"Since the Buddhist beads have left Vajra Temple, their ties to the temple are severed. There is no point in trying to reconnect them. I only hope that these beads, which have been steeped in the spiritual practice of High Monk Hongyi for half his life and bathed in incense and scripture for decades, will be treated well by someone with a karmic connection. While High Monk Hongyi’s beads are not divine artifacts, nothing else compares to their ability to calm the mind and spirit; they ward off all malevolence."
Lu Cheng spoke with a solemn tone, itemizing the details one by one, momentarily forgetting that Ye Chen and the other stall owners were within earshot.
He concluded, "High Monk Hongyi’s Buddhist beads cannot be measured in money. To most people, they are just ordinary beads, but in the eyes of my former superior, they are priceless. He has been searching for them for years, but alas, the opportunity never arose."
"Boss, fifty thousand! Fifty thousand, sell these beads back to me!"
No sooner had Lu Cheng finished speaking than the stall owner, filled with immense regret, hurried to shout at Ye Chen.
He did not even stop to wonder if these people were working together. He was filled with utter remorse. He had never imagined that the story he had made up on the spot would turn out to be true. The beads really did come from an enlightened monk, and the patina truly was from years of exposure to incense.
Had he known this, he wouldn't have sold them for twenty thousand—he wouldn't have sold them for two hundred thousand! The very name of High Monk Hongyi made the item worth far more than that.
"Brother, three hundred thousand. Sell them to me, how about it?"
Immediately following the stall owner's offer, Zhang Jingshan chimed in anxiously.
Based on what Lu Cheng had said, if he could secure these beads as a birthday gift for the old man, the significance would be profound.
Rarely, Lu Cheng did not stop Zhang Jingshan.
If this were any other object, even if it truly held value, he would have discouraged Zhang Jingshan from buying it, as his former superior had instructed him otherwise. But for these beads, he didn't want to interfere, because this was a regret his former superior had kept buried deep in his heart for so long.
Ye Chen ignored the stall owner entirely, his brow furrowing slightly.
Three hundred thousand?
In his previous life, that gambling friend had sold them for four hundred and eighty thousand! The buyer before him clearly wasn't the one who had ended up with the beads in his past life. Was he really going to sell them for a pittance?
"Sell these beads to me. Consider it a favor owed to you by Zhang Jingshan. How about that?"
Seeing Ye Chen frown, Zhang Jingshan realized he seemed reluctant to sell, and he immediately added this offer.
Little did he know that Ye Chen, who had been on the verge of rejecting the three-hundred-thousand offer, was stunned upon hearing the name Zhang Jingshan!
Zhang Jingshan? Why did that name sound so familiar?
Immediately, shards of memory began to piece themselves together in his mind.
***
In the vice president's office at the e-commerce company where Chen Yinuo worked.
Chen Yinuo walked in nervously. Before she could speak:
*BANG!*
Wang Tao, the company's thirty-something vice president, loosened his tie and slammed his palm onto the desk.
"Chen Yinuo, what the hell are you doing? Do you even want to keep this job? I told you to take our products to Yuntian Network for promotion. Why is it that the product they're promoting now is our competitor's? Is this your professional capability?" Wang Tao bellowed.
Previously, his attitude toward Chen Yinuo had been the best in the entire company. Of course, the reason was obvious—he had ulterior, lecherous motives. Even without makeup, Chen Yinuo was the most beautiful woman in the company. More importantly, rumors had it that her husband was a complete deadbeat and a gambler, which made the power-tripping vice president naturally covet her.
However, no matter how hard he tried to curry favor, Chen Yinuo had always evaded his private invitations, ignored his suggestive, semi-explicit advances, and even intentionally kept her distance. Having been rejected, he naturally decided to target her.
"Vice President Wang, Yuntian Network chose our competitor's product because their quote was ten percent lower than ours!" Chen Yinuo said, feeling aggrieved.
*WHACK!*
Wang Tao slammed the desk again.
"If our promotion quotes are higher than the competition, what do we need you for? Yuntian Network had been working with us for over half a year. How did it all fall apart the moment the task was handed to you? I'll give you one last chance. If you can't secure the promotion contract with Yuntian Network, pack your bags and get out!"
