C19 Woman Went Crazy

"Xueer, what do you think about me getting you a bracelet made of Dushan jade once we're in Nanyang? It would be such a shame to miss out on experiencing their unique jade!" The middle-aged man was impeccably dressed, sporting a white shirt with subtle vertical stripes, white trousers, and even his shoes were pristine white.

He affectionately patted the girl's shoulder. From their accents and attire, Chu Jun could tell they were from the south.

They might even be from Xiangjiang. Since Xiangjiang's return to the motherland in the '90s, travel between the regions had become much easier. Still, their presence was striking.

The differences in their lifestyle and openness compared to the mainland were significant, which is probably why Chu Jun found the girl so captivating.

"Daddy, that guy is so annoying; he won't stop staring at me!" The girl, appearing to be about Chu Jun's age and radiating youthful beauty, was clinging to her father's arm and pouting. She then shot Chu Jun another glare.

Opposites attract, as they say. Chu Jun had averted his gaze after the initial glare, but couldn't help looking back again, only to be caught in the act by the girl.

"Cough, cough!" Chu Jun, standing not too far from the pair, heard everything clearly. When he noticed the middle-aged man also looking his way, his face flushed with heat. He covered his mouth, feigning a cough to mask his discomfort, then quickly lowered his head and hurried away.

What a frustrating encounter! Chu Jun didn't consider himself a heartthrob, but he certainly didn't expect to draw ire so easily. Could the girl be a bit off?

That was the only thought that brought Chu Jun some solace, helping him regain his composure. The weather, too, was scorching, especially at midday with the sun at its most intense.

The Great Jade Carving World market boasted a diverse array of shops. There were all sorts of jade jewelry and carvings, including exquisite jade pieces, amidst the stone gambling stores. Yet, at this moment, the market wasn't too crowded.

As it approached noon, the market was relatively quiet, with only a few customers trickling in and out. Chu Jun smacked his forehead in a sudden realization. He had been foolish; his mouth was right there under his nose, so there was no need to search aimlessly—he could simply ask someone.

"Excuse me, sir, do you know where the Navy Stone Gambling Store is?" Chu Jun approached a roadside cold drink stall, mopping the sweat from his brow. After purchasing a bottle of water, he posed his question to the stall owner.

"The Navy Stone Gambling Store?" The vendor, a man in his sixties with a face weathered by years of sun and wind, furrowed his brow at Chu Jun's inquiry.

"Yes, that's the one. It specializes in stone gambling!" Chu Jun reiterated, feeling a bit redundant.

The elderly gentleman surveyed his surroundings before shaking his head with conviction after a brief moment. "No such place. I've never even heard of a Navy Stone Gambling Store."

"What? No way!" Chu Jun nearly choked on his water, sputtering in disbelief as he wiped his mouth. "Uncle, are you sure you've never heard of the Navy Stone Gambling Store?"

The old man seemed irked by Chu Jun's skeptical tone. He shrugged nonchalantly, pulled a cigarette from his carton, and lit it, drawing in a long drag before exhaling a plume of smoke.

"Listen, young man, I've been running this stall for three years. See that shop behind me?" He gestured to a jade store with 'Full Jade Pavilion' emblazoned on its sign. "That's my place. I was one of the first to set up shop here in the Great Jade Carving World. There's not a soul here I don't know. If I say there's no Navy Stone Gambling Store, you can bet it doesn't exist."

Chu Jun's jaw dropped in surprise. Not only had he misjudged the man, who turned out to be a shop owner, but the Navy Stone Gambling Store he remembered seemed to have vanished into thin air.

Could my memory be playing tricks on me, or did my rebirth somehow alter history?

No, something didn't add up. I was able to track down those stamps, so it didn't make sense for the jade stone gambling to just vanish into thin air.

Chu Jun's mind was a whirlwind of confusion, brimming with unanswered questions. He had come to Nanyang brimming with confidence, convinced he'd once again get ahead of the game by locating the rough stone that could be carved into glass-type jadeite, and then cash in to bolster his internet company.

Was it all for nothing? A mere pipe dream?

The thought left him feeling deflated, like a balloon losing air, his spirits sagging. He managed a half-hearted greeting to the old man before trudging on.

His mood grew worse as he walked, and on a whim, he found himself entering a jade shop.

"What do you want? Why are you following me?" The voice was sharp and accusatory, jolting Chu Jun from his thoughts. He looked up to find the scantily clad Xiangjiang girl he had seen earlier, now standing before him.

Her beauty was undeniable, with sparkling eyes and porcelain skin, but her current fury was palpable, her gaze filled with intense disdain, her voice laced with rebuke.

Chu Jun was already frazzled, his hasty money-making scheme likely a bust. The navy's stone gambling shop was nowhere to be found, and the glass-type jadeite seemed a lost cause. How could he possibly be in any mood for this?

"Are you for real? Who's following you? You're way too full of yourself!" Chu Jun snapped back, his retort dripping with sarcasm. Good looks or not, didn't she have any manners?

He glanced around, half-expecting to see her father, but he was nowhere in sight.

"You... What did you just say? You're despicable!" The girl, clearly a pampered heiress, was used to being adored like a jewel in her family's crown. Chu Jun's blunt words had her fuming, steam practically billowing from her ears as she swung her hand in a slap.

"Smack!" Chu Jun caught her wrist and swiftly pushed her aside. "Have you lost your mind?!" Encountering such madness, he knew the best course of action was to keep his distance. With a dismissive snort, he stepped further into the shop, intent on bypassing her.

"Hey, what's going on with you two? Let's keep it friendly—money flows when peace grows. Please, no fighting in the shop; everything here is breakable!" The shopkeeper, a woman, sensed trouble brewing and hurried over to mediate. But before she could get her full message across, the beautiful young girl lost her temper.

"Don't you dare walk away from me—we're going to settle this now!" When a woman loses her cool, it's like the earth is splitting and the sky is falling, especially with someone as wildly irrational as her. Her combativeness was off the charts, her gestures wild and aggressive, as she closed in on Chu Jun in just a few strides.

Chu Jun instinctively glanced back and blanched at the sight. There's an old adage: a wise man never fights with a woman, and he certainly wasn't about to start now. But before he could even process the situation, there was a ripping sound.

The girl's white tank top had snagged on a nearby shelf. In her fury, she hadn't slowed down, and the straps tore clean off.

And just as she reached him, her tank top slipped right off.