After handing over the "suspicious item" and the "suspicious man" to Ding Ling, Yan and Zhu Jue turned and left without hesitation.
From a young age, their experiences had taught them one thing: don't meddle in matters that aren't your business.
Especially when it involved something far beyond their capabilities—like potential relics smuggling, tomb raiding, or even supernatural artifacts related to some ghost king. As ordinary people, the best course of action was to stay as far away as possible.
Curiosity was natural, but Yan had manually crushed it this time!
If they stayed any longer, more officials would likely arrive, and Yan and Zhu Jue would inevitably find themselves on another "day trip" to the police station or some special investigation site.
Giving statements and filling out reports would be unavoidable.
But now, by handing everything over to Ding Ling, they trusted she would handle it properly. Special cases required special measures, and they were content to remain just a couple of good Samaritans.
Ordinary life was all about peace and quiet, not grand adventures.
After all, they had only come to the antique street today to pick up something, hoping for a simple weekend.
As for what this bronze bell was involved in, it was better not to ask too many questions.
The Liang family courtyard had no surveillance cameras, and even if the man said something in his statement, Ding Ling would surely help smooth things over.
The two returned to Boss Tu's shop, hesitating for a moment. Since the ring was already on Yan's finger, they decided not to have it blessed. They left the other items for the blessing ceremony.
"Leave them for the Dharma Assembly at Fayan Temple. I'll send you the time later. You can come and see next month," Boss Tu said, flipping through his phone as he accepted the items.
"The temple's spiritual goods store is quite famous, and their Guanyin fortune sticks are very accurate."
Yan nodded. "We'll see then."
After thanking Boss Tu for the meal, Yan and Zhu Jue boarded the subway back to campus.
Yan carried a small backpack and a takeout bag from Shangwei Restaurant, while Zhu Jue held the ring box.
"We were only supposed to stay for half a day, but we ended up spending the whole day in the antique street," Yan said, leaning habitually against Zhu Jue.
Originally, they had planned to pick up their items and leave, but fortunately, they didn't have any other plans for the day.
"At least we got a free meal out of it," Yan quickly found a silver lining.
They had picked up the jade, had a meal, watched some videos, and even done a good deed. All in all, it had been a fulfilling day!
"Do you want to go to the beach next week?" Zhu Jue asked, holding her hand.
Bin City was a coastal city with convenient harbor access, but in the month since they'd arrived for school, they hadn't yet visited the beach.
However, it was already nearing November, and the temperature along the East China Sea wasn't ideal for swimming.
"Sure. It'll be a good chance to relax," Yan's eyes lit up.
Ning City, the capital, was inland. Every time she had gone to the beach before, it had required hours of driving and days of anticipation.
Yan remembered that Bin City's coastline had several islands with mountains, sea views, and ports—perfect for sightseeing.
Even though it wasn't the next week yet, the two were already searching for attractions and travel guides on their phones.
"Let's check the weather for Saturday or Sunday, whichever day is calmer. We can take a slow walk," Yan suggested.
As she scrolled through bloggers' PLUGs and photos, she grew more and more excited, already planning what to wear for beach photos.
She saved a bunch of guides, and by the time they got off the subway, both were in high spirits.
Though they had returned from off-campus, Yan and Zhu Jue weren't in a hurry to go back to their dorms.
They had grown accustomed to spending time on quieter paths, away from other students, enjoying their private moments together.
Watching the sunset and listening to the rustling of the trees, they found peace.
Zhu Jue deftly wiped down a bench with wet wipes and tissues, while Yan pulled out the "Unity Pastry" from Shangwei Restaurant's takeout bag.
She tilted her head as she opened the box. The pastry was shaped like two interlocking rings, impossible to separate.
"This is the first time I've seen this kind of pastry. It looks like an enlarged version of a unity knot," Yan remarked.
She quickly looked it up on her phone.
"The pastry symbolizes eternal unity. The two hearts cannot be separated. In traditional customs, it's shared by couples during engagements or weddings, symbolizing their bond."
Yan read the information aloud, and Zhu Jue glanced at her phone, which showed a photo of a newly engaged couple biting into the pastry together.
Yan's face flushed instantly. "Did the lady think I was proposing?"
She recalled how they had happily exchanged rings earlier—it could easily have been mistaken for a proposal.
Yan: !
