As soon as she said this, the air around them became even quieter. Zhang Tong paused for a moment, then burst out laughing.
However, everyone could tell from his laughter that it contained contempt. "I didn't expect Miss Jian to know this stuff. Since you've said it already, I will listen attentively."
He Qingchen felt his hand itch slightly and moved his fingers.
"The nostrils are withered and dark, wealth is diminishing, destitute and homeless, prospering at first then declining later. Calamity and misfortune hover like mist, disaster clings to the body. The palace of fate is red, indicating punishment and harm." Jian Xi spoke unhurriedly.
The others present were all wealthy and privileged. Many of them believed in this stuff, some even kept geomancers or experts in metaphysics in their homes. So most could grasp the general meaning of Jian Xi's words.
Zhang Tong's face had grown darker and darker since Jian Xi spoke her first sentence, but she completely ignored him. Her sweet voice rang out again, but this time with a cold edge.
"Mr. Zhang, do you think that just because you changed your name and moved to a different city, you can cover up the damaging things you did when you were young? You can't hide fire with paper forever. You will certainly face prison within five days!"
Zhang Tong stared at Jian Xi in disbelief, his mind blanking for a moment.
How did she know about that!
Stay calm! That happened many years ago. No one could possibly know about it. Even if she did know, the police couldn't have found evidence back in those backwards times!
"Haha, Miss Jian sure knows how to joke around. I'm half in the grave already after living fifty good years as a law-abiding citizen. I've never even shorted the taxman a penny!" Zhang Tong forced himself to stay composed.
"Oh, is that so? Then let's wait and see!" Jian Xi shrugged indifferently. The motion was very similar to He Qingchen's.
Having said her piece, she turned back to look at He Qingchen. "Brother, I'm hungry. Let's go eat. I want hot pot."
"Alright, let's go." He Qingchen gave Xu Yan a significant look. Xu Yan understood instantly that he could start preparing to enter the jade industry.
Jian Xi hooked her arm around He Qingchen's. As they walked past Zhang Tong, she paused and said just loud enough for him to hear clearly, "Do you know why your wife has never been able to conceive? It's because Zhang Tong is watching over you two from behind!"
Zhang Tong looked at Jian Xi in horror, a chill running down his back. His whole body froze.
"Brother, I want milk tea."
"Let's go, I'll take you to buy some."
After the two of them left, light music sounded from the auction hall behind Zhang Tong. The auctioneer's voice rang out at the same time.
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Jade Association Chairman Zhang Tong's raw jade auction. I hereby announce the official start of today's auction!"
*
With just the short time it took Jian Xi and He Qingchen to eat hot pot, the prophecy she gave Zhang Tong spread through the upper circles of City B.
They were shocked that He Qingchen's unknown sister actually knew how to fortune tell!
At the same time, a video went viral online. It showed the interior of a plane. A girl with an extremely sweet appearance calmly gave acupuncture to an unconscious young man, reviving him after a short time. The whole plane cheered!
That life-saving girl was none other than Jian Xi, currently sprawled in the passenger seat rubbing her stuffed belly.
The person who posted the video was actually another passenger on the plane. Since the internet was disabled during the flight, she decided to just record it on her phone and post it after landing. After all, it was positive news about a good deed.
But she had a bad memory. After landing, she got caught up chatting with colleagues and completely forgot about it. She only remembered this morning when scrolling through her photo album, so she uploaded it on a whim.
She never imagined that by the end of her workday, the video would have over 30 million views and shares!
The video went viral!
No, to be precise, the girl in the video went viral!
*
Jian Xi, who hated dragging things out, returned to Pleasant View Creek Garden and immediately went upstairs to her bedroom, a box of carving tools in her left hand and the slab of carved watermelon tourmaline in her right.
He Qingchen didn't even need to think about it. She wouldn't come out of her bedroom for a while.
Jian Xi had always been like this, utterly devoted whether it was learning or working. When focused, she was oblivious to everything else!
He decided not to go to the company that afternoon and just work from home instead.
Shortly after entering his study, he received a call from Xu Yan. "Mr. He, Miss Jian has gone viral!"
"Gone viral?" He Qingchen's writing brush halted.
Xu Yan explained, "Yes, a video of Miss Jian saving someone was posted online. It already has over 30 million views and shares this morning and it's still climbing. Many people are looking into Miss Jian's background."
He Qingchen frowned. "Handle it."
"Yes, Mr. He, I'll get right on it." Xu Yan acknowledged.
"Wait. Don't handle it yet. Let me ask her first and see what she thinks." He Qingchen rubbed his brow.
It wasn't until evening that Jian Xi finally emerged from her bedroom, for no other reason than following her nose!
While eating, He Qingchen told her about what was happening online and asked how she wanted to handle it.
When Jian Xi first heard about this, she was a bit confused and didn't have any ideas. After thinking for a while, she still didn't want that much attention, so she told He Qingchen to help take the video offline first.
He Qingchen called Xu Yan and within an hour, all traces of the video featuring Jian Xi's rescue disappeared from the internet.
But even though the video was gone, news of it still reached many people in the upper circles of City B. Many of them had seen Jian Xi at the jade auction, so they recognized her as He Qingchen's sister!
Now they were completely in a frenzy. That very morning, they had personally heard her declare that Zhang Tong would be imprisoned within five days. Then that afternoon, a video emerged of her miraculously saving someone with acupuncture!
But in fact, many held skeptical attitudes, waiting to see how things played out.
If after five days, Zhang Tong was still safe and sound, the one losing face wouldn't be Miss Jian, but Mr. He Qingchen of the esteemed He clan!
And so, everyone kept a close eye on Zhang Tong's activities.
The auction proceeded normally that day with Zhang Tong making a huge profit. That night, he attended a banquet with friends along with his wife.
The next day, he spent the morning leisurely drinking tea with the vice chairman of the Jade Association and announced an upcoming overhaul of the jade industry, including stricter auditing procedures for new entrants.
On the third day, he toured all of his jade shops together with his wife.
Those watching Zhang Tong closely for three consecutive days saw that his work and personal life were completely normal.
No bad news about him surfaced whatsoever, let alone anything warranting imprisonment.
Some said that Miss Jian did specify within five days. There were still two days left, what's the rush!
On the morning of the fifth day, Zhang Tong was seen cheerfully grocery shopping hand-in-hand with his wife, looking utterly carefree.
That afternoon, he appeared as a guest on an appraisal master's interview show, recording late into the evening. Still, nothing happened.
Just as people were about to lose patience, news came from ahead.
The president of the Jade Association, Zhang Tong, was taken away in handcuffs by the police right outside the appraisal master's live studio. He was cuffed by the chief of police himself!
Less than two hours later, a police notice came out, the gist of which was that Zhang Tong's original name was Zhang Ren. Thirty years ago, he got into a fight and accidentally killed someone. His twin brother advised him to turn himself in, but he refused. In the midst of their quarrel, he mistakenly killed his own brother as well.
At the time, he was already involved with his brother's wife, who is now his own wife. The two came up with a plan - they would pretend Zhang Ren had already committed suicide out of guilt!
From that day onward, the real Zhang Ren took over the identity of his brother Zhang Tong!
Back then, their family was from an impoverished, remote area where even the census takers might not make it. So he managed to successfully keep it a secret!
And so, Zhang Ren escaped the law's punishment for so many years in this manner.
