It was almost eleven o'clock by then, and Zhou Xuan couldn't help but blush when he saw the time on the wall clock in the downstairs hall.
The Wolf brothers had already gone out for a stroll, leaving only Elena, Fu Ying, and Wang Jue in the hall.
As soon as Zhou Xuan came downstairs, Elena started chattering away to Fu Ying and Wang Jue. Fu Ying smiled and said to Zhou Xuan, "Little Zhou, Elena said she wants to treat you to a meal and then ask you for advice. What do you say?"
Zhou Xuan then understood what Elena meant. Fu Ying glanced at him and said, "I've been waiting all morning, and you're only getting up now. There's something I'd like you to do with me today. Are you going to have lunch with Elena, or come with me?"
Zhou Xuan quickly said, "Elena was invited by you and your cousins. There's plenty of time for everyone later. There's no need to rush to say anything now. I'll go with you. I don't feel comfortable with Elena and the others. I don't understand the nonsense she talks about, and she can't understand what I'm saying either. It's inconvenient!"
When Fu Ying heard Zhou Xuan call Elena's words "nonsense," she couldn't help but smile, nodded, and then said a few words of nonsense to Elena as well.
Elena's face clearly showed disappointment, but she still politely bowed in acknowledgment.
Fu Ying took a small bag from Wang Jue and then said to Zhou Xuan, "Let's set off then."
This time, Fu Ying didn't go out to hitch a ride. Instead, she drove out of the garage in a black Audi A4, which suggests that Fu Ying isn't a very flamboyant person.
Zhou Xuan opened the car door and sat next to Fu Ying. After Fu Ying slowly drove out of the residential area, she said to Zhou Xuan, "Please fasten your seatbelt!"
There are so many rules! Zhou Xuan casually pulled the seatbelt over and fastened it.
Fu Ying seemed to notice Zhou Xuan's expression and smiled, saying, "Traffic laws are all based on ensuring personal safety. It's safer when everyone abides by them."
Xiaoxiao then said to Zhou Xuan, "Do you know what I felt most strongly about in southern China?"
Zhou Xuan, of course, had no idea, and instead stared at Fu Ying's pretty face.
"My biggest feeling is that there are far too many people who don't follow traffic rules—pedestrians jaywalking, drivers running red lights, and so on," Fu Ying sighed. "This is clearly treating life as a joke and showing no respect for life!"
That's true. Not to mention others, Zhou Xuan himself has crossed the road at red lights many times.
"What do you need to do?" Zhou Xuan didn't want to argue with her about that, so he asked Fu Ying what she was going to do.
“I told you that my great-grandfather’s birthday is in two months, and I want to make the jade figure I bought into a dragon and phoenix ornament.”
As Fu Ying drove, she said, "Of course, this would require a highly skilled craftsman to make. The person we're going to meet is a master jade carver. His skills are undoubtedly superb, but he has a strange personality. He likes to make things difficult for people and often asks odd questions. If you answer the question correctly and it suits his taste, he might not charge you a penny. If you answer it incorrectly, he won't do it no matter how much money you offer."
Zhou Xuan laughed and said, "Miss Fu, asking me to answer questions is just asking for trouble. What could I possibly answer?"
Fu Ying shook her head and said, "I didn't just randomly choose you. That craftsman is an antique collector. He's so wealthy that he doesn't need to work for others anymore. So, when people come to him, he'll bring out a few antiques for them to appraise. If they're right, they're all happy with what he says. If they're wrong, he won't hold back at all. I'm looking for you because you said you used to work in an antique shop. Although it wasn't for long, since you went there, you must know something about it!"
Fu Ying really found the right person. I can’t say anything else about Zhou Xuan, but recognizing antiques is no problem for him. With the icy energy coming out of his left hand, what can’t he recognize?
Of course, things shouldn't be said outright! Zhou Xuan smiled but didn't say anything, neither admitting that he understood nor that he didn't. Fu Ying's filial piety was worth helping her out, and besides, he felt that she had given him a rather high price for the jade, so he would consider it a way of repaying her.
