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“Yes, she told me it’s a wooden box. But I’m not sure what it looks like. I’ve never seen it before,” George explained, hoping it would impress her.
“If that’s the case, I’ll get you 30 thousand dollars. If there’s any useful information in the future, contact me right away. I’ll reward you accordingly depending on the information you provide.”
George was overjoyed to hear that. “Sure, no problem.”
“A reminder to not be too dense while asking questions. Go with the flow. When someone is sad, listen to what they have to say. Lure her to talk only when she lets her guard down.”
Jessica was concerned about this idiot. She passed on her experience and skills to him patiently.
George was not bothered by it since he was getting paid for it and he dared not defy the person before him.
“All right, I’ll remember it.”
Jessica was not sure if he really remembered it.
Having George as my pawn is better than nothing. There’s no saying that he won’t be useful.
Jessica ended the call and mumbled, “Just what’s inside the wooden box.”
There must be a reason why she wanted it so badly. I should probably visit Joseph’s house. But what excuse can I use? I need to think about this carefully.
It was a peaceful, run-down neighborhood. Occasionally, one could see old folks playing chess and chit-chatting in the shade.
Jessica was carrying a basket of fruit when she arrived. She went upstairs according to the house number and knocked on the door.
The door opened to a middle-aged woman looking at her.” What are you doing here? Haven’t you made my family miserable enough?”
While the woman was talking, she took the broom beside the door and swung it toward Jessica. Jessica caught it with her hands before it landed on her.
“Don’t you wish to know how your husband died?”
“What do you mean?” The woman stopped trying to get the broom away.
Jessica glanced around from the corner of her eyes. “You want me to tell you here?”
The woman hesitated. She let go of her broom and gave way to her.
Jessica entered the room. There was clutter everywhere in the narrow space. A foul stench was filling up the room. Seeing such horrible living conditions, Jessica did not react at all.
Instead, the woman was the one who looked weary. She pointed at the sofa and said, “Take a seat.”
The woman took out a chair and sat down. She looked at Jessica sullenly. “What were you trying to say?”
“Do you know what Joseph was doing on the day of the accident?” Jessica asked.
The woman frowned. “All I know is that he was going to meet someone. He said that meeting that person would get my son out of jail.”
It seems that Joseph didn’t get specific with her. He’s afraid that she might spill the beans.
Jessica more or less knew that Joseph didn’t tell her anything.
If she knew what was going on with Julianna, I’m afraid she wouldn’t be able to remain here safely.
“Why are you asking me this?”
“Listen to this.”
Jessica took out her phone and played a phone call recording.
It was George’s voice. The context was about George exposing Julianna yesterday – how Julianna had bribed the chauffeur to get Joseph into a car accident by pretending to be drunk.
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Tiffany’s eyes were wide open after listening. But she refused to believe it because she didn’t trust Jessica. Jessica stopped the recording and looked at her. “This person is Julianna’s gigolo. He sold me the information. I did some investigation on the chauffeur. Before the accident, there was an extra 15 thousand dollars in his house. This is the money transfer record. It happened a week before the accident.”
Jessica handed the copy to Tiffany, and the latter looked at it. Even if she refused to believe her, she couldn’t help but have a slight change of heart.
“Why would she do that? That’s her brother.”
“That’s because your husband has something she fears. If I’m not mistaken, your husband asked for a large sum of money from Julianna, am I right?”
Tiffany remained silent. But deep down, she knew that there was such a thing.
“Do you really think Julianna is such a generous person? Have you ever wondered why she was being so charitable and giving away so much money?”
Confronted by Jessica’s questions, Tiffany lost faith.
When Joseph got the money home, she had assumed that it was because Julianna felt guilty. That was why she gave the compensation.
But looking back, it wasn’t as simple as she thought it was. Tiffany was not a fool. She got a hint of what this was all about. “The reason you’re here is because of that thing, right?”
“Yes,” Jessica admitted openly.
“I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed. My husband wouldn’t tell me anything. I don’t even know if that thing exists,” Tiffany said in a deep voice.
“Now that you know about this, I’m afraid you won’t be safe. She didn’t even hesitate to finish off her flesh and blood.
As her sister-in-law, do you think she will show you mercy?” Jessica speculated while trying to frighten her.
Tiffany smiled indifferently. “There’s no purpose for me to live anyway. My husband is dead. My son is in jail. It hurts just to stay alive.”
