When the cafe manager saw that a customer's belongings had fallen under the bar, he quickly grabbed a flashlight to help Zhou Ziwei search for them. Otherwise, if Zhou Ziwei were to dig out all the trash from under the bar, the customers in the lobby would probably all be scared away.
Zhou Ziwei saw the supervisor shining a flashlight randomly under the bar, but he ignored her. While helping Liu Xiaofei up, he quickly released a burst of soul power, which swiftly projected under the bar.
The space under the bar is so narrow that shining a flashlight there probably wouldn't be very effective. His soul power would be the best tool for seeing through things.
"Ouch... my leg is numb..."
Unexpectedly, Liu Xiaofei, who had just stood up halfway, suddenly lost her footing and collapsed onto Zhou Ziwei's back, causing him to nearly fall to the ground.
"Hey... what are you doing! Wow... how come there are so many here..."
Caught off guard, Zhou Ziwei's head slumped downwards, causing the soul power emanating from his forehead to deflect and be projected deep into the ground. A dazzling green light immediately entered Zhou Ziwei's mind through the transmission of the soul power, startling him greatly. He almost blurted out what he saw, but thankfully, he pulled back from the brink and didn't say a word.
"What...why are there so many?"
Liu Xiaofei scrambled off Zhou Ziwei's back, but couldn't stop thinking about his inexplicable words.
"Uh... this..." Zhou Ziwei hadn't quite figured out what he had just seen, and he was too lazy to pay attention to Liu Xiaofei. However, seeing that she was sticking to his side and wouldn't leave, he could only casually say, "Oh... I mean... why do you have so much fat on you!"
Upon hearing this, Liu Xiaofei immediately pouted and scolded, "You're going to die! I only weigh ninety pounds, where would I get so much meat... Uh... You wouldn't be... Ah... You pervert, you're so bad!"
Liu Xiaofei was halfway through her sentence when she realized that she had accidentally fallen onto Zhou Ziwei's back, and it seemed that her breasts had bumped against him without any resistance. Her breasts were still a little sore from the impact! Could Zhou Ziwei have been saying... that she had a lot of flesh down there?
Thinking of this, Liu Xiaofei felt both ashamed and angry. She no longer had the courage to face Zhou Ziwei and hurriedly turned around and ran back to her cousin's side.
Zhou Ziwei was still stunned by the dazzling green, so he had no time to think about what part of his back Liu Xiaofei had bumped into. Therefore, he was completely confused by Liu Xiaofei's inexplicable shy expression.
However, seeing that she wasn't bothering him anymore, he breathed a slight sigh of relief. He pretended to lie on the ground and look under the bar, but actually used his spiritual power to see through the ground again and discovered a large green area...
That's right... a huge expanse of green! This time, Zhou Ziwei looked very carefully and clearly saw through his soul power that about five or six meters below the ground, there was a shocking green everywhere! And this green was clearly the color of jade.
Zhou Ziwei initially thought that the underground area might be a warehouse belonging to a jadeite rough merchant, filled with jadeite rough stones. However, after carefully scanning the surroundings with his soul power, he immediately determined that this was not the case.
Five or six meters underground, apart from that dazzling green, the surrounding area was solid soil and rocks, with no gaps between them, which showed that the jade was buried deep underground!
Isn't it said that jadeite is only found in Myanmar? Could it be that there are jadeite deposits in Tengchong?
After observing more closely for a while, Zhou Ziwei discovered that the jade buried deep underground was not like the jade he had seen hidden in the stone, but rather pure jadeite that had been completely exposed.
However, each piece of jadeite is quite small; the largest piece is probably only about the thickness of a child's arm, and each piece is complete despite being fragmented.
What surprised Zhou Ziwei even more was that the quality of these fragments of jadeite was also vastly different. Among the three or four pieces that were closely packed together, there were actually three different types of jadeite: icy, icy-glutinous, and glassy.
In just a short while, Zhou Ziwei actually found three pieces of top-quality imperial green jadeite, each smaller than a baby's fist, among the messy pile of jadeite pieces!
Wow, is this a dream?!
