Since the man was a professional, the young tour guide didn't interrupt. However, during the transaction, Mr. Chen realized that the briefcase only contained 270,000 yuan in cash. Helpless, he asked the old man to accompany him to the bank. But the old man was stubborn, insisting that if they didn't have 200,000 yuan in cash, then the deal was off. He claimed that selling his heirloom bracelet also depended on whether the person had a destined connection with it. If they couldn't produce 300,000 yuan in cash, it meant they were not destined for the bracelet.
Qin Yu could imagine what would happen next. Seeing that he couldn't purchase the blood jade bracelet, the so-called Mr. Chen suggested to the young tour guide that he borrow some cash for emergencies, promising to return it shortly and provide additional compensation.
"I wonder if I could take a look at the bracelet you have." Now the focus was on this bracelet. If Qin Yu wasn't mistaken, this bracelet should be a counterfeit.
"To look at the bracelet?" The young tour guide hesitated for a moment but still handed the box to Qin Yu. For some reason, after the conversation they just had, he had a vague sense that something was amiss.
The packaging box was exquisite, with a yellow silk cloth cushioning the inside. On top of it lay a brightly colored jade bracelet, emitting a dazzling radiance.
At first glance, Qin Yu's eyebrows furrowed. Jade symbolized ancient gentlemen, emphasizing a concealed elegance and hidden sharpness. Especially for blood jade, it was a gem among jades. Any master who carved blood jade would carefully polish and wax it, resulting in a smooth and lustrous appearance, which was not the case here.
Taking the jade bracelet, Qin Yu lightly touched its surface. It felt rough and lacked smoothness. Jade is meant to be handled, and a good piece of jade becomes smoother and more rounded with prolonged handling. However, this jade felt distinctly rough when touched. If it were a genuine jade passed down through generations, it would naturally be smooth and comfortable to the touch.
"This jade bracelet is fake, it's not blood jade at all. You've been deceived. That old man and the so-called Mr. Chen must be working together," Qin Yu truthfully revealed.
"Fake? Impossible! What do you know, being so young? Mr. Chen is in the jewelry business, how could he not recognize blood jade?" The young tour guide became agitated and immediately refuted with a loud voice.
"What's going on?"
"What happened?"
The young tour guide's loud voice attracted some tourists who had finished shopping. They gathered around, and the young tour guide explained the situation again, then pointed at Qin Yu and said, "He claims that Mr. Chen is a fraud and that the bracelet is fake. Look at the excellent quality of this jade, how transparent and pure it is. How could it be fake?"
"This jade doesn't look fake. It should be real."
"Real? I think this young man is right. Things don't happen by coincidence like this. It's clearly a well-planned trap."
Hearing the discussions of the crowd, Qin Yu sneered inwardly. Even at this point, the tour guide still clung to the hope that it wasn't a scam. If he reported to the police now, perhaps the three individuals hadn't gotten far and there was a chance to catch them and retrieve the thirty thousand yuan. But if they continued to wait, it was likely that they would vanish without a trace.
"Young man, let me have a look at this jade," an elderly man among the tourists stepped forward. He took out a pair of reading glasses from his jacket pocket, indicating his familiarity with jade objects. Qin Yu quickly handed the bracelet to the old man.
"The young man is not mistaken. This bracelet is fake, not genuine jade," the old man declared after tapping the bracelet against his ear and examining it under the sunlight for a while.
"Old man, are you sure you're not mistaken? How could this jade be fake!" The expression on the young tour guide's face turned unpleasant, but at least his tone wasn't as aggressive towards Qin Yu.
"Here's what, I'll conduct a test, and then you'll know whether this jade is real or fake."
The old man's words sparked a glimmer of hope in Qin Yu's eyes. Although he believed the jade was fake, he couldn't provide evidence to prove it.
The old man placed the bracelet on the surface of the packaging box and took out a bottle of mineral water. He slowly poured a drop of water onto the bracelet, and the water droplet quickly disappeared upon contact with the jade.
"In fact, there's a simple method to distinguish real jade from fake, called the water droplet test. A real jade will form dew-like droplets that don't disperse quickly, while a fake jade will disappear rapidly. Your bracelet is fake."
"It's really fake! This tour guide has fallen into the scam."
"Yes, I heard about this water droplet test from a friend who works in the jade business. It's indeed an effective way to identify real and fake jade."
The discussions among the tourists made the young tour guide's face turn pale. Thirty thousand yuan was not a small amount for him, and the money didn't belong to him either—it was company funds that had to be returned.
"Call the police. While these scammers haven't gotten far, there's a chance they can be caught," the old man said as he placed the blood jade bracelet back into the box and handed it to the young tour guide.
"Call the police... Yes, I'll call the police. These damn scammers!" The young tour guide quickly took out his phone and dialed 110, the emergency police number.