He threw a previously drafted contract onto the table. The papers flew, scattering all over the floor in front of Chen Yinuo.
"Yes, Vice President Wang!"
Holding back the tears welling in her eyes, Chen Yinuo stooped down to pick up the scattered contract pages one by one.
After walking out of the office with the contract—which had an extremely low chance of success—the tears she had been fighting back finally streamed down her reddened eyes.
A husband who was like a demonic thug. Parents who looked at her with nothing but contempt. A supervisor who deliberately targeted her to force her out of a job.
They were all human, so why was her life so bitter? If it weren't for Ye Youyou, her emotional pillar, she would have wanted to end it all and be done with it. Because living... was just too exhausting.
***
*Chapter 011: This guy must be a fool*
At the Antique City, within a few fleeting moments, those past memories had become crystal clear in Ye Chen's mind.
Zhang Jingshan.
In his previous life, he hadn't interacted with this man, but he was no stranger to the name. He had a grandfather who had been the top official of Jiangzhou City, and a father who was the chairman of a construction company. He was the founder of Yuntian Network, which would soon become an internet sensation.
But it wasn't his family background that had etched the name into Ye Chen's memory. What made him remember it was a trending topic from his past life.
It had started with a female streamer—one who worked for his network company. In the video that went viral across the entire internet, Ye Chen clearly remembered Zhang Jingshan forcing himself on the woman, unaware that she had long since installed a camera in her home to record the entire ordeal.
Ye Chen didn't know what had driven that woman to drag him down with her by leaking the video. But he knew that it was precisely her act of mutual destruction that had ruined not only Zhang Jingshan but his father as well. Because of that "rape" incident, all sorts of things about the Zhang family were unearthed, including the revelation that his father's construction company had cut corners on municipal and public livelihood projects.
As the father and son were embroiled in a public relations crisis, the final straw that broke the camel's back occurred: due to negligence on a construction site the Zhang family was working on, several workers died in an accident.
This pushed the Zhang family into the abyss. The grandfather was so enraged he vomited blood and passed away months later. Zhang Jingshan and his father were sentenced to prison, the network company went bankrupt, and they became public enemies to millions of netizens. A promising family future was destroyed by public opinion.
Yet, what was tragic was that it wasn't until years later that the family's name was cleared. Zhang Jingshan’s "rape" had been a setup—a deliberate framing. As for the construction company's corner-cutting, it had actually been the work of corrupt subordinates who had gone behind his father's back to line their own pockets. The deaths on the site were indeed a tragic accident, but in the climate of public outrage at the time, it became the final straw.
Unfortunately, by the time the truth was published, it was years later.
Thinking of this, and remembering that Zhang Jingshan was buying these for his grandfather—a man who had been incorruptible his entire life—Ye Chen didn't want to haggle over the price anymore. He didn't care about making an extra hundred thousand; there would be plenty of opportunities to make money later, and three hundred thousand was enough to pay off his loan shark debts.
"Fine. Even though these beads are worth more than three hundred thousand, I don't feel like dragging this out. Three hundred thousand it is." Ye Chen nodded.
However, he had no intention of warning Zhang Jingshan about the impending crisis. Not to mention whether the other party would believe him, he felt that given their casual, fleeting relationship, there was no need to meddle in such affairs and invite unnecessary trouble upon himself.
He only hoped that these beads, which possessed supreme Buddhist karma, might change the course of the Zhang family's fate.
"Great! I'll transfer the money to you right now!" Zhang Jingshan beamed.
As he reached for his phone, he realized that in his hurry to leave, he had not only forgotten his phone but his wallet as well.
"Jingshan, what's wrong?" Lu Cheng asked, surprised to see him suddenly freeze.
For anyone else, three hundred thousand to buy these beads might be a ripoff, but to the old leader, it was a massive steal. Why was he hesitating?
"Uncle Lu, I forgot my wallet and phone," Zhang Jingshan said, looking at Lu Cheng with embarrassment.
"Oh? This..." Lu Cheng was stunned.
"Uncle Lu, do you think you could..."
