"Although I really don't want to admit it, the facts are right here." Shen Hanshan nodded with a bitter smile. "I still can't quite believe that my life and well-being are tied to a wall."
"Uncle, some things aren't entirely superstition. As the saying goes, 'All things have spirit.' Everything in the world follows its own laws, and we humans are merely living within the natural order of heaven and earth."
Lin Yu smiled without further explanation. He hadn't believed in these things either before, but after dying once, he knew there were indeed realms beyond human understanding.
Beside them, Zhou Chen shook his head with a wry smile, his eyes carrying a hint of apology as he looked at Lin Yu. He had initially thought Lin Yu was putting on a mystical act, but it turned out he was the one with limited perspective.
The acupuncturist was also full of admiration, thinking he had truly encountered a master. He specifically asked for Lin Yu's contact information before leaving satisfied.
Although Shen Hanshan still had doubts about feng shui and such, he had to admit that his back pain was indeed gone, the months of constant dizziness had disappeared, and he was filled with energy.
His attitude toward Lin Yu completely changed. He promptly invited Lin Yu inside and apologized for his earlier harsh behavior.
Upon learning that Lin Yu was already married, Shen Hanshan immediately went to his study and brought out a blue box, pushing it toward Lin Yu. "This is the best piece from our recent new arrivals. It hasn't even been sent to our stores yet. Consider it a token of gratitude for saving me. I hope you won't find it unworthy."
The box was exquisitely crafted with a gold-embossed phoenix and the words "Feng Yuan Xiang"—the name of Shen Yuxuan's family jewelry group, which ranked among the top three in China's jewelry industry.
"Thank you, Uncle." Lin Yu didn't refuse. He knew someone like Shen Hanshan disliked owing favors. If he didn't accept it, Shen Hanshan might be displeased. Besides, for their family, this was merely a drop in the bucket.
However, when Lin Yu opened the box out of politeness, he was still stunned. Inside was a platinum diamond ring.
The diamond was at least three carats, with top-tier color, clarity, and cut—undoubtedly valuable, with a market price of at least two million yuan. With the Feng Yuan Xiang brand, it could be even more expensive.
Would Jiang Yan like it if I gave it to her?
Lin Yu couldn't help but wonder. Given He Jiarong's uselessness, he probably hadn't given Jiang Yan a proper ring when they married. He had never seen her wear one. This could be compensation from him on He Jiarong's behalf.
After leaving the Shen residence, Lin Yu went home to get his pass, then took Shen Yuxuan and Zhou Chen to the Qinghai Museum to see the Ming Ju Tie calligraphy.
Zhou Chen exclaimed "unbelievable" at least ten times that afternoon and was still reluctant to leave even after exiting the museum.
They parted ways after lunch. Before leaving, Zhou Chen specifically invited Lin Yu to bring Jiang Yan and Jiang Jingren to the antique and raw jade auction his family was hosting at the New Century Grand Hotel over the weekend.
Lin Yu agreed without hesitation.
He then went directly to the clinic, but Jiang Yan wasn't there. The front desk nurse told him Jiang Yan had taken the afternoon off for personal reasons, but they didn't know where she had gone.
Lin Yu felt a pang of disappointment. He was eager to give Jiang Yan the diamond ring as an apology for his drunken remarks the other night. He called her: "Hey, where are you?"
"I'm out with my best friend trying on wedding dresses. She's getting married next month. Why?" Jiang Yan's tone was icy, devoid of any emotion.
They hadn't spoken on the phone in days.
"Oh, well, I have something I want to give you. Are you free? I can come find you."
"Fine. I'm going with my friend and her fiancé to look at diamond rings later. You can meet us at the jewelry store." Jiang Yan hesitated but agreed. Refusing would make it seem like she had something to hide.
Although her heart belonged to someone else, she had never done anything对不起 He Jiarong during their marriage.
For over twenty years, she had kept herself pure, untouched by any man. If He Jiarong wanted her, she was ready to give herself at any time.
But her heart—that she could not give.
"What? Yan Yan, is your husband coming?" Jiang Yan's best friend, Fan Ruting, curled her lip.
"Yeah." Jiang Yan responded softly, her expression complex.
"How thick-skinned can he be? Knowing we're going to look at rings, he still insists on coming. He didn't even give you a ring when you got married. Such a pathetic man is hard to find. Honestly, you should just divorce him. Even if you were divorced, with your qualities, plenty of rich guys would be chasing after you."
Fan Ruting was indignant on Jiang Yan's behalf. She couldn't understand why a stunning swan like Jiang Yan would settle for a toad like He Jiarong.
"If it were me, I wouldn't have married him in the first place. I'd consider myself generous if I didn't slap him twice!"
Jiang Yan lowered her head in silence. Actually, He Jiarong had given her a ring—a silver one that cost three hundred yuan.
When Jiang Yan and Fan Ruting arrived at the jewelry store, Fan Ruting's fiancé, Chen Baogang, was already there.
Chen Baogang greeted Jiang Yan warmly, then secretly glanced at her neckline and hips, swallowing hard.
His fiancée was quite attractive and had a good figure, but compared to Jiang Yan, the gap was immense.
He didn't understand how a loser like He Jiarong had such luck to marry a beauty like Jiang Yan. For him, if he could ever take advantage of Jiang Yan when she was drunk, his life would be complete.
