computer, not knowing what he¡¯s up to. Nowadays, there aren¡¯t many university students willing to work during the summer to earn money!¡±


    Huo Sining offered a modest smile but brought the conversation back to the matter of renting, ¡°Auntie, would it be possible for me to see the room?¡±


    ¡°Of course, of course. Look at me, chatting away and forgetting you¡¯re here to rent the room.¡±


    Old Granny had a good impression of Huo Sining, grabbed the keys, and led her upstairs while explaining:


    ¡°This house was built in the 1990s; it used to be the dormitory for workers of the textile factory. Our family had two separate units, one upstairs and one downstairs. My son¡¯s family used to live upstairs, but after they moved away, I had the place divided into two suites for rent. A tenant moved out not long ago. Though the house might look old, many people come to see it. But you know, these days there¡¯s all sorts of riff-raff around, and I don¡¯t just rent to anyone. I offered to show you the room because you seem kind-natured.¡±


    Huo Sining kept a smile on her face but was inwardly critical. They say S City folks are fastidious and shrewd, and this old lady¡¯s words and actions gave her a glimpse of that truth.


    The room was on the top floor. Even though the building was old, the room was indeed good.


    The thirty-square-meter partitioned suite included a bedroom, kitchen, and bathroom, complete with a bed, wardrobe, desk, and even household appliances.


    This surprised Huo Sining greatly. Although the price was a bit high, she also learned from the old lady that no strangers were allowed in the house, so she could be sure of its safety.


    Huo Sining liked it at first sight and decided to rent it on the spot.


    Seeing how readily Huo Sining made her decision, Old Granny was naturally pleased, and quickly brought the contract for her to sign and stamp with her thumbprint.


    Huo Sining paid three months¡¯ rent, received the keys, and prepared to return to the hotel for her luggage.


    Unexpectedly, just as she opened the door, she bumped into a man, chest-first.

 Chapter 22 - Chapter 22: Chapter 20 The Dying Angelfish

    Chapter 22: Chapter 20 The Dying Angelfish


    Huo Sining felt as if she had crashed into a wall. Before she could regain her composure, a pair of arms steadied her around the waist.


    ¡°Be careful!¡±


    Huo Sining quickly looked up, and a handsome man stood in front of her.


    Amber-colored eyes peered at her gently through the thin, rimless glasses, and even his speech was as mild and soothing as boiled water.


    Regaining her senses, Huo Sining felt a blush creep across her face and hurriedly pushed the man¡¯s arms away, hastily stepping back several paces.


    A faint smile flickered in the man¡¯s eyes, and then he turned to Old Lady Xu, ¡°Mrs. Xu, I¡¯ve come to check on your fish.¡±


    Old Lady Xu¡¯s face darkened a bit upon seeing the man:


    ¡°Boss Qin, what¡¯s going on with your store? My fish has been sick for days, and no one has come to attend to it. Your shop¡¯s service is too slow! I¡¯m telling you, if anything happens to my fish, don¡¯t expect to do business in my circle anymore!¡±


    Hearing Old Lady Xu¡¯s words, the man didn¡¯t get angry. With a smile still on his face, he nodded and apologized:


    ¡°I am truly sorry, Mrs. Xu. The clerk in our store must have forgotten to log your information, causing the delay. As soon as I heard about this, I came over personally. Rest assured, if there¡¯s any problem with the fish, I¡¯ll compensate you with a new one. How does that sound?¡±


    Mrs. Xu¡¯s face softened upon hearing this and, pretending to be displeased, she said, ¡°That¡¯s more like it.¡±


    Huo Sining had intended to leave, but the man came out of Mrs. Xu¡¯s room carrying a fish tank.


    Her steps involuntarily came to a halt as she curiously observed the oddly shaped, colorful fish swimming inside the tank.


    ¡°What kind of fish are these?¡±


    Even having lived an extra six or seven years in her past life, Huo Sining had never encountered ornamental fish. Growing up, she had only ever seen goldfish and was unacquainted with these types of colorful fish, so she couldn¡¯t help but lean in and ask.


    Seeing that Huo Sining hadn¡¯t left yet, Old Lady Xu had intended to send her off, but seeing Huo Sining¡¯s curious, interested expression made her feel a touch of pride:


    ¡°These are Rainbow Fairy Fish, imported from Germany, the Red Pine variety. They¡¯re beautiful, aren¡¯t they?¡±


    Huo Sining nodded.


    The fish were either bright blue or dark green, their bodies adorned with red horizontal stripes extending from their gill covers to the base of their tails.


    In the light, the fish¡¯s movements created a kaleidoscope of changing colors, appearing dark when the light was dim, and bursting with vibrant, rich colors under bright light. They were indeed a sight to behold.


    Old Lady Xu then said: ¡°Don¡¯t be fooled by their size, they¡¯re quite valuable. Each one costs four to five thousand yuan. That¡¯s not too expensive! If it wasn¡¯t for my son thinking I was bored at home and buying them to amuse me, I really wouldn¡¯t be willing to spend so much. They¡¯re tricky to care for, give you trouble if you¡¯re not careful. Look, that blue one there is having problems. It¡¯s given me such a headache.¡±


    Four to five thousand yuan? That expensive?!


    Huo Sining¡¯s eyes widened in astonishment.


    She had assumed these fish, though not ordinary goldfish, wouldn¡¯t exceed a few tens of yuan each. She had vastly underestimated the cost.


    Perhaps seeing Huo Sining¡¯s utter shock, Old Lady Xu couldn¡¯t help but laugh:


    ¡°Surprised, aren¡¯t you? But these aren¡¯t even the most expensive kind of fish. The priciest ones are koi. If they¡¯re well raised, people will pay hundreds of thousands or even millions for them. Though I¡¯ve only heard of such prices and never actually seen them.¡±


    Goodness gracious, the thoughts of the rich are indeed hard to fathom. A fish worth hundreds of thousands or millions? Isn¡¯t this just an example of having more money than one knows what to do with?


    Huo Sining was flabbergasted and at a loss for words.


    ¡°If you¡¯re interested, you could also try buying a few. However, as a beginner, don¡¯t go for these wild varieties. You might start with some common Mandarin Ducks or Mo Yan Fairy Fish, which are only about ten yuan each, and they¡¯re easier to keep alive than wild ones,¡± Old Lady Xu couldn¡¯t resist suggesting.


    Huo Sining, however, shook her head frantically. Raising fish? She scoffed at the idea. She didn¡¯t have the spare time or the leisure for such hobbies. Besides, she would be heartbroken if she accidentally let them die; after all, they were money.


    Old Lady Xu didn¡¯t know what Huo Sining was thinking. Although she kept chatting with Huo Sining, her eyes remained glued to the angelfish swimming inside the tank.


    Boss Qin observed the aquarium from the outside for a while and tested the water quality before scooping up the diseased angelfish for a closer examination. Eventually, he furrowed his brows, turned his head toward Old Lady Xu with a helpless expression, and said:


    ¡°Blackened body, red eyes, and white feces¡ªMrs. Xu, this fish seems to have contracted bacteria. If not treated in time, its body will become rigid, and I¡¯m afraid there¡¯s nothing I can do now.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Old Lady Xu became anxious: ¡°How could this happen? I change the water regularly, following the methods you suggested, and the other fish are fine. Why is it only this one that¡¯s having problems?¡±


    Boss Qin glanced at the Persian cat curled up in Old Lady Xu¡¯s room and said with resignation:


    ¡°Mrs. Xu, there are wounds on the tail of this fish; was it previously scratched by your cat? Angelfish are quite delicate. Next time, it would be best if you kept your cat away from the aquarium. Otherwise, its single scratch could be very distressing for you, Aunt Xu.¡±


    Old Lady Xu was caught off guard by Boss Qin¡¯s explanation and clammed up, guiltily lowering her head and mumbling:


    ¡°Scratched by the cat? I had no idea. That damned cat, I¡¯ve been wondering why it¡¯s been so well behaved lately.¡±


    Boss Qin didn¡¯t point out Mrs. Xu¡¯s thoughts, instead, he smiled amiably and explained:


    ¡°This fish may not live for much longer. It would be better to remove it sooner rather than later to prevent cross-infection that could endanger the other fish. I¡¯ll have someone deliver a Blue Angelfish to you tomorrow, and it will be free of charge.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Mrs. Xu was delighted. No longer feeling attached to the dying angelfish, she reached for the fishing net to scoop out the moribund Red Pine.


    However, Huo Sining¡¯s eyes were fixed intently on the fish. For some reason, seeing it with its bulging eyes and lifeless appearance, she felt as if she could sense its painful struggle.


    Remembering how the fish were drawn to her when she was fishing in the water, Huo Sining¡¯s mind stirred, and a ludicrous thought popped into her head.


    The Spiritual Energy of the Water-Repelling Pearl on her body was so enticing to the fish, which meant it must be quite special.


    Moreover, when she had injured her forehead, the Water-Repelling Pearl had healed her wound almost instantly after embedding itself in her skin.


    Did that mean she could use this Spiritual Energy to treat the fish¡¯s disease?


    Huo Sining was shocked by her own bold supposition, but as a last resort, how would she know if it worked or not without trying?


    Without delay, just as Mrs. Xu was about to throw the fish into the trash can, Huo Sining hurriedly spoke up to stop her:


    ¡°Aunt Xu, could you give me that fish?¡±


    Mrs. Xu paused, looking at Huo Sining with surprise: ¡°This fish is about to die. Why would you want it?¡±


    Naturally, Huo Sining wouldn¡¯t reveal her thoughts. She smiled and said:


    ¡°I have a friend who is an expert at fishkeeping. I want to take this fish to him to see if he can revive it. With his skills, perhaps he could bring it back to life.¡±


    The smartest kids, the most beautiful wives, and even the most skilled experts always belong to someone else.


    The moment Old Lady Xu heard Huo Sining had a fishkeeping expert as a friend, her interest was piqued. Without a shred of doubt, she found a small aquarium and placed the half-dead angelfish in it, handing it over to Huo Sining:


    ¡°Since your friend is an expert fishkeeper, could you ask him if this fish can be healed? If he can save it, I¡¯ll introduce all my fishkeeping friends to him.¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡± Huo Sining glanced at Boss Qin awkwardly. She had no intention of competing for his business; she merely wanted to try to save the pitiful angelfish and hadn¡¯t expected Old Lady Xu to say such a thing.


    As for the fact that Old Lady Xu didn¡¯t mention giving the fish to her, Huo Sining chose not to point that out.


    Old Lady Xu loved to take small advantages, something Huo Sining saw clearly despite having known her for less than an hour.


    Fortunately, Huo Sining only wanted to test her idea and wasn¡¯t actually interested in fishkeeping. Even if she managed to cure the angelfish, she wouldn¡¯t experience a loss, so she didn¡¯t mind.


    What Huo Sining didn¡¯t realize was that her words had caught not only the attention of Old Lady Xu¡¯s bargain-loving fish friends but also that of Elder Qin.


    Upon hearing Huo Sining¡¯s claim that she could possibly revive the fish, Elder Qin¡¯s smile remained unchanged as his gaze lingered on her face, seemingly probing for the truth in her words.


    Once he was sure Huo Sining was serious, a spark of insight flashed in his eyes, and he seemed to be deep in thought.

 Chapter 23 - Chapter 23: Chapter 21: Spiritual Energy, Heal!

    Chapter 23: Chapter 21: Spiritual Energy, Heal!


    ¡°What, checked out?¡±


    When Su Qingqing returned to the hotel in the afternoon to look for Huo Sining, she was informed by the staff that Huo Sining had already left.


    Su Qingqing felt frustrated and, without Huo Sining¡¯s contact information, had no choice but to return home without achieving anything.


    Fortunately, she knew that Huo Sining had applied to S University, so as long as school started, she would be able to see that person.


    Thinking of this, Su Qingqing¡¯s mood brightened considerably.


    Huo Sining¡¯s luggage was so minimal that upon returning to the hotel, she only collected her change of clothes before checking out and heading straight back to her rented house.


    Though the rental had everything, there was still quite a bit of cleaning to do to make it livable, and she also had to go to the supermarket to buy bedding and household items.


    By the time she finished with all these tasks, it was already past seven in the evening.


    Finally settled, Huo Sining felt tired, but she was also brimming with energy.


    No matter what, this was a good beginning, and from today on, she would leave the past behind and plan for the future.


    After quickly preparing some dinner, Huo Sining finally had time to deal with the angelfish she had brought over from Old Lady Xu.


    However, after an afternoon¡¯s time, the fish looked even more listless. Before, it would swim around the tank a bit, but now it was motionless in the water.


    If not for its gills moving open and closed, Huo Sining might have thought it was already dead.


    With an attitude of giving it a try, Huo Sining silently recited the incantation, then tentatively stretched her hand into the fish tank.


    Feeling a cool energy surge from her forehead and spread to her limbs, Huo Sining¡¯s heart stirred. She tried to use her thoughts to guide this spiritual energy.


    Soon, something surprising happened.


    The spiritual energy actually responded to her commands, slowly gathering towards the index finger of Huo Sining¡¯s hand.


    Encouraged, Huo Sining continued to direct the spiritual energy, and before long, she was stunned by the bizarre scene before her eyes.


    At her fingertips began to emerge a cluster of spiritual energy, pale green luminescence swirling in the water.


    It seemed that the fish sensed the changes in the water, the listless Rainbow Fairy Fish suddenly moved, turning its head to sniff.


    Before long, it twisted its body and swam over.


    Seeing that the spiritual energy was indeed effective, Huo Sining was overjoyed and enveloped the angelfish with it.


    The spiritual energy wrapped around the fish¡¯s tail as if it had a mind of its own.


    In just a few minutes, the fish¡¯s tail wound was gradually engulfed by the spiritual energy.


    Huo Sining¡¯s heartbeat quickened, watching as the wound on the angelfish slowly healed, she did not blink an eye.


    That was until she felt her body go numb, her forehead break out into a cold sweat, and her energy draining away.


    Huo Sining was alarmed and quickly withdrew her hand, realizing only then that her body was starting to falter.


    Huo Sining¡¯s face was pale, yet her heart was indescribably excited.


    She felt as if she had been hit by a huge windfall¡ªthe spiritual energy from the Water-Repelling Pearl could indeed heal wounds!


    Although the spiritual energy was not abundant and had to be used a little at a time, Huo Sining was already very satisfied.


    Once she retracted her hand, the Water-Repelling Pearl settled down from her forehead.


    The wound on the angelfish¡¯s tail, although not completely gone, had reduced in swelling and begun to scab over after Huo Sining had just transferred Spiritual Energy for treatment, and the little guy seemed much more spirited.


    Probably because it couldn¡¯t sense the presence of Spiritual Energy, the angelfish swam several laps around the aquarium, searching for a while before reluctantly retreating.


    Seeing that the fish was no longer in serious trouble, Huo Sining stopped paying attention to it.


    She had planned to take a trip to Yellow River that night but didn¡¯t go out as she was somewhat fatigued from using too much Spiritual Energy and went to bed early.


    Waking up early the next day, she felt her Spiritual Energy had recovered quite a bit and once again used it on the angelfish.


    With the experience from before, her application of Spiritual Energy was more mature.


    To avoid unnecessary waste, this time she only extended a forefinger, channeling wisps of Spiritual Energy to wrap around the angelfish.


    Before long, the green aura flowed, and when the scab on the fish¡¯s tail disappeared, and the tail looked as good as new, Huo Sining didn¡¯t feel the fatigue she had felt the night before.


    The fish, apparently feeling the improvement to its body, darted excitedly around the aquarium, happily blowing bubbles.


    Huo Sining wasn¡¯t sure if it was her imagination, but overnight, she felt the angelfish seemed somewhat different from the day before.


    Not only had the stripes on its body straightened, but the previously complicated colors had also faded, yet the red-brown base color and blue-green stripes had become deeper, appearing even more enchantingly vibrant, with the intermingling of blue and red more luxuriously dazzling.


    It was strange indeed. Puzzled, Huo Sining decided to look up information on ornamental fish.


    After learning about the value of ornamental fish from Old Lady Xu, Huo Sining realized she was lacking knowledge about the aquaculture industry.


    Wanting to make money wasn¡¯t as simple as just getting information from the seafood market¡ªafter all, the likes of koi, as Old Lady Xu had mentioned, definitely weren¡¯t available there.


    Moreover, it seemed she had fallen into a trap of focusing her abilities on edible fish and fresh seafood, neglecting that the aquaculture industry included ornamental fish in addition to edible ones.


    Take the Rainbow Fairy Fish, for example; one could cost four to five thousand, enough for what she¡¯d earn from a whole night¡¯s hard work fishing for old river clams.


    The price of ornamental fish is vastly different from the value of edible fish, and if it were to make money, such a business would naturally be better than selling edible fish.


    Furthermore, with the Water-Repelling Pearl in her possession capable of healing diseases, she would undoubtedly have a significant advantage in fish farming.


    Seeing such a business opportunity, Huo Sining¡¯s eyes lit up, her interest in ornamental fish growing stronger.


    Being a person of action, Huo Sining got ready and immediately left the house to enter an internet cafe, wanting to look up information on ornamental fish.


    However, at this time the internet was not very developed, and there wasn¡¯t much information about ornamental fish online, so Huo Sining only got a rough idea.


    There are a multitude of ornamental fish species within the country, but choosing them requires a lot of care, as it¡¯s not possible to discern their value during the breedling phase¡ªonly when they grow into maturity can one see their worth.


    The value of ornamental fish lies in whether their appearance is rare.


    Similar to humans where they say girls transform at eighteen, there¡¯s also the adage ¡®the older, the uglier¡¯. The same applies to fish: not all that are unimpressive when young turn out to be mediocre when grown.


    Therefore, to select good fish, one needs to test their judgment and also rely on luck.


    Moreover, the more expensive the fish, the more delicate and hard to keep alive they usually are, whether due to low reproduction rates or scarcity in number.


    Some fish species are likely imported from abroad, and others are hype created by businesses, with artificially inflated prices.


    No matter how eloquently those people speak, the principle of ornamental fish remains unchanged: rarity dictates price, the rarer they are, the more valuable.


    Huo Sining didn¡¯t understand all those rigid guidelines, but she had her own strategy for choosing fish, which was to see which species would be highest in value when they grew up.


    Simply put, she would only invest in the expensive ones, as with the Water-Repelling Pearl as her unbeatable cheat, it was impossible for her to harm the fish¡¯s health, and she wasn¡¯t worried about them dying prematurely; so whatever fish was expensive, she would raise that fish, and when it grew up, it would sell for good money.

 Chapter 24 - Chapter 24: Chapter 22: Has the Variety Been Improved?

    Chapter 24: Chapter 22: Has the Variety Been Improved?


    After looking into ornamental fish, Huo Sining selected a few, eventually narrowing her focus to three types.


    The first was the koi that Old Lady Xu had mentioned, with the other two being the arowana and the flowerhorn.


    The reason for choosing these three fish was simple, as they all share one common feature, that is, they¡¯re expensive.


    Each of these three types of fish have once achieved auction records of over a million on the market.


    As one of the most sought-after stars in the ornamental fish market, the arowana is not only beautiful in appearance and color, resembling the dragons from Chinese mythology, but it is also said to be able to drive away evil spirits and bad luck.


    Being a protected endangered species, the price of arowana is much higher than other ornamental fish, thus it has become a symbol of wealth.


    The flowerhorn is a breed that has been enhanced, known for its large size and the huge lump on its forehead.


    Because its large forehead resembles that of an Arhat, its unique appearance has made it a favorite among fish lovers.


    However, it is said that the casualty rate to raise a top-quality flowerhorn reaches over ninety percent.


    Therefore, the prices for flowerhorns can vary greatly, with cheap ones costing tens to hundreds, while rare genuine ones could require tens to hundreds of thousands.


    As for the koi Mrs. Xu mentioned, it is one of the most popular high-end ornamental fish.


    Koi have sturdy bodies, vivid colors, and varying patterns. They can live for several decades or even a century.


    And because koi symbolize good fortune and can bring good luck, they are favored domestically as feng shui fish and ornamental items.


    Among these three types of fish, koi are the easiest to breed and raise, with no high demands on water quality, and their prices vary according to size, breed, and quality.


    Moreover, there is a significant difference between juvenile koi and finished products, with ordinary fry having the potential to develop premium patterns if handled properly.


    This trait was naturally liked by Huo Sining at first glance, and of course, she wouldn¡¯t buy those expensive mature fish; her target was the juvenile fry.


    With the Water-Repelling Pearl in hand, Huo Sining was confident that she could induce a qualitative transformation in those fish.


    Following the guidance from the internet, Huo Sining found a nearby Flower, Bird, Insect, and Fish Market.


    Huo Sining¡¯s knowledge on fish was still limited to the edible kinds sold at the food market and traditional goldfish.


    Nothing beats seeing for oneself, and since she wanted to keep ornamental fish, it was time to get a firsthand look.


    Upon entering an ornamental fish store, she immediately saw a large aquarium housing dozens of Rainbow Fairy Fish, including several that were the same breed as the German Red Pine that Mrs. Xu kept.


    Huo Sining couldn¡¯t help but ask the store owner, ¡°Master, how much are you selling this German Red Pine for?¡±


    The owner, busy feeding the fish in his hands, didn¡¯t even lift his head as he asked, ¡°Are you looking for the premium German old pine or the improved breed?¡±


    Huo Sining pointed to the aquarium in front of her and asked, ¡°How much for this kind?¡±


    The owner looked up at the aquarium Huo Sining was pointing to and responded, ¡°That¡¯s an improved breed made using Royal Blue mixed with pigeon blood, I¡¯ll sell it to you for five thousand.¡±


    Does that mean the Rainbow Fairy Fish that Old Lady Xu was raising weren¡¯t the genuine article but a hybrid breed?


    Huo Sining couldn¡¯t help but think about the transformation her own fish underwent after being healed by the Azure Pearl and became curious,


    ¡°Boss, do you have any German Red Pine that are even deeper in color and have straighter stripes, the kind that look particularly dazzling?¡±


    The owner looked at Huo Sining with a smile that was not quite a smile and chuckled,


    ¡°Little girl, you¡¯re not here to cause trouble, are you? If you¡¯re looking to buy a genuine German strain angelfish, I¡¯m sorry to say I don¡¯t carry those. In fact, even if you searched the whole of S City, you might not find a single one. Here in S City it¡¯s not just about finding a pure second generation; even a genetically stable third generation is hard to come across. If you¡¯re really interested, though, I do have some fine German Red Pine angelfish. They¡¯re a bit pricier than the improved varieties, eight thousand a piece.¡±


    At these words, Huo Sining froze. She had forgotten to look up information on angelfish when she was at the internet caf¨¦, and now, it sounded like the owner was suggesting that the traits she had just described were characteristic of a genuine German strain?


    If that was the case, did it mean that the hybrid Rainbow Fairy Fish she had been taking care of at home, after her treatment, had actually become a purebred?


    Huo Sining¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Suppressing the urge to rush back and investigate, she shifted her gaze to the other aquariums in the store, paying attention to the species of each decorative fish.


    Her eyes landed on an angelfish that appeared to be a pure-blooded Blood Red Dragon. The vivid red of its body was striking, leaving Huo Sining rather amazed.


    The owner followed Huo Sining as she browsed through his store, and seeing her ask for prices without buying any fish, he promptly grew impatient:


    ¡°Young lady, are you looking to buy fish or not?¡±


    Huo Sining, who was absorbed in her observation, replied without thinking much when she heard the owner¡¯s question: ¡°Hmm, I¡¯m thinking of buying some fry to sell for a profit.¡±


    ¡°Raising fry to make money?¡±


    On hearing this, the owner was speechless with astonishment. He had been in the business for many years and had never dared to make such a claim. This young girl was bold indeed.


    He couldn¡¯t help but laugh, looking at Huo Sining with disdain and saying, ¡°Young lady, raising ornamental fish is not child¡¯s play. It¡¯s not as simple as you think.¡±


    Huo Sining didn¡¯t care about what the owner was thinking. After looking around the shop and not finding the koi fry she wanted to buy, she didn¡¯t linger and walked straight out to the next shop, leaving that owner fuming.


    However, after visiting a few more shops and not finding any koi fry¡ªwhile koi were available, they were all adults.


    These adult koi not only had large bodies, but their prices were frighteningly high, and, in fact, their quality wasn¡¯t good¡ªboth pattern and coloring were shallow and mixed.


    Huo Sining felt disappointed. At that moment, she heard some arguing noises coming from the opposite side.


    ¡°Don¡¯t take advantage of the newbie, young man. Don¡¯t believe what this peddler says. These koi are listless and dull in color¡ªthey must be sick!¡±


    Huo Sining instinctively looked over and saw a street vendor on the opposite side, with a few wooden basins displayed in front of him, and several customers were pointing and talking around those basins.


    When Huo Sining heard that the street vendor was selling koi fry, her interest was immediately piqued, and she eagerly made her way over.


    She saw that the wooden basins contained hundreds of red koi fry, but these fry seemed sickly and were nowhere near as lively as the fish she had seen in the shop aquariums.


    Among the gathered crowd, a young man wanted to try his luck and buy a few, but as soon as he started to inquire about the price, an experienced old man pointed out the trickery with the fry, prompting the young man to hesitate.


    Seeing the young man pull back, the vendor got anxious. He cursed the nosy old man internally for ruining his business but maintained a placating smile as he explained:


    ¡°Handsome, don¡¯t listen to their nonsense. These fish have just been transported for a long distance to S City. They haven¡¯t been sorted into tanks yet, so it¡¯s normal for them to not look energetic. Just take them home and care for them for a couple of days, and they¡¯ll be fine. Plus, look at this color¡ªeven as fry, they are this bright. Once they mature, they are sure to be top-quality red and white, with a tenfold refund for any fakes.¡±


    The young man hesitated, but upon hearing this, the old man who had advised him snorted in disdain:


    ¡°The koi fry sold in regular shops are at least twelve centimeters long. These you have are obviously less than three inches. Such small fry don¡¯t have much immunity, and a novice without the necessary skills simply can¡¯t keep them alive. And you say these are genuine red and white koi¡ªcan you be sure? Without the fish having fully grown, you can¡¯t tell what they will look like. It¡¯s not as if there¡¯s no precedent for faking koi fry. Your tenfold refund guarantee means nothing. Once there¡¯s a problem, you¡¯ll be long gone, and who will they find then?¡±


    The street vendor was instantly choked by the accusation, as it had touched a nerve. Not daring to argue with the old man, he cursed under his breath:


    ¡°Damn old man spoiling my business. Forget it, I¡¯m not selling anymore!¡±


    As he began to move the wooden basins onto a tricycle, Huo Sining panicked and quickly grabbed the vendor, smiling and saying:


    ¡°Big brother, don¡¯t rush off, let me pick a few first. As long as they¡¯re pretty, size doesn¡¯t matter, and the cheaper the better.¡±

 Chapter 25 - Chapter 25: Chapter 23: The Strange Post

    Chapter 25: Chapter 23: The Strange Post


    The cheaper the better?


    The vendor was stunned, for in all his years of business, he had never heard of such an eccentric way to pick koi fry.


    The few old spectators were also dumbfounded, especially the old man who had previously spoken up to advise. He looked at Huo Sining with a glare, cursing inwardly: One fool left, and another idiot arrived¡ªcan¡¯t they see this obvious scam?


    ¡°Young lady, that¡¯s not how you pick ornamental fish. Cheap stuff isn¡¯t good quality!¡±


    Seeing Huo Sining actually squat down to pick fish, the old man got anxious and hurriedly advised her.


    ¡°Grandpa, it¡¯s fine. The fry aren¡¯t expensive anyway, I¡¯m just buying them for fun.¡±


    Huo Sining didn¡¯t feel there was anything wrong with her decision. She had scoured the entire market just to find such affordable fish breeds.


    She picked out five fish, and after some persistent haggling, managed to get the vendor to throw in an extra one for free, spending a total of fifty yuan.


    Watching Huo Sining leave with the fish fry in high spirits, her beaming smile as if she had just won five million yuan, the old man watched with twitching lips and almost felt driven to insanity. Where on earth did this joker come from?


    What the old man did not know was that before long, those unremarkable little fry in Huo Sining¡¯s hands would dazzle everyone at the S City fish fighting competition, causing a great uproar.


    Though the koi looked sickly, Huo Sining still felt the trip that morning was worth it.


    Koi, unlike angelfish, can grow to be over a meter long, so Huo Sining thought that she would need to prepare a larger aquarium in the future.


    But for now, there was no need to worry about that. These little ones were only about three inches long. On her way home, she bought a plastic bucket and casually carried them back with her.


    If the people at the future fish fighting competitions knew that the stunning Fish King had to endure its youth in a plastic bucket less than thirty centimeters in diameter, they would likely be deeply distressed and full of regret.


    Although Huo Sining vaguely suspected that the Water-Repelling Pearl could transform a hybrid fish into a purebred, she still did not distinguish between ornamental fish and fish for consumption.


    In fact, embedded deeply in her mind was the notion that fish are meant to be eaten, keeping them as pets was simply too wasteful.


    So, she roughly bagged the koi fry in the plastic bucket and took them home.


    Which made those sickly koi even more listless once they arrived home.


    Huo Sining, however, was not stingy. She dipped her finger into the bucket, controlling the Spiritual Energy of the Water-Repelling Pearl to baptize the fish from head to tail.


    Perhaps because the fish had no obvious injuries, or maybe because it gets easier with practice, Huo Sining felt that this time, it was effortless to channel the Spiritual Energy. Moreover, after she finished, she felt that the Azure Pearl still had plenty of Spiritual Energy.


    The Azure Pearl¡¯s Spiritual Energy was indeed effective. After absorbing the Spiritual Energy, the koi quickly recovered their vitality, darting around the bucket and gaping eagerly, waiting for Huo Sining to feed them.


    ¡°Darn it, I forgot to buy fish food!¡±


    Huo Sining slapped her forehead, remembering that she seemed to have a bag of cookies left from last night. She quickly found and crumbled them into the bucket.


    The koi weren¡¯t picky at all, gathering around to eat the crumbs.


    Seeing them eat so gleefully, Huo Sining nodded in satisfaction and turned around to feed the Rainbow Fairy Fish as well.


    The fish must have been hungry. Seeing Huo Sining throw a piece of cookie down, it hurried over immediately.


    But before Huo Sining could feel pleased, the fish sniffed at the crumbs and then turned and swam away!


    Was this rejection?


    Huo Sining¡¯s smile froze on her face. After a moment of thought, she went downstairs to knock on Old Lady Xu¡¯s door.


    ¡°Auntie Xu, what do you usually feed your Rainbow Fairy Fish?¡±


    Old Lady Xu counted on her fingers, ¡°Homemade burgers, usually with ox heart, lean meat, chicken heart, fresh shrimp, and leafy vegetables. This way, the fish get enough magnesium, calcium, and other minerals. You should also feed them bloodworm bait occasionally and some aquatic plants. But you have to be careful not to overdo it, these things carry bacteria; if you¡¯re not careful, they could get infected and also¡ª¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Old Lady Xu hadn¡¯t finished speaking when Huo Sining was already feeling overwhelmed.


    Angelfish really are a pricey business; only those with money and time could indulge in it!


    Huo Sining had only one thought at that moment, and that was to get rid of the angelfish in her hands as soon as possible. She really didn¡¯t have the patience to attend to such an ancestor.


    However, Huo Sining dared not tell Old Lady Xu that her angelfish had already been cured, considering only a day had passed. Even the most skilled fish breeders couldn¡¯t accomplish such a feat. If Mrs. Xu were to inquire, she really wouldn¡¯t know how to explain it.


    Moreover, she had learned that the fish had mutated. According to what the previous aquarium owner had implied, this angelfish seemed to have developed authentic German eyes.


    Even in S City, it was unlikely for there to be a purebred German Red Pine angelfish of the first generation. If she were to return the fish to Mrs. Xu now, it would be hard for her to avoid drawing attention.


    It wasn¡¯t that Huo Sining was reluctant to part with the angelfish. With the Water-Repelling Pearl acting as a cheat device, transforming a few angelfish into something special wasn¡¯t difficult. She simply did not want to attract unnecessary trouble because of it.


    It looked like dealing with this fellow was going to be quite a hassle.


    As she watched the German fish in the aquarium happily devour the chicken heart hamburger she had just bought, Huo Sining felt a bit of concern.


    After some thought, she took out her candy bar cell phone. Although the camera quality was terrible, it was better than nothing.


    Taking advantage of the moment when the fish was focused on eating, Huo Sining snapped a few photos.


    Approaching evening, Huo Sining went out, entered a nearby internet cafe.


    After registering an account on an ornamental fish forum, she posted a message and attached a few low-resolution photographs.


    ¡ª¡ª For sale: Rainbow Fairy Fish, authentic German ¡°glasses elder¡± Red Pine lineage, purebred, healthy, and lively, one of a kind, first come first serve.


    After seeing her post quickly sink to oblivion, Huo Sining logged off the forum and did not bother with it anymore. After leaving the internet cafe, she went to a supermarket and bought several fishing nets and a pair of rain boots.


    While Huo Sining was getting ready for her night-time exploration of Yellow River, she was unaware of the commotion on the fish forum due to her post, which had stirred up many long-time silent users.


    That inconspicuous post had been bumped up from the mass of quickly sunken threads and quickly stood out, taking the top spot on the forum.


    ¡°Holy crap, what did I just see? First-gen German? Is that for real?¡±


    ¡°No contact information provided, how¡¯s anyone supposed to buy? Don¡¯t believe it, guys¡ªthis person is just fishing for replies!¡±


    ¡°The resolution is so poor, it must be on purpose, though the stripes do look straight. Sure it¡¯s purebred?¡±


    ¡°I feel like this is Photoshopped. First-gen German Red Pine, isn¡¯t that thing the stuff of legend?¡±


    ¡°Judging as a high-quality German fish, indeterminable if it¡¯s first-gen. The above poster who doesn¡¯t know might as well not blabber!¡±


    ¡­


    A bunch of people started arguing on the forum. Some breeding experts, however, lit up when they saw the photos.


    Although the photos were unclear, the straight stripes and color ratio on the fish made the experts quickly see the point.


    It was just that the person who made the post, whether out of carelessness or intention, had not left any contact information.


    Several became restless; they anxiously sent private messages to the original poster, wanting to inquire about the authenticity of the post, but their messages went unanswered.


    Now some were annoyed. This was just teasing people¡¯s appetites, posting a bizarre thread that drew a large crowd, and then disappearing oneself.


    ¡°The original poster doesn¡¯t dare to show up, definitely just baiting for replies, not even brave enough to answer PMs!¡±


    ¡°Damn scammer, deceiving for replies, wish death on the whole family!¡±


    ¡°Looks like the poster has kicked the bucket; if there¡¯s anything important, burn incense for them.¡±


    What was originally a bustling thread quickly devolved into a mess of curses and off-topic banter.


    Still, there were those who refused to believe this was the end and thought of a more direct approach.


    ¡°You¡¯re telling me to conduct a search on an account?¡±


    Jin Chenyu frowned. He had just returned to S City from Rongcheng and had barely gotten off the plane when he received a call from his cousin. The reason was absurd, all because of a forum post.

 Chapter 26 - Chapter 26: Chapter 24 The Old Clam Produces a Pearl

    Chapter 26: Chapter 24 The Old Clam Produces a Pearl


    ¡°I¡¯ve sent you the link to that post. I¡¯ll wait for your response before noon tomorrow. It¡¯d be best if you could find this person¡¯s contact information; I have an urgent matter.¡±


    Qin Shaoyou stared at the blurry photo on the computer screen, reluctant to take his eyes off of it.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Jin Chenyu hung up the phone and couldn¡¯t help shaking his head.


    This cousin of his was a research fanatic, with an almost obsessive enthusiasm for biological studies. He rarely called him, and Jin hadn¡¯t expected that this call would be for such a strange reason.


    Because she had to go to the Yellow River, Huo Sining had dinner early and took a bus to the cruise terminal.


    This was the closest point to the Yellow River¡¯s estuary, and as night fell, Huo Sining found a secluded corner to slip into the water secretly.


    The estuary waters of the Yellow River were turbulent, but this was of little consequence to Huo Sining as she slowly sank to the riverbed.


    This time Huo Sining¡¯s target was the Huangjiang Knifefish. At this time of year, the knifefish had finished spawning and had begun their migration; they could only be seen near the estuary.


    As Huo Sining wandered the river bottom, her eyes swept across the bed like a detector.


    Though she felt no resistance from the water, staring in the river for so long was exhausting.


    Fortunately, perseverance pays off. After several grueling hours of search, she finally observed a small group of Huangjiang Knifefish near a reef.


    Huo Sining approached the group of knifefish and quickly scooped them up with the net in her hand.


    There were about a dozen fish in total, but most were juveniles, weighing less than two ounces each.


    If she were to unprincipledly scoop up even the small fish, the Huangjiang Knifefish might truly become extinct.


    After carefully selecting, Huo Sining only kept five adult fish, releasing the rest back into the river.


    Weighing them, Huo Sining estimated that the five knifefish were at least two pounds in total; her night¡¯s effort was not in vain.


    After stretching her limbs, she decided to head back. Suddenly, she noticed something unusual at the base of the reef, resembling something familiar to her.


    ¡°Clams?!¡±


    Huo Sining expressed immense surprise. She hadn¡¯t expected to find such a familiar creature at the river estuary and, feeling a sense of fondness, quickly approached to investigate.


    But upon closer inspection, she realized she was mistaken. These weren¡¯t the wild clams she had seen in Baiyun Reservoir; they were a completely different species of shellfish.


    The one before her was around thirty to forty centimeters in diameter with an extremely thick shell. Judging by the growth lines on the shell, this clam was at least seven or eight years old. Its sheer size suggested it was quite heavy.


    Huo Sining bent down and pried one from the reef, weighing it in her hands. Goodness, it was at least four or five pounds.


    As she was about to throw the shellfish back, the Water-Repelling Pearl on her forehead began to pulsate violently.


    Huo Sining was stunned. This wasn¡¯t the first time the Water-Repelling Pearl had behaved like this.


    Not long ago, when she had dived into the Yellow River to help Su Qingqing retrieve her engagement ring, the moment she stepped on a rock, the Pearl had flickered, and then she had discovered the ring beneath a large stone.


    With this in mind, Huo Sining had a thought.


    Could it be that the Water-Repelling Pearl was signaling that there was something unusual about this clam?


    Frowning, Huo Sining wasn¡¯t sure if there was really anything inside these clams, but instinctively, she felt she couldn¡¯t pass up the chance.


    She pried off all seven or eight clams from the reef, storing them in her net and then she followed the current back to the place where she had entered the water.


    One advantage of a bustling city is that no matter how late it is, there are always cars around. Huo Sining didn¡¯t get back to where she was staying until after three in the morning.


    After taking the knifefish out of the small tank and placing them into a bucket, she infused them with some spiritual energy to restore their vigor, and then turned to examine the older ones she had brought back.


    The dozens of river clams varied in size, but even the smallest were at least five years old.


    Although Huo Sining didn¡¯t understand why the Azure Pearls were flashing, she didn¡¯t dwell on it.


    What sort of oddities these fellows had, wouldn¡¯t she know after cutting them open?


    The bigger the clam, the more astonishing its biting force, so Huo Sining fetched a long kitchen knife and started prying at the smallest river clam along the seam of its shell.


    To prevent the shell from closing back up, she had to jam a fork into the mouth of the clam while prying, and it took her the strength of nine oxen and two tigers to finally pop open the shell.


    The moment she pried it open, Huo Sining was stunned.


    There within the flesh of the shell, several variously sized and shaped sacs were exposed.


    These sacs resembled the row of yellow eggs attached within a hen¡¯s cut-open belly¡ªsome large, some small.


    Huo Sining extended her hand to gently puncture one of the bulges, and out rolled a lustrous and translucent pearl.


    There was nothing left for Huo Sining to wonder; these old clams were actually hiding a whole bunch of wild pearls!


    ¡°My goodness, these are pearls, and there are so many just in this one clam!¡±


    Huo Sining was both amazed and excited, as this was the first time she had seen pearls hidden inside clamshells, in either her past or present life.


    Without further ado, she grabbed a basin and began harvesting the pearls, big and small, and soon all the pearls from that one clam had been ¡°dissected¡± out.


    Seventeen pearls lay before her, making Huo Sining¡¯s eyes sparkle.


    She turned her attention to the remaining old clams, knowing they all concealed treasures inside.


    Although it was indeed tiring to pry open the mouths of those old clams, Huo Sining didn¡¯t feel fatigued at all; without resting, she hastily cut open the rest of the clams in one go.


    Seeing those round bulging sacs, Huo Sining couldn¡¯t help but gulp.


    My goodness, this is real, right? It¡¯s not a dream, is it?


    Huo Sining instinctively reached out to tug at her own hair, ouch, the pain made her suck in a breath of cold air.


    After collecting the pearls, dawn was breaking, and Huo Sining stared straight at the basin in her hands.


    You¡¯re kidding me, eight old clams yielded nearly two hundred pearls, big and small!


    The two largest were as big as ping-pong balls, followed by seven or eight nearly the size of quail eggs, while most of the rest were around ten millimeters in diameter; of course, there were also some as small as soybeans, barely formed.


    Despite the varying sizes of the pearls, each one shimmered brightly, shining with luster and brilliance.


    What does it mean ¡°to unintentionally plant willows and have them flourish¡±? Huo Sining felt this was it.


    Looking at the basin nearly overflowing with pearls, she instantly thought that the Huangjiang Knifefish paled in comparison; she had spent an entire night catching just five fish, hardly enough to pick her teeth.


    Even though Huo Sining didn¡¯t know the market value of pearls, just by looking at the quality of the pearls in her hand, especially those two huge ones, she knew they were top-notch and would definitely fetch a good price if sold.


    Clutching a large basin of pearls in her arms, Huo Sining couldn¡¯t bear or dare to let go, while she thought about how to deal with them and considered visiting the Yellow River again. If she could scoop up more old clams, then she really would strike it rich!


    The more she thought about it, the brighter the future seemed, and Huo Sining couldn¡¯t help but giggle to herself until slowly, her thoughts faded and she fell asleep.

 Chapter 27 - Chapter 27: Chapter 25: Human Flesh Search

    Chapter 27: Chapter 25: Human Flesh Search


    Jin Chenyu returned home and immediately got to work without taking any rest.


    He followed the link Qin Shaoyou sent him and first infiltrated the website¡¯s backend to look up the registration information of the person who posted the message.


    Unfortunately, the poster had used a Penguin Mail to register, which provided little substantial information, leaving Jin Chenyu no choice but to track the address of the poster.


    Unexpectedly, the trace led to an internet cafe.


    Jin Chenyu frowned, the internet cafe was actually in S City, and moreover, it was quite close to his home.


    After some thought, he further investigated which computer the poster had used and then hacked into the cafe¡¯s cashier system. Through a time filter, he locked onto a string of ID numbers.


    Jin Chenyu glanced at the ID numbers, feeling they were somewhat familiar, but he didn¡¯t dwell on it.


    Investigating someone¡¯s identity was simple for him, and in no time at all, Jin Chenyu found the poster¡¯s real information in a certain department. Yet, the information left Jin Chenyu dumbfounded.


    Huo Sining? How could it be her?


    Jin Chenyu was stunned for a moment, recalling the text message Huo Sining sent him two days ago. In the message, Huo Sining indeed mentioned she had arrived in S City, and asked Jin Chenyu to contact her using the number provided upon receiving her admission letter.


    Why would she go online to sell fish?


    Jin Chenyu was puzzled. Although he didn¡¯t know much about ornamental fish, he was aware that the Rainbow Fairy Fish was not cheap.


    Moreover, considering the lengths to which Qin Shaoyou was going to find the person, the fish was likely not just any ordinary ornamental fish.


    After musing over it, Jin Chenyu called Qin Shaoyou, ¡°What do you want that fish for?¡±


    ¡°What, have you found out who owns that fish for me?¡± Qin Shaoyou¡¯s eyes lit up, and he asked eagerly.


    Jin Chenyu felt a tightening in his heart; for some reason, he subconsciously didn¡¯t want to tell Qin Shaoyou the truth, ¡°Not yet, just curious and wanted to ask.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a purebred German Red Agate from the breeding lab, and it¡¯s a female. We urgently need a purebred male for breeding. I¡¯ve been searching for half a year and haven¡¯t found one. The fish this person has could very likely be what I¡¯m looking for,¡± said Qin Shaoyou, his voice still mild and indifferent, betraying little emotion.


    A joyful thought crossed Jin Chenyu¡¯s mind, remembering how Huo Sining¡¯s family was struggling financially. He couldn¡¯t help but blurt out, ¡°If the fish is a purebred, how much could it be worth?¡±


    Hmm? Qin Shaoyou¡¯s attractive eyes narrowed as he pushed up the glasses on his nose.


    His cousin had never shown any interest in his research, so why the sudden concern today?


    Qin Shaoyou frowned, suppressing his doubts,


    ¡°That depends on who you ask. If you simply view it as an ornamental fish, it might only worth thirty to fifty thousand, but if it¡¯s for scientific research, its value is inestimable. Why are you asking all this?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I will definitely help you buy the fish!¡± Jin Chenyu smiled and quickly ended the call.


    After a busy night, Huo Sining slept until ten o¡¯clock in the morning. While still half asleep, she heard the urgent ringing of her phone.


    Squinting, she pressed the answer button, but the next second her eyes snapped open.


    ¡°Still sleeping? Have you become decadent just after finishing your college entrance exams?¡±


    ¡°Teacher Jin?!¡± Huo Sining¡¯s mind instantly cleared up. She looked at her phone in confusion. Could it be anyone else but Jin Chenyu showing on the caller ID?


    Huo Sining was dumbfounded and asked dryly, ¡°Why¡­ Why are you calling me?¡±


    Could the notice have come so quickly? Impossible, it had been less than ten days since the college entrance examination. The efficiency of the education bureau couldn¡¯t have been that fast.


    ¡°What, can¡¯t I call you if there¡¯s nothing wrong? You¡¯re alone in this strange city, and as your host, it wouldn¡¯t be very nice of me to keep avoiding meeting you, right?¡±


    Jin Chenyu laughed and suddenly changed his tone, jokingly said, ¡°By the way, I¡¯m less than five years older than you. Could you not call me ¡®you¡¯? It makes me feel so old! And I¡¯m not your teacher anymore, so you don¡¯t need to keep reminding me that I¡¯m older than you by calling me Teacher, right?¡±


    Was this person really Jin Chenyu? Huo Sining was surprised. It was the first time she realized that the stern Teacher Jin had such a humorous side.


    Although it was said that ¡°once a teacher, always a father¡±, Huo Sining had been reborn from her past life and always felt like she was already twenty-five. Calling someone close to her own age ¡®Teacher¡¯ was indeed awkward. After thinking about it, she didn¡¯t insist and boldly called out ¡°Big Brother Jin¡± following Jin Chenyu¡¯s lead.


    Jin Chenyu was very pleased with Huo Sining¡¯s tactfulness. Glancing at the photo on his computer, he nonchalantly asked, ¡°Where are you living now? You wouldn¡¯t mind me coming over for a visit, would you?¡±


    Huo Sining was stunned, then honestly repeated her address.


    When Jin Chenyu on the other end told her with surprise that he lived nearby and that he would come over soon, Huo Sining felt somewhat helpless but didn¡¯t have the heart to refuse, so she had to postpone her plans to go out to the afternoon.


    After tidying up the house, the main task was to deal with those clamshells.


    The fresh clam meat was edible, and she didn¡¯t want to throw it away, so she peeled it out of the shells, cleaned it, and marinated it with salt; the shells were thrown into the trash can altogether.


    Then she quickly tidied up the room and hid the pearls she had dug up last night in the cabinet.


    No sooner had she finished these tasks than Jin Chenyu called, telling her he had arrived downstairs.


    When Huo Sining went down to meet him, she unexpectedly ran into Mrs. Xu.


    The moment Old Lady Xu saw Jin Chenyu, her eyes lit up, and she looked at Huo Sining with a suggestive expression, ¡°Xiao Huo, is this young man your boyfriend? He¡¯s quite handsome.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Huo Sining was immediately embarrassed and hurriedly explained, ¡°Auntie Xu, you¡¯ve got it wrong. This is my high school teacher. He lives in Shanghai and heard that I was renting a place here, so he came to check on me.¡±


    After she finished speaking, she looked at Jin Chenyu apologetically, afraid that he might be upset.


    Jin Chenyu, however, smiled, ¡°Hello, Sister Xu. I was Huo Sining¡¯s high school homeroom teacher. Huo Sining has been troubling you by living here. She¡¯s a young girl all on her own; please take good care of her.¡±


    Mrs. Xu was thrilled when Jin Chenyu called her ¡®Sister Xu,¡¯ smiling so broadly that her teeth showed, happily said, ¡°You young man sure have a way with words. You can rest easy about Xiao Huo staying with me; there won¡¯t be any issues.¡±


    Mrs. Xu was a chatterbox. When she heard that Jin Chenyu was from S City, her eyes sparkled.


    Thinking of several of her fish-keeping friends whose granddaughters were still unattached, she instantly got ideas, and she tugged at Jin Chenyu, wanting to chat more, eager to find out everything about his family background.


    But Jin Chenyu wasn¡¯t in the mood to chat with Mrs. Xu; he was fixated on the angelfish Huo Sining had, and he had no patience to entangle with an old lady, quickly brushing off Mrs. Xu and heading upstairs.


    Mrs. Xu felt reluctant yet powerless, but then thought that Huo Sining was living right above, and she could pry information from her.


    With this thought, Mrs. Xu felt relieved and turned to twist her waist back downstairs.


    Seeing Jin Chenyu¡¯s frustrated look, Huo Sining found it funny.


    Mrs. Xu was so enthusiastic towards him, more so than even when Huo Sining was paying her rent. It seemed that in Old Lady Xu¡¯s eyes, a handsome man was even more tempting than money.


    As soon as Jin Chenyu entered, he saw the aquarium on the desk, and sure enough, there was a Rainbow Fairy Fish leisurely blowing bubbles inside.

 Chapter 28 - Chapter 28: Chapter 26: Meeting the Exceptional Again

    Chapter 28: Chapter 26: Meeting the Exceptional Again


    ¡°`


    ¡°You¡¯re raising angelfish?¡±


    Jin Chenyu feigned surprise as he leaned in toward the table, subtly sizing up the aquatic sprite.


    The fish was plump, its stripes straight, and its color vibrant¡ªthis angelfish was several times more beautiful than the grainy photo Huo Sining had taken.


    ¡°Eh, Old¡­ Big Brother Jin, you understand ornamental fish too?¡±


    Huo Sining was somewhat surprised; she hadn¡¯t expected Jin Chenyu to have such a hobby.


    Jin Chenyu gave a self-deprecating smile, ¡°How could I understand such refined things? It¡¯s just that I have a cousin at the research institute who specializes in studying and breeding ornamental fish. That guy is absolutely obsessed with angelfish, even traveled several provinces a while back just to buy a German Red Pine variety.¡±


    What a coincidence, she had just posted online to sell fish, and Jin Chenyu came bearing pillows?


    Huo Sining was stunned for a moment, looking at Jin Chenyu with some suspicion, ¡°So what happened in the end, did he buy it?¡±


    Jin Chenyu shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s not that easy. He wanted to buy a breeding fish and wouldn¡¯t settle for anything less than purebred. He visited several sellers, but they all turned out to be second-generation hybrids. Apparently, only Germany has the pure first-generation, but they¡¯re not selling.¡±


    Seeing Jin Chenyu didn¡¯t look like he was lying, Huo Sining let go of her suspicions and smiled,


    ¡°Then that¡¯s a real coincidence. Mine should be a purebred German Red Pine. If Big Brother Jin¡¯s cousin is interested, I could let it go, though I¡¯m not sure how much he can offer.¡±


    Once Jin Chenyu saw Huo Sining smiling like a fox, he knew exactly what the girl was plotting, but he did have an ulterior motive for his visit, so he didn¡¯t mind letting his cousin bleed a little.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that, shall I ask him for you?¡±


    Seeing Huo Sining nod, Jin Chenyu quickly dialed Qin Shaoyou¡¯s number.


    ¡°Authentic German Red Pine, how much can you pay?¡± As soon as the call connected, Jin Chenyu got straight to the point.


    Qin Shaoyou¡¯s heart tightened upon hearing this, and he asked eagerly, ¡°Did you find the person who posted online?¡±


    Jin Chenyu glanced at Huo Sining, hmmmed, and didn¡¯t bother explaining further, only pressing, ¡°How about a hundred and fifty thousand?¡±


    Qin Shaoyou immediately realized that Jin Chenyu had met with the seller without notifying him, and there must be some trickery involved.


    But right now, he couldn¡¯t bother to ask too much; hearing Jin Chenyu¡¯s quote, he couldn¡¯t help but snort coldly.


    Although he was eager to get his hands on a breeding fish, it didn¡¯t make sense to be taken advantage of so blatantly.


    ¡°A hundred and fifty thousand? Isn¡¯t he afraid of his tongue snapping? If it wasn¡¯t for research purposes, the true value of that thing is only thirty to fifty thousand. Are you sure he isn¡¯t trying to fleece me? Eighty thousand; tell him that¡¯s all I can offer, and he¡¯ll still be making a fortune with that!¡±


    Jin Chenyu felt a bit guilty because he did indeed quote an outrageous price.


    But then he thought that Qin Shaoyou wasn¡¯t short of money anyway, so what if he was getting fleeced? He could consider it robbing the rich to help the poor. With this hundred and fifty thousand, Huo Sining¡¯s college tuition and living expenses would be taken care of.


    With this thought, he regained his confidence and said sternly, ¡°They¡¯re saying a hundred and fifty thousand, take it or leave it!¡±


    Qin Shaoyou was livid over the line, grinding his teeth and saying gruffly, ¡°A hundred and twenty thousand. If he doesn¡¯t agree, the deal is off!¡±


    A hundred and twenty thousand didn¡¯t sound bad either, Jin Chenyu thought for a moment, then turned back to Huo Sining, ¡°How about a hundred and twenty thousand?¡±


    Huo Sining, who had been dumbstruck listening to Jin Chenyu haggle with his cousin, was now confronted with the astonishing figure of a hundred and twenty thousand, immediately nodded without hesitation.


    Jin Chenyu snapped his fingers in satisfaction, speaking into the phone, ¡°Deal. I¡¯ll front the money for you, make sure to transfer the hundred and twenty thousand to my account soon!¡±


    Without waiting for Qin Shaoyou to respond, he hung up the phone.


    An angelfish netted a hundred and twenty thousand?!


    It was only when Jin Chenyu transferred a hundred and twenty thousand yuan to her card and her phone pinged with a bank notification that Huo Sining felt it was real.


    ¡°Alright, the place you live in might be old, but the house seems pretty decent, I won¡¯t hold you up any longer. I¡¯m off then, call me if you need anything.¡±


    ¡°`


    Task completed, Jin Chenyu turned around and prepared to leave.


    He needed to hurry and take the fish back to soothe Qin Shaoyou, who he feared was hopping mad at this moment for his rash actions and for having taken advantage of him again.


    ¡°Wait a minute!¡±


    Huo Sining was not ungrateful, knowing that Jin Chenyu did this to help her, but she genuinely benefited at the expense of his relative.


    With that in mind, she hastily called out to Jin Chenyu, then turned and packed several Huangjiang Knifefish from the bucket into a black plastic bag to hand over to him.


    Having made 120,000 from a single angelfish, she didn¡¯t feel a pinch giving away a few Huangjiang Knifefish as extras.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Jin Chenyu, already holding the fish tank and unable to spare his hands, took the bag from Huo Sining and asked her with both curiosity and confusion.


    Huo Sining laughed and said, ¡°Just a few wild live fish, take them back and try something fresh.¡±


    Jin Chenyu assumed they were simply a few wild fish, so he didn¡¯t bother to check and, nodding, walked out holding the five Huangjiang Knifefish.


    Huo Sining breathed a sigh of relief¡ªthe angelfish was finally sold, and now the urgent task was to deal with the pearls she held, as she didn¡¯t understand pearls and having so many at hand was troublesome.


    Selling them, however, was tricky, as she didn¡¯t know about pearl types and market prices, nor whether the jewelry shops would take them.


    From Aunt Xu, Huo Sining learned that there was a street full of jewelry and jade artifacts near the Chenghuang Temple, so she decided to try her luck there.


    The pearls as big as ping-pong balls were too conspicuous; fearing suspicion, she didn¡¯t choose the largest pearls but picked ten of medium size, about ten centimeters, and casually wrapped them in a handkerchief, putting them in her bag before heading out.


    Like most women, Huo Sining enjoyed shopping, and this was her first time window-shopping since her rebirth, so she was in a good mood.


    Once on the street, she couldn¡¯t help but glance around; unexpectedly, her casual gazing led to trouble when she arrived at a jewelry store and bumped straight into someone.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m so sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to¡­¡± Huo Sining instinctively began to apologize, but before she could finish, she was interrupted by a sharp scolding.


    ¡°Ow! You little bumpkin, don¡¯t you look where you¡¯re going? You¡¯ve stepped on my new shoes; didn¡¯t your mother teach you to watch your steps?¡±


    With a distinct accent from the Magic Capital, Huo Sining looked up and saw a flashy face caked with heavy makeup, wearing high-end designer clothes that were obviously expensive.


    A person¡¯s exterior may be influenced by their attire, and the woman did seem to have an impressive overall demeanor, but as soon as she opened her mouth, it instantly left a bad taste.


    ¡°Miss, you were the one who bumped into me first; I admit it¡¯s my fault for stepping on you, but you shouldn¡¯t curse at people, should you?¡±


    Huo Sining furrowed her brows; she had no desire to entangle with this kind of woman, but the woman¡¯s persistent finger-pointing and cursing set her off, prompting her to retort.


    Unexpectedly, the response made the woman even more arrogant; she lifted her chin, derided with disdain,


    ¡°So now you¡¯re the one with the right after stepping on me, huh? I¡¯ve never seen someone so shameless. Country bumpkins really are lacking in manners!¡±


    Huo Sining pressed down her inner displeasure, not wanting to argue with such a person, and deliberately ignored her, moving aside to leave.


    Unsatisfied, the woman grabbed Huo Sining¡¯s arm, refusing to let her go, and with a relentless attitude demanded,


    ¡°What, you think you can just leave after ruining someone¡¯s shoes without compensation or apology?¡±


    Huo Sining could see from the woman¡¯s eyes that she looked down on her, and it made her angry. She couldn¡¯t help but scoff,


    ¡°Miss, regardless of whose fault this was, if I remember correctly, I did apologize to you at the very beginning, didn¡¯t I? You started with insults, did I ever say you were lacking manners? It seems to me that you¡¯re the one who should be apologizing. It¡¯s just a pair of shoes, right? Where did you buy them? I¡¯ll compensate you with a new pair, how about that?¡±


    ¡°These are limited edition LVs, over thirty thousand yuan. Can you afford that?¡±


    The woman eyed Huo Sining¡¯s sportswear and the no-name backpack on her shoulder, instantly recognizing them as street vendor goods, and sneered disdainfully.


    ¡°However, it¡¯s merely thirty thousand yuan. If the young lady can¡¯t afford it, I¡¯ll compensate on her behalf. Are you satisfied now, Miss Zhou?¡±


    Right then, two people came out of the jewelry store behind Huo Sining, and one of them addressed the woman with a cold tone.

 Chapter 29 - Chapter 29: Chapter 27 To Accept or Not to Accept

    Chapter 29: Chapter 27 To Accept or Not to Accept


    Huo Sining turned her head in surprise and saw Su Qingqing glaring furiously at Zhou Mei, while the man beside her also had a cold expression on his face.


    ¡°Qingqing, Jinyuan!?¡± Zhou Mei turned around and saw that the people who had stood up for Huo Sining were actually acquaintances of hers, and she was instantly dumbfounded, ¡°What are you doing here? This bumpkin¡­ you know this young lady?¡±


    Zhou Mei saw the displeased looks on the faces of the Su family siblings and quickly swallowed the word ¡°bumpkin¡± that was on the tip of her tongue.


    The look on Su Jinyuan¡¯s face was still grim: ¡°Miss Zhou, I¡¯m not familiar with you, please address me by my full name. Besides, this lady is a friend of my sister¡¯s. If Miss Zhou thinks there¡¯s a problem with the shoes, I can compensate you with a new pair at the price you paid.¡±


    This person is Su Qingqing¡¯s brother? Huo Sining was a bit surprised and couldn¡¯t help but sneak a glance at Su Jinyuan.


    The man was about twenty-six or twenty-seven years old, his sharp suit further accentuating his noble, handsome features.


    Yet his face remained sullen, and he exuded an aura of keep-your-distance frostiness.


    ¡°No¡­ no need, it was just a step, I¡¯ll get someone to clean it. I was just joking with this young lady here.¡±


    Zhou Mei smiled awkwardly, and while speaking, she turned her head and shot a covert, resentful glance at Huo Sining.


    While they were talking, two people came over and called out to Zhou Mei, ¡°Sis, have you finished shopping yet?¡±


    When the two approached Zhou Mei, they only then noticed the Su Jinyuan siblings standing by the store entrance and their expressions changed slightly.


    The man averted his head guiltily, whereas the woman clung to him like gum, feigning extreme fatigue.


    However, her hand was clenching his arm tightly, a trace of wariness flickering in her eyes.


    Huo Sining recognized that the two were Zhou Zhen and Ye Zixin, who had thrown away the engagement ring that night and had schemed against Su Qingqing. Hearing Zhou Zhen calling this Miss Zhou sister, she instantly understood the relationship between the two.


    She hadn¡¯t expected that after having just witnessed a melodramatic scene the day before, she would run into the sister of the man who cheated today¡ªwhat a small world indeed!


    Seeing Zhou Zhen¡¯s defensive demeanor upon seeing Su Jinyuan, Huo Sining couldn¡¯t help but find it amusing. She hadn¡¯t expected Zhou Zhen to be so afraid of Su Qingqing¡¯s brother, acting as a little chick does upon seeing a hawk. She subconsciously looked at Su Jinyuan with a flicker of interest and curiosity in her eyes.


    Upon seeing those two, Su Jinyuan¡¯s expression turned even darker, and he pursed his lips, saying nothing while his gaze lingered on them.


    Su Qingqing maintained a calm expression on her face. She looked at Ye Zixin, who offered a dry greeting, ¡°Qingqing, you¡¯re here too, are you planning to go shopping?¡±


    Seeing that Su Qingqing ignored her, Ye Zixin felt inwardly spiteful, and her face showed a hint of innocence and grievance:


    ¡°Qingqing, are you still mad at me? I know I shouldn¡¯t have competed with you for A Zhen, but I really didn¡¯t mean to. Can¡¯t you forgive me just this once for all the years of our friendship?¡±


    Huo Sining was on the verge of being disgusted to illness by Ye Zixin¡¯s pretense. You steal someone¡¯s man, and just because you¡¯ve been friends for years, you think you saying it wasn¡¯t intentional means you should be forgiven? What kind of robber¡¯s logic is that?


    ¡°No need, I can¡¯t afford a friend like you!¡± Su Qingqing looked at Ye Zixin and Zhou Zhen and sneered coldly.