Zhou Ziwei was stunned for a long time, wondering if what he was seeing was all an illusion. He quickly bit his tongue lightly, letting the pain stimulate his mind to clear up a lot. Only then did he release his soul power again to explore carefully. Finally, he confirmed that he was not daydreaming. There were indeed thousands of pieces of jadeite of various qualities, but all very small in size, piled up five or six meters underground in this coffee shop.
Good heavens... how much the hell is this worth?!
Although Zhou Ziwei was somewhat clueless about the current jadeite market, the three pieces of imperial green glass-type jadeite he had just discovered would likely fetch at least 100 million yuan at auction! And the countless smaller pieces below were too numerous for him to examine in a short time. Who knew how many more pieces of that top-quality jadeite were left? While the other icy and bean-type pieces weren't as valuable as the glass-type, their sheer quantity was astonishing! Even though these pieces were relatively small and couldn't be carved into bracelets or large ornaments, given the current jadeite market's ever-increasing prices, carving them into small pendants, earrings, or cabochons would be enough to supply dozens of large jewelry stores for a year or two!
I'm rich! If all these things are unclaimed, then I'm going to strike it rich!
Zhou Ziwei suppressed his excitement and used his soul power to probe the surrounding underground area again. He found no other places with the jade, but he also found no trace of any secret passages or basements.
It is now almost certain that these jadeite pieces have been buried underground for who knows how many years, and there is a very high probability that they are unclaimed!
Zhou Ziwei didn't waste much time before withdrawing his soul power. He then peered under the bar and quickly found the small jewelry box that Gu Dongfeng had dropped. He used a pool cue brought by the head waiter to pry it out, then picked it up and quietly returned to his seat.
"Old Master, this is what you dropped earlier..."
Zhou Ziwei had already discerned that the jewelry box contained a small pendant with nine dragons playing with a pearl, which made him even more respectful of the old master.
The small pendant in the box was about the size of an ordinary person's fingernail, and it was spherical. However, on this fingernail-sized piece of jade, there were actually nine lifelike oriental dragons carved.
The carving alone is enough to leave people in awe. As for the quality of the jadeite material, who would care too much? However, if this piece of Nine Dragons Playing with a Pearl were carved from a piece of imperial green glass-type jadeite, Zhou Ziwei believed that it could become a national treasure!
Volume 1, Rebirth of a Prodigy, Chapter 115: Sorry, I have a wife.
Gu Dongfeng took the small jewelry box, hurriedly opened it, took out the small pendant and examined it. Seeing that there were no cracks on the surface of the jade pendant, he breathed a sigh of relief.
Then he put the jade pendant back into the box, solemnly handed it to Zhou Ziwei, and said, "Young man, my wife and I have no children of our own, and we've always treated Xiaofeizi like our own daughter. Hehe... Our Xiaofeizi has never been so nervous around any boy before, so... I just hope you'll treat Xiaofeizi better in the future. This little pendant is for you. It's a little trinket I carved when I was young, it's not worth much, but keep it as a keepsake!"
"Uncle... what... what nonsense are you talking about now?"
When Liu Xiaofei saw that Gu Dongfeng spoke so bluntly, her pretty face immediately turned as red as fire. She hurriedly lowered her head and kept playing with the hem of her skirt, but she kept stealing glances at Zhou Ziwei.
Hearing this, Zhou Ziwei could only smile wryly and return the jewelry box to Gu Dongfeng, saying apologetically, "I'm sorry, Mr. Gu, I think you've misunderstood the relationship between Officer Liu and me! Uh... let me put it this way! The reason she accompanied me to Tengchong this time was only because of her superior's orders. Before coming here, we had never even met. So... things aren't as you imagine. Whether this pendant is priceless or, as you say, completely worthless, I cannot accept it."
"Impossible! How could this be?"
Gu Dongfeng was taken aback at first, then stubbornly shook his head repeatedly, saying, "I know Xiao Feizi well. Although I haven't seen her for some years, old habits die hard. She's very proud and wouldn't easily show such concern for others. But this time, she actually saved up her favorite layered cake for you... Just based on this, I know that she's at least truly in love with you. Don't take your good fortune for granted, kid. What makes our Xiao Feizi any less than anyone else? I'm telling you, don't be like Qin Shimei. If you dare to abandon our Xiao Feizi after taking advantage of her, I'll... I'll fight you to the death with these old bones!"
