Chapter 155 Ink in Hand

"Impossible!"

Chaos erupted.

Everyone was in an uproar!

Utterly chaotic!

Because far too many people had seen the three characters "Hangong Workshop" inscribed earlier, yet now, right before everyone's eyes, it had transformed into "Made during the Gengzi Year of the Jiajing Era by Jiangzheng of Qinchuan River."

It was far too bizarre!

Many people found it hard to believe, including the shop owner Lu Haobai, who felt as though his mind was spinning in a dizzying blur.

It wasn't until Sui Yi's fingers gently brushed across the ink a few times... and then peeled away a translucent, crystal-like film from the surface—much like a piece of plastic crystal, or perhaps a delicate layer of fibrous material.

Peeled completely away.

Revealing the true ink beneath.

"Back in the day, to avoid prying eyes, the Hangong Workshop preserved the genuine article by crafting it to look like a replica. They wrapped the inner layer with an outer disguise, and even used a sheet of oiled parchment to separate the fake from the real. Anyone who actually used this ink would quickly discover the mystery within, because the ink material used for the outer layer is extremely soluble and unlike ordinary ink. It was designed to dissolve easily in water without harming the genuine treasure inside. This was the intention of the Hangong Workshop. What a pity they could not foresee their family's decline, leading to this ink being passed down into the world where everyone simply mistook it for a replica, with no one knowing the truth until now..."

These words were not spoken by Sui Yi, but by Yi Chilian, who was rubbing that thin film between his fingers and smiling at Sui Yi.

"After all, not everyone possesses the discerning eye of Miss Sui."

His tone was neither heavy nor light, neither intense nor bland, making it impossible to tell whether it was teasing amusement or profound praise.

Sui Yi felt the other man's contemplative gaze, yet she only calmly averted her face.

And looked toward the prosecutor.

"I suppose this gentleman's accusations against me can come to an end now? As for my past, those records are indeed genuine. That was my history, which I cannot and do not wish to deny. Yet, driven solely by the need to survive, I know for a fact that I never crossed any legal red lines. Given my age back then, even if they had locked me away, it would have amounted to no more than a few days of administrative detention."

Light and casual words fell effortlessly from her lips. Having finished this segment, she turned her gaze slightly to look down at the man seated in the chair.

"However, gentlemen, you originally came to investigate the case of Han Tianshou of the Han family, yet now you have entangled yourselves with the Li family—relatives by marriage to the Hians—crossing jurisdictions and overstepping your duties to handle this case. It inevitably gives the impression of dereliction of duty and private collusion. If I were to be taken into a police station today, all of you would be reported by tomorrow. Even if you have powerful backers behind the scenes, pulling a single hair can cause the whole body to move. I doubt the Li family's influence in the provincial capital reaches the point where they can cover the sky with one hand. Moreover, their financial situation is currently facing massive problems. Are you certain that when things go south, every single one of you will remain unscathed?"

"Keeping me for a few days as a guest in exchange for having your official ranks stripped or spending a year or two behind bars... I'd say it's quite a bargain. This gentleman, who has yet to show his official identification badge, might want to use his phone to contact Mr. Li Yuan and ask him how you should weigh your options now."

Sui Yi's voice was as clear and crisp as torn silk, while the lingering ripples in her eyes were tinged with chilling coldness.

She leaned forward slightly, looking directly at the prosecutor.

And spoke her final words.

"Do you need me to dial for you?"

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How the team of inspectors took their leave was no longer of any concern to Sui Yi. Meanwhile, Elder Tang and his group "respectfully sent them off" with twelve-thousand-fold joy, stopping just short of scattering flower petals in their wake and escorting them for miles...

The expressions and emotions of the businessmen present were deeply complex. Perhaps shocked by Sui Yi's poised yet razor-sharp performance, the looks they cast her now were tinged with a measure of cautious reverence.

—This young lady is truly formidable.

Acting as if she had cheats enabled, those aggressively imposing inspectors were utterly outclassed. What felt most unnatural to them was that if they had been in her shoes facing such a predicament, the tables would have been completely turned against them.

Instead of the effortless reversal Sui Yi had just pulled off.

"Lingshuang, how is your relationship with Sui Yi? Would you consider transferring to No. 2 High School?" Bo Xiong asked his daughter, leaving Lingshuang dumbfounded on the spot.

Elder Han, too, was beside them, clutching his grandson's hand and earnestly instructing him: My boy, trying to win over a girl like this using just your IQ or EQ is clearly out of the question. You can only rely on sincere affection... sincerity as genuine as it gets, coupled with the occasional act of acting spoiled and cute.

The family fortune rests entirely on your shoulders! If you can manage to secure a wife like this...

The family fortune can be forgotten; go out and conquer new frontiers instead!

Nearby, Elder Lin asked his granddaughter, "Did you see that? Did you learn anything?"

Lin Chuxia: "Um... Sui Yi's hands are so pretty."

Elder Lin: "..."

Ah A, Li Jing, and Yan Yanyang's reactions were the most silent. Having perhaps witnessed another side of Sui Yi in private, they naturally possessed a bit more psychological resilience, yet... there was still a sense of wistful sighing.

That girl had ultimately shone brilliantly amidst the vast sea of humanity.

——————

At that moment, beside the table, Yi Chilian looked at Sui Yi.

"Putting aside the little interlude from earlier, the question now is: which of these two pieces are you going to give me?"

One was the genuine Jiangzheng Xuan-Jade Ink, worth at least two million, while the other was Agarwood Ink, which also held a remarkably high value.

So, which one would Sui Yi choose to gift?