    Zhou Zhen felt anxious under Su Qingqing¡¯s gaze, and with Su Jinyuan radiating coldness beside him, he felt completely uncomfortable, so he couldn¡¯t help but say,


    ¡°Sis, Zixin and I are tired. If you haven¡¯t finished shopping, you can continue, but we¡¯ll head back first.¡±


    Seeing Zhou Zhen trying to leave, Su Jinyuan¡¯s lips curled into a cold smirk: ¡°Young Master Zhou, hold up. As Qingqing¡¯s brother, I think I should clarify something. About Young Master Zhou¡¯s declaration to call off the engagement, I would like to know if it has been approved by the Zhou family elders? If so, I think there¡¯s no need to continue our business cooperation with the Zhou family. If not, I wonder if Young Master Zhou could explain to me what¡¯s going on with this young lady beside him?¡±


    Zhou Mei likely didn¡¯t know about Zhou Zhen¡¯s matter and was immediately surprised, her eyes widening at Su Jinyuan¡¯s words.


    Zhou Zhen, who had felt a bit guilty, became furious upon hearing Su Jinyuan¡¯s threats. He turned around, grabbed Ye Zixin¡¯s hand as if to show defiance, and faced Su Jinyuan, saying:


    ¡°So what if it is? Even if we don¡¯t cooperate with you, our Zhou Family can still work with other jewelry suppliers. Do you think your Su Family is the only big player in S City? That without you the Zhou Family can¡¯t survive? Let me tell you, Su Qingqing, Ye Zixin is a thousand, no, ten thousand times better than you. In my heart, you don¡¯t even compare to one of her fingers!¡±


    ¡°Good, very good!¡± Su Jinyuan¡¯s eyes nearly shot out flames, his hands clenched into fists, his veins bulging as if he were about to charge at Zhou Zhen any second.


    However, it was at this moment that Su Qingqing suddenly stretched out her hand and tightly grabbed Su Jinyuan¡¯s arm.


    Su Jinyuan stopped in his tracks, and when he turned his head, he saw regret and relief written all over Su Qingqing¡¯s face:


    ¡°Brother, don¡¯t dirty our hands over such people! Breaking off the engagement is good, cutting our losses in time. I, Su Qingqing, would only marry such a man if I were blind!¡±


    Su Jinyuan didn¡¯t miss the fleeting sorrow in Su Qingqing¡¯s eyes. Seeing his own sister hurt by such scum filled him with pity, but at that moment there was nothing he could do except to comfort her: ¡°It¡¯s alright, it¡¯s just a man. I¡¯ll find you someone better!¡±


    Huo Sining couldn¡¯t help but sigh, about to ask Su Qingqing why she was there, when Su Qingqing turned her head and looked at Huo Sining, annoyed:


    ¡°Huo junior, you really let me down. You moved out without even telling me, making it impossible for me to find you!¡±


    It was clear that Su Qingqing was deliberately changing the subject. Huo Sining promptly and honestly replied, ¡°I moved to a new place and rented a room. If you don¡¯t mind, you can come over to visit.¡±


    ¡°Sure, my brother is busy working every day, and I¡¯m just bored by myself.¡±


    Only then did Su Qingqing remember that she had forgotten to introduce the person beside her. She quickly turned around, pulled Su Jinyuan forward, and said with a smile, ¡°This is my brother, Su Jinyuan. Brother, this is the junior who helped me pick up the ring, Huo Sining.¡±


    Su Jinyuan gave Huo Sining a slight smile: ¡°Hello, my sister has been bothering you.¡±


    Indeed, a bother, Huo Sining complained to herself, but she smiled and said, ¡°Not at all, Senior Su is quite cute. By the way, what are you doing here?¡±


    The question was actually directed at Su Qingqing, who pouted and said, ¡°It¡¯s all because of my brother. He got a call saying there was a problem with the company¡¯s supply. He was supposed to spend the day with me, but that¡¯s gone down the drain. He had to come here to check, so I followed along.¡±


    Huo Sining pointed to the jewelry store behind her, surprised, ¡°Is this store owned by your family?¡±


    Su Qingqing replied despondently, ¡°No, this store is just one of our partners. My brother heard that they cut an Ice Seed Jadeite, so he rushed over. But it turned out to be a wasted trip, simply a waste of our time.¡±


    Huo Sining was taken aback: ¡°Does your family own a jade business?¡±


    Su Qingqing shook her head: ¡°Not just jade artifacts, my family is in the jewelry business. Pearls, jade, diamonds, agates¡ªany kind of valuable jewelry, we deal with it all.¡±


    What¡¯s the saying about not having to work hard to find what you¡¯re looking for when it¡¯s right in front of you? A thought struck Huo Sining, and she tentatively asked, ¡°Does your family buy pearls?¡±


    Su Qingqing hadn¡¯t caught on, but Su Jinyuan was surprised and looked at Huo Sining before answering, ¡°The Su family deals with high-end jewelry. Our standards for purchasing pearls are extremely high, and we don¡¯t buy ordinary quality pearls.¡±


    ¡°What about these pearls? Would you buy these?¡±


    Huo Sining failed to detect the rejection in Su Jinyuan¡¯s tone, and she didn¡¯t understand what kind of pearls she had, so she subconsciously took one out of her bag, pinched it in her hand, and stretched it out in front of Su Jinyuan.

 Chapter 30 - Chapter 30: Chapter 28 Professional Appraisal

    Chapter 30: Chapter 28 Professional Appraisal


    After seeing the pearl in Huo Sining¡¯s hands, Su Jinyuan immediately looked up at her with an odd expression on his face.


    Even Su Qingqing¡¯s eyes widened in surprise as she stutteringly said, ¡°Brother, this, this pearl¡­¡±


    Huo Sining, puzzled, asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll talk about it later!¡± Su Jinyuan interrupted Su Qingqing and quickly grabbed Huo Sining¡¯s hand, pulling her to leave.


    Su Qingqing seemed to have realized something too and immediately shut her mouth, following closely behind Su Jinyuan.


    Feeling the touch of a strange man¡¯s hand, Huo Sining stiffened.


    Especially when she felt Su Jinyuan so close to her, Huo Sining instantly felt uncomfortable and couldn¡¯t help wanting to break free from his grasp.


    However, seeing the nervous look on the siblings¡¯ faces, Huo Sining felt something was off and forced herself to ignore the discomfort, swallowing down her questions.


    It wasn¡¯t until they reached the car that Su Jinyuan finally let go of Huo Sining¡¯s hand, but his eyes remained intently on her, with an unprecedented seriousness, ¡°Where did you get this pearl from?¡±


    Huo Sining couldn¡¯t help but look up at Su Jinyuan.


    Seeing the wariness in her eyes, Su Jinyuan realized that his conduct might have been too abrupt and reckless, and he quickly gave an awkward smile to Huo Sining, full of apologies, ¡°I am truly sorry about just now. I got excited and was a bit hasty, rest assured, I have no ill intentions.¡±


    Huo Sining carefully observed Su Jinyuan, and once she confirmed that he wasn¡¯t lying, she spoke,


    ¡°You probably heard about my diving talent from your sister. A few days ago, I was fishing for clamshells in the Yellow River, and I found this pearl inside one of them.¡±


    The fact that it was a wild pearl rendered Su Jinyuan speechless, his eyes conveying both surprise and a hint of uncertainty.


    Sensing his disbelief, Huo Sining continued,


    ¡°If you think my words aren¡¯t credible, you can check my place. I still have the flesh of those old clams, and it¡¯s all fresh.¡±


    In the world of pearls, ¡°seven parts make a pearl, eight parts make a treasure.¡± Pearls below six millimeters are not considered jewelry grade. The typical materials used in jewelry stores are pearls of seven to nine millimeters, which due to their affordable price are popular with the general consumers.


    A ten-millimeter pearl is already very rare, and anything above is considered top-quality. The larger the pearl gets, the harder it is to form and the scarcer it becomes, which means the bigger the pearl, the more expensive it is, with prices increasing exponentially.


    Su Jinyuan closely inspected the pearl in Huo Sining¡¯s hand; the pearl she had produced was at least thirteen or fourteen millimeters.


    Moreover, it exuded a gentle luster overall, perfectly round and smooth, appearing flawless to the naked eye.


    In the sunlight, the pearl¡¯s surface seemed to have a metallic sheen, showing iridescent rainbow colors on the top and reflecting one¡¯s pupils from the bottom, portraying a rich array of layers.


    Whether it was luster, roundness, or color, this pearl could be considered an exceptionally high-quality gem.


    ¡°This pearl is large, well-shaped, and white in color; indeed, it is a high-quality freshwater white pearl. However, with my limited knowledge, I cannot confirm if it¡¯s a natural pearl. We need a professional to take a look to be sure,¡±


    After a moment, Su Jinyuan finally looked up at Huo Sining, ¡°Would Miss Huo mind if I take it back to the company for appraisal?¡±


    Huo Sining smiled, ¡°Mr. Su, feel free.¡±


    Su Jinyuan nodded, started the car engine, and made a call to his secretary, ¡°Get Professor Xie to the company right away. We have a significant item that needs his appraisal.¡±


    Su Jinyuan¡¯s company was located in the center of S City. When Huo Sining entered the lobby and saw the company¡¯s logo, she was taken aback, somewhat shocked.


    Although Huo Sining was not very familiar with the jewelry industry, Su Group¡¯s Donghua, this jewelry company, was well-known nationwide. Even Huo Sining, who came from humble beginnings in her previous life, had heard of it.


    Huo Sining didn¡¯t expect Su Qingqing¡¯s family company to be so famous. Fame meant strength, and although she had some doubts about Su Jinyuan at first, she now felt at ease.


    Such a big family and business they had, it wouldn¡¯t make sense for them to cheat her for a few damaged pearls.


    She had been waiting in Su Jinyuan¡¯s office for less than ten minutes when she heard a set of hurried footsteps.


    Hearing the noise, Huo Sining subconsciously looked towards the door, only to see an elderly man with somewhat graying hair push the door open and walk in.


    As soon as she clearly saw the old man, Huo Sining felt Su Qingqing sitting next to her stiffen slightly and lower her head as if she dared not look at the newcomer.


    ¡°Professor, you¡¯ve arrived.¡± Su Jinyuan quickly stood up to greet the man, shaking hands with him in a familiar manner.


    Clearly, this professor was the expert Su Jinyuan had mentioned who would help appraise the pearls.


    Huo Sining curiously glanced at Professor Xie, who smiled and nodded back, but his gaze soon shifted towards Huo Sining as he asked, ¡°And who might this be?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes,¡± Su Jinyuan hastened to introduce them, leading Professor Xie over to the table, ¡°This is Miss Huo Sining. She provided the items this time. However, as a student, her knowledge is too limited to determine their authenticity, so we have to trouble you, Professor.¡±


    ¡°Hello, Professor Xie,¡± Huo Sining said politely as she stood up and shook hands with him.


    Upon closer observation, Huo Sining noticed that although the professor¡¯s hair was graying, he didn¡¯t look very old. His skin was tender and fair, not at all loose, and he was probably only in his fifties.


    Meanwhile, Su Qingqing lowered her head even more, as if afraid Professor Xie might see her.


    It seemed Professor Xie noticed Su Qingqing¡¯s action. With a corner of his mouth hooked in a smile that was not quite a smile, he looked at Su Qingqing and said:


    ¡°I believe today is Wednesday, Dr. Su. You¡¯ve skipped class again, have you? If you keep skipping classes, how am I supposed to pass you at the final exams?¡±


    As soon as Huo Sining heard this, she instantly understood why Su Qingqing had been hiding under the table like a mouse who had seen a cat when she saw the professor; it turns out this blockhead was Professor Xie¡¯s student!


    Unable to hide any longer, Su Qingqing brazenly raised her head and looked defiantly at Professor Xie:


    ¡°I¡¯m here for practical experience. Professor, haven¡¯t you always said that for the study of appraisal, seeing is better than hearing a hundred times? Even with solid fundamentals, it¡¯s useless without practical experience. As soon as I heard that my brother had something good here, I couldn¡¯t resist coming to have a look.¡±


    It was an excuse that was hard to refute, and for the first time, Huo Sining thought Su Qingqing could be so clever.


    As expected, Professor Xie¡¯s mouth twitched slightly after hearing Su Qingqing¡¯s words, and with a noncommittal grunt, he said:


    ¡°You¡¯ve only remembered the first part of what I said. What about the second half? In addition to solid fundamentals and ample practice, for the field of treasure appraisal, intuition is also extremely important. Without intuition, no amount of study is useful.¡±


    Pfft¡ª


    Huo Sining had just bent down to take a sip of tea when she heard this and couldn¡¯t help but burst out laughing.


    This professor really knew how to dish it out. Was he hinting that Su Qingqing lacked intuition, and was too dumb?


    ¡°Professor!¡± Su Qingqing, though slow on the uptake, mulled over his words and caught on.


    Once she understood the meaning behind Professor Xie¡¯s words, she became furiously embarrassed, her face turning beet red as she glared at him.


    A hint of amusement flashed in Professor Xie¡¯s eyes, but he quickly turned serious, looked at Su Qingqing, and scolded sternly:


    ¡°You still need to learn what you must. Skipping class is not a good habit. This time only, not again.¡±


    Seeing that he wasn¡¯t going to pursue the matter, Su Qingqing breathed a sigh of relief. As Professor Xie turned around, she made a face at the old man behind his back. Catching a warning glance from Su Jinyuan, she quickly composed herself.


    Without further delay, Professor Xie got down to business. He took out a magnifying glass and held the pearl that Huo Sining had brought out in his hand, quietly observing it.

 Chapter 31 - Chapter 31: Chapter 29 A Pearl as Valuable as Ten Thousand Jin of Gold

    Chapter 31: Chapter 29 A Pearl as Valuable as Ten Thousand Jin of Gold


    Huo Sining did not have to wait long before Professor Xie, who handled the pearl with experienced movements, concluded his examination.


    After setting down the pearl, he whispered a few words to Su Jinyuan, then smiled slightly at Huo Sining before leaving the office.


    Feeling pleased with the results, Su Jinyuan got straight to the point without beating around the bush:


    ¡°Miss Huo, after appraisal, your pearl is indeed a newly excavated natural wild pearl. To be honest, I am quite surprised because wild pearls are not only rare but usually small and irregular in shape. It is rare to see one as large and round as this. I wonder how many more you have in your possession.¡±


    A surge of joy rose in Huo Sining¡¯s heart, but she managed to look nonchalant as she replied, ¡°I indeed have a few more. It¡¯s just that I am not sure about the price Mr. Su is willing to offer.¡±


    Having seen Huo Sining casually take out a pearl from her backpack earlier, Su Jinyuan had guessed that she must have more.


    But that was mere speculation; he had only asked tentatively, not expecting Huo Sining to give a definite answer. He was surprised to receive her affirmative response.


    Su Jinyuan was instantly overjoyed and quickly showed his hand:


    ¡°Miss Huo, I am truly sincere in wanting to acquire the batch of pearls you have. A month ago, Jiade Auction House auctioned four Tahitian black pearls, 12 millimeters in diameter with round shape, bright luster, and flawless. The final auction price for those four pearls was one hundred and ninety thousand. Considering that, I am willing to offer fifty thousand per pearl for those you have, what do you think?¡±


    Fifty thousand?


    Huo Sining¡¯s heart was pounding wildly. She had anticipated that the pearls wouldn¡¯t come cheap, but she couldn¡¯t help feeling excited upon hearing Su Jinyuan¡¯s offer.


    Fifty thousand each, and she had at least forty pearls of this size on hand, which meant she could make two million just from these medium-sized pearls?


    ¡°Mr. Su, about your offer¡­¡± Huo Sining suppressed the excitement in her heart. Though two million was a substantial amount, she wasn¡¯t blinded by it.


    ¡°What, Miss Huo, are you not satisfied?¡± Su Jinyuan clasped his hands together in a steeple and stared intently at Huo Sining with his deep eyes that resembled the night, trying to put pressure on her.


    Huo Sining smiled. She knew that businessmen could be cunning, and Su Jinyuan¡¯s words were clearly ambiguous.


    While she was unclear whether the Tahitian black pearls were priced higher than freshwater white pearls, she was certain about one thing: the price Su Jinyuan had offered was merely a probing tactic. This implied that the true value of her pearls was definitely more than that.


    ¡°Mr. Su mentioned the auction of Tahitian black pearls just now, and I am a bit confused and would like to ask. Are those four black pearls also, like this one of mine, pure natural wild pearls?¡±


    The business smile on Su Jinyuan¡¯s face suddenly could not be maintained, and he had not expected Huo Sining to hit the nail on the head.


    Seeing Su Jinyuan¡¯s smile fade, Huo Sining knew she had guessed correctly and had played her card right.


    She felt a burst of happiness, took a deep breath, and held up her thumb and forefinger to Su Jinyuan: ¡°Fixed price, eighty thousand! If Mr. Su finds it acceptable, then let¡¯s make a deal.¡±


    Just as Su Jinyuan was about to push further, Huo Sining added, ¡°I forgot to tell Mr. Su, I have about forty or so pearls like this one on hand.¡±


    Over forty? Su Jinyuan¡¯s breath hitched, and he almost couldn¡¯t catch his breath.


    The final transaction price was eighty-one thousand per pearl, and as soon as Su Jinyuan heard Huo Sining say she still had over forty pearls, he didn¡¯t hesitate for a second and hastily agreed to the deal.


    Fearing that more dreams breed more complications, he didn¡¯t delay after signing the contract. He intended to take Huo Sining to her rented place to get the merchandise right away, of course followed by the ever-curious Su Qingqing.


    ¡°Ningning, you¡¯re so amazing! You even managed to bargain with my brother during the negotiation. You have no idea how many people have suffered losses at his hands; those business partners all say my brother is a ruthless demon.¡±


    Having witnessed the negotiation between Huo Sining and Su Jinyuan, Su Qingqing¡¯s admiration for Huo Sining instantly upgraded to diehard fan status. Her gaze toward Huo Sining was filled with nothing but worship, pure and complete.


    When they arrived at the old and shabby dormitory where she rented a room, worried that the two siblings would see the basin full of pearls, Huo Sining didn¡¯t invite them upstairs but decided to have them wait downstairs while she went up to fetch the goods.


    Huo Sining sorted through the basin of pearls, picking out those that were about the same size as the previous one.


    Indeed, there were thirty-four, which, added to the one in Su Jinyuan¡¯s possession and the nine in her backpack, made a total of forty-five.


    She carefully packed the pearls in a cardboard box, then hurriedly ran downstairs.


    Finally having secured the forty-five pearls, Su Jinyuan carefully inspected them and, after confirming there were no issues, felt a sense of relief.


    Soon, Huo Sining¡¯s bank account saw an influx of three million six hundred thousand.


    ¡°Miss Huo, it¡¯s been a pleasure doing business with you. If you have any other good items to sell next time, feel free to come to Donghua to find me. Here¡¯s my business card, please take it.¡±


    Once he confirmed that the money had been transferred to Huo Sining¡¯s account, Su Jinyuan took out a personal business card from his wallet and handed it to her.


    Internally, Huo Sining scoffed: Buddy, I¡¯m not in the same line of business as you! Today¡¯s deal was completely accidental. I do have good stuff, but you won¡¯t want it. Do you want red and white koi fish? Will you take Huangjiang knifefish?


    Even though she thought this, her hand still took the business card.


    Seeing the Su siblings eager to leave, Huo Sining didn¡¯t forget to stuff a small bag of tiny pearls into Su Qingqing¡¯s hands.


    Though these pearls were irregular in shape and smaller than six millimeters, when ground into ¡°Pearl Powder,¡± they were beneficial whether applied externally or taken internally, especially since pure wild pearl powder wasn¡¯t so easy to come by.


    After witnessing Huo Sining¡¯s negotiation tactics, Su Jinyuan felt somewhat uncomfortable, deeming the girl too calculating, fearing that his sister might be at a disadvantage being friends with such a person.


    However, his heart softened the moment he saw the box of small pearls in his sister¡¯s hands.


    Despite her young age, this little girl knew how to manage situations. Well, it¡¯s said that one is influenced by the company one keeps. His sister had been protected too well by him all these years, which was why she was so naive. Having a smart friend might not be a bad thing after all.

 Chapter 32 - Chapter 32: Chapter 30 Unlucky Shop Owner

    Chapter 32: Chapter 30 Unlucky Shop Owner


    Suddenly earning 3.6 million, this was truly an unexpected joy.


    Huo Sining felt very pleased, she hadn¡¯t expected to become a millionaire just a week after arriving in S City.


    Moreover, she still held several giant pearls in her hand, the few that were the size of ping pong balls and quail eggs would definitely be even more expensive.


    However, Huo Sining didn¡¯t plan to sell them right away, she wasn¡¯t short of money at the moment, and those large pearls were priceless treasures; once sold, it would be difficult to encounter them again, she felt she should keep them.


    After selling the pearls, Huo Sining thought for a moment and decided to go to the Flower, Bird, Insect, and Fish Market she had visited before to buy an improved Rainbow Fairy Fish as compensation for Mrs. Xu.


    Several days had passed, and it seemed that Mrs. Xu would not be able to hold back from asking about it soon.


    Huo Sining spent five thousand yuan in the same store she had previously inquired in to buy a blue-green German angelfish, which looked quite similar in size, shape, and color to the one Mrs. Xu had.


    The owner gave Huo Sining a small aquarium, and she walked out carrying it. She hadn¡¯t gone far when she heard a clamor not far away. Following the noise, she saw a crowd of onlookers packed around the entrance of a fish shop.


    Driven by curiosity, Huo Sining couldn¡¯t help but squeeze her way through, and it was a shop named ¡°Yule.¡±


    The shop wasn¡¯t very large and was filled with several aquariums, but, for some reason, all the fish appeared to be listless.


    The shop owner stood at the entrance arguing with a few people, and his complexion looked very unpleasant.


    Feeling puzzled, Huo Sining couldn¡¯t help but pull a person aside to ask, ¡°What¡¯s going on? What happened?¡±


    ¡°Oh, isn¡¯t it all about money! This Boss Cai was previously in the aquatic product business, saw a few aquarium fish businesses making money, and despite having a good business, he had to switch over, also diving into the aquarium fish trade. No one knows where he got his supply from, but he got some good stuff and business was indeed booming for a while.¡±


    ¡°Once you have a bit of money, your confidence inflates. This Boss Cai, upon hearing about a fighting fish tournament, wanted to show off. He ended up trapped and bought two dyed Flower Monkfish at a high price, losing 1.5 million just like that.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not even the worst of it. After losing money, Boss Cai took out a high-interest loan to get a big shipment of good fish from his previous supplier, hoping to recover his losses. But this time, there was a big problem; soon after those fish arrived at the shop, they started having issues. Look, all those fish are suffering from fish plague, no one knows what¡¯s wrong with them, even experts are at a loss. The loan sharks heard about this and came over to collect the debt. I think Boss Cai might really be done for this time. When misfortune pours, it¡¯s like even drinking cold water may cause your teeth to stick together; trouble always comes in spades.¡±


    The person finished speaking and shook their head. Someone next to them couldn¡¯t stand to watch any longer and said with schadenfreude:


    ¡°What misfortune? I think he had it coming. He was only ever jealous of others¡¯ things. He had a good aquatic produce business and shouldn¡¯t have come to compete in someone else¡¯s market!¡±


    Without knowing the specifics and solely based on a few people¡¯s words, Huo Sining didn¡¯t feel it was right to judge.


    Plus, from that person¡¯s words just now, she sensed something amiss. It was one thing for the Flowerhorn Fish to be a scam, but how could a batch of perfectly good fish get the plague out of the blue?


    Huo Sining felt that there was more to it and suspected that this might be a series of calculated moves, one after another. Perhaps this Boss Cai had offended someone?


    Just then, an unexpected twist occurred. It was unclear if they failed to come to an agreement, but those circling the shop owner suddenly started to scuffle. One man, looking menacing with a hammer, without saying a word, charged out and began to smash the store.


    Before the people could react, they heard a loud ¡°bang,¡± as an aquarium filled with water was smashed, creating a large hole through which the already sick fish spilled out onto the ground.


    Seeing that reason was not an option, the shop owner wasted no time tangling with those people and promptly started to call the police with his cell phone.


    Seeing the trouble they were in, the hoodlums threw down their tools and prepared to run away. The last one stared down the shop owner with a vicious look, ¡°You better pay back the money within three days, or you¡¯re dead!¡±


    Once those people fled, Boss Cai looked at his shop, which was in complete disarray, and was near tears. The onlookers had also scattered.


    Huo Sining was also about to leave when just then, the shop owner¡¯s wife, who had been hiding inside, ran out crying. She checked her husband for injuries and consoled him, ¡°Old Cai, if we really have no other way out, let¡¯s just sell the shop.¡±


    Boss Cai bowed his head without speaking, but the expression on his face clearly showed interest, indicating he too was considering selling the shop.


    Huo Sining¡¯s heart stirred, and she subconsciously glanced around.


    The shop was located on a street full of flower, bird, insect, and fish shops not far from the city center; although it was in the urban area, it was not particularly noisy.


    Visitors here were mostly elegant people who even walked gently, as if afraid to disturb the creatures in the shops on the street.


    The smooth cobblestone pavement, the exquisite covered walkways, and the flourishing purple-flowered crape myrtles and camphor trees had a charm that the French plane trees in the city center couldn¡¯t match.


    The ancient street was quiet and simple, exuding an antiquated aroma, giving off a sense of great seclusion in the midst of the city; Huo Sining fell in love with the place at first sight.


    She couldn¡¯t help but look up at the shop a few more times; it was two stories high with a storefront that seemed to be about fifty square meters.


    If she wasn¡¯t mistaken, the upper level must be a small suite, which, although not large, would suffice for daily living and resting.


    Huo Sining calculated in her mind that if she bought this shop, the arrangement to have a store below and living quarters above would not interfere with each other and seemed quite suitable.


    As for the source of the stock, Huo Sining wasn¡¯t worried at all; there were plenty of fish in Yellow River Sea, and she could get free stock as long as she was diligent enough to catch them.


    And if it really came down to it, she could also buy from other shops and modify them, even if it meant using some Spiritual Energy and would be somewhat troublesome.


    However, Huo Sining only had a total of about three million seven hundred thousand in assets at the moment, and she wasn¡¯t sure whether that would be enough to take over a shop like this one.


    It was then that Huo Sining sighed to herself; she had previously thought that three million was a considerable sum, but now she realized that in a place as expensive as S City, that amount of money really wasn¡¯t very significant.


    It¡¯s rare to come across such a good opportunity, and Huo Sining was indeed interested in this shop, so she decided not to let it slip by.


    Stepping forward, she asked forthrightly, ¡°Boss Cai, are you really thinking of transferring your shop?¡±


    Boss Cai hadn¡¯t expected Huo Sining to have heard his wife¡¯s words; although he needed money, he was still somewhat hesitant about selling the shop. Seeing Huo Sining inquiring, his face showed a hesitant expression, ¡°Well¡­¡±


    Seeing this, Huo Sining knew that he hadn¡¯t made up his mind yet, but since she was just asking, she wasn¡¯t in a hurry upon seeing Boss Cai¡¯s noncommittal response and smiled, saying, ¡°I happen to be looking to buy a shop, and I¡¯m very interested in yours, Boss Cai. If you decide to transfer the shop, could you consider letting me have a look first? Here¡¯s my phone number.¡±


    As she spoke, Huo Sining took out a sticky note from her bag, quickly wrote down her mobile number, and handed it to the shop owner.


    Boss Cai hesitated for a moment but accepted the phone number from Huo Sining.


    Huo Sining did not ask any further and turned to leave.


    Loan sharks always collude with the underworld thugs, and such people simply should not be provoked.


    Moreover, they had already issued a final warning, and if Boss Cai kept failing to repay his debts, sooner or later big trouble would ensue.


    Huo Sining was convinced that Boss Cai¡¯s shop might not last much longer.


    Sure enough, Huo Sining¡¯s wait was not in vain, as just two days later, she received a call from an unfamiliar phone number.

 Chapter 33 - Chapter 33: Chapter 31: Price Negotiation

    Chapter 33: Chapter 31: Price Negotiation


    ¡°Hello, I am Cai Jianxin, the owner of Yule. You mentioned you wanted to see the property before¡ªwould today be convenient for you?¡±


    Although the other party¡¯s tone sounded composed, Miss Huo couldn¡¯t help but curl the corners of her mouth upon hearing those words.


    Boss Cai was taking the initiative to come to her, which proved he had become flustered and was desperately trying to sell the house.


    It wasn¡¯t easy to find a buyer in such a short time. Pressed by high-interest loans, Cai Jianxin was at his wits¡¯ end, hence, he had no choice but to turn to Huo Sining.


    He really had no other options and was pacing anxiously at home when he happened to see the note on the table.


    In his desperation, he decided to give it a shot and called Huo Sining.


    However, he still had his doubts deep down¡ªafter all, Huo Sining looked too young. Was it possible for such a young girl to take over his shop?


    After receiving the call, Huo Sining found the shop. Because thugs had been causing trouble there frequently, Cai Jianxin didn¡¯t even dare to open the door.


    When Huo Sining got to the entrance, she called Cai Jianxin, who, like a frightened bird, hurriedly opened the door.


    After leading Huo Sining inside, he immediately said,


    ¡°Miss Huo, hello. I want to sell this shop together with the upstairs property as a single unit, you see¡­¡±


    What Cai Jianxin was implying was that his shop wouldn¡¯t come cheap, and Miss Huo should be prepared for that.


    Huo Sining smiled, ¡°Boss Cai, fairness and transparency are key in business. You need to let me have a look at the property first, then you can quote your price.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Cai Jianxin paused, his face instantly flushed red.


    He was indeed taking advantage of Huo Sining¡¯s youth to start bargaining on the spot.


    But Huo Sining was not so easily swayed. Although she was interested in buying a shop, it wasn¡¯t necessarily Cai Jianxin¡¯s shop she had to have.


    After all, it wasn¡¯t she, the buyer, who needed to settle accounts urgently, but Cai, the seller; she naturally wasn¡¯t in a rush.


    Seeing Huo Sining¡¯s confident and composed demeanor, Cai Jianxin, afraid of offending his only potential buyer, hastily led her inside.


    Huo Sining had only roughly estimated the shop¡¯s size with her eyes before, but now that she actually entered, she realized she had been mistaken.


    The shop front wasn¡¯t very large, but there was a small partitioned space behind it, about twenty square meters in size.


    Since Cai Jianxin previously sold fish, he had intentionally divided the more than seventy-square-meter shop front to include a small partition.


    Inside the partition, he had built three large water tanks, each one meter twenty in height, lined with white tiles.


    These tanks were originally for keeping live fish, but after he shifted to selling ornamental fish, they became unnecessary.


    However, it seemed that he hadn¡¯t put all his eggs in one basket with the ornamental fish, so he didn¡¯t break down the partition, and all three cement tanks were still there.


    Seeing this, Huo Sining felt a surge of joy¡ªshe could indeed make use of those water tanks. Later, when she caught wild live fish from the river, they could be kept right in those tanks.


    The upstairs apartment was larger than Huo Sining had estimated, a two-bedroom and two-living-room layout, but the living room and both bedrooms weren¡¯t big.


    However, as she turned towards the stairwell, Huo Sining was surprised to find a small loft hidden above the stairs on the second floor.


    This little loft was probably less than ten square meters, hidden at the back of the floor, invisible from the outside.


    Perhaps because the loft was too small, Cai Jianxin didn¡¯t use it, and it was filled with various items.


    The house wasn¡¯t large, but for Huo Sining, it was more than sufficient, especially since it appeared to have been recently renovated¡ªthe wallpaper on the walls was still new.


    The Mediterranean-style decoration and the fish store downstairs were of the same aesthetic, which looked very cozy; Huo Sining felt there was no better and more suitable house for herself than this one.


    However, the more satisfied she was, the more indifferent she had to appear; at such times, as long as Huo Sining didn¡¯t get flustered, the price was negotiable.


    Though it might seem like taking advantage of others¡¯ misfortunes, in business terms, Huo Sining didn¡¯t feel guilty at all about doing this.


    Even if Boss Cai didn¡¯t sell it to her, he would sell it to someone else; better to benefit herself than others.


    During the house viewing, Cai Jianxin was always paying attention to the expressions on Huo Sining¡¯s face, but Huo Sining concealed her emotions too well, and Cai Jianxin couldn¡¯t see through her thoughts.


    Therefore, after viewing the house, he had no choice but to tentatively start with, ¡°Miss Huo, what do you think about this house¡­?¡±


    Huo Sining looked around once more before sitting down and said with a smile:


    ¡°Boss Cai, let¡¯s not beat around the bush. Let me be frank with you, if I take over your shop, I¡¯m also planning to open a fish store, so there¡¯s no conflict. Plus, I think the decoration and ambiance of your shop are quite good. Name your price so I have an idea in mind.¡±


    Huo Sining didn¡¯t allow Cai Jianxin to take the initiative; by being so direct, she somewhat caught Cai Jianxin off guard.


    He poured Huo Sining a cup of tea and after a brief silence, he began:


    ¡°Miss Huo is straightforward, so I won¡¯t hide anything. This shop is my family property, handed down from my grandfather¡¯s generation. We¡¯ve been running the seafood business here for over twenty years. If it wasn¡¯t for being blinded by lard, I wouldn¡¯t have fallen into the hands of a swindler. If I didn¡¯t currently owe money to loan sharks, I really wouldn¡¯t want to sell it. If you truly want to buy, it¡¯s five million, no less.¡±


    Cai Jianxin spoke earnestly, but Huo Sining¡¯s eyes turned cold, and the corners of her mouth twitched slightly. Cai Jianxin was obviously treating her like a sucker.


    She had thought that three million seven hundred thousand would surely be enough, but Cai Jianxin¡¯s price had shocked her.


    She hadn¡¯t been idly passing time recently; she had checked online and inquired at estate agencies around the Flower and Bird Market. The average price for shops in the area was around forty-eight thousand, with housing prices at about twenty thousand yuan.


    Even adding the twenty-square-meter partition in the back, Cai Jianxin¡¯s shop could only be worth four million five hundred thousand at most.


    Moreover, Cai Jianxin was eager to sell, so the price would certainly be lower than usual.


    ¡°Boss Cai, that¡¯s somewhat unkind of you. If your shop could actually sell for five million, please tell me who the buyer is; I would also like to see if I can make more money off them.¡±


    Huo Sining¡¯s words were blunt: ¡°I came here in good faith to see the shop. If you¡¯re going to play games, Boss Cai, then let¡¯s assume I just came for a visit, and there¡¯s no need to say more.¡±


    With that, Huo Sining stood up and was ready to leave. When Cai Jianxin saw that Huo Sining was about to leave without even bargaining, he became anxious and quickly held her back, proactively lowering the price: ¡°Four million five hundred thousand!¡±


    Huo Sining internally cheered ¡®yes¡¯, but her face remained expressionless as she took an A4 sheet of paper out of her backpack.


    ¡°Boss Cai, this is the sales information I got from a housing resource center nearby yesterday. You should have a reasonable idea of the property and shop prices in this area. You¡¯re in a hurry to offload the shop, and if you go through an agent, not to mention anything else, the commission isn¡¯t cheap. Besides, with time being tight, you¡¯d definitely have to give a discount in terms of price. Why is it that when it comes to me, you are suddenly asking for the moon?¡±


    Cai Jianxin was speechless at Huo Sining¡¯s move, and she smiled:


    ¡°Let it be, I¡¯m not the type to kick someone when they¡¯re down. Since Boss Cai isn¡¯t sincerely looking to sell, I¡¯ll just wish you prosperity and thriving business here!¡±


    This time, Huo Sining didn¡¯t even pause and walked straight out.


    Cai Jianxin¡¯s face went from pale to flushed with inner turmoil in the room, but ultimately he didn¡¯t call out for Huo Sining to stop.


    Huo Sining felt somewhat disappointed; after all, not insisting meant losing out on such a good shop, but she inevitably felt a little let down.


    However, Huo Sining¡¯s disappointment was short-lived, as less than half an hour after she got home, Cai Jianxin¡¯s call came through:


    ¡°Miss Huo, four million. If you find the price suitable, we can sign the contract and transfer ownership this afternoon!¡±


    ¡°Deal!¡± Huo Sining rejoiced inwardly, knowing this must be Cai Jianxin¡¯s final bottom line, and promptly agreed.


    (Forgot to schedule an update, so today¡¯s update is late. Sorry.)

 Chapter 34 - Chapter 34: Chapter 32 Old Acquaintance

    Chapter 34: Chapter 32 Old Acquaintance


    After hanging up the phone, Huo Sining remembered that even though the price had gone down, she still couldn¡¯t afford it.


    The 3.6 million she had from selling the pearls, plus the 120,000 from the Rainbow Fairy Fish, and the money she made before in Rongcheng totaled only 3.75 million. She had spent quite a bit during this time, and the remaining money wasn¡¯t enough.


    Huo Sining¡¯s gaze fell on the large pearls inside the cabinet.


    No woman could resist the lure of jewelry; she had wanted to ask Su Jinyuan to help her process those pearls into a necklace for herself, but now she had no choice but to let them go.


    She didn¡¯t want to miss out on such a good shop, and after much internal struggle, she finally took out a box with seven quail-egg-sized white pearls from the cabinet.


    These round and lustrous Eastern Pearls, if sold, would likely never come back into her possession again, would they?


    Huo Sining bit her lip and, still reluctant to part with them all, she picked out three slightly smaller pearls and stuffed the rest back into the cabinet.


    The pearls from before, which were over ten millimeters in size, were worth eighty thousand a piece; there was no reason why these larger pearls couldn¡¯t fetch a good price.


    She only needed to gather four million. If Su Jinyuan wasn¡¯t willing to pay even three hundred thousand for the three Eastern Pearls, she would firmly refuse to sell them.


    There¡¯s no need to bother two parties when one will suffice, and Donghua was known to be a wealthy customer; Huo Sining had not the slightest hesitation.


    But when she was ready to sell, she realized that she seemed to have lost the business card Su Jinyuan had given her.


    Huo Sining was on the verge of despair as she rummaged through her things but couldn¡¯t find the card. Out of options, she could only take a taxi directly to Donghua Company to find someone.


    Upon arriving at Donghua Company, Huo Sining had just entered the lobby when she saw a woman pestering the reception desk.


    Huo Sining didn¡¯t think much of it and, clutching her bag, made a beeline for the elevator entrance.


    Unexpectedly, as soon as she reached the elevator, the woman who had been arguing with the receptionist dashed over, grabbed her hand, and asked persistently, ¡°Receptionist, why is it that this person can go in directly without a staff badge?¡±


    The receptionist had been trying to stop the woman but had failed to notice Huo Sining. Now, looking up and seeing a strange face in Huo Sining, she frowned, ¡°Miss, may I ask who you are looking for?¡±


    Huo Sining was taken aback and answered, ¡°I¡¯m here to see Mr. Su, Su Jinyuan.¡±


    Before the receptionist could respond, the woman who had stopped Huo Sining snorted disdainfully:


    ¡°Nine out of ten people who come here want to see Mr. Su. But I advise you to give up, little sister. With your dehydrated radish figure, Mr. Su won¡¯t spare you a glance. You might as well save yourself the effort.¡±


    Huo Sining understood the implication perfectly and turned around, her smile not quite reaching her eyes as she looked at the woman:


    ¡°Do you think with an offer like yours, of self-promotion to the bedside, Mr. Su would accept? I suggest you wash off that thick makeup from your face, so you don¡¯t scare people. When the foundation is poor, no amount of paint can help!¡±


    ¡°You!¡± The woman was furious, glaring at Huo Sining with wide, vicious eyes.


    The receptionist couldn¡¯t help but laugh. Having to deal with all these people harassing the CEO every day, she was fed up. Hearing Huo Sining¡¯s piercing mockery, she struggled to contain her laughter, and her impression of Huo Sining improved significantly.


    ¡°Miss, our Mr. Su is currently in a meeting and will not see guests momentarily. If it¡¯s urgent, please wait in the lobby,¡± said the receptionist politely to Huo Sining.


    Huo Sining felt frustrated. She could wait for Su Jinyuan, but she couldn¡¯t afford to waste more time.


    She had already delayed too much time at Cai Jianxin¡¯s place that morning; it was already past twelve o¡¯clock, and she had to sign a contract with Cai Jianxin in the afternoon.


    The price was pushed so low that Huo Sining was worried about unexpected complications; arriving too late might result in Cai Jianxin backing out of the deal.


    But no matter how anxious she was, she had to wait. After all, it was her own carelessness that lost the business card given to her.


    Huo Sining felt anxious and helpless, only able to sit in the lobby and patiently wait, praying in her heart for that damn meeting to finish quickly.


    Perhaps Huo Sining¡¯s prayers had an effect; she had only waited for over ten minutes when the elevator doors opened, and a group of people came out.


    Walking at the front, Su Jinyuan was still in a suit, but his face unusually carried a smile, looking as if he was in a good mood.


    Huo Sining was about to walk over when, within that group of people, she suddenly caught sight of a face.


    Past memories of humiliation and shame surged in her mind, and Huo Sining froze on the spot.


    That year, through some stroke of dumb luck, she had been hired as the assistant to the general manager at a subsidiary of Shengtang Group, and she gradually became acquainted with Zhao Mingcheng, the deputy general manager.


    Then one day, Zhao Mingcheng launched a charm offensive. As a young woman in her early twenties who had never seen such grandeur, she was completely unworldly. Under Zhao¡¯s relentless pursuit, her defenses fell swiftly, and she became a captive to love.


    Not long after, during the company¡¯s annual gala, Zhao Mingcheng brought her to the headquarters of Shengtang Group.


    Huo Sining did not drink, nor had she ever seen such a spectacle, so she only dared to hide in a corner and sneakily eat during that evening¡¯s banquet.


    Unexpectedly, not long after eating a plate of food, she felt terribly wrong throughout her body. She staggered out of the banquet hall, and before getting far, she was surrounded by a gang of thugs.


    In the chaos, her dress was torn to shreds, and just at that critical moment, a man dropped from the sky and rescued her.


    But by that time she was already delirious, feeling an intense discomfort all over; she felt as if she was on fire.


    Carried in the man¡¯s arms, she instinctively felt an extreme thirst. Without any control, she reached out, held the man, and kissed him.


    Unexpectedly, he threw her to the ground and slapped her hard.


    The slap brought her momentarily to her senses. The man looked at her with incredulous eyes, as if there was something dirty about her.


    That look, sharp as a dagger, made Huo Sining feel utterly disgraced; a flood of shame and revulsion overwhelmed her.


    Yet, deep inside, those embarrassing desires kept welling up irrepressibly, beyond her ability to suppress.


    The man probably realized something was off, as he stood frozen for dozens of seconds. Finally, with a sigh, he picked her up from the ground and took her back to his place.


    There, she was thrown into a bathtub full of cold water.


    She curled up in the cold water until the family doctor, called by the man, arrived to give her an IV. He busied himself all night long until her body temperature returned to normal.


    That incident had always been Huo Sining¡¯s most shameful secret; if it hadn¡¯t been for Wu Jingyi revealing the hidden truth before her death, she might have never known she had been drugged by Wu Jingyi that time.


    Knowing the truth, she felt even more grateful to the man who had helped her. If he hadn¡¯t intervened that day, Huo Sining did not dare to imagine what might have happened subsequently.


    She had thought that with her rebirth, there would no longer be an opportunity to repay that kindness, but she had not expected to run into him here.


    Huo Sining stood there dazed, her gaze fixed intently on the man.


    Perhaps sensing Huo Sining¡¯s stare, the man suddenly turned his head, sweeping his gaze across the lobby, which eventually landed on Huo Sining¡¯s face.


    Their eyes met, and Huo Sining was taken aback, feeling her heartbeat skip a beat. Under his piercing gaze, she frantically lowered her head.


    ¡°Mr. Su, thank you for your cooperation and sincerity. I¡¯m confident that the collaboration between Shengtang and Donghua will definitely bring more splendid achievements and effects. I¡¯ll have my deputy handle the specifics of our cooperation with you, as I have other matters and will take my leave first,¡±


    Gu Xu retracted his gaze from the lobby and shook hands with Su Jinyuan. He then nodded slightly to Song Hui standing beside him before turning to leave the lobby.


    In the moment he stepped out of the door, his gaze lightly and briefly fell upon Huo Sining, his eyes flickering slightly.

 Chapter 35 - Chapter 35: Chapter 33 Love Letters

    Chapter 35: Chapter 33 Love Letters


    Huo Sining felt nervous, afraid of being recognized, and kept her head down the whole time.


    Unexpectedly, when she looked up again, the man had already left in a hurry, leaving her with only the view of his tall retreating figure.


    Indeed, that was all in her past life. In this time and space, at this moment, that event hadn¡¯t happened yet.


    For some reason, thinking of this made Huo Sining feel a bit disappointed, and an indescribable emotion flashed through the depths of her heart.


    Su Jinyuan was just about to arrange for Song Hui and others to go to a restaurant for a meal when the secretary approached him:


    ¡°Mr. Su, the receptionist said there are two young ladies in the waiting room who have asked to see you.¡±


    Seeing the secretary¡¯s suggestive look, Su Jinyuan knew what it meant. He felt a wave of disgust and impatience in his eyes, waved his hand, and said, ¡°Send them away, don¡¯t they see I¡¯m busy?¡±


    Just as the secretary was about to go inform the receptionist to handle the situation, Su Jinyuan¡¯s gaze inadvertently swept over the lobby and paused, he hurriedly called out to the secretary, ¡°Wait.¡±


    The secretary was puzzled, but Su Jinyuan¡¯s eyes had fallen on Huo Sining. He couldn¡¯t help but walk towards the waiting room, entering under the secretary¡¯s curious gaze.


    The heavily made-up woman, seeing Su Jinyuan coming over, thought it was to meet her and was immediately surprised and delighted.


    She stood up nervously, clutching her purse, and revealed what she believed to be her most charming smile, ¡°Brother Jinyuan, I am Wu Linger, the second young miss from Wu¡¯s Jewelry. We were on the same flight last time in Pudong, I don¡¯t know if you still remember¡­¡±


    Before Wu Linger could finish, Su Jinyuan completely disregarded her, walked past her, and finally stopped in front of Huo Sining, ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    Lost in the memories of her past life, Huo Sining suddenly looked up to find Su Jinyuan standing right in front of her.


    She was startled at first but quickly regained her composure, stood up, and said cheerfully, ¡°You¡¯re finished with the meeting? I¡¯m here to sell you something.¡±


    Sell something again? Surprise flickered in Su Jinyuan¡¯s eyes, ¡°Is it the same kind as last time?¡±


    Huo Sining shook her head, her smile brimming with pride, ¡°Actually, it¡¯s from the same batch as last time, but the quality is even better than the previous one, it will definitely exceed your expectations.¡±


    Su Jinyuan¡¯s interest was piqued, knowing that Huo Sining wouldn¡¯t speak without certainty. Since she dared to say so, it meant that what she wanted to sell must be something good.


    However, he looked down at the time and frowned, ¡°It¡¯s past twelve, you haven¡¯t eaten yet, have you? Let¡¯s eat first, and we can talk about this afterwards.¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡± Huo Sining didn¡¯t react at first.


    But Su Jinyuan didn¡¯t give her a chance to argue, directly taking hold of Huo Sining¡¯s arm and walking towards the door.


    Amidst the astonished looks of everyone around, Su Jinyuan faced President Song with an unaffected expression and asked with a smile, ¡°President Song, you wouldn¡¯t mind adding another pair of chopsticks, would you?¡±


    Of course, President Song wouldn¡¯t mind; he nodded with a smile, yet his gaze lingered on Huo Sining, glancing up and down.


    President Song was utterly baffled. Wasn¡¯t it said that the President of Donghua wasn¡¯t interested in women, that he was almost thirty and reportedly never had a girlfriend? But it didn¡¯t seem like that was the case now.


    He didn¡¯t know what this girl¡¯s background was, but she seemed to have won the favor of Su Jinyuan, the old bachelor. It seemed that Su Jinyuan was really not as he appeared to be, actually fancying these unripe green grapes.


    Internally scoffing, President Song had been considering when to introduce his cousin to Su Jinyuan, but it looked like there would be no chance now.


    Now interested in Huo Sining, once they arrived at the restaurant and while Su Jinyuan was away at the restroom, President Song couldn¡¯t help his curiosity and started to gather some information about the girl, asking, ¡°Miss Beauty, may I ask your distinguished surname?¡±


    Huo Sining felt hungry, so she was engrossed in eating and, without lifting her head when she heard Song Hui ask, she replied, ¡°My last name is Huo.¡±


    The surname Huo? In S City, there seemed to be no prestigious family with the surname Huo that could match the status of the Su Family.


    Song Hui couldn¡¯t help but frown involuntarily, ¡°Miss Huo, it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you. May I ask who your father is?¡±


    Huo Sining then realized that the other party was trying to fish for information about her background. She looked up at Song Hui¡¯s smiling face and felt a hint of ill intent, narrowing her eyes slightly:


    ¡°I¡¯m an orphan. I¡¯m currently selling ornamental fish at the Flower and Bird Market near Chenghuang Temple. Why, President Song, are you interested in buying one?¡±


    Selling fish?! The smile on Song Hui¡¯s face froze, and he didn¡¯t ask any further questions.


    However, throughout the meal, his gaze still occasionally fell on Huo Sining and Su Jinyuan, filled with both confusion and suspicion.


    Su Jinyuan, however, did not notice anything unusual about Song Hui. Seeing Huo Sining eat with such gusto, he couldn¡¯t help but think of his sister, Su Qingqing, who also ate wholeheartedly, unconcerned about anything else.


    Seeing Huo Sining¡¯s ravenous eating, a trace of amusement flickered in Su Jinyuan¡¯s eyes. Noticing which dishes she went for more, his chopsticks unconsciously picked up some more of those dishes and placed them in her bowl, softly advising, ¡°Eat slowly, don¡¯t choke.¡±


    When Huo Sining saw Su Jinyuan helping her pick up dishes, she paused, feeling a bit embarrassed, and muttered a thank you, noticeably slowing down her eating pace.


    After eating, Huo Sining was getting impatient to leave, but the meal seemed like it would take a while to conclude. She checked the time and started getting restless.


    Su Jinyuan noticed Huo Sining¡¯s anxious expression and couldn¡¯t help but ask softly, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Huo Sining had no choice but to share with Su Jinyuan, ¡°I¡¯ve set my sights on a shop. I¡¯ve negotiated a price with the owner, and we¡¯ve arranged to sign the contract and transfer ownership this afternoon, but I¡¯m short on cash right now.¡±


    Su Jinyuan understood, no wonder this girl had come to sell her goods to him; she was trying to gather money to buy the shop.


    ¡°How much are you short?¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡± Huo Sining was taken aback and said with some embarrassment, ¡°The shop is four million, I¡¯m short by three hundred thousand.¡±


    A four million shop? Could this young lady have been deceived?


    Su Jinyuan frowned slightly, ¡°Where is this shop located? I¡¯ll send someone to go with you. I¡¯ll front you the three hundred thousand for now.¡±


    Huo Sining felt awkward and hurriedly waved her hands, ¡°It¡¯s not necessary, I can go by myself.¡±


    Yet Su Jinyuan overrode Huo Sining¡¯s objections, directly instructing the woman next to him, ¡°Secretary Lin, accompany Miss Huo for the trip. She¡¯s going to buy a shop, help her take a look, and if the money isn¡¯t enough, you make up the difference.¡±


    Seeing the firm arrangement, Huo Sining knew she couldn¡¯t refuse anymore and reluctantly accepted.


    After reflecting, she felt she couldn¡¯t owe such a favor for nothing. She took out a box that contained three large pearls from her backpack and handed it to Su Jinyuan, boldly saying, ¡°Here, this is for you!¡±


    After speaking, she excused herself to the others at the table, turned around, and left the private room. Secretary Lin hurriedly followed.


    Su Jinyuan held the box in his hand, already guessing what was inside. He appreciated Huo Sining¡¯s unwillingness to take advantage of others for nothing and her principled way of doing things, yet he also felt a bit helpless. He shook his head, smiled faintly, and took a bite of food.


    But everyone else in the room had their own thoughts, especially Song Hui, whose gaze occasionally rested on the box, secretly musing, could that box contain a love letter from the young lady?

 Chapter 36 - Chapter 36: Chapter 34: Buying a Shop

    Chapter 36: Chapter 34: Buying a Shop


    Secretary Lin had been following Su Jinyuan for many years, but this was the first time he saw Su Jinyuan take such an interest in a girl with a different surname.


    So, on the way, he drove while sneaking glances at Huo Sining.


    Yet, he couldn¡¯t for the life of him understand what Su Jinyuan saw in this girl.


    Speaking of looks, she was at best pretty; she had an average figure. If she had any advantages, did her youth count?


    But at such a tender age, was it about falling in love or taking care of a daughter?


    Secretary Lin privately snickered to himself, yet he dared not show the slightest emotion on his face.


    As a secretary for many years, the first thing he learned was to carry out and obey orders without unnecessary chatter or showing any emotion, even if he had opinions, they couldn¡¯t be revealed on his face.


    Huo Sining had no idea that just by having a meal, she had caused so many misunderstandings.


    She conducted herself with integrity; without so many twists and turns. It was just a simple meal; there weren¡¯t that many ulterior motives.


    Although it was a bit embarrassing to have Secretary Lin follow her, Huo Sining had her reasons.


    Secretary Lin had been with Su Jinyuan for a long time and certainly knew more about contracts than she did.


    Cai Jianxin appeared honest on the surface, but he was not an easy person to deal with. Huo Sining was worried that he would tamper with the contract, so having Secretary Lin with her was more reassuring.


    However, Huo Sining¡¯s worry was obviously needless. Cai Jianxin, despite his insidious ways, did not have the mindset or courage to play tricks with a deal worth four million.


    Moreover, in Cai Jianxin¡¯s view, a young girl like Huo Sining being able to manage assets of four million proved that her background was significant, and her family was definitely not ordinary. He didn¡¯t want to provoke someone untouchable over four million, which would have been more trouble than it was worth.


    The loan sharks had started pressing for a repayment again, issuing a final ultimatum, demanding that he make up for the money he owed by that evening.


    Cai Jianxin was also afraid that Huo Sining would break her word. He was uneasy in his shop until he saw Huo Sining appear, and only then did he breathe a sigh of relief.


    As soon as Secretary Lin entered the shop, he looked around. Su Jinyuan had asked him to help supervise, clearly meaning that Huo Sining should not be disadvantaged.


    After checking the premises upstairs and downstairs, Secretary Lin inquired about the bottom price from Huo Sining and had a rough idea in mind.


    Secretary Lin¡¯s professional skills and eloquence were certainly no joke. After sitting down, he engaged Cai Jianxin in a tough price negotiation.


    Eventually, they agreed that Huo Sining would purchase the entire set of storefronts from Cai Jianxin for four million, including the aquatic species aquarium equipment inside the shop as well as the upstairs furniture and appliances.


    Although the furniture and appliances were new, giving them away to Huo Sining for free pained him, but Cai Jianxin really couldn¡¯t wait. He feared that the deal would fall through at the last minute and begrudgingly agreed to it in the end.


    After the contract was signed and fingerprints pressed, Huo Sining transferred four million to Cai Jianxin¡¯s account.


    Secretary Lin then quickly phoned a contact at the housing authority. Before long, the transfer of ownership was processed, his efficiency leaving Cai Jianxin utterly astounded.


    Cai Jianxin¡¯s heart trembled, silently acknowledging that Huo Sining indeed had backing; bringing along a secretary with such presence was one thing, but having the housing authority show her respect was another.


    But in an instant, Cai Jianxin¡¯s expression toward Huo Sining became much more reserved and reverent.


    Seeing this, Huo Sining couldn¡¯t help but reveal a bitter smile. It seemed that in this day and age, money and power still ruled; was she not flaunting borrowed authority?


    With the transaction completed, Huo Sining held the property deed with her name on it, feeling an inexplicable sense of belonging.


    This was the proof that she had set down roots in the unfamiliar city of S City from now on.


    To become someone with both a house and a shop was a fantasy to the Huo Sining of her past life, yet in this life, she had obtained it with ease.


    Huo Sining took a deep breath and said to herself, ¡°With this property deed, my days to come will only get better.¡±


    With Secretary Lin¡¯s help, Huo Sining also took the opportunity to complete the store¡¯s business permit and other procedures, henceforth officially renaming the Yule store as Xianyu Shop.


    Since Huo Sining didn¡¯t have much money left, she decided not to bother with any major renovations, preferring to use Cai Jianxin¡¯s original decorations and simply add some decorative touches of her own.


    Her current task was not on renovations, but rather dealing with the batch of sick ornamental fish left behind by Cai Jianxin.


    Originally, Huo Sining had planned to negotiate with Cai Jianxin about buying those sick fish at a base price once the shop transaction was completed, but during the negotiation with Secretary Lin, Cai Jianxin ended up gifting her the fish tanks and equipment, leaving the nearly dead fish unconsidered.


    This saved Huo Sining the trouble of having to ask, reducing some complications and suspicion, and of course, she couldn¡¯t be happier.


    After handling these matters, Secretary Lin left.


    Upon returning to the company, he eagerly reported the afternoon¡¯s events to Su Jinyuan, only to find Su Jinyuan sitting at his desk, staring blankly at a box before him.


    Secretary Lin coughed. Su Jinyuan snapped back to reality, ¡°You¡¯re back, has Miss Huo¡¯s matter been taken care of?¡±


    Secretary Lin discreetly glanced at the box Huo Sining gave to Su Jinyuan on the desk and nodded, saying,


    ¡°The shop is in the Flower, Bird, Insect, and Fish Market near Chenghuang Temple, roughly seventy square meters, a two-story storefront for four million is indeed very affordable. Miss Huo¡¯s luck and foresight are not bad.¡±


    One corner of Su Jinyuan¡¯s mouth lifted slightly, ¡°You¡¯re right, this girl indeed has both luck and foresight.¡±


    Secretary Lin¡¯s lips twitched, is it really okay for you to compliment your girlfriend so implicitly, Boss?


    ¡°Alright, forget about that matter, help me contact the Hong Kong Auction House. Tell them I have three pure wild freshwater Eastern Pearls, between eighteen to twenty millimeters in diameter, I believe they¡¯d be interested,¡± Su Jinyuan suddenly said.


    Eighteen to twenty millimeters?!


    Secretary Lin¡¯s eyes widened in astonishment. Such large pearls were rare treasures, difficult to find even if they scoured the entire domestic jewelry industry, not to mention these were pure wild pearls. Mr. Su, you¡¯re not joking, are you?


    But Su Jinyuan merely smiled mysteriously, offering no explanation.


    Secretary Lin swallowed his questions and set off to follow Su Jinyuan¡¯s instructions, though he remained astonished inside.


    After Secretary Lin left the office, the smile on Su Jinyuan¡¯s face faded.


    He opened the paper box in front of him, where three huge pearls lay on a small piece of silk, round and lustrous, exuding mystery and allure.


    Subconsciously reaching for the pearls, Su Jinyuan murmured, ¡°How many more surprises are you hiding?¡±


    The day after Huo Sining returned to her rented room, she sought out Mrs. Xu to explain the situation.


    Upon hearing that Huo Sining was about to move, Mrs. Xu was initially annoyed, but Huo Sining quickly brought down her Rainbow Fairy Fish, effectively silencing Mrs. Xu.


    Seeing her listless fish suddenly lively and energetic, Mrs. Xu was overjoyed, not only agreeing to Huo Sining¡¯s move but also promptly refunding half of the three months¡¯ rent that Huo Sining had paid in advance.


    Mrs. Xu might have loved small gains, but she was a decent person. Huo Sining didn¡¯t mind letting her keep the other half of the rent; instead, she mentioned that she would be opening a fish shop near Chenghuang Temple in half a month and promised Mrs. Xu a discount if she came to visit.


    Mrs. Xu was ecstatic at the news, earnestly promising that she would bring more fish enthusiasts to support the shop on its opening day.


    Smiling, Huo Sining thanked her and, without lingering for further small talk with Mrs. Xu, left the address and contact number for the store, ready to move.


    Even though she had moved twice in less than ten days, Huo Sining¡¯s mood was significantly more uplifted this time.


    After all, she was relocating to her own new home this time. Compared to renting, living in one¡¯s own house certainly felt more like belonging, more like home.

 Chapter 37 - Chapter 37: Chapter 35 Xianyu Shop

    Chapter 37: Chapter 35 Xianyu Shop


    ¡°`


    The store was vacated by Cai Jianxin on the day of the handover.


    Since the contract stated that all the furniture and appliances were to be given to Huo Sining, she truly just moved in with her bags, bringing only a few household items she had bought recently.


    Within a couple of days, the new store sign was also delivered.


    The sign was specially commissioned by Huo Sining, a large piece of manchurian ash wood finished in light brown with tung oil and brown paint, featuring a carved koi fish and a flute, with three bold characters written in the center: Xianyu Shop.


    Aware of the adage that more friends mean more paths, Huo Sining soon paid a visit to the store owners across the street and next door.


    The neighboring shopkeepers were initially surprised to see Huo Sining. How come there was no buzz, and Yule¡¯s owner had changed just like that?


    But then they figured that Cai Jianxin was tangled up with loan sharks, so it made sense he didn¡¯t stick around¡ªwhy would he wait for debt collectors to come knocking?


    The neighbors were quite friendly to Huo Sining and, seeing her youth, they would occasionally share some business wisdom with her.


    While young, Huo Sining had experience from her previous life, so she understood a thing or two about human relationships and society.


    As the saying goes, one good turn deserves another, so she would sometimes send them fresh catches from the Yangtze River. In this way, with back-and-forth exchanges, they gradually became familiar with each other.


    After moving into Xianyu Shop, Huo Sining did not start business right away; she was busy making preparations before opening.


    First, she had to nurse back to health all the ornamental fish left by Cai Jianxin, which were so sick they were barely alive.


    Because the Water-Repelling Pearl had limited spiritual energy, she could only gather the fish into a large pond behind the shop. She then had to slowly inject spiritual energy, allowing the fish to gradually regain their vitality.


    While treating those sick fish, Huo Sining made another surprising discovery.


    Every time she exhausted the use of the spiritual energy, she would feel especially tired, but the next day, she would find her spiritual energy to be even more abundant.


    It¡¯s said that after breaking down, comes the rebuilding. She quickly realized the key point; it seemed that to boost the Spirit of Azure Pearl, one needed to use spiritual energy more frequently.


    With this secret uncovered, Huo Sining began to use the Spirit of Azure Pearl without any reservations.


    In less than half a month, she noticed that the Azure Pearl¡¯s color deepened, and the spiritual energy became plentiful, flowing from her forehead throughout her limbs and body. Her entire being¡¯s spirit and temperament seemed transformed.


    ¡°Ningning, you¡¯ve found such a great spot¡ªfor real, I don¡¯t want to leave now,¡±


    Su Qingqing had been popping in and out ever since she learned that Huo Sining had bought a shop. She didn¡¯t expect to get so attached to the place as soon as she arrived, her eyes glued to the beautiful ornamental fish, unwilling to look away.


    Huo Sining pursed her lips, smiling without responding. Ever since she mastered the use of spiritual energy, she had managed to save all the sick fish left by Cai Jianxin.


    However, to avoid arousing suspicion, she made some adjustments to those fish. With the watering of spiritual energy, their quality improved to a certain degree.


    Huo Sining didn¡¯t dare carry out excessive transformations, using only a little bit of spiritual energy. But even that small amount of spiritual energy was enough to make a miraculous difference.


    Every single fish in her shop was lively and spirited, with vibrant and bright colors, obviously of premium quality.


    Xianyu Shop offered not just ornamental fish but also wild live fish.


    During this period, Huo Sining had fished out quite a few prized catches from the Yellow River, from common carp to top-quality hilsa, along with a heap of live shrimp and shellfish, all kept separately in several large pools.


