Boss Zhong was born in a mysterious family. He was a capable man with a mild temper, quite different from those useless affluent second generations.
Every week Boss Zhong came here to chat with the eccentric old woman.
Each time when Boss Zhong came here, the eccentric woman did not treat him or his employee well, but Boss Zhong still remained placid and calm.
Every time before they left, the boss would attempt to have a conversation with Zhang Qingrui revealing his intentions to woo her, but she did not seem to reciprocate his feelings. Due to these factors, the employee realized that his boss had major crush on Zhang Qingrui.
So, the employee did a background check on Zhang Qingrui privately by pulling some strings. Only then did he knew that she was a university student and single, but managed the business of Gu Yue Zhai most of the time.
Then he told everything he knew to Boss Zhong, which put Boss Zhong in a good temper. The next morning, the employee received a piece of jade for his help.
After receiving the present, the employee starting paying attention to news about Zhang Qingrui.
“I don’t like your follower. He doesn’t look like a talented person.”
Just as the employee was thinking of having a talk about the background of the man chatting with Mrs. Zhang, he suddenly heard words that made him break out into a cold sweat.
This damn old woman!
But he dared not refute her, so he just gazed at the floor with an innocent look.
“If you don’t like him, then just let him wait outside.” Boss Zhong smiled and turned to say, “Cheng Yun, leave us alone please.”
Cheng Yun nodded. He dared not show any dissatisfaction, and walked out of the room quietly.
This room was the office of the real boss. Unlike the modern-style door plate hanging outside the door, the decoration inside the room gave a sense of antique beauty.
There was a traditional Manchu screen and cyan wooden board at the hallway. An imperial chair designed using the mortise and tenon structure was placed by the window.
Bead curtains swung about at the entrance of the drawing room. A padauk secretaire could be seen in the drawing room, with writing brush holder, inkstone and paper on the left, while there was a stack of ancient books at the opposite side.
At a corner, there was a Fu Xi-style zither.
As Cheng Yun left, Mrs. Zhang fanned herself gently and said, “You’re very patient, much better than your irritable grandfather.”
“Mrs. Zhang, my grandfather has been focusing on painting and calligraphy these few years, so he is much more even-tempered now,” Boss Zhong said.
She answered, “I left the capital a long time, just to tell them, that I Zhang Li Fanglan have no desire to meddle in their business. Your grandfather must have recalled something to send his grandson to seek me out now.”
Mrs. Zhang gazed at Boss Zhong. Even though she was an aged lady, the look still gave him pressure. “Your calm and good manners impressed me, so I will give you a chance to tell your story.”
Boss Zhong took a deep breath with a slight hint of joy. He thought for a while, then said lightly, “Luo Chen has heard some secrets from an elder, that there’s a place, which can satisfy any desire…and the elder in my family said that you are the most knowledgeable about it.”
Mrs. Zhang sneered suddenly, “You’re so naïve. Do you know the place you mention is not some special mountain or holy place, but a place that makes deals with demons?”
Boss Zhong then broke into a radiant smile, “Seems the legend is true. So Mrs. Zhang, you’ve been there before, right?”
Mrs. Zhang waved her fan, her tone changed, “I’m under the weather today, so please leave, and never come back!”
When seeing this, Zhong Luochen fished out a small pouch, he opened it and poured out the object inside. “Mrs. Zhang, sorry to trouble you.”
What fell out was a jade lock.
Mrs. Zhang’s temper mellowed a bit. She took the jade lock into her palm, stroking it gently, then sighing and saying, “This is what I gave my sister before I left the capital...Do you really want to use it for the exchange of the information?”
“My grandmother gave it to me before she left.” Zhong Luochen whispered, “she said if the Zhong family is in trouble, only this can save the family.”
Mrs. Zhang clasped her hands together and held the lock, then sighed. “Just go back for now. I have to consider this issue carefully.”
Zhong Luochen nodded. “I hope you can give me an answer soon.”
“But what will you use it for? “Mrs. Zhang asked.
He said, “It’s about my grandfather. The doctor said, the irritable old man will be dead soon.”
……
……
On the other side, what Luo Qiu had seen were all invaluable items. Though he was not familiar with antiques, he could still feel the quaint aura from those treasures.
However, he didn’t seen the so-called jade token.
So Ren Ziling looked at Zhang Qingrui and asked, “Ms. Zhang, seems like some things are missing. There were several small pieces when I came to do the interview last time.”
Zhang Qingrui smiled. “Good memory. Right, some of collections have been sent away already.”
After that, she picked and opened a picture album from the shelf. “Should be these. They were sent to the auction company.”
In one glance, Luo Qiu impressively captured the picture of the jade token printed in the album.
So he grabbed the picture album directly from Zhang Qingrui.
It was very rude, but Luo Qiu didn’t think so much. He just looked at the pictures carefully.
However, Ren Ziling felt embarrassed.
Thus she had to apologize to Zhang Qianrui, “He always does like that when he see things he likes...”
Zhang Qingrui shook her head. “No worries. We still have a lot. You can take it back home.”
Luo Qiu nodded and merely said, “Thanks.”
Once he realized the jade token was not here, he just walked towards the door and went out. This made Ren Ziling feel helpless.
And Zhang Qingrui had the same feeling, but she didn’t say anything due to her good manners.
Ren Ziling couldn’t help prompting him. She pulled Luo Qiu back and put on a false smile. “Don’t lose the opportunity to have a good look.”
Luo Qiu had no choice but to glance at them for a second. But all at once, he frowned and went to a corner.
“What’s this?”
Luo Qiu pointed to an object covered by a glass lid in a corner…It was a very familiar black card.