They might have really been misunderstood.
"No wonder she specially packed it for us," Yan said.
The "Unity Pastry" wasn't large; if split in half, it would be just a bite for each person.
But eating it together in public would have been awkward, which was likely why the lady had packed it separately.
"If you don't like it, we don't have to eat it," Zhu Jue said gently.
"No," Yan shook her head.
The lady had given it to them, and with such a beautiful meaning, how could they just throw it away?
Yan looked around, making sure no one was nearby, though she still felt a bit shy.
After hesitating for a moment, she took a deep breath, picked up the pastry, and gently bit one end.
As soon as she bit into it, she realized the pastry was incredibly delicate.
Oh no, it can't crumble while we're eating it!
Yan wanted to call out to Zhu Jue, but she couldn't speak with the pastry in her mouth. Instead, she wrapped her arms around his neck, her legs resting on his thighs as she leaned in closer.
Zhu Jue tilted his head slightly, their noses brushing, the familiar scent of her hair lingering around him. He opened his mouth and bit the other end of the pastry. Their lips barely touched, the softness sending a wave of warmth through them.
The pastry seemed to melt instantly, its sweet flavor dissolving with a single bite.
Following the tradition, they finished the pastry together. Yan blinked, her chin brushing against Zhu Jue's faint stubble, his clothes carrying the familiar scent of mint.
She pursed her lips and called out softly, "Zhu Jue."
"Hmm?" His eyes never left hers, his hands firmly around her waist.
In the next moment, her soft lips pressed against his. Zhu Jue instinctively tightened his hold, his mind blanking as fireworks seemed to explode in his head.
Their breaths mingled, their lips gently and clumsily pecking at each other.
A sudden vibration from the phone beside them broke the moment. Yan covered her face with her hands, sliding off Zhu Jue's lap to check the message.
It was a notification from the courier station.
Yan quickly glanced around—no one was there, truly no one.
The heat in her cheeks grew stronger, while Zhu Jue stood up from the bench, his ears nearly red as blood, a smile tugging at his lips.
He stepped forward, the usually composed young man now sweeping Yan into his arms and spinning her around, laughing.
"Zhu Jue," Yan murmured, her chest pressed against his, feeling his rapid heartbeat.
"I wish I could fast-forward three years," Zhu Jue said, his voice low and filled with suppressed laughter and a hint of frustration.
“I really want to get married soon, give me a proper title,” he said softly, still holding her in his arms.
They were born in the same year, but he would have to wait two more years to reach the legal age for marriage.
Every time this thought crossed Zhu Jue’s mind, he couldn’t help but feel frustrated. Two years—who knew how many dazzling men Yan might encounter in that time?
Yan chuckled, her big eyes sparkling as if filled with stars.
“Since we were kids, everyone knew you already had a title,” she said, holding Zhu Jue’s hand and swinging it playfully.
The glow of the setting sun reflected off the rings on their left hands. Yan blinked, her eyes shining.
“Hmm, what do you think about using these as engagement rings?”
For Yan, marriage didn’t feel much different from their current relationship, aside from the legal certificate.
She and Zhu Jue were destined to be together forever—there was no other possibility.
Since Zhu Jue wanted a title sooner rather than later, she decided, with a playful smirk, to humor him.
Yan posted a photo on her social media.
**[Yan]**: Zhu Jue and I made our engagement rings in advance. What do you think? [photo.jpg]
The photo showed their hands clasped together under the sunset, revealing matching jade rings.
Though Yan and Zhu Jue were known for their frequent displays of affection, this post still caused quite a stir.
**[Chu Bingbing]**: What? What? What? When’s the engagement?
**[Gu Jiasui]**: [gift][heart][kiss]
**[Yi Zhi]**: Looks beautiful.
**[Chu Shen]**: The rings are stunning. Wishing you happiness, harmony, and a lifetime of love.
**[Lin Fan]**: [thumbs up] Can’t wait for the wedding.
Zhu Jue also posted on his social media.
**[Zhu Jue]**: Countdown: 1,088 days. [photo.jpg]
When Yan returned to her dorm after being dropped off by Zhu Jue, Chu Bingbing and Yi Zhi immediately surrounded her, their faces full of curiosity.
“Yan, did Zhu Jue propose to you?”
“You even have engagement rings ready.”
Yan coughed lightly. “No, not yet.”