    The only thing that Huo Sining felt sorry about was that she hadn¡¯t encountered another Huangjiang Knifefish ever since.


    She couldn¡¯t help but regret that on the day she gave the knifefish to Jin Chenyu, she should have kept one for herself¡ªat least to taste it. She had never tried the legendary Huangjiang Knifefish, reputed to be even better than the meat of the Tang Dynasty¡¯s monk, Tripitaka.


    But regrets were futile now. As soon as Jin Chenyu took the fish home, he handed it straight over to his mother.


    When Mother Jin saw the lively Huangjiang Knifefish, she was quite astonished, but seeing her son¡¯s nonchalant attitude, she didn¡¯t inquire further.


    It wasn¡¯t until five days later, when Qin Shaoyou visited, that Mother Jin decided to steam the fish and serve them up.


    ¡°`


    Seeing five such large Huangjiang Knifefish spread out on a whole platter, everyone at the table was stunned for a moment, then suddenly scrambled for them like a battle.


    While the dishes were in disarray, Qin Shaoyou, taken by curiosity, couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°Auntie, these Yellow River Knifefish taste wild, and they¡¯re big too, must be expensive, right? Where did you buy them?¡±


    Mother Jin smiled and said, ¡°Where could I buy them? It was Chenyu who brought them back. If you want to know where he bought them, ask him.¡±


    Jin Chenyu was puzzled, ¡°I bought them? I didn¡¯t buy anything!¡±


    Mother Jin glared at Jin Chenyu reproachfully, ¡°You silly boy, how can your memory be so poor? It was the second day after you returned from Rongcheng, you went out early in the morning and came back with a bag, handing it to me as soon as you entered the door.¡±


    The second day after coming back from Rongcheng? Was it the day this guy helped him buy that German Red Pine?


    Qin Shaoyou¡¯s hand paused as he was picking up food, he glanced at Jin Chenyu nonchalantly, his eyes narrowing slightly.


    Jin Chenyu froze, only then realizing which day Mother Jin was referring to.


    He pointed stiffly at the empty dish on the table that only had the fish head and tail left, asking incredulously, ¡°You mean, these fish, are the ones I brought back?¡±


    Mother Jin nodded, ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. The bag contained five live Huangjiang Knifefish! I was worried they weren¡¯t clean, so I let them rest in clear water for a few days. Looking at you now, you couldn¡¯t possibly be unaware of this, could you?¡±


    Jin Chenyu¡¯s look of contentment turned into astonishment, he said with a wry smile, ¡°How would I know? It was a student of mine who gave them to me, put them in a bag, and told me they were just some wild live fish and asked me to take them home for a taste. I thought they were just some carp, didn¡¯t even look and just accepted them.¡±


    It looked like he had basked in his cousin¡¯s glory; Huo Sining doing this was highly likely due to Qin Shaoyou spending 120,000 on her Rainbow Fairy Fish. Realizing this, Jin Chenyu glanced at Qin Shaoyou with a guilty conscience.


    ¡°Carp? You must be joking! Just these few would buy several carts of carp!¡± Mother Jin was nearly furious with Jin Chenyu¡¯s careless attitude, ¡°What kind of student do you have that¡¯s so generous? Could she possibly want something from you?¡±


    ¡°Mom, don¡¯t guess wildly. That girl¡¯s parents passed away, and she used to live at her aunt¡¯s place, where she was always mistreated. She was afraid her aunt wouldn¡¯t let her attend university and would destroy her admission letter, so she came to me for help, asking if I could sign for her acceptance letter.¡±


    Jin Chenyu comforted Mother Jin with his mouth, but his brow furrowed unconsciously.


    Huo Sining must have known the value of those knifefish, but why would she just give them to him?


    Moreover, if he remembered correctly, the girl was from an impoverished family and should be quite frugal. She shouldn¡¯t have been able to afford the Huangjiang Knifefish, so where did she get them from?


    After the meal, Qin Shaoyou excused himself and left, but after driving out of the neighborhood, he stopped at the corner not far away.


    Sure enough, before long, he saw Jin Chenyu driving out in a hurry.


    Qin Shaoyou¡¯s gaze flickered; he quietly followed behind Jin Chenyu, soon arriving in front of a familiar old neighborhood.


    Surprised to see Jin Chenyu walking into the neighborhood, Qin Shaoyou stealthily followed suit.


    To his astonishment, Jin Chenyu was heading towards Mrs. Xu¡¯s home.


    The more Qin Shaoyou observed, the stranger he felt. Just as he was about to follow upstairs to understand the situation better, at that moment, he heard his younger cousin¡¯s voice.


    ¡°What, moved away? When did they move?¡±


    Mrs. Xu¡¯s eyes lit up when she saw Jin Chenyu, smiling warmly, ¡°They moved away just yesterday. Miss Huo bought a shop near the Chenghuang Temple to set up her business and returned the room I rented to her. Young man, don¡¯t you know?¡±


    Jin Chenyu shook his head, while downstairs Qin Shaoyou¡¯s eyes flashed.


    Miss Huo? Was that the girl who said she knew a fishkeeping expert who could save the angelfish? She was Chenyu¡¯s student?


    Considering Jin Chenyu¡¯s abnormal behavior, Qin Shaoyou vaguely had a guess.


    Could it be that the German guy bought the fish from that girl?

 Chapter 38 - Chapter 38: Chapter 36: Grand Opening, Qin Shaoyous Misunderstanding

    Chapter 38: Chapter 36: Grand Opening, Qin Shaoyou¡¯s Misunderstanding


    In late July, Xianyu Shop officially opened for business.


    Huo Sining didn¡¯t know many people in S City, so the day before opening, she only notified the Su Siblings, Mrs. Xu, Jin Chenyu, and a few shop owners nearby.


    However, what Huo Sining didn¡¯t expect was, just after she opened the door that morning, she saw many unexpected people.


    Su Qingqing was the first to arrive, not only bringing a flower basket but also setting off firecrackers, which surprised and delighted Huo Sining.


    Old Lady Xu came with a large group of fish enthusiasts to support the event.


    Seeing that the quality of Huo Sining¡¯s fish was indeed good, Old Lady Xu¡¯s fish enthusiast friends had gleaming eyes and kept urging Huo Sining to lower the price more and more.


    A group of old men and women chattered noisily; it was lively but also left Huo Sining almost in tears of laughter.


    Not long after, Jin Chenyu arrived and when he saw Huo Sining¡¯s store, his eyes flashed with confusion and complexity.


    He was aware of Huo Sining¡¯s family background in Rongcheng, but why, in just a short month, had this girl undergone such a huge change that she could afford a shop in S City?!


    Jin Chenyu¡¯s mind was filled with many thoughts, but now was not the time to ask.


    He didn¡¯t come empty-handed either; besides a potted money tree, he also brought Huo Sining the S University admission notice that she had been eagerly awaiting.


    Upon seeing the notice, Huo Sining¡¯s eyes instantly brightened. She held the notice in her hands, caressing it, unable to let go, her eyes moist with emotion.


    This was something she had hoped for in her past and present life, as it was truly earned through her own hard work and effort.


    ¡°That¡¯s wonderful, Ningning, now you¡¯re really going to be my junior,¡± Su Qingqing exclaimed joyfully, but upon seeing the major listed on the notice, she felt a bit downcast and came up with an idea with a twinkle in her eye.


    Huo Sining could hardly contain her amusement. She had chosen a major in mathematics initially because the admission threshold for that program at S University was the lowest, and she had selected it as a sure thing.


    According to her plan at the time, as long as she could get a degree, she could find a job even if the major was not directly related to her future work; if all else failed, she could go back to Rongcheng and become a math teacher.


    Su Qingqing was suggesting she study appraisal, but Huo Sining had no clue about antiques, jewelry, jade artifacts, or any of that. She was completely ignorant.


    And her family didn¡¯t run a jewelry business¡ªwhat use would that knowledge be to her?!


    If she were really to switch majors, she would prefer to switch to animal husbandry, breeding, or biology to learn how to breed fish or study which valuable aquatic species in rivers and oceans she could sell for money.


    Thinking this, Huo Sining had an idea¡ªif she really wanted to change her major, she could consider looking into a field related to aquatic species.


    ¡°Who wants to study archaeology?¡±


    As she was thinking, a voice came from outside, and when Huo Sining turned her head, she saw Su Jinyuan walking in with an elderly man.


    Seeing the man, Huo Sining was stunned.


    ¡°Professor Xie, you came as well?¡± Huo Sining was surprised, as the elderly man was none other than Xie Daoyuan, the professor who had previously helped Su Jinyuan appraise pearls.


    Professor Xie smiled and said, ¡°I heard from Jinyuan that Miss Huo¡¯s shop was opening today, so I followed him to join in the fun. I hope my old self isn¡¯t intruding?¡±


    Huo Sining hurriedly replied with humility, ¡°How can you say that? Your presence brings honor to my humble shop. It¡¯s quite small here, but if you don¡¯t mind, you¡¯re welcome to sit upstairs.¡±


    Professor Xie waved his hand, ¡°No rush, attend to your customers. I want to buy a couple of fish to give to my spouse, so I¡¯ll look around first.¡±


    Su Jinyuan and Xie Daoyuan had looked at every aquarium in the shop without discerning anything special.


    After pondering for a while, Xie Daoyuan took out his phone and called someone, ¡°Xiao Qin, let me ask you something. What¡¯s the name of the fish your teacher keeps in the living room again?¡±


    Whatever was asked on the other end, Xie Daoyuan clarified, ¡°No, one of your teacher¡¯s two fish died a few days ago, and it just so happened that a young friend of mine opened a fish shop near Chenghuang Temple, so I came over to have a look since I had nothing better to do, and also to buy a couple of fish for your teacher¡¯s wife. I don¡¯t understand this stuff, so I¡¯m asking you how to choose. You¡¯re coming over? You¡¯re not busy in the lab today? Alright, then, I¡¯ll send you the name of the shop, and you can come along.¡±


    Jin Chenyu was sitting at the counter and hadn¡¯t paid much attention when Xie Daoyuan made the call to Xiao Qin, but then he heard Xie Daoyuan ask the other party if he was busy in the lab.


    Jin Chenyu¡¯s eyelids twitched violently as he thought to himself: It couldn¡¯t be that coincidental, could it? Surely it wasn¡¯t Qin Shaoyou, right?


    However, his hopes were shattered the next moment when Su Jinyuan, seeing Xie Daoyuan hang up, asked curiously, ¡°Who¡¯s coming over?¡±


    Xie Daoyuan replied with a smile, ¡°A student of your teacher¡¯s wife, currently working in the research lab at S University. He specifically researches ornamental fish, much more professional than we are at picking them.¡±


    A Qin who studied ornamental fish in the S University lab¡ª if it wasn¡¯t his older cousin, then who was it?


    Upon hearing this, Jin Chenyu knew trouble was coming. His cousin was exceptionally clever, and he would surely guess that the person who sold the angelfish to him was Huo Sining.


    Jin Chenyu was frantic. He had helped Huo Sining scam Qin Shaoyou, but would that guy take out his anger on Huo Sining?


    The more he thought about it, the more restless Jin Chenyu became, and he immediately stood up, preparing to slip away unnoticed.


    ¡°Hey, Brother Jin, where are you going?¡± Huo Sining had just come out of the back partition and saw Jin Chenyu about to leave, hastily grabbing him, ¡°I¡¯ve already booked tables at the hotel. Let¡¯s have the opening banquet before you go.¡±


    Jin Chenyu¡¯s expression stiffened, and he tried to find an excuse to leave. But Huo Sining would not let go, his face stern, and Jin had no choice but to dejectedly sit back down, feeling nervous and uneasy.


    Sure enough, it wasn¡¯t long before Qin Shaoyou arrived casually dressed in a plaid shirt and slacks, appearing at ease in front of the shop.


    Seeing Jin Chenyu, he curled the corners of his mouth, looking at his own cousin with a mocking smile.


    Jin Chenyu, feeling utterly guilty, didn¡¯t dare meet his gaze and turned his head away, pretending not to have seen him.


    Idiot! Qin Shaoyou silently cursed in his heart, turning to walk over to Xie Daoyuan, ¡°Professor.¡±


    ¡°Ah, you¡¯ve arrived.¡± Xie Daoyuan nodded with a smile, ¡°How do you pick that Dragon Pattern Dottyback your teacher has? Help me choose, I don¡¯t understand fish, but I see that the young girl here has indeed raised some very fine ones, much livelier than the ones your teacher has! Such talent at a young age, she¡¯s not a simple one, this girl!¡±


    Speaking unintentionally but overheard with purpose, Qin Shaoyou instinctively looked towards the girl who was bustling in and out, busy with work, and thought to himself:


    Isn¡¯t that remarkable? She has the ability to make a near-dead angelfish ¡°come back to life¡± and fooled my cousin into helping her swindle my money; this girl¡¯s skill and tactics are extraordinary.


    Having followed Jin Chenyu to Mrs. Xu¡¯s building, Qin Shaoyou had become suspicious of Huo Sining.


    Later, using an excuse, he visited Mrs. Xu¡¯s home again, only to discover that her home had one more angelfish than before.


    On inquiry, he found out that the fish was a gift from Huo Sining, and Mrs. Xu sang high praises for the mysterious fish expert mentioned by Huo, zealously calling him a miracle worker.


    Having studied ornamental fish for so many years, Qin Shaoyou could tell the difference even in fish that looked identical to laypeople.


    Just as there are no two leaves in the world exactly alike, there are no two ornamental fish that look precisely the same.


    The ¡°resurrected¡± Rainbow Fish that Mrs. Xu spoke of was identified by Qin Shaoyou at a glance as not the same fish. The patterns and colors were different.


    The girl¡¯s pillar-switching scam was masterfully and skillfully executed, instantly earning her a following of admirers with the switch of an angelfish!


    Thinking of this, Qin Shaoyou couldn¡¯t help but snicker. Most likely, the skilled fish expert she mentioned was none other than herself!

 Chapter 40 - Chapter 40: Chapter 38 The Injured Dolphin

    Chapter 40: Chapter 38 The Injured Dolphin


    Huo Sining had no idea that a single meal could spawn so many strange thoughts in these people¡¯s minds.


    She only found it odd that she couldn¡¯t get drunk no matter how much she drank, and quickly linked this strange phenomenon to the pearl on her forehead.


    There was no use doubting, it was almost certainly connected to that pearl.


    Huo Sining didn¡¯t dwell on it, considering the fantastical event of the pearl merging with her body had already occurred, being immune to inebriation was no longer peculiar.


    After the Xianyu Shop opened, probably because the fish Huo Sining sold were of good quality, the business kept improving, and even the wild fish in her store gained fame.


    Many voracious customers learned of the new shop and flocked there, seeking treasure¡ªnot for ornamental fish, but for those fresh, living creatures.


    Huo Sining had initially spent all her money on the shop, which made her feel like a spendthrift.


    Now, as her funds gradually increased again, she felt much more comfortable; life without money truly lacked a sense of security.


    Ever since the shop opened, Su Qingqing often popped in for a free meal or drink.


    Huo Sining¡¯s store might lack other things, but never the fresh living creatures; Su Qingqing enjoyed eating different dishes daily without growing tired of them.


    Gradually, Su Qingqing noticed something unusual about Huo Sining¡¯s store. She couldn¡¯t figure it out just by looking around and finally asked out of curiosity,


    ¡°Ningning, don¡¯t you find it odd that even though there¡¯s no air conditioning on in the room, the air always feels so cool and refreshing?¡±


    Huo Sining pursed her lips, unsure of how to explain, but she understood perfectly well in her heart.


    The store contained multiple aquariums, and to prevent the ornamental fish from falling ill, Huo Sining used Spiritual Energy every night to tend to the fish in the aquariums.


    Though most of the Spiritual Energy in the aquariums was absorbed by the fish, the remnants still directly affected the air temperature, making the Xianyu Shop¡¯s interior much cooler than outside.


    As Su Qingqing frequented the shop, she had discovered this unusual detail.


    Fortunately, Su Qingqing was typically carefree and did not dig deeper. Seeing Huo Sining not responding, she assumed it was due to the shop¡¯s innate qualities and laughed, saying,


    ¡°It¡¯s so cool here, it must be because the feng shui of the place is good. Ningning, you really picked a great spot to open your shop¡ªnot only is it cheap, you¡¯re also saving on air conditioning!¡±


    Huo Sining smiled and glanced at the slowly emptying tanks in the partition before hesitating and saying,


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you stay here and look after the shop for me tonight? I need to take a trip to the countryside to bring back more wild stock.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Su Qingqing agreed without a second thought. She didn¡¯t question why Huo Sining wasn¡¯t getting her supplies during the day but was waiting until night.


    Dealing with people with simple thoughts has its advantages¡ªthey may be a bit na?ve, but they spare you from exhausting strategies.


    Huo Sining found this aspect of Su Qingqing quite endearing. Compared to someone who was always scheming, Huo Sining preferred spending time with those who were straightforward.


    After dinner, Su Qingqing sprawled on the sofa, unwilling to move, while Huo Sining grabbed her bag and headed out.


    With wild river delicacies becoming increasingly popular, she decided to haul in a big catch from the Yellow River this time.


    This time, she had already notified a freight driver in advance, arranging for him to pick up the goods at six in the morning by the cruise terminal.


    Once in the river, Huo Sining didn¡¯t hesitate to start catching fish. Her fishing net had large openings, designed to capture only big fish.


    But since big fish weren¡¯t concentrated in one area, she had to resort to a trick.


    After thinking it over, she slightly controlled the Spiritual Energy of the Azure Pearl, allowing fine strands of it to spread out into the water.


    Sure enough, it didn¡¯t take long to attract a large school of fish.


    The large mesh of the net let all the small fish slip through, and Huo Sining¡¯s haul was nothing short of bountiful.


    ¡°It seems this method is feasible!¡± Huo Sining thought happily and decided to continue with this approach.


    After several continuous hauls, she had depleted some Spiritual Energy and felt a bit tired. She busily paused her actions to take a break.


    Just then, a dark shadow rushed over from a distance. Huo Sining, caught off guard, was knocked to the ground by the creature.


    Huo Sining was startled and turned around to see a large animal.


    A dolphin?!


    Huo Sining stared at the creature in front of her, puzzled as to why it would attack her.


    When it comes to dolphins, the first impression people have is their exceptional intelligence and learning ability.


    In aquariums, dolphins are the animals most quickly tamed. They can perform various tricks proficiently and accurately, following the trainers¡¯ instructions.


    Dolphins and whales belong to the same family, possessing developed brains. They are capable and clever aquatic mammals.


    It¡¯s said that dolphins are gentle by nature and friends to humans, very willing to interact closely with people. Huo Sining heard many stories about dolphins saving people in her previous life.


    But Huo Sining found it strange that she was at the mouth of the Yellow River, at least tens of kilometers from the sea. Why would this marine animal come to a freshwater area?


    What puzzled Huo Sining the most was why the creature attacked her so rudely upon approaching. Could it be that it found her looks offensive?


    ¡°This isn¡¯t your territory; why are you attacking me?¡± Huo Sining asked, somewhat gloomily.


    Perhaps sensing Huo Sining¡¯s inner anger, the creature tilted its blunt head slightly, looking at her perplexedly.


    Huo Sining thought the creature had been drawn over by the fish she was catching.


    Being attacked for no reason would upset anyone, and Huo Sining had no desire to deal with the creature.


    Since she had finished catching fish, there was nothing for her to stay for. Huo Sining started to pack up her net in front of the dolphin, preparing to leave.


    Unexpectedly, when the dolphin saw her about to leave, it swam in front of Huo Sining to block her. Not only did it bump her with its head, but it also started to squeak.


    This time, Huo Sining realized something was wrong. The dolphin¡¯s eyes conveyed urgency, and it no longer bumped her with its head. It seemed quite friendly, and she got the sense that it didn¡¯t mean to attack her. Huo Sining felt curious and couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    The dolphin sank slightly then nudged Huo Sining with its tail fluke. Huo Sining had a hunch and pointed at the dolphin¡¯s back, asking, ¡°You want me to sit on you?¡±


    The dolphin nodded gently, and despite her bemusement, Huo Sining complied.


    As soon as she climbed onto the dolphin¡¯s back, it raced through the water straight towards the open sea, and it wasn¡¯t long before they reached the marine area.


    ¡°Hey, hey, where are you taking me?!¡±


    Huo Sining panicked momentarily, but before she could get overly anxious, she noticed another dolphin looming in the distance, gazing their way from the sea.


    Seeing its companion, the other dolphin quickly approached, swimming towards the one Huo Sining was riding.


    The two dolphins took Huo Sining for a swim in the East Sea for a good half-hour until they brought her to a small island.


    Without paying attention to the island¡¯s terrain, Huo Sining saw a young dolphin squealing in a bay not far from the island.


    The young dolphin had a huge wound on its back that was bleeding profusely; its piercing cries filled Huo Sining¡¯s ears. The two dolphins approached the injured one as soon as they saw it.


    By now, if Huo Sining couldn¡¯t understand what the two dolphins were trying to tell her, she would be a fool.


    The dolphin must have sensed the Spiritual Energy she was releasing at the river mouth was something beneficial. Therefore, despite the dangers of swimming in freshwater, it sought her out.


    It came to the mouth of the Yellow River seeking the source of Spiritual Energy and, finding it was Huo Sining, rammed her with its head, hoping she would help treat its child.

 Chapter 40 - Chapter 40: Chapter 38 The Injured Dolphin

    Chapter 40: Chapter 38 The Injured Dolphin


    Huo Sining had no idea that a single meal could spawn so many strange thoughts in these people¡¯s minds.


    She only found it odd that she couldn¡¯t get drunk no matter how much she drank, and quickly linked this strange phenomenon to the pearl on her forehead.


    There was no use doubting, it was almost certainly connected to that pearl.


    Huo Sining didn¡¯t dwell on it, considering the fantastical event of the pearl merging with her body had already occurred, being immune to inebriation was no longer peculiar.


    After the Xianyu Shop opened, probably because the fish Huo Sining sold were of good quality, the business kept improving, and even the wild fish in her store gained fame.


    Many voracious customers learned of the new shop and flocked there, seeking treasure¡ªnot for ornamental fish, but for those fresh, living creatures.


    Huo Sining had initially spent all her money on the shop, which made her feel like a spendthrift.


    Now, as her funds gradually increased again, she felt much more comfortable; life without money truly lacked a sense of security.


    Ever since the shop opened, Su Qingqing often popped in for a free meal or drink.


    Huo Sining¡¯s store might lack other things, but never the fresh living creatures; Su Qingqing enjoyed eating different dishes daily without growing tired of them.


    Gradually, Su Qingqing noticed something unusual about Huo Sining¡¯s store. She couldn¡¯t figure it out just by looking around and finally asked out of curiosity,


    ¡°Ningning, don¡¯t you find it odd that even though there¡¯s no air conditioning on in the room, the air always feels so cool and refreshing?¡±


    Huo Sining pursed her lips, unsure of how to explain, but she understood perfectly well in her heart.


    The store contained multiple aquariums, and to prevent the ornamental fish from falling ill, Huo Sining used Spiritual Energy every night to tend to the fish in the aquariums.


    Though most of the Spiritual Energy in the aquariums was absorbed by the fish, the remnants still directly affected the air temperature, making the Xianyu Shop¡¯s interior much cooler than outside.


    As Su Qingqing frequented the shop, she had discovered this unusual detail.


    Fortunately, Su Qingqing was typically carefree and did not dig deeper. Seeing Huo Sining not responding, she assumed it was due to the shop¡¯s innate qualities and laughed, saying,


    ¡°It¡¯s so cool here, it must be because the feng shui of the place is good. Ningning, you really picked a great spot to open your shop¡ªnot only is it cheap, you¡¯re also saving on air conditioning!¡±


    Huo Sining smiled and glanced at the slowly emptying tanks in the partition before hesitating and saying,


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you stay here and look after the shop for me tonight? I need to take a trip to the countryside to bring back more wild stock.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Su Qingqing agreed without a second thought. She didn¡¯t question why Huo Sining wasn¡¯t getting her supplies during the day but was waiting until night.


    Dealing with people with simple thoughts has its advantages¡ªthey may be a bit na?ve, but they spare you from exhausting strategies.


    Huo Sining found this aspect of Su Qingqing quite endearing. Compared to someone who was always scheming, Huo Sining preferred spending time with those who were straightforward.


    After dinner, Su Qingqing sprawled on the sofa, unwilling to move, while Huo Sining grabbed her bag and headed out.


    With wild river delicacies becoming increasingly popular, she decided to haul in a big catch from the Yellow River this time.


    This time, she had already notified a freight driver in advance, arranging for him to pick up the goods at six in the morning by the cruise terminal.


    Once in the river, Huo Sining didn¡¯t hesitate to start catching fish. Her fishing net had large openings, designed to capture only big fish.


    But since big fish weren¡¯t concentrated in one area, she had to resort to a trick.


    After thinking it over, she slightly controlled the Spiritual Energy of the Azure Pearl, allowing fine strands of it to spread out into the water.


    Sure enough, it didn¡¯t take long to attract a large school of fish.


    The large mesh of the net let all the small fish slip through, and Huo Sining¡¯s haul was nothing short of bountiful.


    ¡°It seems this method is feasible!¡± Huo Sining thought happily and decided to continue with this approach.


    After several continuous hauls, she had depleted some Spiritual Energy and felt a bit tired. She busily paused her actions to take a break.


    Just then, a dark shadow rushed over from a distance. Huo Sining, caught off guard, was knocked to the ground by the creature.


    Huo Sining was startled and turned around to see a large animal.


    A dolphin?!


    Huo Sining stared at the creature in front of her, puzzled as to why it would attack her.


    When it comes to dolphins, the first impression people have is their exceptional intelligence and learning ability.


    In aquariums, dolphins are the animals most quickly tamed. They can perform various tricks proficiently and accurately, following the trainers¡¯ instructions.


    Dolphins and whales belong to the same family, possessing developed brains. They are capable and clever aquatic mammals.


    It¡¯s said that dolphins are gentle by nature and friends to humans, very willing to interact closely with people. Huo Sining heard many stories about dolphins saving people in her previous life.


    But Huo Sining found it strange that she was at the mouth of the Yellow River, at least tens of kilometers from the sea. Why would this marine animal come to a freshwater area?


    What puzzled Huo Sining the most was why the creature attacked her so rudely upon approaching. Could it be that it found her looks offensive?


    ¡°This isn¡¯t your territory; why are you attacking me?¡± Huo Sining asked, somewhat gloomily.


    Perhaps sensing Huo Sining¡¯s inner anger, the creature tilted its blunt head slightly, looking at her perplexedly.


    Huo Sining thought the creature had been drawn over by the fish she was catching.


    Being attacked for no reason would upset anyone, and Huo Sining had no desire to deal with the creature.


    Since she had finished catching fish, there was nothing for her to stay for. Huo Sining started to pack up her net in front of the dolphin, preparing to leave.


    Unexpectedly, when the dolphin saw her about to leave, it swam in front of Huo Sining to block her. Not only did it bump her with its head, but it also started to squeak.


    This time, Huo Sining realized something was wrong. The dolphin¡¯s eyes conveyed urgency, and it no longer bumped her with its head. It seemed quite friendly, and she got the sense that it didn¡¯t mean to attack her. Huo Sining felt curious and couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    The dolphin sank slightly then nudged Huo Sining with its tail fluke. Huo Sining had a hunch and pointed at the dolphin¡¯s back, asking, ¡°You want me to sit on you?¡±


    The dolphin nodded gently, and despite her bemusement, Huo Sining complied.


    As soon as she climbed onto the dolphin¡¯s back, it raced through the water straight towards the open sea, and it wasn¡¯t long before they reached the marine area.


    ¡°Hey, hey, where are you taking me?!¡±


    Huo Sining panicked momentarily, but before she could get overly anxious, she noticed another dolphin looming in the distance, gazing their way from the sea.


    Seeing its companion, the other dolphin quickly approached, swimming towards the one Huo Sining was riding.


    The two dolphins took Huo Sining for a swim in the East Sea for a good half-hour until they brought her to a small island.


    Without paying attention to the island¡¯s terrain, Huo Sining saw a young dolphin squealing in a bay not far from the island.


    The young dolphin had a huge wound on its back that was bleeding profusely; its piercing cries filled Huo Sining¡¯s ears. The two dolphins approached the injured one as soon as they saw it.


    By now, if Huo Sining couldn¡¯t understand what the two dolphins were trying to tell her, she would be a fool.


    The dolphin must have sensed the Spiritual Energy she was releasing at the river mouth was something beneficial. Therefore, despite the dangers of swimming in freshwater, it sought her out.


    It came to the mouth of the Yellow River seeking the source of Spiritual Energy and, finding it was Huo Sining, rammed her with its head, hoping she would help treat its child.

 Chapter 41 - Chapter 41: Chapter 39: Foul Smell, Strange Object

    Chapter 41: Chapter 39: Foul Smell, Strange Object


    The heart of a parent knows no bounds, and given the dolphin father¡¯s disregard for the danger of fresh water to save his child, Huo Sining could not stand idly by.


    She sighed and moved closer to the dolphin.


    The young dolphin was not yet fully grown, barely bigger than a piglet, yet its wound on its back was a good five or six inches long.


    The wound must have been there for some time as pus had already started to form around it. If not treated soon, the little one had little chance of surviving.


    ¡°How did you get hurt? Did you get into trouble for not listening to your mom and dad, and get hurt by some big creature?¡±


    Huo Sining crouched down and gently stroked the little one¡¯s head while slowly gathering the spiritual energy of the Azure Pearl in the palm of her hand, softly comforting the dolphin.


    The little one seemed to understand that Huo Sining was there to help, and whined a few times, expressing its grievances and pain, but lay still in the sand waiting for Huo Sining¡¯s aid.


    Huo Sining channeled spiritual energy into the dolphin¡¯s back. When the spiritual energy covered it, the dolphin initially struggled to withstand it and wriggled as if trying to escape.


    Huo Sining firmly held the dolphin down, and it stiffened. Gradually, it felt the spiritual energy spreading throughout its body and let out a comfortable moan.


    The healing took a full ten minutes, and not until Huo Sining felt her spiritual energy was depleted did she finally release her hands.


    The wound was simply too large, and despite the fact that Huo Sining¡¯s control of spiritual energy had increased over the days, it was not enough to counter the amount consumed by such a large wound.


    Fortunately, after the treatment, the pus had been cleaned up, and the bleeding had stopped.


    Even without the aid of spiritual energy, given the dolphin¡¯s natural healing capacity, the wound would soon scab over, and there would be no more concerns for its life.


    The two adult dolphins, probably sensing that their child was no longer in danger, circled it in the water and sprayed water at Huo Sining.


    If Huo Sining had not been protected by the Water-Repelling Pearl, she would have been completely drenched by now.


    Huo Sining was both annoyed and amused. She had been busy catching fish earlier, and now with her spiritual energy drained, she was truly tired and had no energy to deal with these dolphins.


    She waved her hand at the dolphin, ¡°Okay, knock it off and take me back. I¡¯m tired and need a good rest.¡±


    The dolphin seemed to understand Huo Sining¡¯s words and came closer.


    Just as Huo Sining was about to climb onto the dolphin¡¯s back, the creature suddenly retreated, nearly causing Huo Sining to face-plant into the sand.


    ¡°Hey! I want to go back, aren¡¯t you being too ungrateful? I just saved your son¡¯s life!¡± Huo Sining was frustrated.


    It seemed the dolphin did not understand Huo Sining¡¯s words. Puzzlement flickered in its eyes, and after a moment of hesitation, it came closer again, flapping its head. It took hold of Huo Sining¡¯s clothes in its mouth and started pulling her towards the shore of the island.


    ¡°Where are you taking me now?¡±


    Huo Sining had no idea where the creature was leading her, but she found herself involuntarily following it.


    After walking for about forty or fifty meters, the dolphin brought her to a rocky outcrop.


    The creature shook its head at Huo Sining and then dove down a few meters, circling the rocks.


    Huo Sining, as clueless as a perplexed monk, tentatively asked, ¡°You mean there is something under the water?¡±


    The dolphin shook its head, and Huo Sining frowned. She dived into the water only to be greeted by a strong, putrid stench almost immediately.


    Though the Water-Repelling Pearl allowed her to be unaffected by water, she still had to breathe. Thus, as Huo Sining breathed in the water, the foul smell assaulted her nostrils.


    ¡°Ugh¡­ what the hell is that stench?!¡± Huo Sining was taken aback, feeling almost suffocated by the smell.


    She held her breath, intending to surface, but at that moment, her hand touched a pile of hard objects at the bottom of the rocks.


    Huo Sining had just touched the pile of hard objects when the Water-Repelling Pearl on her forehead started flickering wildly as if its life depended on it.


    ¡°Huh, the Water-Repelling Pearl has identified it, looks like it¡¯s really something good.¡±


    Huo Sining paused, originally eager to return to shore, but now she was energized, ¡°It smells so bad, I have to see what it actually is!¡±


    Not only did the object stink, but it was also hard. Huo Sining struggled for quite a while but couldn¡¯t budge it in the slightest.


    Finally, she had no choice but to find a sharp rock on the shore and jabbed furiously at the hard object with it.


    Soon there was a clatter, and a huge grey-black object, like a stone, fell off the reef.


    Huo Sining hurried to embrace the object. Gosh, it must have weighed at least thirty or forty catties, she exhausted all her strength to drag it back to shore.


    It was only upon reaching the shore that Huo Sining discovered that grey-black was only the surface color of the layer. Inside the break in the object, beneath the thin grey-black skin, was an incredibly pristine white.


    But within moments, the broken surface also instantly turned grey, gradually deepening in color, until it matched the grey-black of the outer skin.


    The foul stench was emanating from this object, there were several more black masses attached to the underside of the reef, even larger than the one in her hands.


    However, Huo Sining¡¯s physical strength was limited; it was already quite difficult to pry off a single piece.


    By this time, it was getting late, and Huo Sining had also arranged to meet with the truck driver at the cruise terminal, so she had to give up on further attempts to pry off the object reluctantly.


    After packing the piece she had in a large bag and strapping it to her back, she mounted a dolphin¡¯s back and raced on the return route.


    At this point, Huo Sining didn¡¯t know what a valuable thing she was giving up because the object stank, she felt somewhat disgusted, so she didn¡¯t care at all.


    Facing a lump of something she couldn¡¯t comprehend and had no idea what use it was, she acted indifferently.


    However, not long after returning, when she found out what that thing was, she couldn¡¯t help but regret not making more effort to claim the treasure under the reef.


    Back on shore, the dolphins thanked her by jumping in and out of the water, before parting visibly reluctant to leave. Meanwhile, Huo Sining held a large ¡°stone¡± feeling utterly frustrated.


    The dolphins had been willing to dive into the freshwater of the Yellow River to save their son but now absolutely refused to swim any farther forward.


    Huo Sining stood on the beach, grinding her teeth in anger. They really knew how to turn their backs on someone.


    She had no choice, she couldn¡¯t just stand on the beach and be blown by the cold wind indefinitely, so she had to dive back by herself.


    Upon reaching her destination, her already depleted energy finally ran out, and she sat gasping beside the water, dragging along a great load of sea creatures.


    Fortunately, the truck driver was punctual, arriving right on time, and was shocked to see the heap of living things that Huo Sining was guarding, casting a skeptical glance at her.


    Huo Sining was too exhausted to move and didn¡¯t bother coming up with excuses, she just waved her hand to have the driver load the truck, thinking to herself that it might be time to quickly find a reliable truck driver.


    Back at Xianyu Shop before seven o¡¯clock, Huo Sining released the live fish and river delicacies back into the fish pond and took a bath.


    By the time she ordered breakfast, Su Qingqing was still lazing in bed, deep in sleep.


    Huo Sining couldn¡¯t help but feel helpless; suddenly, an idea flashed through her mind, and she was struck by a mischievous impulse.


    She cut a small piece of that dark object and gently waved it under Su Qingqing¡¯s nose.


    Immediately, the foul smell assaulted Su Qingqing¡¯s nostrils, and she sneezed violently, waking from her slumber.


    Su Qingqing, bleary-eyed, looked at Huo Sining, ¡°What is this, it smells terrible!¡±

 Chapter 42 - Chapter 42: Chapter 40 Ambergris

    Chapter 42: Chapter 40 Ambergris


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, found it by the sea.¡± Huo Sining shrugged.


    ¡°Why would you dig up something so smelly and even bring it back!¡±


    As soon as Su Qingqing smelled the stench, she instantly sobered up, looking disdainfully at the object in Huo Sining¡¯s hand.


    She was about to persuade Huo Sining to throw the thing away when suddenly a phrase that Xie Daoyuan had mentioned flashed through her mind, her face immediately showing shock as she hurriedly grabbed Huo Sining¡¯s hand, ¡°Let me see it!¡±


    Seeing the serious expression on Su Qingqing¡¯s face, Huo Sining quickly opened her palm.


    Su Qingqing took the black object, smaller than a table tennis ball, in her hand and scraped at the black outer layer with her finger.


    After she saw white hard substance exposed underneath and took a closer sniff, still frowning, she then looked up at Huo Sining curiously, ¡°Although I can¡¯t be sure, I think I might guess what this is.¡±


    Huo Sining became curious, ¡°What is it?¡±


    Su Qingqing said deliberately, ¡°Ambergris.¡±


    Huo Sining had never heard the name before and was puzzled, ¡°What is ambergris?¡±


    Su Qingqing rolled her eyes subconsciously, ¡°Simply put, ambergris is a special substance secreted in the intestines of a sperm whale, which when vomited out or excreted, dries and hardens over time into the form of ambergris.¡±


    Huo Sining¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°You mean, this stuff, is that what, sperm whale poop?!¡±


    The room was still filled with that fishy stench, and Huo Sining felt sick; she had actually brought home thirty or forty pounds of whale feces and had foolishly treated it like a treasure!


    The more she thought about it, the more Huo Sining hated that no-good dolphin.


    She must have been played by that creature! Dammit, don¡¯t let me encounter you again; I¡¯ll hit you every time I see you!


    Seeing Huo Sining¡¯s frustrated look, Su Qingqing knew there was a misunderstanding and hurriedly explained, ¡°I haven¡¯t finished my explanation! Although ambergris does come from whale feces, it¡¯s actually a rare treasure.¡±


    ¡°A treasure?¡± Huo Sining looked at Su Qingqing in surprise.


    Su Qingqing nodded, ¡°From a medical perspective, ambergris has the effect of promoting circulation, dispersing energy, and relieving pain. Ambergris is also a top-quality fragrance; when fumigated, it gives off a unique fragrance that can invigorate the mind and boost the spirit.¡±


    ¡°In ancient times, ambergris was a tribute item only used by the royal nobles. In modern times, it¡¯s needless to say, with sperm whales becoming rarer, ambergris is simply invaluable. This piece I¡¯m holding, would be worth at least four or five thousand dollars!¡±


    ¡°How much?!¡± Huo Sining¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen ambergris before, but the professor once mentioned in a lecture that when it first enters the sea, it¡¯s light black, then slowly turns gray, and finally white.¡±


    Seeing Huo Sining¡¯s skepticism, Su Qingqing hurriedly explained,


    ¡°Generally speaking, white ambergris is of the highest quality. To become white ambergris, it needs to soak in seawater for at least a hundred years to bleach out all impurities.¡±


    ¡°I just checked, and the ambergris you have is white inside, which proves that the seawater has soaked out all the impurities. Such ambergris is top-quality, and the price will only be higher, not lower. Four or five thousand dollars is my conservative estimate,¡± Su Qingqing said uncertainly.


    Huo Sining was so shaken by Su Qingqing¡¯s words that she was at a loss for words.


    This table tennis ball-sized piece of ambergris was no more than fifty grams, but the problem was the big chunk of ambergris she had carried back weighed thirty or forty pounds!


    Doesn¡¯t that mean the piece of ambergris she brought back was worth over a million dollars?


    Thinking of the larger chunks of ambergris attached under that huge rock, Huo Sining felt both depressed and regretful.


    She finally understood what she had missed out on: there were at least a hundred or two hundred kilograms of ambergris under that rock, a treasure worth tens of millions!


    Su Qingqing, looking at the piece of ambergris in her hand, suddenly had an idea. Her eyes twinkled, and she raised her head and flashed a flattering smile at Huo Sining, ¡°Ningning, you wouldn¡¯t mind if I cut off a small piece, would you?¡±


    Huo Sining didn¡¯t know what Su Qingqing was up to and shook her head upon hearing her words.


    With a glint in her eyes and without another word, Su Qingqing took a small knife and carefully carved off a small piece from the side of the chunk of ambergris. Then, she found a lighter and cautiously lit it up.


    A rich and exotic fragrance instantly wafted through the air, overpowering the foul smell in the room in an instant.


    Although it was only a piece of fragrance material the size of a fingernail, the entire room was filled with its scent, and the long-lasting, elegant fragrance still lingered for a long time without dissipating.


    Upon smelling this aroma, Huo Sining felt invigorated.


    She immediately understood the meaning behind Su Qingqing¡¯s words. The exotic fragrance was indeed refreshing and stimulating, so rich and enticing, no wonder so many people were so eager for it.


    Seeing how much Su Qingqing loved the piece of ambergris, Huo Sining generously gave it to her.


    Initially, Su Qingqing hesitated and tried to refuse, but the next second, Huo Sining dragged over a huge bag and threw it in front of her.


    Looking at the large bag containing about thirty or forty pounds of massive chunks of ambergris, Su Qingqing was so stunned she was lost for words.Upd@te by novg0 .co


    Su Qingqing was somewhat speechless: ¡°You clearly don¡¯t understand anything, so why is it that you just randomly go to the sea and dig up such a huge treasure? It¡¯s so unfair that the heavens have given all the good luck to you.¡±


    ¡°I plan to sell this thing. Do you know where to sell it?¡± Huo Sining asked directly.


    ¡°Sell it?!¡± Su Qingqing became anxious upon hearing this, ¡°Do you know how precious this thing is? It¡¯s not just the Chinese who are crazy about ambergris, those French perfume companies also have a huge demand for it. The price of ambergris keeps rising, and if you collect it for a few years, its price will definitely multiply.¡±


    Collect? Huo Sining¡¯s mouth twitched slightly: ¡°This thing stinks, where do you think I could keep it? Besides, its smell is so distinct¡ªif someone knowledgeable were to sniff it out, wouldn¡¯t that be openly inviting thieves?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Confronted with the large stinky piece, Su Qingqing suddenly found herself at a loss for words.


    Although ambergris was precious, it indeed was of no use to Huo Sining.


    She had no need for something to refresh and stimulate her mind, as the Water-Repelling Pearl was much more useful than this; and as for collecting, she really didn¡¯t have a hobby of collecting such things.


    Moreover, Huo Sining was certain that the ambergris under that rock would definitely not be found by just anyone.


    If one day she really needed it, she could simply find a way to visit that small island again. There was so much ambergris under the rock, she could dig as much as she wanted¡ªwhy would she bother to meticulously collect it?


    Seeing that Huo Sining was insistent on selling, Su Qingqing couldn¡¯t do anything about it. After thinking for a bit, she said to Huo Sining:


    ¡°Ambergris is bought by pharmacies, perfume companies, and antique shops, but the prices offered by those places will definitely not be very high. Those French luxury companies also control the price of ambergris. If you just take it to sell it like that, you¡¯ll certainly be at a loss.¡±


    Of course, Huo Sining did not want to suffer a loss. Upon hearing Su Qingqing¡¯s words, she became anxious: ¡°Ah, what should I do then?¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s better to put it up for auction. Such a large piece of ambergris would definitely be of interest to an auction house. Moreover, nowadays, there are many wealthy people holding lots of idle capital with nowhere to invest, and the collection market is going crazy. If those people see such a highly valuable piece of ambergris, they¡¯d definitely be willing to pay a hefty sum to hold onto it and wait for its value to increase!¡±


    After listening to Su Qingqing¡¯s analysis, Huo Sining silently marveled that this girl was indeed from the Su Family.


    Although Su Qingqing was both clumsy and naive, she had still picked up quite a few traits of a cunning merchant from being around them. She may sound like a fool in everyday conversation, but when it came to business and making money, the moment she spoke, her analysis was on point and her suggestions were savvy.


    This time, Su Qingqing took the initiative and made the contact without Huo Sining having to say a word.


    Upon learning that Huo Sining had dug up another wonderful item, Su Jinyuan¡¯s lips twitched involuntarily, and he thought to himself: Does that girl have to be so lucky? Over thirty pounds of ambergris¡ªdo we even have that much nowadays? How can one just stumble upon it while strolling along the beach? Why haven¡¯t I ever encountered such good fortune when scouring the sea?

 Chapter 43 - Chapter 43: Chapter 41 The Man Wounded by a Gun

    Chapter 43: Chapter 41 The Man Wounded by a Gun


    Su Jinyuan was highly efficient in handling tasks, and agreed to Su Qingqing¡¯s request right away after receiving her call.


    That very afternoon, Huo Sining received accurate information about the auction house. A private auction was to be held in S City a week later. The organizer expressed great interest in her massive piece of ambergris, not only accepting her consignment for auction but also extending a cordial invitation for her to attend the event.


    This was the first time Huo Sining had received an invitation card to such an auction. According to Su Jinyuan, one needed a certain status to obtain such an invite.


    Huo Sining didn¡¯t have a strong sense of vanity; it was just that she had heard there would be many fine items at the auction, and she was thinking of going to broaden her horizons.


    Since the auction was still a week away, and the piece of ambergris was problematic to keep at Xianyu Shop, Huo Sining had no choice but to find a bank to store the massive piece in a safe deposit box.


    A few days later, Su Jinyuan came to visit Huo Sining again, this time to deliver money.


    It turned out that the three Great Eastern Pearls that Huo Sining had given him were sold at a high price¡ªtwo of them for a staggering four hundred thousand each.


    The one he kept, Su Jinyuan decided to turn into jewelry. According to him, the remaining Eastern Pearl would cover the three hundred thousand he had paid on behalf of Huo Sining. As for the eighty thousand obtained from the auction, he couldn¡¯t keep it for himself and had to give it to Huo Sining.


    Huo Sining hadn¡¯t expected the three pearls to be so valuable. Her original intention was to gift them to Su Jinyuan in exchange for the three hundred thousand he had fronted for her. Now that she heard them sold for such a high price, she couldn¡¯t say that her heart didn¡¯t ache.


    But a promise made must be kept, and Huo Sining was a person of principle. Since she had already said that they were a gift, there was no reason to ask for the money.


    ¡°I heard from Qingqing that you¡¯ve been learning to drive recently?¡± Seeing that Huo Sining refused to accept the money, Su Jinyuan had to let it go, and the conversation shifted to Huo Sining¡¯s driving lessons.


    Huo Sining nodded. In her past life, she had actually obtained a driver¡¯s license, but because she had never practiced driving a car, she was a road hazard whenever she hit the road.


    Having seen many accidents involving female drivers in her previous life, this time Huo Sining decided to buy a car and practice on the road as soon as she got her license. She was determined to take her driving lessons seriously and not be sloppy at all.


    ¡°Have you decided on a car yet? When are you thinking of getting one?¡± Su Jinyuan thought that since Huo Sining didn¡¯t want the money, he might as well gift her a car.


    Huo Sining felt a bit embarrassed: ¡°I haven¡¯t looked yet. I don¡¯t have my license, so there¡¯s no rush. Anyway, I don¡¯t know much about cars. I don¡¯t have high requirements, just need a reliable and suitable car for a woman to use for commuting.¡±


    That wasn¡¯t a high demand indeed, and Su Jinyuan nodded, taking Huo Sining¡¯s words to heart and reminding her, ¡°I¡¯ll send someone to pick you up on the day of the auction. We¡¯ll go together.¡±


    It looked like Donghua had also received an invitation. Huo Sining thought that by ¡°we,¡± Su Jinyuan meant that he and his sister would go with her, making it the three of them. She hadn¡¯t anticipated that it would end up being just the two of them.


    Since the auction was still five or six days away and Huo Sining wasn¡¯t sure if she would go, she didn¡¯t take much notice when Su Jinyuan mentioned it.


    If she was to run the fish shop, it was essential to understand the various aspects of the industry. Huo Sining was indeed a novice concerning aquatic products, so she had no choice but to find ways to educate herself.


    Always going to the internet caf¨¦ for information was troublesome, so she bought a laptop at the computer mall and had an internet line installed in the shop. Even during the dull moments of tending the store, she could look up relevant information and respond to customers¡¯ inquiries on the spot.


    Xianyu Shop gradually began to get on the right track. After some communication and networking with several neighbors, Huo Sining gradually integrated into the community and even learned quite a bit about the market trends.


    For instance, she gathered information on the prices and quality divisions of various fish species, where to source high-quality ornamental fish, where to purchase affordable fish feed in bulk, and occasionally, she got wind of some insider gossip. Life was peaceful and stable.


    That night, Huo Sining prepared to go out to restock her supplies.


    Having had the experience of a nocturnal trip to the East Sea, she had somehow overcome her fear of the ocean, and so she decided to try her luck at sea.


    Unfortunately, the weather was not on her side; just as she stepped out, a torrential downpour began.


    The night was filled with thunder and lightning, looking quite terrifying. Although the Water-Repelling Pearl could ward off water, Huo Sining was not sure if it could protect her from lightning strikes. Deciding to err on the side of caution, she chose to head back home.


    In the middle of the night with the storm raging, even the usually bustling Sleepless City of S City felt desolate, with not a single person on the streets.


    Huo Sining hurried back when suddenly, as she passed a corner in an alley, she heard a strange noise.


    She paused, ready to speed away, but at that moment, she heard a loud clang.


    In the darkness, there seemed to be a figure that had fallen in a corner, and Huo Sining faintly heard a painful moan.


    Huo Sining¡¯s heart tightened. She did not want to meddle, yet she felt a twinge of conscience.


    She looked around and saw no suspicious people or abnormal situations, after a mental struggle, she finally bit her lip and approached.


    Only when she neared the corner did she realize it was a pile of trash, with rotten garbage emitting a foul smell.


    A man was slumped against the wall beside the garbage, seemingly passed out.


    A drunk? A homeless person? Huo Sining stared blankly for a moment before bravely moving forward to try to awaken the man.


    To her surprise, upon pushing him, the man fell straight to the ground.


    In the light of the lightning, Huo Sining finally saw the man¡¯s face clearly and was taken aback.


    The man was none other than the stranger who had saved her in a previous life and whom she had just recently met in Donghua.


    Why was it him? How could this man be lying here?


    Huo Sining remembered clearly that she had once spent a night in this man¡¯s apartment, where he had called a family doctor for her.


    Considering the man¡¯s family background and his way of doing things, Huo Sining could tell he came from wealth, and she had recently seen him in Donghua with Su Jinyuan, apparently discussing business.


    But now, the man was lying next to a pile of trash, without any companions around.


    Huo Sining frowned and hesitated before squatting down to try to wake him, ¡°Sir, wake up. Sir¡ª¡±


    Seeing that he couldn¡¯t be awakened, Huo Sining reluctantly helped him up.


    But as soon as her hand touched the man¡¯s back, a warm liquid flowed out through her fingers, carrying a strong smell of blood.


    Blood!


    Huo Sining pulled back her hand and saw it was covered in fresh blood, the scent of which instantly filled her nostrils.


    She frantically took out her phone and examined the man¡¯s back with the dim light from the phone.


    Beneath his left shoulder, a tiny wound oozed dark red blood.


    It was a gunshot wound!


    Though she had never seen someone shot before, after watching so many melodramatic TV shows over the years, Huo Sining knew at a glance that the man had been wounded by some kind of sharp instrument.


    Huo Sining was stunned, her mind was in disarray and for a moment blank, she didn¡¯t know what to do.


    What should she do, call the police?


    But the man had a gunshot wound. Would the police getting involved also drag her into some incident? Would it bring trouble upon her?


    Huo Sining¡¯s heart clenched and she immediately dismissed the idea.


    She then considered taking him to the hospital, but seeing the man¡¯s pale, unconscious face made her hesitate again.


    Why had this man been shot, could it be a vendetta?


    If that were the case, his enemy might still be searching for him, wanting him dead. Wouldn¡¯t taking him to the hospital be like walking into a trap?

 Chapter 44 - Chapter 44: Chapter 42 Oh no, the secret has been discovered!

    Chapter 44: Chapter 42 Oh no, the secret has been discovered!


    Huo Sining dared not take this man home, but saving a life is more meritorious than building a seven-story stupa, she wasn¡¯t a hard-hearted person, and couldn¡¯t just stand by and watch someone die.


    Moreover, this man had saved her life in his previous life, she couldn¡¯t just ignore him.


    Huo Sining sighed, struggled internally for a while, and then decided to help, considering it repayment for the favor she owed from her past life.


    Her right hand covered the man¡¯s shoulder, and in an instant, spiritual energy filled her palm.


    In the night, a green luminescence shone, brightening the entire corner.


    Luckily, it was already midnight, and they were at the corner of an alley by a pile of trash, with a garbage bin next to them blocking the view, so Huo Sining wasn¡¯t worried about being discovered.


    The gunshot wound was just an inch away from the man¡¯s heart, and since she couldn¡¯t see the bullet, Huo Sining did not dare heal the wound immediately, but instead used her spiritual energy to slowly force the bullet out.


    While adept at manipulating spiritual energy, using it to extract a bullet from the body was a first for Huo Sining.


    Because the bullet was lodged in the rib, it took Huo Sining most of her spiritual energy and nearly half an hour to separate the bullet from the man¡¯s body.


    Once the bullet was out, things were easier. Huo Sining felt more confident and started infusing spiritual energy into the man¡¯s body as if it cost her nothing.


    Not until the wound began to grow new muscle from the inside out, slowly starting to heal and scab over, did Huo Sining¡¯s spiritual energy run out.


    Feeling weak at the knees, she collapsed to the ground unsteadily.


    The man hadn¡¯t woken up yet, which suggested he must have lost a lot of blood after being shot, leading to his unconsciousness.


    However, with spiritual energy within him, Huo Sining wasn¡¯t worried about any life-threatening danger; at most, his unconsciousness would last a bit longer, and she anticipated he would awaken before too long.


    ¡°An eye for an eye, we¡¯re even now!¡±


    Her face was pale as she managed a bitter smile, then climbed up from the rain and staggered back on the road home.


    However, what Huo Sining did not notice was that the very moment she turned to walk into the night, the man who had been unconscious on the ground suddenly opened his eyes.


    His eyes were like those of a panther, tightly fixed on her retreating back, conveying deep confusion and shock.


    After returning, Huo Sining caught a cold, the first since she had acquired the Water-Repelling Pearl.


    Thanks to the Water-Repelling Pearl, no matter how reckless Huo Sining had been previously, the spiritual energy in her body always erected barriers and eliminated any discomfort.


    But this time, probably because she had overused her spiritual energy, she stumbled home in the rain, climbed into bed, and fell into a deep sleep, only to wake up in the night with a low fever.


    The next day, she did not get up to open the door until customers coming to buy fresh live fish knocked on the shop door incessantly, and she woke up in a daze.


    She hadn¡¯t expected herself to be so wretched, which made Huo Sining feel a mix of laughter and tears.


    Fortunately, the cold came quickly and left just as fast. After a night, the spiritual energy gradually returned, and she combed through her body with it, causing the fever to instantly recede, leaving only her voice a bit hoarse.


    That morning, she quietly went to the alley again. There was no trace of the man by the pile of garbage, and even the bloodstains had been cleaned up.


    If it weren¡¯t for her hoarse voice, she would think that everything from last night had been an illusion.


    However, knowing that the man had left safely, Huo Sining finally felt relieved.


    The feeling of saving someone was quite good; although the cold made her uncomfortable, Huo Sining still found her mood pleasantly uplifted.


    It was as if she had shed the last burden from her past life, and everything in the world seemed beautiful. She didn¡¯t owe anyone anything and could now live freely and unconstrained.


    Huo Sining had clearly guessed wrong because she would soon realize that she had somehow encountered certain people again, and things were becoming increasingly tangled.


    ¡°Boss, this time you really were something else,¡± stumbling through a storm of bullets in the forest, and yet not a single one touched you, truly worthy of our boss, just incredible!¡±


    Yu Fei sat in the room, giving Gu Xu a thumbs up, his eyes full of admiration.


    ¡°Hmph, they were just a few small fry,¡± compared to the boss¡¯s sharpshooting skills? I heard they lost a heavy hitter last night, and they¡¯re searching all over the major hospitals for them, never guessing that our boss is standing here unharmed!¡± a cunning flash crossed Song Hui¡¯s eyes.


    But Gu Xu¡¯s face was expressionless; he just glanced coldly at the two men and dampened their spirits,


    ¡°Don¡¯t get too excited, this time we¡¯ve really scratched the tiger¡¯s butt ¨C totally pissed them off. Going back empty-handed, how are we going to explain to our superiors? Better think about how to lure those people away and secure the goods first.¡±


    Once Gu Xu spoke, Yu Fei and Song Hui instantly felt deflated.


    Gu Xu¡¯s face darkened as he stared out the window, but the image of an unfamiliar woman¡¯s face kept surfacing in his mind; closing his eyes, he seemed to feel the cool and soothing flow of energy swirling at his back.


    His mind couldn¡¯t differentiate between dream and reality; he had clearly been shot and had narrowly escaped his enemies, collapsing from exhaustion, and yet when he woke up, he found himself completely unharmed.


    This eerily illogical event had actually happened to him, and he simply couldn¡¯t explain it with scientific reasoning.


    Gu Xu held a bullet tightly in his hand, unable to stem the shock within him.


    He had picked up the bullet next to a pile of trash, and seeing it only intensified the doubts and suspicions in his heart like a surging wave.


    He couldn¡¯t help but think again of what the mysterious woman had said.


    ¡°An eye for an eye, now we¡¯re even.¡±


    What did this woman mean by these words? He didn¡¯t remember ever knowing such a person, so what was this talk of recompense?


    ¡°Boss, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Seeing that his team leader was actually standing by the window lost in thought, Yu Fei found it odd.


    Gu Xu didn¡¯t explain much, instead, after a moment, he said, ¡°I¡¯ve got something to deal with; you two keep watch over there, report back to me immediately if anything happens.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    As soon as Gu Xu left, Yu Fei nudged Song Hui¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Hey, hey, don¡¯t you feel like the boss is a bit off today? Seems kind of distracted, out of sorts.¡±


    Song Hui glanced at Yu Fei with annoyance, ¡°What are you trying to say?¡±


    Yu Fei smiled like a sly fox, ¡°What kind of business could the boss have in S, personal stuff? Could there be some kind of situation?¡±


    Song Hui was taken aback, but he quickly thought Yu Fei¡¯s comment was implausible.


    ¡°What are you babbling about? You have no idea what the boss and Yao¡­¡±


    Mid-sentence, Song Hui realized he might have said too much and hastily checked himself.


    ¡°The boss and who? Why do you start talking and then stop halfway, keeping people in suspense. The boss has someone?¡±


    Yu Fei got impatient ¨C gossip was his favorite pastime.


    Song Hui knew this young man¡¯s character all too well and, scared he would leave no stone unturned in his questioning, quickly changed the subject,


    ¡°Let¡¯s leave the past in the past, whatever you¡¯re suggesting is impossible. Just focus on doing our current job well.¡±

 Chapter 45 - Chapter 45: Chapter 43 Auction

    Chapter 45: Chapter 43 Auction


    The auction was fast approaching.


    On that morning, while Huo Sining was still lazing in bed, Secretary Lin¡¯s call came:


    ¡°Miss Huo, the car is already at the street corner. May I ask if you¡¯re up yet?¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡± Huo Sining was startled for a moment before she recognized the caller¡¯s voice and hurriedly climbed out of bed.


    After getting ready and washing up, she stepped outside and hung a sign on the store¡¯s door, announcing that it was closed for the day. Huo Sining then rushed to the alley entrance.


    Su Jinyuan was sitting in the car, holding a stack of documents and working. Seeing Huo Sining come out in a common tracksuit, he frowned slightly and signaled to Secretary Lin, ¡°Let¡¯s go to Nanjing Road first.¡±


    Secretary Lin understood what Su Jinyuan meant, and as soon as Huo Sining got into the car without any explanation, they turned towards Nanjing Road.


    Huo Sining was puzzled and glanced at Su Jinyuan, ¡°Why are we going to Nanjing Road? My stuff is in a bank nearby. Besides, isn¡¯t the auction starting at twelve noon? It¡¯s so early now.¡±


    Su Jinyuan said somewhat helplessly, ¡°We¡¯re going to get you changed into something more appropriate first.¡±


    Huo Sining looked at her clothes with some conflict, instinctively wanting to refute Su Jinyuan¡¯s words, ¡°The auction isn¡¯t about looking at outfits; it¡¯s about who bids more money, right? Moreover, my clothes aren¡¯t that shabby, are they?¡±


    She had been persuaded to buy these clothes during a shopping trip with Su Qingqing not long ago ¨C they were the most expensive ones in her wardrobe.


    Su Jinyuan smiled, ¡°It¡¯s very youthful and sunny, but not suitable for today¡¯s event. Do you think that at this auction you¡¯ll just sit and raise your paddle? Aren¡¯t you aware that this is a private auction, essentially a gathering of the elite? Unlike a regular auction, if you walked in dressed like that, are you sure you wouldn¡¯t be driven out?¡±


    Huo Sining was a bit stupefied, ¡°Really? Is it that serious?¡±


    Su Jinyuan laughed, ¡°I¡¯m not exaggerating at all. Dressed like this, they might think you¡¯re here to cause trouble. You don¡¯t need to be so anxious; youth is an asset, and you¡¯ll definitely look beautiful in a gown.¡±


    Huo Sining, who was rarely praised for her beauty, suddenly blushed and glanced awkwardly at Secretary Lin beside her. Then she noticed that it seemed there were only the three of them in the car, ¡°Where is Qingqing? Isn¡¯t she coming?¡±


    ¡°She was taken to Xi¡¯an by Professor Xie. An ancient tomb was discovered there, and the professor was sent to participate in the archaeological work, so she went along for the excitement.¡±


    Su Jinyuan explained, his eyes resting on the documents in his hands.


    Does that mean that only she and Su Jinyuan would be attending the auction?


    Huo Sining was somewhat dumbfounded.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Noticing Huo Sining¡¯s restlessness, Su Jinyuan asked curiously.


    ¡°No¡­ nothing.¡± Huo Sining quickly shook her head, but the thought of accompanying Su Jinyuan to the auction, especially to a gathering of influential people, made her feel quite embarrassed.


    Changing outfits was the easy part. Huo Sining, who was slender, found it easy to select an evening gown. She was quickly dressed in a new dress and shoes.


    As someone who had lived two lives, she knew how to dress herself well. After finding a suitable outfit, she casually put her hair up into a breezy, Korean-style bun in front of the store¡¯s mirror, leaving a couple of wisps dangling at the sides.


    Even without makeup, she looked fresh and pure, her lips naturally red and her teeth bright white. With just this simple arrangement, Huo Sining¡¯s entire aura changed.


    The two in the car didn¡¯t expect Huo Sining to be so quick, and although they hadn¡¯t seen Huo Sining¡¯s bun before, it indeed was fitting for her outfit.


    Secretary Lin, who had originally thought of Huo Sining as an unripe grape, was completely stunned the moment he laid eyes on her. His gaze sparkled with amazement and disbelief, and even Su Jinyuan couldn¡¯t help but turn his head towards Huo Sining.