Qin Yu shook his head on the side. Perhaps reporting to the police wouldn't be very effective. The young tour guide's fortune was destined to be ruined, and it seemed unlikely that the thirty thousand yuan could be recovered.
...
...
Nanchang, as the capital city of Jiangxi Province, is bustling with people in front of the long-distance bus station. The crowd flows incessantly, and upon getting off the bus, Qin Yu slung a lightweight travel bag on his back and hailed a motorcycle taxi to head towards Nanchang University.
The young tour guide did not return with the bus. After reporting the incident to the police, he went to the police station to give a statement. As for whether they would be able to catch the fraudster, Qin Yu was no longer concerned. He was only so enthusiastic about this matter to test the accuracy of the physiognomy described in the ancient text Zhuge Neijing. Now that the results have proven the effectiveness of this physiognomy, he is satisfied.
The motorcycle zigzagged through the streets, taking shortcuts in all directions. Before long, it passed by a construction site, which was a commercial complex under construction. It was not far from Nanchang University, and Qin Yu knew that in the next three years, it would become a new commercial center in the surrounding area.
Glancing sideways, the basic structures of the entire commercial complex had already been completed. Only one landmark building was still under construction. Qin Yu caught a glimpse of this building and faintly felt that something was amiss.
However, the motorcycle quickly moved away, and the building disappeared from Qin Yu's sight, leaving only a vague silhouette.
Returning to the dormitory on campus, the entire building had become deserted. The residents of this building were mostly fourth-year students, and the majority had left the school to intern at various companies. Some were also busy packing their belongings, preparing to depart.
Out of Qin Yu's four roommates, only two remained, while the other one stayed on campus to prepare for the postgraduate entrance examination. As for Qin Yu, he hadn't decided where to go yet.
To be honest, finding a suitable job in Chinese history, his major, was not easy. Unless he joined a research institution or engaged in archaeological studies, both of which were government or state-owned enterprises. In today's society, even the most low-profile government agency had fierce competition, with people scrambling, relying on connections and networks. Qin Yu was born into an ordinary salaried family and had no connections or the means to compete with others.
"Knock! Knock!"
Qin Yu lay on his bed, intending to take a nap and replenish his energy when the sound of knocking reached his ears. The familiar voice of the dormitory supervisor could be heard outside the door:
"Qin Yu, someone is looking for you downstairs!"
"Oh, I got it. I'll go down right away!"
Quickly responding, Qin Yu put on his clothes, opened the door, and headed downstairs.
"I just got back, who would come looking for me, and why is their timing so precise?"
Qin Yu pondered for a moment but couldn't figure out who it could be. Most of his acquaintances had already left the school, and his roommate, the second one, stayed in the library all day for the postgraduate exam. If the second roommate wanted to find him, he could come directly without the dormitory supervisor's notification.
Once outside the dormitory building, a Land Rover appeared before Qin Yu's eyes. Its domineering body, sharp lines, and rugged tires caught the attention of many students.
A man in his thirties leaned against the car door. When he saw Qin Yu at the entrance of the dormitory building, his eyes lit up, and he strode over.
"You're Qin Yu, right?"
"Yes, I am. May I ask who you are? I don't think I know you!" Qin Yu was skeptical as he didn't recognize the person before him.
"Hehe, I'm Meng Fang, Meng Yao's brother. If it's convenient, let's go over there and talk."
Qin Yu glanced around and noticed some students eyeing him and Meng Fang. After all, having a Land Rover parked downstairs was quite eye-catching. It was indeed inconvenient to have a conversation here, and Qin Yu couldn't refuse the identity mentioned by Meng Fang. The two of them quickly walked towards a corner.
Meng Yao, Qin Yu's current girlfriend. They had been together since their freshman year and their relationship had lasted until now. Thinking back to their first meeting, a gentle smile unconsciously formed at the corners of his mouth.
Their first encounter was in the cafeteria. Qin Yu went to buy breakfast for his roommates after playing games all night. As he was walking, a girl approached, wearing a mini skirt and carrying a large bag of breakfast, just like him. Her delicate and exquisite face stood out in the crowd, attracting the attention of the male students in the cafeteria. With her long hair flowing and the short skirt gently swaying as she walked, her snow-white legs were captivating.
"Master, give me four bowls of lotus seed porridge!" The girl bypassed Qin Yu and went to the cafeteria window, speaking to the staff inside. Her voice was crisp, like jade beads falling onto a plate, and reminiscent of a warbler in an empty valley, carrying the unique charm of a woman from the southern region.
"We're out of lotus seed porridge. The last two bowls were bought by the student behind you." The staff member inside replied.
Upon hearing this, the girl turned her body and fixed her jewel-like, pure gaze on Qin Yu. A captivating smile graced her face as her ruby lips lightly parted.
"Hello, classmate. My name is Meng Yao. Could you please help me with something?"