“Your son can’t be saved. But you can redress your husband’s injustice. Do you want to see him die in vain while the killer is out there freely? The Larson family fell apart, but Julianna is still one of the Quail family. She’s living as extravagant as usual. Look at yourself. You’re supposed to be the glamorous Mrs. Quail. Aren’t you supposed to do something about it?”
As Tiffany was listening, her jealousy and resentment were boiling inside. Her fury turned into tears as they streamed down her face.
“You’re right. How can she live a good life while I don’t?” Jessica smiled. That’s more like it.
Tiffany looked at her coldly. “She’s not a good person, but so are you. You’re the Little Stock God who raised funds illegally. But you put the blame on my son.”
“Mrs. Quail, I believe that Yonah not only told you this, but he told the police too. However, the police didn’t suspect me at all. They didn’t even ask me anything. There’s enough evidence to prove that I’m innocent. Do you think the police will let me go if I’m guilty? I know why Yonah said that. Mrs. Quail, I know you’re smart. Deep down you knew it, but you couldn’t accept it, so you pushed the blame on others. If it’s your intention to make others uncomfortable, it’s fine with me.”
Tiffany was speechless.
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“I want the wooden box. Just so you know, I could have waited for you to leave the house. I could have even gotten someone to make you go away, but I choose to come to you openly and directly. Do you know why?” asked Jessica. Tiffany didn’t respond to her question.
Jessica went on and said, “A clean hand wants no washing – this is who I am and who I always will be. I knew right from meeting Julianna that you are wise enough to tell right from wrong.”
Convinced by her words, Tiffany replied, “Go ahead. That’s if you can actually find it.”
“Thank you,” Jessica said wholeheartedly.
Jessica was well aware of who the real enemy was. This was between her and Yonah, so she had no reason to hate his parents. Every debt has its debtor, no? There’s no need to involve the bystanders.
Jessica began her search. The house was small and stuffy – every inch of usable space was full of clutter. No wonder George couldn’t find it even after several visits. This place is a hell of a mess!
After an hour of searching, there was still no progress whatsoever.
Tiffany stood aside and watched. She looked utterly uninterested in Jessica’s pursuit of what seemed to be containing the biggest secret of the century.
Did she do it on purpose? Did she make it like this so no one could access it? doubted Jessica as she suddenly realized she’d merely scratched the tip of the iceberg. This isn’t going to work. There’s just too much stuff in here! God knows how long it’ll take me to open all these sealed boxes. I need a better way of doing this.
Jessica wiped off the sweat on her forehead. She then took her phone out and made a call, “Hi, is this Rootshine Ventures? I need you to send seven or eight people over to tidy up. Yes, just about seven or eight will do, and I need them right now. Name your cost. Cool, I’m on Norram Street… Yes, the sooner the better.”
After ending the call, she dropped what she was doing and sat down to wait for assistance to arrive.
Eight housekeeping ladies showed up at the door in a short while. They were just as shocked as Jessica upon seeing the mountain of clutter.
The house was roughly 860 square feet. However, the sizable clutter made it look as though it was only a quarter of the actual space. It was smelly, horribly small, and poorly ventilated.
“Please categorize accordingly. If you come across a wooden box, a box-like object, or anything that is in good shape, do let me know as soon as possible,” said Jessica.
“All right,” all eight of the housekeeping ladies replied in sync.
They worked efficiently.
Jessica carefully inspected the trash to make sure she did not miss a single thing.
The house was now looking good as new after half a day of hard work. However, no wooden box or anything valuable was found. Instead, some of Tiffany’s jewelry was retrieved in the process of Jessica’s search.
The housekeeping ladies left. “Tiffany, do you really not have any ideas on where your husband would stash away something that needs to be hidden?” asked Jessica with a tilted head as she looked at Tiffany.
“If I knew, I wouldn’t have needed you to tell me how he died,” replied Tiffany emotionlessly.
Tiffany’s words left Jessica speechless.
Tiffany continued, “I’ve let you search the place, yet you have found nothing. Maybe that thing isn’t here at all, or maybe this isn’t even the right place to search in, to begin with.”
Not the right place… Is she implying that he’d put it where they used to stay… the villa? I-impossible! It is too important to not have brought it with him when he left. And what if the new owner of that villa just throws it away? No, he wouldn’t risk losing it. It can only be here – it has to be. I just don’t know where it’s hidden, not yet.
