The boy slid the jade box across the counter with both hands.
Inside, resting on a bed of pale silk, was a single slim jade slip, faint lines of silver script glimmering on its surface.
Xiao Pei picked it up, brushing his thumb over the cool stone.
A faint hum stirred within, like the echo of a distant bell.
"Alright, let's see if this works…" he muttered, closing his eyes as he sent a thread of spiritual sense into the slip.
"Hello? Hello? Can you hear me? This is Xiao Pei. Do you read? Hello? Hmm, maybe I need to wait for them to pick up first."
Du Juan pinched her brow, her expression caught between amusement and disbelief at his tone.
The boy behind the counter cleared his throat awkwardly, raising a hand.
"Um… Benefactor… sir… that jade slip is, uh… a one-way transmission."
He offered a nervous laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. "You can't exactly… hold a conversation with it. Also it's a one time use and will disintegrate in time."