“We’re still so young.”
She fiddled with her fingers. “Our rings were ready, and Zhu Jue said he wanted a title, so I just posted about it.”
Yan felt a little embarrassed. She was used to sharing their relationship online, but this time, her post had caused quite a commotion.
“Oh-ho-ho, your Zhu Jue is really something, asking for a title. He must know how many people are after you, Yan,” Chu Bingbing teased.
Yi Zhi also laughed heartily. In these chaotic times, such pure love was rare.
The two leaned in to take a closer look at Yan’s ring. “It’s jade? Using jade for an engagement ring is pretty unusual.”
Chu Bingbing scratched her head. Most engagement rings were simple, and proposals often involved big diamond rings.
But this ring suited Yan perfectly—understated, elegant, and warm, just like her.
"It's a noble ice jade cabochon," Yan explained.
“It’s beautiful, and it suits you,” Yi Zhi praised without hesitation.
Yan felt a pang of guilt hearing Yi Zhi’s words. This was the same jade Yi Zhi had passed on. She wondered if Yi Zhi would recognize it.
In fact, Yi Zhi didn’t.
She wasn’t well-versed in the world of jade or gemstones. Even though she had once encountered imperial green and chicken-fat yellow jade, her knowledge was limited to basic classifications and the names of top-tier jade varieties.
The raw stone she had seen with her ability looked nothing like the polished, refined jade cabochon now adorning Yan’s finger.
Chu Bingbing asked Yan for the address of the shop. “It’s in the antique street? Buying jade and gemstones online is such a gamble—you can’t see or touch them properly. I’ll check out this shop next time I’m free. I don’t have any jade jewelry yet.”
Chu Bingbing trusted Yan’s judgment. If Yan had chosen the shop, it must be reliable.
She quickly searched for the shop online and was surprised to find a flood of related posts.
“Wow! No wonder it looked familiar. I’ve seen it on trending topics before,” Chu Bingbing exclaimed.
“It’s the shop that uncovered imperial green and chicken-fat yellow jade!”
Yan simply nodded, while Yi Zhi stiffened slightly beside her.
That shop? Yan had her ring custom-made there?
Yi Zhi suddenly remembered. No wonder the couple had been there that day. Counting the time, the rings must have been ordered then.
So their encounter had been a coincidence after all? Yi Zhi relaxed, reassured.
As soon as Yan sat down, her phone rang. The caller ID showed “Xu Jiaojiao.”
She raised an eyebrow. What was going on? Had something happened to Xu Jiaojiao, or had she suddenly come to Bin City?
“Hello?” Yan answered.
“Yan, are you and Zhu Jue getting engaged?” Xu Jiaojiao’s voice was louder than Yan had ever heard it, clearly shocked.
So that’s what this was about…
“When? Where? How come I didn’t know? Why didn’t you tell me?” Xu Jiaojiao fired off a string of questions before Yan could get a word in.
“We’re not engaged yet. Did you even read my post properly?”
“I just posted a photo of the rings we’re planning to use as engagement rings,” Yan explained.
“Oh, I see. You scared me!” Xu Jiaojiao’s voice finally softened.
“Ji Mingyan suddenly mentioned it to me, so I called right away. That idiot really annoyed me,” Xu Jiaojiao cursed under her breath, then cleared her throat, realizing she had let her guard down.
“There’s no need to rush into an engagement. We’re still so young. Your parents aren’t in a hurry either. I think Zhu Jue is just marking his territory, making sure you don’t slip away.” Xu Jiaojiao let out a cold laugh over the phone.
Having been reborn, Xu Jiaojiao now viewed all men with suspicion, but she still hoped Yan would take her time choosing. Zhu Jue’s subtle social media posts were transparent to everyone.
Yan laughed at her friend’s words. “Alright, Jiaojiao, if I were really getting engaged, I’d definitely tell you in advance.”
“Fine. I know. You’d give me time to prepare a gift, right?” Xu Jiaojiao’s voice turned sweet, almost cooing over the phone.
Yan had to admit, the reason she had endured Xu Jiaojiao’s antics throughout high school was largely because she couldn’t resist Xu Jiaojiao’s charm and coquettishness.
When Xu Jiaojiao acted cute, Yan would follow her anywhere—up mountains or into rivers.
“I know, I know. It’s still a long way off,” Yan said.