Before he could finish, Lu Cheng seemed to know what he was going to say. "Don't look at me. I only have a few thousand in my savings book, and it's back home. Why don't you call your dad and have him send the money?"
Unexpectedly, Zhang Jingshan stubbornly replied without a second thought, "No. I won't go to him for anything, not even this!"
"Then what do we do?" Lu Cheng asked.
Zhang Jingshan looked at Ye Chen, feeling awkward and unable to speak. "Brother, how about you come back with me to get the money? Or, give me your account number, and I'll transfer it to you later?"
Zhang Jingshan blushed as he spoke. He figured the other guy must be crazy to agree to this!
As Zhang Jingshan had expected, Ye Chen shook his head. But what happened next was completely unexpected and unbelievable to him.
"Forget it. I don't have my bank card with me, so I can't give you an account number. How about this: you go back, get the money ready, and when you're done, call me. I'll come pick it up directly. It saves everyone the trouble," Ye Chen said.
*Huh?*
Once those words were out, not only were Zhang Jingshan and Lu Cheng dumbfounded—there were actually people this easygoing? Wasn't he afraid they would take the item and refuse to pay?
The stall owner who had just sold the beads to Ye Chen, along with the other nearby vendors, had their mouths twitching uncontrollably.
*Is this guy... is this guy an idiot?*
He handed over a three-hundred-thousand-dollar item, and once the buyer left with it, how could he possibly expect to get paid? You could search the whole world and never find them again!
Yet, they had no idea what was going through Ye Chen's mind. Given Zhang Jingshan’s status, why would he welch on a debt of three hundred thousand? Especially since he was buying them for his grandfather, the former city leader.
"You trust me that much? Aren't you afraid I'll renege on the deal and not pay?" Zhang Jingshan asked, stunned.
"You don't look like the type to welch on a debt," Ye Chen laughed.
*Huh?*
Was that reason far-fetched? There couldn't be a more far-fetched reason than that! Zhang Jingshan even felt that this guy in front of him was just incredibly thick-headed!
***
"Uncle Lu, would you say that guy is just honest, or is he missing a few screws? Though he doesn't look like some simple, salt-of-the-earth type either," Zhang Jingshan said as he and Lu Cheng walked out of the Antique City, carefully holding the Buddhist beads.
"Jingshan, the value of those beads is more than three hundred thousand. Or rather, he knows they're worth more than three hundred thousand," Lu Cheng said profoundly.
"Oh? Then why sell them to me?" Zhang Jingshan asked, bewildered.
"Judging by his micro-expressions, he didn't intend to sell them at first. But I noticed he only changed his mind after hearing your name," Lu Cheng noted.
Zhang Jingshan was even more confused. "But I don't know him! I have absolutely no memory of such a person. And you said he changed his mind because he heard my name, but what would he gain from that?"
"That's true, too!" Lu Cheng shook his head and laughed, his pensive expression fading. "Perhaps he's heard of you, knows you're the old leader's grandson, and knows you're the boss of Yuntian Network, so he's confident you wouldn't welch on a measly three hundred thousand."
"That makes sense!" Zhang Jingshan laughed. "Fine, let's hurry back to the office and get the money ready. What year are we in that I have to deal with cash? Online transfers are so convenient. It feels like a black-market deal!"
***
*Chapter 012: Are you stalking me?*
Zhang Jingshan moved quickly. Mostly because, for someone of his stature, owing money to a common citizen was incredibly uncomfortable, and he was also worried the other party would start overthinking things.
Less than two hours later, he called Ye Chen and told him to come to Yuntian Network to collect the money.
"Mr. Ye, the money is ready. Is it convenient for you to come to Yuntian Network to pick it up? Yes, that’s 167 Jiangzhou Avenue Middle. If it's not convenient for you, that's fine too. Give me an address, and I'll have someone deliver it to you. How's that?" Zhang Jingshan asked politely over the phone.
"No problem, it's convenient. Yuntian Network, right? I'm heading over now," Ye Chen said.
"Alright, sorry for the trouble!"
At the Antique City, after parting ways with Zhang Jingshan and Lu Cheng, Ye Chen had been wandering among the stalls, hoping to use the keen eye he’d developed in his previous life to find a few more bargains. After coming up empty-handed, he abandoned the idea of treasure hunting once he received Zhang Jingshan's call.
