When Qian Yongnian walked past Yun Xiangxiang, she called out to him.
Yongnian had great eyesight and a decent memory. He recognized Xiangxiang at a glance. “It’s you girls. It’s late now, you shouldn’t be here. It’s not safe for girls.”
“Aren’t you curious about how I know you, Mr. Qian?” Xiangxiang was surprised that Yongnian reminded them first.
“You came here for me?” Yongnian asked.
“Let’s have some barbecue first. We’ll talk in another place after this,” Yun Xiangxiang pushed the grilled food to him. “We had our dinner already.”
Wei Shanshan nodded incessantly.
Yongnian asked his grandson to eat with him. He gave most of the food to his grandson and paid for their food himself, Yun Xiangxiang did not stop him.
This was the respect she showed for him.
She came here herself because she was concerned that Yongnian would not trust anyone easily. Forcing him wasn’t what she wanted either.
Jade sculpting was a spiritual art. The sculptor’s spirit would determine how the work looked in the end.
Shanshan’s agent started calling her. He looked for them as they spoke. But he couldn’t recognize the duo when he was already standing right beside them.
“I’m here…,” Shanshan whispered.
Shanshan’s agent took a double-take before saying resignedly, “My dear girls, please don’t be so…unusual the next time you come out.”
“I don’t think we are being unusual,” Xiangxiang didn’t think much of it.
It might be a messy spot, but many girls their age lived here.
“Mr. Qian, please come with us,” Xiangxiang invited Yongnian.
Yongnian brought his grandson along. The agent sent them to the new hotel they reserved.
It was where Shanshan was staying. Xiangxiang removed her makeup and changed. Yongnian’s grandson was incredulous, “Goddess!”
“Hello, Mr. Qian. I’m Yun Xiangxiang. You might have seen me before,” said Xiangxiang humbly.
She wasn’t really known by the whole of China.
“I saw the news about you two days ago,” Yongnian only knew about her because of the black jadeite.
“Then you must know why I sought you out,” Xiangxiang cut to the chase.
“Didn’t you sell your jade already?” Yongnian was puzzled.
“It’s a little more to it than that,” Xiangxiang gave an indirect answer.
Yongnian used to work with giants of the jewelry world. He might be old, but he wasn’t senile. Even though he knew what was happening, he said nothing about it. “Then you must have looked me up. You must have known about my past.”
“To err is human. I came here today because I think you’re who I need right now, Mr. Qian,” Xiangxiang replied honestly. “I’m short on time, and I need you to come with me to Beijing. I’ll be sponsoring all your expenses until you finish your work. Also, I’ll pay you double the market fee.”
Xiangxiang wasn’t worried about Yongnian’s integrity. She was worried he might get murdered if someone saw him with the black jadeite.
If disaster befell Yongnian because of her, Xiangxiang would be riddled with guilt for the rest of her life.
Because of that, she wanted to supervise him. Because of that, she went to look for him herself as a sign of sincerity.
Only a forgotten sculptor like Qian Yongnian wouldn’t raise any suspicions even if he disappeared for some time.
If she sought out a famous sculptor, the ruse she did with MonRoe would be for nothing.
“I can go with you. You don’t have to pay me anything except my expenses,” Yongnian was worked up.
“Do you have any requests?” Nobody would work for nothing.
“Only one. I must be credited for the final work,” Yongnian was adamant.
He was in a sorry state now. But if he wanted to, people would kill for his work.
He only lived in squalor because he stuck to his principles, and was backstabbed.
“Of course,” Xiangxiang didn’t hesitate.
“I hope you have thought it through. I…”
“Mr. Qian, I’ll tell you this. I will not sell even one product made from my black jadeite,” Xiangxiang reassured him.
Yongnian was just worried the price of the jadeite would be affected by his infamy.
She wouldn’t be selling it. Besides, a product’s value was determined by the product itself, not its maker. At least that was what Yun Xiangxiang thought.
“Give me three days to make my arrangements here,” Yongnian agreed to go.
Xiangxiang nodded, “Alright then. Someone will pick you up after three days.”
She took out her phone and showed him Song Qian’s photo, “Keep an eye out for her.”
Yongnian memorized the face and nodded. “What are you planning to do with that black jadeite?”
“I only need six cloud-shaped beads for a men’s wristrope. You can do what you want with the rest,” Yun Xiangxiang made her request. “Also, make a pair of studs for the lady there.”
Xiangxiang pointed at Shanshan. She smiled sweetly at him, “It will be perfect if you can make some patterns for it.”
“You need the beads as soon as possible, correct?” Yongnian confirmed.
“Correct. This might be troublesome, but I don’t know the size of the rope either. For now.” Xiangxiang knew she was troubling the sculptor. “I can only spare one month.”
“That’s enough for me,” Yongnian accepted it.
Xiangxiang asked the agent to send Yongnian and his grandson home.
Xiangxiang believed that he knew what to do with his grandson.
“This might be fate-changing for them,” Shanshan lamented.
“Yeah, I’m the fate-changer. Come, butter me up,” Xiangxiang nodded narcissistically.
Song Mian video called her at this time. Xiangxiang felt the vibration of the phone in her hands. She accepted the call before the ringtone started playing.
Shanshan didn’t notice it. She thought Xiangxiang was just looking at her phone. Shanshan pounced on her, “Buttering you up is no fun. I’ll make you mine!”
Song Mian was shocked!
Facing his questioning look, Xiangxiang tensed up and immediately pushed Shanshan away.
“Um… trust me, I only like boys…”
When she recalled how he said he would get jealous at even girls, she started feeling guilty even though she did nothing.
Shanshan noticed him too. She came over to explain sheepishly, “Xiangxiang’s boyfriend. Don’t misunderstand. I was just playing with…”
Shanshan slowly quieted down. She stared at the perfect face looking back at them from the screen. “Oh my god. I can’t believe someone so handsome exists!”
Xiangxiang pushed her away, and Shanshan fell down to the bed. She held the pillow while being in a daze.
It wasn’t until Xiangxiang hung up did Shanshan snap out of it. “Yun Xiangxiang, your boyfriend looks too unreal. He might be a spirit that has managed to change into a human!”