    ¡°The air conditioning in the car is strong; don¡¯t catch a cold.¡±


    Su Jinyuan couldn¡¯t help the slight discomfort in his heart when he noticed Secretary Lin¡¯s gaze wandering over to Huo Sining from time to time. In a hurry, he took off his suit jacket and draped it over Huo Sining¡¯s bare shoulders, covering the sexy shoulders and collarbones.


    What a petty man!


    Thought Secretary Lin internally, cursing silently. Noticing a hint of displeasure in his boss¡¯s eyes, he quickly straightened his expression but couldn¡¯t help muttering to himself:


    He hadn¡¯t expected to misjudge this time. Despite her young age, Huo Sining dressed so strikingly. Just look at those shoulders, collarbones, and tiny waist¡ªit was evident she was a sexy little Lolita. No wonder the boss took a liking to her.


    If Su Jinyuan knew Secretary Lin was making up such stories about him, he would surely be infuriated, without a second word, kick him out of the car.


    After taking a detour around Nanjing Road and being delayed for over an hour, by the time Huo Sining arrived to collect the ambergris for the auction, it was almost starting.


    The coordinating staff on-site were anxious; upon seeing Huo Sining, they quickly greeted her: ¡°Miss Huo, you¡¯ve finally arrived. If you hadn¡¯t come soon, I would have had a hard time explaining to the boss.¡±


    Huo Sining refused to hand over the ambergris to the organizers for processing, insisting on bringing it herself on the day of the auction.


    The organizers had no choice but to accept Huo Sining¡¯s plan and thus sent a staff member to handle the handover.


    Seeing the huge chunk of ambergris in Huo Sining¡¯s box, the staff member¡¯s eyes immediately lit up.


    With Su Jinyuan present, Huo Sining wasn¡¯t worried that someone might swindle her. After handing over the item to the auction house, she went with Su Jinyuan toward the venue.


    Quite a few people had already arrived at the venue. Seeing Su Jinyuan enter, several of them looked over in his direction.


    ¡°Mr. Su, why are you arriving so late today? A few of us have been waiting for a long time. This won¡¯t do. Mr. Su, you have to punish yourself with three drinks!¡±


    The auction venue had prepared exquisite refreshments. One of the bosses, with a glass of red wine in hand, approached and spoke, his gaze shifting as if he just noticed Huo Sining hanging on to Su Jinyuan¡¯s arm:


    ¡°Yo, I was wondering why Mr. Su seems particularly spirited today, turns out he has a beautiful lady accompanying him. May I know who this miss is?¡±


    The boss¡¯s heart started to speculate when he saw Huo Sining¡¯s youthful face¡ªwhoever said that Donghua¡¯s Mr. Su shuns the pleasures of the flesh must be blind, right?


    Looking at how tender faced this young girl is she must still be underage. So, the Su Jinyuan who is rumored not to be interested in women actually prefers this type!


    Seeing Huo Sining blushing and lowering her head without speaking, Su Jinyuan was about to help her out of the situation when a few others greeted them: ¡°Mr. Su, Miss Huo, long time no see!¡±


    Hearing this, Huo Sining looked up and saw a familiar figure standing among the crowd, and she froze for a moment.


    Luckily, she was quick to react and soon hid her astonishment, pretending it didn¡¯t bother her at all.


    However, to Gu Xu, Huo Sining¡¯s attempt to feign indifference seemed painfully forced. He looked at Huo Sining deeply for a moment before quickly withdrawing his gaze.


    Su Jinyuan was somewhat surprised, ¡°Mr. Gu, President Song, you all are here too? Did you come from the capital?¡±


    Gu Xu smiled and shook his head, ¡°Mr. Su, you misunderstand. We got held up with some matters, so we¡¯ve been in S City all this time.¡±


    All this time? Su Jinyuan paused, puzzled. It had been at least a month since their last project negotiation¡ªwhat could keep them in S City for a whole month? Gu Xu was quite carefree, staying so long away from headquarters without fear of being sidelined?


    Song Hui¡¯s gaze swept over Huo Sining; he thought to himself that this young girl was quite clever.


    Song Hui originally thought that Su Jinyuan was just toying with Huo Sining, but he hadn¡¯t expected that she would be able to accompany Su Jinyuan to the auction. This private auction wasn¡¯t like any ordinary social banquet; the attendees were mostly acquaintances within the circle. By doing so, Su Jinyuan was indicating that the girl held a significant place in his heart.

 Chapter 46 - Chapter 46: Chapter 44: Idiots Gather Together

    Chapter 46: Chapter 44: Idiots Gather Together


    Su Jinyuan had entered the venue and started mingling among the various groups of people; Huo Sining, unable to handle such situations, sat down at a table and began to eat.


    Worried about being seen and causing embarrassment, she ate very carefully.


    Gu Xu saw the young girl sneaking food from a distance, his gaze heavy, his mind filled with a thousand thoughts.


    In the past few days, he had put a lot of effort into investigating this girl, but the more he looked at the investigation materials, the more puzzled he became.


    Coming from a single-parent family, her mother passed away early, and she was mistreated by her aunt. The girl¡¯s life could be described as extremely miserable before her college entrance exams.


    However, after the exams, she seemed to become a completely different person, her behavior and lifestyle underwent a radical change. She not only freed herself from the control of her uncle¡¯s problematic family and moved to the Magic Capital alone but also bought a shop and started an ornamental fish business.


    After finding out that 3.9 million of the 4 million she spent on the shop came from a Donghua Company account, Gu Xu initially thought, just like Song Hui, that the girl was Su Jinyuan¡¯s new pet. If they were lovers, it would be normal for Su Jinyuan to give her money to buy a shop.


    But soon he realized that conclusion was incorrect. Su Jinyuan¡¯s attitude towards Huo Sining did not resemble that of a lover, and not long ago, Su Jinyuan had even proposed to Mother Su that he wanted to take in a foster sister; evidently, that sister he wanted to take in was Huo Sining without a doubt.


    Having been in S City for less than two months, what kind of virtue or ability did this girl have that made Su Jinyuan treat her differently?


    This question plunged Gu Xu into deep thought, but it was strange that with his network of connections, he still couldn¡¯t figure out how exactly the girl had made her fortune.


    Whenever he thought of his inexplicably healed gunshot wound, Gu Xu found it hard to suppress the urge to investigate thoroughly.


    The girl was like a riddle, seemingly harboring a great secret that involuntarily made him want to get closer and explore.


    However, just thinking about how pale and exhausted the girl looked while trying to save him that night, the thin, haggard figure once again involuntarily softened his heart.


    Well, even if the girl did have some strange supernatural power, since she had managed to keep it hidden for so many years without detection, it proved she didn¡¯t want to flaunt it. Why should he bother to add to her troubles?


    Moreover, since she had kindly saved his life, he should not meddle in others¡¯ business.


    With this thought, Gu Xu sighed, and when he came back to his senses and looked up, he saw Huo Sining sneakily stuffing fruit cake into her mouth, her cheeks puffing up like a squirrel, eating while her eyes darted around, seemingly afraid of being discovered by others.


    Upon seeing this scene, Gu Xu couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit amused, not expecting the girl to have such an innocent and unrestrained side.


    Gu Xu was enjoying the view when someone just had to come and spoil the fun, seeking annoyance.


    Huo Sining was eating merrily when suddenly three women approached.


    She looked up, and lo and behold, all three were acquaintances.


    One was Ye Zixin, the white lotus who had stolen Su Qingqing¡¯s fianc¨¦ yet acted innocent; another was Zhou Mei, who had insisted she compensate for the shoes after being bumped into; and the last was Wu Linger, addicted to heavy makeup.


    The trio looked rather like sworn sisters, all scanning Huo Sining with the same disdainful gaze.


    Perhaps because Huo Sining¡¯s outfit was indeed prettier than the sportswear she wore before, plus with the care from the Spiritual Pearl, her temperament had changed drastically over the period, and she was very different from before, so despite all three having seen Huo Sining, none of them recognized the girl in front of them as the same unpolished girl from before.


    ¡°So you¡¯re the little mistress who came with Su Jinyuan today?¡±


    Miss Zhou Mei was dressed in a red gown, with diamond-studded jewelry adorning her ears, neck, and hands, even sporting a diamond brooch on her chest¡ªas if fearing others might not recognize her as a nouveau riche.


    She looked at Huo Sining, who was dressed in plain, unadorned clothes from head to toe, and couldn¡¯t help but snicker, ¡°You don¡¯t seem all that pretty, and Su Jinyuan hasn¡¯t even bothered to buy you a bit of jewelry. It seems you¡¯re not exactly favored.¡±


    Huo Sining laughed, ¡°My surname is Huo, not ¡®little mistress.¡¯ Miss, not everyone likes to flaunt their gold and jewels, pretending to be something they¡¯re not. I¡¯d appreciate it if you cleaned your own eyes and mouth before you judge others.¡±


    ¡°You!¡± Huo Sining¡¯s words were anything but polite, directly mocking her as shiny on the outside but worthless within. Zhou Mei was so furious she was about to say something when Ye Zixin grabbed her arm.


    ¡°The relationship you have with Mr. Su, his sister Su Qingqing probably doesn¡¯t know about it, does she?¡±


    Ye Zixin gazed at Huo Sining with wide, innocent eyes, presenting herself as gentle and demure.


    ¡°I¡¯m good friends with Qingqing, and she¡¯s not someone who tolerates any nonsense. What do you think she¡¯ll do to you if I reveal your relationship with Mr. Su to her? I¡¯d advise you to give up now; Su Jinyuan is not someone you can aspire to be with.¡±


    As she said this, Ye Zixin even winked at Huo Sining, as if she were genuinely considering Huo Sining¡¯s situation.


    Good friends?


    Huo Sining couldn¡¯t help but laugh when she heard this. Good friends who would seduce their best friend¡¯s fianc¨¦¡ªthis woman truly had no shame.


    Besides, on what basis did these women say these things? Even if she were indeed Su Jinyuan¡¯s mistress, it wasn¡¯t their place to interfere. These women sure liked to stick their noses into other people¡¯s business.


    ¡°Miss Ye, I believe it¡¯s not your place to interfere in my affairs. And, are you sure you and Qingqing are really good friends? Have you and Young Master Zhou Zhen set a wedding date yet? Having successfully stolen your best friend¡¯s fianc¨¦, what does the Zhou family think of this? Oh, I forgot, Miss Zhou is here too. As a member of Young Master Zhou¡¯s family, she should have more to say about this matter, right?¡± Huo Sining retorted.


    The woman knew about her affair with Su Qingqing!


    The smile on Ye Zixin¡¯s face disappeared instantly upon hearing this. She instinctively glanced at Zhou Mei, who, true to form, went from haughty to grim in the blink of an eye.


    Ever since Zhou Zhen discarded the engagement ring, he brought Ye Zixin back to the Zhou household and declared his intention to break off the engagement with Su Qingqing.


    Zhou Mei didn¡¯t think much of Ye Zixin. Compared to the Su family¡¯s wealth, the Ye family was leagues apart. Zhou Mei really couldn¡¯t understand why Zhou Zhen would dump the heiress of Donghua to choose someone like Ye Zixin, who didn¡¯t bring anything of value.


    Ye Zixin, fragile and not presentable, was someone Zhou Haimei certainly didn¡¯t think highly of. If it weren¡¯t for Zhou Zhen asking her to bring Ye Zixin out to see the world, she wouldn¡¯t have wanted to bring such an embarrassment in public.


    Seeing Huo Sining take down Zhou Mei and Ye Zixin with a few words, Wu Linger, who was sitting in the middle, couldn¡¯t sit still anymore. She gave Huo Sining a cold look and pulled out a stack of bank cashiers¡¯ checks from her bag, saying, ¡°I¡¯ll give you a million to leave S City immediately!¡±


    Wow, trying to settle things with a check? Isn¡¯t this kind of clich¨¦d scene only found in prime-time soap operas? And a million¡­ tsk tsk, how is that any different from shooing away a beggar?


    Huo Sining found it amusing; she had encountered some real characters, speaking and acting so bizarrely. It was truly beyond anything she had heard before.


    ¡°Miss Wu, love isn¡¯t something you can buy if you want to. By doing this, are you implying that in your heart, even your love for Su Jinyuan has a monetary value?¡±


    Seeing Wu Linger holding the check, trying to buy her off with money, the corners of Huo Sining¡¯s mouth couldn¡¯t help but curl into a sinister smile.


    ¡°I wonder, in Miss Linger¡¯s heart, exactly how much is your Brother Jinyuan worth?¡±

 Chapter 47 - Chapter 47: Chapter 45: Indirect Kiss

    Chapter 47: Chapter 45: Indirect Kiss


    ¡°Bitch, don¡¯t think you can refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit!¡±


    Seeing Huo Sining impervious to persuasion, and even setting traps for her, Wu Linger was instantly furious with embarrassment.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think just because you¡¯re cloaked in the name of love that you¡¯re in the right! You¡¯re just a whore. There¡¯s no need to be so secretive. I¡¯ll double whatever Su Jinyuan is paying to keep you, take the money and scram out of S City, or else I¡¯ll make sure you won¡¯t be able to walk away from this unscathed!¡±


    That made her angry? Huo Sining raised an eyebrow:


    ¡°Miss Wu, it seems you¡¯ve got something wrong. On what grounds are you speaking to me like this? You¡¯re neither a relative of the Su Family nor Su Jinyuan¡¯s official girlfriend. What right do you have to speak to me? Whether I stand by Su Jinyuan¡¯s side as a friend, a lover, or a family member, it doesn¡¯t concern you at all, understand? If you want to have a say over me, wait until you become Su Jinyuan¡¯s legitimate fianc¨¦e before you talk!¡±


    Unable to outtalk Huo Sining, Wu Linger suddenly stood up, her face turning an ashen shade as she stared at Huo Sining, and venomously said, ¡°You just wait!¡±


    With negative IQ, low combat abilities, and a quick temper, such an opponent is hardly worth considering.


    Huo Sining didn¡¯t feel the slightest bit intimidated by this kind of woman. She smiled and nodded, ¡°Miss Wu, please, as you wish.¡±


    Wu Linger was only trying to intimidate Huo Sining with her harsh words. The Wu Family¡¯s company depended on Donghua to survive. With Su Jinyuan backing Huo Sining, she didn¡¯t dare do anything to truly provoke this woman and incur Su Jinyuan¡¯s wrath.


    But seeing Huo Sining so calm and composed as if she had no fear, Wu Linger felt even more angry and resentful deep down, could only let out a cold snort and stormed off.


    Zhou Mei and Ye Zixin simply couldn¡¯t stand seeing Su Jin so charismatic and successful in the public eye, so they wanted to stir up some trouble for him. That¡¯s why they egged Wu Linger on to go after Huo Sining. If Huo Sining were to be chased away by Wu Linger or caused a scene and lost face at the event, there would be some good drama to watch.


    But they could never have imagined that Huo Sining would keep her cool so effectively, and that her tongue was even sharper than theirs, leaving Wu Linger extremely frustrated with just a few words.


    Now that Wu Linger, the pawn, had left, of course, they had no reason to linger either.


    With the three idiots finally gone, Huo Sining felt a sense of relief and her mood greatly improved. She involuntarily reached with her fork for the cake in front of her, not expecting someone else to come over and sit down across from her.


    ¡°Have we met somewhere before?¡±


    The moment he sat down, he spoke in a deep, haunting voice. Huo Sining, focused on her cake, was caught off guard by the voice and choked.


    ¡°Cough cough cough¡ª¡±


    The cake crumbs stuck in her throat, causing Huo Sining to cough uncontrollably.


    Instinctively looking for water to drink, the man kindly patted Huo Sining¡¯s back and handed her a glass of red wine.


    Without a second thought, Huo Sining grabbed it and drank.


    After finally swallowing the cake crumbs and catching her breath, she had the chance to look up and take in the man sitting in front of her.


    Different from the cold and solitary demeanor of his past, today he was dressed in a pale grey fine-checked shirt, sleeves rolled up casually, the simplicity not detracting from his elegance.


    He supported his chin with one hand, leaning back lazily in his chair as he watched her, and was unexpectedly sexy.


    For some reason, in that instant, Huo Sining vividly remembered that disheveled and embarrassing night.


    She recalled how, with her arms around the man¡¯s shoulders, she could feel his firm and strong arms, his hot masculine scent, and his slightly cool lips.


    Huo Sining¡¯s face flushed red, and she thought to herself, Could it really be the alcohol to blame? How could she suddenly recall such an embarrassing event?


    ¡°Sir, if you¡¯re trying to hit on someone, you should find a new excuse. That line is too clich¨¦,¡±


    Huo Sining feigned composure, lifted her head, and smiled at the man as if they were strangers meeting for the first time.


    The amusement in Gu Xu¡¯s eyes deepened, his gaze was deep like water, and he said with a meaningful tone,


    ¡°Is that so? Then perhaps I really did mistake you for someone else, Miss Huo bears a striking resemblance to an old acquaintance of mine.¡±


    As he said this, he picked up the glass Huo Sining had drunk from and brought it to his lips, and it was then that Huo Sining realized something was off about that wine glass, her eyes widening in shock.


    That glass¡­ the wine she¡¯d just drunk was actually from a glass that the man had used! She had unwittingly had an indirect kiss with a strange man!


    And yet, there he was, continuing to drink from the same spot on the glass where her lips had been, not feeling the least bit embarrassed or apologetic.


    Was this man flirting with her? Huo Sining¡¯s face turned beet red in an instant.


    How could this person seem nothing like the cold and heartless man she remembered? Could it be that she had mistaken him for someone else, that perhaps this guy had a twin brother who looked exactly like him?


    Huo Sining was conflicted inside, but the man, as if he hadn¡¯t seen, continued on his own,


    ¡°My name is Gu Xu, from the Imperial Capital. I came to S City a while ago to discuss a cooperation project. I was planning to return home after signing the contract, but got delayed due to an accident that caused an injury.¡±


    When Huo Sining heard Gu Xu mention the injury, she tensed up, her expression froze, and she awkwardly started poking the cake she held:


    ¡°Is that so? That¡¯s really unfortunate. I wonder, was Mr. Gu¡¯s injury serious, and have you recovered now?¡±


    ¡°Thanks to Miss Huo¡¯s good fortune, I¡¯ve already recovered,¡± Gu Xu slightly lifted his gaze, a deeper smile on his face.


    It was merely a polite phrase, but Huo Sining couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that Gu Xu¡¯s words had a hidden meaning, as though he knew she had been the one to save him.


    Huo Sining felt a chill in her heart and comforted herself in secret; it must not be what she was thinking. It was just her own guilty conscience being overly sensitive, an offhand remark that the listener found significant. After all, the man had clearly passed out from blood loss at that time; how could he possibly know it was her who saved him?


    ¡°Miss Huo came with Mr. Su of Donghua, if I may be so bold, may I ask what your relationship with Mr. Su is?¡±


    Gu Xu did not dare to press her too much, seeing Huo Sining looking as if on high alert like a Persian cat with its fur puffed up, he quickly changed the topic.


    Indeed, as soon as he spoke, the expression on Huo Sining¡¯s face relaxed, the wariness in her eyes dissipated, and she lifted her head with a mocking smile,


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear what those three people just said? Am I not Mr. Su¡¯s new favorite little ¡ª lover ¡ª right?¡±


    Huo Sining enunciated the words ¡°little lover¡± through gritted teeth. She hadn¡¯t planned on attending the auction in the first place; it was Su Jinyuan who had insisted on dragging her along, and yet here she was, being misunderstood in this way.


    She felt deeply wronged and wished she could rush up to the stage and shout: Are you all blind? How could a Diamond Bachelor like Su Jinyuan take a fancy to a plain Jane like me? Isn¡¯t this a high-society auction? Why aren¡¯t you folks focusing on the auction items or networking, and instead fixating on gossiping about others¡¯ private matters?


    ¡°Really?¡± Gu Xu looked at Huo Sining skeptically, his mouth twitched, ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡±


    Of course it didn¡¯t look like it, anyone with eyes could see that, right?


    Hearing Gu Xu¡¯s words, Huo Sining felt she had finally met a normal person; her displeasure smoothed over instantly. She laughed and asked curiously, ¡°Everyone else seems to think so, why don¡¯t you think it looks that way?¡±


    After she asked, Huo Sining regretted it so much she wished she could bite off her own tongue.


    Because the man arched an eyebrow, his lips curving slightly, he said lightly,


    ¡°Because I don¡¯t think Mr. Su¡¯s taste is that bad.¡±

 Chapter 48 - Chapter 48: Chapter 46: Find a Cover

    Chapter 48: Chapter 46: Find a Cover


    ¡°Damn that sharp-tongued man, do I look that ugly? To say he likes me because he has a strong taste, is he blind? If I had known it was like this, I should have never saved him and let Lord Yama take him away, so he could go and poison other people with his words!¡±


    Huo Sining, still filled with righteous indignation, couldn¡¯t help but turn around and glare angrily at Gu Xu on the other side of the venue.


    Su Jinyuan, sitting beside her, looked at Huo Sining with some bewilderment:


    ¡°What are you mumbling about by yourself? People couldn¡¯t find you earlier, where did you go?¡±


    ¡°Nothing, I was just over there eating,¡± Huo Sining replied, her mood sullen and huffing with irritation.


    Seeing this, Su Jinyuan immediately laughed: ¡°Most people come here to network with others in the circle, there aren¡¯t many who come to eat like you do, you really are an odd one out.¡±


    Being called an odd one out made Huo Sining even more upset.


    The term ¡®odd one out,¡¯ no matter how you hear it, doesn¡¯t sound like a compliment.


    Moreover, hearing Su Jinyuan call her an odd one out, Huo Sining couldn¡¯t help but think about being labeled by Gu Xu as having a strong taste, which immediately made her forehead burst with black lines and her face darken.


    Soon, the auction began, and as each exquisite item was presented, many people stepped forward to observe and appreciate it.


    Huo Sining didn¡¯t understand antiques, and though she would go on stage to see something interesting, most of the time she struggled to find enthusiasm.


    However, watching the businessmen raising their bid paddles and shouting out prices as if money was no object, Huo Sining watched with great interest, clicking her tongue in admiration.


    When it was nearly time for the final item, Huo Sining¡¯s piece of ambergris was brought onstage.


    As the large box was brought onto the display table and the workers opened it, the stench that emanated from the contents instantly permeated the entire venue.


    Many people covered their noses and frowned, asking, ¡°What is that awful smell?¡±


    Of course, those who had never encountered ambergris wouldn¡¯t understand, but those who knew what it was had their eyes light up instantly.


    A few even stood up eagerly from their seats, their eyes blazing as they stared at the box on the display table.


    Huo Sining felt a bit nervous too, as the owner of the ambergris, she naturally hoped that it would fetch the highest price possible.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, there won¡¯t be any problems, I checked in advance. Among the people attending this banquet, three are the general agents in China for luxury brands from France, I can¡¯t promise about the others, but these three companies compete in the perfume industry, and seeing such high-quality ambergris, they certainly won¡¯t pass it up. As long as they bid against each other, your item won¡¯t have trouble fetching a good price,¡± Su Jinyuan assured her as he saw Huo Sining getting anxious.


    Huo Sining was somewhat surprised, she had originally thought that this private auction dealt mainly with antiques and jewelry, and she had been a bit worried that her ambergris might not sell. Now, hearing Su Jinyuan¡¯s words, she understood instantly.


    No wonder Su Jinyuan agreed to the organizer¡¯s request to bring the ambergris; he was targeting those three luxury brands.


    Ambergris is indeed a prime material for scent products, a key ingredient for making precious fragrances.


    The substance is not only popular domestically, but also greatly adored by the upper class in the West.


    Some major world cosmetics companies use ambergris in their perfumes as a fixative or blending agent, with their high-end products being sought after globally.


    However, in recent years, as the number of sperm whales has drastically decreased, the annual trade volume of ambergris is less than a hundred kilograms.


    Thus, the large luxury brands of France have a massive demand for ambergris, causing the price to surge sharply.


    As Su Qingqing had said, if Huo Sining could stockpile that ambergris, the price might increase several times over in ten years.


    Su Jinyuan¡¯s business acumen and foresight were, of course, far beyond what a small fry like Huo Sining could compare with. Fearful that the representatives of the three luxury brands might collude privately to deliberately suppress the price, Su Jinyuan hadn¡¯t let the auction house disclose anything about the ambergris beforehand.


    That was also why he agreed to let Huo Sining take out the ambergris from the bank on the day the auction started.


    Not just that, he had Secretary Lin invite a private collector to the auction in advance to act as a shill bidder.


    If those three tried to intentionally push down the price of the ambergris, the collector would bid up. These people would definitely not be content to watch such fine ambergris fall into someone else¡¯s hands.


    The luxury brand companies were competitors, with conflicts of interest; if one of them faltered in their unity, their alliance could be shattered in an instant.


    In fact, Su Jinyuan¡¯s considerations were not unfounded; upon seeing such a massive piece of ambergris, the three agents stood up simultaneously.


    After examining the quality of the ambergris on stage, all three representatives showed expressions of surprise and shock on their faces.


    Soon, the trio gathered quietly to discuss, and after about half a minute, they reached an agreement, each wearing a smug expression of assured victory.


    After the auctioneer announced a starting bid of two million, the three started bidding very low, raising the price by increments of thirty to fifty thousand, seemingly in no hurry.


    There weren¡¯t many in the audience who understood the value of ambergris. A few collectors were indeed interested in it, but the piece was so large that the starting bid of two million deterred many. After a few bids, they fell silent.


    Seeing this, the three agents were secretly delighted. One of them quietly gestured to his companions, preparing to make a final bid and secure the deal.


    Unfortunately, it seemed their plans were about to be thwarted. Before they could open their mouths, a voice suddenly emerged from another corner of the room.


    ¡°Three million five hundred thousand!¡± an elderly man raised his paddle, startling everyone with his bid.


    ¡°Three million five hundred thousand? Is ambergris really that valuable?¡±


    The room was abuzz; some began questioning their neighbors, unable to contain their curiosity.


    Others might not understand the value of ambergris, but Su Jinyuan, who had been following news about ambergris, couldn¡¯t help but laugh as he explained:


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about its worth, but I saw in the news a few days ago that a man in Australia found a 14-kilogram chunk of ambergris by the beach, reportedly sold for a sky-high three hundred thousand British Pounds.¡±


    ¡°Three hundred thousand British Pounds? The piece up there weighs thirty-seven pounds, larger than the 14-kilogram one¡ªwouldn¡¯t it be even more expensive?¡± The person sitting beside him was astonished.


    The three agents were caught off guard. If the ambergris was priced on the market by the gram, it would only be around four million.


    But such a gigantic piece of high-quality ambergris, if acquired, could bring profits of over a hundred million to their companies.


    With such a deal at stake, they had no reason to simply hand it over to someone else. The three representatives clenched their teeth and raised the bid again: ¡°Three million eight hundred thousand.¡±


    They assumed that as long as the price wasn¡¯t far off from the market value, the elderly man would stop bidding. Unexpectedly, he raised his paddle again, smiling as he explained while raising his bid:


    ¡°Four million five hundred thousand! Even if I incur a loss now, what does it matter? Such a fine item will double in value after a few years of collecting, much faster than earning interest at the bank!¡±


    Indeed, that was the reality; but with four hundred fifty thousand, one could invest in other things¡ªwhy hoard a useless chunk of rock and dryly wait for several years?


    Moreover, not many seated there were willing to spend four to five million on a stinky stone.


    With the price surpassing the market value by five hundred thousand, one of the agents began backing out, waving off and indicating he was no longer interested.


    Another hesitated, but one looked unwillingly at the massive piece on the stage, gritting his teeth as he raised the bid: ¡°Five million!¡±

 Chapter 49 - Chapter 49: Chapter 47 Soldier King

    Chapter 49: Chapter 47 Soldier King


    The elderly man, upon hearing the agent¡¯s bid of five million, looked in Su Jinyuan¡¯s direction.


    Su Jinyuan nodded imperceptibly, and the elderly man, with a smile in his eyes, said, ¡°A gentleman helps others to achieve their ends. I will let this piece of ambergris go to the young friend.¡±


    The auctioneer¡¯s hammer came down decisively, and ultimately, the piece of ambergris was sold for five million.


    The agent swallowed the loss in silence; though he acquired the piece of ambergris, his expression was sour.


    The other two agents beside him also wore faces of unwillingness mixed with vexation and anger.


    That old man, by driving up the auction price without competing to the end, even a fool could tell what had happened.


    Huo Sining hadn¡¯t quite understood at first and sat thinking in her seat for a while before she sensed something was amiss.


    She looked at Su Jinyuan in surprise, lowered her head, and asked quietly, ¡°Was that elderly gentleman a plant you brought in?¡±


    Su Jinyuan nodded coolly, and Huo Sining¡¯s eyes widened immediately, looking at him with disapproval, ¡°Isn¡¯t that just setting a trap to deceive people?¡±


    A trace of amusement flickered in Su Jinyuan¡¯s eyes, ¡°Those three started by underbidding. If they had not done so and had bid honestly, the person I arranged wouldn¡¯t have been necessary. In business, it¡¯s all about outsmarting one another. It¡¯s not a matter of deceiving or not deceiving people.¡±


    Huo Sining was stunned for a moment, then upon reflection, it seemed quite reasonable. If not for Su Jinyuan¡¯s plant, she might have been taken advantage of.


    She couldn¡¯t help but give Su Jinyuan a silent thumbs-up.


    As soon as the auction ended, the piece of ambergris was taken away by the buyer, and the organizers took a ten percent commission. Huo Sining instantly made back four and a half million.


    Huo Sining, who had almost emptied her pockets to buy the shop, suddenly felt like she was wealthy again, speaking more boldly, and decided to let bygones be bygones regarding the grudge she felt for being misunderstood because she accompanied Su Jinyuan to the auction.


    After all, she was innocent and had nothing to fear from slander. Let the gossipers say what they will.


    In this period, Huo Sining registered a new Penguin account and got back in touch with her high school classmates.


    Although seven years had passed and most of those classmates weren¡¯t very close to her, occasionally, she would read a bunch of them chatting in the Penguin group, and Huo Sining would chime in now and then, which indeed brought back the warm feeling from when she graduated high school.


    After high school graduation, the students felt more liberated. Those who got into university naturally looked forward to their beautiful days in college, while those who didn¡¯t get in started looking for jobs in different directions.


    Huo Sining thought back to the dark times following her own high school graduation when she failed the college entrance exam, feeling indescribable melancholy. In half a month, the new semester would start, and her dream of university, both in her previous and current life, was finally coming true.


    At this thought, she inevitably remembered Wu Jingyi. The classmates mentioned in the group that she had received her admission notice from Imperial Capital Medical University.


    Huo Sining¡¯s lips curled into a cold smile. Indeed, without the Jade Pendant, the Liang Family had not appeared, and Wu Jingyi had not been taken back by the Liang Family to become a young lady of wealth.


    It was said that after moving out of the orphanage, Wu Jingyi went to the Capital City alone. Huo Sining felt curious how, in two months, Wu Jingyi could gather nearly ten thousand yuan for her university tuition.


    Wu Jingyi was just history, although she was the main culprit leading to Huo Sining¡¯s death in her past life; but since it hadn¡¯t happened yet in this life, Huo Sining just let it go after a thought.


    In this life, Wu Jingyi was unlikely to be so fortunate again. Without the easy life of affluence at her fingertips, as long as she didn¡¯t foolishly provoke Huo Sining again, Huo Sining was willing to let her off.


    As the school year was about to start, the following month would be spent in military training for new students, but Xianyu Shop couldn¡¯t be closed for a month.


    Huo Sining thought for a moment and decided to hire someone to help her with the shop, so she could relax a little. Otherwise, once university classes started, she wouldn¡¯t be able to manage at all. Keeping the shop closed all the time would mean the end of business.


    However, recruiting someone wasn¡¯t a quick and easy task. Huo Sining posted a job advertisement at the shop¡¯s entrance and online, but for several days, no one showed interest. Just when she was about to give up, a resume appeared in her inbox.


    After reviewing the resume, Huo Sining couldn¡¯t help but become interested in this man named Wu Jun.


    This person¡¯s resume had an address on it. Thinking it over, since she had time in the evenings, she decided to drop by for a visit.


    Huo Sining had high standards for choosing personnel; she wanted someone who could not only watch the shop but could also drive, and this person had to be highly loyal and trustworthy. Not just anyone would fit her criteria.


    But this resume fit Huo Sining¡¯s specifications very well. The job applicant, named Wu Jun, came from the military and had even been a lieutenant officer in the special forces.


    Such a person could be said to have unlimited prospects as long as he didn¡¯t make any mistakes.


    However, nobody expected that two years earlier, during a border mission, Wu Jun had impulsively killed a drug trafficking gang after witnessing his teammates being tortured to death.


    Because of this, Wu Jun was brought before a military court. Although he was released in court, he was stripped of his military rank and forcibly discharged.


    Huo Sining liked soldiers of strong character, and since soldiers had the concept of obedience instilled deep in their bones, they were highly disciplined and loyal. However, from this resume, Huo Sining sensed that Wu Jun was hot-tempered and might be hard to manage, so she wanted to see him in person.


    The resume showed that after leaving the military, he didn¡¯t get reassigned to another field. He briefly worked as a security guard at a company, and eventually, he was forced to work as a dock laborer for loading and unloading.


    Huo Sining thought to herself, a lieutenant willing to belittle himself to do such hard labor must be driven to desperation. As long as he wasn¡¯t a violent maniac, what harm would there be in giving him a hand?


    Arriving at the docks, Huo Sining spotted several laborers unloading goods from a distance. It didn¡¯t take her long to recognize the man in a worn blue vest as Wu Jun from the resume.


    Though he appeared much younger in his photo, his stubborn demeanor hadn¡¯t changed a bit.


    Wu Jun was carrying a large box onto a truck, and Huo Sining instantly noticed the scars on one of his shoulders.


    The numerous bullet and knife scars were enough to testify to the hardships this man had endured in the military. Seeing the calluses and bloodstains pressed out on his neck and shoulders by the cargo, Huo Sining felt an involuntary respect for the man.


    In times of war, such a person would have been considered a Soldier King and might have even had the chance to become a marshal or a general. But in peaceful times, he was taken to a military court.


    On the battlefield, he was an eagle, but now, with his wings clipped, he was reduced to living humbly at the docks doing manual labor.


    After watching a few more moments, Huo Sining walked towards the temporary housing for workers behind the docks. It wasn¡¯t long before she saw a woman in her fifties squatting and washing clothes at a tap.


    Approaching with a smile, Huo Sining asked, ¡°Auntie, may I ask you about someone? Do you know a person named Wu Jun? He¡¯s about 1.8 meters tall and looks to be in his mid-twenties to late twenties.¡±


    The woman looked up at Huo Sining with caution. Probably because Huo Sining was young and didn¡¯t appear to be a bad person, the woman¡¯s expression softened,


    ¡°You¡¯re talking about that simpleton from the Wu family, right? He¡¯s unloading cargo at the dock in front, and that young fellow lives next door to me. Usually, he¡¯s so focused on working, he hardly speaks, but he has a kind heart and is the hardest worker here. There are forty to fifty of us dockworkers around here, and everyone calls him simpleton.¡±


    Huo Sining smiled upon hearing this, ¡°Does he live here by himself?¡±


    The woman shook her head, ¡°He lives with his younger sister. The girl is just about ten years old, just started junior high school. She should be out of school by now. If you¡¯re looking for him, just walk straight in there; the last room in that row of houses is theirs.¡±


    As she spoke, the woman straightened her back and pointed toward the long row of temporary houses behind her.

 Chapter 50 - Chapter 50: Chapter 48: Monthly Salary of Five Thousand

    Chapter 50: Chapter 48: Monthly Salary of Five Thousand


    After finding out Wu Jun¡¯s address, Huo Sining headed towards the boarding house.


    When she reached the last room, she saw through the cracks of the window faint light inside, where a little girl was picking vegetables.


    The board room spanned less than twenty square meters, with a bunk bed on the left side and a kitchen and dining area on the right.


    Near the dining table on the ground was a small coal stove, on top of which a pressure cooker was hissing with steam, and faintly, the aroma of rice could be smelled.


    As Huo Sining was surveying the inside of the room, the door suddenly creaked open from the inside, and a figure stepped out. Seeing Huo Sining standing outside, the person was momentarily stunned.


    The little girl was severely underdeveloped physically. The aunt had said that the girl was in junior high, but Huo Sining noticed that the girl was less than one meter forty in height.


    The girl¡¯s frail frame and her yellowish hair, along with the pale sickness on her face, were noticeable, but her large eyes were very bright and full of spiritual energy.


    It was then that Huo Sining noticed the vegetable basket in the girl¡¯s hand, obviously intending to go wash vegetables at the tap outside the door of the boarding house.


    Probably because Huo Sining had been staring at her, a look of confusion flashed in the girl¡¯s eyes, then curious, she looked at her and asked, ¡°Sister, who are you looking for?¡±


    Huo Sining¡¯s face showed a gentle smile, ¡°Hello, is this Wu Jun¡¯s residence?¡±


    The girl nodded her head, ¡°Are you looking for my brother? He¡¯s down at the docks unloading goods; he won¡¯t be off work until seven-thirty. Please come in and have a seat.¡±


    With that, the knowledgeable young girl led Huo Sining into the room, then went to the dining table, picked up the old kettle, and poured Huo Sining a cup of boiled water.


    ¡°Are you my brother¡¯s friend? But I don¡¯t recall ever seeing you before?¡± she asked curiously.


    Huo Sining took the cup of water and smiled, ¡°No, I received your brother¡¯s job resume and followed the address he left to find my way here.¡±


    ¡°Job resume? Sister, are you in charge of hiring for a company?¡± the girl inquired.


    Huo Sining shook her head, ¡°I own a store, and I happen to need a clerk to help me mind it.¡±


    Upon hearing that Huo Sining was a business owner, the girl immediately became somewhat reserved. She glanced hesitantly at Huo Sining and said, ¡°Shall I go call my brother back? Sister, you can wait here for a bit.¡±


    Huo Sining quickly grabbed hold of the girl, who was about to dash out the door, and smiled, ¡°No need to rush, seven-thirty will come soon enough. Didn¡¯t you just get out of school? You haven¡¯t done your homework yet, have you? Don¡¯t mind me, carry on with your tasks.¡±


    Upon hearing this, the girl sat down obediently, yet with her mind so obviously elsewhere, she held her pen and stared blankly at her textbook, occasionally lifting her head to steal glances at Huo Sining.


    Looking around at the room, a mix of emotions welled up in Huo Sining, who couldn¡¯t help but ask the girl, ¡°Why are you living here with your brother? What about your parents? I remember you¡¯re from Yun Province, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Yaya nodded, but her eyes were filled with sorrow, ¡°My brother used to be a narcotic officer and made enemies with a lot of bad people. My parents were harmed by someone. Fearing that I would get caught up in his troubles, my brother sent me to our uncle¡¯s house, but my aunt was mean to me, always making me work and even refusing me food. Having no other choice, my brother took me away and brought me here to S City.¡±


    Both parents harmed and killed? Huo Sining was shocked inside; it seemed the information in that resume hadn¡¯t been detailed enough.


    Seeing the malnourished appearance of the little girl, a sudden pang of sadness hit Huo Sining. The girl¡¯s experiences were so similar to her own past¡ªa parentless child mistreated by relatives, an almost exact reflection of herself.


    The only difference, perhaps, was that this girl at least had a brother who truly loved her, while she had been completely alone and without support.


    Talking and talking, the little girl suddenly lifted her head, her eyes brimming with expectation as she looked at Huo Sining:


    ¡°Sister, aren¡¯t you looking to hire a shop assistant? Why don¡¯t you hire my brother? My brother is really capable, he can do anything, especially fight. No one would dare cause trouble for you with him around. And after school, Yaya can also help you with work. I can cook and wash clothes, I can do housework, as long as you hire my brother, Yaya doesn¡¯t need a salary!¡±


    Huo Sining sighed and asked, ¡°Yaya, why do you insist on me hiring your brother? How do you know the job I offer him will definitely be better than this one?¡±


    The girl¡¯s voice choked up a little: ¡°Because my brother¡¯s job is just too hard, working day and night and it¡¯s very dangerous. Brother was injured while he was in the army, and now he does hard labor every day. There have been several times I¡¯ve heard him tossing and turning in bed because of his old injury, but he¡¯s afraid of waking Yaya, so he bears it without making a sound. I know at first glance that you, sister, are a good person. Since you¡¯re willing to come here personally, you must see value in my brother¡¯s abilities. Sister, please hire my brother!¡±


    Huo Sining¡¯s heart was moved by the little girl¡¯s almost pleading look.


    No matter what kind of person Wu Jun was, she had decided to hire him, because she simply couldn¡¯t bear to let this little girl suffer as she had in her past life.


    As they were talking, footsteps sounded outside the door, and a sweat-drenched Wu Jun, with a dark towel in his hand wiping the sweat from his neck, pushed open the door and came in.


    Seeing Huo Sining seated inside, he stopped in his tracks and turned his head to ask his sister: ¡°Yaya, is this your friend?¡±


    This was Huo Sining¡¯s first time clearly seeing Wu Jun¡¯s face, and it was completely different from what she had imagined.


    Although Wu Jun¡¯s skin was darkened from the sun, his facial features were actually quite delicate, and he looked somewhat youthful, almost like a babyface.


    His voice was soft, and after he spoke, he pursed his lips, seeming a bit shy, just like a timid student fresh into society.


    This image was completely at odds with the rugged, burly man Huo Sining had pictured in her mind, yet it was this kind of person who had supposedly killed several drug dealers, ending five lives with his own hands.


    However, Huo Sining noticed that although Wu Jun¡¯s eyes were looking at her, there wasn¡¯t a hint of emotion in them, hollow and void, as if she were air.


    When Wu Jun¡¯s sister saw her brother come back, she quickly lifted her head, stood up joyfully, and went to meet him: ¡°Brother, you¡¯re finally back! This sister came to see you.¡±


    ¡°To see me?¡± Wu Jun looked at Huo Sining with surprise, ¡°May I ask who you are?¡±


    Huo Sining stood up and explained, ¡°Wu Jun, right? Hello, I¡¯m Huo Sining. I received your job application today, so I wanted to come and talk to you.¡±


    ¡°Job application?¡± Confusion flashed in Wu Jun¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t it you who sent the resume? Your name is Wu Jun, a former soldier, that should be correct?¡± Huo Sining quickly confirmed, seeing the bewildered look on his face.


    ¡°Oh, you mean the job application? Yes, yes, I almost forgot,¡± Wu Jun said with a blush, slightly embarrassed as he lowered his head.


    He had just remembered that two days ago, his commander had come looking for him, asking for some personal information to make a resume, saying he wanted to find him a job.


    Wu Jun hadn¡¯t taken it to heart at the time, and hadn¡¯t expected someone to contact him so soon.


    ¡°It¡¯s like this, I need someone to help me manage my store, and if possible, to also act as truck driver. I¡¯ve seen your resume, and you have a driver¡¯s license, which fits my recruitment needs perfectly.¡±


    Huo Sining smiled, ¡°A monthly salary of five thousand. If you are willing, we can sign the contract right now. My requirements aren¡¯t high, I only need your absolute loyalty and confidentiality.¡±

 Chapter 51 - Chapter 51: Chapter 49: Trustworthy

    Chapter 51: Chapter 49: Trustworthy


    ¡°Five thousand?¡±


    Wu Jun and Yaya both widened their eyes, but in just a moment, Wu Jun¡¯s surprised expression returned to normal.


    He furrowed his brows and hesitated, ¡°Boss Huo, this¡­¡±


    ¡°What, do you think the salary is too low?¡±


    Seeing that Wu Jun did not accept immediately, Huo Sining¡¯s gaze turned cold. She thought Wu Jun¡¯s hesitation was due to disdain for a low salary, and she was instantly displeased.


    The salary she offered was based on the market standard, and five thousand a month was definitely not low in S City.


    Moreover, the work she required from Wu Jun was not much; it should be considered quite a leisurely job.


    ¡°No, no, Boss Huo, you¡¯ve misunderstood,¡±


    Seeing that Huo Sining had misunderstood him, Wu Jun became anxious, waving his hands as he looked at her with an embarrassed flush, ¡°Boss Huo, the salary you¡¯re offering is very generous. It¡¯s just that I¡¯m not quite clear about my job scope, this¡­¡±


    Huo Sining instantly understood Wu Jun¡¯s concern. With such a high salary, and considering that she mentioned needing his absolute loyalty and confidentiality, Wu Jun began to suspect that Huo Sining might ask him to do something unscrupulous, which was why he hesitated.


    Realizing this, Huo Sining immediately laughed, her eyes looking at Wu Jun with admiration and appreciation, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I run a legitimate business and won¡¯t make you do anything illegal.¡±


    A man who once commanded great respect, who, even in times of poverty and adversity, could maintain his composure in the face of sudden temptation, not being blinded by money, and steadfastly adhering to his own bottom line and principles, is enough to prove the man¡¯s quality and moral integrity.


    In the two years since Wu Jun was discharged, he must have gone through many untold hardships. Yet he preferred to live in a room less than twenty square meters, enduring a life of poverty with his sister rather than betray his conscience.


    Such a person is stubborn and principled, but once he makes a choice, he will never betray it.


    Although Huo Sining had only communicated with Wu Jun for a few minutes, based on this alone, she had already decided that Wu Jun was worthy of her trust.


    Yet Wu Jun still did not believe Huo Sining¡¯s words. His eyes, which were originally hollow, now shone like razors unsheathed, tightly fixed on Huo Sining as if attempting to see through her eyes whether she was lying.


    Huo Sining, feeling helpless, continued to explain, ¡°I¡¯ve opened a fish shop at Chenghuang Temple mainly dealing with ornamental fish and wild seafood. Since I often hire people to retrieve seafood from Yellow River and the seaside, I need a driver on call. Additionally, I have just been accepted by S University and I will have to report there soon, so I need someone to help me mind the store. Your job will be to stay at the shop and also double as a delivery driver. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can go to Chenghuang Temple and ask around. My shop is called Xianyu Shop, a new store that just opened a month ago.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Wu Jun realized he had misunderstood Huo Sining and his face immediately flushed with embarrassment as he awkwardly looked at Huo Sining, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Boss Huo, I just¡­¡±


    Although Wu Jun¡¯s explanation trailed off, Huo Sining understood the bitterness in his awkward smile.


    She knew that this man had simply suffered too much to believe that good fortune could literally fall from the sky and land on him.


    With a smile, Huo Sining pointed to Yaya and said, ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about your sister either. Upstairs above Xianyu Shop is my place, which has two bedrooms. After you and Yaya move in, the secondary bedroom will be yours, and there¡¯s a small attic above the stairs that¡¯s currently a storeroom. It will be cleared out for Yaya to live in, so you won¡¯t have to worry about accommodation for Yaya. If you do well, I will cover Yaya¡¯s school fees in the future.¡±


    ¡°How can that be right, Boss Huo? The salary you¡¯ve given me is already more than enough, you don¡¯t need to concern yourself with Yaya¡¯s matters.¡±


    Hearing that Huo Sining was even willing to pay for his sister¡¯s school fees, Wu Jun immediately felt it was inappropriate and hastily waved his hand to decline:


    ¡°The conditions you¡¯re offering leave me no grounds to refuse. I won¡¯t bother with polite formalities then,¡± he said, taking the employment contract from Huo Sining¡¯s hand and without another word, signed his name before looking up at Huo Sining:


    ¡°Miss Huo, from now on Wu Jun is at your service!¡±


    Handing over her business card, Huo Sining smiled and said, ¡°This is the address of my shop, it has my contact number on it. Come directly to the shop to find me tomorrow. We have a driver for the delivery truck now, but I still need a truck. Let¡¯s go have a look at the car dealership tomorrow.¡±


    Long after Huo Sining had left, Wu Jun still stood at the door, holding the business card, lost in thought and finding it hard to snap back to reality.


    Sitting on the stool, Yaya also felt like she was dreaming. She asked uncertainly, ¡°Brother, was what that sister just said true?¡±


    Wu Jun turned around and saw the little girl looking at him with hopeful eyes. His throat tightened, and he didn¡¯t know why, but he felt an urge to cry.


    He walked up to her and fondly ruffled her hair, speaking softly, ¡°It¡¯s true, Miss Huo is a good person. She wants brother to start working tomorrow, and then Yaya can also have a better life with brother.¡±


    Wu Jun asked himself, he was no saint, but he would definitely not go against his own will to do evil.


    A couple of years ago, when he had just been discharged from the military, people had come to him with job offers, but he rejected them all because the nature of the work was unacceptable.


    In the years since, no matter how difficult life had been, he had always held fast to his bottom line: never to do anything illegal or against the law.


    Now, having the opportunity to improve his and his sister¡¯s life without compromising his principles, he saw no reason to refuse.


    Looking at the dilapidated shack, then at the business card in his hand, for some reason, the frustration that had been festering in Wu Jun¡¯s heart for many years seemed to ease significantly.


    He couldn¡¯t help straightening up and stretching lazily, a look of relief on his face:


    ¡°Yaya, brother will go buy some good wine and food, and we¡¯ll celebrate properly. Tonight, we¡¯ll pack our bags, and once you¡¯re out of school tomorrow, I will take you to move!¡±


    ¡°Really?!¡± A smile of long-missed joy spread across Yaya¡¯s face, reaching all the way to the bottom of her heart.


    Wu Jun knew she was truly happy. Since arriving in S City, this was the first time he saw such a pure smile on his sister¡¯s face, free from bitterness, entanglement, or sadness.


    Stepping out of the house, Wu Jun immediately called his captain, his voice noticeably excited:


    ¡°Captain, a Miss Huo came to see me just now and offered me a job with room and board, with a salary of five thousand a month.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± the person on the other end didn¡¯t seem surprised at all and merely responded with a faint acknowledgment to Wu Jun¡¯s words.


    Wu Jun, filled with gratitude, said, ¡°Captain, thank you. If it wasn¡¯t for your help, I don¡¯t know how I could have made it.¡±


    The voice on the phone, however, was somewhat angry, ¡°What ¡®made it¡¯? You are Falcon, what kind of a Falcon gets discouraged by a bit of hardship? If you dare to be so disheartened again, stop telling people you¡¯re one of my soldiers. I can¡¯t afford to lose that kind of face!¡±


    ¡°Captain!¡± Wu Jun¡¯s voice was choked.


    ¡°Once you¡¯re in her shop, work hard and don¡¯t disgrace our special forces.¡±


    The person paused, then added, ¡°Ensure Miss Huo¡¯s safety, don¡¯t let her encounter danger. If you suspect someone is getting close to her, report to me immediately.¡±


    Wu Jun was somewhat surprised at these words. ¡°Captain, is Miss Huo some kind of important figure? Why would she come into danger?¡±


    The person on the other side seemed a bit embarrassed, his breathing grew heavier, as if annoyed, he cursed:


    ¡°Just do what you need to do, and don¡¯t ask about what you don¡¯t need to know. Organizational matters are not your concern!¡±


    With that, the person on the other end abruptly hung up the phone, leaving Wu Jun puzzled and a bit lost.


    All he did was ask a question, and it seemed to anger the captain.


    It was strange; the captain usually had such a good temper. Why was he so agitated this time? Did he ask something strange?

 Chapter 52 - Chapter 52: Chapter 50: A Mans Tears Are Not Easily Shed

    Chapter 52: Chapter 50: A Man¡¯s Tears Are Not Easily Shed


    Wu Jun was from the military and usually got up and exercised by five in the morning. Today was his first day working at Huo Sining¡¯s store, so last night he was so excited that he didn¡¯t sleep at all.


    He rose early in the morning and headed towards Chenghuang Temple, squatting in front of the Xianyu Shop before six o¡¯clock.


    Huo Sining was half-asleep when she received a call from an older neighbor lady, who said anxiously,


    ¡°Boss Huo, there¡¯s a man standing at your doorstep. I saw him when I went out to buy vegetables earlier, and he¡¯s still lingering there when I came back. He looks sneaky; could he be a thief trying to steal your fish?¡±


    A thief?! Huo Sining suddenly crawled out of bed and looked down from the window, only to see Wu Jun squatting silently at the doorstep of the shop.


    Huo Sining was torn between laughter and tears, helplessly getting out of bed to open the door.


    ¡°Why are you here so early? The store usually doesn¡¯t open until nine,¡± she said.


    Although Huo Sining also sold wild aquatic species, some customers wanted to buy fish early in the morning.


    But since Huo Sining often went to the Yellow River to fish for goods at night, it was impossible for her to get up so early.


    Gradually, it became a habit; she always delayed opening the shop until after nine.


    Once her customers knew about Huo Sining¡¯s habit, they adjusted to the store¡¯s timings and generally came after nine to buy fish.


    Wu Jun, with a red face, scratched the back of his head, ¡°I¡¯m used to getting up early, Boss. You don¡¯t need to worry about me; you go back to sleep.¡±


    Sleep? Leaving you outside while I sleep by myself, how would that look?


    Huo Sining could not help but want to roll her eyes, resigned to fully open the shop door and lead Wu Jun inside.


    ¡°The outer part is for ornamental fish; many of these species are imported from other places, and some are exotic imports. Each type of fish is different; the better the quality, the higher the price.¡±


    Huo Sining pointed to the aquariums in the store, the dazzling ornamental fish staring at her one by one, seemingly waiting for her to feed them.


    Wu Jun glanced at the price tag on one of the tanks and his eyes immediately widened.


    A fish less than 4 centimeters is priced at five hundred yuan per piece?! Did he read that wrong?


    Seeing the disbelief on Wu Jun¡¯s face, Huo Sining knew what he was thinking and explained with a smile,


    ¡°That¡¯s an Elizabeth Anthias. Despite its size, it¡¯s an overseas import from the Negro River. This type of fish cannot live with other fish, so even in its original habitat, it¡¯s very difficult to collect, which is why it¡¯s so expensive.¡±


    This thing can¡¯t be eaten once bought, is expensive, and hard to care for, yet people buy it? Wu Jun found it hard to comprehend.


    Seeing the puzzled look on Wu Jun¡¯s face, Huo Sining felt like she was looking at herself from over a month ago.


    Back then, when she heard Mrs. Xu say a Rainbow Fairy Fish smaller than a palm cost four to five thousand yuan, her surprised expression was just like Wu Jun¡¯s now.


    ¡°Once wealthy people have satisfied their material needs, they begin to indulge in spiritual consumption. Ornamental fishkeeping is one way they amuse themselves and also a means to show off their wealth,¡± Huo Sining said.


    ¡°The price of ornamental fish cannot be judged by size alone, some fish are more valuable the smaller they are, while others rely on their shape to win. Take the Flowerhorn Fish on your left, the larger the lump on their forehead, the higher their value. However, this Rainbow Fairy Fish by my hand is priced for its more vibrant colors.¡±


    Only then did Wu Jun notice the bizarre look of the Flowerhorn Fish. Their foreheads indeed sported a large bulge making them quite unsightly, yet oddly, these fish fetched an outrageous price, with single fish costing up to five figures.


    Wu Jun couldn¡¯t help but swallow hard, thinking to himself, no wonder Boss Huo hired me to watch his shop and is paying me such a high salary. If someone were to steal one of these fish, oh my, wouldn¡¯t that mean a heavy loss?


    With that thought, Wu Jun involuntarily became more cautious. Previously dismissive about the fish shop, he now found himself scrutinizing the room¡¯s setup very seriously, afraid of making the slightest mistake.


    Seeing Wu Jun suddenly puffing out his chest and bracing himself, Huo Sining couldn¡¯t help but laugh and cry at the same time:


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to be so tense. There are surveillance cameras installed here, so generally, nobody dares to just help themselves. Besides, these fish are live animals, not your ordinary items, there aren¡¯t many who can just steal them away so easily. You don¡¯t need to worry about pricing either, I¡¯ve got them labeled on the aquariums. If a customer negotiates a price that isn¡¯t too unreasonable, you can give them a slight discount. However, some newcomers to fishkeeping may not know how to care for their fish, so you¡¯ll need to give them some guidance. I¡¯ve compiled all the information in this booklet, which includes professional terminology about ornamental fish. You can take a look when you have time.¡±


    Wu Jun took the booklet and nodded earnestly, ¡°Rest assured, Boss, I will memorize this information.¡±


    Huo Sining found it awkward to be constantly referred to as Boss by Wu Jun and smiled:


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so formal. I¡¯m younger than you, you can just call me Huo Sining.¡±


    Wu Jun quickly waved his hands, ¡°That won¡¯t do. I am your subordinate now. It would be disrespectful to call you by your name. Rather than calling you Boss, maybe I should just call you Miss Huo.¡±


    Although a title is just a label, Wu Jun wasn¡¯t familiar with Huo Sining yet. To put it nicely, he was an employee, but less politely, he was just a poor worker.


    What Huo Sining considered mundane matters seemed very important in Wu Jun¡¯s eyes. He was just starting his new job, not being overly nervous was good enough, how could he dare to cross the boundaries between a boss and a subordinate?


    Huo Sining was at a loss with Wu Jun¡¯s overly serious demeanor and could only nod helplessly.


    ¡°That¡¯s the front room, and over here we have a back room. This is a separate compartment with three fish pools inside, all stocked with fresh catch from the Yellow River. These are also for sale, and since they are pure wild aquatic species, their prices aren¡¯t cheap. I don¡¯t like the smell of raw fish, so I only sell them here, I don¡¯t do the cleaning and gutting. You just weigh the fish for customers with this digital scale and take their money, don¡¯t worry about anything else.¡±


    After leading Wu Jun into the compartment at the back of the room, he covertly swallowed hard at the sight of the fish in the pools.


    He had been in S City for over a year now, seldom touching meat or fish, but now the sight of so many wild live fish made his eyes sparkle.


    Huo Sining chuckled, ¡°This afternoon, go move your stuff and bring YY over, tonight I will prepare a whole fish feast to welcome and clean the dust off you guys. From now on, we will all be part of the Xianyu Shop family. Work hard, and as long as Huo Sining is here, I will not let you and your sister down.¡±


    Wu Jun¡¯s eyes reddened slightly, and seeing Huo Sining looking over, he awkwardly lowered his head, fearing that Huo Sining would laugh at him.


    ¡®Men don¡¯t cry easily,¡¯ Huo Sining often heard such things said, yet few mentioned the rest of that saying.


    A bulky soldier, nearly a decade in his field, was now leading such a hard life. What deep frustration and reluctance were being suppressed in this man¡¯s heart?


    This man¡¯s experiences and thoughts might not be enough to concern outsiders, but in this moment, Huo Sining could still feel the heaviness in his own heart.

 Chapter 53 - Chapter 53: Chapter 51 Buy a Car

    Chapter 53: Chapter 51 Buy a Car


    Having just sold a piece of ambergris, Huo Sining had ample funds on hand and had already planned to buy a mini truck.


    During her previous visits to the cruise terminal to catch fish, when the truck driver came to pick up the goods, he kept staring at her, making Huo Sining feel uneasy and afraid that she might attract the delivery company¡¯s attention.


    Wu Jun, who had driven a green military truck in the army, hadn¡¯t had much opportunity to drive after leaving the service. When Huo Sining mentioned that she would get a truck especially for him, he was quite pleased.


    He followed Huo Sining into the truck dealership, and seeing rows upon rows of trucks made him itch to climb up and try one out.


    Though Huo Sining didn¡¯t know much about trucks, she didn¡¯t need to worry too much with Wu Jun there.


    Choosing vehicles was something men usually excelled at, and Wu Jun had his own method for picking out trucks. After understanding Huo Sining¡¯s general requirements, he selected three trucks.


    He then tested the performance of each vehicle and finally purchased a domestic box-style light family truck.


    The price of a family-style truck wasn¡¯t steep, only around eighty thousand yuan.


    Huo Sining, now flush with cash, didn¡¯t even blink at the eighty thousand, which was just the price of an ornamental fish; she paid with her card without hesitation.


    The dealership was efficient, and all the paperwork was completed in two hours.


    After picking up the truck, Wu Jun drove straight to his place, where he and his sister had packed their belongings overnight, and he quickly began to move them into the truck without a word.


    He didn¡¯t have many possessions to begin with. Some old items he thought to take with him were discarded by Huo Sining, who didn¡¯t want them cluttering up her shop, the Xianyu Shop, or her seventy-something square meter house. Where was there room for such miscellaneous, worthless junk?


    Wu Jun felt the items were indeed of no use to him but nonetheless a waste to throw away, so after some thought, he collected them and gave them to the auntie next door.


    The auntie felt sorry for the Wu Jun siblings¡¯ hard life and was adamant about not accepting the items,


    but she reluctantly agreed after Wu Jun told her he had found a new job where he wouldn¡¯t need those things. She smiled so broadly that her eyes disappeared, clearly very happy for the Wu Family siblings.


    Back at the Xianyu Shop, Wu Jun prepared to start work and help Huo Sining manage the store. Huo Sining was not a strict boss and was not in any rush, so without further ado, she sent Wu Jun upstairs to settle in.


    Since the move to the Xianyu Shop was recent, besides the original furniture and appliances, Huo Sining hadn¡¯t placed anything else in the second bedroom.


    Now that the Wu Family siblings were moving over, Huo Sining intended to give the second bedroom to Wu Jun. However, after inspecting the room and the attic, Wu Jun insisted on letting his sister have the second bedroom and took the attic for himself.


    In Wu Jun¡¯s view, it was fine for a rough man like himself to endure worse living conditions, but it made no sense for him to enjoy a comfortable space while his sister cramped herself in a small attic.


    Huo Sining had no objections to this; after all, it was their affair, and she shouldn¡¯t make the decision for them.


    However, Huo Sining wasn¡¯t yet ready to fully trust the siblings with her secrets, so she kept her main bedroom locked with a key at all times.


    As the old saying goes, ¡°Better safe than sorry.¡± She had secrets to guard, and the Water-Repelling Pearl was something she could not afford to be careless with.


    Moreover, the safe in her room contained several pearls of great value, so she had to be cautious.


    Come evening, Wu Jun returned with his sister Wu Ya.


    The little girl visited Xianyu Shop for the first time and immediately developed a keen interest in the ornamental fish in the store, staying in the shop and circling around those beautiful fish, occasionally asking Wu Jun what kind of fish they were and where those fish came from.


    It was also Wu Jun¡¯s first day at work, and he had no idea about those details, but fortunately, Huo Sining had organized a heap of information for him. He flipped through the index, quickly finding the answers to his sister¡¯s questions.


    Yaya covered her mouth and giggled when she saw Wu Jun¡¯s embarrassed and awkward appearance, thinking to herself that her brother was not all-powerful after all¡ªhe didn¡¯t know the answer to any of these questions!


    That night, Huo Sining indeed prepared a feast with only fish dishes. Although there were only four dishes, they were both rich and delicious, a true delicacy for Wu Ya.


    She could run a shop, do business, cook so many delicious meals, and on top of that was generous, gentle, and kind-hearted. The little girl admired Huo Sining so much that she instantly became her personal little attendant, a die-hard fan.


    Of course, the living rights to the second bedroom ultimately went to Wu Jun.


    Yaya, though young, was a considerate and sensible child. She knew her brother would rather suffer himself than shortchange her, but the more he did so, the less willing she was to accept such arrangements.


    The little girl flat-out refused to move into the second bedroom, insisting that her small stature made the attic more suitable, and emphasized repeatedly that, as a girl with her secret little world, the attic would better protect her privacy.


    Wu Jun, hassled by her insistence, had no choice but to agree to Wu Ya¡¯s arrangement.


    But he could see that, when his sister saw the second bedroom¡¯s exquisite decoration and the air conditioner, there was a look of longing and envy in her eyes. However, the thoughtful young girl still gave the second bedroom to him.