Where could you hide a wooden box perfectly away from the public’s eyes? pondered Jessica as she kept on scanning her surroundings.
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“I’d stop looking if I were you. Not even I could find something he purposely hid. The house is as big as it gets, and you did what you could. Let’s be realistic; the wooden box isn’t going to appear out of thin air.” Tiffany couldn’t help but pity Jessica.
Should I just give up? Jessica was not happy with the results of her search.
The truth is all I seek – the truth that all orphans wish to know from their parents. There are all kinds of children in the orphanage; some were born with disabilities, and others were born ill. Many more are perfectly healthy. Why were we gathered in that house of sorrow? I need to know the truth that would clear my doubt from those countless nights. No, I will not give up. Jessica was determined to find the wooden box. She was determined to know the reason for her abandonment.
She looked everywhere she could under the bed, the back of the picture frame, and in every piece of furniture that could have a secret compartment. However, reality eventually caught up with her wishful thinking.
There’s no way it’s in there. Where exactly would he hide it? She looked at the ceiling which was made of plaster decorated with uninteresting lamps.
“Tiffany, is this the only property you have? Are there any others?” asked Jessica.
“This is the only one I have left that is under my name,” Tiffany replied truthfully.
Damn it! Where the hell could it be?
“It’s getting late. I think you should leave,” said Tiffany as the sky had turned completely dark.
Jessica took a peek outside of the window and apologized, “Sorry for bothering you.”
All she felt was a void of emptiness as she walked down the alley. The streetlights flickered almost rhythmically as though they were dancing to her emotional roller coaster.
She walked into the main street as she arrived at the end of the alley. The place was well-lit and busy as usual with the ongoing traffic soaring beside her.
Screech! Suddenly, there was the sound of emergency braking, followed by the cry of a child.
“What the heck?! Watch your kid! Damn it, what a nuisance!”
A man was unleashing his anger on a child, who was sitting on the ground while recovering from the shock.
“S-sorry, I’m so sorry.” The child’s mother bowed and apologized to the driver as she held the child in her arms. The unpleasant event caused a traffic jam. The woman left hurriedly, together with the child in the midst of growing impatience and prolonged honks from the road.
Jessica looked at the blood running from the child’s arm, then at the cars. She suddenly had a flashback to the day when Joseph had a car accident.
He pointed to the sky. Jessica looked up at the sky. Could it be that it’s at the top? But the upper area of the house was made of gypsum board! there’s no way for the wooden box to be up there. Oh, wait! The bathroom and kitchen have cemented ceilings!
Jessica immediately turned around and ran back to Tiffany’s house as fast as she could. She knocked at the door to make her presence known again. However, there was no response even after several attempts.
It is impossible that she’s not in here. Where else could she possibly be? Jessica continued knocking on the door.
Tiffany opened the door after a while. She seemed taken aback after seeing the person standing outside of her house.
“W-why are you here again?” asked Tiffany as Jessica returned as a complete surprise to her.
Jessica noticed the different shades of water stains on Tiffany’s arm and clothes at a glance.
“I left something in the house,” said Jessica calmly.
“Oh, really? Tell me where you left it, and I’ll go get it for you.”
Tiffany stood still at the door, showing no intention of letting Jessica into the house.
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“No need! I can get it myself.” Jessica pushed open the door and stomped into the house.
Her sudden actions caught Tiffany by surprise.
“Why did you just come in like that?” Tiffany asked in an angry tone.
Jessica walked in and closed the door. She stood in the living room and looked directly. “Mrs. Larson, your acting sure is great. I was almost deceived by you.”
“What do you mean?” Panic flashed across Tiffany’s eyes. “Lies laced with the truth surely are the most deceiving in the world. Joseph may not have told you many secrets, but as his partner, you would still be able to find out things. It’s just that you never dig deep enough.”
“What exactly do you want to say?” Tiffany frowned unhappily.
“Well, you should know what I’m trying to say, don’t you? Hand over the thing.” Reaching out her hand, Jessica’s clear eyes were filled with amusement.
Tiffany’s expression wavered. Pretending not to understand, she said, “I already told you. I don’t know where it is. You’ve already looked everywhere in the house.”