As Gu Dongfeng's words became increasingly outrageous, Liu Xiaofei quickly stepped forward, grabbed the old man's arm, and pouted, saying, "Uncle, please stop! Mr. Zhou and I really have nothing going on. What... what do you mean by starting something and then abandoning it? What nonsense are you spouting!"
Gu Dongfeng, however, remained cold-faced and said, "What's wrong? You've been bewitched by him, haven't you? He treated you like this, and you're still going to speak up for him? Fine! Even if there was nothing between you two before, it's undeniable that you like him, isn't it? This old man may be getting old and senile, but I'm not blind yet. You've never been one to hide anything. Just look at the way you were looking at that guy just now, even a blind man could see that you've taken a liking to him! Humph... If you two hadn't come to Tengchong, these things wouldn't be my business. But now that I've run into you, I can't just stand by and watch your cheerful personality turn into a little Lin Daiyu, spending your days in tears! So... I'm going to take care of this today!"
Gu Dongfeng then turned to Zhou Ziwei, his expression serious, and said, "Young man, just tell this old man the truth! Do you like my Xiao Feizi or not? If you do, will you marry her?"
In this day and age, it's quite novel for someone to publicly force someone to marry. So much so that everyone in the coffee shop, from the waiters to the customers, craned their necks to stare at them with great interest. Gu Dongfeng's reputation in the county was so great that no local didn't know him, and any visiting merchants in the jade and jewelry industry were naturally familiar with this legendary figure.
Therefore, although these onlookers were very excited, no one dared to go too far. If it were someone else involved, they probably would have joined in the commotion long ago.
Liu Xiaofei was, after all, a girl, and her skin was still a bit sluggish. When she heard Gu Dongfeng so bluntly ask her if she liked him or not, with so many people watching, she was immediately filled with shame and anxiety. She couldn't help but burst into tears, clinging tightly to Gu Dongfeng and pleading, "Uncle, I beg you... let's go! Please don't ask anymore, okay?"
When Gu Dongfeng saw Liu Xiaofei start to cry, he couldn't help but feel a little soft-hearted. However, in order to prevent Liu Xiaofei from having any regrets in the future, he could only harden his heart and ignore Liu Xiaofei. He just stared at Zhou Ziwei with a cold gaze, waiting for Zhou Ziwei to make a statement.
In fact, Gu Dongfeng wasn't really senile; he knew perfectly well that matters of the heart couldn't be forced, and others couldn't offer much help.
However, being an experienced and shrewd person, he had long seen that Liu Xiaofei had indeed developed genuine feelings for Zhou Ziwei, while Zhou Ziwei clearly did not take Liu Xiaofei to heart.
Gu Dongfeng wasn't afraid of Zhou Ziwei rejecting Liu Xiaofei's feelings; he was only afraid that Zhou Ziwei clearly didn't like Liu Xiaofei, but was still attracted to her beauty, and would first trick her into getting close, and then kick her aside after he got tired of her.
Gu Dongfeng had seen many things like this in his life. Liu Xiaofei was strong-willed and always very self-respecting. Even if she met a rich man, she would not be easily deceived.
But now that Liu Xiaofei has fallen for someone first, it's very dangerous.
There's an old saying: "It's easy for a man to pursue a woman, but easy for a woman to pursue a man, like piercing a thin veil."
Seeing that such a young and beautiful girl as Liu Xiaofei had fallen for him, let alone a dissolute playboy, even the most upright man would probably succumb to such temptation.
If something happens between me and Liu Xiaofei without me even realizing it, that would be perfectly natural.
But if this man didn't actually like Liu Xiaofei, then Liu Xiaofei's future fate is predictable.
Because he understood these issues and was worried that Liu Xiaofei would be taken advantage of, Gu Dongfeng made it clear that he had Liu Xiaofei reveal his identity beforehand.