    Huo Sining could, of course, see the considerate reasons behind the siblings¡¯ behavior. She smiled and said nothing more.


    But the next morning, a technician arrived at Xianyu Shop, and a brand-new air conditioner was installed at breakneck speed in the attic.


    Witnessing such an action, how could Wu Jun not understand?


    The heart of this tough guy was instantly submerged by a wave of emotion, and he looked at Huo Sining with eyes no longer distant but filled with ardent loyalty:


    ¡°Miss Huo, I¡¯m not good with words, but I remember everything you¡¯ve done for my sister and me, and I¡¯m deeply grateful. I don¡¯t have many demands for a salary, just enough to live on. As long as my sister has a stable environment for her studies and living, even if you don¡¯t pay me, I¡¯ll work for you! From now on, I, Wu Jun, owe you my life!¡±


    Previously, Wu Jun worked at the docks where he would earn fifty to sixty Yuan a day, barely enough to save for his sister¡¯s tuition after covering daily expenses. But he knew that Huo Sining truly cared for Yaya, and as long as he worked hard for Huo Sining, it would be easy to give his sister a safe and happy life.


    It was the first time Huo Sining heard Wu Jun speak so seriously and at such length; she was a bit unaccustomed to it.


    Especially when Wu Jun spoke of selling his life for her, Huo Sining was both annoyed and amused, unable to help but laugh and scold:


    ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? I hired you to manage the shop and drive for me, not to be a hitman. What life are you selling to me? You just make sure to remember the materials I gave you¡ªthat¡¯s what¡¯s important. Cast aside everything else and stop jumping to conclusions!¡±


    At Huo Sining¡¯s scolding, Wu Jun blushed, scratching the back of his head awkwardly.


    ¡°By the way, Yaya is attending the school for children of migrant workers, right? The school is too far from home. Since school has just started and she can probably catch up with the curriculum, I think it would be better to transfer her to a school nearby,¡± Huo Sining suddenly remembered Wu Ya¡¯s schooling and brought it up.


    ¡°Really?¡± Wu Jun¡¯s eyes lit up, but then his expression dimmed, ¡°The transfer procedures might be difficult¡ª it¡¯s very hard for children of migrant workers to transfer schools nowadays.¡±


    Difficult procedures were simply a matter of money and connections, Huo Sining thought to herself with a scoff, but her face showed nothing as she shook her head, smiling:


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about this. I¡¯ll figure something out.¡±

 Chapter 54 - Chapter 54: Chapter 52 There is a treasure under the sea!

    Chapter 54: Chapter 52 There is a treasure under the sea!


    Wu Jun thought Huo Sining was just saying it offhand, but he didn¡¯t expect a woman to show up at the shop the very next day.


    The woman didn¡¯t speak when she saw Wu Jun. She just eyed him up and down until Wu Jun felt uncomfortable, then she finally asked:


    ¡°Are you the new shop assistant that Ningning recently hired?¡±


    Wu Jun didn¡¯t know who the woman before him was, but given that she referred to Huo Sining as Ningning, it was clear that she was a very close friend. He nodded.


    Su Qingqing wanted to ask more questions, but Huo Sining came down from upstairs and wasn¡¯t surprised to see Su Qingqing:


    ¡°You¡¯re back from Xi¡¯an? How was it? Did you find anything good?¡±


    With a triumphant look, Su Qingqing took out a box from her backpack and said with a smile, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say I found a treasure, but I did make a lucky find. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve picked up such a bargain since I entered the appraisal circle.¡±


    As she spoke, Su Qingqing¡¯s face showed an expression of utmost pride.


    ¡°A lucky find?¡±


    Huo Sining was somewhat unfamiliar with this term and didn¡¯t understand what it meant.


    Su Qingqing quickly explained: ¡°In the antique trade, the quality of items varies greatly. There are countless fakes on the market while genuine items are incredibly rare. So, when selecting and buying antiques, it¡¯s easy to end up with forgeries. In the appraisal field, we have a term for this called ¡®being conned.¡¯ Conversely, when you buy an item from a seller for a price higher than what it¡¯s worth without the seller realizing it, that¡¯s called ¡®making a lucky find.''¡±


    Huo Sining nodded her head and looked at the box in Su Qingqing¡¯s hand, asking curiously, ¡°So what is it that you picked up?¡±


    With a smile, Su Qingqing opened the hand-held box, which contained a small porcelain vase not bigger than the palm of a hand, adorned with blue patterns all over it; indeed, it appeared very exquisite.


    However, Huo Sining did not recognize this item, so she asked, ¡°How did you pick up this lucky find?¡±


    Su Qingqing laughed and said, ¡°I went to Xi¡¯an with Professor Xie. Remember they unearthed a Han Tomb there? We spent almost a week there, and although we planned on heading back directly, Professor Xie got wind of a ¡®Ghost Market¡¯ happening¡ªa secret market for trading antiques in the dark. He suggested we go there for experience, so we visited the Ghost Market.¡±


    Huo Sining nodded, and Su Qingqing continued: ¡°This garlic-head vase is what I found there. At that time, it was placed among a pile of Republic of China porcelain pieces. When I picked up this vase, I felt that the color of the blue and white pattern was slightly different from the others, so I bought it for 200 yuan. And guess what, after Professor Xie looked at this vase, he told me that it¡¯s Kangxi-Qianlong period blue and white porcelain. Even though it¡¯s folk kiln, it¡¯s well-preserved and could fetch at least 7,000 to 8,000 yuan on the market.¡±


    Turn a 200-yuan purchase into a thirty or forty-fold profit; indeed, it did count as a lucky find.


    Seeing Su Qingqing¡¯s utterly joyful and triumphant look, Huo Sining knew that getting this garlic-head vase must have been a very proud moment for her.


    But Huo Sining was somewhat perplexed. For Su Qingqing, 7,000 to 8,000 yuan was indeed not much, so why was she so delighted?


    Perhaps noticing the confusion on Huo Sining¡¯s face, Su Qingqing explained, ¡°You might think 7,000 or 8,000 yuan is not much, but this is the first satisfactory answer I¡¯ve gotten in my appraisal career. The antiques field is incredibly deep, but if you really have the skill to spot a major bargain, one piece can make you very wealthy. Not long ago, someone made tens of millions from just picking up a handwritten manuscript by a poet from the Tang Dynasty.¡±


    ¡°Tens of millions?!¡±


    Huo Sining was taken aback. She wasn¡¯t well-versed in the world of antiques, but hearing Su Qingqing mention that manuscript making so much money piqued her curiosity.


    ¡°That¡¯s nothing. There are many more valuable treasures in the antiques field. Take Yuan Blue and White, for example. Not long ago, one was auctioned off in London for 14 million British Pounds. That¡¯s two to three hundred million RMB!¡±


    With a scornful twist of her mouth, Su Qingqing added wryly and helplessly, ¡°However, our country¡¯s treasures, if not in the hands of collectors, are housed in museums. Very few circulate in the open market. Many valuable items have been taken overseas. Since the end of the Qing Dynasty, countless items have been stolen by imperialist invaders. Some say many have been lost at sea, never to be found. Just the thought of those items¡¯ worth is heartbreaking.¡±


    Lost at sea?


    The speaker was unintentional, but the listener intended. Su Qingqing had spoken idly, but to Huo Sining, it was like a thunderclap from a clear sky.


    She was suddenly wide awake, and a thought became increasingly clear in her mind.


    Yeah, if she can dig up ambergris in the sea, why didn¡¯t she think that there are other treasures in the ocean?!


    From ancient times to the present, how many people have salvaged shipwrecks in the sea hoping to find treasures!


    The number of those silent vessels on the ocean routes is not small, and those submerged treasures are countless!


    What others can¡¯t do anything about, those things buried at the bottom of the sea, are extremely simple for Huo Sining.


    With the Water-Repelling Pearl, aren¡¯t those treasures just waiting for her to pick up?!


    The more Huo Sining thought about it, the more excited she became, and she instantly felt that Su Qingqing was truly her lucky star.


    In the past, she often complained that Su Qingqing was a brainless idiot, but now she wished she could hug her and plant a big kiss on her.


    Su Qingqing didn¡¯t know what Huo Sining was thinking. Seeing Huo Sining¡¯s excited face, she thought that Huo Sining was happy because she¡¯d found a bargain, so she didn¡¯t think too much about it and just asked:


    ¡°Is that big idiot downstairs the new employee you just hired?¡±


    Since Su Jinyuan knew about it, Huo Sining didn¡¯t find Su Qingqing¡¯s question odd. Huo Sining nodded and gave Su Qingqing a look: ¡°What big idiot? He¡¯s a retired soldier with a high combat value! You better not let him hear you calling him that!¡±


    ¡°So what if he hears it? Aren¡¯t all soldiers just strong-bodied and simple-minded? I¡¯m not wrong calling him a big idiot! By the way, can you trust him? And it¡¯s not really appropriate for him to be living with you, right? I think you should have him rent a place to live instead.¡±


    Su Qingqing thought it was somewhat inappropriate, the situation of a single man and woman living together just wasn¡¯t all that convenient.


    ¡°There are plenty of white-collar workers out there sharing accommodation with others, what¡¯s so inappropriate about it? It¡¯s not like I¡¯m living in the same room as him, and besides, his sister is also here.¡±


    Huo Sining didn¡¯t see anything inappropriate about it and secretly thought that Su Qingqing must have grown too accustomed to luxury and didn¡¯t know the hardships of the world.


    Renting a place outside would cost at least a thousand or eight hundred RMB a month, which clearly wasn¡¯t suitable for Wu Jun.


    Moreover, her Xianyu Shop already had rooms available, and she couldn¡¯t occupy so many by herself. They¡¯d be empty anyway, so it made sense to put them to good use.


    However, thanks to Su Qingqing¡¯s question, Huo Sining did calm down and suddenly remembered about Yaya¡¯s school transfer and quickly asked, ¡°By the way, do you know anyone at the Normal University Affiliated High School?¡±


    ¡°What for? Are you going to attend high school again?¡± Su Qingqing was somewhat puzzled. ¡°Didn¡¯t you graduate from high school already?¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not it,¡± Huo Sining explained. ¡°Wu Jun, the ¡®big idiot¡¯ you mentioned, has a younger sister in junior high at an industrial workers¡¯ school. Now I¡¯ve let the girl stay with me, but it¡¯s too far from that school and not convenient. Plus, you know how those schools for children of migrant workers are¡ªthe teaching staff isn¡¯t that great. So I¡¯m thinking of pulling some strings to transfer her to a school over here.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Su Qingqing felt something was off:


    ¡°Wait, why do you care so much about a mere employee, even to the point of arranging his sister¡¯s school transfer? Are you into him or something?¡±


    ¡°Where did your mind go?¡±


    Huo Sining barely suppressed the urge to roll her eyes and said in frustration, ¡°Wu Jun is a good guy, and I am keeping him around for a significant reason. Shouldn¡¯t I start by winning his favor with a few sweet jujubes? Besides, that poor girl is an orphan and I can¡¯t help but to want to help her when I see her; she reminds me of myself back then.¡±


    Su Qingqing knew that Huo Sining was also an orphan and couldn¡¯t help but sigh after hearing this:


    ¡°Alright, I hope those siblings prove worthy of your kindness. I can¡¯t do anything about the school transfer, but my brother surely has connections. I¡¯ll ask him for you.¡±


    Huo Sining knew Su Qingqing¡¯s character; if she couldn¡¯t help or didn¡¯t want to help, she would refuse directly. Since she was willing to say that, it meant there was a high probability that she could make it happen.

 Chapter 55 - Chapter 55: Chapter 53 Su Qingqings Misunderstanding

    Chapter 55: Chapter 53 Su Qingqing¡¯s Misunderstanding


    Indeed, it wasn¡¯t more than a couple of days before Huo Sining received a call from Su Qingqing. She said the transfer was all set and asked Wu Jun to take Wu Ya to Normal University Affiliated High School to register.


    Wu Jun was thrilled by the news and without a second thought, he picked up Yaya from the school for the children of migrant workers and headed to the Normal University Affiliated High School.


    By the afternoon when he returned, Wu Ya had officially become a student of the 8th grade B class at the Normal University Affiliated High School, and all the transfer procedures were completed.


    Seeing Wu Ya wearing the school uniform of Normal University Affiliated High School with a happy face, Wu Jun felt a mix of joy and bitterness that was hard to articulate.


    Huo Sining also began to get busy as S University was about to start the semester, which necessitated her reappearance in Yellow River.


    To prepare a month¡¯s supply of wild aquatic products, she went all out, releasing Spiritual Energy and then began to fish without restraint.


    This time, with a truck at her disposal, she wasn¡¯t worried about transportation and caught nearly a ton of wild river fish, along with a considerable amount of clams and live shrimp.


    When Wu Jun arrived the next day at the address Huo Sining had given him over the phone, he was taken aback by the sight of the lively fish jumping around.


    Since Wu Jun had come to Xianyu Shop, he had grown increasingly trusting of Huo Sining. Despite his confusion at the sight of so many fish and shrimp, he didn¡¯t overthink it and assumed they were sourced from a fisherman. Without saying much, he started transferring the fish to the truck.


    The truck had been prepared in advance with plenty of water containers, so the fish poured into the vehicle didn¡¯t need to worry about dying.


    However, with so many fish crowded together, they could easily suffocate, and there could be no delay. Thus, as soon as the truck was loaded, Wu Jun sped back to the fish shop.


    Only after all the fish had been placed into the large pool did Huo Sining finally breathe a sigh of relief. She smiled at Wu Jun and said,


    ¡°Alright, that¡¯s the stock replenished for the next month. I need to go register at the university and then undergo a month of military training. If anything comes up here, just give me a call.¡±


    Wu Jun nodded. During this time, he had been learning the art of doing business from following Huo Sining and was slowly becoming capable of handling things on his own.


    Although he occasionally encountered some troublesome customers, he could generally manage.


    Huo Sining wasn¡¯t worried about him running the shop alone. After all, she had opened the store just to make ends meet, so how much she earned didn¡¯t matter to her.


    Soon it was the day for college registration. Huo Sining was packing her luggage and hadn¡¯t yet left when Su Qingqing arrived at the storefront, swinging her luxury car keys with a flattering smile on her face.


    Huo Sining had no choice but to get in the car with her.


    During this period, Su Qingqing had been very attentive to her and even went out of her way to help Yaya with the transfer procedures. But the main reason was that Su Qingqing had heard the rumor that had circulated after the private auction.


    Since Su Jinyuan appeared at the banquet with a female companion, there was a rumor in their circles that the reason he had stayed away from women for so many years was that he had a woman stashed away and was playing a nurturing game. Now that the young girl was all grown up, he was finally seen with her in public.


    As soon as Su Qingqing heard this gossip, she was scared to the point of jumping out of her skin, as if she had been injected with chicken blood, and set her mind to find out who that woman was. To her surprise, her investigation led her to Huo Sining.


    At that moment, Su Qingqing was shocked. Given that her brother, the reserved Su Jinyuan, wasn¡¯t going to reveal any useful information, she figured that his secretary, Secretary Lin, must know something.


    So she pestered Secretary Lin with probing questions. Although he didn¡¯t clarify explicitly, his hesitant and evasive words made Su Qingqing sense something odd.


    Reflecting on the recent events, Su Qingqing abruptly realized she might have missed some valuable information.


    Helping to buy property and selling ambergris, she had never seen her brother take such an interest in any woman over the years!


    Moreover, why did brother have to bring Huo Sining to a private auction? Logically, he¡¯s not into antiques, so how could he be interested in that kind of auction?


    Seeing Secretary Lin stammering and hiding something, it looked like he was deliberately concealing something!


    The more Su Qingqing thought about it, the closer she felt she was to the truth; she was convinced that Su Jinyuan must have feelings for Huo Sining!


    This was completely different from what Ye Zixin had expected. She thought that once Su Qingqing learned about Huo Sining¡¯s existence after spreading the news about her and Su Jinyuan, Su Qingqing certainly wouldn¡¯t let it go without a fight.


    But what she didn¡¯t expect was that, upon learning about it, not only did Su Qingqing not intend to trouble Huo Sining, she was actually very excited.


    Su Qingqing had always liked Huo Sining; having interacted with her for so long, she greatly admired Huo Sining¡¯s genuine personality.


    Moreover, Huo Sining was extremely decisive and clever in major matters, and her mature handling of things also earned Su Qingqing¡¯s admiration.


    Now that she knew her own brother actually had feelings for Huo Sining, Su Qingqing felt she definitely hadn¡¯t misjudged her.


    This new sister-in-law of hers was truly formidable; when she made a move, it was always impressive. She had somehow managed to move her brother, the thousand-year-old unmelting iceberg, which was nothing short of miraculous.


    Thinking it over from every angle, Su Qingqing felt that she couldn¡¯t just sit idly by. Since she had taken a liking to someone, it was time to take the initiative!


    But her own brother, that taciturn man, definitely wasn¡¯t the type to make the first move. No way around it, if brother couldn¡¯t be relied upon, then she, as his sister, had to lend a hand. She had to get her brother married off; he couldn¡¯t remain a bachelor forever, right?


    Su Qingqing was someone who believed in action. She immediately began to make her move. She decided to stay close to her future sister-in-law, constantly on guard against all kinds of random suitors. She couldn¡¯t let Huo Sining be snatched away by other wolves because her brother was too slow off the mark;


    At the same time, she decided to show great kindness to her future sister-in-law, building a good relationship first. Hence, there was the scene of Su Qingqing driving Huo Sining to school in a luxury car on the first day of the semester.


    Huo Sining felt uncomfortable under Su Qingqing¡¯s eager gaze and couldn¡¯t help but touch her own face: ¡°What, is there something on my face?¡±


    Su Qingqing shook her head: ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Then why do you keep staring at me? And with that weird look,¡± Huo Sining couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that something was off and asked curiously.


    Su Qingqing chuckled and suddenly said, ¡°Right, after we register, I¡¯ll take you to my home. My mom said she¡¯d like to invite you over for dinner.¡±


    ¡°Your mom is inviting me to your house for dinner?!¡± Huo Sining¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Er¡­ it¡¯s about the time you helped me pick up the ring. I accidentally let it slip, and when my mom heard about you, she insisted on inviting you over for a casual meal.¡±


    Guilty flashed across Su Qingqing¡¯s eyes. In reality, she had inadvertently let slip about her brother having someone in mind, and when her mother heard, she became ecstatic. Her mother kept pressing Su Jinyuan about who the girl was, and Su Qingqing had no choice but to sell out Huo Sining.


    Mother Su had been yearning for a daughter-in-law for many years and finally heard such important news. She couldn¡¯t just sit still. She insisted on Su Qingqing inviting Huo Sining to their house for dinner; if she didn¡¯t complete the task, her allowance for the next month would be canceled. Su Qingqing had no choice but to accept the mission and proceed.


    Huo Sining had long forgotten about the ring incident, and now that Su Qingqing brought it up again, she found it amusing: ¡°You brought it up, I had already forgotten about it. It¡¯s been so long, how could you slip up? You¡¯re a real talent! By the way, how did things go with Zhou Zhen?¡±


    Seeing that Huo Sining didn¡¯t reject the dinner invitation, Su Qingqing breathed a sigh of relief and said with a smile:


    ¡°Of course, the engagement is off. I would never marry such a scumbag. He fought with his family for a while, and a bit earlier, my dad and my brother went directly to meet the elders of the Zhou family. In front of the Zhou family, they tore up the engagement agreement, leaving the Zhou family without face. Zhou Zhen is probably having a hard time these days!¡±

 Chapter 56 - Chapter 56: Chapter 54: Confession?

    Chapter 56: Chapter 54: Confession?


    Huo Sining saw a trace of ease in her smile, which let her know that she had moved on from that relationship.


    Although her actions were a bit extreme at the time, Su Qingqing must have figured out a lot during this period, otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t be able to talk about it so naturally in such a short time.


    With Su Qingqing as her senior, Huo Sining¡¯s university registration went very smoothly.


    However, what surprised Huo Sining was that this year, S University had introduced a new policy allowing new students who were dissatisfied with their majors to apply for a transfer once.


    Of course, Huo Sining hoped to transfer into the Oceanographic College and College of Biology, as she had long been eager to learn about deep-sea oceanography, but unfortunately, the information she could find online was too piecemeal, and much of it was inaccessible.


    To her disappointment, the Oceanographic College and College of Biology had somehow become very popular this year, and by the time she went to sign up, the quota for transferring had already been filled.


    ¡°The quota is full, why don¡¯t you apply to our College of Cultural Heritage? Professor Xie asked about you the other day, and he is very pleased with you. He would definitely be delighted if you transferred to our appraisal department!¡± Su Qingqing said with a comforting smile.


    Huo Sining felt somewhat disappointed; she really wasn¡¯t interested in appraisal. Studying cultural relic archaeology and appraisal would be less appealing to her than staying in the mathematics department.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if the quota is exceeded, you can write your name on the supplementary list, and the teachers from the college will screen and adjust it. Not all of these students who have signed up can successfully transfer departments; the consideration includes their college entrance examination scores and various other factors.¡±


    Just then, the teacher responsible for filling in the information suddenly came over and explained with a smile, holding out a supplementary form.


    Huo Sining¡¯s eyes immediately lit up, and without a word, she picked up the pen and began writing down her information.


    Even though the chances of supplementary admission were slim, she still wanted to try for it. The enrollment quota for the Oceanographic College was less than half that of the College of Biology, and given the choice between the two, Huo Sining filled in the College of Biology without hesitation.


    After filling it out, the two of them took their luggage and the bedding provided by the school to the dormitory, which hadn¡¯t been occupied by any other new students yet.


    Since she didn¡¯t plan to stay at school often, Huo Sining didn¡¯t pay much attention to it; after arranging her belongings, she left the school with Su Qingqing.


    ¡°It¡¯s really a pity you didn¡¯t apply to our college. Despite our small number, it is actually the most in-demand major. Graduates almost always find jobs, and the salaries are much higher than those of students from other majors,¡± Su Qingqing said with a tinge of regret.


    Huo Sining joked, ¡°I didn¡¯t know people from your major were in such demand upon graduation. What kind of organizations do you join after graduating¡ªspecializing in excavating ancient tombs?¡±


    Su Qingqing widened her eyes indignantly, ¡°Don¡¯t make fun of it, I¡¯m serious. Nowadays, many rich people like playing with antique collections, but they actually lack cultural literacy and are afraid of buying fakes, so they hire our Appraisal department to authenticate for them. Some wealthy individuals even offer high salaries to employ appraisers. In our circle, if you¡¯re good at spotting overlooked treasures or skilled in appraisal, you can attract many clients once you become famous, and make a lot of money just by talking!¡±


    Huo Sining didn¡¯t understand these things and laughed, ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re talking about, but from what you¡¯re saying, shouldn¡¯t Professor Xie, with his impressive appraisal skills, also have made a lot of money?¡±


    ¡°Of course, Professor Xie is a top-level Appraiser. Not just in S City, but he¡¯s well-known throughout the country. Not to mention anything else, just his position as a special consulting appraiser for Su Group¡¯s Donghua alone guarantees him a huge annual salary,¡± Su Qingqing said proudly to Huo Sining, gesturing a number with her hand.


    Speaking of Professor Xie, Su Qingqing suddenly remembered someone; she abruptly hit the brakes and turned to look at Huo Sining:


    ¡°I almost forgot if you hadn¡¯t mentioned it. The wife of Professor Xie, my mentor¡¯s wife, is a professor at the College of Biology, and I think she¡¯s also the office director. Weren¡¯t you thinking of transferring to the College of Biology? I think you should seek help from my mentor¡¯s wife!¡±


    ¡°Seek help from your mentor¡¯s wife? That would be too much trouble, and besides, she doesn¡¯t know me. If I suddenly approach her, it might even cause her to be annoyed.¡±


    Huo Sining frowned; she wasn¡¯t very keen on calling in favors, and she had no relationship with the professor whatsoever. It would be quite presumptuous to just approach her out of the blue.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. Professor Xie¡¯s wife is very easy to talk to. I¡¯ve met her a few times, a particularly kind person, and with Professor Xie liking you so much, she would probably help with this small favor!¡±


    Su Qingqing didn¡¯t think there was anything unusual about it. The College of Biology at S University was a major department, and so many people were fighting tooth and nail to get in. Huo Sining was filling in the supplementary list, and if she didn¡¯t pull some strings, the chances of transferring in would be slim.


    Nevertheless, Huo Sining shook her head, ¡°Forget it, if I can¡¯t transfer in, that¡¯s just my fate. No use forcing it.¡±


    With no other option, Su Qingqing had no choice but to give up and drive directly to the Su family home.


    As Su Qingqing was bringing Huo Sining to visit, Mother Su phoned her own son:


    ¡°Jinyuan, lately you¡¯ve been leaving early and returning late. Is the company keeping you very busy?¡±


    Su Jinyuan raised an eyebrow, ¡°Is there something you needed?¡±


    No one approaches the temple without a motive; his mother, like Su Qingqing, wouldn¡¯t call him for no reason and hardly remembered she had a son, much less a brother.


    Mother Su, taken aback by Su Jinyuan¡¯s chilly response, paused before pretending to be hurt, ¡°What could possibly be the matter with me? You¡¯re always so busy, your mother can hardly see you. Can¡¯t a mother miss her son and give him a call to see how he¡¯s doing? Come home early today, I¡¯ve made something delicious. Your sister¡¯s at home too. Let¡¯s all have a good meal together as a family.¡±


    Mother Su sounded very serious, but Su Jinyuan detected something amiss in her words.


    He wasn¡¯t sure what his mother was up to, but since Mother Su had called to urge him, Su Jinyuan felt it wouldn¡¯t be good to refuse outright and just gave a noncommittal response.


    Seeing her son agree, Mother Su immediately became joyful and hung up without another word.


    Su Jinyuan¡¯s mouth twitched, ¡®Is this what she calls missing me? Is this caring for her son? I¡¯ve never seen such a way of missing someone or caring for them!¡¯


    Sensing something unusual about his mother¡¯s behavior, Su Jinyuan dialed Su Qingqing¡¯s number.


    Su Qingqing shuddered when she saw the incoming call, and picked up the phone with trembling hands.


    ¡°Why did Mom suddenly call today and tell me to come home for dinner? Is this your doing?¡± Su Jinyuan got straight to the point as soon as he spoke.


    ¡°Well, the spring is bright and the weather¡¯s great today, so¡ª¡±


    ¡°Get to the point!¡± Su Jinyuan said impatiently.


    ¡°Uh¡ª¡± Su Qingqing, feeling guilty, glanced at Huo Sining and decisively betrayed her friend, ¡°Ningning is coming over for dinner today. Mom probably wants you to come home to entertain the guest.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Su Jinyuan immediately thought of the matter he mentioned to Mother Su a while ago about wanting to take Huo Sining as his sworn sister and paused before saying, ¡°Got it, I¡¯ll be back soon. There¡¯s something I want to announce in front of everyone anyway.¡±


    An announcement? The moment Su Qingqing heard this, a shiver ran through her, and she thought to herself:


    Could it be that Brother is planning to confess his feelings to Ningning in front of the whole family?! That¡¯s great; her efforts these past few days weren¡¯t in vain, her brother was finally ready to take the brave first step!


    With that thought, her eyes immediately lit up, and she became as excited as if she had taken a stimulant, her gaze towards Huo Sining becoming even more fervent.

 Chapter 57 - Chapter 57: Chapter 55 Oolong

    Chapter 57: Chapter 55 Oolong


    Su Qingqing lived in Jing¡¯an District, and as the car entered the entrance of the residential community, Huo Sining saw two military police officers.


    Although there wasn¡¯t a post every three steps and a guard every five, Huo Sining could sense that the temperament of those two military police officers was very similar to Wu Jun¡¯s, likely indicating a genuine military background.


    The residential area was under strict supervision, and Huo Sining noticed that the car in front of them, being a first-time visitor, was meticulously checked by the security guard. After verifying their ID cards and repeatedly asking for information to his satisfaction, they were finally allowed to pass through.


    Perhaps familiar with Su Qingqing¡¯s car license plate number, the two guards didn¡¯t make things difficult for her and merely nodded after looking at a number plate that Su Qingqing handed to them.


    After the car entered the community, they were surrounded by shade-providing green trees, and soon, detached villas came into view.


    While these houses were somewhat dated, one could tell from the designs alone that they were expensively built, and the whole area was elegantly landscaped and very quiet.


    Su Qingqing directly parked the car in the cement courtyard in front of a villa, then got out and led Huo Sining into the building.


    Upon entering, they were in the living room, where the lights were on, and a middle-aged man about fifty years old sat on the sofa, reading documents with glasses on.


    Seated across from him was a man in his thirties, who nodded to Su Qingqing as she came in.


    ¡°Secretary Song, you¡¯re here too, bringing documents for my dad to approve?¡±


    Seeing the arrival, Su Qingqing seemed unsurprised and greeted the other with a casual nod.


    However, Su Qingqing¡¯s voice was somewhat loud, which caused Su Zhenhua, who was concentrating on approving documents, to lift his head.


    Noticing that she had disturbed the others, Su Qingqing quickly stuck out her tongue and made a funny face, ¡°Dad, carry on, carry on, I¡¯m just taking my friend upstairs for a visit.¡±


    As she spoke, she was about to lead Huo Sining upstairs, but it was then that Su Zhenhua caught sight of Huo Sining behind Su Qingqing and was momentarily stunned.


    The young girl before him gave him a strong sense of familiarity, as though he had seen her somewhere before.


    But upon further reflection, he felt it was unlikely ¨C after all, how could he have any association with a young girl who appeared to be only seventeen or eighteen years old?


    Thinking this, Su Zhenhua subtly lowered his head and continued looking through the documents in his hands, responding faintly with a noncommittal ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Huo Sining hadn¡¯t been in S City for long and didn¡¯t watch television often, so she did not recognize Su Zhenhua. Otherwise, she would have been quite astonished.


    The man was indeed a frequent figure on television, a household name in S City, revered by many ¨C anyone who had been in the city for a while would know of him.


    Su Qingqing, seeing the calm look on Huo Sining¡¯s face, knew that the girl hadn¡¯t recognized her father and breathed a sigh of relief.


    Having heard Su Zhenhua speak, Su Qingqing dutifully prepared to lead Huo Sining away.


    Unexpectedly, Mother Su, who was busy in the kitchen, heard her daughter¡¯s voice and rushed out impatiently, still holding a spatula, appearing anxiously concerned as she looked at the people in the living room, ¡°Qingqing is back, where is your brother¡¯s friend?¡±


    It¡¯s said that one fears not the god-like opponent but the pig-like teammate, and upon hearing Mother Su¡¯s words, Su Qingqing felt an instant headache and couldn¡¯t help but facepalm.


    What do you mean by ¡®my brother¡¯s friend¡¯? She¡¯s my close sister. Mom, aren¡¯t you giving it all away by saying that?


    Fortunately, Huo Sining assumed Mother Su had merely misspoken, and since she considered herself a friend of Su Jinyuan as well, she didn¡¯t take it to heart.


    She stood up from behind Su Qingqing and greeted Mother Su with impeccable politeness, ¡°Auntie Su, hello, I am Huo Sining.¡±


    Mother Su¡¯s eyes, initially filled with expectation, froze the instant she saw Huo Sining, her smile stiffening, the spatula unintentionally dropping to the floor, and she stood still, staring blankly at Huo Sining.


    Mother Su was always lively and outgoing, and Su Qingqing had never seen her mother in such a bewildered, disconcerted state. She was startled and asked, ¡°Mom, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Mother Su, however, seemed as if she hadn¡¯t heard her daughter¡¯s words at all. She stared directly at Huo Sining and asked eagerly,


    ¡°Miss, could you please tell me honestly, how old are you? Where is your family from, and who are the members of your family?¡±


    Hearing Mother Su¡¯s question, Huo Sining¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    Thinking of her experiences in her previous life and the Liang Family People from the Imperial Capital she had never met, for some reason, she felt a vague sense of panic welling up inside her.


    Just as she steeled herself and forced a smile, Huo Sining asked with bewilderment, ¡°Auntie, what is this about?¡±


    Su Zhenhua also felt that his wife¡¯s demeanor was somewhat off; seeing her serious tone and stern expression, and associating it with the d¨¦j¨¤ vu he felt when he looked at Huo Sining, a figure suddenly flashed in his mind.


    An idea abruptly swept through Su Zhenhua¡¯s heart, and he sharply raised his head to look at Huo Sining.


    Mother Su¡¯s face remained calm, but her heart was already churning with tumultuous waves. She looked at Huo Sining stubbornly and asked, ¡°Miss, is it inconvenient for you to talk about this?¡±


    Huo Sining hesitated, but Su Qingqing sensed something and hurriedly spoke out in an attempt to divert the conversation away from Huo Sining:


    ¡°Mom, what are you doing? Ningning is here as a guest in our home, why are you interrogating her about her household registration?¡±


    Mother Su¡¯s eyes reddened a little, and she silently lowered her head.


    For some reason, seeing Mother Su in such a state made Huo Sining¡¯s heart inexplicably ache. Without overthinking, she already blurted out,


    ¡°Auntie, it¡¯s not that there is anything inconvenient to say. Senior Su knows about my background. I come from a small village called Baiyun Town in Rongcheng, I just turned eighteen and came to S City for university. My parents have both passed away, and I only have an uncle left at home.¡±


    From Rongcheng! This child really is from Rongcheng!


    Upon hearing Huo Sining¡¯s words, Mother Su¡¯s whole body trembled uncontrollably, and her eyes looked at Huo Sining with a burning intensity, swelling red with emotion.


    ¡°Your parents have passed away? What were their names?¡± Su Zhenhua glanced at his wife, who was shivering with trembling lips and an intense expression, and followed up with a question.


    Huo Sining hesitated; in fact, she had never heard her mother mention her father¡¯s name.


    Mrs. Huo had passed away when Huo Sining was just four or five years old, and even if there were any memories from that time, they had become blurred after so many years.


    Information about her father, Huo Sining had to glean from what Huo Yong and Xu Lian told her.


    In her previous life, Huo Yong once told her that her mother had been a waitress at a hotel in the county town. After falling hopelessly in love with a rich second-generation man, she ended up pregnant by accident, and the wealthy man disappeared without a trace.


    Mrs. Huo was devastated but refused to terminate the pregnancy, ending up returning to Baiyun Town, where amidst the curses and finger-pointing of the villagers, she gave birth to her.


    Huo Sining had never considered whether her birth was a blessing or a curse. Was her mother¡¯s stubborn decision to have her right or wrong?


    Because her existence had never gained acceptance from those around her, ever since she was a child, her ears were filled with mockery and insults.


    Terms like illegitimate child, mother¡¯s affair, fatherless, little harlot¡ªthese words always clung to her like labels, and in her previous life, she could never tear them off.


    Huo Sining¡¯s feelings towards her mother were complicated, certainly more grateful than resentful, as were it not for Mrs. Huo¡¯s determination, there would not have been a Huo Sining in this world.


    Wu Jingyi¡¯s impersonation of her identity to enter a wealthy family and the bits and pieces that Huo Yong and Xu Lian had told her about her father had gradually given Huo Sining a seemingly clear understanding of her own origins and Mrs. Huo.


    In her eyes, Mrs. Huo was nothing more than a Cinderella who wanted to marry into a wealthy family but was cruelly abandoned by the rich young master after she gave her heart to him. To cut ties with this unfortunate affair, the wealthy young master had offered a large sum of money to get rid of Cinderella.


    However, the wealthy young man hadn¡¯t expected that Cinderella would stubbornly give birth to an illegitimate daughter after returning home, and that illegitimate daughter was her.

 Chapter 58 - Chapter 58: Chapter 56: The Truth from Eighteen Years Ago

    Chapter 58: Chapter 56: The Truth from Eighteen Years Ago


    Because the identity of an illegitimate daughter was something Huo Sining could not accept, it was why she so adamantly refused to acknowledge her connection with the Liang Family People in this lifetime.


    In her view, rather than returning to the wealthy Liang Family to be a shameful illegitimate daughter, she would rather live freely and independently.


    Seeing Mother Su¡¯s shocked expression, Huo Sining already faintly guessed that this woman must have met her father, whom she had never seen.


    Huo Sining felt some regret; she only wanted to live a peaceful life and had no desire to get entangled with the Imperial Capital Liang Family.


    However, she never expected that, after going to great lengths to avoid the trouble-filled circles of the Imperial Capital and coming to S City, she would ultimately still be unable to escape the mockery of fate.


    Thinking of this, a cold look appeared in Huo Sining¡¯s eyes as she said with a faint smile:


    ¡°I take my mother¡¯s surname. I have never seen my father since I was a child. My mother and my uncle both told me that my father is dead. I don¡¯t know his name, but that doesn¡¯t matter to me.¡±


    Sorrow and pain flashed in Mother Su¡¯s eyes, while Su Zhenhua stood silently in the living room.


    Secretary Song was best at reading people and the mood of a room. He quietly stood up and walked out when he noticed that something was off.


    However, as he left, he glanced at Huo Sining, wondering who this little miss named Huo Sining was and why she elicited such a strong reaction from the secretary¡¯s wife?


    Looking at the girl¡¯s age and her status as an illegitimate daughter, could it be that the secretary had left behind some romantic debt from his younger days?


    Su Qingqing furrowed her brows. Seeing tears in her mother¡¯s eyes and her father¡¯s troubled face, her own heart skipped a beat, her thoughts aligning with Secretary Song¡¯s.


    Su Qingqing looked back and forth between Huo Sining and her parents, Su Zhenhua and his wife. With a mix of confusion and caution, she asked:


    ¡°Dad, Mom, what¡¯s going on? Do you know Huo Sining¡¯s parents?¡±


    Mother Su didn¡¯t speak. Su Zhenhua, on the other hand, sighed and said to Huo Sining:


    ¡°I don¡¯t know her mother, but, if we¡¯re not mistaken, your father has quite a connection with us.¡±


    As expected! Huo Sining had already guessed this outcome, so her face showed little shock or surprise.


    She looked calmly at Su Zhenhua and said with a smile:


    ¡°Uncle Su, you really don¡¯t have to delve into the past for me. Those old affairs are actually not that important to me, and I also have no interest in knowing who my father is. He is him, and I am me, there¡¯s no conflict between the two, but there will also not be any connection.¡±


    Su Zhenhua did not expect Huo Sining to respond with such a definitive statement. Seeing the detached and unsympathetic look on Huo Sining¡¯s face, he couldn¡¯t help frowning.


    She was only seventeen or eighteen, an age of naivety and liveliness, but the girl in front of him was so calm and composed, almost like an old man.


    The years must not have been kind to her; otherwise, why would there be no emotion of excitement when he mentioned her father? Instead, she was so cool and distant?


    Although Huo Sining verbally claimed indifference, Su Zhenhua could still see deep resentment in the depths of her eyes, and he couldn¡¯t help but sigh:


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what your mother or your uncle told you that made you have such a deep misunderstanding about your father. However, what you need to know, we cannot hide. You are right about one thing, your father is indeed deceased. Nineteen years ago, he received a mission to go to Rongcheng. He lost his life within half a year there in an accident.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Huo Sining felt a shock and stared at Su Zhenhua incredulously, her head snapping up.


    She thought her father was a negligent rich playboy who abandoned her mother and her, and she made up an excuse that her father was dead to avoid any connection with the Liang Family. She never imagined the truth would be much crueler than she expected.


    Su Jinyuan, who had just entered the house, heard Su Zhenhua¡¯s words and was immediately stunned.


    Seeing Huo Sining staring dumbfoundedly at him, as if questioning the truth in his word, Su Zhenhua shook his head helplessly and began to recount the events of the past.


    As Su Zhenhua¡¯s memories resurfaced, secrets that had been buried for eighteen years were unveiled once more.


    Liang Ruining, who was Huo Sining¡¯s father, was the eldest young master of the Imperial Capital Liang Family, a somewhat notable household in the Imperial Capital. Liang Ruining¡¯s maternal grandfather held a significant position in the military, and being a second-generation heir to both military and business wealth, he was naturally pampered and grew up to be a prodigal son.


    However, not long after, a sudden change occurred. Liang Ruining¡¯s maternal grandfather passed away from an unexpected illness, and with the fall of the family patriarch, the family quickly declined.


    Because of this, Mother Liang fell into depression and became bedridden.


    It was at this time that a woman appeared with a child in tow, claiming her place in the household. In front of Liang Yanrui, Mr. Liang confessed to Mother Liang that he¡¯d had an affair many years ago, and had fathered a child with that woman.


    Mother Liang was deeply hurt by this and, taking Liang Ruining with her, moved out of the Liang family home. Not long after, she passed away, holding onto her resentment.


    Liang Ruining was just fifteen or sixteen at the time. Filled with hatred for his father and grief for his mother¡¯s death, he impulsively enlisted in the military and vowed to become a special forces soldier.


    A rich second-generation heir becoming a special forces soldier?


    Many looked on with amusement, some even scoffed at the idea.


    But Liang Ruining was not one to admit defeat. Three years later, he was selected for the special forces due to his outstanding performance in the military.


    Earning military honors is difficult during peacetime, yet he was awarded numerous times, climbing the ranks.


    Mr. Liang, who had never taken him seriously, finally realized his mistake and made continuous attempts to make amends with Liang Ruining.


    Unfortunately, Liang Ruining, who resented his father¡¯s heartless abandonment of his mother, refused to return to the Liang family.


    The Liang Family People even tried to use family ties to win him back, but Liang Ruining, undisturbed by their efforts, soon volunteered for an extremely arduous mission in Rongcheng.


    ¡°It was because of this mission that he never returned, and we only received news of his death six months later.¡±


    Upon reaching this point, Su Zhenhua could no longer continue.


    Hearing these past events, Huo Sining felt a mixture of bitterness and confusion in her heart.


    She had always thought her father, the rich second-generation who abandoned his wife and child, was actually a man of affection and honor. Thinking of the name Liang Ruining, she had no doubt she was the daughter of this man.


    Si Ning, no wonder Mrs. Huo had chosen such a name, Huo Sining learned for the first time the deeper meaning behind her name.


    Perhaps Mrs. Huo had always been waiting for the hero in her heart to come for her. Unfortunately, she never knew that her hero had already passed away before she gave birth to her child.


    For some reason, even though her memories of Mrs. Huo were vague, at this moment, Huo Sining felt as if she had opened a box of memories, vividly recalling the years when Mrs. Huo was gravely ill.


    Alone and isolated, she sat in the courtyard, staring off blankly, the hope in her eyes diminishing by the day, her expression growing ever more desolate.


    The more Huo Sining thought, the more her heart ached. The cruel twist of fate separated those two by life and death, deepening the misunderstandings in Mrs. Huo¡¯s heart. This tragic relationship was a heavy shackle to the ailing Mrs. Huo. Perhaps that¡¯s why, in her illness, she refused treatment and withered away in gloom.


    Huo Sining¡¯s sorrow was indescribable. Beside her, Mother Su was already sobbing uncontrollably, blurting through her tears,


    ¡°It¡¯s all Liang Pengzhi¡¯s fault; he caused his death. Everything was his doing. Liang Pengzhi caused my aunt¡¯s death, and he also drove Ruining to die. He has done all the evils, and heaven will surely make the Liang family pay!¡±


    Aunt? Mrs. Su couldn¡¯t be, could she?


    Huo Sining had originally thought Mother Su was one of her father¡¯s childhood friends who was very close, which was why she was so upset when mentioning her father. But after hearing Mother Su¡¯s words, she was taken aback.


    With a faint guess in her heart, she glanced at Mother Su in surprise and tentatively asked, ¡°Auntie, you are¡­?¡±

 Chapter 59 - Chapter 59: Chapter 57 Aunt

    Chapter 59: Chapter 57 Aunt


    Mother Su wiped the tears from her face and looked at Huo Sining with a gentle and soft expression,


    ¡°You¡¯re right, my name is Huang Hongying. My father is Ruining¡¯s biological uncle, which makes me your maternal aunt.¡±


    At this point, Huang Hongying took a few more steps forward, scrutinizing Huo Sining¡¯s face carefully. When she saw the small red birthmark by her ear, she was astounded and murmured,


    ¡°She looks so much like him, even the birthmark is identical. You must be Ruining¡¯s daughter; there¡¯s no mistake. I have a photo of Ruining from when he was in his teens. I¡¯ll find it for you to see. The father and daughter are really carved from the same mold.¡±


    Saying this, Huang Hongying didn¡¯t wait for anyone else¡¯s reaction; she turned around and hurried to the bedroom upstairs.


    Soon after, she came down with a box and led Huo Sining to sit on the living room sofa.


    Huang Hongying opened the box, took out a yellowed photo album, and quickly flipped to an old photograph.


    ¡°Do you see this? Your dimple looks so much like the one on your face. We used to tease your father when he was little because of this dimple, saying he looked like a girl. Every time we mentioned it, he would get annoyed and chase us, trying to hit us.¡±


    A trace of nostalgia appeared on Huang Hongying¡¯s face, but the sadness in her eyes could not be hidden.


    ¡°He said he wanted to be a true man, a qualified soldier, later to become a qualified husband and father, fulfilling all his duties. He told me this before he left for Rongcheng, the last time we met. I never expected that would be¡­¡±


    ¡°The Huang family has many brothers and sisters, but your father and I were close in age, so we grew up playing together. When your father was alive, he and I got along best, and he even wrote to me saying that once he returned to the capital from Rongcheng, he would get married. At the time, I thought that was just a joke, so I didn¡¯t ask further. If we had known about you and your mother, we would have found a way to bring you both over.¡±


    Huo Sining didn¡¯t speak; she listened to Huang Hongying¡¯s reminiscences while looking down at the photograph.


    A young man, his mouth pursed, dressed in military uniform, stared seriously at the camera. Unfortunately, as soon as he pursed his lips, a dimple on his cheek would appear, which made his expression seem less stern and more shyly smiling.


    He had not managed to be a qualified husband and father, nor had he fulfilled his responsibilities, but Huo Sining¡¯s years of resentment vanished in an instant.


    Looking at this person who was both familiar and foreign to her, she felt a profound respect welling up in her heart.


    This was her father, a true man of honor.


    At the dining table, Su Qingqing was speechless.


    She had never imagined that a matchmaking dinner would turn into a family reunion.


    Seeing her future sister-in-law transform into a distant cousin, she couldn¡¯t come to terms with it.


    Had she not finally met a sister-in-law she approved of, only for her to slip away just like that?


    What about her brother, who was ready to confess his feelings?


    Su Qingqing looked at Su Jinyuan pitifully, feeling both sympathy and regret.


    Unexpectedly, it was at this moment that Su Jinyuan stood up and said,


    ¡°Mom, I mentioned before that I wanted to take a sworn sister. I never imagined Huo Sining would actually turn out to be our relative. Now it seems that my earlier gesture was unnecessary.¡±


    Huang Hongying was stunned for a moment but couldn¡¯t help but laugh, ¡°So the sworn sister you were talking about was Ningning. I was wondering why you, who are indifferent to everyone except Qingqing, suddenly took a liking to a stranger and insisted on taking her as your sister. It¡¯s the bond of blood after all. You two siblings became friends with her despite having just met by chance. It seems you can¡¯t sever the ties of blood relations; the moment I saw this girl, my heart went out to her, and I wanted to get closer.¡±


    A sworn sister? What sworn sister?


    With a dry throat, Su Qingqing asked, ¡°Brother, when you said on the phone that you wanted to make an announcement, was it about wanting to make Ningning your sworn sister?¡±


    ¡°What else did you think?¡± Su Jinyuan raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°`


    Su Qingqing looked at Su Jinyuan awkwardly and then glanced at Huo Sining with guilt before lowering her head in embarrassment and shame.


    How embarrassing, her brother never had those intentions towards Ningning!


    Oh my goodness, what a foolish thing had she done? She had caused such a big misunderstanding!


    Huang Hongying obviously understood why Su Qingqing was embarrassed. She looked at her own daughter with a smile that wasn¡¯t quite a smile, but her gaze softened even more when she turned to Huo Sining:


    ¡°Although your surname is Huo, you are Ruining¡¯s only child. In my eyes, you are his continuation. Let¡¯s forget I ever mentioned adopting a goddaughter. You don¡¯t need to see me as some distant aunt. In my heart, you are as dear as my own daughter. Think of me as your real aunt, and consider this place your home. If you¡¯re ever wronged, you can tell me, and your aunt will have your back.¡±


    Li Bihua once wrote: When a child falls down, if they look around and find no adults nearby, they won¡¯t cry. They will just get up on their own. Pain feels more painful when someone is there to coddle you. Without anyone, you lack self-pity, but you show strength and resolve.


    The warmth in Huang Hongying¡¯s words was something Huo Sining heard for the first time in this lifetime or the last.


    Seeing Huang Hongying¡¯s sincere and expectant gaze, Huo Sining¡¯s heart instantly filled with a bitter sweetness.


    It seemed as if all the suffering and grievances of many years were surging forth. Her eyes suddenly warmed, and the welling emotions, even though she lowered her head to contain them, couldn¡¯t be held back, and her tears finally broke through the dam.


    ¡°Good child, you must have suffered so much over the years. If you¡¯re sad, cry it out. We won¡¯t laugh at you,¡± Huang Hongying consoled gently as she saw a myriad of emotions flood Huo Sining¡¯s usually composed face. With a glance that flickered with wistfulness and sorrow, she quickly stepped forward to embrace the young girl, gently patting her back and softly comforting her.


    A lonely young girl, dependent upon her uncle¡¯s family for over ten years, could hardly imagine the scorn and humiliation she had endured.


    Huo Sining covered her mouth, but the trembling of her shoulders and the faint sobs leaking through her fingers made the four people at the table acutely aware of the girl¡¯s profound heartache.


    For a moment, no one spoke; silence was their only response.


    Huo Sining¡¯s tears didn¡¯t last long. Having faced life and death, she had matured a lot, and those past cries would soon be forgotten.


    She had never intended to cling to the past endlessly. Given a second chance at life by the heavens, she was determined to leave everything behind.


    Because she always believed that living well was the best revenge against those who had hurt her.


    ¡°Aunt, who else is in the Huang family?¡±


    After dinner, as Huo Sining and the Su family sat chatting in the living room and she had regained her composure, she asked Huang Hongying in a calm voice.


    ¡°All the elders have passed away. Your grandmother had four siblings in her generation, but only your grandmother was a girl; the rest were boys. My father was the eldest, your grandmother was the youngest, and between them, there are two more uncles. Apart from your grandmother, the three older siblings are still with us. My father and your second great-uncle settled in the Imperial Capital, so many of your cousins developed their careers there as well. By now, they all have their own families and businesses. Your third great-uncle moved to Guangcheng after some issues in the Huang family, and he took advantage of the reforms there a few years back to start a real-estate development business, and he has established a small presence in Guangcheng. If you would like to meet them, I will arrange a time to take you to the Imperial Capital and Guangcheng,¡± Huang Hongying explained.


    Huo Sining nodded and then asked, ¡°And what about the Liang family?¡±


    As soon as the Liang family was mentioned, Huang Hongying¡¯s expression darkened:


    ¡°The Liang family? Hmph, nothing but a nest of rats and snakes, not a decent one among them. You don¡¯t need to bother with those people. Your grandfather never liked your father; he even threw your grandmother and father out of the house to make room for his mistress. It¡¯s even more ridiculous now. I heard he has handed over all the family business to his youngest son, who is very much like him, selling off assets and misbehaving, knowing only how to indulge in pleasure and ruin women. The stakeholders and company veterans have long been dissatisfied. In my opinion, it won¡¯t be long before the Liang family is nothing but an empty shell. I¡¯ve said it before: what goes around comes around. Liang Pengzhi committed unforgivable deeds, and divine retribution will come.¡±


    Huo Sining certainly didn¡¯t entertain the thought of acknowledging the Liang family. She was merely curious about Wu Jingyi¡¯s affairs after returning to the Liang family in her previous life, because from Su Zhenhua and Huang Hongying¡¯s recollections, her grandmother and father had clearly broken ties with the Liang family a long time ago. The two families could almost be described as irreconcilably estranged.


    Why then, when the Liang family learned of Wu Jingyi¡¯s existence as a counterfeit heiress, did they so eagerly bring her back into the Liang household to care for her in the previous lifetime?


    A Cinderella with nothing to her name, what use could they possibly have for her after taking her back?


    ¡°`

 Chapter 60 - Chapter 60: Chapter 58: New College Roommate

    Chapter 60: Chapter 58: New College Roommate


    Huo Sining was puzzled in her heart. In her last life, Wu Jingyi only revealed part of the secrets before Huo Sining died.


    Now, pursuing those truths was futile; even if she had the desire, she lacked the ability to investigate.


    After considering it, she let go and focused on preparing for the freshman military training.


    In the evening, Huo Sining insisted on returning to S University because the school was arranging for new students to enter the military training camp early the next morning. Additionally, although Huo Sining didn¡¯t plan to live on campus regularly, she still needed to interact with her roommates in the university dormitory. If she kept herself absent, it would give off the wrong impression of being unapproachable, which wasn¡¯t what she wanted.


    Huang Hongying had always wanted Huo Sining to stay at home, but she couldn¡¯t persuade Huo Sining to change her mind, so she had Su Jinyuan take Huo Sining back to S University. Without a second thought, Su Qingqing also climbed into the car.


    ¡°What are you coming for?¡± Huo Sining was speechless; she was just returning to school, was it necessary for so many people to see her off?


    Su Qingqing acted as if she hadn¡¯t heard, but she became even more attached to Huo Sining.


    Knowing that this girl from Rongcheng was actually her cousin, she felt more joy than frustration in her heart.


    Although she had mistakenly thought Huo Sining was going to be her future sister-in-law, she now felt that having a sister might not be too bad either,¡ªshe had never experienced what it was like to be an older sister.


    ¡°Little girl, now that I¡¯m both your senior and your cousin, you as the younger cousin should be aware of your role. Don¡¯t try to be too assertive. Just tell big sis here if something comes up. From now on, with me here, I¡¯ve got your back at S University!¡±


    Su Qingqing¡¯s demeanor was like that of an assertive boss, which made Huo Sining not know whether to laugh or cry.


    ¡°Here, take this; military training is tough. Apply more sunscreen to protect your skin from getting tanned. Girls who stay fair and tender are more popular with boys at the university. Little cousin, go for it!¡±


    When they reached S University, Su Qingqing somehow produced a set of skincare products out of nowhere and handed it to Huo Sining.


    Su Jinyuan was taken aback and looked at Su Qingqing with a trace of satisfaction in his eyes.


    His sister was usually carefree, but this time she had become more considerate¡ªit was unexpected for her to think of giving someone a gift.


    ¡°You¡¯ve prepared this, so is mine redundant?¡± Su Jinyuan was also somewhat helpless, as he hadn¡¯t known that Su Qingqing would buy skincare products. Therefore, he had Secretary Lin buy a set from a counter before leaving work. Now, presenting it felt somewhat awkward.


    Two sets of sunscreen skincare products from different brands, both clearly international items with hefty price tags, were evident at a glance.


    Huo Sining was slightly embarrassed; meanwhile, Su Qingqing didn¡¯t hesitate to snatch both bags and stuff them into Huo Sining¡¯s arms:


    ¡°What does it matter? Just use whichever you like, and if it really comes down to it, you can share with the other girls in the dorm.


    Huo Sining would be lying if she said she wasn¡¯t touched, but she wasn¡¯t good with pleasantries. She simply watched the Su siblings with a smile, keeping their kindness in her heart, thinking that she would return the favor with a better gift when the opportunity arose.


    Huo Sining arrived at the dorm just after eight o¡¯clock, but aside from one girl sitting at a desk under a bed reading a book, the other two beds only had neatly made bedding without a person in sight.


    Huo Sining didn¡¯t mind and placed her things on her bed after walking into the dorm.


    The girl reading raised her head at the noise, looked at Huo Sining, paused, and said:


    ¡°You¡¯re finally back. Before, we were all guessing what our last roommate would be like. Du Yanlin and another were planning to go out for a meal tonight, but since you didn¡¯t show up, they just went by themselves.¡±


    Huo Sining was a bit surprised, as she was the first one to have left her luggage in the dorm and hadn¡¯t gotten a chance to greet her roommates. Now, hearing that her absence had postponed a dormitory dinner, she felt somewhat guilty:


    ¡°Sorry, because I had a dinner hosted by a family elder, I wasn¡¯t able to meet and greet you all. Let¡¯s talk about the dinner after military training, and I¡¯ll treat you all to apologize. How does that sound?¡±


    The girl, seeing how straightforward Huo Sining was, immediately took a liking to her and said with a smile, ¡°My name is Luo Jinzhi, and I¡¯m from Min City. How about you?¡±


    Perhaps because of Azure Pearl, Huo Sining felt an inexplicable kinship towards people from the coastal areas, and she responded with a smile, ¡°My name is Huo Sining, and I¡¯m from Rongcheng.¡±


    Luo Jinzhi was somewhat surprised: ¡°You¡¯re from Rongcheng? I heard you mention going to a family elder¡¯s house for dinner this evening, and I thought you were from S City.¡±


    ¡°No, just a relative around here,¡±


    Huo Sining explained vaguely, as she wasn¡¯t accustomed to revealing her personal matters to unfamiliar strangers. She smiled and asked, ¡°You¡¯re from Min City, right? Do you live by the sea?¡±


    Luo Jinzhi nodded slightly, somewhat embarrassedly she said, ¡°My home is in a small fishing town by the sea.¡±


    Huo Sining¡¯s eyes lit up when she heard this from Luo Jinzhi and pressed on, ¡°Does that mean you get to go out to sea and fish often?¡±


    Luo Jinzhi was outgoing, but because she came from a rural area, she actually felt somewhat inferior.


    Seeing that Huo Sining was genuinely interested and did not look down on her, she immediately broke into a smile.


    Once Luo Jinzhi started talking about amusing anecdotes from her hometown, she went on and on without stopping, and Huo Sining listened with interest, not minding the girl¡¯s chatter at all.


    As they were in the midst of their conversation, two fashionably and exquisitely dressed girls burst into the room.


    However, Huo Sining could smell a strong scent of perfume from afar, which made her frown involuntarily.


    ¡°Our fourth roommate has finally arrived.¡±


    One of the girls caught a glimpse of Huo Sining and her eyes flickered for a moment. Holding a lunchbox in her hand, she placed it on Luo Jinzhi¡¯s table:


    ¡°Hey, Du Yanlin and I just had a meal outside and couldn¡¯t finish all the dishes, so we had them packed. You haven¡¯t eaten yet, have you, Luo Jinzhi? Here, take these.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Luo Jinzhi¡¯s face immediately showed an embarrassed expression, ¡°No need, I still haven¡¯t finished the fish cakes my family brought, I¡¯ve eaten a few slices and am already full.¡±


    The girl¡¯s eyes flashed with contempt and disdain, but she smiled and said, ¡°If you don¡¯t want them, then never mind, I¡¯ll just throw them away.¡±


    As she spoke, the girl was about to throw the bag of packed food into the trash bin. Luo Jinzhi immediately felt both embarrassed and sorry, hurriedly saying:


    ¡°Since it¡¯s been packed and brought back, why throw it away? I saw a microwave on the first floor at the dorm manager¡¯s place, if you warm up the dishes tomorrow morning, they are still edible.¡±


    ¡°Eat leftovers?¡± The other girl widened her eyes dramatically upon hearing this, ¡°Luo Jinzhi, are you joking? In this weather, the food will spoil overnight, how could it still be eatable?¡±


    At these words, Luo Jinzhi¡¯s face flushed with embarrassment. She had grown up in a fishing village and was making her first trip out of Min City to S City, bringing with her the habit of not being wasteful that she had developed in the fishing village.


    But S City was not a fishing village, and city folks were particular about not eating overnight dishes. Her opinions sounded exceedingly strange to the people of S City.


    Seeing that both roommates were looking at her with astonishment, as if she was just a country bumpkin, Luo Jinzhi wished she could disappear into a crack in the floor.


    Huo Sining felt somewhat displeased watching the two girls bully a rural girl, so she said with a smile:


    ¡°When I came up earlier, I saw the dorm manager¡¯s aunt cooking, and I suppose she hasn¡¯t started eating yet. I think we might as well take it down for her to eat. It seems a bit wasteful to throw it away after having it packed.¡±


    Upon hearing Huo Sining¡¯s words, the two girls looked at each other, one furrowing her brows and saying no more, the other¡¯s smile fading slightly as she responded softly, ¡°Sure.¡±


    Then, she turned around and walked out.


    Luo Jinzhi slightly relaxed, gratefully glancing at Huo Sining before sitting back down and returning to her studies.


    Huo Sining began to organize her luggage for the military training tomorrow. Yet, just after she had climbed into bed for a little while, she saw through the window a girl tossing a bag into the trash bin downstairs at the dormitory building.


    The girl was Du Yanlin, who had just agreed to take the food downstairs to the dorm manager.


    Huo Sining paused, a sneer forming in her heart. It looked like getting along with these two roommates wasn¡¯t going to be easy.

 Chapter 61 - Chapter 61: Chapter 59: Who is the Country Bumpkin?

    Chapter 61: Chapter 59: Who is the Country Bumpkin?


    It wasn¡¯t long before Du Yanlin came upstairs, still wearing a smile with no hint of anything amiss.


    As soon as she entered, she looked towards Huo Sining and asked, ¡°I forgot to ask just now, what¡¯s your name, are you also from S City?¡±


    When Du Yanlin¡¯s gaze swept over the two sets of high-end skincare products on Huo Sining¡¯s bed, there was a slight pause, her eyes flashed with an imperceptible surprise and envy.


    ¡°My name is Huo Sining, from Rongcheng Baiyun Village, not a S City native,¡± Huo Sining said indifferently.


    The girl was taken aback upon hearing this. The name Baiyun Village sounded so rustic, it seemed like the kind of name only a rural area would have.


    She looked at Huo Sining skeptically, smiled, and said, ¡°Oh really? I thought you were from S City too. Well, you¡¯re not. My name is Du Yanlin, and she¡¯s Xue Jingjing. We¡¯re both locals.¡±


    Huo Sining merely smiled faintly, unbothered, and said, ¡°Oh, is that so.¡±


    Not seeing any surprise or envy on Huo Sining¡¯s face, Du Yanlin¡¯s eyes flickered slightly, finally resting on Huo Sining¡¯s bed once more.


    As if taking an inadvertent glance, she exclaimed with feigned surprise, ¡°Oh my, isn¡¯t this Caudaile¡¯s latest sunblock cosmetics? This skincare set is only available in the Caudaile counters in Jiangdong! Huo Sining, your family must be very wealthy, this set of cosmetics must be at least four to five thousand yuan.¡±


    After the leftover packing incident just now, Huo Sining instinctively disliked this girl who was nice to her face but not behind her back.


    Now, seeing Du Yanlin staring at her two sets of cosmetics, she couldn¡¯t help but curve her lips slightly and asked in surprise,


    ¡°Are you talking about this? I bought this from the farmer¡¯s market over there. It was just a few tens of yuan. You¡¯re saying those counters in Jiangdong sell them for so expensive, do people really buy them?¡±


    Du Yanlin froze on the spot. A few tens of yuan for a set, were these knock-offs?


    Xue Jingjing beside her couldn¡¯t hold back a snort of laughter,


    ¡°From the farmer¡¯s market? Hahaha, Huo Sining, you buy cosmetics from such a tacky place? Don¡¯t you know it¡¯s all counterfeit and inferior products there? That¡¯s hilarious!¡±


    Xue Jingjing glanced at the sports attire on Huo Sining and her old Nokia phone, instantly deeming Huo Sining a country bumpkin. How could someone like this ever afford Caudaile?