Jessica chuckled. “You’re still pretending? Is there a need to do so? You’re only wasting my time. You just went to the washroom and retrieved it, didn’t you? Your wet shirt and hands are evidence.”
Tiffany looked down and saw that the hem of her shirt was damp. She let out a helpless laugh at the sight. “You’re indeed observant, even at such a young age. I guess your wit did play an important role in the Larson family’s downfall, not just because you had the support of the Ferguson family.”
Even though Jessica took the position of Chairman at Stardust Corporation, many still perceived that the one truly in power was the Ferguson family.
Therefore, the stock prices of Stardust Corporation would continue to rise.
The capitalists did not care about Jessica. They cared about the Ferguson family instead.
“That’s right. I found it. That old guy put the thing in the old water tank in the bathroom. If I hadn’t accidentally bumped into him, I would have never found out where he hid it.”
Tiffany gave up.
When Tiffany saw Jessica rushing over, she thought that Jessica had figured it out too.
Jessica did not deny her guess.
“I will pass you the box but under one condition.”
“Alright. However, the condition must be something I can fulfill and does not violate my principles.” Jessica agreed. “Don’t worry. I won’t ask you to do anything illegal. I need money, and I want to see Julianna driven out of the Quail family like a dog. These conditions aren’t too hard, right?” “Okay,” replied Jessica.
“I want you to give me the money now. I don’t trust you,” Tiffany said.
Without hesitation, Jessica called Zander’s phone and asked his men to transfer the money.
After receiving the message that the money was sent, Tiffany walked into the bedroom and pulled out a purple wooden box. She placed it in front of Jessica and said, ” This is the thing you are looking for.”
Jessica gazed at the wooden box in front of her and reached out, but her fingers stopped in midair.
At that moment, she felt a sudden trace of hesitation and fear.
She was even a little scared to touch the box, much less open it.
After coming close to finding out the truth, she felt like retreating for the first time. However, the moment that thought appeared, she immediately waved it away.
She picked up the wooden box and slowly opened it.
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The moment she opened it, her eyes widened in shock. It contained a blood-jade pendant and an envelope.
Jessica picked up the envelope that was slightly yellow at the edges. When she opened it up, it revealed a handwritten letter with graceful handwriting.
Jessica recognized it at once. It was Julianna’s handwriting. Joseph, I ran into some trouble at Dellmoor. Make sure no one knows that you’re coming. Please come fast. I need you here.
That letter only contained three short lines. The content was very simple and did not have any special meaning. However, Joseph kept that letter all this time. It was definitely not as simple.
She set the letter down and picked up the blood jade. The blood jade was delicate and bright – it was of the finest quality.
A naturally formed blood jade was the rarest kind of jade, and the features of this particular jade in the box were of the best quality, which was even rarer.
If this kind of blood jade were to be sold on the market, it would definitely attract many collectors.
Jessica carefully inspected the blood jade and found a small inscription on the inner wall.
“Lilian,” Jessica whispered.
Suddenly, Tiffany snatched the blood jade from her hand and held it tightly. She carefully wiped it with an excited expression.
“This piece of blood jade is beautiful. It’s rare to see a blood jade of this quality.”
Jessica saw the greed in her eyes and took the blood jade away from her.
“What are you doing?” Tiffany was angry. “Give the pendant back to me.”
“Tiffany, you shouldn’t be so greedy. This is already mine,” Jessica replied icily.
Tiffany was deeply regretful about her decision. She did not know that the wooden box contained such a valuable item. If she had known, she would have never given it to Jessica so easily.
It’s all her fault for arriving so soon. I just found it and didn’t even get the chance to check the contents.
“I only gave it to you to have a look. I didn’t say the contents belonged to you,” Tiffany replied unreasonably.
Jessica sat down on the old couch and crossed her legs. Raising her eyebrows, she said coldly, “Am I being too kind to you?”
This is so infuriating!
“Give it back to me, or I’m calling the police and charging you for trespassing and robbery,” threatened Tiffany.
450 thousand dollars in exchange for a blood jade that is worth more than 80 million dollars, dream on!
Jessica threw the phone on the table. “Go on, call them!” Tiffany was taken aback.
This girl has some guts!
“Do you need me to call them for you?” Jessica calmly asked.
“You’re not scared?” Tiffany was suspicious.
She could be bluffing!
