Night fell in an instant.
This city, surrounded by the sea on all sides, had a long-standing custom of deeply revering spirits and fearing nature.
Nearly every shop displayed golden auspicious dragons outside, their golden light refracting through neon signs, casting seven-colored auspicious auras.
At the cashiers' counters, items like purple jade cabbages, jade Ruyi scepters, and Pixiu statues were placed as wealth-attracting objects.
The more popular the shop, the more it believed these items could bring good luck, and the more willing the owners were to invest.
For instance, the money tree in front of Ren Yuanhao, so lifelike it was almost indistinguishable from a real one, was twisted and intertwined to form a green archway. This was naturally intended to signify a continuous stream of customers.
"Ah, just to have a bit of aristocratic flair, I had to fork out money for this flashy outfit."
Ren Yuanhao looked at his sallow reflection in the mirror. His pale complexion was like that of a nocturnal vampire; with a pair of braces, he wouldn't even need makeup to play Dracula.
"Tsk, handsome guys look good in anything," the saleswoman gushed, her expression smitten. Ren Yuanhao could only force a smile, follow her to pay, and then walk out of the shop.
"Didi, a Ferrari Enzo is being transported by helicopter. Currently, there's only a small electric scooter available."
"Mmm~ If the system lady thinks wearing this ridiculously ostentatious outfit and riding a small electric scooter is appropriate, I don't mind."
"Can't be helped, you'll have to make do for now, as your date time is approaching."
Ren Yuanhao sighed. He went out, turned left, and soon spotted a small electric scooter, highlighted on his mental map, appearing near a corner garden.
"What the heck, an electric scooter is one thing, but what's with the pink? Do they think I'm not flashy enough?"
He grumbled as he weaved through the pedestrians. As he approached the electric scooter, his sense of shame surged. Just then, on his mental map, the employer's location marker began to move towards the destination.
Even more coincidentally, this moving marker was quite close to him?
Ren Yuanhao mounted the electric scooter, paying no mind to the strange glances from passersby, his gaze following the moving marker.
Amidst the throng of people, he saw a woman, not particularly tall, with a delicate and demure appearance, enter a jewelry store.
After passing through the glass door, the woman removed her glasses. Her face was rather exquisite, but her complexion was visibly poor.
"Miss, may I help you with something?"
"Hmm~" The woman seemed hesitant, then slowly took off a jade bracelet from her wrist. Its lush green flowed with a clear translucence, immediately indicating it was no ordinary item.
"I'd like to pawn it. You see~"
The woman handed the bracelet to the counter lady, her tone tinged with reluctance.
"Miss, please wait a moment. I'll call our appraiser."
"Alright, but please be quick. I'm in a hurry for an appointment."
The woman felt a pang of melancholy, her voice growing weak.
Fortunately, the counter lady quickly brought out the appraiser.
The appraiser first offered a brief greeting to the woman, then lowered his head, adopting the demeanor of an old academic archeologist, and meticulously examined the bracelet.
"Miss, this bracelet is no common item. Forgive my presumption, but is its provenance legitimate?"
The woman's gaze drifted, not due to concerns about the bracelet, but because the object triggered memories, drawing her into a story about its origins.
"Miss?" The appraiser's voice callously interrupted her reverie.
"Don't worry, the bracelet was a gift from a friend. Its provenance is perfectly legitimate."
As the woman was about to retrieve her ID, the appraiser waved a hand.
"Wait a moment. While this item is quite valuable, we may not be able to meet your desired price."
"Five hundred thousand. If not, four hundred thousand is also acceptable."
"I'm sorry, Miss. We can only offer one hundred thousand. If you're not satisfied, please feel free to look elsewhere."
The appraiser showed no lingering interest, handing the bracelet back to the woman. His true intentions were obvious.
"It's only worth a hundred thousand?"
"No, it's just that this is all we can offer you. After all, it's an old item, and we'd have to spend a considerable sum to clean and consecrate it."
"A hundred thousand it is, then."
Despite her reluctance, the woman pushed the bracelet back. Just as she was about to take out her ID from her bag, Ren Yuanhao calmly walked in.
"Didi, employer profile updated:
Employer Name: Xiao Yue
Age: 23
Gender: Female
Profession: Fading Starlet
Relationship History: 1"
Ren Yuanhao had observed for a while from outside and already had a plan. He gracefully approached Xiao Yue and said softly, "Miss, this bracelet appears light, agile, and lustrous. It's no ordinary item. This fellow is bullying an honest person, offering a mere 100,000 yuan. He's not afraid of his tongue getting twisted."
"Hey, kid, where do you think you're from? Our shop has been in business for ten years with integrity. Don't you dare damage our reputation," the appraiser whispered, his face flushing slightly, clearly embarrassed that Ren Yuanhao had hit a sore spot.
"Thank you for speaking up for me, young man. However, I am indeed in urgent need of funds, regardless of how reluctant I am..."
Before Xiao Yue could finish her sentence, Ren Yuanhao snatched the bracelet from the appraiser's hand and prepared to place it back on Xiao Yue's wrist.
"Jade nourishes people. For a beautiful lady like yourself, to be without a proper jade piece on your wrist would indeed diminish your radiance."
Xiao Yue didn't flinch, allowing him to gently support her hand as he placed the bracelet back on. This was because what the man before her was saying was identical to what the person who gifted her the bracelet had said. And she just wanted to re-experience that feeling from back then.
The appraiser, having his significant business deal disrupted, was naturally displeased. He wouldn't be doing his job if he didn't find a way to undermine Ren Yuanhao and reclaim the business.
Thus, he said with righteous indignation, "The kid's dressed quite smartly. Miss, you should be careful. Some men these days spend a little money to rent an outfit, spruce themselves up, and specifically target beautiful ladies with your extraordinary aura. I suspect this fellow is one of them."
Xiao Yue looked up at Ren Yuanhao. She saw him unhurriedly take out a Visa black card from his pocket and casually place it on the counter.
As a jewelry store appraiser, he possessed sufficient discernment. His expression instantly darkened. With trembling hands, he held the black card and handed it back.
"I-I'm truly sorry. I had eyes but failed to recognize Mount Tai. Please forgive my offense."
The shop assistant who had been standing beside him couldn't comprehend the man's sudden 180-degree shift in attitude. Only after Ren Yuanhao whispered a few words into Xiao Yue's ear and led her out of the jewelry store did the appraiser tremble and say:
"That card represents the world's top-tier Visa users. The account must never fall below 20 billion yuan. Moreover, for someone his age to possess such a premium bank card, his identity is likely quite formidable."