    At this thought, her eyes were full of undisguised sarcasm and contempt.


    Seeing Huo Sining¡¯s attire didn¡¯t seem like that of someone wealthy, Du Yanlin felt she had made a huge blunder, becoming slightly angry and contemptuous as she glanced at Huo Sining, thinking to herself,


    Just as expected, a country bumpkin from a rural area, buying knock-offs to deceive others. Trying to pretend to be a wealthy and beautiful woman without money, truly disgusting.


    But Huo Sining was undisturbed, even laughing, ¡°These all have trademarks and national certification marks. The Yu Meijing I used in Rongcheng only cost me five yuan a box. These sets cost tens of yuan each, how could they possibly be counterfeit and inferior?¡±


    Xue Jingjing looked at Huo Sining as if she was looking at an idiot, cursing silently,


    National certification marks can¡¯t be faked? Caudaile is a foreign product, what¡¯s the use of a national certification? A few tens of yuan can¡¯t even buy a Caudaile packaging box. You think four or five thousand yuan is expensive? But the product is effective! Wealthy people go after it eagerly, and they are not at all worried about not being able to sell.


    To Xue Jingjing and Du Yanlin, Huo Sining¡¯s na?ve comments cemented her status as an unsophisticated country bumpkin, just like Luo Jinzhi.


    After exchanging a glance, the two close allies gave Huo Sining a cold look, completely disregarding her from then on.


    A thick sarcasm flashed through Huo Sining¡¯s eyes. After a moment¡¯s thought, she picked up one of the sets of cosmetics and placed it on Luo Jinzhi¡¯s bed, smiling,


    ¡°Jin Zhi, take this set of cosmetics. I can¡¯t use so much by myself.¡±


    Luo Jinzhi¡¯s face turned red as she hastily declined, ¡°How can I accept this? You bought it with your own money. I can¡¯t take it for no reason. Besides, I¡¯ve never used cosmetics. We¡¯re used to the sea breeze and sun, not comfortable with slathering stuff on our face.¡±


    Hearing such rustic words, Huo Sining couldn¡¯t help but want to laugh:


    ¡°This isn¡¯t Mindong, the summer here is very hot and the sun is quite harsh, if you don¡¯t apply sunscreen, your face is very likely to get sunburned. Besides, I¡¯ve heard that women in S City love to slather all sorts of things on their faces. Since we are in S City, we should adapt to local customs, right? We can¡¯t let them look down on us and laugh at us for being country bumpkins.¡±


    With these words, Huo Sining placed herself and Luo Jinzhi on the same side, reducing some of Luo Jinzhi¡¯s unease.


    However, she was reluctant to let Huo Sining spend money needlessly. Hesitating for a moment, she took the cosmetics from Huo Sining¡¯s hand, yet she asked:


    ¡°Did you pay for these cosmetics? I can¡¯t just take advantage of you for free. Tell me how much you spent, and I¡¯ll give you the money.¡±


    Huo Sining smiled and glanced toward Xue Jingjing and Du Yanlin before leaning in close to Luo Jinzhi¡¯s ear, pretending to be mysterious:


    ¡°Actually, I tricked them. This set of cosmetics was given to me by the store owner, it was a buy-one-get-one-free deal, and when I saw it was so cheap, I quickly paid for it. Otherwise, why do you think I would arbitrarily buy two sets of cosmetics? I can¡¯t eat them. These things have an expiration date, and if they go bad just sitting there, wouldn¡¯t that be a waste? So you might as well do me a favor and use it up, all right?¡±


    ¡°Tricked them?¡± Luo Jinzhi¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.


    Seeing Huo Sining place a finger to her lips in a hushing motion, she quickly covered her mouth and glanced at the other two women, instantly understanding Huo Sining¡¯s intent. A smile appeared in her eyes as she nodded earnestly at Huo Sining.


    Xue Jingjing, watching Huo Sining give a bag of knockoffs to Luo Jinzhi and seeing Luo Jinzhi looking thrilled, sneered while sitting on the bed. She thought to herself that it¡¯s true what they say: country bumpkins who have never seen the world can be bought over with just about anything.


    Early the next morning, they received a notice that they would leave by bus at nine o¡¯clock to head to the training camp.


    Upon hearing this notice, the dorm building became a scene of chaos as everyone was busy packing the items they needed for the training camp.


    The girls¡¯ dormitory was particularly noisy, with instructors blowing whistles to hurry them along and women upstairs shrieking dramatically.


    ¡°I must bring this sunscreen and face masks, or else my skin will become all dark and dry, which would be dreadful. I¡¯m already not that fair, I¡¯m sure to end up looking like a dried fish by the end of it!¡± Du Yanlin anxiously paced the room in circles.


    ¡°Which clothes should I choose from all of these, and I also need these snacks, my mom specially picked them out yesterday at the supermarket. I have to bring them. I heard the camp is in the middle of nowhere, with not even a convenience store, so there¡¯s no point in thinking about snacks,¡± Xue Jingjing stuffed a large bag of snacks into her suitcase.


    ¡°Ah, I need to bring my phone charger too, who knows if there will be a place to charge it in that godforsaken place!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Du Yanlin was also cramming a hodgepodge of items into her suitcase, but she soon realized they wouldn¡¯t all fit.


    She turned around to find a larger suitcase, and when she turned back, she saw Huo Sining sitting calmly on the edge of the bed, casting her a doubtful glance:


    ¡°Huo Sining, why aren¡¯t you packing your things? We¡¯ll be leaving soon, and you better not be late!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already packed,¡± Huo Sining said, slinging a backpack over her shoulder and jumping off the bed to head out. She had prepared everything the night before.


    The school had already issued two sets of camouflage uniforms, so they only needed to prepare their undergarments, there was no need for additional clothes.


    Huo Sining¡¯s luggage was extremely simple; her backpack was easily and neatly packed.


    Seeing Xue Jingjing and Du Yanlin still fussing over choosing skirts and shorts, Huo Sining found it amusing.


    These two seemed to not understand the situation¡ªthey were going for military training, not a fashion show. Once at the military camp, if they didn¡¯t wear their camouflage, would they really be allowed to dress up to the nines?


    As for snacks, that was even more out of the question. The instructors weren¡¯t fools, and she guessed that once at the camp, they¡¯d be required to hand them over. No matter how much they brought, it would be futile.


    Since all their efforts were in vain, why bother wasting energy on such things?

 Chapter 62 - Chapter 62: Chapter 60: A Display of Authority

    Chapter 62: Chapter 60: A Display of Authority


    Inspired by Huo Sining, Luo Jinzhi also quickly packed a backpack and followed close behind Huo Sining to the playground to wait for assembly.


    At nine o¡¯clock, the assembly bell rang, and the students trickled onto the playground.


    The instructors blew their whistles over and over, urging the students. It took nearly twenty minutes to complete the assembly.


    The instructors¡¯ faces turned dark in an instant.


    Buses were parked at the entrance to the training camp. A group of young boys and girls with curious expressions looked around, obviously finding the camp novel and interesting.


    But Huo Sining already had a premonition that these classmates would soon be very miserable.


    Indeed, not long after getting off the bus, the head instructor approaching them delivered the first blow.


    ¡°Hello, everyone. Welcome to the military¡¯s central training Camp S. I am Chen Deping, your head instructor for the next month,¡± said the man.


    A middle-aged man in camouflage stepped forward, holding a megaphone and began to speak.


    It was early September at noon, and the scorching summer sun blazed down as all the students broiled underneath it, waiting for the instructors to open the iron gates so they could enter the camp, be assigned dormitories, and rest.


    Unexpectedly, the next words from Chen Deping sent everyone¡¯s hearts into the abyss, a chill running through them.


    ¡°Now, please quickly tidy up all your luggage. The following items are to be handed over immediately. The items you voluntarily hand over will be returned to you after military training is completed. However, if any students disobey and hide things away, don¡¯t blame me for not giving prior warning, as confiscated items will be permanently seized,¡± he said.


    With that, Chen Deping unfolded the A4 paper in his hand and read from the list with an expressionless face:


    ¡°Mobile phones, laptops, game consoles, snacks¡­¡±


    ¡°Furthermore, to prevent you from locking your belongings in suitcases, there will be lockers in the dorms for clothing and toiletries. Please hand over locked suitcases after you have tidied up your luggage.¡±


    From the initial looks of mutual astonishment to the subsequent open-mouthed shock, and finally to heartbroken sobs, Xue Jingjing standing on the side was wailing pitifully:


    ¡°My God, we just got here, and they¡¯re giving us such a big ¡®welcome gift¡¯. Is this instructor trying to kill us? It¡¯s just training for new students, we¡¯re not even new recruits. Why is he so serious and earnest?¡±


    Not only Xue Jingjing but the others were also deeply shaken by this order; the entrance to the training camp was a scene of despair.


    But with the instructor¡¯s command given, if you don¡¯t comply, you can¡¯t enter the dorm. So, no one dared to disobey the order.


    The gate soon became a scene of chaos, with suitcases and backpacks flying everywhere.


    Both Huo Sining and Luo Jinzhi had only a simple backpack, so there wasn¡¯t much to hand over.


    Huo Sining carried a mobile phone and handed it over without saying a word.


    Luo Jinzhi, however, hesitated for a moment before blushing and taking out the four fish cakes from her pocket.


    As Luo Jinzhi handed over the fish cakes, Huo Sining clearly saw the instructor in charge of the collection twitch his mouth involuntarily.


    When all the items had been handed in, the instructor began to summarize:


    ¡°Most students are very conscientious, but there are also a few who have smuggled private goods. If you¡¯re unwilling to hand them over, I won¡¯t force you. But you better pray that you find a safe place to hide. Don¡¯t let the fox¡¯s tail show, because if I find out, you can wait to be punished,¡± he said.


    As soon as Chen Deping uttered these words, several students¡¯ complexions changed unnaturally.


    On the side, Xue Jingjing and Du Yanlin exchanged glances, their expressions somewhat uneasy.


    Huo Sining knew that these two must have also hidden something, but she did not speak out to persuade them to turn it in.


    It was clear these two were holding onto a stroke of luck, and if military training could serve as a lesson, it would not necessarily be a bad thing.


    The training camp dormitory was a shared room that could accommodate thirty-two people.


    The dormitory beds were simple iron bunk beds, and Huo Sining and Luo Jinzhi conscientiously chose a bunk; Luo Jinzhi on the lower, while Huo Sining climbed to the upper.


    Xue Jingjing and Du Yanlin were also assigned to the same dormitory, but as soon as they entered and saw the conditions, they became anxious.


    Xue Jingjing pursed her lips, her eyes brimming with tears, ¡°How can we live like this with so many people in one room, with no privacy at all?!¡±


    You should have anticipated that living conditions in the army training camp would be tougher than school; it¡¯s not like you¡¯re living here alone¡ªeveryone is in the same boat.


    Seeing Xue Jingjing¡¯s exaggerated look of distress, Huo Sining could hardly bear to watch.


    The others were silently packing and arranging their beds, with not a single person showing sympathy for her.


    According to the schedule, there would be the first training session after a two-hour lunch break, and it was already twelve o¡¯clock; they needed to quickly get their beds ready and then go to the cafeteria to eat.


    Luo Jinzhi had already packed and was about to go over to console Xue Jingjing, but Huo Sining stopped her.


    Huo Sining shook her head at her, and Luo Jinzhi, puzzled, ultimately did not go over.


    Seeing that her cries did not attract attention from the others, Xue Jingjing sniffled and whimpered for a while before giving up and obediently began to pack her things.


    Huo Sining, holding on to Luo Zhiwen, was ready to go to the cafeteria when her gaze inadvertently fell on Xue Jingjing, who stealthily pulled a bag out of her suitcase and stuffed it into her blanket.


    Seeing this, Gu Yan couldn¡¯t help shaking her head, finding it amusing.


    This girl still thinks this is a high school dorm, assuming that hiding things in the blanket would keep the soldiers from searching like high school teachers would, huh?


    That¡¯s far too naive; these guys are military rogues, even a legitimate scholar can¡¯t argue his way out, not to mention they employ politeness followed by force.


    Luo Jinzhi also noticed Xue Jingjing¡¯s sneaky behavior, and pulling at Huo Sining¡¯s clothes, she had a look of shock and concern,


    ¡°The instructors have warned us repeatedly, how can she still dare to hide things? She¡¯s really bold, isn¡¯t she afraid of being caught?¡±


    Huo Sining smiled, a hint of schadenfreude in her eyes, ¡°Maybe she thinks the instructor is too gentle to lift her blanket, but I bet it won¡¯t be long before we see this girl crying.¡±


    Luo Jinzhi was considering giving a warning, but then she remembered the way Xue Jingjing looked at her like she was a bumpkin the night before, and she hesitated.


    Huo Sining knew what she was thinking and couldn¡¯t help but pull her to leave:


    ¡°Let¡¯s go eat. You¡¯re not a saint, we can¡¯t manage this kind of thing. Even if you did tell her and she didn¡¯t listen, that would be one thing, but she might even blame us for meddling. If the instructor finds her stuff, she could turn her anger on us, or even suspect we snitched. Don¡¯t let your good intentions backfire and bring trouble on yourself.¡±


    Huo Sining was right; although she had only just met Xue Jingjing and Du Yanlin, Luo Jinzhi faintly felt that if she really did advise them, it might turn out as Huo Sining had said: they would not appreciate her intervention and might even blame her for meddling.


    After thinking it over, she gave up the idea and quickly followed Huo Sining to the cafeteria.


    Huo Sining didn¡¯t like to meddle, but soon she could no longer smile, and Luo Jinzhi was dumbstruck as well.


    The two stood dumbfounded on the drill ground, looking at each other wordlessly, the corners of their mouths bearing bitter smiles, their eyes filled with deep regret.

 Chapter 63 - Chapter 63: Chapter 61: Involvement

    Chapter 63: Chapter 61: Involvement


    After lunch break, as the military whistle blew, a scattered group of new recruits slowly made their way to the parade ground.


    At 2:30 in the afternoon the sun was scorching, turning the parade ground into a sauna, which naturally led to sluggish movements. Despite countless whistle blows, they finally assembled.


    Looking at the dozens of instructors standing in front of the parade ground, each one already had an iron-blue complexion.


    Chen Deping checked the time and said sternly, ¡°A ten-minute assembly hasn¡¯t been achieved, such discipline is truly unbelievable.¡±


    There was silence across the parade ground, and everyone sensed that the instructor¡¯s tone was a bit off.


    Seeing Chen Deping¡¯s dark face, Huo Sining had a feeling that something was not quite right.


    As expected, the intimidation soon followed, ¡°Seeing how slothful you all are, let¡¯s start with some appetizer exercises to loosen up your muscles. Now, by class units, take your positions and run two laps around the track.¡±


    Two laps?! You¡¯ve got to be joking?


    This wasn¡¯t the kind of playground you find at schools. The training camp¡¯s track was a thousand meters long, meaning two laps would amount to two kilometers. And this was just an appetizer?!


    There even came gasps from within the ranks; everyone realized that the days ahead in military training were likely to be more bad than good.


    With the chief instructor leading the way, the recruits, though reluctant, didn¡¯t openly revolt, and started a slow jog in groups as instructed.


    Two kilometers was not a small distance. Huo Sining was doing alright. Ever since she got the Water-Repelling Pearl, she had been using the Spiritual Energy to massage her body whenever she could.


    Moreover, she occasionally went to the river to catch fish, so her physical strength gradually improved. She had seen a significant enhancement in her fitness, making such a jog no challenge for her.


    But the other recruits were different. Those who usually lacked exercise found it hard to finish the run, and by the time everyone returned to the starting point, there were all states of distress ¨C people panting heavily, sitting collapsed on the ground, bodies bent with legs trembling.


    Xue Jingjing and Du Yanlin were already too exhausted to walk. Huo Sining¡¯s gaze shifted to Luo Jinzhi, who was flushed but did not seem too out of breath.


    ¡°Back in Mindong, I used to deliver goods for my dad every morning. Sometimes if I was in a hurry, I had to run while carrying the load. This little distance is nothing.¡±


    Perhaps sensing the curiosity in Huo Sining¡¯s eyes, Luo Jinzhi gave a shy smile, offered an explanation, then suddenly thought of something and looked at Huo Sining, asking,


    ¡°It¡¯s strange, where did our instructor go? It seems like the other instructors are also missing. Why is it just the chief instructor commanding on the parade ground? Where have they all gone?¡±


    Instructor Wu was in charge of Huo Sining¡¯s class, Mathematics Class 2, a handsome young man who didn¡¯t look like he was even twenty years old, tall and thin with a pale face and tiger teeth that showed when he smiled. He seemed a bit introverted, but once he spoke, he had a loud and commanding voice.


    Huo Sining had already noticed that Instructor Wu was not on the parade ground and was initially puzzled, but then she inadvertently saw a cunning smile on Chen Deping¡¯s face and instantly understood what the instructors were up to.


    With all the earlier preambles, the instructors must be collecting their spoils of war!


    Sure enough, less than three minutes later, the line of instructors who had been missing from the parade ground suddenly emerged from the dormitory building across the way.


    Approaching Huo Sining¡¯s class formation, Instructor Wu was carrying several plastic bags.


    Xue Jingjing immediately noticed that one of the bags contained the snacks she had secretly stuffed under her bedding, and her face instantly turned pale!


    Du Yanlin¡¯s face also turned pale when she saw a mobile phone in the other hand of the instructor, clearly recognizing it as her own.


    She had brought two mobile phones to the training camp. So when the instructor asked everyone to hand them in, she gave up her old phone and hid the new one inside her shoe. She didn¡¯t expect it to be found by the instructors!


    Huo Sining noticed the changing expressions of Xue Jingjing and Du Yanlin and, looking at the items in the instructor¡¯s hands, thought to herself: Here it comes.


    After the formation, Chen Deping began to challenge them,


    ¡°I warned you before coming to the training camp that hiding contraband would lead to punishment. It seems that some of you have not taken my words to heart, deceiving in secret. Now, since you¡¯re willing to take the risk, don¡¯t blame me for being ruthless.¡±


    ¡°`


    Xue Jingjing and Du Yanlin were both tense, while the others in the team appeared indifferent.


    Huo Sining and Luo Jinzhi exchanged glances and shrugged their shoulders, only for Chen Deping¡¯s next words to make their shoulders slump simultaneously.


    ¡°Classes with contraband, all step out!¡±


    Huo Sining was stunned, and Luo Jinzhi was dumbfounded, ¡°Why is it our entire class stepping out?¡±


    Huo Sining stepped forward calmly, her lips parting slightly, ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, this instructor is preparing to implement collective punishment, and none of us will be spared.¡±


    Luo Jinzhi¡¯s complexion changed as well, frustration rising, ¡°How could this be? If I had known, I would have persuaded Xue Jingjing to hand over the snacks!¡±


    ¡°Persuading one wouldn¡¯t have been of any use, Du Yanlin still had things hidden, we couldn¡¯t control all of it.¡±


    Huo Sining, however, gave a bitter smile. She regretted it too, but she didn¡¯t want to meddle, yet who could have expected the instructor to be this harsh?


    There were forty people in Huo Sining¡¯s class, and in an instant, all of them stood out.


    The students implicated were naturally not happy, some glaring at Xue Jingjing and Du Yanlin with unfriendly eyes. The two of them turned their heads away, somewhat guilty, and dared not meet everyone¡¯s gaze.


    More than half the students on the field were implicated by the collective punishment.


    Looking at the vast crowd in front of him, Chen Deping stood in his neat military uniform at the front of the training field, his piercing gaze sweeping over everyone. His resonant voice echoed throughout the field, ¡°Very well! Those who stepped out, pay attention: turn left and run three laps around the track field!¡±


    As soon as these words were uttered, there was an uproar. If the previous two kilometers were just an appetizer, then these three kilometers were nothing short of an unwarranted disaster.


    The students dragged into this protested immediately. Some voiced their objections loudly, ¡°Report!¡±


    ¡°Speak!¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t hide the items, why should we be punished along with them!? Each person responsible for their own actions, whoever hid the items should be punished, why should others be implicated? We disagree!¡±


    Chen Deping let out a cold laugh, ¡°You disagree? Can you firmly say that you knew nothing when they hid the contraband? If this were on the battlefield, concealing prohibited items is to disregard the safety of comrades near you, and you who knew, commit the crime of concealment! It¡¯s precisely because you didn¡¯t report when you knew that a mission could fail, or even cause the entire class, the entire company to be annihilated! I¡¯m punishing you for your failure to report!¡±


    ¡°Remember this, once you¡¯ve entered my training camp, you¡¯re my soldiers! I warned you before you came in, with me, you must adhere to one rule, and that is absolute obedience to orders and commands! Is there anyone who still objects?!¡±


    No one made a sound, and Chen Deping pulled at his face, raising his voice to yell:


    ¡°Good, everyone present, three kilometers, turn left, run at your fastest pace¡ªGo!¡±


    The less than orderly group quickly started running along the track at Chen Dekun¡¯s command.


    ¡°This instructor is just a stern demon, why is he so harsh? He¡¯s going to work us to death?!¡± Xue Jingjing was on the verge of tears.


    The faces of the others in the class were even uglier than Xue Jingjing¡¯s. Hearing her complaints, some of the boys couldn¡¯t hold back anymore, ¡°Isn¡¯t this mess caused by you? We¡¯re the ones suffering. Why did we have to end up in the same class with you!¡±


    ¡°Why is it all my fault, I¡¯m not the only one who hid stuff!¡±


    Xue Jingjing argued back indignantly. As she said this, she subconsciously glanced at Du Yanlin beside her, her betrayal of her teammate seeming all too natural.


    Du Yanlin had been keeping her head down and staying silent, trying to make herself inconspicuous ever since she knew she caused trouble. Unfortunately, she chose a teammate as oblivious as a pig.


    As Xue Jingjing¡¯s glance shifted towards her, it instantly diverted the disaster. Everyone suddenly remembered that the causes of this unwarranted disaster were not just one person¡ªan accusatory gaze turned towards Du Yanlin, as if shooting fire.


    That damned bitch, she definitely did it on purpose! Du Yanlin was so angry she wanted to curse, she glared at Xue Jingjing resentfully.


    ¡°`

 Chapter 64 - Chapter 64: Chapter 62: Visitors from the Huang Family

    Chapter 64: Chapter 62: Visitors from the Huang Family


    Huo Sining didn¡¯t get involved in those disputes; as soon as the instructor gave the command, she took the lead and started running.


    Luo Jinzhi followed right behind her, the two of them one after the other at a pace that wasn¡¯t very fast, but they kept up with the group.


    ¡°I see you run with quite some skill, do you run often?¡±


    Seeing that Huo Sining hadn¡¯t even broken a sweat after running two kilometers and now had such a relaxed look on her face, Luo Jinzhi couldn¡¯t help but look over at Huo Sining while running and ask.


    ¡°I¡¯ve participated in the school¡¯s marathon competition,¡± Huo Sining said with a smile.


    Indeed, she had participated in long-distance races back in high school, but it was only because her class leader had forced her to fill a spot.


    At that time, Huo Sining was quite introverted and didn¡¯t know how to refuse, so she obediently took part in the competition.


    After the ten thousand meters, she was so exhausted she felt like she was about to collapse and only managed to get a certificate of participation for her effort.


    Huo Sining¡¯s explanation was ambiguous; her current stamina was purely thanks to the spiritual energy of the cheating tool, the Water-Repelling Pearl.


    During the run, no matter how tired she got, she could always summon the spiritual energy to organize her body¡¯s meridians, and all her fatigue would dissipate.


    So, running wasn¡¯t at all troubling for her; it wasn¡¯t much of a challenge.


    If it weren¡¯t for the concern of standing out in front of so many people, she wouldn¡¯t want to draw attention to herself, or she would have taken off running at high speed by now.


    But Luo Jinzhi misunderstood, thinking that Huo Sining had been a marathon athlete in high school, and immediately admired her: ¡°No wonder your stamina is so good!¡±


    Huo Sining just smiled and deliberately controlled her pace to let Luo Jinzhi keep up with her.


    Two laps later, everyone¡¯s speed had obviously slowed down, and the boys and girls trailed off into a long, strung-out tail.


    Xue Jingjing and Du Yanlin were already struggling to run; having made it only through one and a half laps, they shifted their leaden legs forward at a snail¡¯s pace, their cheeks drenched in sweat and pale.


    It was at this time, after running two laps, that Huo Sining and Luo Jinzhi had caught up from behind again, and upon seeing Huo Sining so relaxed and at ease, Xue Jingjing and Du Yanlin¡¯s teeth clenched out of spite.


    Unfortunately, jealousy didn¡¯t conjure stamina, so all they could do was watch as Huo Sining and Luo Jinzhi overtook them, helpless to do anything.


    Their eyes swept over the vast, boundless field; the initial sense of joy that surged upon seeing the grand field had long since vanished.


    Xue Jingjing just wanted to slack off and skip a lap, but the moment this thought occurred to her, the instructor behind caught her in the act.


    ¡°Why have you stopped? You¡¯re walking, not running. Do you think this is a tortoise race? Everyone needs to sprint; those who dawdle and end up last will go without dinner tonight! I want to see who dares to be lazy, thinking you can muddle through by skipping a lap without me noticing? Those who slack off will run three extra laps as punishment!¡±


    Chen Deping chased after them, holding a belt in his hand, and as he swung the belt with a snapping sound, he angrily scolded.


    ¡°Damn, that¡¯s harsh! Physical punishment is one thing, but to go hungry? These instructors are basically demons!¡±


    The students who had been held up didn¡¯t dare to delay any longer, their hearts full of resentment, but now they couldn¡¯t afford to care about that.


    In order not to go hungry that night, everyone unconsciously quickened their pace, each one rushing towards the finish line.


    Unfortunately, Chen Deping was not satisfied at all, looking at the slowly crawling trainees, he was furious, holding a leather whip:


    ¡°Look at these university students, what¡¯s the use of going to university? They¡¯re so weak that they can¡¯t even run fast, they would only be targets on the battlefield! They wouldn¡¯t even have a chance to flee, how can such people be considered talented?¡±


    Standing beside him, Huang Jialin chuckled, ¡°Old Chen, your standards are too high. These are just students, not fresh recruits; being just good enough is fine.¡±


    Chen Deping shook his head, suddenly as if he thought of something, he turned his head curiously towards Huang Jialin:


    ¡°Speaking of which, it¡¯s kind of strange for you, staying nicely in the capital and coming all the way here to do what? Don¡¯t give me some false sentiment about missing me, I won¡¯t believe it.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s not to believe? I really missed you, so I rushed over to have a look,¡± Huang Jialin said with a laugh.


    Chen Deping snorted, his face full of disdain: ¡°Spare me that, having been in the same unit for so many years, I know very well what kind of person you are. Tell me, what are you really here for?¡±


    Huang Jialin smiled, ¡°I just came to see a niece of mine, who started at S University this year, and she just happens to be training under your command, so I came to take a look.¡±


    ¡°Your niece?¡± Chen Deping looked at Huang Jialin in surprise, ¡°When did your brother have such a young daughter? That¡¯s not right, I remember Jialin only has two kids, and the youngest is already working.¡±


    Huang Jialin shook his head: ¡°Not my older brother¡¯s child, but my aunt¡¯s granddaughter. Speaking of which, you should know her father, Liang Ruining, remember him?¡±


    Chen Deping¡¯s pupils shrank, and he looked up in surprise: ¡°You¡¯re talking about the Red Ace of Wolf Fang back then?¡±


    Huang Jialin nodded and sighed, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s him. He was my aunt¡¯s son; we all grew up together in the same compound. Later he joined the Wolf Fang Troops, and at the time he was making a name for himself. Even our chief said this kid had boundless prospects. Who would have thought that such a thing would happen afterward?¡±


    Chen Deping was also quite surprised, ¡°Certainly, to be the ace of Wolf Fang, you can see how much Commander He valued him back then. But I had no idea that kid had a daughter. Otherwise, with the kid¡¯s military achievements, the army would surely have recognized it, right?¡±


    Huang Jialin gave a bitter smile, ¡°I only got the news from my cousin yesterday. The girl was posthumous, and I guess no one could have anticipated such a thing to happen. We didn¡¯t know that boy had a woman; otherwise, we would have taken the mother and child to the Imperial Capital. I heard that my younger sister-in-law died a few years after giving birth to the child, and the girl has lived with her uncles for over a decade, who knows how much she has suffered.¡±


    Chen Deping fell silent for a while then patted Huang Jialin¡¯s shoulder, smiling:


    ¡°If Liang Ruining¡¯s spirit is watching from above, he should also thank the heavens for leaving him a daughter. The ace of Wolf Fang is no ordinary person, if that girl can¡¯t even handle this bit of hardship, wouldn¡¯t she tarnish her father¡¯s glorious reputation? What¡¯s the child¡¯s name? I want to see this girl and how much of the Red Ace she has inherited!¡±


    ¡°Her name¡¯s Huo Sining, just keep an eye out for her, that¡¯s enough,¡± said Huang Jialin. ¡°My family¡¯s old master learned about this and was worried, insisting I make the trip. She¡¯s still in military training, so let the child focus on that first. I¡¯ll just take a glance from afar, and we can arrange a proper time and occasion to acknowledge the relationship after the military training.¡±


    Speaking of this, Huang Jialin felt somewhat helpless; his older cousin had called home yesterday, saying she had found Liang Ruining¡¯s child, causing a commotion that deeply shocked the two elder Huangs in the Imperial Capital.


    Both his own grandfather and his great-uncle were agitated, ready to book flights to S City that very night. Had it not been for his intervention, those two nearly octogenarian men would have traveled a thousand miles on a quest to find the person.


    Chen Deping nodded, his expression unchanged, but he took Huang Jialin¡¯s words to heart and his gaze drifted involuntarily towards the group of young boys and girls on the field.

 Chapter 65 - Chapter 65: Chapter 63 Special Physiques

    Chapter 65: Chapter 63 Special Physiques


    ¡°Huo Sining, have you noticed that there¡¯s an instructor over there who keeps staring at us?¡±


    Immediately after finishing the run, they stood at attention for an hour, Huo Sining and Luo Jinzhi on her left and right.


    At that time, a middle-aged instructor walked over from the main platform. Seeing the epaulets on the shoulders of the middle-aged instructor, Instructor Wu¡¯s face instantly turned beet red as he raised his hand to salute the man.


    The middle-aged man gestured with his hand, signaling Instructor Wu not to mind him and slowly walked in front of the girls¡¯ squad, occasionally observing everyone¡¯s stance as if he were on patrol.


    But as time passed, Luo Jinzhi felt something was off.


    She always felt that the instructor¡¯s gaze kept darting over to their side, unsure of whom he was looking at.


    Yet, that gaze, sharp as a thorn against her back, made Luo Jinzhi very uncomfortable.


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk, be careful or the instructor will catch you and give us extra punishment!¡±


    Huo Sining stared straight ahead without a glance aside, she too had noticed that the man kept looking in their direction.


    However, she was sure she didn¡¯t know the man, so she didn¡¯t think he was looking at her.


    She stood there with an open face, utterly unconcerned in her heart.


    ¡°Oh.¡± Luo Jinzhi now truly treated Huo Sining¡¯s words as a command, obediently listening to whatever she said.


    Next to them, Xue Jingjing couldn¡¯t help but snort disdainfully, muttering in a voice that only Huo Sining could hear: ¡°Fake kindness, such hypocrisy!¡±


    Huo Sining couldn¡¯t be bothered to argue with this type of person and continued to look forward as if she hadn¡¯t heard.


    Having lived through two lifetimes, her ability to judge people had greatly improved from her last life. After witnessing the behavior of Xue and Du the previous night, she concluded that these two were not worth getting to know and simply chose not to engage with such people.


    Unfortunately, even though she didn¡¯t provoke them, they still took a dislike to her.


    As for that matter, Huo Sining was truly innocent; though during the run she could have slowed down, in the end, she was still the first female student in her class to complete the task.


    When Instructor Wu saw how effortlessly Huo Sining looked, he couldn¡¯t help but praise her, saying she had a good image and demeanor and that she should lead the squad on parade day.


    Xue Jingjing begrudged Huo Sining after learning about this; she had run herself ragged, nearly losing her dinner privileges, yet the advantage fell into Huo Sining¡¯s hands.


    Xue Jingjing didn¡¯t reflect on who was at fault for this additional punishment run; instead, she believed Huo Sining had stolen the leader¡¯s position that belonged to her.


    When Xue Jingjing had entered the training camp, she learned that at the end of the month, a grand parade would be held, requiring a squad leader for each formation.


    Xue Jingjing had coveted the squad leader¡¯s position for a long time, believing herself to be stunningly beautiful and therefore she was determined to get it.


    But out of the blue came Cheng Yaojin; before she even had a chance to show herself, the position was snatched away by Huo Sining.


    In Xue Jingjing¡¯s eyes, Huo Sining had an ordinary face and an unimpressive figure; how could she be viewed by the instructor as having a good image and demeanor?


    Could it be that all instructors were blind, unable to see the great beauty right in front of them?


    Was Huo Sining just good at running, and because of that, she got to be the squad leader?!


    Xue Jingjing felt that Huo Sining had taken the squad leader position that was rightfully hers, filled with jealousy and resentment towards Huo Si. Thus, she found Huo Sining disagreeable in every aspect and looked for trouble at every turn.


    Unfortunately for her, Huo Sining simply didn¡¯t care and outright ignored her.


    This only infuriated Xue Jingjing even more, her eyes brimming with venom whenever she looked at Huo Sining.


    Huo Sining had no idea she had unwittingly become the object of someone¡¯s hatred. She was busy using spiritual energy to cool herself down and relieve the heat.


    With the Water-Repelling Pearl acting as natural air conditioning, even standing under the scorching sun, she truly didn¡¯t feel the sweltering heat.


    After standing in a military pose for an hour, everyone else was already blinded by sweat, their fronts and backs soaked through, while Huo Sining remained refreshingly cool, comfortably basking in the sunlight.


    After leaving the training field, Luo Jinzhi quickly asked her, ¡°Huo Sining, it¡¯s so hot, yet I¡¯ve never seen you sweat. Look at the back of my clothes, soaked through with sweat, my whole body damp, but you don¡¯t seem to be affected at all.¡±


    Huo Sining didn¡¯t know how to explain, so she just made up an excuse, ¡°I naturally have less active sweat glands, so I rarely sweat.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Luo Jinzhi was extremely envious, ¡°You¡¯re so lucky, I wish I had that kind of physique, then I wouldn¡¯t be afraid of the sun at all.¡±


    Huo Sining could only laugh and cry at this response, what did her lack of sweat have to do with good fortune?


    Girls are naturally delicate, and this was the first time they were undergoing such tough training. Everyone was already exhausted, and after having dinner, they returned to the dormitory and collapsed listlessly onto their beds.


    Even Luo Jinzhi seemed to be struggling and began pummeling her waist and behind her knees, a painful expression on her face.


    Upon seeing this, Huo Sining couldn¡¯t help but speak up, ¡°Jin Zhi, I know a bit about traditional Chinese massage that can relieve fatigue. Would you like me to give you a massage?¡±


    Luo Jinzhi was skeptical but didn¡¯t refuse, so upon her agreement, Huo Sining had Luo Jinzhi lie down on the bed.


    As soon as Luo Jinzhi settled down, Huo Sining¡¯s hands began to press into Luo Jinzhi¡¯s back, waist, and legs.


    During the massage, she quietly guided a small amount of Azure Pearl¡¯s spiritual energy into her palms and then slowly seeped it into Luo Jinzhi¡¯s skin and muscles.


    Feeling a cool sensation slowly entering the areas Huo Sining pressed, Luo Jinzhi¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.


    The stream of cool air quickly flowed along her entire body, making Luo Jinzhi feel both refreshed and comfortable. She couldn¡¯t help but let out a moan of pleasure uncontrollably.


    In less than ten minutes, the fatigue was swept away. Her eyes narrowed in comfort as she happily closed her eyes and fell asleep.


    People around them watched with envy, including Du Yanlin, who looked on with eyes filled with jealousy.


    She hadn¡¯t expected the bumpkin Huo Sining to have such a skill. If she had known, she would have tried to curry favor with her, maybe getting a free massage in return. Even if it wasn¡¯t genuine acupressure, a simple massage would have been nice.


    On the other side, Xue Jingjing also looked envious. Since the others weren¡¯t close to Huo Sining, they were hesitant to ask, but Xue Jingjing, who considered herself to have a special relationship with Huo Sining because they shared a dorm, spoke up directly,


    ¡°Huo Sining, we¡¯re all from the same dormitory. You massaged Luo Jinzhi, so could you also give me a massage?¡±


    Huo Sining had thought about helping the two who had been chased and struck by the instructor during the day¡¯s run, feeling a bit sorry for them and planning to give them a massage.


    But Xue Jingjing¡¯s commanding tone and entitlement chilled Huo Sining¡¯s willingness, and she smiled faintly,


    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m a bit tired myself and about to go to sleep. You should find someone else to massage you.¡±


    Being rejected in front of so many people aggravated Xue Jingjing, who let out a scornful laugh and dismissively said,


    ¡°Hmph, who cares about your massage! Making such a fuss, who knows if it¡¯s even real! You claim to know traditional medicine, if you¡¯re so talented why don¡¯t you go to a traditional medical college instead of wasting it at S University!¡±


    Huo Sining just smiled without speaking and went back to bed, closing her eyes to rest.


    Du Yanlin had also intended to ask Huo Sining for a massage, but now Xue Jingjing had managed to thoroughly offend her, making it impossible for Du Yanlin to voice her own request.


    Her face darkened with anger and frustration as she glared at Xue Jingjing, almost breathing fire, wishing she could slap the woman who never failed to mess things up with an exasperated thought, ¡°Are you seriously lacking a brain?¡±

 Chapter 66 - Chapter 66: Chapter 64 The Temptation of Chicken Drumsticks

    Chapter 66: Chapter 64 The Temptation of Chicken Drumsticks


    The result of running five kilometers during the previous day¡¯s training was an inability to get out of bed the next day.


    Before five in the early morning, the exhausted students were still immersed in sleep when a piercing whistle sounded abruptly.


    Upon hearing the whistle, Huo Sining was the first to scramble out of bed and quickly fold her quilt, getting dressed and washing up in one fluid motion.


    Luo Jinzhi wasn¡¯t slow either, she had Huo Sining press on her acupoints the night before, and surprisingly, she slept very sweetly.


    Getting up bright and early with a clear mind and refreshed body and not feeling any soreness, Luo Jinzhi was both shocked and grateful.


    She hadn¡¯t expected Huo Sining¡¯s acupressure massage to be so effective!


    The others also got up one after another, with Xue Jingjing and Du Yanlin still lazing in bed.


    Especially Xue Jingjing, who had serious bed temper. Annoyed by the continuous whistling, she grabbed her quilt to cover her head, but it was to no avail, and she began to rage, ¡°Can¡¯t you let people live!¡±


    Having learned her lesson from the experience of group punishment the day before, Huo Sining chided them while washing her face, ¡°You have time to complain, you might as well get out of bed quickly. We have to rush to the parade ground in ten minutes, and if we get punished again because of you two being late, affecting the whole thirty-something people in our class, you¡¯re dead meat!¡±


    Huo Sining¡¯s words were blunt. The six other girls in the dormitory, also from Mathematics Class 2, heard her and immediately grew anxious, remembering the punishment of running three laps around the field the previous day. They gave Xue Jingjing and Du Yanlin a fierce glare.


    No matter how thick-skinned Xue Jingjing and Du Yanlin were, they didn¡¯t dare to provoke everyone and scrambled to get up in a panic.


    Just as she was sitting up, Xue Jingjing felt her legs tremble and fell back onto the bed, crying out, ¡°Ouch¡ª¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Luo Jinzhi, having finished washing up, walked out of the washroom and couldn¡¯t help but ask with concern when she saw Xue Jingjing in that state.


    Xue Jingjing pointed at her calves with a pained expression, ¡°After-effects of running yesterday. I can¡¯t straighten them at all now.¡±


    As she said this, she glanced at Luo Jinzhi. In the morning, many girls were complaining of leg pain, but Luo Jinzhi seemed to move freely with no problems at all. It appeared that the few massages Huo Sining gave Luo Jinzhi last night were effective. Thinking back to how Huo Sining bluntly refused her the night before, Xue Jingjing¡¯s face soured, and her eyes toward Huo Sining grew hostile.


    Huo Sining certainly knew Xue Jingjing was blaming her for not giving her a massage last night, but Huo Sining was neither a saint nor a masochist. Even with her abundant Spiritual Energy, there was no need to pander to an ingrate.


    Seeing Xue Jingjing¡¯s resentful gaze, Huo Sining found it amusing and couldn¡¯t help but scoff,


    ¡°If you don¡¯t exercise regularly, of course you can¡¯t handle it. Everyone is running the same, with no special treatment. How come only she can¡¯t get out of bed? Jin Zhi, let¡¯s go. If we don¡¯t leave now, we won¡¯t make it in time.¡±


    Xue Jingjing felt guilty, and seeing that everyone in the dorm was ready to go out, even Du Yanlin was tidying up her bed, she could only grit her teeth and get out of bed.


    Huo Sining, however, no longer paid attention to Xue Jingjing and pulled Luo Jinzhi to rush to the parade ground.


    In ten minutes, Xue Jingjing and Du Yanlin, not having time to fold their quilts or wash up, followed the main group to the designated spot on the parade ground. Just as Xue Jingjing was about to breathe a sigh of relief at not being late, Chen Deping proved to be an unpredictable man, changing his tactics this time.


    This time, they still had to run three laps around the parade ground, but according to the order of finishing.


    The first ten people to finish would be rewarded with two chicken legs, two eggs, and a cup of milk for breakfast. The first fifty would get two eggs and a cup of milk; the first hundred would get a cup of milk, and those after the three hundred mark would only have youtiao and steamed buns. The last twenty would face a harsh reality, getting nothing to eat and preparing for morning military training on an empty stomach.


    Upon hearing this reward policy, everyone was dumbfounded, especially the girls who looked gloomy.


    This reward system was unfavorable to girls, as their physical prowess was generally lower than the boys, and now they had to compete in running speed. How could girls with shorter legs possibly outpace the long-legged boys?


    Unfortunately, Chen Deping didn¡¯t care at all about the protests from the field and, after announcing the breakfast plan, started giving orders.


    With the reward and punishment system in place, despite aching all over, everyone had to start running in order to secure a better breakfast.


    Huo Sining craved chicken legs. Yesterday, they had eaten nothing but vegetarian meals ¨C steamed buns, breads, cabbages, and tofu ¨C to the point where they felt tasteless as birds.


    Even Luo Jinzhi revealed a longing in her eyes, though she knew her own strength. There was no chance she could get a chicken leg, but she still needed to try hard in order to fill her breakfast plate a bit more.


    Huo Sining, however, couldn¡¯t bear to let go of this rare opportunity. During military training at the camp, one might not see meat for a month. Now, with a chance to win chicken legs as a reward, Huo Sining certainly didn¡¯t want to miss out.


    With her ¡°cheat code,¡± Huo Sining wasn¡¯t worried about outrunning the boys. This time, she didn¡¯t wait for Luo Jinzhi. She broke free from any restraints and accelerated without hesitation, sprinting ahead like the wind.


    Luo Jinzhi, who was trailing behind Huo Sining, was shocked. She hadn¡¯t expected Huo Sining to be able to run so fast.


    The thought crossed her mind that Huo Sining had run slowly yesterday just to look after her, which warmed her heart. She found herself unconsciously speeding up.


    To shorten the distance, most people ran on the inside of the track, which resulted in squeezing and shoving due to the crowd.


    Huo Sining didn¡¯t hesitate to head towards the outside of the track, quickly overtaking the main group and dashing forward.


    Those running on the inside only caught a fleeting glimpse of a slender figure out of the corner of their eyes before she had already passed them.


    Chen Deping eagerly pursued the slowest of the female runners, among them the trembling Xue Jingjing and Du Yanlin.


    He was annoyed with these girls, who were weak as sicklings, and his belt was ready to lash out at any moment.


    Unexpectedly, at that moment, an adjacent instructor inadvertently glanced across the track and caught sight of a student running on the perimeter like the wind. He nudged Chen Deping with his elbow and exclaimed, ¡°Captain, look over there. Isn¡¯t that a female soldier?!¡±


    Though it was hard to see clearly from a distance, the instructor could vaguely make out the fluttering ponytail and spoke with some uncertainty.


    Chen Deping squinted his eyes and, upon seeing that figure, his interest was immediately piqued.


    Having led troops for many years, his eye for talent was sharp. Although he couldn¡¯t make out the female soldier¡¯s face, judging by the rate at which she ran, she was not yet putting forth her full effort. Even so, her pace was easily besting the bookworms around her.


    ¡°Female soldier, you¡¯re not mistaken!¡± Chen Deping confirmed with a nod, his heart brimming with delight.


    He hadn¡¯t expected to find such promising talent among ordinary college girls who generally had lower physical fitness levels than boys.


    Chen Deping, who highly valued talent, was now eager to find out which department this fleet-footed girl was from.


    The two instructors focused intently on the people running on the track and completely forgot they were holding belts meant for punishing others.


    The group of men trailing behind Huo Sining were abuzz.


    ¡°Holy smokes, that¡¯s a girl, right? Which department is she from that she can run so well? She¡¯s got legs like a flying arrow! Does she even leave us men a chance to live?¡±


    ¡°What a heroine! She¡¯s almost finished a lap, and she¡¯s been sprinting since the start. Her speed hasn¡¯t even slowed down; this girl has extraordinary stamina!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just two chicken legs. Is it worth pushing yourself so hard for a bit of meat? Really?¡±


    Stimulated by her performance, a group of men also started to run with all their might.


    It was just unfortunate that Huo Sining¡¯s pace never slowed, quickly leaving them all behind, her slender figure growing distant.

 Chapter 67 - Chapter 67: Chapter 65: Offending the Instructor?

    Chapter 67: Chapter 65: Offending the Instructor?


    One lap, two laps¡­


    After more than two laps, Huo Sining¡¯s speed had not slowed down; she caught up with Xue Jingjing and Du Yanlin, who were lagging behind and then left them far behind.


    In the final three hundred meters, Huo Sining suddenly turned around, smiled slightly at the boys chasing her relentlessly and said, ¡°Gentlemen, I¡¯ll be taking my leave first!¡±


    With that, she started to accelerate, her footsteps as if on wheels of wind and fire, and in the blink of an eye, she sprinted towards the finish line.


    Everyone was dumbfounded; all had thought Huo Sining had reached her limit, but she actually had been holding back strength!


    That girl was terrifying ¨C this was the ultimate thought of the freshmen at S University. Could it be she hadn¡¯t taken any stimulants to be this fierce?


    ¡°Sixteen and a half minutes!¡± Chen Deping stopped the stopwatch in his hand, looking at Huo Sining, who was rushing towards the finish line on the track, with a smile. ¡°The young lady has quite the potential. Go ask her name?¡±


    In the army, there are specific standards for new recruits¡¯ three-kilometer tests: fourteen and a half minutes for male soldiers and seventeen minutes for female soldiers is considered passing. This freshman was able to make sixteen and a half minutes.


    Chen Deping had trained female soldiers before and was aware of their physical capabilities. The fact that this girl could achieve this without formal training proved the potential of her body.


    Interest piqued, Chen Deping quickly ordered an instructor to go and ask for the girl¡¯s information. The instructor hurriedly went up to inquire upon receiving the commander¡¯s order.


    Huo Sining looked toward Chen Deping in surprise and called out, ¡°Reporting, instructor, I am Huo Sining from the second class of the Mathematics Department.¡±


    Upon hearing the name Huo Sining, Chen Deping¡¯s smile froze, and he stared blankly at the girl.


    More than twenty years ago, he and Liang Ruining had completed a mission together. He still had a vague recollection of Liang Ruining, and he could indeed faintly see the shadow of the once Ace of Hearts in this girl¡¯s features.


    This was the child that Huang Jialin had eagerly come to the training camp yesterday, hoping to catch a glimpse of surreptitiously ¨C with such a physique and quality, and those clear and pure eyes, she truly was worthy of being a descendant of Lang Ya!


    Excellent, she had not tarnished her father¡¯s reputation, indeed. Liang Ruining would rest easy with such an outstanding daughter.


    With this thought, an involuntary smile of satisfaction appeared on his face.


    Huo Sining felt slightly unnerved by the smile on Chen Deping¡¯s face.


    Although she had only been there for a day, Chen Deping¡¯s face was always gloomy, and the training sessions were getting more intense each time. The nickname ¡°Cold-faced Yama¡± had already spread among the freshmen.


    Now being stared at by this ¡°facial paralysis Yama¡± who was also smiling, Huo Sining felt the situation was very strange no matter how she looked at it.


    ¡°Reporting,¡± Huo Sining swallowed and called out.


    ¡°What is it, speak!¡± Chen Deping was still smiling.


    ¡°The three-kilometer task is completed. May I ask, instructor, if I am permitted to rejoin the squad?¡± Huo Sining asked with a cautious expression.


    Chen Deping¡¯s smile paused, realizing it was somewhat improper to stare at a girl while smiling, and the smile on his face subsided slightly, but his eyes were still reluctant to move away from this promising recruit.


    ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    Although Chen Deping let her go very smoothly, Huo Sining still felt something was off. As she walked towards her team, she couldn¡¯t help but turn back to steal glances at Chen Deping.


    Huo Sining always felt that Chen Deping¡¯s expression was somewhat unnatural, especially his gaze which seemed to look through her at someone else. The fervor in his eyes was akin to a hungry wolf eyeing a plump lamb, which made Huo Sining slightly suspicious.


    Soon, Huo Sining¡¯s suspicions were confirmed.


    After a week of training, Chen Deping probably realized that these college students were no better than loose mud on a wall, so he simply initiated a free-range policy and the regulations were no longer as strict as the first two days.


    However, his treatment of Huo Sining was intensified. During training, if Huo Sining did even a little poorly, she would be targeted by the instructor, followed by endless extra drills.


    Besides running with a burden, Chen Deping even specifically took Huo Sining aside for individual training indoors.


    Despite having the Water-Repelling Pearl, Huo Sining still felt that her body was having trouble keeping up with the high-intensity training.


    From initial frustration to acceptance in just a few days, Huo Sining slowly picked up on the kindness and patience in Chen Deping¡¯s eyes and knew that he was doing it for her own good, so she started to learn earnestly.


    Chen Deping didn¡¯t hide his knowledge. Starting from the basics of being a female soldier, he taught her. Huo Sining had a strong grasp and, coupled with her truly good physical condition, she quickly understood the essence and integrated it, which both surprised and saddened Chen Deping.


    Most female soldiers were either physically weak or had poor comprehension. He had rarely seen someone as strong in all areas as Huo Sining.


    Chen Deping harbored a sense of admiration for talent and thought about finding time to talk to the Huang Family, to see if the girl could join the military. Such a good prospect, why would she go to S University to study mathematics of all things? Wasn¡¯t this a waste of talent and a squandering of natural resources?


    Unfortunately for Chen Deping, his plans were likely to fall through. Not to mention whether Huo Sining was willing to join the military, such a harsh place. Just the fact that the Huang Family learned that Liang Ruining had left behind a girl and she had now grown up, the elders were both surprised and emotional, each wishing they could dote on her as the apple of their eye.


    To have this fine young woman experience hardship in the military just like her father, the Huang Family wasn¡¯t out of their minds. How could they agree to Chen Deping¡¯s outrageous request?


    ¡°Are you alright? What¡¯s with that instructor? Why do I feel like he¡¯s always picking on you?¡±


    Seeing Huo Sining return to the dormitory pale-faced and exhausted after completing the training, there came an expression of concern.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. The instructor is doing this for my own good, he¡¯s giving me special training.¡±


    Huo Sining said, propping herself up as she washed her face and turned with a smile.


    The others in the room didn¡¯t think so, though. Xue Jingjing, seeing that Huo Sining had recently fallen into misfortune and was constantly punished by the instructor, found some malice in her heart.


    The frustration she felt against Huo Sining before had eased somewhat and hearing Huo Sining¡¯s stubborn words, Xue Jingjing couldn¡¯t help but mock coldly:


    ¡°I think it¡¯s some people who love to show off and have offended the instructor, which is simply foolish. This is the military; the instructor disciplines those who are unruly!¡±


    Du Yanlin also advised, ¡°Yeah, it can¡¯t go on like this forever. Huo Sining, I think you should go apologize to the instructor. Although he looks fierce, he is not unreasonable. Just say a few nice words to him, and maybe he will let you off the hook.¡±


    Du Yanlin had an ¡®I am thinking of your best interest¡¯ attitude, but the schadenfreude in her eyes was unmistakably evident.


    Huo Sining truly did not have the patience to argue with these two idiots. She stretched her lips into a faint smile: ¡°Then I¡¯ll thank you for your kindness first.¡±


    After saying that, Huo Sining directly climbed into bed to rest. Du Yanlin and Xue Jingjing exchanged glances, secretly suppressing the triumph and schadenfreude in their eyes. Xue Jingjing scoffed, ¡°Hmph, a dog bites Lu Dongbin; he does not know a good heart.¡±

 Chapter 68 - Chapter 68: Chapter 66 Camping

    Chapter 68: Chapter 66 Camping


    ¡°`


    The military training lasted for about twenty days, and though it became more relaxed in the later stages, the fierce midsummer sun was still brutal, especially for the girls. Everyone¡¯s faces were tanned to a dark brown, and some students even started peeling.


    Huo Sining and Luo Jinzhi¡¯s complexions, however, remained largely unchanged throughout.


    Huo Sining was naturally fair-skinned, and after so many days of training, she hadn¡¯t gotten tan at all.


    Luo Jinzhi¡¯s case was even more extreme. Having grown up by the sea, she had somewhat reddish-brown skin to start with, but for some reason, over the past couple of days, she felt that not only had she not gotten darker, but there was also a trend of her skin becoming lighter.


    ¡°Ningning, have you noticed my skin seems to have become whiter and tenderer recently? I had a few pimple scars on my face and forehead, old marks from years ago, and I don¡¯t know why, but they¡¯ve started to fade quite a bit.¡±


    Luo Jinzhi pulled Huo Sining aside secretively and began to mutter quietly.


    Huo Sining just pursed her lips and smiled. The question that puzzled Luo Jinzhi could probably only be answered by Huo Sining herself.


    First, the skincare set Su Qingqing gave her was a luxury brand from abroad, definitely effective beyond question;


    Second, she had massaged Luo Jinzhi several times this month, and Spiritual Energy had seeped into Luo Jinzhi¡¯s skin. Those old scars, blessed by Spiritual Energy, naturally began to fade away gradually.


    However, Huo Sining would not disclose either of these reasons.


    Luo Jinzhi was like Su Qingqing¡ªa pure and innocent girl by nature, not prone to suspicion. Confronted with her bewilderment, she just mumbled a few words and then thought about it no further.


    But gradually, some people began to notice something fishy.


    Du Yanlin was by no means a fool; she had long felt that the packaging of Huo Sining¡¯s two sets of cosmetics looked like genuine counter products. Yet at the time, Huo Sining told her they were knockoffs from a farmers¡¯ market, and Du had never seen knockoffs of such quality. She had her suspicions, but she didn¡¯t delve any deeper.


    Now, seeing how Luo Jinzhi¡¯s skin had become silky and fair, she immediately felt deceived. Du Yanlin felt angry about Huo Sining¡¯s deceit, and her gaze towards the cosmetics set in Luo Jinzhi¡¯s cabinet turned suspicious.


    Since Huo Sining told Luo Jinzhi that the skincare set was a free gift, Luo Jinzhi didn¡¯t pay much attention to it and just casually stuffed it in the steel cabinet in her dormitory. She didn¡¯t have any valuables, so she didn¡¯t even bother to lock her cabinet, unaware that her ¡°gift¡± might attract unwanted attention.


    As the military training was winding down, suddenly, there came good news¡ªthe instructors would be taking the students camping.


    Upon hearing this, everyone cheered excitedly.


    The past twenty-plus days of training had been tedious and boring, and many students had already become impatient. Now that an entertaining activity was finally on the agenda, it was no wonder everyone was thrilled.


    But when the instructor announced the rules for camping, everyone¡¯s excitement quickly turned to disillusionment.


    This camping trip was far from what everyone had imagined; the so-called military training camp was in fact a wilderness survival training exercise.


    At four in the morning, with the sky just beginning to lighten, the students followed the instructors on foot into a dense forest. After traversing a long stretch of shrubs without the cover of trees, they arrived at a range of rolling mountains.


    ¡°`


    The dense forests were lush with verdancy, and the thick foliage blocked out the sky. Everyone was still caught up in the excitement of camping, with some squatting in the bushes and others leaning against large trunks to rest, when suddenly a helicopter flew overhead. Chen Deping, holding a megaphone, began to shout:


    ¡°Students, the gate to a new world has opened for you, and the camping training now begins. You have one day to reach the red mark on the map, which is our camping destination. Seize this opportunity. Whether you can earn the credits for military training depends on whether you dare to step out of this jungle. Good luck to you all!¡±


    Hearing Chen Deping¡¯s words, everyone was instantaneously dumbstruck. It was only then that they realized, somehow, the instructors who had been by their side had vanished without a trace.


    With no water, no food, no breakfast, just a military water bottle and a map that resembled a simplistic sketch without even directional signs, all other necessities had to be obtained by the students themselves in the wild. This was the real military training for wilderness survival, also known as camping.


    In this completely unfamiliar jungle, the map seemed to be of little use, with many not even able to discern north, south, east, or west.


    With the instructor gone, some of the girls were so anxious they were about to cry, while even the boys wore panicked expressions.


    Huo Sining was also taken aback, but she wasn¡¯t used to relying on others. She quickly adjusted her emotions and, pulling her backpack closer, started walking forward.


    Luo Jinzhi closely followed Huo Sining¡¯s footsteps. For some reason, she always felt that Huo Sining was thoughtful and daring in her actions; following her couldn¡¯t be wrong.


    Like Luo Jinzhi, there were quite a few in Class Two who followed Huo Sining¡¯s lead and quietly trailed behind her.


    Xue Jingjing and Du Yanlin, on the other hand, were following Zhao Jun, the class monitor.


    Zhao Jun had recommended himself to Instructor Wu as class monitor, and his leadership abilities were indeed strong. He was amiable and persuasive, which earned him the respect of many in Class Two.


    Seeing the instructor gone, a group of students who felt insecure gathered around the class monitor, waiting for Zhao Jun to make a decision.


    Zhao Jun did want to ask Huo Sining to join him; her fierce athletic prowess was well known to everyone. Even though Zhao Jun believed that he had the capability to navigate out of the jungle on his own, having Huo Sining, a formidable teammate, would increase his chances of success.


    But what he hadn¡¯t expected was that before he could speak, Huo Sining had tightened her backpack and left, taking seven or eight classmates with her. This left Zhao Jun rather displeased.


    Zhao Jun felt that as class monitor, he should have the authority to arrange and command every student in the class.


    Because he was the monitor, others should follow his orders, but Huo Sining had acted on her own without so much as a greeting. Zhao Jun felt his authority challenged and his expression immediately darkened.


    ¡°Class monitor, don¡¯t worry about them. Let¡¯s go our own way. There are so many paths, who knows which one is right. I think they¡¯re just walking aimlessly. We have so many people, surely we can find the destination!¡±


    Xue Jingjing really couldn¡¯t stand Huo Sining¡¯s aloof demeanor. Seeing Huo Sining walk away, she felt immediately relieved.


    Even if Huo Sining had strong athletic abilities, what did it matter in the jungle where everyone was like a headless fly? It wasn¡¯t just physical prowess you needed, but also a sense of direction and brains. There was no reason their large group wouldn¡¯t do better than just one Huo Sining.


    Zhao Jun actually wanted to follow Huo Sining, but he hesitated for a moment, and by then Huo Sining and her followers had already entered the jungle and completely disappeared from view.


    Zhao Jun was somewhat irritated. He gave Xue Jingjing a deep look, furrowed his brow as he glanced at the map in his hand, and looked at the path ahead before casually pointing in a direction and saying, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

 Chapter 69 - Chapter 69: Chapter 67: New Team

    Chapter 69: Chapter 67: New Team


    Huo Sining had no idea that some of her classmates had taken a different path. After walking a few steps, she looked up at the density of the leaves, then checked the hints on the map, and little by little, she finally found her own position on a small triangular point.


    ¡°What a lousy map this is, it doesn¡¯t even mark the directions, how are we supposed to read it!¡±


    Just as Huo Sining stopped, a few boys emerged from behind, one of them complaining. Seeing Huo Sining turn her head to look at them, he couldn¡¯t help but give an embarrassed smile.


    Huo Sining didn¡¯t bother with those guys and looked up at Venus in the sky to confirm her direction. After she was certain she wasn¡¯t mistaken, she folded up the map and called out indifferently, ¡°Jin Zhi, let¡¯s go.¡±


    Luo Jinzhi hurriedly tightened her backpack and followed. The boys behind them looked at each other and silently followed suit.


    It was a brilliant sunny September day. The clouds near the horizon brightened and brightened, and before long the sun was out. The gentle sunlight gradually turned scorching, and the stifling air in the forest made people sweat layer after layer.


    Huo Sining didn¡¯t sweat much, so she wasn¡¯t too bothered, but Luo Jinzhi and the others following them couldn¡¯t stand it. Seeing Luo Jinzhi panting after only half an hour, Huo Sining reluctantly led the group along routes shaded by trees, trying to avoid direct sunlight to reduce moisture loss.


    Even staying in the shade, the stifling air in the forest still felt oppressive, and soon everyone was sweating profusely, their backs soaked through.


    Since they hadn¡¯t eaten breakfast and their military canteens were all empty, unable to replenish their water, by a little past seven o¡¯clock, everyone was struggling. They had dry mouths, parched lips, and burning throats.


    After looking at the group, Huo Sining frowned, looked down at the map again, then suddenly turned to them and said, ¡°Give me your water bottles.¡±


    Luo Jinzhi obediently took out her water bottle, while the several boys hesitated for a moment before handing their bottles to Huo Sining.


    Huo Sining hung the ten water bottles around her neck and instructed flatly, ¡°Rest here for a bit, wait for me.¡±


    After she spoke, she turned and darted up a small path.


    There was a marked water source on the map, a distance from where they were, and Huo Sining had originally planned to continue to the water source before resting.


    But seeing Luo Jinzhi and the boys sweating buckets and hoarse voices, she had to stop.


    Huo Sining had spotted a dense clump of reeds among the shrubs as she passed a mountain path earlier.


    Reeds are aquatic plants, and their lush growth indicated that there should be a water source nearby.


    Though she was not certain the water was drinkable, Huo Sining decided to try her luck.


    It took several minutes walking back before Huo Sining found that clump of reeds, and then she looked around near the reeds.


    Sure enough, about ten meters away by a mountain wall, she saw a pool less than one meter in diameter, water from mountain springs seeping out of the rock wall.


    Huo Sining skimmed the weeds and debris off the surface of the pool, filled a water bottle, and took a sip first. The sweet and refreshing spring water instantly made her feel cool and refreshed throughout her body.


    Delighted, Huo Sining quickly filled the rest of the bottles. While the pool was plentiful, she drank some more before heading back.


    This detour took a while, and by the time Huo Sining followed the path back to the forest to the spot where Luo Jinzhi and the others were, more than ten minutes had passed, and several groups had already walked past them.


