39: Chapter 39 Gilded Bronze Statues

Jiang Chen accepted his parents' request and turned to walk into the guest room. As soon as he sat down, he took out his phone. His fingertips paused for a moment on the screen before typing out an invitation with a gentle tone and perfect sense of propriety.

"Lin Wan, are you resting? My mom specifically asked me to invite you over for a casual meal tomorrow. If it's convenient for you, I'll pick you up from the hotel at ten tomorrow morning."

Less than a minute after the message was sent, the phone vibrated softly.

Lin Wan's reply popped up quickly, her words soft.

"I'm not asleep yet, it's no trouble at all. Your mother is too kind. Tomorrow is very convenient for me; I'll just wait for you at the hotel entrance at ten."

The gentle smiley face at the end caused the corners of Jiang Chen's lips to curl up unconsciously.

His fingertips brushed against the edge of the screen, his eyes filled with a faint smile as he replied: "Okay, see you tomorrow."

"Mhm, goodnight Jiang Chen."

"Goodnight, Lin Wan."

The brief exchange of goodbyes was like a soft feather lightly brushing across both their hearts.

Outside the window, the night was as quiet as water. The dim light from the lanterns on the old street fell mottled through the window frames, and even the air seemed to carry a faint sweetness.

Just as Jiang Chen was about to put down his phone, a striking notification popped up on the screen right at midnight.

[Ding! daily wealth intelligence has been updated.]

[Today's Intelligence: Qingxi County, North Section of Qingxi Old Street, approximately one meter directly beneath the Old Locust Tree; there is a gilded bronze statue from the mid-Qing Dynasty. It is an ownerless, unique piece, about 15 cm tall, with a regular form and exquisite craftsmanship. It was a portable statue used for folk worship back then. Due to being buried deep underground for years, the surface is completely encased in thick patina and soil, making it look exactly like ordinary scrap metal. Ordinary people cannot identify it at all. Its market circulation value is estimated at over 1.2 million yuan.]

[The North Section of Qingxi Old Street will begin municipal pipeline network renovation at 14:30 today. The statue happens to be located within the core soil layer being excavated. Most of the construction crew are from out of town and lack cultural relic appraisal skills; they are highly likely to discard it as scrap metal or sell it off cheaply.]

Jiang Chen's eyes lit up slightly.

He had just walked through the North Section of the old street side-by-side with Lin Wan last night. He had a very deep impression of that lush Old Locust Tree with its giant umbrella-like canopy.

He hadn't expected such a secure and surprising opportunity to be hidden beneath his feet.

The intelligence even pinpointed the start of construction down to the minute.

He only needed to arrive at the scene between 14:00 and 14:20 to perfectly avoid the construction crew and complete the retrieval silently. The entire process would be safe and worry-free.

Accompanying Lin Wan to his home for a meal in the morning and then heading there alone near the start of construction—everything followed a logical sequence.

He quietly closed the intelligence page, the smile on his lips deepening a bit more.

The next morning, Qingxi County was wrapped in a thin layer of morning mist, and the air was mixed with the fresh scent of river water and vegetation.

Jiang Chen got up early to help his mother prepare the ingredients. Liu Mei was busy moving back and forth, her face full of irrepressible joy.

She was slaughtering chickens and slicing cured meat; she even specifically chose the brown rice Lin Wan had sampled last night for steaming. She couldn't wait to bring all her signature dishes to the table.

"Mom, you don't need to make so much. Just keep it simple," Jiang Chen said helplessly.

"That won't do."

Liu Mei shot him a look, her tone cheerful and enthusiastic. "This is Little Lin's first time coming to our home, and she's a guest who helped us out a lot. I must let her taste the most authentic flavors of our Qingxi!"

Close to ten o'clock, Jiang Chen drove to the hotel where Lin Wan was staying.

As soon as the car came to a steady stop, he saw a familiar figure slowly walking out of the lobby.

Lin Wan had changed into a light beige knit dress today. Her long hair was loosely tucked behind her ears, shedding the sharp efficiency she had in court for a bit more gentleness and softness. She looked exceptionally clean and moving in the morning light.

Jiang Chen's heart skipped a beat. He got out of the car to open the passenger door for her, his palm instinctively shielding the car roof in a natural and gentlemanly gesture.

"Morning, Lin Wan."

"Morning."

