272: Chapter 272 The Lost Pocket Watch

Yunzhou's antique market was a mixed bag. The bluestone road was bumpy and riddled with puddles from last night's rain. The stalls on both sides were packed tightly, selling copper coins and porcelain that were hard to distinguish as real or fake. The sounds of bargaining rose and fell, making one's ears ache. The air was filled with the smell of low-grade tobacco and moldy wood.

Chen Fan walked slowly with his hands in his pockets. Su Wanqing held his arm, and the two strolled around pretending to be ordinary tourists. When they passed a stall selling old clocks and watches, Chen Fan's footsteps stopped.

He turned his head, his gaze landing on an item in the corner of the stall.

An old, worn-out brass pocket watch. The glass surface was cracked, and the strap was peeling from wear. Among the floor full of artificially aged fakes, this watch appeared extremely inconspicuous.

Chen Fan squatted down. He picked up the pocket watch and pressed his thumb firmly on the clasp of the cover. With a "click," the cover popped open.

On the inside of the cover, the name "Shen Qing" was engraved.

This was his biological mother's name. Back then, the family was so poor they could barely eat. To scrape together his tuition fees, his mother had pawned this sole heirloom. Chen Fan had been searching for it for ten years.

The stall owner was a middle-aged man with a mustache. Seeing Chen Fan staring intently at the pocket watch, his eyes darted around.

"Boss, you have a good eye." The stall owner leaned in and held up a finger. "This is an item from the Qing Dynasty. If you're sincere about wanting it, you can take it for this amount."

"How much?" Chen Fan asked.

"One million." The stall owner demanded an exorbitant price.

A pot-bellied man with a thick gold chain around his neck walked over. The man snatched the pocket watch from Chen Fan's hand.

"One million? I'll take it!" The man tossed the pocket watch in his hand a couple of times and glanced at Chen Fan. "Look at this pauper. If you can't afford it, don't touch it. This watch is mine."

Chen Fan slowly stood up. He looked at the fat man.

"Put the watch down." Chen Fan reached out his hand. "That thing doesn't belong to you."

The fat man clutched his belly and laughed loudly, reaching out to push Chen Fan's shoulder.

"In this territory of Yunzhou, no one dares to snatch what I've set my sights on! Who do you think you are?" the fat man shouted. "You want to pick a fight with me?"

The fat man pushed his hand against Chen Fan's shoulder. He used a lot of force.

Chen Fan didn't retreat half a step. The noisy bargaining around them stopped. Several stall owners poked their heads out to watch the commotion.

"In Yunzhou, no one takes an item that I, Liu Dafu, have my eyes on." The flesh on Liu Dafu's fat face quivered. He held up the old pocket watch in his hand and held it against the sunlight. The brass casing reflected a piercing light. "One million? I'll pay two million. This watch is mine."

The stall owner was overjoyed. He rubbed his hands together, nodding repeatedly with his mouth wide open.

Chen Fan looked at Liu Dafu. His gaze was devoid of warmth.

"The watch is not for sale," Chen Fan said.

Liu Dafu sneered and waved the watch in his hand. "I have money. I'll buy whatever I want. Who the hell are you?"

Chen Fan pulled a black card from his pocket. A Centurion Black Card with crossed swords. The edges of the card glinted with a metallic luster.

The stall owner didn't recognize it, thinking it was just an ordinary bank card. Liu Dafu, however, was stunned. He was in the construction materials business and had seen enough of the world to know what this card represented.

But he didn't believe a young man in an old hoodie could have a real card.

"Bringing a fake card here to play the big shot?" Liu Dafu extended his fleshy palm and swung it toward Chen Fan's face. "Get lost!"

Before the slap could land.

A hand reached out from the side and grabbed Liu Dafu's wrist.

Chen Haoyu stood beside Chen Fan at some unknown point. Dressed in casual clothes, his movements were extremely fast. He gripped Liu Dafu's wrist with his left hand and twisted it forcefully with his right.

Crack.

The crisp sound of a bone breaking rang out.

Liu Dafu shrieked like a slaughtered pig, and the pocket watch fell from his hand.

Chen Fan reached out and caught the pocket watch, holding it in his palm. The brass casing felt cool.

Chen Haoyu followed up with a kick to Liu Dafu's knee. Liu Dafu fell to his knees, rolling on the ground in pain.

The stall owner was terrified. He took two steps back, accidentally knocking over a porcelain bowl.

"You dare hit me..." Liu Dafu howled, clutching his broken wrist. "My cousin is the vice president of the Yunzhou Chamber of Commerce!"

Chen Haoyu ignored him and turned to gesture toward the street corner.

Two armored cash transport vehicles drove directly into the antique market and stopped in front of the stall. The doors opened, and four fully armed security personnel stepped out carrying ten black coded cases.

The cases were placed on the stall.

Chen Haoyu opened the first case. It was full of brand-new hundred-yuan bills. The red notes were stacked neatly, smelling of fresh ink.

"There is ten million here." Chen Haoyu looked at the stall owner. "To buy this watch. The extra is for your medical bills."

Before the stall owner could react, Chen Haoyu picked up a bundle of cash and threw it directly at the owner's face.

The bills scattered, falling all over the ground. The stall owner was knocked down, his head dazed. Looking at the money everywhere, he couldn't even speak. He had never seen so much cash in his life.

Liu Dafu's screams caught in his throat. He looked at the cases of cash and then at the black card in Chen Fan's hand, his whole body trembling. He realized he had kicked a steel plate.

Chen Fan put the pocket watch in his pocket and turned to leave. Su Wanqing followed beside him.

Chen Haoyu stayed behind to handle the aftermath.

In the hotel suite, the air conditioner blew warm air. Chen Fan sat on the sofa. The old pocket watch lay on the table.

Su Wanqing brought a clean soft cloth. She sat down, picked up the watch, and carefully wiped the dirt from the surface. Her movements were very gentle.

On the inside of the cover, the name "Shen Qing" gradually became clear. This was the name of Chen Fan's biological mother.

Memories flooded back. Back then, the family was poor. To pay for his tuition, his mother had pawned this watch in the pouring rain. Later, she passed away from overwork and illness, which became his greatest regret.

Su Wanqing placed the cleaned pocket watch in Chen Fan's palm.

"If Mom were still here and saw how you are now, she would surely be very proud," Su Wanqing said softly.

Chen Fan gripped the pocket watch tightly.

"I've been looking for it for ten years," Chen Fan said.

He rubbed the cover with his thumb. His fingertip felt a slight resistance.

Chen Fan discovered a very thin crack along the edge of the casing.

Chen Fan took a fruit knife from the table and used the tip to gently pry at the crack.

The back cover of the watch popped open.

Hidden inside was a yellowed slip of paper. The paper was folded very small and felt brittle.

Chen Fan unfolded the paper. On it was written a string of numbers and a line of text: Yunzhou Old Street, Jubao Pawnshop. The handwriting was elegant; it was his mother's handwriting.

Su Wanqing leaned in and looked at the words on the paper.

"What is this?" Su Wanqing asked.

Chen Fan put on his coat and tucked the paper away.

"When my mom pawned the watch back then, it wasn't for tuition at all." Chen Fan looked at the night sky outside the window. "This string of codes hides something else. We're going to the Old Street now, to Jubao Pawnshop."

Su Wanqing picked up her coat and followed. "What does the code point to?"

"It'll be clear once we get there." Chen Fan pushed open the door. "These waters are deeper than expected."