C19 Purple Gold Phoenix Bracelet 1

Zhao Sitong's eyes sparkled with curiosity as she surveyed the room. The decor was unlike anything she had seen before, but it seemed quite appealing. Though she didn't fully understand the style, the cleanliness and elegance made her feel at ease.

Muh Chen watched as Sitong's wide eyes flitted from one object to another, touching them with a sense of wonder akin to a baby discovering the world for the first time. Her actions were genuine, not contrived, and for the first time, Muh Chen, who had never shown interest in anything beyond work, found himself intrigued by a person.

"Mr. Chen, do you reside in this mansion? Weren't you taken by them?" Sitong's confusion was palpable, and eventually, her curiosity got the better of her, prompting her to ask.

At her question, Muh Chen's mouth quirked involuntarily, recalling the analysis Wenn Tao had shared with him over the phone. He decided to play along with Sitong's line of thought. "Why do you think I was captured?"

"Half a year ago, you apprehended a wild man who was destroying crops in the forest. Then, reports came in about a large group of wild men gathering at Long Spear Mountain with ill intentions. You volunteered to quell the threat, but after you left, it was as if you had vanished into thin air, leaving no trace behind," Sitong explained, her voice dropping to a somber tone. "Royal Father feared for your safety and sent several search parties, but they found no sign of you. Rumors spread that the wild men had devoured you. I was so distraught, I contemplated following you to the grave. To prevent me from harming myself, Royal Father had someone falsely claim that you might still be alive. That news revived my spirits."

"I resolved that as long as your body remained unfound, there was hope you were alive. I was determined to search for you myself, but Royal Father forbade it. No matter how much I pleaded and cried, he wouldn't consent. Over three months passed with no word from you. Yet, here you are—I never expected to find you in this place!"

Zhao Sitong's eyes brimmed with tears as she gazed intently at Muh Chen. Upon hearing her words, Muh Chen's gaze deepened, his eyes reflecting a profound depth. He observed Sitong's tear-filled eyes, feeling a gentle tug at his heartstrings. Despite knowing that her story was likely a fabrication born from her delusional disorder, he couldn't help but feel a stir of emotion at the sight of her genuine sorrow and the tears glistening on her cheeks.

"How did you end up here?" Muh Chen inquired, his expression unchanging. Aren't the ramblings of someone with a mental illness typically disjointed? Yet the girl before him spoke with clarity and sound logic, her emotions undeniably authentic.

"Today is Royal Father's birthday, so yesterday, I took Liuer to Moon Watching River to collect flower rain stones. Royal Father adores Stone Bamboo Flowers, and I wanted to adorn the ones I've nurtured for half a year with these stones as a birthday present for him. At the river, I spotted a unique, purple, ring-shaped flower rain stone and went to pick it up," explained Sitong, pulling back her sleeve to reveal a purple bracelet on her wrist. "The moment I touched it, a powerful current swept me up, and I found myself in the pond yesterday."

As Sitong's Purple Gold Phoenix Bracelet came fully into view, Muh Chen's eyes sparkled with intensity. He grasped her wrist, his hand trembling with excitement. The bracelet had only flashed briefly in the video, and he had caught just a glimpse of it in the car. Now, presented with the entire bracelet before him, its crystal clarity and lustrous sheen were undeniable. The bracelet's substantial weight and the antiquated design spoke of its ancient origins. Adorned with a figure resembling a soaring phoenix in bronze yellow, the interplay of purple and gold hues lent the bracelet an extraordinary elegance.

It was indeed the "Purple Gold Phoenix Bracelet" – the fabled Phoenix Bracelet of the Muh family lore. Who was this woman, and how had the bracelet come into her possession? She claimed it was the bracelet that had brought her here, but could the words of someone diagnosed with delusional disorder be trusted? Muh Chen, who was typically the epitome of composure, found himself on the brink of madness, desperate for someone to reveal the truth.

"Mr. Chen, what's wrong?" Zhao Sitong asked, her eyes filled with curiosity as she observed Muh Chen's sudden excitement. Since their encounter yesterday, Mr. Chen had maintained a cold and distant demeanor, seemingly impervious to her antics and showing no sign of emotional response. Yet, now, the sight of the purple bracelet had stirred something in him. "Do you recognize this bracelet?" she inquired.