“Enough about me. How have you been?” Since it was a voice call and not a video, Yan couldn’t see Xu Jiaojiao’s expression.
It had been three weeks since they last met in the desert town. Yan thought about the men with rebirth marks on their heads and felt a chill run down her spine. Thank goodness she wasn’t in Ning City!
Shen Jingchen, Ji Mingyan, Liang Ruichi, Wen Yu—four reborn individuals. Wouldn’t the world descend into chaos?
“Don’t worry, everything’s fine here,” Xu Jiaojiao said, tapping her glittery manicured nails against her phone.
This month, these four men have been acting like mad dogs, competing with each other to please her. Xu Jiaojiao has been receiving so many "free gifts" that her hands are practically full. At this rate, she might be able to retire soon.
Xu Jiaojiao noticed their unusual behavior the moment they met. Their habits, traits, tone, and expressions were all different from what they should have been at this point in time. She knew these four men too well.
But they, on the other hand, didn’t seem to know her at all.
Originally, she had worried that the slight changes in her behavior this time around might make the men suspicious, but that wasn’t the case.
Their personalities remained the same as before. They did whatever they wanted, said whatever they wanted, and never paid attention to Xu Jiaojiao’s own thoughts.
Xu Jiaojiao knew all too well that the current competition between the four of them was simply a matter of replacing Su Nian with her. They saw her as their possession, an object, something that belonged to them. They didn’t care about how this "object" might be different from before.
Lately, she had been stirring up trouble between them, and they were busy sabotaging each other. Liang Ruichi was picking on Wen Yu, Wen Yu was entangled with Ji Mingyan at school, and Shen Jingchen was facing trouble from the Liang family’s business dealings. Thanks to all this, Xu Jiaojiao finally had a couple of peaceful days to herself. She took the opportunity to take stock of her current assets.
Her net worth was in the low nine figures. If she could push it to ten figures, she could officially retire. What kind of gift should she give Yan then?
Xu Jiaojiao spent twenty minutes chatting with Yan before hanging up the phone. She then switched to her social media feed to check out what the couples were posting.
"A jade ring?" she murmured.
"Engagement rings shouldn’t be gifted by others. Maybe I should go for a set of jewelry instead."
With her past life’s experience, Xu Jiaojiao could easily tell that the jade’s quality was decent, mid-to-high range, but not top-tier.
Even in her previous life, the jade she wore was rarely below the ice-grade quality.
Following her memories from her past life, she began searching on her phone. Xu Jiaojiao fell into deep thought. "When did I buy that set of colored gemstones in my past life?"
As she searched, she suddenly remembered something. For Yan’s happiness, she needed to do something.
Xu Jiaojiao quickly searched for a few keywords and found a public account article. After skimming through a few posts, she confirmed it was what she needed and bookmarked it.
Then, she scrolled through her WeChat contacts. To avoid any awkwardness, she decided to have a male classmate forward the article to Yan’s partner instead of sending it herself.
He Wuji—she remembered this guy was on good terms with Zhu Jue. In her memory, he was a quirky but kind person.
...
At the Liang family’s courtyard, Ding Ling gently shook the bronze bell in her hand, feeling its power.
The bell’s chime was pleasant, carrying a strange energy. Her mind cleared, and she was instantly pulled into a state of detachment.
She was certain now—this was the Heart-Questioning Bell.
The "Tranquil Bell" Ding Ling had previously exchanged from the Special Case Group’s treasure vault was actually a renamed version of the "Confusion Bell."
The one in her hand now was its counterpart, the Heart-Questioning Bell. Both had once belonged to a special clan, but after the clan split, the branch responsible for the Heart-Questioning Bell disappeared without a trace.
The Confusion Bell, renamed as the Tranquil Bell, had been purified and stored in the vault for a hundred years. As for the Heart-Questioning Bell, it had been lost for centuries, with no records to trace it.
Ding Ling never expected to find it here today.
No, this couldn’t be a coincidence.
Her eyes gleamed. How could something like this happen by chance?
It had only been a month since she gifted Yan the Tranquil Bell. Back then, Yan must have recognized its origin.
With Yan’s cultivation level, her thoughts could influence the flow of fate. It was possible that she had unconsciously wished for it, and the Heart-Questioning Bell had appeared accordingly.