Lin Wan looked up and met his gaze, her cheeks heating up slightly. She thanked him softly, her heart skipping half a beat for some reason as she took her seat.

The drive wasn't long.

The car parked at the entrance of the old alley. Jiang Chen led her across the narrow stone path. As soon as they entered the door, they were firmly enveloped by the steaming aroma of a house full of food.

Liu Mei enthusiastically pulled Lin Wan to her seat, and Father Jiang also greeted her with a gentle smile. The table was covered with firewood-stewed local chicken, traditionally smoked cured meat, stir-fried wild seasonal vegetables, and handmade rice cakes—all authentic hometown flavors.

"Little Lin, sit, sit! Don't be formal, just act like you're in your own home!"

As Liu Mei spoke, she picked up the serving chopsticks and piled a piece of glossy smoked cured meat into Lin Wan's bowl, followed by a large piece of tenderly stewed local chicken.

"Come, try my cooking. This cured meat was smoked at home, and the chicken is free-range. It's very fragrant!"

Lin Wan's cheeks instantly turned red. She lowered her head somewhat shyly, her hands lightly supporting the rim of her bowl, her voice soft and sweet.

"Thank you, Auntie. You should eat too, Auntie, you don't have to keep giving me food..."

"It's fine, it's fine. You eat more. You look so thin, you need to nourish yourself properly."

"Mhm... thank you, Auntie."

The tips of Lin Wan's ears were stained a light pink. She ate the food in her bowl in small bites, looking shy and well-behaved.

Jiang Chen sat beside her, quietly refilling tea and handing over water.

The meal was eaten in a warm and harmonious atmosphere.

They sat for a while after the meal, chatting about domestic matters as the sunlight gradually climbed over the windowsill.

Jiang Chen checked the time; it was just approaching one in the afternoon, leaving plenty of time before the construction excavation began.

He said softly to Lin Wan: "I have a small matter to handle near the old street this afternoon. It'll be quick. If you're tired, you can rest at home for a bit. If not, should I accompany you to stroll around the old street again?"

Lin Wan's eyes immediately brightened, her tone soft and expectant: "I'm not tired. I actually wanted to go back to the old street to take some photos. Let's go together."

The smile in Jiang Chen's eyes deepened as he naturally agreed: "Okay, let's go together."

After saying goodbye to Liu Mei and Father Jiang, who were reluctant to see them go and repeatedly urged her to "come visit often," the two of them once again strolled toward Qingxi Old Street.

The afternoon sun filtered through the leaves onto the bluestone road, bringing a cozy warmth. When the wind blew, the red lanterns along the street swayed gently, looking incredibly tender.

The two slowly wandered to the North Section of the old street. Not far away, that thick Old Locust Tree stood quietly, exactly as described in the intelligence.

The construction barriers had already been set up, but the site was deserted. Mechanical equipment was parked quietly. There was nearly half an hour left before the 14:30 start time; the timing was perfect.

Jiang Chen stopped his pace inconspicuously and said warmly to Lin Wan: "I have a bit of private business to handle. It'll take about ten minutes or so. Go wait for me on that bench over there, get some sun, and don't wander off."

"Okay, go ahead. I'm not in a hurry."

Lin Wan nodded obediently, sat down on the bench in the shade of the tree holding her phone, and casually took photos of the lanterns on the branches and the street scene. She looked quiet and cute.

Only after confirming she was safe and sound did Jiang Chen walk slowly toward the Old Locust Tree.

He took out thin gloves and a portable small shovel from his canvas bag and leaned down to check the location marked by the intelligence.

The soil was soft and moist. After digging vigorously for ten minutes, his fingertips soon touched a hard, cold metal object. It was heavy for its size and small in shape.

He gently removed the statue, which was completely covered in mud. The exterior was a black lump, indeed no different from scrap copper.

After clearing away a bit of the mud, its original appearance was revealed.

Gilded Bronze Statue

Jiang Chen inconspicuously stuffed the statue into the innermost part of his cloth bag, patted the mud off his hands, and then restored the hole. He was swift and natural, drawing no attention.

When he turned to walk back to Lin Wan's side, his expression was still gentle and composed, as if he had just gone to take a call or organize some things.

"Finished handling it?"

Lin Wan looked up at him, her eyes curving into a slight smile, as if they were filled with sunlight.

"Mhm, it's done."