Therefore, if Zhou Ziwei were smart, he would naturally know that Liu Xiaofei was not so easy to manipulate. If he had harbored such thoughts from the beginning, he should have immediately abandoned them.
If Zhou Ziwei were to confess his feelings for Liu Xiaofei to Gu Dongfeng's face today, he would likely have to consider the wrath of the old master Gu if he ever wanted to abandon her again. After all, although Gu Dongfeng was just a retired sculptor with no power or influence on the surface, those who truly knew him knew that his incredible jade carving skills and the connections he had built over the years were quite formidable.
If you offend this old man rashly without sufficient strength and background, the consequences will be quite tragic!
Zhou Ziwei had no idea what Gu Dongfeng was thinking, but he certainly didn't intend to toy with Liu Xiaofei. Seeing that Gu Dongfeng had asked, he could only sigh helplessly and say, "Officer Liu is a very excellent girl, but... I'm sorry to disappoint you, Mr. Gu. Actually, perhaps I wasn't clear enough... I actually got married a year ago, and my wife and I have always had a very good relationship, so... I think Officer Liu and I can only be ordinary friends!"
"Uh...you really were married! Haha...that's good...that's great!"
Upon hearing Zhou Ziwei's words, Gu Dongfeng felt a sense of relief. In his opinion, since Zhou Ziwei had never mentioned to Liu Xiaofei that he had been married, he must have some ulterior motive towards Liu Xiaofei.
Now that Zhou Ziwei has said he's been married in front of Liu Xiaofei, it's likely because he was pressured by his grandfather to make this statement.
In this way, Liu Xiaofei will naturally give up on Zhou Ziwei. Although she may be disappointed and sad for a while, she will not have any lifelong regrets. Gu Dongfeng can rest assured.
"Come on, young man! Since you're so straightforward, I'll give you this little pendant! Consider it compensation from this old man."
Gu Dongfeng was in a great mood and didn't care about the small ornament he had collected. He generously prepared to give it to Zhou Ziwei, and fearing that Zhou Ziwei wouldn't understand the value of the pendant, he added, "Don't underestimate this little pendant just because the material isn't particularly precious. It's one of my proudest creations from my younger days. If you ever don't want to wear it anymore, don't just throw it away. Take it to a big auction house, mention my name, and I'm sure it'll fetch over a million."
Zhou Ziwei inherited the soul memories of a jade carver, so how could he not see the approximate value of this small pendant? However, with his current wealth and abilities, he really didn't care about something worth a mere million or so.
As the saying goes, one should not accept a reward without merit. He had no connection with Liu Xiaofei, and even less with this old man, so why should he accept his gifts? He quickly refused again.
Just as the two were arguing over a pendant worth millions, Liu Xiaofei's face grew increasingly pale. Finally, she couldn't hold back any longer and burst into tears. She then covered her face with her hands and ran out of the coffee shop.
"Hey... Officer Liu..." Zhou Ziwei felt a little guilty when he realized that his words had hurt Liu Xiaofei. He wanted to chase after her to comfort her, but then he remembered that he had just made it clear that there was no possibility of anything romantic between them. What could he say to her if he chased after her now? He hesitated for a moment and then stopped.
Gu Dongfeng was genuinely worried that Zhou Ziwei would chase after him, and might use sweet talk to make Liu Xiaofei harbor some illusions about him again.
Seeing this, he quickly rushed ahead to chase after Liu Xiaofei, while waving to Zhou Ziwei and saying, "You pay this time! You don't need to worry about Xiaofei's affairs, her aunt and I will take good care of her."
Seeing this, Zhou Ziwei knew he couldn't chase after them any further. Besides, he had more important things to do, so he stayed behind, finished his coffee in one gulp, called the waiter, paid the bill, and asked, "Is your boss here? If he is, could you please tell him that I have a business deal to discuss with him?"
"Okay, please wait a moment while I go check if the boss is here."
The waiter hesitated for a moment before agreeing. Normally, if a stranger asked to see the owner, they would usually ignore him.
Although the man in front of them looked unfamiliar, he had come with Mr. Gu, so the waiter didn't dare to neglect him.