Fu Ying continued, "Elena and the Wolf brothers are both diving experts that my cousin invited back. My cousin himself is also a skilled diver. I'll tell you about the matter we need to handle after we finish this one. It might take a few more days. First, we don't have enough manpower, and second, our preparations aren't sufficient. The special deep-sea diving suits we ordered from Meike haven't arrived yet. These diving suits are different from ordinary ones; they have some special features, and one set costs $70,000."
Zhou Xuan was also confused about what Fu Ying was up to, and couldn't help but ask, "Is it to salvage a sunken ship from the sea?"
Fu Ying chuckled, shook her head, and then said, "After the diving suits are back, we still need to test them in the sea and conduct deep-water drills. We can only move forward after everything is ready, since this is quite dangerous!"
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Volume One: The First Signs of a Lotus Bud, Chapter Four: Illusion
Zhou Xuan was chatting with Fu Ying about the mission when he glanced out the car window and suddenly froze!
The vast majority of shops lining this street have signs written in Chinese characters, including teahouses, restaurants, and even martial arts schools. ()
Fu Ying said, "This is Chinatown in New York. My great-grandfather and grandfather also lived in Chinatown. They didn't go anywhere else, saying it was because they were attached to their hometown."
That's true. People often think like that when they get old. They want to return to their roots. Even he himself misses his hometown. Although he's not old, he feels the same way. After finishing his work for Fu Ying, he must go back to his hometown to see his parents and siblings.
Fu Ying parked her car in front of a building that was about ten stories high. There was a sign for "Liu's Teahouse" on the ground floor. The first and second floors were teahouses. Fu Ying led Zhou Xuan to the back of the teahouse counter. A middle-aged man in his thirties smiled and said, "Junior Sister, what brings you here? I heard you went to China?"
Fu Ying smiled and nodded: "Yes, I just got back last night. Second Senior Brother, where is Senior Uncle Liu?"
The second senior brother smiled and pointed to the inner room: "It's still the same as always, in the inner room."
"Second Senior Brother, you're busy, I'll go in now!" Fu Ying said, beckoning Zhou Xuan into the inner room.
There is another world inside. After passing through several rooms marked with signs such as "Tea Room", "Utensils", and "Accounting Room", we went through another hall.
Fu Ying then whispered to Zhou Xuan, "We've arrived. This master is called Liu Qingyuan. I learned Natural Boxing from his younger brother, Master Liu Qinghe. The second senior brother we just met is my master's son. This is the senior master we're looking for."
Zhou Xuan was immediately puzzled: "Since he's your senior uncle, why did you ask me to answer any questions? Can't you even ask your senior uncle for help?"
"That's why it's so strange!" Fu Ying said angrily. "My Uncle Liu, let alone outsiders, even if his own children, nephews and nieces come to him, if he's not happy, he won't agree to anything."
Zhou Xuan thought to himself, "This guy is really strange!"
Fu Ying stopped in front of the inner room door and gently knocked on it with her finger.
A deep, aged voice came from inside the room: "Who is it?"
"It's me, Xiaoying, my senior uncle."
After a moment of silence, the aged voice said again, "Come in!"
Fu Ying then gently pushed the door open, and with a creak, Zhou Xuan looked inside. The room was filled with antique wooden furniture, tables, stools, chairs, and coffee tables, all made of wood. There wasn't a single piece of modern or alloy furniture.
On the wooden coffee table sat a dark purple clay tea set, while the teapot filled with boiling water was made of aluminum, with wisps of steam still rising from its spout.
An elderly man who looked to be in his sixties was sitting by the coffee table. His hair was half black and half white, and his face was a little thin. He was looking at Fu Ying and Zhou Xuan.
Fu Ying quickly walked up to him and said with a smile, "Uncle-Master, I've come to see you!"
Liu Qingyuan said calmly, "You little brat, do you think I don't know you? What do you want from me? Speak!"