And there were two golden stamps on the card. This confirmed it was the card of the club…and could be used twice.
However Ren Ziling was puzzled when she saw this card and whispered, “I don’t remember seeing this before…”
Luo Qiu knew the reason.
It was the item of the club. It would lie there, but few would be able to notice it.
People ignored it due to its appearance---just like the club.
Only those who needed it could see it.
“Yes, it’s always been there. Maybe you just didn’t notice it,” Zhang Qingrui looked at Luo Qiu and said without doubt. “Are you interested in this card? “
Of course Luo Qiu was interested, because every black card meant a potential customer to him.
But he thought it was inappropriate to show his interest.
So he shook his head. “No, I just think it’s weird.”
He looked at Zhang Qingrui. “This black card doesn't seem to be an antique. I just found it didn’t match the atmosphere of the shop.”
Zhang Qingrui smiled. “Some customers asked about it before, do you know what my answer was?”
Luo Qiu shook his head, it seemed like he didn’t care about the answer.
Zhang Qingrui was stunned, she felt that Luo Qiu really was a snotty guy.
“No comment.”
Zhang Qingrui gave him the answer.
Ren Ziling stared blankly, she knew Luo Qiu was a blockhead and had made his classmate angry, which was why she played a trick on him. After many years of experience as a journalist, she sensed that it was Zhang Qingrui’s polite way of dismissing them.
Ren Ziling pretended to look at the time, then showed a worried look. “It’s late. Thanks for your introduction. I have an interview later…by the way, don’t focus on these little things. Actually Luo Qiu is a good guy and…Hey, Luo Qiu, wait…”
F*ck…
Luo Qiu swore in his mind, sighing as he walked towards the door. Ren Ziling quickly finished the rest of the short conversation and ran to Luo Qiu in a hurry.
Afterwards, Zhang Qingrui---the classical beauty, finally let the smile on her face fade away. Frowning, she looked at the black card displayed in the show case. She had a sudden urge to touch the card. However, as her fingers strayed near the card, she hesitated for a second ,then abandoned the thought and closed the show case.
The young female manager had only worked for two years in the company, but had met a large amount of well renown people.
There were few people that paid attention to the black card in the collection. She was aware that the card was placed there intentionally by her grandmother. She had asked the reason, but her grandmother, Mrs. Zhang, shook her head and remained silent each time, as if avoiding something.
There might be something magical about this black card. If someone stopped by and set their eyes on it, they would have a desire to grab it. Zhang Qingrui was most likely the person, besides her grandmother, who had the most contact with this card. Therefore she probably had the strongest desire to possess it.
Furthermore, the customers who set their sights on the black card, would keep staring at it, unless they were woken up from their trance.
Some visitors had said that they would buy the black card at any price.
Except that it was not for sale…hence she was confused as to why her grandmother would set it on display.
“Qingrui.”
She got a fright upon hearing the familiar voice of her grandmother. She then turned back right away, walked to Mrs. Zhang quickly and held out her arms. “Grandma, why did you come to the collection chamber today?”
“I just come to have a look,” Mrs. Zhang replied slowly, then frowned. “I told you many times not to look at the black card.”
Zhang Qingrui stuck her tongue out, “I was too busy serving two customers, so I was careless…”
Mrs. Zhang suddenly sighed, and walked towards the black card. She stood in front of the show case and muttered to herself, “I shouldn’t have kept it till now.”
“Grandma?” Zhang Qingrui asked questioningly.
Mrs. Zhang shook her head. “Wrap it up and give it to me.”
It had been placed here ever since Gu Yue Zhai was established and had never been taken away. Zhang Qingrui was curious about the usage of the card, so she asked frankly, “Grandma, what happened? I saw Boss Zhong came to you, did he…”
Mrs. Zhang nodded, but then shook her head. “He is excellent but too scheming, don’t get too close to him.”
Zhang Qingrui didn’t say a word. However, she wouldn’t talked to Ren Ziling and Luo Qiu personally if it wasn’t for avoiding that annoying guy.
Soon, Zhang Qingrui brought the card to her grandmother.
Mrs. Zhang said, “Give it to Boss Zhong the next time he comes, and tell him to use it only once, then return it as soon as possible, or he risks facing his own demise.”
Zhang Qingrui nodded without saying a word about the black card, though she was still curious.
Actually it wasn’t a big deal.
……
……
“Master, what’s this?”
At noon, Luo Qiu decided the skip afternoon classes and head to the club. He was reading the photo album from Gu Yue Zhai.
“Well, there are still many things that I don’t know,” Luo Qiu replied airily.
But then he remembered something. While looking at You Ye, he asked, “By the way, bring the masks from the warehouse from first floor of the basement to me, please.”
As per the rule, he could freely use everything in the club. However, the items which had been sent to the warehouse couldn’t be used as tributes.
Which meant, the transaction fees placed in the warehouse couldn’t be used as tributes, the more serious matter was that he had to pay a part of his lifespan as compensation.
It was disgusting, eh?
Actually, there was a certain period of protection after receiving the transaction fee. During this period, the transaction fee could not be used, and could only be placed in the warehouse or used as tribute.
“OK, just one minute.” You Ye didn’t ask the reason.
As a servant girl, You Ye had to obey the boss’s order unconditionally, just like how Luo Qiu had to follow the rules of the club.
After that, Luo Qiu touched his face and said to himself, “It might be a hassle since Zhang Qingrui has the black card. What if she comes here some day…”
Thinking further, Luo Qiu couldn’t use his current name ‘Luo Qiu’ then when he showed up as the boss.
He wanted to come up with a cool name.
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