Not long after, a middle-aged woman in her forties, with a thick layer of makeup on her face, wearing a black gauze dress, walked up to Zhou Ziwei with a smile, swaying her excessively plump hips. She casually sat down in the chair opposite Zhou Ziwei, then looked him up and down with seductive eyes and said, "Young man, what can I do for you?"
Zhou Ziwei tried to avoid the nauseating gaze, lowered his head, coughed lightly, and said, "Oh... I'd like to ask, who owns this coffee shop?"
Upon hearing this, the middle-aged woman immediately dropped her flirtatious demeanor, frowned, and looked at Zhou Ziwei warily, saying, "Why are you asking this?"
Zhou Ziwei knew that the best way to buy this two-story house at the lowest possible cost was to bypass the owner and go directly to the homeowner.
However, Zhou Ziwei only wanted to buy the house as quickly as possible and dig out the jadeite buried deep underground, so he didn't want to waste time saving on such small amounts of money. He immediately stated, "To be honest, I want to buy this building, demolish it, and convert it into a warehouse. But don't worry... if I reach an agreement with the landlord, I will provide some compensation for the losses to your shop, ensuring you won't suffer any losses. Hehe... I think you understand, although I am a businessman from out of town, I am very familiar with the local Mr. Gu Dongfeng. Even if you are unwilling to tell me, I can easily find the owner of this building through Mr. Gu. So..."
Hearing Zhou Ziwei's words, the middle-aged woman breathed a sigh of relief, then a strange smile appeared on her face. She waved to the waiter and ordered two more coffees before slowly saying, "I know you know Mr. Gu, but... hehe... I don't think you and Mr. Gu are very familiar with each other! Otherwise, how could you not know that Mr. Gu is the landlord here?"
Upon hearing this, Zhou Ziwei was immediately startled and said, "What...you mean...the owner of this two-story building is...is Old Master Gu Dongfeng?"
“Yes…” The middle-aged woman gave Zhou Ziwei another highly seductive wink and said, “If it weren’t for Old Master Gu’s influence, do you think such an old two-story building would still be standing in this area near the center of the county? Haven’t you noticed that all around here are high-rise buildings, but this house seems a bit out of place? Hehe… This building was originally Old Master Gu’s ancestral home. Although it’s quite old, his family hasn’t lived here for a long time.”
However, Grandpa Gu is a sentimental man and has always been reluctant to demolish his ancestral home. Since he doesn't agree to the demolition, naturally few people dare to try and forcibly demolish it. So… I advise you not to even think about this little building. Grandpa Gu isn't short of money, and no matter how wealthy you are, he won't even look at it. Given his stubborn nature, there's no way he'd agree to let you demolish his ancestral home!”
Upon hearing this, Zhou Ziwei felt a chill in his heart. He knew the middle-aged woman was right; Old Master Gu certainly couldn't be short of money. Any one of his early works could probably fetch a million or two at an auction house.
And since he has no children and is so old now, even if I offered him ten times the price to buy the house, he would still be unmoved if he couldn't bear to part with it.
He originally thought that this two-story building in the small county town, with a total area of about 200 square meters, would be worth at most a million.
With his current wealth, one million is nothing. If the homeowner refuses to sell, he can simply offer ten times that price and buy the building for ten million.
Therefore, he had never worried about the homeowner refusing to sell the house. But now that he heard that the homeowner was Gu Dongfeng and that this was Gu Dongfeng's ancestral home, he immediately realized that buying the house would not be an easy task!
Moreover, he was even more worried that the thousands of pieces of jadeite buried underground were actually buried by Gu Dongfeng or his ancestors. Perhaps Gu Dongfeng already knew that there was such a large pile of priceless jadeite under this small building, which is why he insisted on not letting anyone demolish the ancestral house.
If that's the case, then unless Zhou Ziwei assassinates Old Master Gu, he probably won't be able to get this large batch of jadeite meat no matter what he tries!
Although Zhou Ziwei may not be a good person, he is not so vicious as to murder an innocent old man for a batch of treasures.
If he were truly that ruthless, he might as well use his superpowers to rob a bank! Wouldn't that bring in money much faster?