Hearing this, Sui Yi glanced sideways, her gaze sweeping over the two ink blocks on the table. "It should be a matter of which one Mr. Yi prefers. If you like both, you are welcome to take them both."

Generous! Extremely generous!

If anyone else were this generous, Yi Chilian would assume they were merely putting on an act. But coming from Sui Yi, this expression meant she genuinely didn't care.

Understandable, really. She could casually give away a priceless ancient sword of unknown value, let alone mere blocks of ink.

In the end, Yi Chilian chose the Agarwood Ink.

"This one."

"Oh? I thought Mr. Yi would choose the Xuan-Jade Ink," Sui Yi said with mild surprise.

Yi Chilian straightened up, handing the Agarwood Ink over to Elder De nearby to be properly wrapped and packed, while the corners of his lips curved upward. "The Xuan-Jade Ink suits you better."

With that, he turned and left.

Elder De offered Sui Yi a slight smile and departed as well.

As he reached Yi Chilian's side, he seemed to hear the young man softly murmur:

"The partridge bank, the riverbank orchids and angelica, misty willows in spring, beauties under the moon, years passing like smoke—though gone from the past, the beauty of agarwood remains unchanged."

The Agarwood Ink—he liked it very much.

And moreover, it seemed she liked it too.

————————

The Wengu Convention finally came to a successful close. Despite numerous twists and turns, they did nothing to disrupt the event's progress; instead, they provided the visiting businessmen with an extraordinarily unique experience. That thrilling sensation prompted them to excitedly discuss the earlier banquets right up until their departure.

This included the gambling of jadeite in the rough stone district, and even more so, the razor-sharp confrontation later inside the Wengu Museum.

Who could have imagined that an unassuming, famous ink block would conceal such a story within?

The Jiangzheng Xuan-Jade Ink and the Hangong Workshop were destined to become constant topics of conversation among these people.

And by the next day, they made the morning headlines in Nanxun.

Only, the reports deliberately blurred Sui Yi's identity, omitting even a single photograph. As for her past, it was as if no one dared to mention a single word—clearly having been privately handled behind the scenes.

Upon reading the reports, Sui Yi merely responded with a carefree smile.

As to who was behind it, she didn't dwell on it much.

Whether it was Elder Tang or Elder De, any of them possessed both the motive and the capability, so why should she bother looking too deeply into it?

Although students like Lingshuang had received strict warnings from their parents, they still retained a youthful impulse and couldn't help revealing certain background details about Sui Yi. Though veiled and obscured, it was ultimately enough to make high school students across the Nanxun region regard Sui Yi's name with awe. Naturally, curiosity predominated, but few dared to provoke her lightly.

—This person's background is too profound; she's not someone to mess with.

Consequently, for now, only those originally on good terms with Sui Yi, like Yu Hang, were able to orbit around her. Later on, they were joined by Big Sister Lin and her foodie best friend, plus one honor-bound young master, Su Ziyi...

Her circle of friends wasn't large, but it was quite enough.

The third month of the first semester of Sui Yi's senior year passed by in just such a peaceful and ordinary fashion.

————————

November 20th, 2007; Class 2, Grade 12.

Outside the window, the tree leaves bashfully shed their green, taking on a pale, vicissitudinous tinge of twilight yellow. The once gentle breeze now carried a wintry chill, sharp enough to send a shiver down one's neck.

Students who were particularly sensitive to the cold, or simply those following the latest trends, were already wearing scarves to school.

Their layers of clothing had also unconsciously increased.

"Hey, Sui Yi, you're wearing so little again. Aren't you cold?" Chubby Zhou gazed at Sui Yi's creamy-white knitted sweater, its slightly V-shaped neckline revealing a patch of snow-white skin beneath her collarbone. Shifting his gaze upward, he looked at Sui Yi's face as she leaned back in her chair. It was very pale, somewhat resembling the glass of milk he had just finished drinking that morning.

A faint, pale softness seemed to ripple across her features, imbuing that milky white with a lingering, gentle allure.

It washed away much of the autumn dryness.

Scanning the entire classroom and even the whole school, Sui Yi always managed to stand out brilliantly among the crowd of female students.

Much like Yan Qingwu of the past.

"It's alright, not very cold," Sui Yi glanced down at her school uniform jacket resting on the empty chair beside her, contemplating whether she should put it on.

She simply didn't feel cold.

If she weren't afraid of standing out too much, she would have been perfectly fine going out in just a shirt.

Yet, just taking that extra glance at her jacket inevitably brought to mind the girl who had left Nanxun far behind for the bustling provincial capital.

Involuntarily, she let out a soft sigh.

"Fatty, you think Sui Yi's as weak as you? You're already fat, yet you wrap yourself up like a polar bear! Here, Sui Yi, thanks for the practice test questions. Here, I'm returning it," Wang Xian said, teasing his deskmate while pulling Sui Yi's test booklet out of his schoolbag and placing it back on her desk.

The group chatted for a few more moments before the warning bell for class finally rang.

Huang Liang walked into the classroom and dropped a single announcement.

"I have an announcement for you all... there's an exam tomorrow."

"Jiangnan City has issued advance notice for the first municipal mock exam. All fifty high schools with senior classes within Jiangnan City, including its eighteen towns, are required to participate."

"The exam will last for two days, conducted in the format of the National College Entrance Examination..."

"Your exam halls will be assigned to other schools, mixed in with students from other schools across Nanxun..."

Huang Liang's voice was as rough and grating as ever, shattering the sole tranquil atmosphere of the early morning and dropping the temperature straight to freezing point. Right as a fallen leaf drifted past Sui Yi's window, it detonated a wave of heated uproar!