Chapter 11: Chapter 10: Eerie Sign

“What?” Yu Luoxuan’s eyebrows shot up. A drop of emerald green, translucent as water and about the size of a fingertip, appeared before his eyes. Under the warm indoor lighting, it emitted a soft glow, crystal clear and heart-stirring.

Thinking he didn't understand, Chen Yuyue explained with frustration, “This is an emerald glass-type ring cabochon. A size like this should be worth tens of thousands in your area; it should be enough for a meal, right?” That was exactly what Chen Ziwu had told her—that silver might be hard to move, so if there wasn't time to go to a pawnshop, she could use the small ring cabochon as a substitute. How could a hundred thousand or so be worth only a single meal? However, her worry was unnecessary; she was merely afraid Yu Luoxuan wouldn't recognize its value.

“Where did you get this?” Yu Luoxuan stood up abruptly, snatched the jade droplet from her hand, and began to observe it closely under the light. How could he not recognize its value? Genuine Burmese old-mine glass-type jadeite, exquisite oval polishing, pure emerald green color... despite it being only the size of a tiny teardrop, his years of experience in the antique world told him that this little thing was definitely worth no less than a hundred thousand.

Chen Yuyue turned around and sat back down to continue eating. Now, she felt truly justified, merely muttering, “There’s no need for you to know that.”

“Is that so? First of all, you stole it. Who can guarantee that taking this won't bring trouble upon me?” Yu Luoxuan mocked her brazenly.

The jade was indeed good, but given his current family status and position, his own home held countless treasures; to him, this was nothing more than a drop in the ocean.

Upon hearing this, Chen Yuyue stood up abruptly, glaring at him as she demanded, “What do you mean by that?” She was born into a high-ranking family and had received strict, rigorous upbringing since childhood; even in her most destitute moments, when she was starving to death, she had never thought of stealing or robbing. Yu Luoxuan's words sounded like a pure insult to her ears.

“You know what I mean. Don't threaten me.” Yu Luoxuan set it down casually. Against the backdrop of the translucent glass tabletop, that streak of green appeared even more crystalline and pure. He merely pursed his lips in a nonchalant smile, not even bothering to look at it again.

Chen Yuyue laughed out of sheer rage. Raising her elegant brows, she said in a heavy voice, “Fine, then I will tell you: this belongs to my family. If you don't believe me, just hold it up to the sun, and you will see the character ‘Chen’ carved inside. My family possesses a carving technique that is unparalleled in the world.”

Chen Ziwu had always kept an ace up her sleeve. Regardless of size, every piece of jade she carved would bear a mark, and it was a mark that others could not imitate. One could tell at a glance if it was something she had carved.

In this regard, Chen Yuyue admired her immensely; it was one of the rare things she could never learn.

When Yu Luoxuan heard the mention of the "Chen" mark, he was deeply shocked. For a moment, it felt as if a flash of light had streaked through his mind, but it passed too quickly to be caught.

Immediately, he felt an urgent need to verify it, and his focus shifted rapidly to the teardrop-shaped ring. He moved to the antique display cabinet, took out a specialized small flashlight used for inspecting jade from a drawer, and aimed it at the emerald droplet held between two fingers.

A beam of light pierced through the translucent jade, and a small, exquisite character "Chen" appeared clearly. With just one glance, the word "exquisite" was no longer enough to describe the shock this masterful craftsmanship brought him.

He stared at that "Chen" character until his pupils dilated and his vision blurred. Only then did he feel an inexplicable sense of familiarity flowing through his heart. This time he had caught it, but his mind was as blurred as his vision—it felt too distant, or perhaps too foreign; he couldn't remember where he had seen it before.

It was already no ordinary piece of jade, but now, because of this unique and meaningful mark, its value seemed as if it could multiply several times over.

“You really are surnamed Chen...” Before he could finish his thought, a knock sounded at the door. Yu Luoxuan placed the jade droplet directly into a small transparent bag, quickly stuffed it into his pocket, and then shouted toward the door, “Come in.”

“President Yu, your lunch. Please enjoy.” The manager, Yao Xiaocheng, was followed by a neat line of waiters who entered like an assembly line, placing the fragrant dishes onto the table in perfect unison.

Compared to the messy plates and cups on Chen Yuyue's table, Yu Luoxuan’s elegant demeanor and unmistakable aura of nobility made her feel a sudden sense of embarrassment. She lost her appetite entirely, even though she was only eighty percent full.

“Where are we going now?” The two sat in the flamboyant red sports car once again. Yu Luoxuan pulled down the sun visor to fix his hair, asking as if nothing were out of the ordinary.

It was called a transaction, but it was actually quite simple: besides providing her a place to stay, he was to act as her personal driver, taking her to designated locations as requested. He did not ask what specifically she intended to do or what business she was conducting, because he knew this woman was not stupid; even if he asked, she wouldn't tell him easily. However, there was nothing Yu Luoxuan wanted to know that he couldn't find out; it was merely a matter of time.

Chen Yuyue lowered her head in silence for a long while, as if having made a momentous decision. She took a deep breath before looking up and saying, “Shenzhen University. Once we arrive, you can leave.”

In truth, she was merely clinging to a sliver of hope. Before coming, Chen Ziwu had mentioned that if circumstances were unusual and she couldn't find her home address, she could try her luck at Shenzhen University to see if she could find her younger brother, Chen Ziyou. Because Chen Ziwu had died in this world many years ago, logically speaking, he should have graduated long ago, and the probability of finding him was almost zero. But this was her only hope.

“Shenzhen University?” Yu Luoxuan shot a puzzled glance at Chen Yuyue. With a mutter, he stepped on the accelerator and sped away with a honk.

Standing before the bustling university gates, she looked out at the magnificent buildings, the tree-lined roads, and the lush, green courtyards. Young girls in floral dresses and short shorts moved through the campus like butterflies in summer, light and joyful, alongside energetic boys carrying backpacks. Regardless of gender, status, or age, they lived freely and without reservation under the blue sky, sharing distant smiles and casual greetings. Chen Yuyue stood there just like that, watching...

She was merely a passerby, having traveled through a thousand years to witness this peaceful society, to personally experience this life of equality and breathe this air of freedom. In this moment, she seemed to forget who she was.

“Miss? Miss? Who are you looking for? Do you have identification?” Appearing before Chen Yuyue was a security guard in his late forties or fifties. He had guarded this gate for decades, dutiful and dedicated to his post. He had seen wave after wave of excellent students pass through, and welcomed wave after wave of energetic new freshmen. But the young lady before him had a strange face and peculiar attire; she clearly wasn't a student of this school.