Jessica replied slowly, “Once the police arrive, I will accuse you of extortion. You said the blood jade is yours? Does it have your fingerprint on it?”
While talking, Jessica was calmly wiping the blood jade.
“Do you have any proof that you own the jade? Tiffany, I bet you didn’t even know that every piece of jade, especially this kind, has an identification code. Can you produce it?”
“Of course, you could say that it was inherited, but this jade pendant isn’t ancient. This kind of thing can be easily inspected by a professional.”
Tiffany was taken aback, but she still did not believe it. Jessica was not in a hurry either. She continued, “When your son had an accident, didn’t you wonder why your husband did not dare to use this jade pendant to save him? Did you ever think of the reason why?”
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“Because he didn’t dare to do it!”
After hearing that, Tiffany stopped fighting.
Jessica picked up her things and stood up. “Your son ruined himself due to his insatiable desire,” she said before leaving.
When the door closed, Tiffany exploded with rage.
Her son was her weakness.
Jessica held the blood jade that she had been searching for in her hands. If it was in Joseph’s hands, he might know where it came from. However, he didn’t write it down.
The blood jade was the key to solving the mystery.
At home, Jessica searched for information about the blood jade on the internet, but all of them were useless.
Jessica lay on her bed while holding the jade under the light. She could see the blood-like pattern on the jade. Is this blood jade related to my identity?
Lilian… Is this the name of the jade’s owner?
There were so many questions in Jessica’s head which made her restless.
She was unable to sleep.
After some time, Jessica sat up and took the jade out of the drawer.
The blood jade must be the key to sorting this all out.
Jessica picked up her phone and dialed Samantha’s number.
“Who’s this?” Samantha answered in a daze.
“It’s me.”
Samantha instantly answered, “Jess, why did you call me at this hour? Don’t tell me you wanna chat with me. I need my beauty sleep.”
Jessica ignored her and said, “Do you know any jade experts?”
Samantha rubbed her eyes, “Jade? Yeah, my uncle collects and studies jade, especially the rare ones.”
“Where does he live? Could you contact him as soon as possible?”
“Why? You have a jade to sell?”
“I need his help to evaluate a piece of jade.”
“Alright, it’s late. I’ll contact him tomorrow morning.”
“Okay, thanks. Sweet dreams.”
After hanging up, Samantha fell asleep quickly.
The next morning, Samantha called Jessica.
“Jess, I’ve contacted my uncle. He said he can help you evaluate the jade, so we have to visit him in Marsingfill.” “All right, we’ll go there today.”
“You don’t have to be in such a hurry, though,” Samantha said in surprise.
“I really am in a hurry.”
“It’ll take two to three hours to reach Marsingfill from
Horington. I’ll ask my uncle if he’s free tonight. If he isn’t, we’ Il visit him tomorrow, okay?”
“Okay.”
They drove to Marsingfill in the afternoon.
During the journey, Samantha asked curiously, “What kind of jade do you have?”
Jessica took out the blood jade from the wooden box and showed it to Samantha.
Samantha took the jade and looked at it closely. After a while, she said, “I’m not an expert, but this is high-quality jade. This kind of rare jade is mostly kept as family heirlooms or are properties of jade collectors and jade sellers.”
“It’s really beautiful! It’s translucent and has a rare blood-like pattern. It seems a bit fake at a glance.”
But it wasn’t, of course.
Samantha put the jade back into the wooden box carefully.
Since Jessy cherished the blood jade so much, it must be of significant importance to her.
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Marsingfill was the economic center of the country and also the most prosperous city, where people lived at a fast pace and always under high pressure.
One would feel insignificant standing among the tall buildings of the city.
Jessica and Samantha stayed in a suite at a five-star hotel – a fact that distressed Jessica due to the extravagant price.
“We can stay in a standard room.”
Samantha took the keycard and smirked, “It’s okay; Uncle Charles owns this place. We can stay here for as long as we want.”
Hearing that, Jessica remained quiet.
Rich people should be robbed, thought Jessica with raised brows.
Ding! The elevator opened. Just as the girls walked out, two bodyguards blocked their way.
“What?” Samantha scowled.
“Ladies, this floor is reserved. Please leave.”
Jessica’s and Samantha’s eyes met.
Samantha laughed, “How come I didn’t know it’s reserved, sir?”
The bodyguard said patiently, “Young lady, as a fan, you should restrain yourself. Celebrities are just normal people. Please leave now. If not, I’ll call the security guard.”
