C12 I Sent It to the Old Folks' Home

He pulled a string of white jade beads from his pocket. "This here is a little something I recently acquired—a white jade bracelet from over 200 years ago. Let's have some fun with it!"

The room buzzed with excitement. An item from over two centuries ago was certainly a rare find, and anything Elder Ji brought out was bound to be extraordinary. Attending this celebration was turning out to be more thrilling than anyone had expected, and many were eager to join in.

Elder Ji turned to Chiang Ci, his gaze deep and meaningful. "You've got some good luck, young lady. Why not join the next activity? It's all in good fun, and there's no shame in guessing wrong."

Seeing the elder's confident demeanor, Chiang Ci knew there was no escaping this. She understood Elder Ji's intention—if she could correctly appraise the item, it would solidify her reputation, and any previous doubts about her judgment would be laid to rest. If she was wrong, well, with so many participants, she wouldn't be the only one. It was clear he was giving her a way out.

Not wanting to disappoint the kind old man, she smiled wryly and softly agreed, "Alright."

The elder then handed the answer card to Lirong. "Lirong, why don't you be the judge for us?"

Lirong, holding the card, had no chance to refuse. Her visible discomfort was evident, but she had no choice but to agree.

On the table were three items: a porcelain vase with intricate vine patterns and a small gilded incense burner shaped like a mythical creature, both provided by Elder Ji, and a bronze bird statue from Elder Qian.

Quite a few guests were eager to appraise the treasures and enrich their knowledge of antiques. Friends approached together, engaging in discussions, and soon the long table was surrounded by a lively crowd.

Chiang Ci stood nearby, feeling a bit bored. She planned to wait until the crowd thinned out before stepping forward. Just then, a message notification popped up on her phone. It was from a messaging app: "Miss Chiang, the professor wants to know if you have time to visit the lab tomorrow. He has some questions he'd like to discuss with you."

She was about to reply when she noticed a hand reaching out to grab her. She sidestepped to the right, avoiding it. "Tomorrow doesn't work. I'll come by the afternoon after," she typed back, then closed her phone and turned to face the person interrupting her peace.

Chiang Xinxin, having missed her target, stumbled slightly. She looked at Chiang Ci, who blinked innocently, and let out a huff. Adjusting her long hair, she leaned in to whisper a warning only the two of them could hear, "I already called Dad about what happened earlier," she continued, "He said if today's events bring any negative impact on the family, he'll move your grandfather from the care center to a nursing home."

Chiang Ci had always despised being threatened with her loved ones, especially since she had vowed to protect them after taking over this body. She lifted her face, narrowed her eyes, and pressed her lips together, looking at Chiang Xinxin for a couple of seconds before giving her a cool smile.

"Don't worry, sis. I'm sure Dad will be pleased with how I handle things from here on out! Maybe you should be more concerned about whether Elder Ji will find out about his dissatisfaction with you."

She brushed past Xinxin, whose face had turned pale, and walked toward the long table under the concerned gazes of Young Master Bai and Young Master Lee. Putting on white gloves meant for handling antiques, she carefully examined the three items one by one. It took her less than 10 minutes to finish, and then she moved to the table where she would write her answers. Before writing, she glanced at Elder Ji, who was watching her with a knowing smile, making her want to roll her eyes.

No wonder he's a master of antiques; even now, he's setting traps for people. Elder Ji is quite the sly old fox.