The three of them had just started browsing when Lin Yu arrived.
Seeing the "Feng Yuan Xiang" sign above the door, Lin Yu smiled. He and the Shen family were truly fated.
"Yo, Jiarong!" Chen Baogang immediately went over and hugged Lin Yu. Seeing Lin Yu's slightly confused expression, he said, "What? Did you really get knocked silly? You don't recognize me anymore?"
"I do, I do." Lin Yu smiled, guessing this must be Fan Ruting's fiancé.
As for Fan Ruting, he had heard Jiang Yan mention her, but this was his first time meeting her.
"Yo, He Jiarong, are you here to buy Jiang Yan a diamond ring?" Fan Ruting rolled her eyes at Lin Yu with disgust.
"Tingting, what kind of thing is that to say!" Before Lin Yu could respond, Chen Baogang cut in to scold Fan Ruting, then turned to Lin Yu with a smile. "Jiarong, found a job yet?"
"Not yet." Lin Yu scratched his head somewhat awkwardly. He had been meaning to look for work, but recent events had kept him too busy.
"Tsk tsk, that won't do. A grown man with no money and no job, relying on his wife to support him—what kind of way is that to live?" Chen Baogang's words sounded like advice, but on closer listen, they were clearly mocking.
As he spoke, he stole glances at Jiang Yan. Seeing her uncomfortable expression gave him a thrill. So what if you're lofty and cold? You still married a loser.
"If I were a man and that pathetic, I'd have bashed my head against a wall long ago." Fan Ruting shot Lin Yu a disdainful look and ignored him, turning to ask the clerk about a diamond ring in the display case.
Lin Yu shook his head with a helpless smile. Fortunately, he was used to it. It seemed whenever he met anyone who knew He Jiarong, he was met with disdain.
"Miss, you have excellent taste. This ring is a bestseller in our store. It's called 'My Heart Is Eternal.' Many people have already placed orders, many of them brides as beautiful and elegant as you."
The salesclerk was sweet-tongued, making Fan Ruting feel delighted.
"How much is this ring?" Fan Ruting couldn't help asking.
"The price is quite auspicious, miss: 199,999, representing wholeheartedness and longevity. Only a price like this matches your outstanding elegance." The clerk smiled. "You can try it on."
She put on gloves, took out the ring, and placed it on Fan Ruting's finger.
Fan Ruting's entire face glowed with excitement, her eyes glued to the diamond on her finger.
There's a saying that holds true: probably no woman in the world can resist the charm of diamonds. If one can, it's only because the diamond isn't big enough.
"Honey, do you think it looks good?" Fan Ruting asked Chen Baogang eagerly.
"It looks beautiful. If you like it, we'll take it. It's only twenty thousand yuan." Chen Baogang said magnanimously, not forgetting to glance at Lin Yu.
"Sir, it's 199,999—one hundred ninety-nine thousand, nine hundred ninety-nine." The clerk reminded him with a smile. Clearly, Chen Baogang had missed a "9" earlier.
"How much?!" Chen Baogang's face instantly paled. His family had some money, but a 200,000-yuan diamond ring wasn't something to be bought on a whim.
"Come on, honey, it's only two hundred thousand. Are you love dearly about spending money on me?" Fan Ruting swayed coquettishly.
Cold sweat broke out on Chen Baogang's forehead. Such a small ring could buy a pretty good car.
"Isn't that too expensive? Are your store's prices too high?" Chen Baogang asked.
"Sir, the loose diamond alone is over 1.5 carats. The diamond's color, clarity, and cut are all top-tier. You get what you pay for." The clerk patiently explained. "Moreover, Feng Yuan Xiang is a nationally renowned brand—a symbol of status."
"Tingting, the price really is too high. How about choosing a cheaper one?" Jiang Yan couldn't help reminding Fan Ruting. A 200,000-yuan ring was indeed extravagant.
"No! We're buying it! We have to buy it!" Hearing this, Chen Baogang gritted his teeth and made up his mind.
Even if it pained him to spend the money, he couldn't lose face in front of Jiang Yan. He wanted to show her how much better he was than her good-for-nothing husband.
"Honey, you're the best!" Fan Ruting jumped with excitement and planted a kiss on Chen Baogang's cheek.
Chen Baogang was full of himself and pretended to comfort Lin Yu: "Jiarong, don't lose heart. Work hard, and maybe someday you can also afford to buy Jiang Yan a diamond ring like this."
"Him? Maybe in his next life!" Fan Ruting snorted coldly, looking at the ring on her finger with a sense of superiority.
At this moment, she suddenly felt she had one-upped Jiang Yan.
Although they are best friends, relationships between girls are delicate. The closer they are, the easier it is to compare them to each other.
Since childhood, Jiang Yan has always been prettier than her, more understanding than her, and better than her. She has been living under Jiang Yan's shadow for too long, and today, she can finally show off with this 1.5 carat diamond.
Jiang Yan pursed her lips, her expression serious. She didn't care about material things, but she couldn't help but be disturbed by the stark contrast.
Her best friend got a $200,000 diamond ring, while she got a $300 silver ring. This is why she never wears her own ring.
No matter how little she cared about material things or how vain she was, she still had her pride.
"In fact, I came here today to give you something".
In the face of Chen Baogang and Fan Ruting's flirting, Lin Yu's expression remained calm. He calmly took out the blue box Shen Banshan had given him.