Samantha took out her keycard and said, “Look closely; this is my keycard. We are staying in this hotel.”
The two bodyguards realized the girls were guests, so they let them through.
Samantha asked curiously, “Tell me, who stays here tonight?”
The bodyguards didn’t answer them and watched as the girls entered their room. When they saw the keycard worked, they were instantly relieved.
At that moment, the door to the opposite suite opened. Jack walked out and saw Jessica.
“Jessy!”
The girls looked back.
Samantha was star-struck.
“Jack, it’s you!” Jessica was surprised.
The bodyguards then quietly left.
Jack grumbled, “Why didn’t you tell me you’re coming to Marsingfill?”
“I just arrived here today.”
When Matthew noticed Jack having the urge to stay and talk, he quickly interrupted, “Jack, the car is waiting downstairs. You should leave before it’s too late.”
Jack glared at his manager before smiling at Jessica. How long do you plan to stay at Marsingfill? I’m filming here. You can visit me on set.”
Jessica was about to refuse, but Samantha tugged her shirt pleadingly. Seeing how desperate her friend looked, Jessica had no choice but to agree with a nod, “Sure, I’ll call you when I’m done with my business.”
“It’s settled then.” After that, Jack left with Matthew.
When Jack left, Samantha hugged Jessica tightly “Jessy, you’re my lucky charm! Now I can meet my idol Jack every day. We should stay at Marsingfill for the whole summer holiday. We’ll just come home once the new semester starts.’
Jessica kept quiet and walked into the suite. She disagreed with Samantha’s crazy suggestion as she still had tons of things to do.
Jack returned to the hotel at midnight. As he was about to knock on Jessica’s door, Matthew stopped him.
“Jack, it’s 11:00. The girls need to sleep. If you get caught leaving their room, you’ll get her into trouble.”
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Jack retracted his hands and cocked his brows. “Then it should be okay to have breakfast with her, right?” He looked as though he would barge into Jessica’s room if his manager dared to say no.
Exasperated by his reaction, Matthew compiled and muttered repeatedly, “Sure, sure.”
He couldn’t understand how Jack could give everyone the cold shoulder but showed such great interest in Jessica. The arrogance of this little girl had far superseded his team of artists.
Jack showed up on time the following day. He rang the doorbell and knocked on the door excitedly, but no one answered.
“What’s going on?”
Matthew pointed to the screen beside them. “There’s no one inside. They may have left.”
Jack scrunched his eyebrows and glanced at the time. It was only 7.30 in the morning. They’re usually lazing on the bed at this hour. What the heck is going on?
Nevertheless, Jack was destined to be disappointed.
On the other hand, Matthew felt relieved because they had just avoided making the headlines with a scandal.
Meanwhile, both Jessica and Samantha arrived at the Hoffman Cafe and were led to the VIP lounge.
Upon opening the door, they saw there was already someone inside.
A middle-aged gentleman was brewing his coffee. Not bothering to spare a glance at them, the man simply said, ” Please take a seat.”
Both of them proceeded to sit opposite the man.
“Uncle Calvin,” Samantha greeted.
Calvin lifted his head to look at the girls and smiled. “I suppose you girls haven’t had breakfast yet. Let’s talk after you eat.”
“Okay.”
The waiter started serving the dishes, which were all in small portions. Despite the portion, there were so many varieties of dishes that it was enough to fill their tummies. The dishes were plated in a luxurious and elegant manner, as though they were in fine dining.
As soon as they finished, the waiters cleared everything and turned the lounge into a parlor.
Samantha could sense Jessica’s anxiousness, so she initiated the conversation without hesitating. “Uncle Calvin, please take a look at my friend’s jade.”
Calvin turned his attention to Jessica. “May 1?” he humbly asked.
Jessica placed the wooden box on the table. She took the blood jade out and handed it to Calvin.
A wave of excitement rushed over Calvin as soon as he felt the jade on his palm. He took out a magnifying glass from his pocket and started examining the jade while both girls waited patiently in silence.
It took a moment for Calvin to examine the blood jade, and when he was done, he placed it back on the table and explained, “This blood jade of yours was cut out from a larger piece of the same stone. Although it is not an ancient one, it’s one of the rarest kinds because its red marbling is well and evenly distributed.” Then he sighed, “Its only flaw is that its craftmanship is bad. What a waste on a good piece of rare jade.”