    The boys waiting had become a bit anxious, but Huo Sining distributed the water flasks unhurriedly to everyone, saying, ¡°To do a good job, one must first sharpen one¡¯s tools.¡±


    Since Chen Deping had given them a day, it meant they couldn¡¯t possibly exit this damned place in half a day, no matter how fast they walked.


    If they couldn¡¯t rush out anyway, it was better to make thorough preparations first. Without water, dehydration was easy, and not understanding the map could lead to aimless wandering in the woods, possibly getting lost and ultimately delaying them more.


    Huo Sining spoke calmly, and with her quickly finding a water source, the boys, quenched by the cool, sweet spring water, instantly felt rejuvenated, looking at Huo Sining with faces full of admiration and conviction.


    ¡°Huo Sining, my name is Liu Yan, and just like you, all eight of us are students from Class Two.¡±


    Just then, a boy stood up and mustered the courage to ask, ¡°Can we go with you?¡±


    Huo Sining glanced at Liu Yan, who tried to appear calm but was noticeably red-eared, both embarrassed and awkward.


    Huo Sining found it amusing but deliberately pondered for a moment with a solemn face, remaining silent.


    The eight boys watched Huo Sining with hopeful and anxious eyes, waiting for her response.


    After hesitating for a moment, Huo Sining nodded magnanimously, ¡°Alright, but I don¡¯t like unnecessary chatter. If you follow me, don¡¯t ask any questions, just obey my commands. I don¡¯t like people holding us back.¡±


    They all nodded vigorously, regarding Huo Sining as if she was the captain of their little squad.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    Huo Sining checked the map again and, with her gear on her back, turned and headed off to the right front.


    The boys, both observant and savvy, had noticed that Luo Jinzhi stuck close to Huo Sining and knew Luo Jinzhi was Huo Sining¡¯s friend. Seeing Luo Jinzhi struggling at the back, they quickly took her backpack and carried it for her.


    Luo Jinzhi initially felt embarrassed but was unable to reject the boys who insisted, so she could only follow, clutching her water flask.


    With water, their pace quickened, especially upon seeing many others sitting by the roadside, wiping sweat and looking thirsty. The morale of the boys in the group soared, resulting in their marching speed surging; the group of ten marched forward with determination, without looking back.


    By around nine in the morning, they finally found the marked water source on the map, as their canteens were nearly empty. Suddenly seeing a small stream before them, everyone¡¯s eyes lit up.


    ¡°Ha ha, water, that¡¯s awesome!¡±


    A group of boys dropped their backpacks and rushed to the edge of the stream, scooping water with their hands and splashing it on their faces. The cool water instantly made them feel incredibly refreshed; it washed away the beads of sweat on their foreheads and cheeks, along with the weariness and the heat.


    However, Huo Sining looked around first. Not seeing anyone else by the stream, it seemed they were the fastest. After some thought, she spoke up:


    ¡°There¡¯s a log bridge over there. Hurry up. In a while, we¡¯ll cross to the other side and set up camp temporarily, then figure out something to eat.¡±


    Since they hadn¡¯t had breakfast that morning, everyone was already famished to the point of their stomachs sticking to their backs.


    Hearing Huo Sining mention setting up a lunch, everyone¡¯s spirits were lifted. They quickly got up from the riverbank and followed Huo Sining to the other side of the stream.

 Chapter 70 - Chapter 70: Chapter 68 The Giant Python in the Forest

    Chapter 70: Chapter 68 The Giant Python in the Forest


    The team reached the flat land by the shore, where everyone hurriedly found a patch of soft grass to start setting up camp.


    Since it was just a temporary camping spot, they didn¡¯t erect tents, opting instead to lay out a tarp on the grass for everyone.


    Huo Sining began allocating tasks, and in pairs, they set out to search for food, large stones, and dry firewood, leaving Luo Jinzhi and her to watch over the luggage.


    Huo Sining instructed Luo Jinzhi to be in charge of fetching water for everyone at the shore and keeping an eye on the luggage, while she herself walked up along the riverbank alone.


    The stream must have been formed from spring water flowing down from the mountains; the water wasn¡¯t very deep, and one could vaguely see the swimming fish through the clear, crisp water.


    Huo Sining did not want to fish in front of Luo Jinzhi and raise suspicions, so she had to send everyone away.


    It was unexpected that she was stopped by a cliff not far upstream, with the stream flowing down from the top of the cliff, forming a huge deep pool at the base of the cliff.


    Just as Huo Sining was preparing to jump into the deep pool, she suddenly heard a rustling sound coming from the jungle behind her.


    Huo Sining¡¯s footsteps halted, thinking there was someone in the jungle, and she immediately thought to herself, ¡°That was close.¡±


    Withdrawing the foot she was about to place in the water, Huo Sining¡¯s face showed vigilance. Turning her head back, her eyes tightly focused on the forest behind her, and she asked in a cold voice, ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡±


    No one responded, but Huo Sining could clearly hear the sound of footsteps crushing the underbrush within the jungle.


    This area was within the training camp¡¯s boundaries, so in theory, there should be no outsiders trespassing, but Huo Sining still felt some tension, worried there might be wild beasts or something else.


    Nevertheless, she bravely approached the source of the noise. After only a few steps following the sound, Huo Sining was scared stiff.


    In the underbrush less than ten meters from her, a python with a length of six to seven meters lay on the ground.


    The snake¡¯s tail was dragging a withered old skin; it was obvious that the snake was molting.


    Sensing Huo Sining¡¯s approach, the snake opened its huge mouth toward her, flicking its bright red tongue.


    Huo Sining was terrified, her brain freezing for a second. When she came to her senses, her first reaction was to run, but as she turned to leave, her feet halted again.


    Because she clearly saw what seemed to be a wound oozing fresh blood on the snake¡¯s body, and even the corners of the snake¡¯s mouth were stained with blood, she immediately understood.


    The snake was injured!


    Back in Baiyun Town, Huo Sining often heard villagers say that snakes are most vulnerable when they are shedding their skin, during which the corneas of their eyes turn purplish-blue and they temporarily lose their sight.


    Furthermore, the skin of a python that has just shed is not hardened yet, making it susceptible to injury from predators. Hence, they usually choose a safe stone cave or tree branch to coil upon during molting.


    Huo Sining didn¡¯t know why the snake hadn¡¯t hidden in its cave but instead was weakly lying in the underbrush.


    But the snake was clearly seriously injured and appeared to be on its last breath; although it had its mouth wide open as if to threaten Huo Sining, it was obviously exhausted. The large creature couldn¡¯t move at all, so this immense python was nothing more than a paper tiger.


    Upon understanding this, Huo Sining calmed down, feeling that the giant python wasn¡¯t so terrifying after all.


    She was about to leave when a saying from an elder in the village suddenly came to mind: ¡°Seeing a snake shed its skin is an omen; you won¡¯t die but a layer of skin will peel off.¡±


    It¡¯s said that snakes are extremely intelligent and vengeful creatures that can hunt down their enemies by scent, and no matter where you hide, even to the ends of the earth, they can find you.


    Thinking of this, Huo Sining¡¯s steps involuntarily halted, and after breaking off a sturdy tree branch, she turned back to the snake¡¯s side.


    She did not want to be marked by a snake, so she decided to end it once and for all.


    However, just as Huo Sining¡¯s hand gripped the sharp end of the branch, preparing to poke at the snake¡¯s head, perhaps because the Spiritual Energy of the Azure Pearl was becoming increasingly strong, the snake seemed to sense something and suddenly lifted its head, moving towards Huo Sining. The python¡¯s tongue, as thick as an arm, extended and incessantly licked Huo Sining¡¯s hand, and its smoky, misty eyes even revealed innocence and pleading.


    Had this snake become a spirit?! Huo Sining was shocked and saw the snake struggling to move its tail to coil around her in a gesture of goodwill, which made her both annoyed and amused.


    Moved by compassion, Huo Sining refrained from killing the big python that was cutely seeking her favor.


    After inspecting the snake¡¯s wound, she helplessly extended her hand, channeling Spiritual Energy to heal it.


    The snake, feeling the Spiritual Energy, became instantly docile, staying motionless in the grass, and lay comfortably in the undergrowth, looking thoroughly content.


    Once the wounds on its body were fully healed, the python¡¯s skin at its tail smoothly shed, and not only that, the scales on its body became tougher; its green scales shimmered dazzlingly under the sunlight, quite majestic.


    Seeing the purple in the snake¡¯s eyes gradually fade, Huo Sining knew it was healed and no longer paid attention to it, turning around to walk into the pond.


    Luo Jinzhi and the others were still waiting for her over there; she didn¡¯t have so much time to waste.


    The pond was deep, around seven or eight meters, formed by the impact of water falling from a height.


    As soon as Huo Sining entered the water, she felt a current of coolness and was immediately comfortable.


    Indeed, she saw many schools of fish swimming in the pond, and Huo Sining was about to catch a few plump fish to grill and eat when she suddenly felt her foot step on something hard. That sensation was unmistakably a clam shell she was familiar with.


    Old clams were a treasure, not only for their delicious meat but also because their shells could be used as containers.


    They were camping now, without any tools, and having this old clam could solve many problems.


    Delighted, Huo Sining¡¯s body sank as she reached for the clam.


    The clam felt large in her hand, and though Huo Sining held it, her eyes continued to search the pond¡¯s bottom, wanting to find a few more. Unexpectedly, her gaze fell upon a black square object on the bottom.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    Huo Sining was somewhat puzzled and moved closer to brush away the seaweed entangled on the black object, revealing a box about one foot in length.


    The box was made of wood, dark brown in color, and its lacquer skin was somewhat peeled off.


    On one side of the box, there was a finely crafted lock nose with an iron lock hanging on it.


    Because it had always been submerged, the box¡¯s surface was covered in green moss.


    Huo Sining wiped away the moss, and the carved floral patterns on the box¡¯s surface became visible.


    Huo Sining felt surprised; the box looked like an antique from many years ago, so how did it end up in this pond?

 Chapter 71 - Chapter 71: Chapter 69 The Fishing Master

    Chapter 71: Chapter 69 The Fishing Master


    Huo Sining stretched out her hand to grab the box, but as soon as she touched the shell, the Water-Repelling Pearl on her forehead began to blink frantically.


    ¡°Huh, the Water-Repelling Pearl has identified something, it seems like there is something hidden in this box.¡± The box felt heavy in her hands, but she had no idea what was inside.


    However, she couldn¡¯t afford to check it at the moment, as she had been out for quite a long time, and if she delayed any longer, Luo Jinzhi and the others might come looking for her.


    She caught a few more river clams, brought both the box and the clams to the shore, caught five live fish and strung them on a vine, thought for a moment, and then scooped up a handful of fresh freshwater shrimp and put them into a cloth bag she had brought with her, before heading back with this pile of spoils.


    By this time, some teams had followed to the riverside, Liu Yan and his companions had constructed a simple stove with a few large stones and started a fire, and those who came later started to imitate them, making the riverbank rather lively.


    ¡°Ningning, you¡¯re back!¡± Seeing Huo Sining return, the worry in Luo Jinzhi¡¯s eyes instantly turned into surprise, especially when she saw the fish in Huo Sining¡¯s hands, her astonishment was evident, ¡°Wow, such big fish, where did you catch them?¡±


    Huo Sining smiled and pointed upstream, ¡°There is a pool up there with quite a few fish. The pool is a bit deep, but luckily I¡¯ve been able to swim and dive since I was young, so the depth wasn¡¯t a problem for me.¡±


    ¡°Impressive!¡± Liu Yan couldn¡¯t help but give Huo Sining a thumbs up, but it was Luo Jinzhi who directly took over the task of preparing the fish. She grew up in a fishing village and was extremely skilled at handling seafood.


    People from the neighboring teams who saw the fish in Huo Sining¡¯s hands immediately looked envious.


    A few, confident in their own swimming abilities, abandoned the small fish in the shallows and began heading upstream in search of bigger catch.


    Huo Sining was initially worried that those people going up might encounter the giant green python, but then she recalled and was reassured.


    The snake had already recovered after her treatment, and after she had caught the fish and got to shore, it was nowhere to be seen¡ªit probably had returned to its cave.


    Although they had no seasonings, Liu Yan and the others managed to find edible wild mushrooms and wild chives in the woods. Huo Sining¡¯s freshwater clams, once opened, were used as containers to cook mushroom and shrimp soup on the stove, while the fish and clam meat were grilled, and the chives were used for seasoning.


    Although everyone¡¯s grilling skills were not great, they at least managed to cook the meat thoroughly. The smell of the barbecue attracted the attention of other teams, including Zhao Jun¡¯s from Class Two.


    Because there were too many people in Zhao Jun¡¯s team, particularly some of the girls who were delicate, they ran into issues from time to time. After stumbling along, they finally made it to the riverside, ravenous and seeing stars, finally quenched their thirst with water, but their stomachs were growling fiercely.


    Noticing that Huo Sining was grilling fish, Xue Jingjing and Du Yanlin¡¯s eyes immediately lit up.


    Having no sense of embarrassment, they walked straight up to Huo Sining and asked directly, ¡°Huo Sining, where did you catch these fish?¡±


    Huo Sining pointed ahead, ¡°There¡¯s a deep pool over there, it has fish and shrimp, and there are river clams to be found in the silt.¡±


    As they were speaking, a few boys who had gone to try their luck at the deep pool returned in a disheveled state, holding a pitifully small fish, and soon approached Huo Sining, ¡°How did you catch the fish over there, why did we spend so much time just to get this little thing?¡±


    Huo Sining explained with an expressionless face on her own face:


    ¡°Oh, my father is a fishing expert, and I¡¯ve been learning how to catch fish by hand from him since I was young. Those fish are cunning, but they¡¯re no match for me.¡±


    The boys were instantly choked up and looked at the grilled fish in Huo Sining¡¯s hand with frustration before returning to the group.


    Du Yanlin initially thought that since Huo Sining could catch fish, they could try to catch a few themselves, but when they saw the boys return empty-handed and heard Huo Sining¡¯s explanation, they were at a loss for words. She and Xue Jingjing exchanged glances, both staring at the fish in Huo Sining¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Huo Sining, you¡¯re so skilled, could you share one of those fish with us?¡±


    This time, Du Yanlin was quick to speak before Xue Jingjing, fearing that the fool might say something inappropriate and start a quarrel with Huo Sining.


    Before Huo Sining could reply, the others in the group darkened their faces, with Liu Yan coldly looking at Du Yanlin and Xue Jingjing:


    ¡°Why should we share our fish with you? Didn¡¯t you see that there are ten of us here? These five fish are just enough for us to eat.¡±


    Du Yanlin¡¯s face turned bright red in an instant, while Xue Jingjing looked as if it was only natural:


    ¡°We are Huo Sining¡¯s roommates. What does it mean to share the fish she caught with you strange people rather than with us? Besides, these five fish are so big, you can¡¯t possibly eat them all. Even if that¡¯s not enough, why can¡¯t Huo Sining just catch a few more? She¡¯s great at catching fish, and it¡¯s no trouble for her at all!¡±


    Liu Yan was dumbfounded at Xue Jingjing¡¯s outrageous argument, truly wondering if there was something wrong with the woman¡¯s brain.


    Huo Sining was also amused and annoyed as she watched Xue Jingjing with a smirk:


    ¡°Miss Xue, I don¡¯t believe I¡¯m your servant. Catching fish might be easy for me, but what are you to me that I should share my catch with you? I¡¯m sorry, but the amount of fish I have is just perfect, and I¡¯m not willing to go fishing again. If you want fish, catch it yourself. We need to move on after eating.¡±


    ¡°You!¡±


    Xue Jingjing, who had always been pampered and chased after from a young age, had never faced such disdain and insult. Only Huo Sining disregarded her.


    Xue Jingjing was infuriated by Huo Sining, clenching her fists tightly and glaring at her with gritted teeth.


    Seeing Huo Sining¡¯s calm and composed face, she felt the urge to rush over and rip it to shreds.


    Huo Sining didn¡¯t care at all; she calmly drank her soup and ate her barbecue, cutting open a golden-brown and tender fish and sharing half with Luo Jinzhi.


    The delicious wild fish meat bit into the mouth, with a burst of fresh and smooth flavor that instantly brought a sense of comfort and satisfaction.


    Xue Jingjing and Du Yanlin returned without success, feeling the mockery in the eyes of the people around them, as if laughing at their presumptuousness and shamelessness. Xue Jingjing grew even angrier, while Du Yanlin hung her head low, her face twisting with jealousy, unseen by the others.


    After having their fill, Huo Sining and her party rested a bit before starting their journey anew.


    After encountering that giant green python, Huo Sining began to doubt the safety of the jungle. She felt it was better to get moving sooner rather than later, as the closer they were to the training camp, the safer they would be.

 Chapter 72 - Chapter 72: Chapter 70: Qin Shaoyous Revenge Plan

    Chapter 72: Chapter 70: Qin Shaoyou¡¯s Revenge Plan


    This time around, Zhao Jun no longer insisted on his own opinion and was the first to follow behind Huo Sining¡¯s team.


    After ten o¡¯clock, the sun grew even hotter, and despite the shade of the trees, the scorching temperature of the air still made it feel like steam was rising, with the fiery air making breathing somewhat difficult.


    But Huo Sining and his companions, having eaten their fill, naturally had plenty of strength, and their pace never slowed, quickly passing through one jungle after another.


    Those following behind Huo Sining, like Zhao Jun¡¯s group, were less fortunate. They had a larger number of people and although they caught some fish and shrimp in the stream, and gathered some wild fruits in the forest, there wasn¡¯t enough to go around for so many; each person only had a few morsels to fill the gaps between their teeth, and now they suddenly had to march through the wilderness at such a high intensity, and soon enough, many of the girls couldn¡¯t take it anymore.


    ¡°Squad leader, let¡¯s rest for a while before we go on, we really can¡¯t walk anymore!¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t eat breakfast, now we¡¯ve drunk a bellyful of cold water, and we¡¯re walking under such hot sun, soon everyone will get heatstroke!¡±


    ¡°Exactly, my feet are blistered. These instructors are too harsh, what¡¯s with this camping training, they simply don¡¯t treat us as humans!¡±


    A chorus of sighs and grievances filled the air, and just as Zhao Jun was about to say a few words to mollify them, Du Yanlin asked with feigned puzzlement, ¡°Squad leader, why are Huo Sining and the others walking so fast? Aren¡¯t they tired?¡±


    With Du Yanlin intentionally starting this topic, sure enough, Xue Jingjing, who was like a firecracker, exploded, sneering as she spoke,


    ¡°I think she¡¯s walking so fast on purpose, just to shake us off! Squad leader, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any point in following them anymore. Huo Sining is very narrow-minded. She obviously knows about Chinese acupuncture points, but when Du Yanlin and I asked her for help because our backs and waists ached during military training, she simply ignored us. How could such a selfish and stingy woman let us take advantage of her by following behind?!¡±


    Hearing this, Zhao Jun instantly frowned, his impression of the girl, Huo Sining, plummeting to rock bottom. The others in the class, hearing these words, were also quite indignant, collectively condemning Huo Sining as someone who had no regard for class camaraderie and no sense of collective honor.


    Seeing her objective achieved, the corners of Du Yanlin¡¯s mouth curled into a slight hook, a faint smile flickering in her eyes.


    Xue Jingjing was in an exceptionally good mood. Since she had been snubbed by Huo Sining and had no way to vent her frustration, she simply set about tripping Huo Sining up from behind.


    In her view, since Huo Sining would have to interact with her classmates in the future, ruining her reputation now would make it interesting to see how this woman would get along during her four years at university.


    However, both women had calculated every possibility but forgot that there was a term called ¡°transferring departments¡±. The transfer application filled out by Huo Sining originally wouldn¡¯t have passed, but this time, it received the College of Biology¡¯s rare red stamp of approval, all because the reviewer was named Qin Shaoyou.


    Qin Shaoyou had been busy with a fish hybridization experiment in the laboratory, but the experiment had not been going well lately, and he wanted some fresh air.


    Coincidentally, the College of Biology was short a counselor and lecturer, so his mentor, Miss Gan Lijun¡ªMiss Gan, who was the wife of Xie Daoyuan¡ªrecommended him for the role of freshman counselor. As it happened, some freshmen that year wished to transfer departments, both in and out, so the task of selecting candidates for transfer fell into his hands.


    Qin Shaoyou was not fond of the idea of students transferring departments. In his view, a person so unclear about their future, so lost and indecisive, he really didn¡¯t want to have them in his class.


    However, since the school had assigned him the task, he had no choice but to carry it out. He flipped through the applications of the students wanting to transfer in a somewhat distracted manner, but then his gaze landed on one name.


    Seeing Huo Sining¡¯s name, Qin Shaoyou was slightly taken aback, and the image of a girl toasting boldly with a wine glass fleetingly crossed his mind. But in the next instant, he curled his lip. He didn¡¯t like girls like Huo Sining, who were cunning and full of schemes and manipulation. His pen hovered over Huo Sining¡¯s name, instinctively about to draw a large ¡®X¡¯ over it.


    But as soon as he moved his pen, as if urged by some ghostly force, a thought flashed through his mind.


    ¡°If I recruit Huo Sining to my class, wouldn¡¯t it be easy for me to prevent this girl from taking exams?¡±


    As an instructor, if Huo Sining transferred to his class, wouldn¡¯t she then be completely at his mercy to mold as he pleased?


    The more he thought about it, the more pleasant the thought made him feel. Didn¡¯t it?


    Qin Shaoyou¡¯s eyes instantly lit up as he imagined Huo Sining flunking an exam and the dejected look on her face. He couldn¡¯t help but curve his lips into a sly, fox-like smile and firmly placed a red check under someone¡¯s name.


    So, it was unclear whether Huo Sining was fortunate or not. She had no idea that a simple transfer application would seal her fate to four years of grueling university life.


    Following Huo Sining¡¯s plan, they arrived at the foot of the mountain closest to the training camp.


    It was already past one in the afternoon. The scorching summer sun at its harshest, and after several hours of travel, everyone was exhausted and had almost consumed all the food they brought.


    Worried that continuing on might lead to heatstroke, Huo Sining didn¡¯t dare to go any further and decided to settle and rest at the base of the mountain.


    As per the division of labor assigned that morning, everyone set out to forage for food.


    Although there was no stream, at the foot of the mountain, Huo Sining and the others found a field near which there was a natural well. The well didn¡¯t have much water in it, but it was fairly clear ¨C at least there was enough for ten people to drink from.


    ¡°Great, we see the fields! It looks like we¡¯re not far from the training camp now,¡± Luo Jinzhi said happily while using a military canteen to draw water.


    Huo Sining nodded. ¡°Once we climb over this mountain, we¡¯ll reach the training camp base. It won¡¯t take more than two hours to get back.¡±


    Glancing back over the path they came, Luo Jinzhi expressed her concern:


    ¡°I wonder where the other students are by now. It¡¯s such a long way, and the instructors just let us go like this. What if something happens?¡±


    Huo Sining smiled. ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it. Those instructors have entered the jungle just like us. Why did they come in, if not for everyone¡¯s safety? Maybe right now, there¡¯s an instructor lurking somewhere out of sight.¡±


    Huo Sining wasn¡¯t wrong. Ever since she had the Water-Repelling Pearl, her observation skills and sharpness had greatly improved, and she had long noticed that they were being followed by a shadowy figure who trailed behind them, sometimes close, sometimes far, but never showing themselves.


    At first, Huo Sining was somewhat puzzled, but she quickly figured out the identity of the person, so she didn¡¯t pay it much mind.

 Chapter 73 - Chapter 73: Chapter 71 The Pythons Gift

    Chapter 73: Chapter 71 The Python¡¯s Gift


    Luo Jinzhi, however, didn¡¯t know that an instructor followed them closely. Startled by Huo Sining¡¯s words, she looked around in surprise, and with a blend of nervousness and excitement, she turned to Huo Sining:


    ¡°Are you saying there¡¯s an instructor nearby, tracking and protecting us?¡±


    Huo Sining smiled and nodded, her eyes instinctively glancing towards a certain corner, her lips subtly curling up.


    Instantly, Luo Jinzhi understood. She turned her head towards the direction Huo Sining had indicated and quickly covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes twinkling with a sly and delightful grin as if she had stumbled upon a great secret.


    Instructor Wu, who was hiding in the bushes, not only had to endure the scorching sun and the bites of insects but also had to be careful to conceal his figure. Now that he had been spotted by the two girls, he could only swallow his pride and say nothing.


    His mouth unconsciously twitched as he thought with a mix of suffocation and grievance: Captain, am I having it easy, being fed to mosquitoes and enduring the teasing of young girls?


    After fetching the water, the two were about to return when Luo Jinzhi, with her sharp eyes, noticed a field a few meters away brimming with lush sweet potato vines.


    Huo Sining and the others were worried about what they would eat for dinner, and were immediately overjoyed.


    It wasn¡¯t the best time for harvesting sweet potatoes, but Huo Sining and Luo Jinzhi didn¡¯t care much about that; they found a sturdy and handy stick and began to dig for sweet potatoes.


    To avoid damaging the sweet potato vines, Huo Sining and the others started to dig from the side, and after half an hour of hard work, they had only dug up a little more than ten small sweet potatoes that weren¡¯t as big as the palm of their hands.


    ¡°They might not be big, but as long as they can fill our stomachs, that¡¯s fine. There isn¡¯t much to be picky about in times like these. Throwing these into the fire to bake will surely be delicious.¡±


    Huo Sining smiled, gathered their spoils, and headed back.


    Instructor Wu lay motionless in the bushes, but when he heard about baking sweet potatoes, he couldn¡¯t help but sniff, his saliva almost drooling out.


    Back at the campsite, Liu Yan and the others were already bustling about. When they saw Huo Sining and Luo Jinzhi approaching, they shouted:


    ¡°Captain, look what we found!¡±


    With that, they proudly unfolded a jacket to reveal about a dozen eggs, each the size of a ping pong ball.


    ¡°Bird eggs? Where did you dig these up?¡± Huo Sining asked in surprise. ¡°These are not easy to get, do you know how to climb trees?¡±


    Liu Yan scratched the back of his head, sheepishly saying:


    ¡°No, we found them in the bushes. The trees here are too tall to climb, and besides, if we climbed up and brought down this many eggs, they¡¯d have been broken by now.¡±


    That¡¯s indeed a stroke of luck.


    Huo Sining muttered to herself, picking up an egg to shake it. She confirmed that it was solid, indicating that the eggs were edible, and nodded in agreement:


    ¡°Alright, it looks like our food issues are solved for now. Later, we¡¯ll wrap these in leaves and bake the bird eggs too.¡±


    ¡°Too?¡± Liu Yan caught the hint in Huo Sining¡¯s words, looked over at Luo Jinzhi behind her, and sure enough, saw Luo Jinzhi carrying a backpack filled with a dozen or so sweet potatoes of varying sizes, which made him laugh.


    To thoroughly bake the sweet potatoes and bird eggs, Liu Yan and the others specially went to the mountains to collect some broken dead wood to bring back.


    The fire had just been started when Huo Sining and Luo Jinzhi busily threw the ingredients into the fire.


    It was at this moment when one of the team members, Zhang Wenxi, who had gone into the mountains to relieve himself, suddenly let out a dreadful scream. He tumbled out of the forest, scrambling and pale-faced as he pointed at the shadowy depths of the woodland: ¡°There¡­ There¡¯s¡­ a snake!¡±


    Huo Sining¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and several boys sprang to their feet.


    Liu Yan was about to tease Zhang Wenxi about being such a scaredy-cat, that he got frightened by just a snake, but before he could utter a word, a massive python slithered out of the forest. It fixed its round eyes tightly on Zhang Wenxi.


    Everyone was instantly petrified, and the smile on Liu Yan¡¯s face froze in an instant. For a while, their minds went blank, and their legs started trembling uncontrollably.


    Luo Jinzhi¡¯s grip on the bird¡¯s egg loosened, and it fell to the ground and smashed. She stared at the six to seven-meter-long giant python with eyes wide in horror. It took her several seconds to let out a shriek of terror and she turned to run into the woods.


    Seeing the python, Huo Sining also got a fright, but she quickly realized something was amiss.


    The snake looked completely at ease, leisurely even, and there was a cunning glint in its eyes ¨C it was clearly toying with Zhang Wenxi.


    She immediately understood and without hesitation, she approached it.


    The snake seemed visibly pleased to see Huo Sining, flicking its forked tongue before it drew close to her.


    Liu Yan and the others changed color, about to warn Huo Sining to be careful, when a bizarre scene unfolded.


    The snake, as if it were a pet, coiled its tail around Huo Sining¡¯s arm. Its huge tongue licked Huo Sining¡¯s face, displaying an affectionate attitude akin to a pet snuggling up to its owner. This sight left everyone in utter shock, their mouths agape and eyes wide.


    Knowing that the creature had come for her, Huo Sining felt a bit happy.


    But the fact that this fellow had made such a blatant appearance in front of so many people, without a hint of danger, had not only scared everyone terribly but had also played a prank on Zhang Wenxi!


    At that thought, Huo Sining was both annoyed and amused, barely able to keep from scolding the large creature: ¡°Why on earth did you come out again? They are all my friends, don¡¯t scare them anymore!¡±


    The python seemed to understand the gist of Huo Sining¡¯s words. It opened its mouth and flicked its tongue at Liu Yan and the others before rubbing its head against Huo Sining, playing and frolicking with her for a while before it turned and slithered back into the jungle like a streak of green lightning.


    As the snake vanished from sight, Liu Yan and the others sighed in relief. Once they came back to their senses, they realized something and looked at Huo Sining in astonishment, asking:


    ¡°Captain, that snake seemed to have come for you. How come it recognizes you?¡±


    Huo Sining smiled, ¡°This morning, I bumped into it in the forest; it was injured, and I helped it out a bit.¡±


    Her explanation was somewhat vague, and although the others were full of doubt, seeing that Huo Sining didn¡¯t seem inclined to elaborate, they didn¡¯t press further.


    While they were talking, the Green Python returned, this time with a plump rabbit in its mouth, which it set down at Huo Sining¡¯s feet as if to claim credit for its deed.


    Huo Sining was stunned before she realized what the snake intended. She pointed at the rabbit at her feet and asked in surprise, ¡°Is this¡­ for me?¡±


    The snake nodded its head, rubbing its snout on Huo Sining¡¯s palm, its tongue flicking affectionately over her hand.


    Huo Sining couldn¡¯t help but laugh, feeling a very strange sensation in her heart.


    She had grown up hearing from the people in her village that snakes were vengeful creatures, so her feelings toward them were more of disgust than of fondness. But at that moment, she realized she had been utterly wrong.


    Who says snakes are cold-blooded animals without emotions? She had helped the snake, and here it was, bringing her a gift to express its gratitude.

 Chapter 74 - Chapter 74: Chapter 72: Return to Camp

    Chapter 74: Chapter 72: Return to Camp


    Huo Sining bent down, picked up the rabbit that weighed at least six or seven jin, and took a quick glance. There were no bleeding holes from snake bites on the body of the rabbit.


    Apart from its sharp teeth, a python¡¯s coiling strength is formidable. It is said that when a python exerts its full strength, it can strangle a cheetah to death. It seems this rabbit was suffocated by the python¡¯s coils.


    Huo Sining had been worried that the snake would have bitten into the rabbit, making the meat poisonous, and she wouldn¡¯t dare to eat it even if it were offered to her. But now that she saw the rabbit was unscathed, her previous concerns were gone.


    She smiled and tossed the dead rabbit to Liu Yan and the others, ¡°Skin this rabbit and roast it. Now we¡¯ve got both meat and vegetables.¡±


    Liu Yan happily went off to the side to prepare the rabbit, while the others¡¯ eyes began to shine as they looked at Huo Sining, their gaze filled with envy and admiration.


    For the boys, taming a wild giant python and making it hunt for them was an incredibly awe-inspiring and unbelievable feat.


    If they had previously seen Huo Sining simply as a female classmate with good athletic abilities, she had now truly become a goddess-like figure, unshakeable in her status, and they admired her deeply.


    Even Instructor Wu, who was hiding in the bushes, was dumbfounded. He rubbed his eyes, hardly believing what he was seeing.


    Holy shit, this is unscientific! What the hell did I just see? A giant python delivering its prey? Is this freaky incident for real, not a joke?!


    The aroma of the roasted rabbit tantalized Wu Shengyu¡¯s taste buds as he squatted in the bushes, unconsciously swallowing his saliva.


    If Chen Deping were here, Wu Shengyu would definitely grab him and bawl his eyes out.


    Captain Chen, are you sure these students came here for a wilderness camp to endure hardships?


    First live fish and clams, now wild rabbit and sweet potatoes, they haven¡¯t tasted any hardships, and they even have a giant python as their bodyguard. This isn¡¯t a survival training; they¡¯re practically on a day trip!


    Over there, Huo Sining and the others were sitting around the fire, each of them eyeing the wild rabbit intently.


    ¡°Captain, is it not roasted yet?¡± a few boys, drooling with anticipation, couldn¡¯t wait to ask.


    Huo Sining smiled and looked towards the bushes, her lips curving into a slight smile, ¡°Instructor Wu, why don¡¯t you come over and try some?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    Liu Yan and the others gave Huo Sining a puzzled look, following her gaze towards the bushes.


    The deep parts of the underbrush were tranquil, seemingly without anything out of the ordinary.


    Everyone looked at Huo Sining with doubt, unsure of the meaning behind her words.


    Huo Sining didn¡¯t explain, but casually fished out a well-roasted, tender sweet potato from the fire and tossed it towards the bushes.


    Wu Shengyu, being directly called out by Huo Sining, stiffened his body, lying motionless in the bushes, yet his nerves were tensed every moment.


    Just then, a hot sweet potato flew straight towards him.


    He reflexively stretched out his hand to catch the sweet potato.


    Not good!


    With that movement, he realized his mistake.


    Sure enough, several pairs of eyes turned towards his location.


    Holding the sweet potato in his hand, Wu Shengyu didn¡¯t know whether to throw it away or eat it, and ended up frozen on the spot.


    ¡°Pfft¡ª¡±


    Seeing their instructor sitting dumbfounded in the bushes with a naive expression, everyone couldn¡¯t help but chuckle.


    ¡°`


    Realizing his whereabouts had been exposed, Wu Shengyu didn¡¯t feel embarrassed at all and simply stood up from the bushes with an air of nonchalance.


    Without a word, he walked over and sat down next to the fire, patted the dirt off the sweet potato in his hand, and started peeling and eating it right away.


    Unexpectedly, this roasted sweet potato tasted pretty good!


    After just one bite, Wu Shengyu¡¯s eyes lit up, and he couldn¡¯t help but raise his eyebrows.


    He had been bustling around these youngsters for seven or eight hours, his stomach had flattened with hunger, and of course, there was no room for politeness when food was present.


    He quickly finished the sweet potato in his hand, then picked up a stick to search through the fire for more.


    Wu Shengyu didn¡¯t stand on ceremony at all, eating rapidly, and soon he had finished the sweet potato in his hand, then he picked up a stick to search through the fire for more.


    ¡°Damn! Instructor, you¡¯re really not being polite!¡±


    Everyone wasn¡¯t foolish, realizing that the food was being snatched away, and suddenly a strong sense of crisis arose.


    Huo Sining was the first to push two sweet potatoes and a bird egg toward herself and Luo Jinzhi, the others¡¯ hands were not slow either, and the roasted sweet potatoes and bird eggs in the fire were quickly scrambled for and gone.


    After having another sweet potato and bird egg, Wu Shengyu casually turned his head and stared, eyes gleaming, at the roasted rabbit meat in Huo Sining¡¯s hands.


    Who would have thought the formidable Instructor Wu would have such a side; his food-loving nature was even more pronounced than theirs.


    The corners of Huo Sining¡¯s mouth twitched slightly, helpless since she truly had no suitable tool at hand to cut the rabbit meat.


    Perhaps noticing Huo Sining¡¯s difficulty, Wu Shengyu directly extended his hand, took the rabbit meat from her, and pulled out a Swiss Army Knife from his waist.


    Wu Shengyu had always carried this Swiss Army Knife with him, it was usually used to subdue criminals, but now it was being used to slice rabbit meat.


    His knife skills were a bit rusty, but the blade was sharp, and the slicing of the rabbit meat was smooth, and soon the whole rabbit had been evenly cut into several pieces.


    Before anyone could react, Wu Shengyu had already pinched a piece of meat and stuffed it into his mouth.


    ¡°Here we go again!¡±


    Strike first to gain the advantage, those who acted later suffered the loss. The ten people who came to their senses didn¡¯t care about being polite anymore, as their greedy hands all reached out for the rabbit meat.


    In contrast to the lively scene with Huo Sining¡¯s group, Zhao Jun and his party were having a rather miserable time.


    They had wandered in the woods for a long time but hadn¡¯t found the correct exit, watching time slowly pass while still going in circles in the same place.


    Tired and hungry, they could only find wild fruits to curb their hunger in the mountains; if they knew about the feast Huo Sining¡¯s group was having, they would be driven mad.


    Around four in the afternoon, with the sun slowly setting in the west, Huo Sining and the others set off to return to the training camp.


    Crossing the mountain took just over an hour, and upon arriving at the entrance of the training camp, Chen Deping greeted Huo Sining with a satisfied smile.


    Chen Deping had already learned of Huo Sining¡¯s performance yesterday from Wu Shengyu through a communicator and was pleasantly surprised by the girl¡¯s keen observation skills and her calm, composed way of handling things.


    Of course, what interested Chen Deping the most were the girl¡¯s unconventional skills.


    Catching fish in deep water was one thing, but being able to handle a wild python was not something ordinary people could do.


    The more he learned about the girl, the more strongly Chen Deping felt about recruiting her to his command.


    He had made up his mind that no matter what, once the military training was over, he definitely had to make a trip to the Huang Family in person, though he was well aware that being a mediator was not an easy task.


    ¡°`

 Chapter 75 - Chapter 75: Chapter 73 The Cosmetics Were Stolen

    Chapter 75: Chapter 73 The Cosmetics Were Stolen


    The last day of military training was the grand parade, the time to inspect the outcomes of a month¡¯s training. Huo Sining, as the team leader, stood at the very front.


    Xue Jingjing, who stood behind and failed to take Huo Sining¡¯s place, felt extremely dissatisfied. However, remembering how Huo Sining had been given the cold shoulder by her classmates from the Mathematics Department Class 2 in both the class and the dormitory after the camping trip ended, Xue Jingjing¡¯s mood improved considerably.


    No matter what, her and Du Yanlin¡¯s scheme to drive a wedge had worked well; just one camping trip had painted Huo Sining as a selfish villain who disregarded the collective honor and suffered all kinds of disdain and mockery in Class 2.


    However, such things were ultimately just minor irritations. For Huo Sining, she never considered those unrelated people as friends. Therefore, the snide remarks from a few strangers didn¡¯t affect her much.


    On the contrary, during this camping trip, Huo Sining actually made some new friends.


    After spending a day with them, the simple and naive personalities of the boys, including Liu Yan, appealed to Huo Sining. Although these boys were six or seven years younger than her, Huo Sining thought it was nice to have a few friends like them.


    After the parade meant that the military training was finally over, Chen Deping announced this news on the platform, and everyone couldn¡¯t help but cheer.


    One month of time isn¡¯t too long nor too short, but many people have been sunburned into looking like African refugees because of the summer sun, appearing both awkward and comical.


    Xue Jingjing and Du Yanlin also got their skin peeled off by the sun, but Huo Sining and Luo Jinzhi seemed no different than before the training. Seeing this, Du Yanlin couldn¡¯t help but lower her head, her eyes flickering with jealousy and resentment.


    After the grand parade, Huo Sining chatted with Wu Shengyu for a while before returning to the dormitory.


    By that time, the girls who were quick to pack had already taken their belongings back to the cars of their respective departments. Only Luo Jinzhi sat on her bed reading a book while waiting for Huo Sining.


    Huo Sining had already mostly packed her things. She picked up her backpack and called to Luo Jinzhi to leave.


    Luo Jinzhi felt something was off when she shouldered her luggage, noting it felt much lighter than before. Her steps faltered.


    Seeing the puzzled look on Luo Jinzhi¡¯s face, Huo Sining couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Luo Jinzhi hurriedly searched through her backpack but couldn¡¯t find the problem. She was about to shake her head and say nothing was wrong when her gaze landed on the small pocket on the front of her backpack.


    She paused, quickly unzipped that pocket.


    Sure enough, it was completely empty¡ªnone of the bottles and jars that were supposed to be there remained.


    Luo Jinzhi¡¯s complexion changed instantly, ¡°Ningning, the skincare products you gave me are gone!¡±


    Hearing this, Huo Sining frowned. She had claimed that the makeup was counterfeit just to fend off the two mercenary women, Du Yanlin and Xue Jingjing. Luo Jinzhi didn¡¯t know the price of that makeup, but that didn¡¯t mean Huo Sining was also unaware.


    The set Huo Sining had given Luo Jinzhi was genuine Caudalie products brought by Su Jinyuan. Although Huo Sining hadn¡¯t heard of Caudalie before, knowing it was from Su Jinyuan, she could guess without thinking too hard that it certainly wasn¡¯t cheap. Besides, previously Du Yanlin had also mentioned that the set of makeup was worth at least four to five thousand yuan.


    Such expensive makeup, it¡¯s difficult not to attract someone¡¯s attention.


    On the day Huo Sining gave the makeup to Luo Jinzhi, it was also because she didn¡¯t want Luo Jinzhi to think of her as a wealthy person and distance herself from her, so she deliberately said it was a buy-one-get-one-free gift from the boss.


    But she hadn¡¯t expected that this carelessness would give an outsider the opportunity to take advantage.


    Luo Jinzhi didn¡¯t know the true value of the makeup set, so she usually just threw things carelessly into her cabinet without paying much attention, which allowed someone who knew their worth to spot the opportunity and have the thought of stealing.


    Looking around the dormitory, everyone had mostly left at this point, and she guessed that it would be impossible to find out who took the items.


    Huo Sining knew that there was nothing that could be done about this matter. She felt helpless and let out a sigh, comforting Luo Jinzhi, ¡°It¡¯s gone, it¡¯s gone. The bus is waiting at the door; let¡¯s get on it first.¡±


    Luo Jinzhi didn¡¯t have as many thoughts as Huo Sining, probably because Huo Sining had told her before that the makeup set was a promotional gift. Although she was a bit angry when she found out the skincare products were gone, she wasn¡¯t particularly anxious.


    However, she felt somewhat depressed and reluctantly said, ¡°I had only used a little bit of that skincare set. Even though it was a gift, the effect was really good. My skin has become whiter and smoother recently, just from using it.¡±


    Huo Sining couldn¡¯t help but smile, ¡°As long as it was effective, that¡¯s good. Someday when I go to the farmers market, I¡¯ll bring you a new set.¡±


    Luo Jinzhi shook her head and refused, ¡°How could I let you do that? You already gave me a set. It¡¯s my fault for not taking care of it and losing it; how could I let you buy another? Tell me the address of that store, and I¡¯ll go buy a new set myself.¡±


    Huo Sining suddenly felt a bit guilty. She had no idea where that shop was located; she had made it all up. She didn¡¯t even know where the farmers market was.


    Unfortunately, Luo Jinzhi was a stubborn girl and asked very seriously. After she finished asking, she stared straight at Huo Sining.


    Huo Sining¡¯s face grew a bit unnatural, and she forced a laugh, then randomly made up an excuse to get by, ¡°I didn¡¯t really pay attention to the address of that shop, but once I¡¯m there, I¡¯ll know where it is. How about this, when I go there someday, I¡¯ll take you with me.¡±


    ¡°All right!¡± Luo Jinzhi didn¡¯t suspect a thing and happily nodded before following Huo Sining to the entrance of the training camp.


    Chen Deping stood at the entrance watching the students board the bus. When he saw Huo Sining, he smiled and walked over to hand her a piece of paper with a phone number on it:


    ¡°Little girl, you have good physical strength. I might as well be considered half your teacher. Don¡¯t neglect the things I¡¯ve taught you when you return home. This is my phone number; call me if you need anything.¡±


    Huo Sining felt surprised. Over the month, Chen Deping really did give her some special attention, teaching her a lot about close combat and boxing. However, Huo Sining truly hadn¡¯t expected Chen Deping to leave his phone number with her.


    Seeing Chen Deping¡¯s sincere face and his look of reluctance, Huo Sining felt a warmth in her heart. She took the piece of paper and gave him a respectful military salute, ¡°Thank you, sir, for taking care of me during this time.¡±


    Chen Deping smiled warmly, completely different from his usual cold-faced Yama demeanor, ¡°You don¡¯t need to thank me; I¡¯m just fulfilling a request. Go back now, perhaps we will meet again soon.¡±


    Chen Deping said these last words with a sly and mysterious expression. Huo Sining paused and gave him a puzzled look but in the end, she didn¡¯t voice her question.

 Chapter 76 - Chapter 76: Chapter 74 Suspect

    Chapter 76: Chapter 74 Suspect


    Huo Sining and Luo Jinzhi got on the bus later than others, and all the seats were taken.


    Xue Jingjing, who was sitting in the front row, saw Huo Sining and Luo Jinzhi awkwardly standing onboard and couldn¡¯t help feeling a bit smug. She pointed to another bus and said with schadenfreude,


    ¡°Class 3 doesn¡¯t seem to be full. I think you two should just go sit there. After all, for you, it doesn¡¯t make any difference whether you¡¯re in Class 2 or Class 3.¡±


    Huo Sining knew that Xue Jingjing¡¯s words were referring to the camping incident last time.


    On the day of camping, due to Zhao Jun leading them the wrong way, the whole team ran around chaotically in the woods and even got lost.


    The group was exhausted and hungry, and it wasn¡¯t until past seven in the evening that they finally found their way back to the campsite.


    When they returned to the training camp, they learned that Huo Sining was the first among the trainees to reach the campsite, while they were the last batch to arrive.


    Huo Sining¡¯s team, for completing the task early, received a hearty lunch as an extra reward, while they, because of their delay, were punished by having to clean the toilets that night.


    Following this incident, the classmates took out their anger about being punished on Huo Sining, and her reputation plummeted.


    In their eyes, the reason they suffered so much during the outdoor activity was because of Huo Sining¡¯s selfishness and lack of team spirit. If Huo Sining had offered to help, not only would they have avoided punishment, but they would have also enjoyed a delicious lunch.


    As a result, everyone was displeased with Huo Sining. She was naturally ostracized in Class 2. Apart from Luo Jinzhi and Liu Yan, the others treated Huo Sining with indifference.


    The military training was long past, but as soon as Xue Jingjing spoke those ironic words, everyone on the bus instantly thought of the camping event and looked at Huo Sining with anger and contempt in their eyes.


    ¡°Exactly, just go to Class 3. Aren¡¯t there a lot of seats over there?¡±


    ¡°Hmph, didn¡¯t you run pretty fast during the camping? How come you¡¯re not the first ones this time? Sorry, but the seats have all been taken by us!¡±


    Several boys said impolitely, giving Huo Sining and Luo Jinzhi unfriendly looks. If the instructor hadn¡¯t been there, they probably would¡¯ve actually told them to leave.


    Huo Sining was mature-minded, and such matters had little effect on her, but Luo Jinzhi, who was following behind her, couldn¡¯t bear it anymore. They were all from the same class, and not only were there no seats left for them, but those people were even taking pleasure in their misfortune. Luo Jinzhi¡¯s face flushed red in an instant, and her eyes began to mist up.


    Huo Sining didn¡¯t want to bicker with Xue Jingjing, but seeing Luo Jinzhi¡¯s expression, she couldn¡¯t help frowning.


    She was about to retort when she suddenly smelled a familiar scent. Huo Sining paused, her gaze sharply sweeping towards Du Yanlin, who was sitting next to Xue Jingjing.


    In fact, the higher-end the skincare product, the subtler its fragrance tends to be. With something like Caudalie, which is a pure natural cosmeceutical, the scent is very mild, virtually undetectable once applied to the skin.


    Perhaps it was exactly for this reason that Du Yanlin dared to use the stolen item so boldly in front of its rightful owner, without the slightest worry of being discovered.


    Others might not smell the difference, but after her body was enhanced by the Water-Repelling Pearl, Huo Sining¡¯s physical condition had drastically improved, and her sense of smell had become much sharper than ordinary people, with a sensitivity to scents several times higher.


    She merely stood beside Du Yanlin and took a light sniff, detecting the same scent that lingered on Luo Jinzhi.


    Huo Sining¡¯s eyes grew colder, and she looked at Du Yanlin and the bag clutched in Jingjing¡¯s lap with a smile that wasn¡¯t quite a smile.


    Du Yanlin¡¯s body froze, and she glanced at Huo Sining with shifty eyes.


    At this moment, Liu Yan and the others at the back of the bus waved at Huo Sining, probably having arrived earlier and saved seats for Huo Sining and Luo Jinzhi. Huo Sining didn¡¯t want to make a scene in front of so many people, so with a smile that wasn¡¯t quite a smile, she walked toward the back of the bus.


    Du Yanlin, sitting at the front, felt somewhat guilty, constantly feeling as if there was a gaze fixed on her back.


    She felt uncomfortable all over and couldn¡¯t help but sneak a peek at Huo Sining.


    Seeing that Huo Sining was looking out the window and not paying any attention to her, Du Yanlin finally breathed a slight sigh of relief.


    The journey passed in silence. Upon arriving at the dorm, everyone began to unpack. Huo Sining glanced at the shoulder bag locked inside Du Yanlin¡¯s suitcase and narrowed her eyes with a smile. ¡°What skincare product did you use today, Du Yanlin? Your skin seems much whiter than before,¡± she asked with a smirk.


    Du Yanlin¡¯s body tensed up again, and seeing Huo Sining staring at her, she panic-strickenly turned her head away, unable to meet Huo Sining¡¯s gaze.


    Xue Jingjing was confused by the discussion, but when she heard Huo Sining mention skincare products, she remembered how everyone else had tanned from the strenuous military training while Huo Sining¡¯s skin remained fair, showing no change. Xue Jingjing thought Huo Sining was bragging and suddenly became angry:


    ¡°Yan Lin and I use brand-name skincare products, of course the effects are noticeable. Our skin will whiten in a few days too! There¡¯s nothing impressive about your fair skin that doesn¡¯t tan.¡±


    Xue Jingjing¡¯s words were directly ignored by Huo Sining. Seeing the flicker in Du Yanlin¡¯s eyes, Huo Sining was now very sure that the set of cosmetics belonged to Luo Jinzhi was stolen by Du Yanlin. She sneered, ¡°Oh really? I¡¯m curious, what kind of skincare brand smells just like Caudalie? Would Student Du mind bringing it out for me to have a look?¡±


    Du Yanlin¡¯s face immediately turned a few shades paler, her hands clutching the hem of her clothes tightly, her lips bitten, her face full of nervousness and grievance, and her eyes quickly reddened as if she were about to cry at any moment.


    ¡°What do you mean? What cosmetics Yan Lin uses is none of your business, why should she show them to you? Only a country bumpkin like you would use counterfeit goods bought for a few dozen dollars from a farmers¡¯ market!¡±


    Xue Jingjing couldn¡¯t stand to see Huo Sining targeting Du Yanlin and stood up to defend her friend.


    Here was yet another naive fool being manipulated by a white lotus. Du Yanlin really knew how to play her part, merely putting on an act of grievance and immediately someone would stand up for her.


    Watching Xue Jingjing burst out like a firecracker, Huo Sining looked at her with pity.


    She now finally understood why Du Yanlin could be friends with Xue Jingjing; with her simple-mindedness, she was indeed easier to control. When necessary, Du Yanlin only had to pretend to be innocent to arouse Xue Jingjing¡¯s sympathy and competitiveness, willing to be used by Du Yanlin without even realizing it.


    ¡°Xue Jingjing, if you want to stand up for someone, at least figure out what¡¯s going on first instead of humiliating yourself,¡± Huo Sining chided.

 Chapter 77 - Chapter 77: Chapter 75 Cross-examination

    Chapter 77: Chapter 75 Cross-examination


    Huo Sining¡¯s face remained calm, and she didn¡¯t change her expression due to Xue Jingjing¡¯s ¡°country bumpkin¡± remark. She merely glanced at Xue Jingjing before fixing her gaze on Du Yanlin and asked with a smile,


    ¡°Du Yanlin, do you really think it¡¯s right to keep your best friend in the dark, letting her foolishly stand up and speak out for you? Everybody needs to save face, and I don¡¯t want to blow this out of proportion. Just return the items to Luo Jinzhi, and I won¡¯t pursue this matter any further.¡±


    With her lips pressed into a thin line, Du Yanlin forced a stiff smile, ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you are talking about. Since entering the dorm, I haven¡¯t spoken a word; it¡¯s been you targeting me all along, hasn¡¯t it?¡±


    Huo Sining was genuinely amused, ¡°I¡¯ve finally seen what it means when they say ¡®there is no dealing with a consummate scoundrel.¡¯ Since you insist so, I have nothing else to say. I just want to tell you, ¡®He who perpetrates injustice is doomed to perish.¡¯ Taking a few bottles and jars serves no purpose, as the outer packaging boxes with their product batch numbers corresponding to the codes on the bottles are still with Jin Zhi. Those codes can¡¯t be faked.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Du Yanlin¡¯s pupils constricted, evidently not having considered this factor, and she subconsciously glanced at her suitcase before looking up at Huo Sining in alarm.


    Xue Jingjing, standing beside them, was confused by the conversation, but Luo Jinzhi understood. She tugged at Huo Sining¡¯s clothes and asked cautiously, ¡°Ningning, are you saying that the person who took my skincare products is Du Yanlin?¡±


    Huo Sining nodded her head.


    ¡°How is that possible? How could Du Yanlin do such a thing?¡± Luo Jinzhi looked at Du Yanlin, both shocked and disbelieving.


    But Du Yanlin reassured herself, certain that Huo Sining was just bluffing. If she simply denied all charges, what could Huo Sining, a mere country bumpkin, do about it?


    Thinking this, her anxious heart settled somewhat. She smiled and feigned composure as she said, ¡°What skincare products? Just because Luo Jinzhi¡¯s skincare products are missing, you can¡¯t wrongfully accuse others. I use high-end brands. Weren¡¯t the items you gave to Luo Jinzhi bought at a farmers¡¯ market? You said they cost over a hundred yuan per set, Xue Jingjing and I both heard it.¡±


    Huo Sining had not wanted to escalate the issue and had so far spoken calmly and politely, but Du Yanlin¡¯s obstinate denial infuriated Huo Sining in an instant:


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter where I purchased them from. What matters is whether you took them or not. Caudalie is meticulous in its business; detailed customer purchase records are kept at their counters! Moreover, I forgot to remind you that a full set of Caudalie products isn¡¯t cheap. Such expensive items can certainly be filed for at the police station. If you¡¯re confident you have nothing to fear from an inquiry, by all means, continue to stand your ground!¡±


    ¡°You!¡± Du Yanlin turned white as a ghost upon hearing this.


    Xue Jingjing, who was at her side, was angry to hear Huo Sining and Luo Jinzhi insinuating that Du Yanlin had stolen something. She wanted to curse out loud, but she was not a fool. Hearing Huo Sining¡¯s pointed questions and observing Du Yanlin¡¯s trembling, obviously guilty demeanor, she suddenly felt that something was off.


    Xue Jingjing gave Du Yanlin a suspicious look before asking hesitantly, ¡°Yan Lin, did you¡­ did you truly take Luo Jinzhi¡¯s things? Why? They¡¯re just a set of knockoff skincare products. You can find as many as you want of these unbranded products at the wholesale market. Why would you¡­¡±


    In a sudden outburst, Du Yanlin raised her head and scolded sharply, ¡°You idiot, after hearing so much, have you still not understood? Those weren¡¯t any knockoff goods, they were genuine Caudalie products from the official counter! She¡¯s been making monkeys out of us, deliberately deceiving us, and then passing it off to that ignorant country bumpkin!¡±


    Pointing an accusatory finger at Luo Jinzhi she continued bitterly, ¡°Do you think she didn¡¯t tan during military training just by chance? Because she was using real luxury products! The two of us were smugly self-satisfied, thinking we were superior, but what¡¯s the reality? In the eyes of some, we¡¯re just a pair of ridiculous clowns!¡±


    Seeing Du Yanlin¡¯s eyes brimming with resentment and jealousy, Huo Sining truly felt there was no helping such a person. She looked coldly at Du Yanlin and scoffed,


    ¡°So the thief even has the nerve to bite back, what a revelation. So what if I deceived you, it¡¯s my stuff, I can give it to whoever I want; do I need your permission? And about that last thing you said, I actually agree with it. Pretentious and thinking you¡¯re so smart; you¡¯re right, you¡¯re nothing but a clown right now!¡±


    ¡°So what if I took it?! What¡¯s the big deal, it¡¯s just some makeup products, I don¡¯t even care for them!¡±


    Huo Sining¡¯s words completely infuriated Du Yanlin, who took out the skincare set from her suitcase and violently smashed it on the ground.


    With a loud crash, several bottles shattered into pieces, and the milky-white nutrient lotion spilled all over the floor.


    Xue Jingjing and Luo Jinzhi were both stunned by Du Yanlin¡¯s crazy act, only Huo Sining remained expressionless.


    ¡°You don¡¯t care for it, yet you took it without asking; you don¡¯t care for it, yet you secretly used it and refused to admit it. Du Yanlin, don¡¯t you find your dishonesty laughable?¡±


    Huo Sining was almost amused to laughter by this idiotic logic. With a stern face, she said with a cold laugh,


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t planning on making a big deal out of this. If you had just handed over the goods nicely, we could have left it at that. But you made the mistake of not knowing when to repent. Did you think, by smashing these things, I wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything to you? You¡¯re wrong. I¡¯m not some soft persimmon you can just push around and bully at will. You¡¯re definitely compensating for this skincare set!¡±


    Having just smashed the skincare set felt good for the moment, but upon hearing Huo Sining¡¯s demand for compensation, Du Yanlin¡¯s face instantly froze, and panic flickered in her eyes.


    It¡¯s true that Du Yanlin was from S City, and she had previously mocked Luo Jinzhi for being from the countryside. However, her family¡¯s financial situation was quite average.


    The income of Du Yanlin¡¯s parents was of the salaried class, and they only agreed to give her a thousand yuan a month for living expenses.


    A thousand yuan wasn¡¯t small for a university student¡¯s budget, but it certainly wasn¡¯t enough for high-end makeup products.


    To come up with four or five thousand yuan to compensate Huo Sining, Du Yanlin was at a loss and could not afford it right away.


    Du Yanlin couldn¡¯t help but glance at Xue Jingjing, whose family was better off than hers. Xue Jingjing could probably come up with five thousand yuan.


    But Du Yanlin forgot: the disaster was her own doing, and there was no reason for Xue Jingjing, regardless of how foolish or stupid, to foot the bill for her actions.


    Seeing Xue Jingjing turn her head away, not looking at her, Du Yanlin felt both embarrassed and angry. Her eyes immediately turned bright red with rage. What friendship, what sisterhood; in the face of money, it was all just a fart!


    Du Yanlin was angry, but she was unwilling to completely break with Xue Jingjing just yet.


    Even though Xue Jingjing didn¡¯t lift a finger to help her, Du Yanlin still saw the woman as somewhat naive and useful to her, and she felt it would be a pity to completely cut ties.

 Chapter 78 - Chapter 78: Chapter 76 Evidence

    Chapter 78: Chapter 76 Evidence


    From the moment she returned to the dormitory, Huo Sining had been closely watching Du Yanlin¡¯s changing expressions, so Du Yanlin¡¯s scheming against Xue Jingjing was immediately caught by Huo Sining¡¯s observant eyes.


    Seeing this scene, Huo Sining couldn¡¯t help but sneer inwardly.


    People like Du Yanlin treat friends as tools to be used.


    They make friends when it¡¯s profitable and step on them when it¡¯s not.


    Such people have sinister tactics that are hard to guard against, far more dangerous than the likes of Xu Lian, an ignorant countrywoman, by many times.


    For Xue Jingjing to have a friend who sees her as a fool and only uses her, she really drew the short straw in finding such a best friend.


    However, during the military training earlier, when she was punished by the instructor for hiding things, Xue Jingjing didn¡¯t hesitate to shift the blame to Du Yanlin, drawing everyone¡¯s accusations onto her.


    It was clear that Xue Jingjing wasn¡¯t entirely sincere toward Du Yanlin either.


    The two were equally bad, with neither being better than the other.


    Luo Jinzhi had thought the skincare set was a free gift as Huo Sining had said, so she didn¡¯t care how it was disposed of.


    Now that she knew the skincare set was worth four or five thousand yuan¡ªa high-end product¡ªshe suddenly felt both distressed and guilty, thinking that this wouldn¡¯t have happened if she hadn¡¯t left her things all over the place.


    Seeing Du Yanlin¡¯s pitiful appearance, she felt somewhat reluctant to pursue the matter further, and after a moment¡¯s hesitation, she couldn¡¯t help but suggest, ¡°Ningning, maybe¡­ let¡¯s just let it go.¡±


    Huo Sining knew that Luo Jinzhi was kind-hearted, but she really didn¡¯t like this saintly disposition of hers.


    She also understood that Luo Jinzhi¡¯s personality was deeply ingrained and wouldn¡¯t change overnight, so she sighed helplessly,


    ¡°Jin Zhi, do you know the story of The Farmer and the Snake? Some people, when you are good to them, won¡¯t necessarily return the favor. They may even bite you in return.¡±


    Luo Jinzhi, having grown up in a fishing village, was surrounded by simple fishermen and thus lacked schemes and manipulations.


    But Huo Sining was different; she had experienced rebirth and lived an extra seven or eight years. Her maturity had grown, and she had the Water-Repelling Pearl, so her sensitivity to human nature¡¯s good and evil was much higher than others.


    ¡°Pay back the money or compensate with an identical skincare set; the choice is yours.¡±


    Huo Sining didn¡¯t care about the money, but she intended to teach Du Yanlin a lesson, so even with Luo Jinzhi pleading, she refused to compromise.


    Because she knew that people like Du Yanlin didn¡¯t understand gratitude and wouldn¡¯t relent until they hit rock bottom.


    As expected, when Du Yanlin learned that Huo Sining insisted on compensation and was unwilling to back down, she suddenly dropped her pretense of being pitiful and stood by the bed with her arms crossed, raising her eyebrows at Luo Jinzhi:


    ¡°You want me to compensate? What a joke! Isn¡¯t the skincare set something that you, Luo Jinzhi, dropped on the floor because you didn¡¯t hold it properly? What does that have to do with me?¡±


    Luo Jinzhi¡¯s eyes widened in surprise upon hearing this.


    She hadn¡¯t expected Du Yanlin to be so thick-skinned, telling bold-faced lies without a blush or a skip of the heartbeat.


    Huo Sining knew that Du Yanlin was scheming and cunning, so she had taken precautions.


    As soon as she entered the dormitory, Huo Sining had quietly opened the recording app on her phone, just in case Du Yanlin would not admit fault at the end.


    Seeing Du Yanlin looking smug and defiant, as if saying, ¡°What can you do to me?¡± Huo Sining¡¯s lips curled up, and she said with a smile, ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    Seeing the half-smiling, half-serious expression on Huo Sining¡¯s face, Du Yanlin felt a sinking feeling.


    Huo Sining then took out her phone from her pocket, opened the recording she had made earlier, and played it back.


    Hearing her own hysterical voice coming out of the phone, Du Yanlin looked at Huo Sining with disbelief and a mix of resentment and frustration in her eyes.


    She had never expected that Huo Sining would have such a move up her sleeve.


    At this stage, Huo Sining held all the evidence and witness accounts, rendering Du Yanlin¡¯s sophistry useless.


