C18 Three Good Citizen

"Never mind, what's the other option?"

He set the first option aside for the moment, turning his attention to the second.

"The second option is to leave something behind, with the chance of getting a luxury sports car in return."

He licked his chapped lips. As a man, it was hard to imagine anyone resisting such a lure.

Sports cars were usually the realm of the born wealthy; for others, they remained an elusive dream.

With a resigned shake of his head, he glanced at his siblings having breakfast outside. He couldn't afford to slip up.

To prevent any issues, Yuh Wenming didn't dare conceal the item and promptly headed outside.

Still, Yuh Wenming harbored a bit of self-interest and chose not to reveal the jade robe fragment.

Though just a fragment, it was certainly worth more than ten thousand yuan.

He approached the door, hoping to quickly locate a staff member to report the incident.

They were aware of the nighttime antique market but unaware of the experts who might be there.

Soon, Yuh Wenming reached the staff's office.

Upon seeing his young age, they greeted him with a mild smile. "Oh? What brings you here?"

He produced a jade hairpin from his clothing and laid it before them. "I got this at the Antique Night Market. Have a look."

They examined the hairpin casually, clearly unimpressed.

"This kind of item could fetch three for a thousand yuan outside. What's your point in showing us this?"

Since he hadn't brought out the Golden Jade Robe fragment, they remained indifferent.

"Don't you realize there are genuine experts at the Antique Night Market? Why aren't you overseeing it? What if cultural relics are being lost?"

The two exchanged glances and burst into laughter. "We've visited this Antique Night Market you speak of. It's practically a haven for fakes. We haven't come across any authentic items."

Their job had led them to survey the market already, finding it devoid of genuine articles, so they saw no cause for concern.

Seeing their nonchalant response, Yuh Wenming understood that seeking their help was futile.

Stepping out of the office, he looked up at the sign. It was just a regular staff office.

He made his way upstairs alone and came upon an office that clearly belonged to a leader. Without hesitation, he headed inside.

Knocking on the door, a woman inside turned around, puzzled by the unexpected visitor. "May I ask what brings you here? Our mission is to safeguard cultural relics," she inquired, gesturing towards the regulations displayed on the wall.

Zhang Xinyue wasn't convinced that Yuh Wenming had any relevant information about relics, so she didn't take his arrival to heart. She pulled out her phone and quickly looked up Zhang Xinyue's profile, which contained an extensive description of her. "Zhang Xinyue, 25 years old, despises grave robbers, and is skilled in martial arts." Yuh Wenming concluded that she might just be the lifeline he needed.

After rummaging through his pocket, he realized the jade hairpin was still in the office downstairs. Deciding to be upfront, he laid out the whole story to her.

Zhang Xinyue's interest was piqued when she heard there were genuine items at the Antique Night Market. "I'll have someone bring the items up, so don't worry," she assured him. She picked up the phone and arranged for the objects to be brought upstairs.

The team, upon seeing Yuh Wenming with their leader, felt a twinge of discomfort. "We've checked out that night market; it's all counterfeit," they grumbled. If the items were indeed fakes, there was no need for them to meddle.

"Better to err on the side of caution. I need you to research that place and provide me with a thorough report," she commanded, ignoring their skepticism. Her intent was clear: they were to go undercover that evening and inspect the market themselves.

Those seated in their positions were well-versed in antiques; careless actions were not an option.

"Based on your description, the jade hairpin does seem authentic, especially since the black residue hasn't been cleaned off," she observed, placing the hairpin on the table as if to claim it.

Hearing their reluctance to return his purchase, Yuh Wenming pointed to the jade hairpin on the table and protested, "I bought that item..." He refrained from saying more, silently hoping Zhang Xinyue would agree to return the hairpin.

Zhang Xinyue glanced reflexively at the jade hairpin and shook her head, "Anything unearthed has inherent research value and isn't permitted for private ownership."

Yuh Wenming's question went unanswered. He hoped she would reveal details about the entire antique market.

Yuh Wenming's heart skipped a beat with relief. Thankfully, he hadn't brought out the fragments of the Golden Jade Robe; otherwise, they'd surely be in her possession now.

The thought of his ten thousand yuan wasted was intolerable.

"It was a chance discovery. I noticed many people shopping there, and then I saw someone caked in dirt. That's when I purchased this." He gestured towards the jade hairpin on the table, wondering if Zhang Xinyue would claim it.

Upon hearing Yuh Wenming's account, Zhang Xinyue sensed a gap in his story. She pointed to the wall behind her, "Stand over there, I'm calling a colleague."

Confused but compliant, Yuh Wenming instinctively positioned himself beside the wall.

Two employees emerged from next door, positioning themselves before Zhang Xinyue.

"Search him well," she instructed. "I doubt this hairpin is worth ten thousand yuan. The real treasure must be on you."

Realization dawned on Yuh Wenming – she suspected he had something valuable and intended to seize it.

With two people flanking him, they extracted the items from his pockets and laid them before Zhang Xinyue.

She examined the armor piece under the light, her expression darkening instantly.

"There exists a garment in this world known to preserve one's appearance, the Golden Silk Jade Dress, crafted from pieces like this."

She slammed the armor piece down on the table. "I suppose the ten thousand yuan was for this item."

With the truth exposed, further explanation was futile. He averted his gaze.

With a wave of her hand, Zhang Xinyue dismissed the staff members. They understood that without a satisfactory explanation from Yuh Wenming, he wouldn't be leaving the office anytime soon.

Zhang Xinyue harbored a deep-seated hatred for the grave robbers, particularly loathing their desecration of cultural relics.