He hailed a taxi and headed toward Yuntian Network.
***
167 Jiangzhou Avenue Middle.
At the entrance of Yuntian Network, Chen Yinuo bit her lip and took a deep breath. She didn't believe there was any possibility of renewing the contract when their quote was ten percent higher than the competition's. But even if the hope was minuscule, she had to try. Being fired was a small matter, but how to provide for Youyou was the real crisis.
Armed with the courage of a mother, she walked into the Yuntian Network office.
"Why is it you again?"
As soon as she entered, the security guard stopped her. His tone was extremely unfriendly. "Get out of here! Manager Yang gave orders last time—you've been blacklisted!"
"I'm not looking for Manager Yang. I'm looking for President Zhang," Chen Yinuo said through gritted teeth.
"Looking for President Zhang?" Hearing that she was aiming for the big boss, the guard hesitated. "Do you have an appointment?"
Chen Yinuo's heart skipped a beat, and she said with a slight tremble, "No."
The guard felt like he was being played and scolded her, "You don't have an appointment, and you want to see President Zhang? Do you really think just anyone can see him? Get lost!"
The guard moved to shove Chen Yinuo out.
"Oh? Tsk, tsk, tsk. Isn't this Miss Chen?"
At that moment, a mocking, cold laugh echoed. Chen Yinuo looked up and saw Yang Di, the business manager of Yuntian Network, stepping out of the elevator.
"Manager Yang!"
The guard saw him and panicked. "Manager Yang, I'll get her out of here right now!"
"No hurry. Why don't you get back to your work? I'll have a word with her," Yang Di said.
After watching the guard leave, Yang Di sneered at Chen Yinuo. "Miss Chen, I didn't expect us to meet again so soon."
He gestured to the document bag in Chen Yinuo's hand. "Are you here about the promotion contract again?"
"Yes!" Chen Yinuo said. "Manager Yang, our company's cosmetic products have always maintained a good cooperative relationship with Yuntian Network. Could you please reconsider extending the contract?"
"Reconsider? Are you joking? Another e-commerce company is offering a price ten percent higher than yours—any fool would know which one to choose. Do you really think Yuntian Network is a charity?" Yang Di laughed coldly.
However, he didn't stop there. His expression turned playful and sinister. "Though... it's not like there’s absolutely no room for negotiation."
"What room is there?" Chen Yinuo asked anxiously.
"Forgot what I told you last time? Have dinner with me, spend a night together, and we can make the contract work! I have the final say in business cooperation. Even if your price is ten percent lower than the others, I can sign off on it. How about it?"
He lowered his voice, his hormones raging, his eyes glinting with lechery as he scanned Chen Yinuo’s alluring figure. He had been targeting her since the first time he saw her. Using the contract to coerce her was a plan he had long since devised.
As for whether he would actually sign the contract if she submitted? Yes! Not because he had the authority, but because President Zhang had instructed that as long as Huaxing Trading's quote wasn't ten percent below market price, they should choose them, as they had been partners for years. But this was a trade secret. Because of that, he dared to use it to threaten her!
"You're dreaming!"
Sensing the unabashed, naked lust in Yang Di's eyes, Chen Yinuo stepped back and glared at him, furious.
This wasn't the first time she’d heard this from Yang Di. When she had come to discuss the cooperation previously, he had adopted the same threatening stance. Now, it was the second time. Even though this job was vital for her and Youyou's survival, and she would get a commission if the deal went through, that didn't mean she would sell herself to keep it. If she were the kind of person who could accept such degradation, would she have suffered so many grievances for a job, given her beauty?
Chen Yinuo's shout drew the attention of others in the lobby.
"I want to see President Zhang! I want to talk to him directly! If President Zhang refuses to cooperate, then I'll give up!"
As she spoke, she began to head toward the elevator.
Yang Di, now incensed by her public defiance, grabbed her and lowered his voice. "You bitch, you're really pushing your luck, aren't you? Do you really think you're made of gold? Having me is way better than your gambler husband!"
*WHACK!*
At this insult, which crossed the line from lechery into pure humiliation...