"Sister Ding Ling," Xiao Gua, a member of the Special Case Group, appeared beside her.
They escorted the man into the car, and to prevent him from saying anything he shouldn’t, Ding Ling sealed one of his acupoints.
When they brought the Heart-Questioning Bell back to the bureau, it immediately drew the attention of many members.
"The lost Heart-Questioning Bell? Isn’t that the counterpart to the Tranquil Bell? It’s been found?"
"Judging by the design and the inscriptions, it seems to be the real deal, but we’ll need further verification."
"Has the Tranquil Bell been taken away? We’ll need to ask Sister Ding Ling to bring it back for comparison," one of the members said politely.
"Sister Ding Ling has some luck on her side. You just exchanged the Tranquil Bell, and now the Heart-Questioning Bell shows up. It’s like it was meant to be yours," Xiao Gua remarked.
Ding Ling didn’t respond, silently disagreeing in her heart.
It wasn’t meant to be hers—it was meant for Yan and her people. She was just fortunate enough to be involved.
While her colleagues were busy examining the Heart-Questioning Bell, Ding Ling checked her phone.
She sent Yan a message to confirm that the couple had safely returned to school.
Clicking on Yan’s profile, she saw the latest post on her social media feed.
"An engagement ring, huh…"
Ding Ling’s eyes flickered. Given everything Yan had done for her, no gift would be too extravagant for their wedding.
Her gaze returned to the Heart-Questioning Bell. The bell was part of a pair, and its value was more than enough. It was only fitting to give it to Yan.
After all, wedding gifts should come in pairs for good luck.
Once the current investigation into Xiao Mei and He Jiajia’s situation was wrapped up, and with the recovery of the Heart-Questioning Bell today, it would be another significant achievement.
Ding Ling calculated in her mind. The Tranquil Bell had already been exchanged, but that didn’t mean others wouldn’t set their sights on the Heart-Questioning Bell. She needed to work harder to exchange it as soon as possible.
A pair of exquisite magical artifacts—that would be worthy of Yan’s status.
In the 414 boys’ dormitory, Zhu Jue was sitting at his desk when he suddenly received a message from his high school classmate, Da He.
Da He was a guy who was into metaphysics. He was the one who had introduced Zhu Jue to Boss Tu’s shop when he was buying the Five Emperor Coins.
Zhu Jue initially thought Da He was reaching out because of his social media post, but the content of the message was unexpected.
[Da He]: Brother Jue, I’ve been asked by your partner’s best friend to send you something. [Don’t blame me.jpg] [Headbang]
[Da He]: "Men who don’t cherish themselves are like rotten cabbage."
[Da He]: "What should an engaged man do?"
[Da He]: "Click here to find out what the best dowry for a good man is! Protect your chastity!"
[Da He]: "If you want to be the main partner, you must understand these things."
...
Da He sent a series of public account article links. Zhu Jue didn’t even need to open his eyes to know who this "best friend" was.
He silently replied with a "Thank you" and then clicked on the links.
"A successful man who wants to win his wife’s affection must prepare his own essentials. The three major items for marriage are indispensable, along with the modern version of the 'three rounds and one sound.'"
"The three essentials: pure chastity, an above-average 14cm, and eight-pack abs."
"Three turns and one response: follow your wife in front, follow your wife behind, spin around with your wife, and respond instantly when your wife gives an order!"
Zhu Jue stared at the content, lost in thought. Had Da He read this before sending it to him? He worried for a moment, wondering if the other person staying in Ning City might get involved in Xu Jiaojiao's situation.
After thinking about it, he forwarded the message to Fan Ge and also sent the link to Yan.
Not long after, he received a message from Lin Fan.
**[Lin Fan (married with kids)]**: Learned something new! Great stuff, saved it! [handshake]
**[Zhu Jue (engagement ring edition)]**: Let's learn and grow together. [handshake]
Meanwhile, in the girls' dormitory room 320, Yan clicked on the link Zhu Jue sent and widened her eyes as she read it.
**[Jue Jue]**: Six-pack or eight-pack abs?
**[Yan]**: Eight-packs are nice to touch. [pondering] But six-packs are enough for Jue Jue—they feel better.
**[Jue Jue]**: Huh?
**[Yan]**: It's Yi Zhi~
**[Jue Jue]**: Got it. \（^o^）/~