    However, Huo Sining was still considerate of Du Yanlin¡¯s future and did not want to blow the situation out of proportion.


    After all, Du Yanlin was still a student; setting aside the effect it would have if the school learned of the theft, just being processed by the police would certainly leave a mark on her record.


    Huo Sining simply wanted to teach Du Yanlin a lesson, not ruin her, and thus she did not call the police.


    Worried that Huo Sining would hand over the recording to the police, Du Yanlin stopped being obstinately defensive and promised to compensate Luo Jinzhi for her loss after the National Day holiday.


    With the recording in hand, Huo Sining was not concerned about Du Yanlin reneging on her promise and nodded in agreement to her request.


    Military training finally came to an end, and what followed was a week of the National Day Golden Week.


    As soon as the school issued the holiday notice, the trainees scattered like birds and beasts. The freshman students, returning from military training, hastened to arrange their holidays; those living nearby hurried home, while those farther away prepared to travel.


    With the theft incident still lingering, Du Yanlin and Xue Jingjing had no desire to stay in the dormitory and quickly packed their luggage to go home.


    Concerned about the business at Xianyu Shop, Huo Sining also planned to tidy up her things and leave, when she turned her head and saw Luo Jinzhi standing at the window, lost in thought.


    ¡°Jin Zhi, how have you arranged your National Day holiday?¡± Seeing Luo Jinzhi alone in the dormitory, Huo Sining couldn¡¯t help but query.


    Luo Jinzhi was startled, then smiled, ¡°I don¡¯t have any special plans. I heard that the school library will be open as usual during the National Day, so I plan to spend these days there. Why?¡±


    Because of the skincare set incident, Luo Jinzhi felt a subtle estrangement towards Huo Sining.


    Huo Sining had deceived Luo Jinzhi, which indeed made her feel a bit guilty. Fearing that Luo Jinzhi might misunderstand her, she tentatively asked:


    ¡°I¡¯m planning to go home, and it might be quite boring for you alone in the dormitory. How about you come with me?¡±


    ¡°Go home? Are you planning to go back to Rongcheng?¡±


    Although the seven-day holiday was not short, the round-trip train journey from S City to Rongcheng took three to four days. Luo Jinzhi was puzzled; was Huo Sining not afraid of getting tired?


    Seeing the confusion in Luo Jinzhi¡¯s eyes, Huo Sining knew she had misunderstood and quickly explained:


    ¡°Not going back to Rongcheng, but to my place near Chenghuang Temple here in S City. It¡¯s not very big, but if you don¡¯t mind, how about I invite you over as a guest?¡±


    Luo Jinzhi hesitated upon hearing this, ¡°Would your family mind?¡±


    Huo Sining smiled, ¡°No, they won¡¯t. Once you¡¯re there, you¡¯ll see. In my home, I call the shots.¡±


    With most people having left the school, Luo Jinzhi, alone in the dormitory, also felt the boredom and hesitated for a moment before finally nodding in agreement.


    Huo Sining took Luo Jinzhi by car back to Xianyu Shop, only to see Wu Jun sitting inside reading a book. Noticing someone entering the store, he asked without thinking, ¡°Are you looking to buy ornamental fish or wild live fish?¡±


    As he spoke, he looked up, only to see Huo Sining standing at the door, and he froze for half a second before coming to his senses, asking with surprise, ¡°Miss Huo, you¡¯re back? Is military training over?¡±


    Huo Sining nodded, ¡°Yes, we have the National Day holiday now. This is my college roommate, Luo Jinzhi. Jin Zhi, this is Wu Jun, Wu (Uncle).¡±


    The moment Luo Jinzhi entered, she was captivated by the dazzling array of fish in the Aquarium. As Huo Sining introduced her, she stood dumbfounded, unsure of what to say.


    Fortunately, Wu Jun had made progress in social interaction during his time in business, and he approached proactively, saying:


    ¡°Hello, welcome to Xianyu Shop. Would you like me to introduce you to these fish species?¡±


    Luo Jinzhi was unaware of Huo Sining¡¯s relationship with the shop and therefore hesitated to overstep. She glanced awkwardly at Huo Sining, and seeing her nod in affirmation, hesitantly pressed her lips together and nodded lightly.

 Chapter 79 - Chapter 79: Chapter 77: As Autumn Wind Blows, Crabs Feel the Itch

    Chapter 79: Chapter 77: As Autumn Wind Blows, Crabs Feel the Itch


    Wu Jun enthusiastically introduced the fish in the aquarium to Luo Jinzhi. After Huo Sining had placed her luggage in her room, she entered the partition to check the quantity of wild aquatic products in the tanks.


    During the past month, she hadn¡¯t restocked at Xianyu Shop. The fish tanks, which had been full of live fish before she left, were now nearly empty. It seemed she would have to go out to restock by tomorrow evening at the latest.


    Before Huo Sining could rest upon returning home, Su Qingqing called her: ¡°A Ning, I¡¯m at the school gate. Hurry down, I¡¯ve come to pick you up.¡±


    Huo Sining was at a loss for words, ¡°Big sis, I¡¯m already home.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Su Qingqing was stunned, ¡°Ah, it¡¯s all because my roommate insisted on dragging me to see some blue-and-white porcelain, so I didn¡¯t make it back to school in time to pick you up. Mom assigned me the task of bringing you home to stay for a few days. Now I¡¯m in trouble. I won¡¯t be able to complete my task, and there goes my pocket money for the month.¡±


    Huo Sining found it amusing, ¡°Don¡¯t give me that. Even if Aunt doesn¡¯t give you pocket money, you haven¡¯t stopped spending your brother¡¯s money, right? I¡¯ve brought a roommate home to visit, so I won¡¯t be coming today. Let¡¯s talk about it in a couple of days.¡±


    As soon as Su Qingqing heard that Huo Sining had brought a roommate home, her interest was piqued and she no longer fretted about whether she could complete her mother¡¯s task. Eagerly, she said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll come to your place too. It¡¯s been so long since I last ate fish that you¡¯ve cooked.¡±


    Saying this, she didn¡¯t bother continuing the conversation with Huo Sining; she hung up the phone and headed straight for Xianyu Shop.


    Huo Sining knew Su Qingqing¡¯s temperament and could only shake her head helplessly.


    Back at the front of the store, Luo Jinzhi was still looking at the fish while Wu Jun sat in front of the computer. When he saw Huo Sining come out, he hurriedly took out the account book and said, ¡°Boss, here are the account records for this month.¡±


    Huo Sining flipped through them. Just like her, Wu Jun was a novice at selling ornamental fish, so they were more or less on the same level. However, because Xianyu Shop¡¯s fish quality was better than other shops on this street, the business was still relatively good.


    Besides the income from ornamental fish, the sales of wild aquatic products were also quite substantial. Within a month, Huo Sining¡¯s shop had a revenue of nearly 200,000 yuan.


    For other shops, this revenue wasn¡¯t much to speak of because, after deducting costs like rent, utilities, and loss of fish stock, earning a profit of twenty to thirty thousand was considered good.


    But for Huo Sining¡¯s business, it was all pure profit; she had rescued Cai Jianxin¡¯s batch of ornamental fish, using only a bit of Spiritual Energy. Not to mention the wild aquatic species, with so many types available in the Yellow River for her to freely harvest, the 200,000 yuan in revenue was equivalent to 200,000 yuan in pure profit.


    Huo Sining was very satisfied with this revenue and smiled at Wu Jun, ¡°Nicely done.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Wu Jun scratched the back of his head somewhat embarrassedly, ¡°Boss, your shop was already doing well. I¡¯m not good with words and just glad I didn¡¯t hold you back.¡±


    ¡°You know, business requires a process. Don¡¯t talk about yourself, I¡¯m a layman too, we¡¯re both learning as we go. Don¡¯t be so rigid, I hired you to mind the shop because I believe you can handle the job,¡± Huo Sining reassured him.


    Wu Jun nodded, then added, ¡°We are running low on a few types of ornamental fish, and we need to restock wild aquatic species too. Also, a few days ago, a customer was inquiring if our shop had Yellow River hairy crabs. It¡¯s currently the season for them. I heard that fresh crabs in the market are over a hundred yuan per catty, even pricier than the live wild fish. Boss, do you have a supply channel?¡±


    Huo Sining¡¯s eyes lit up upon hearing this, and she smacked her forehead, laughing, ¡°Good call, Wu Jun. Thanks for the reminder, otherwise I would have forgotten about this entirely. Don¡¯t worry about the supply, I¡¯ll get a batch of live crabs tomorrow to try!¡±


    As the autumn breeze picked up, the crabs itched to move. Round bellies in September, pointed in October. Located near crab-producing regions, S City enjoyed a continuous supply of hairy crabs, allowing people to feast on them from September until the New Year.


    The people of S City also loved crabs and could make a full meal out of a single crab, savoring it through an entire afternoon. After eating, they could even reassemble the crab shells back into a complete figure. Therefore, the demand for S City¡¯s hairy crabs always exceeded the supply.


    Eating crabs has its particular customs: females are best in September, males in October. In September, female crabs have a round belly button with rich roe and thick meat, while male crabs in October have a pointed belly button with firmer flesh and fuller legs.


    The Yellow River crabs are caught around National Day, so no wonder customers would inquire about crabs. Normally, Huo Sining might not be able to accommodate certain requests, but catching crabs was not a problem for her.


    ¡°Wait for my call tomorrow morning. When the time comes, just drive the truck directly to our usual pick-up location.¡±


    Huo Sining looked excited. She had planned to restock tomorrow or the day after anyway, but hearing Wu Jun¡¯s words now made her itch to go crab fishing in the river right away.


    Wu Jun thought Huo Sining was in contact with the boss who supplied wild aquatic species, so he didn¡¯t suspect anything and nodded in agreement.


    ¡°Yaya has a day off tomorrow too, right? How is she doing at school recently?¡± asked Huo Sining.


    ¡°She¡¯s doing quite well. The school is strict, and she said she couldn¡¯t keep up with the pace at first. The teacher even gave her extra help, but now she has adapted,¡± said Wu Jun, smiling softly as he spoke of Yaya.


    Huo Sining smiled and said, ¡°That¡¯s good then. Treat this place like your own home while you¡¯re here, and don¡¯t keep any problems to yourself. If there¡¯s anything I can help with, I¡¯ll do my best to assist.¡±


    As they were talking, Su Qingqing came rushing in, almost skipping, and threw herself at Huo Sining: ¡°Ningning, I¡¯ve missed you so much!¡±


    ¡°Get off, it¡¯s too hot to be clinging onto me like that,¡± said Huo Sining as she unceremoniously pushed Su Qingqing away from her shoulder.


    Unembarrassed, Su Qingqing walked around Huo Sining a few times, and noticing that Huo Sining hadn¡¯t gotten much tan, she smiled contentedly, ¡°It looks like those two skincare products worked pretty well.¡±


    The reason Huo Sining hadn¡¯t gotten a tan was not only because she used skincare products well, but also because she used the Spirit of Azure Pearl effectively. However, she certainly wouldn¡¯t explain this to Su Qingqing and merely asked with a smile, ¡°Haven¡¯t you made any plans for the National Day Golden Week?¡±


    Laughing, Su Qingqing replied, ¡°I¡¯ve made plans, all right. I¡¯m coming here to mooch off you for food and drinks.¡±


    Huo Sining rolled her eyes jokingly and seeing Luo Jinzhi looking over, she waved her over, ¡°This is my roommate, Luo Jinzhi. I¡¯ve invited her to my place as a guest.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve made new friends so quickly, huh. Hello, I¡¯m Su Qingqing, Ningning¡¯s cousin. Nice to meet you. I¡¯m from S University College of Cultural Heritage, but I¡¯m one year ahead of you guys, so you can call me Senior Su.¡±


    Luo Jinzhi was shy by nature, and she was a bit tense having come to Xianyu Shop with Huo Si. Suddenly, she felt a sense of closeness knowing Su Qingqing was also from S University and shyly murmured, ¡°Senior Su.¡±


    Noticing something peculiar about her tone, Su Qingqing couldn¡¯t help but laugh and ask, ¡°Jin Zhi, are you from Min City by any chance?¡±


    Luo Jinzhi, aware of her accented Mandarin, blushed deeply with a touch of embarrassment.


    Realizing her mistake, Su Qingqing quickly smiled and explained, ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, I wasn¡¯t making fun of you. We actually have a senior at the College of Cultural Heritage who¡¯s also from Min City, and he sounds just like you. Quite interesting. I¡¯ll introduce him to you sometime; as fellow townsmen, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll have a lot to talk about.¡±


    Luo Jinzhi¡¯s eyes lit up when she heard this. Having come to S City from Min City all by herself, she always felt like a stranger in a strange land. Now, hearing about a fellow Min City resident studying at S University from Su Qingqing was both novel and a pleasant surprise.

 Chapter 80 - Chapter 80: Chapter 78 Ebony

    Chapter 80: Chapter 78 Ebony


    Su Qingqing wasn¡¯t joking around; seeing that Luo Jinzhi was genuinely interested in meeting people from her hometown, she quickly found the phone number on her smartphone and called her senior brother.


    The senior brother was very enthusiastic, and upon hearing that a little sister from Min City had arrived, he eagerly asked for Luo Jinzhi¡¯s contact information and mentioned that they were organizing a S University Min City fellow-townsmen meeting in a couple of days and invited Luo Jinzhi to attend.


    Luo Jinzhi was very excited about attending the meeting, but Huo Sining had no interest whatsoever.


    Rongcheng wasn¡¯t particularly large or small, and she had never mentioned to anyone about getting into S University because she didn¡¯t want to get entangled with people from Rongcheng.


    If she happened to run into someone from Baiyun Village at the meeting and they spoke of her affairs in S City, it could possibly lead to trouble.


    Luo Jinzhi was sensitive and insecure inside. Initially, upon learning that Huo Sining was not from S City and assuming Huo Sining was a poor student from the countryside just like her, she naturally wanted to get closer.


    However, after finding out Huo Sining had given her an expensive set of skincare products, her feelings towards Huo Sining instantly became complicated, knowing full well she had been terribly wrong¡ªHuo Sining might come from a rural background, but they were fundamentally different.


    Driven by her inferiority complex, she intentionally gave Huo Sining the cold shoulder, yet Huo Sining did not distance herself as a result and even invited her to visit her home.


    After spending the whole morning at Xianyu Shop, she had learned from the brief exchanges between Wu Jun and Su Qingqing that Huo Sining was also a child from the countryside who had endured great hardship while living in others¡¯ care, and ultimately had come to S City alone to study. By a stroke of luck, she had used her knowledge of fish-keeping to open the fish shop.


    The more Luo Jinzhi knew, the more shocked and ashamed she felt in her heart.


    She had thought Huo Sining was a pampered rich girl benefiting from her family¡¯s protection and had even looked down on Huo Sining for it, but she never imagined Huo Sining¡¯s experiences were even more complicated than she had envisioned.


    Enduring so many hardships, this girl still remained determined and strong-willed. Compared with Huo Sining, her own feelings of inferiority seemed so ludicrous.


    In the afternoon, Luo Jinzhi received a call from the tutoring center. The tutoring job she had applied for had responded, requesting she tutor a child for seven days during the National Day holiday. Luo Jinzhi, who had been worrying about having nothing to do, eagerly accepted the offer.


    The story of Huo Sining inspired Luo Jinzhi and gave her motivation. She felt that her past insecurities were completely unnecessary. Although she couldn¡¯t achieve what Huo Sining had, she was capable enough to find a part-time tutoring job and be self-reliant without any issues.


    Huo Sining was unaware of the profound change that had occurred in Luo Jinzhi¡¯s mind in just half a day. She had wanted to host Luo Jinzhi at her home for a few days, but Luo Jinzhi insisted on returning to school, and so she didn¡¯t press the issue.


    After so long with military training, there was plenty to do in the shop. Once Huo Sining had finished tallying the accounts for the month, she got busy restocking the aquariums.


    Some of the varieties from Cai Jianxin¡¯s batch had sold out, and she needed to replenish them. She called an ornamental fish supplier, and upon hearing that Huo Sining was looking for ornamental fish, the supplier arrived with stock that afternoon.


    Huo Sining wasn¡¯t picky; as long as the price was right, she would buy. With the Spiritual Energy in play, even the worst fish fry could be raised to become top quality.


    Picking fish and paying for them, the entire process took less than twenty minutes¡ªit was done swiftly and neatly. The supplier might have never seen a boss who bought fish as decisively as Huo Sining did, and was still somewhat stunned, barely able to react even after receiving the payment.


    While taking the opportunity to place the fish into the aquarium, Huo Sining quietly infused a few strands of Spiritual Energy into the water. The aquarium was fitted with colorful decorative lights, so the green Spiritual Energy flowing from Huo Sining¡¯s fingertips didn¡¯t catch anyone else¡¯s attention.


    ¡°Ah¡ª-¡±


    Huo Sining hadn¡¯t finished her work when Su Qingqing, who was crouching upstairs, let out a cry of astonishment as if she had discovered a new continent. With the sound of rapid footsteps descending the stairs, she soon appeared at the back door, staring at Huo Sining with surprise, ¡°A Ning, where did you get this box?!¡±


    Turning her head, Huo Sining saw Su Qingqing holding a wooden box and was momentarily at a loss before recalling that the box was something she had found at the bottom of a deep pool by a mountain cliff during her last camping trip with the military camp. Since the military training dormitory was crowded and many eyes were present, she had not opened the box and had kept it in her backpack ever since, almost forgetting about it until Su Qingqing dug it out.


    Seeing both shock and excitement in Su Qingqing¡¯s eyes, Huo Sining was perplexed, ¡°That box? I picked it up. What about it?¡±


    ¡°Picked up again?!¡± Su Qingqing¡¯s voice raised several decibels in disbelief as she stared at Huo Sining, ¡°Where did you pick it up from?¡±


    Huo Sining nodded, ¡°During the military training camp, there was a stream behind the mountain of the training camp. Upstream, I found a waterfall with a deep pool. Seeing the fish in that pool were plump and beautiful, I jumped in to catch some. Instead, I discovered this box at the bottom of the pool. It was submerged and locked, which I found odd, so I brought it back. Why, does this box contain some historically valuable items?¡±


    Su Qingqing shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    Huo Sining was immediately frustrated, ¡°Here, I was thinking that there might be an antique hidden in this box, and you¡¯re acting surprised without knowing its significance? It made me think I had stumbled upon another treasure.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if there¡¯s an antique inside, but that doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t tell this box is something valuable! Do you know what material this thing is made of?¡±


    Su Qingqing nearly crumbled under her frustration. Sometimes she really wanted to ask if the heavens had gone blind, how could such good things always end up with Huo Sining, a woman who knew nothing? Just let go of the piece of ambergris, but how could she have come across this box too?!


    ¡°The material of the box? What do you mean?¡± Huo Sining looked down at the dull-looking box and then back at Su Qingqing, puzzled.


    ¡°Do you know what Ebony wood is?¡± Su Qingqing asked Huo Sining expectantly.


    Huo Sining honestly shook her head.


    ¡°Then have you ever heard the saying ¡®Half a square of Ebony wood at home is better than a box of treasures¡¯?¡± Su Qingqing¡¯s eyes were wide as she looked at Huo Sining, as if she might leap at her and strangle her if Huo Sining answered she didn¡¯t know.


    Huo Sining, like a monk puzzled by riddles, still shook her head.


    Su Qingqing felt utterly deflated and insufferably vexed, ¡°Talking to you is really a waste of my saliva. Let me put it this way, the material used for this box should be the very rare Ebony wood, commonly referred to as Ebony wood. Moreover, judging from its carving work, if I¡¯m not mistaken, this box should date back to the late Ming or early Qing dynasty.¡±

 Chapter 81 - Chapter 81: Chapter 79: Opening the Treasure Chest

    Chapter 81: Chapter 79: Opening the Treasure Chest


    Huo Sining¡¯s eyes lit up at the comment, ¡°Is it very valuable?¡±


    Su Qingqing was so irritated she wanted to roll her eyes, ¡°Duh, do you know how rare ebony wood is? This thing has to be carbonized in the mud underground for thousands of years to form. In ancient times, it was used to make Buddhist statues, amulets, pendants, and accessories as talismans. To use it to craft a box is an extravagance I¡¯ve never seen before.¡±


    Su Qingqing wasn¡¯t wrong in what she said, ebony combines the quaintness of wood with the charm of stone, its surface is smooth and the grain fine, closely resembling rosewood.


    Ebony is valued for never fading, not rotting, not getting infested with insects, and its spiritual nature. Moreover, it¡¯s a non-renewable resource, which makes it highly collectible.


    It is said that experts at the Forbidden City Museum even detected that ebony has a significant function in promoting blood circulation and is considered a treasure for warding off evil, attracting fortune, and prolonging life.


    However, for Huo Sining, she didn¡¯t care what material the box was made of; she was only interested in how much the box was worth.


    According to Su Qingqing¡¯s reasoning, since the ebony wood was so rare, using it to craft a box was indeed too extravagant.


    Moreover, from what Huo Sining had seen in the deep pool that day, the box had been hidden at the bottom of the cliff and gradually exposed over decades or centuries by the waterfall¡¯s erosion.


    But why would the owner of this box spend so much wealth and even bury it under deep waters? This inexplicable behavior, what was it for? Could it be that there was an even more valuable treasure hidden inside the box?


    Huo Sining immediately thought of this possibility, and clearly, Su Qingqing had realized the issue too. Swallowing nervously, she looked up at Huo Sining with suppressed excitement and eagerness:


    ¡°A Ning, shall we¡­ open the box and take a look?¡±


    She was definitely going to open it. Not knowing what the box was made of didn¡¯t bother Huo Sining before, but now that she knew it was valuable, how could she remain indifferent?


    Yet Huo Sining cast a skeptical glance at Su Qingqing, feeling the girl was somewhat unreliable.


    Go to ????????????????????.co


    ¡°Can you handle it?¡± Huo Sining didn¡¯t quite trust Su Qingqing¡¯s skills.


    Su Qingqing was initially hesitant to start, but seeing Huo Sining question her capabilities lit a fire within her.


    She may not be an expert, but how could she lose face before her mentor, Professor Xie?


    Quickly, Su Qingqing found a thin piece of wire and began fiddling with the lock.


    Unfortunately, while the iron lock seemed unassuming, unlocking it was far from easy.


    The more Su Qingqing fumbled, the more uncertain she became. Glancing awkwardly at Huo Sining and attempting a placating smile, she suggested a bad idea, ¡°How about we use a hammer to break it open?¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re an antique studies major? Don¡¯t you even have that common sense? Can this thing withstand your hammer blow?¡±


    Huo Sining was both amused and annoyed, ¡°Just don¡¯t damage my box, you were the one who said it¡¯s a treasure. If it gets damaged, my loss would be huge! Besides, who knows if the contents are fragile? Your careless handling could destroy whatever treasure¡¯s inside, which would be a disaster!¡±


    At those words, Su Qingqing¡¯s face tightened as she tossed the wire aside, deflated, ¡°So what do we do? I really want to know what treasure is inside!¡±


    Huo Sining looked at her contemptuously, ¡°That¡¯s easy, go to your master, right? Professor Xie is so capable, he¡¯ll surely be able to handle it.¡±


    Su Qingqing shrugged, ¡°Then you might have to wait, the professor is off to America for a half-month symposium. He¡¯s probably over the Pacific by now.¡±


    As the two stared blankly at the box, Wu Jun, seeing their troubled expressions, became curious and couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    When Wu Jun heard that Huo Sining wanted to open the lock on the box, he chuckled and simply said, ¡°Let me do it.¡±


    At his words, Su Qingqing snorted with a sneer, ¡°Big guy, what are you talking about? This is a maze lock, it¡¯s complex, it¡¯s impossible to open without a key, unless you have¡ª¡±


    Before Su Qingqing could finish, Wu Jun had already grabbed the lock with his hand, clenching tightly.


    With a crisp *snap*, the lock and the iron ring that had been combined together directly separated.


    Wu Jun released his hand, and the iron lock instantly fell from the wooden box.


    ¡°Damn, this big guy is actually a strongman!¡± Su Qingqing was utterly dumbfounded.


    Wu Jun picked up the lock and examined it, then wrinkled his brows, glanced at Su Qingqing, and asked, ¡°Was this lock difficult to open?¡±


    This was blatant mockery, right?


    Huo Sining struggled to contain her laughter on the side, while Su Qingqing was fuming with humiliation.


    How could she have known that the lock would be so easy to open? If she had known, she wouldn¡¯t have fiddled with it for so long.


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault; I didn¡¯t consider that aspect. It¡¯s a copper lock, and it rusted over time, so it broke when squeezed,¡± Huo Sining hurriedly explained.


    ¡°A lot of strength, so what? All brawn and no brain, hmph!¡±


    Feeling frustrated inside, Su Qingqing couldn¡¯t help but mutter.


    Seeing that Su Qingqing was verging on going crazy, Huo Sining quickly changed the subject:


    ¡°He kindly helped to open the lock for you, and you¡¯re still blaming him¡ªthere¡¯s no reasoning in that. Okay, now that the lock is open, let¡¯s hurry up and see what¡¯s hidden inside.¡±


    Hearing this, Su Qingqing finally turned around sheepishly and opened the box.


    The surface of the box that was smooth had been polished very smoothly, and the black exterior looked as reflective as a mirror.


    Su Qingqing only knew the box was made from ebony wood, but she couldn¡¯t judge what the specific material was.


    To her surprise, upon opening it, she saw an extremely vivid yellow inside the box.


    Under the sunlight, it shimmered with a brilliant golden luster, and a rich fragrance could faintly be smelled.


    ¡°It¡¯s golden Phoebe nanmu!¡± Su Qingqing was overjoyed.


    There are many types of ebony wood, including locust wood, nanmu, and sandalwood, to name just a few, but the price of golden Phoebe nanmu was the highest, and the older and better preserved, the more valuable it was.


    Setting aside whatever was in the box, the value of the box itself was already quite high.


    Inside the box was lined with yellow silk, and Su Qingqing carefully lifted the silk, revealing a pair of extremely exquisite Mutton-fat Jade Bracelets.


    The pair of Mutton-fat Jade Bracelets was crystal clear and white, with a fine and moist texture that was nearly flawless, reminiscent of freshly cut mutton fat, glossy like condensed grease, obviously a rare find.


    Perhaps because they were stored in the golden Phoebe nanmu box underwater all this time, the bracelets looked as if freshly cut, with innate brilliance, and were white as new.


    ¡°What beautiful white jade bracelets!¡±


    Huo Sining really liked the bracelets. Compared to the verdant transparency of jadeite, she preferred the creamy white of Mutton Fat Jade.


    Perhaps because the Jade Pendant was made from Mutton Fat Jade, Huo Sining had a special fondness for Mutton Fat Jade.


    Now, seeing the pair of bracelets in the box, she felt an affinity and couldn¡¯t help but pick up the bracelets and caress them carefully.

 Chapter 82 - Chapter 82: Chapter 80: A World Inside

    Chapter 82: Chapter 80: A World Inside


    ¡°Just a pair of jade bracelets?¡±


    Su Qingqing could hardly believe it; she completely lifted the silk cloth inside the box, then picked up the golden Phoebe nanmu box and turned it upside down.


    Finding nothing in the box except for the bracelets, she couldn¡¯t help but frown.


    Seeing Su Qingqing¡¯s odd behavior, Huo Sining felt it strange and couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Su Qingqing was somewhat baffled and dissatisfied, ¡°How could it just be a pair of broken bracelets?¡±


    Huo Sining was slightly amused, ¡°You have a pair of bracelets and that¡¯s not enough? You still want a box full of gold and silver treasures? Please, this is the good stuff I found, and it¡¯s like a pie falling from the sky! Besides, such good mutton-fat jade bracelets, just by looking at the water head (translucency), texture, and color, you can tell they are not ordinary items. I¡¯ve made a fortune!¡±


    Su Qingqing shook her head, ¡°That¡¯s not right, it doesn¡¯t make sense!¡±


    ¡°What doesn¡¯t make sense?¡± Huo Sining countered.


    Although Su Qingqing seemed careless most of the time, having learned from Professor Xie for so long, she still had a solid foundation in antiques.


    Seeing what was inside the box, she instinctively felt it strange:


    ¡°Would the owner of this box use such a luxurious material as golden Phoebe nanmu just to preserve a pair of mutton-fat jade bracelets? Do you think that makes sense? Mutton-fat jade isn¡¯t made of paper, it won¡¯t oxidize buried underwater. What was his purpose in doing this?¡±


    Huo Sining usually considered things carefully and delicately, but when it came to antiques, she was completely in the dark. Thinking Su Qingqing was overthinking, she said indifferently:


    ¡°You said these items are from the Ming and Qing Dynasty, what the owner of this box was thinking, probably only the ghosts know, right?¡±


    Go to ????????????????????.co


    Su Qingqing shook her head, staring at the box over and over, at her wit¡¯s end.


    ¡°I think we should find time to go back to the pool you talked about and check it out again.¡±


    Su Qingqing felt that to get to the bottom of this matter, they should revisit the pool where Huo Sining discovered the box.


    Perhaps something had been overlooked by Huo Sining, or maybe there were other antiques hidden at the bottom of the pool.


    Holding the mutton-fat jade, Huo Sining asked curiously, ¡°So, how much can this pair of bracelets be worth?¡±


    Su Qingqing glanced sideways at Huo Sining, ¡°They should be worth a couple million, maybe.¡±


    ¡°That expensive?!¡± Huo Sining was taken aback, ¡°Then it¡¯s quite normal for the owner of this box to hide the bracelets.¡±


    Su Qingqing said resignedly, ¡°Because it¡¯s an antique from the Ming and Qing Dynasty, about 60% of the couple million is its historical value. If these bracelets were modern craftsmanship, then a similar pair would only be worth about a million. Do you understand what I mean?¡±


    Huo Sining was stunned and pointed to the wooden box on the table, ¡°What about this ebony box?¡±


    ¡°Ebony wood, formed from golden Phoebe nanmu, is very rare, and judging by the size of this box, it seems to have been cut from a single large piece of ebony without any signs of patching. If it went to auction, it could fetch at least seven or eight hundred thousand,¡± said Su Qingqing.


    Huo Sining then finally understood Su Qingqing¡¯s doubt; ebony and mutton-fat jade are both treasures, and although their prices have been inflated over the years, their value has always been on the rise.


    Based on the value of the ebony and the mutton-fat jade bracelets from the Ming and Qing Dynasty, the price of this golden Phoebe nanmu box should be comparable to the bracelets, which indeed seems odd.


    Although mutton-fat jade is precious, ordinary wood could also preserve it just fine; using a box of equal value made from golden Phoebe nanmu seems like overdoing it.


    Huo Sining also felt puzzled, but she shrugged it off with a laugh:


    ¡°I think you might be overcomplicating things. Maybe the owner hid the bracelets because they held some important significance. Besides, these are matters from hundreds of years ago, how can we possibly make them clear?¡±


    Huo Sining was indifferent to antiques, and the idea of diving in the sea to retrieve them was purely driven by the desire to sell them and repay debts; she didn¡¯t share Su Qingqing¡¯s fervent spirit of inquiry.


    After fiddling with the mutton-fat jade bracelets for a while in her hands, Huo Sining planned to put them back in the box.


    She carefully placed the jade bracelets back into the box and closed the wooden case.


    The ebony wood was smooth and warm, with a fresh aroma. Huo Sining couldn¡¯t help but lift the box to her nose to smell its scent.


    Unexpectedly, as she touched the back of the box, her hand slipped, and the box nearly fell out of her palm.


    Huo Sining¡¯s heart skipped a beat, fearing that the bracelets inside the box might fall out and shatter on the ground. She hastily turned to the side and used her right hand to support it.


    In the midst of this drop and catch, she didn¡¯t know what she had touched, but she heard a ¡°click¡± sound, a soft and faint noise that made Huo Sining¡¯s figure stiffen.


    Her face suddenly changed, and she instinctively looked up at Su Qingqing.


    Su Qingqing also heard that crisp sound, but she thought it was the sound of the jade bracelets jostling inside the box as Huo Sining fumbled to hold the ebony box steady, so she didn¡¯t take it seriously.


    Su Qingqing didn¡¯t notice the odd expression on Huo Sining¡¯s face, but Huo Sining herself felt guilty and bowed her head, not daring to look at Su Qingqing again.


    After hearing the crisp sound, she realized there was something unusual about the box. Unable to resist her doubts and curiosity, she stealthily reached her hand to the bottom of the box.


    Indeed, at the bottom of the box, her fingers found a small wooden plank that was protruding.


    Huo Sining was sure that this protruding wooden piece had not been there before she and Su Qingqing unlocked the box and took out the jade bracelets.


    Huo Sining had a hunch; she knew that Su Qingqing¡¯s guess was not wrong. This box was indeed not as simple as it appeared on the surface! There was a problem with that protruding wooden plank!


    What exactly was that wooden plank all about?


    Huo Sining kept asking herself in her mind, nearly unable to contain herself. She was desperate to figure it out at once.


    Yet for some reason, a voice in her subconscious warned her, advising her to suppress her emotions. She must not give anything away, let alone reveal the mystery in front of Su Qingqing.


    After taking a deep breath, Huo Sining tried hard to control the surge of excitement within her and calmly locked the box back in her room. She even joked with Su Qingqing:


    ¡°This pair of bracelets, along with the box, is worth three to four million. I think I need to install a safe in my room to be secure.¡±


    Su Qingqing looked at Huo Sining with disdain: ¡°Installing a safe at home is like telling a thief that your valuable items are all stored here waiting for him to steal. It¡¯s safer to store it directly in the bank.¡±


    The Xianyu Shop was after all a place of business, with guests coming in and out every day; if someone really sneaked upstairs, it would be impossible to guard against.


    However, Huo Sining inwardly disagreed with Su Qingqing¡¯s suggestion. If one believes that keeping things in the bank is worry-free, then they are mistaken. In her previous life, she had seen many news stories about money mysteriously disappearing from bank accounts, proving that keeping valuables in the bank is not a foolproof strategy either.


    Huo Sining was going out to the wild seafood market to stock up that night, so Su Qingqing did not stay over at the Xianyu Shop.


    Huo Sining was preoccupied with the secret in the ebony box all afternoon, restless. After dinner, she couldn¡¯t wait to retreat into her room and lock the door behind her.


    She quickly pulled the ebony box out of the wardrobe, and Huo Sining felt around the spot where her hand had encountered something unusual during the day.


    To Huo Sining¡¯s surprise, the protruding wooden plank her hand had felt at the bottom of the box during the day was now gone.


    The bottom of the box was intact and smooth, with not a trace of a protrusion.


    Huo Sining, not quite convinced, refused to believe that what she felt during the day was an illusion. She took everything out of the box¡ª the bracelets and the silk¡ªthen turned the empty ebony box over.


    She then knocked gently on the bottom of the box with her knuckles. The box was originally hollowed out from a single piece of ebony, so the knuckles made a clear yet muffled sound when tapped on it.


    When she tapped on the right corner of the box, however, it emitted a hollow thumping sound.


    This was the spot!


    Huo Sining¡¯s spirits immediately lifted.


    She couldn¡¯t help but take a deep breath to calm her somewhat tense heart, and then she gently pressed on that corner.


    Soon she heard a ¡°click,¡± sounding like a spring being pressed and then gently retracting.


    Huo Sining applied more pressure, and at that moment, the piece of wood on the corner was indeed pressed down by her.


    ¡°Click¡ª¡±


    No sooner said than done, as the corner piece of wood sunk into the box, a series of gears turning echoed from within.


    Immediately after, the ebony box made a crisp sound, and starting from the central section, several wooden planks collapsed inward at the same time.

 Chapter 83 - Chapter 83: Chapter 81: The Incomprehensible Bagua Chart

    Chapter 83: Chapter 81: The Incomprehensible Bagua Chart


    There¡¯s a hidden compartment at the bottom of this wooden box!


    Huo Sining was astounded, she had not at all anticipated that a wooden box picked up casually would conceal such an astonishing secret!


    Huo Sining couldn¡¯t help but admire the intricate craftsmanship of the mechanism¡¯s designer, the concealment within the box was extremely well-hidden.


    The bottom of this ebony box appeared seamless, as if it were hollowed out from a single piece of ebony with no visible trace, who would guess there was a mechanism hidden underneath?!


    Thinking of the mechanism, Huo Sining¡¯s heart uncontrollably started to beat violently.


    The effort taken to craft such a clever mechanism indicates that the item hidden within the compartment of the box must be far more valuable than the pair of Mutton Fat Jade bracelets.


    As the mechanism slowly operated, a small compartment less than five centimeters revealed itself at the bottom of the box.


    Huo Sining hurriedly leaned in to see what was hidden inside the recessed compartment.


    As the mechanical clicks ceased, the compartment was completely exposed.


    There was a small ring on the barrier of the compartment; Huo Sining reached out to pull it, and a square hollow appeared before her eyes.


    Inside the hollow, a piece of parchment folded into a square fit snugly.


    Huo Sining was stunned, her mind had envisioned all sorts of jewels and diamonds which vanished in an instant, never had she imagined that such an exquisitely crafted mechanism would contain a piece of parchment!


    Huo Sining was almost at a loss whether to laugh or cry, she carefully extracted the parchment from the hollow and slowly unfolded it.


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    Because it had always been stored inside the ebony box, despite the years that had passed, the parchment was still as good as new, without any trace of oxidation.


    The unfolded parchment was roughly a foot in length on each side, covered in a jumble of cryptic symbols that seemed to be a Bagua Chart.


    Huo Sining didn¡¯t understand the Art of Zhouyi, and her knowledge was limited to what she had read in Jin Yong novels: ¡°Two Yi birth Four Symbols, Four Symbols birth Bagua.¡±


    She guessed that the drawing was of the Bagua primarily because there was a Tai Chi symbol in the center of the parchment, and encircling it was a wheel composed of eight directions.


    Huo Sining stared at the chart for a long while, feeling dizzy and unable to decipher anything substantial.


    Next to the parchment were some ancient characters, something about ¡®corresponding directions¡¯ and ¡®positioning,¡¯ which left Huo Sining completely puzzled.


    For the first time, Huo Sining felt scared about her cultural knowledge gap. Looking at the Bagua Chart, she couldn¡¯t understand anything useful despite a long while of study.


    In the end, she gave up and put the parchment back into the box, then carefully restored the mechanism.


    However, Huo Sining didn¡¯t let it go, she was very skeptical about the Bagua Chart on the parchment.


    If it caused the owner of the wooden box to hide it so seriously and cautiously, the chart was very likely concealing some important information!


    Huo Sining might not understand Bagua, but that didn¡¯t mean others didn¡¯t.


    To understand what was depicted on the parchment, all she needed was to find someone proficient in the Art of Zhouyi.


    Of course, Huo Sining wasn¡¯t foolish, she hadn¡¯t told anyone, not even Su Qingqing, because she felt that the contents of the box were significant. Naturally, she wouldn¡¯t naively carry the chart to seek expert advice, as any important secrets within it were likely to be snatched away, and she would have been working in vain.


    In the evening, Huo Sining went to the cruise ship pier; before departing, she had researched online and knew that the Yellow River crabs typically moved around in the upper stream of the river.


    So, upon reaching the Yellow River, she went against the current until she approached the estuary habitat near Dongjiadu, where she finally spotted the traces of the crabs.


    As the tributary was tidal, with the rise and fall of the tide causing the water to alternate directions, the crabs would climb onto the shore at high tide and be swept away by the current at low tide, vanishing without a trace.


    Moreover, because this tributary had clear water quality and abundant algae, it provided a rich food source and a favorable environment for the survival and propagation of the crabs¡ªno wonder the locals were able to form a community here.


    Huo Sining discovered many caves at the bottom of the underwater rocks, indicating that plenty of the crabs made their homes there.


    Just as she was about to reach into one of those holes, a crab calmly emerged from the silt and staggered toward the hole.

 Chapter 84 - Chapter 84: Chapter 81: The Unintelligible Bagua Chart_2

    Chapter 84: Chapter 81: The Unintelligible Bagua Chart_2


    Huo Sining couldn¡¯t help but reach out and pinch the body of that crab, which immediately started flailing its claws, looking very imposing.


    The crab¡¯s claws were fierce, and it seemed like they were about to snap Huo Sining¡¯s fingers off at any moment.


    However, it quickly sensed the strands of Spiritual Energy emanating from Huo Sining¡¯s wrist, and immediately retracted its claws, obediently allowing Huo Sining to hold it in her hand and play with it.


    Huo Sining casually weighed the crab, which was at least four to five taels heavy, with a green back, white belly, golden claws, and yellow hair. From its weight and external features, it could be seen that this crab was a very qualified adult, and it was time to eat it.


    Huo Sining seldom ate crabs, but in her previous life, when she worked at Shengtang Group, she once went to a restaurant with Zhao Mingcheng, and just then, the restaurant had bought a batch of fresh Yangcheng Lake hairy crabs.


    Zhao Mingcheng ordered a plate of four hairy crabs, costing nearly a thousand yuan, which was shockingly expensive.


    Of course, Huo Sining had to admit that the steamed Yangcheng Lake hairy crab was delicious with its fresh, tender, and sweet meat. The price was steep, but it made you want to eat more.


    The Yellow River hairy crabs seemed similar to Yangcheng Lake hairy crabs in appearance, but it was unknown if there was any difference in taste.


    However, judging by the degree of S City people¡¯s enthusiasm for Yellow River hairy crabs, the taste must also be quite good.


    She thought absently, but Huo Sining¡¯s hands were quick. Now, with the increasing abundance of the Spirit of Azure Pearl, she had become even more proficient in controlling Spiritual Energy.


    In the past, she could only let the Spiritual Energy seep out of her hands in thin strands, but now she could let it form into incredibly fine bead-like mist that dispersed around her.


    This spreading Spiritual Energy soon attracted a large group of uninvited guests. The river fish in the water were the first to follow the scent.


    But the movements of the hairy crabs weren¡¯t slow either. Feeling the allure of the Spirit of Azure Pearl, they disregarded the rising tide and scuttled toward Huo Sining, waving their large claws as if an army was pressing in.


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    Thousands of crabs surged forward; such a scene could probably only be seen in movies. When the ¡°shrimp soldiers and crab generals¡± were on the move, the momentum was indeed formidable.


    Huo Sining had already prepared a huge round net. Using Spiritual Energy as bait, she didn¡¯t even need to catch them by hand; the crabs conscientiously entered the fishing net, one by one, and soon, a netful of hairy crabs were captured.


    At a little past five in the morning, Wu Jun received a call from Huo Sining asking him to hurry to the cruise ship dock to pick up the goods.


    When he arrived at the location Huo Sining had specified, he saw her sitting collapsed on the riverside. At her feet, the freshly risen river water filled several giant net baskets, each brimming with crabs.


    Wu Jun was dumbfounded. These crabs weighed at least a few tons. It was just overnight; where on earth had the boss gotten so much stock?


    ¡°What are you dawdling for? Quickly move them onto the truck.¡± Huo Sining, having been busy all night, was almost exhausted. Seeing Wu Jun arrive, she hurriedly instructed him to move the goods.


    Catching the hairy crabs was no trouble, but dragging these creatures ashore was certainly not easy.


    Huo Sining inwardly regretted it; although the crabs could be sold for money, she couldn¡¯t be so reckless. She vowed she wouldn¡¯t do this again, even if it killed her.


    Back at Xianyu Shop, although Huo Sining felt exhausted, she couldn¡¯t afford to rest just yet. She and Wu Jun were busy clearing out the large water tanks in the partitioned area.


    This time, Huo Sining didn¡¯t catch many river fish. Along with the remaining few, they were all kept in the first tank, and the other two tanks were used to house the hairy crabs.


    Crabs, unlike fish, although they also breathe through gills, are much hardier and can survive for at least three to five days in the tanks with just a small amount of water to keep them moist.


    Moreover, these crabs, having been exposed to Spiritual Energy to some extent, all seemed lively and energetic. Huo Sining was sure that they wouldn¡¯t die off anytime soon.


    Just as the crabs were properly settled, Yaya, the little girl, got up. Seeing so many live crabs in the pools, she was both amazed and delighted.


    ¡°Sister Sining, where did all these crabs come from? Why are they all so big? I¡¯ve never seen such large crabs back home.¡±


    Times were tough for Wu Family, and ensuring enough to eat was already good, so Wu Jun could not have possibly afforded such expensive luxuries for the little girl to taste. Hearing Wu Ya¡¯s words, Huo Sining couldn¡¯t help but laugh:


    ¡°These? I caught them last night from the Yellow River. They¡¯re different from the river crabs you saw in southern Yunnan. These big guys are called hairy crabs, and they¡¯re only available in autumn and winter,¡± she explained.


    The little girl found it intriguing and stretched out her hand to catch a crab for a closer look. Huo Sining quickly stopped her, ¡°Be careful, their claws are very dangerous, don¡¯t let them pinch your hand!¡±


    Yaya quickly pulled back her hand, frightened, but her eyes remained eagerly on the Overlord crabs in the pool, ¡°Are hairy crabs expensive?¡±


    Hearing this, Huo Sining glanced at Wu Ya, ¡°Well, that depends on the grade. Crabs around three taels cost a hundred yuan per jin, and the larger crabs, around four taels, go for a hundred and fifty yuan per jin.¡±


    ¡°That expensive?¡± The little girl was surprised and looked at Huo Sining with wide eyes.


    Huo Sining nodded, ¡°People in S City love to eat them. When the customers arrive later, you can help your brother out at the side. This stuff is popular, and I estimate a lot of clients will come knocking once they hear about it.¡±


    Since arriving at Xianyu Shop, the little girl had been very satisfied with the good food and living conditions. She also helped Wu Jun with business when she was free, so she nodded and agreed without a second word upon hearing Huo Sining¡¯s words.


    ¡°Later, I have to deliver some crabs to a few friends. When I come back, we¡¯ll also have a crab feast for lunch,¡± Huo Sining added.

 Chapter 85 - Chapter 85: Chapter 82: Old Fishs Invitation

    Chapter 85: Chapter 82: Old Fish¡¯s Invitation


    ¡°Really?¡±


    Wu Ya looked up abruptly, her eyes shining with surprise as she stared at Huo Sining.


    But very quickly, she realized something, and shook her head hurriedly in refusal, ¡°Sister Sining, let¡¯s not eat it. These crabs are so expensive; it¡¯s better to save them to sell for money.¡±


    Huo Sining quite liked Wu Ya, this na?ve and simple girl. Knowing that the girl was worried about the cost, she couldn¡¯t help but reach out to ruffle her hair, teasingly saying,


    ¡°Just watching others enjoy fresh food makes me drool with envy. Whether we earn more or less money is secondary. The most important thing is to satisfy our own tastes. We can¡¯t shortchange our stomachs, right? Besides, there are so many crabs here. How much could a few of us really eat?¡±


    Wu Ya suddenly felt a bit embarrassed and stuck out her tongue.


    As the two chatted, Wu Jun had already purchased a large bundle of fine white cotton rope.


    Binding hairy crabs is necessary; first, these creatures are quite aggressive. If they are not tied up with rope, they will crawl everywhere and might even injure customers.


    Secondly, crabs are alive, and when they struggle while being steamed in a pot, the crab roe can leak, diminishing the deliciousness.


    Even though Wu Jun hadn¡¯t eaten crabs before, his method of tying them up was incredibly slick.


    He pursed his lips, his gaze fixated on the crabs. With arms as solid as iron, he reached into the water tank, unfazed by the waving claws, catching them with precision each time.


    Once in his hands, the crabs were unable to exhibit their ferocious nature; before they could react, they were already bound by the rope.


    Watching him deftly subdue a ferocious crab in a few movements, Huo Sining couldn¡¯t help but admire him.


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    It was only in moments like these that Huo Sining felt that Wu Jun had an aura of a soldier, especially the way he tied up the crabs¡ªefficient and decisive, as though he was handling prisoners with seriousness and dedication.


    Huo Sining initially planned to help but suddenly remembered something. She quickly took out her phone to call Su Qingqing and Jin Chenyu.


    True to a food lover¡¯s nature, Su Qingqing was still asleep. She was a bit grouchy upon Answering the call, but upon hearing Huo Sining mention that a batch of Yellow River natives had arrived at the shop, her mood immediately brightened, and she didn¡¯t even feel lazy anymore. Without saying another word, she got up, dressed, and rushed out the door.


    Seeing Su Qingqing¡¯s urgent demeanor, Huang Hongying was baffled, thinking something was wrong, and anxiously followed her, persistently asking questions.


    Jin Chenyu, however, retained some dignity. After receiving Huo Sining¡¯s call, he wanted to decline, but he couldn¡¯t resist Huo Sining¡¯s insistence and agreed to come to the shop to get the crabs later.


    When it came to things fished out of the Yellow River for free, Huo Sining was always generous. On usual days, she would occasionally give fresh river catches to the owners of nearby flora and fauna shops.


    And because of this, Huo Sining, an outsider, wasn¡¯t shunned by the old street residents; on the contrary, she had a pretty good standing among the locals.


    This time, having fished up so many crabs, she definitely couldn¡¯t sell them all in a short time. Huo Sining didn¡¯t plan to keep them to herself; instead, she intended to let everyone taste the fresh crabs.


    Soon, she had bagged the crabs properly and delivered a few to each household.


    Receiving gifts always lifts the spirits, and the crabs Huo Sining gave were indeed lively Yellow River hairy crabs. Even just three to five weren¡¯t cheap, so the shop owners were overjoyed, and their attitudes toward this young lady grew even more cordial.


    Not far from Xianyu Shop was a store named Colorful Fish Home, which also dealt in ornamental fish. The owner, named Elder Yu, was around fifty years old and was fondly referred to as ¡°Old Fish.¡±


    Old Fish¡¯s store had been running for over twenty years and was quite well-known locally.


    Initially, when Old Fish knew that Huo Sining had taken over Cai Jianxin¡¯s shop, he was somewhat skeptical.


    He thought that Huo Sining, still a young girl, would hardly know anything about fish-keeping and guessed she was just some rich family¡¯s daughter wanting to dabble in business for fun. Usually, such people lose interest quickly, and he thought that Xianyu Shop would probably close down in a few months.


    As Xianyu Shop underwent renovation without opening for half a month, Old Fish became even more convinced of his speculation.


    However, to his surprise, once Xianyu Shop opened after that half-month, customers left the store with a fish in their hands on opening day, and hardly anyone went away empty-handed.


    This sparked his curiosity about the new owner. He immediately arranged for a few shop owners nearby to gather at Xianyu Shop to find out the secret of its success.


    If at first, he harbored a somewhat mocking attitude, it changed after he entered Xianyu Shop.


    Old Fish was indeed someone who had struggled in the ornamental fish community for many years. After a single glance at the fish Huo Sining kept in her aquariums, he knew that they were all of top quality.


    Years of fishkeeping had allowed Old Fish to develop his unique methods, and he had never lowered his head before anyone else. He also considered himself second to none on this street when it came to keeping fish.


    However, after interacting with young Huo Sining, he had to admit that the heavens truly played favorites.


    There were mountains beyond mountains, and people beyond people. Decades of experience in fishkeeping seemed a mere joke before this young girl¡¯s innate talents. Not to mention anything else, just those koi from Xianyu Shop that had turned a brilliant pattern of red and white in less than three months, he felt quite inferior.


    ¡°Miss Huo, I see the fish in your shop are all of pretty good quality. You really have a knack for raising fish, young lady.¡±


    Huo Sining hadn¡¯t returned to Xianyu Shop for a month due to military training. During this time, Old Fish often visited, but each time he only encountered Wu Jun minding the store. He was not in a hurry, though. Now that Huo Sining had shown up with large crabs, he couldn¡¯t help but strike up a friendly conversation with the girl.


    Huo Sining waved her hand modestly, ¡°Boss Yu, you shouldn¡¯t just flatter me. My fish aren¡¯t well-kept by me, it¡¯s just that they¡¯re good breeds. When it comes to raising fish, I¡¯m an outsider and wouldn¡¯t dare show off in front of you.¡±


    Whether it was the breed or the care that made the fish fine, Old Fish had eyes to judge for himself. He didn¡¯t question Huo Sining¡¯s statement but simply smiled and tentatively asked:


    ¡°Our S City ornamental fish community is neither big nor small, but it¡¯s not so simple to gain recognition in this circle. Since you opened this shop, you must be interested in keeping fish. I won¡¯t beat around the bush with you. S City holds an annual fighting fish competition¡ªwould you be interested in signing up for it?¡±


    ¡°A fighting fish competition? What fighting fish competition?¡±


    Huo Sining looked up at Old Fish inquisitively, waiting for his explanation.


    Old Fish smiled, ¡°This so-called fighting fish competition is actually an ornamental fish appraisal and exchange event. But where there are people, there is strife. Naturally, the fishkeeping community is no exception. Although it¡¯s billed as an exchange, it¡¯s really a competition to select the most delicate, unique, and valuable fish as the Fish King.¡±


    ¡°Fish King?¡± Huo Sining frowned, finding the fighting fish competition rather dull, and couldn¡¯t help inquiring, ¡°What prize do you get for winning the title of Fish King?¡±


    Old Fish asked with a smile, ¡°The title of Fish King, well, that is an honor that many fishkeepers pursue all their lives and find difficult to obtain.¡±


    It was just a title, and Huo Sining wasn¡¯t really interested in it. She shrugged her shoulders, ¡°The competition doesn¡¯t sound very interesting.¡±


    Old Fish found Huo Sining¡¯s attitude surprising, ¡°I thought you¡¯d be interested. They say the calf doesn¡¯t fear the tiger; normally, people who are new to the circle are eager and fascinated by the fighting fish competition.¡±


    Huo Sining laughed, ¡°I am just flipping ornamental fish; a jack of all trades. How could I dare to make a fool of myself on such an occasion?¡±


    Old Fish felt somewhat regretful, ¡°I won¡¯t force you if you¡¯re not willing to participate, but to be honest, I do think highly of you.¡±


    Huo Sining shook her head, ¡°You think too highly of me. The fish in my shop are all purchased from other places, and other shops have the same fish. If I were to join the fighting fish competition, I wouldn¡¯t have any extraordinary fish to compete with.¡±


    ¡°You really don¡¯t know the treasure you have. When I visited your shop before, I saw those red and white koi you have, not very large, only four or five inches, but already they stood out. Not many can raise such quality red and white koi, so stop being so modest!¡±


    Old Fish immediately laughed when he heard Huo Sining¡¯s words, thinking she was feigning modesty.


    Huo Sining had bought those koi from a street vendor in the area. At that time, the koi were less than three inches long, looking sickly. An old man even advised her not to buy them, but she spent fifty yuan and bought six.


    After bringing them home, Huo Sining would often use her Spiritual Energy to cleanse their bodies. Before long, the koi began to grow rapidly, and red spots and patterns emerged on their surfaces.


    Huo Sining hadn¡¯t taken much notice of this development, but now, hearing Old Fish¡¯s words, she realized he wasn¡¯t joking and was taken aback.


    Old Fish didn¡¯t know what was going through Huo Sining¡¯s mind. Seeing her in silence, he thought she didn¡¯t understand him and couldn¡¯t help but continue to persuade:


    ¡°I know you¡¯re skilled at keeping fish, but these days even the best wine needs to be sold from a visible shop. Plus, you¡¯re so young, it won¡¯t be easy to establish yourself in this circle. If you trust me, take my advice. Those fish of yours should enter the contest. I guarantee that even if they don¡¯t win a prize, they¡¯ll definitely fetch a good price. With the appearance of those fish, leveraging this competition will surely make Xianyu Shop¡¯s reputation skyrocket.¡±


    Huo Sining was initially indifferent, but Old Fish¡¯s words struck her like a revelation.


    Right, the title of Fish King meant nothing, but the money that came in its wake¡ªnow that was something!


    If Xianyu Shop had a Fish King as its centerpiece, those pretended connoisseurs with money would surely come running. Would she need to worry about business then?


    By that time, all she would have to do was sit at home, energize the Spiritual Energy, and she¡¯d be counting money until her hands cramped!

 Chapter 86 - Chapter 86: Chapter 83: Taking a Shortcut

    Chapter 86: Chapter 83: Taking a Shortcut


    As this thought occurred to her, Huo Sining¡¯s eyes immediately lit up, ¡°Boss Yu, do you really think my koi have a shot?¡±


    Old Fish feigned displeasure, ¡°Would I deceive a young girl like you? I¡¯ve raised koi before, but I¡¯ve never seen ones with qualities like yours. From my experience, your koi should be considered top-tier. Give it another two months for them to grow, and their colors will shine through. By then, they will certainly be very beautiful.¡±


    With Old Fish¡¯s advice, Huo Sining suddenly became interested in the Fish Fighting Competition, ¡°When is this Fish Fighting Competition held? Where do I sign up?¡±


    Seeing Huo Sining¡¯s eagerness, Old Fish couldn¡¯t help but laugh:


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you uninterested before? Why the sudden rush now? There¡¯s still two months left, you just need to take good care of those koi darlings, I¡¯ll handle the registration for you.¡±


    Old Fish was clearly reliable, and upon hearing this, Huo Sining nodded in relief and continued to inquire about some details of past Fish Fighting Competitions.


    They talked at length, and just as Jin Chenyu and Su Qingqing arrived at Xianyu Shop one after the other, Huo Sining¡¯s phone began to ring off the hook. She hurriedly excused herself from Old Fish and returned to Xianyu Shop.


    As soon as she walked through the door, she heard Su Qingqing¡¯s wailing like a banshee, and Huo Sining quickly ran to the back parlor.


    Upon inquiring, she found out that this person had excitedly forgotten herself upon seeing the crabs in the pond and had thoughtlessly reached out to grab one, not expecting the crabs to be so fierce. A crab had clamped down on her with its pincer.


    Su Qingqing didn¡¯t manage to dodge in time and got pinched squarely by a crab.


    Huo Sining looked at Su Qingqing¡¯s finger and sure enough, saw a purplish bruise on her right index finger. In a short while, there was slight swelling, and while not serious, the mere thought of it felt painful.


    Su Qingqing was grimacing in pain, but her eyes still couldn¡¯t bear to move away from the crabs.


    Huo Sining was both amused and exasperated, tearing up with laughter. She ran upstairs to grab a band-aid and while bandaging her up, she discreetly channeled a stream of Spiritual Energy over the wound.


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    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Feeling a cool breeze coming from the wound, Su Qingqing turned her head and asked curiously,


    ¡°Ningning, where did you buy this band-aid? It¡¯s so cool and comfortable. Just now it hurt, but now it feels like it doesn¡¯t hurt at all.¡±


    Huo Sining pretended not to know and rolled her eyes at her, ¡°It¡¯s just a band-aid. It¡¯s not as exaggerated as you say. There, it¡¯s all patched up. Don¡¯t tear it off, okay? You should be more careful and avoid getting pinched by a crab again. Though the wound isn¡¯t big, if it gets infected with tetanus, it won¡¯t be fun. Serious cases can be fatal.¡±


    Scared by these words, Su Qingqing shrank her shoulders, but Huo Sining didn¡¯t pay her any more mind and directly asked Wu Jun to pack a dozen or so crabs, each weighing four to five taels, for Jin Chenyu.


    Jin Chenyu insisted on paying, but how could Huo Sining accept it?


    Not to mention the several favors Jin Chenyu had done for her, even without them, he was her former homeroom teacher. Based on their teacher-student relationship, it was only right for her to give him some crabs. How could she possibly accept money?


    Knowing that Huo Sining was now in a different position and that such a sum of money might not matter to her, Jin Chenyu stopped insisting when he saw that Huo Sining refused to take it. He smiled, accepted the crabs, and walked back.


    Jin Chenyu didn¡¯t eat crabs often, but lately, his mother had been reminiscing about how crabs were coming into season. He knew that bringing these crabs home would definitely please his mother.


    After seeing off Jin Chenyu, Huo Sining turned her head only to see Su Qingqing filling a plastic bucket with crabs.


    This person clearly didn¡¯t know the meaning of restraint; in just a few minutes, she had filled an entire plastic bucket.


    The crab bucket was full, and Su Qingqing, satisfied, put the lid on and carried it to the car. Seeing that Huo Sining was still standing there, she turned her head and called out to Huo Sining, ¡°What are you standing there for? Come on.¡±


    Huo Sining was as puzzled as a monk encountering a koan, ¡°Where are we going?¡±


    A sly twinkle shone in Su Qingqing¡¯s eyes, ¡°Get in the car, then I¡¯ll tell you.¡±


    Huo Sining, somewhat puzzled by Su Qingqing¡¯s secretive demeanor, still followed her into the car.


    As the car started, they quickly drove out of Chenghuang Temple street. Huo Sining had thought that Su Qingqing would take her back to the Su Family home, but the car kept veering further off course. She couldn¡¯t help but furrow her brow and ask in confusion, ¡°Qingqing, where are we really going?¡±


    As she drove, Su Qingqing replied, ¡°We¡¯re going to my master¡¯s place.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Huo Sining was stunned. ¡°But didn¡¯t you say Professor Xie was off to America for some exchange and wouldn¡¯t be back for half a month?¡±


    Su Qingqing nodded, ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Then why are you?¡± Huo Sining was baffled.


    ¡°Silly, if the master isn¡¯t there, the mistress is.¡±


    Su Qingqing gave Huo Sining a look that said ¡®you¡¯re missing the point.¡¯


    ¡°You, you want to transfer to the College of Biology without putting in the effort. Once the National Day holiday passes, the transfer quotas will be set in stone. Right now, those transfer students are all busy pulling strings. If you do nothing, just waiting for fate, how can you compete with them?¡±


    Huo Sining was taken aback. Su Qingqing shrugged and said, ¡°You¡¯re lucky you ran into me. I have a good relationship with Professor Xie, so I¡¯ve heard that his wife, Mrs. Gan Lijun, has a special talent besides breeding fish¡ªshe¡¯s an expert at picking crabs apart. Mrs. Gan loves hairy crabs and eats several hundred pounds each year, making her quite the crab-picking master. No need to thank me.¡±


    Huo Sining finally understood, ¡°You want me to bring her a gift?¡±


    Su Qingqing rolled her eyes at Huo Sining, ¡°When did you hear me say anything about gifts? It¡¯s just a visit to the mistress, offering a few crabs to let her taste the freshest catch. You are so inflexible. Your business is ornamental fish, so wanting to transfer makes sense. The mistress values talent; as long as you explain your situation, she will surely help.¡±


    Huo Sining wanted to object, but she knew that everything Su Qingqing said was true.


    The quotas were limited, despite the open policies. Others were doing everything they could to leverage connections, and she would be foolish not to use the ones she had.


    But the idea of using backdoor dealings left Huo Sining feeling uncomfortable.


    Su Qingqing didn¡¯t care about Huo Sining¡¯s discomfort; she drove all the way to Xie Daoyuan¡¯s house and confidently rang the doorbell as if returning to a familiar place.


    Unexpectedly, the door was opened not by Gan Lijun but by Qin Shaoyou, whom Su Qingqing had met once before on the day the Xianyu Shop opened.


    Su Qingqing paused, then smiled and asked, ¡°Brother Qin, you¡¯re here too? Is the mistress at home?¡±


    Qin Shaoyou glanced at Huo Sining, who was following Su Qingqing, and instantly understood her reason for visiting the Xie Family home.


    It seemed this girl had more than a few tricks up her sleeve; she¡¯d come to Professor Gan¡¯s place in her bid to transfer departments!


    A look of derision flashed in Qin Shaoyou¡¯s eyes, yet his face remained expressionless as he nodded, ¡°Come in.¡±