“Are you planning to sell this jade? If you are, I can offer you a good price.”
Jessica shook her head. “I’m not planning to sell it. I want to ask if you’ve seen this kind of jade before? Or would you be able to recognize who the artisan is?”
Jessica knew she would be one step closer to the truth if she could find the person who made this jade.
Calvin was bummed.
He did know many famous artisans, but the quality of the jade’s craftsmanship was obviously way behind the skills of a master craftsman.
“I’m afraid I don’t have an answer for you. The person who crafted this piece of jade is obviously a beginner at best. A good jade like this should not be given to a greenhorn. So there could be only one possibility – the artisan himself is the one who owns this jade.”
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“Then this artisan is the very person I’m looking for since he is the owner of this jade. I’m wondering if you have any idea who it may be?”
“That’s going to be hard. There aren’t many who own such a rare piece of jade, but it is still quite a handful. A lot of them would rather have them for safekeeping. Hence, we won’t even know if there’s more of them out there.”
“Please, Uncle Calvin, you need to help Jess figure out who it is. This means a lot to her,” Samantha pleaded.
Samantha roughly knew how important the blood jade was to Jessica.
Calvin stared at the two for a short while before he
chuckled. “Alright, alright. I’ll do what I can. Mind if I take a picture or two?”
“Please.”
Calvin had his assistant take a few pictures of the blood jade.
“I’ll head on first to the Jewelry and Jade Association to ask around. I’ll let you guys know if I get anything from them.” “Thank you, Mr. Calvin,” Jessica responded meekly.
“Thank you so much, Uncle Calvin. Whatever you want to eat today, it’s all on me,” Samantha thanked him profusely. Calvin chuckled again. “You silly girl.”
“Uncle Calvin, ee…-if anyone asks about this, please don’t tell them anything,” Jessica suddenly blurted out before leaving the room.
Calvin paused in confusion. Seemed like she doesn’t really want to know who the jade’s artisan is.
“I only want to know who’s the artisan who owns this jade without letting anyone know about my existence,” Jessica explained to Calvin as she noticed the puzzlement in his eyes.
“I understand,” replied Calvin.
“Thank you, Uncle Calvin.”
After bidding their farewell to Calvin, the girls went to Goldberg Tower for their dinner.
Samantha was acting oddly throughout the dinner. She gazed at Jessica from time to time, as though she wanted to say something to her.
“Just ask me what you want to know. You don’t have to stuff it all inside,” Jessica huffed, breaking the silence between them.
“Jess, the blood jade, is it related to your past?” A wave of relief came upon Samantha when she could finally ask the question.
Jessica had this wild guess herself but was unsure if the blood jade was actually related to her. “Maybe, but I don’t really know either.”
Samantha held Jessica’s wrist in reassurance after hearing her reply. “Don’t worry, Jess. We’re in this together. If Uncle Calvin doesn’t have any updates, we can always go to Uncle Charles. Heck, I can even go to my dad. Although he’s a selfish and bossy man, I think he’ll be able to help us.”
Jessica looked at Samantha and gave her a smile. No matter how much she hated her dad, there was always a certain glimmer in her eyes when she talked about him.
Samantha actually loved her dad.
“There is no need to approach them for now. Let’s just wait if there is any news from Uncle Calvin.”
Jessica didn’t want to overdo it by letting too many people know what had been going on.
“Samantha, please don’t tell this to anyone else, including Charles.”
Samantha nodded.
At the same time, Calvin acted quickly and sent the photos to the Jewelry and Jade Association.
I got my hands on a good piece of jade today. It’s such a shame that the craftmanship was bad though.
Can any of you recognize whose handiwork is this?
Calvin managed to attract a lot of attention from members of the Association after sending the photos out.
One of the older members was surprised after looking at the photos.
Calvin, this handiwork looks familiar, but I can’t recall where I’ve last seen it.
David saw it, then someone must’ve crafted it before he or she became famous.
People began to gossip about the matter.
Meanwhile, in the Marsingfill office of Fairview Investment, Brandon opened the door and walked into the Chairman’s office at a fast and steady pace.
“Mr. Ferguson, the blood jade that you tasked me to be on the lookout for has made its appearance.”
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Daisy Novels 
Angela, thanks a bunch!
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