C21 Blaming

The following day, Cao Jiang embarked on a new adventure, feeling quite content with his treasure hunting endeavors. As the car weaved its way through the streets and arrived at the main hall, the scene was familiar: waiters stealing glances at Cao Jiang as they bustled about.

The Phoenix Jewelry Group was abuzz with activity; their sales had skyrocketed to 3.5 times the previous month's figures. The frenzy was palpable, with many flocking to the Jewelry Group, eager to catch a glimpse of the esteemed master.

This title of "master" had been bestowed upon Cao Jiang by the public, a testament to his remarkable gem appraisal skills.

On the other side, Qin Danfeng's smile bore a hint of mischief as she mused, "Just as I thought, this kid is on the brink of a significant discovery."

Her assistant, standing nearby, overheard Qin Danfeng's soliloquy but remained silent.

Once again, a familiar voice echoed in Cao Jiang's ears. The system announced, "Master, your treasure hunting journey has commenced, and today your Luck Value has shattered the record at 55,368 points."

"55,368?" The figure left Cao Jiang's head spinning. He quickly turned to Team Leader Lee and asked, "With the sales doubling this month, does that mean our salaries will double too?"

Team Leader Lee responded with a beaming smile, "Absolutely. You're the reason we've set a new company record."

Cao Jiang had become a household name within the company, with colleagues casting looks of admiration and envy his way. His growing reputation was the driving force behind the booming business.

It dawned on Cao Jiang that the more gems he appraised, the greater the earnings. In turn, the system would convert these earnings into Luck Value within his Spatial Ring.

In a moment of clarity, Cao Jiang realized he was still holding an intricately carved jade flute. He nearly dropped it in his excitement, but Team Leader Lee was quick to catch it.

"Whoa there, Jiang, have you been overworking yourself? Be careful," Team Leader Lee said, his concern for Cao Jiang evident.

Sunn Jinbo, observing from the sidelines, felt a surge of relief, thinking, "That was close. It would have been disastrous if it had broken."

Team Leader Lee's brow furrowed. Cao Jiang's behavior today was certainly odd. Without probing further, Team Leader Lee departed.

Had Cao Jiang actually dropped the jewelry, the Luck Value in the Spatial Ring would have reset to factory settings. Essentially, he would have had to start from zero. Fortunately, Cao Jiang managed to dodge that bullet. The more Luck Value he accumulated, the harder he could work and the brighter he would shine, embarking on an exciting treasure hunting adventure.

Throughout the day, Cao Jiang attended to nearly thirty clients, tirelessly appraising gemstones until his eyes felt numb. Even before making it home, the bookings for the following day were already full. He hung his head, silent and exhausted.

Upon returning to his grandfather's hospital room and finding him in a deep sleep, Cao Jiang collapsed onto the adjacent bed and fell asleep himself.

His phone had been ringing for who knows how long before Cao Jiang finally woke up, bleary-eyed. "Hello, what's up?"

Qin Danfeng, aware of how busy Cao Jiang had been these last couple of days, felt a pang of sympathy hearing his voice. "A major client returned to the company today. He's a dear friend and a former business partner," she explained calmly.

Cao Jiang sprang to life, quickly getting out of bed. "Got it, Elder Qin. I'm heading to the company right away."

After ensuring his grandfather was taken care of, Cao Jiang made his way to the company, which promised to be an exceptional day.

They entered the building almost simultaneously, yet neither knew the other's identity.

Cao Jiang couldn't shake the feeling that there was some inexplicable connection between him and the man across from him.

Shortly after, Cao Jiang reached his research lab, where Team Leader Lee was introducing Zhu Yi.

From a short distance, Cao Jiang could hear Team Leader Lee hosting the important client, bolstering his confidence.

Meanwhile, Sunn Jinbo seized the moment while Team Leader Lee was in the restroom to strike up a conversation with Zhu Yi.

Zhu Yi, ever the gentleman, was approached by Sunn Jinbo who inquired, "Sir, are you here to have gemstones appraised?"

Sunn Jinbo intended to ingratiate himself with the guest, but Zhu Yi sidestepped him, saying, "I need Cao Jiang to come now."

His rejection was firm, yet his expression betrayed discomfort, leaving Sunn Jinbo awkwardly squatting alone.

Watching Cao Jiang and Zhu Yi shake hands and reconcile nearby, Sunn Jinbo's envy reached a boiling point.

Today's appraisal featured a precious ancient gemstone.

Sunn Jinbo dashed over and swapped the treasure for a counterfeit. His furtive behavior did not escape Cao Jiang's notice.

At the time, Cao Jiang was unaware of the switch and found Sunn Jinbo's actions odd but didn't dwell on it.

However, Sunn Jinbo, feeling guilty after being spotted by Cao Jiang, quickly exited the Treasure Inspection Room.

Shortly after, Zhu Yi and Cao Jiang concluded their discussion, and the audience prepared for Cao Jiang's showcase.

Despite being a regular occurrence, Cao Jiang's gemstone appraisals never failed to thrill.

Cao Jiang examined the pearl and sensed something amiss. He initially suspected Team Leader Lee had made a mistake and considered how to smooth things over.

Noticing Sunn Jinbo lurking nearby, Cao Jiang's suspicion turned to realization.

He pointed at Sunn Jinbo and announced, "Let's have Master Sun appraise this gemstone today. Everyone, please observe Master Sun's expertise."

Zhu Yi found Cao Jiang's behavior peculiar, reminiscent of his own younger days, and chuckled, "Why don't you take over, young man? I overheard your eagerness to appraise it earlier."

Whether driven by ambition or a need to fill an emotional void, Cao Jiang's renown in the jewelry circle had certainly sparked envy.

Sunn Jinbo had inadvertently set himself up for failure.

With the challenge laid out, he had no choice but to step up; human malevolence cannot be concealed.

As he took the stage, Sunn Jinbo's animosity towards Cao Jiang was palpable, though it went unnoticed by the audience, who simply sensed something off about Master Sun that day.

Phoenix Jewelry Group had never showcased counterfeits to their clients. Such a scandal could lead to immediate dismissal.

Thankfully, today's visitor was an old friend of Qin Danfeng.

Sunn Jinbo stood there, shaking nervously, at a loss for words. Everyone exchanged glances, feeling anxious on his behalf.

Zhu Yi broke the silence, "It's clear you're passionate about the jewelry industry. Since you've been given this opportunity, make sure to give it your all."

Sunn Jinbo grew even more self-conscious, struggling to find the right words, but he pressed on.

Anyone who came here likely had some knowledge of jewelry, and it was painfully obvious that the piece in question was a counterfeit.

What Sunn Jinbo was claiming simply didn't add up, and everyone could tell that Zhu Yi's demeanor was off.

Team Leader Lee took one look at the pearl and felt a surge of irritation, realizing it was a fake.

He had been in this line of work for many years and had never made a mistake, especially not with a friend of the boss.

Quickly, Team Leader Lee's gaze shifted to Sunn Jinbo on stage, suspecting he was responsible.

Now was not the time to confront the issue. Zhu Yi, finding himself unable to go on, gestured dismissively, "Let's call it a day. You're still young, lad. Take this as a learning experience."

Sunn Jinbo was visibly flushed with embarrassment, unable to lift his head, while Cao Jiang cast a scornful sidelong glance his way.

As he was leaving, Zhu Yi made a point to commend Cao Jiang, "You're truly astute. You made the right choice. Keep up the good work, and I'll be sure to return."

With that, Zhu Yi waved and departed.