Chapter Sixty-Three: The Mountain of Ores

Early in the morning, Mr. Jin had the car ready and prepared a sumptuous breakfast for the four of them. The bright dawn found the four in high spirits, unaffected by the four young women from the day before. Each person, after all, must strive for their own life, not concern themselves with the feelings of others.

“Good morning!” Mr. Jin greeted them with a smile as he sat at the table. His cheerful expression hinted that the situation at the mine must be turning out well.

“Good morning!” The four responded in unison before taking their seats, only then noticing how the local breakfast was quite unique. Each had their own portion: a bowl of porridge and three dishes—a steamed egg with lean pork, boneless chicken feet, and greens with garlic. It was a feast for the senses, so inviting one’s appetite was instantly aroused.

Each tasted their meal; it seemed prepared by the same chef. Yet the style was neither distinctly Eastern nor Western. Eastern meals were usually shared, not individually portioned, while Western cuisine rarely arrived at such a perfectly warm temperature.

“This breakfast is excellent. It seems Mr. Jin truly enjoys life—quality, and everything else, is clearly important to him,” Mo Lan commented objectively, then lowered her head to continue eating.

The portion was just right for an average person, and perfectly suited to the four of them. The meal was balanced and nutritious, ideal for those still growing, and given their daily exertions, they deserved to eat well.

“Exactly. Life is meant for happiness—eat well, drink well, sleep well, play well. That’s the joyful life,” Mr. Jin said, his eyes crinkling with mirth, as if he had always lived in contentment.

The four nodded in agreement. Mo Lan raised her head and asked, “Which way do we pass to reach the mine? I’d like to stop by home.”

Mr. Jin stroked his chin thoughtfully. “This time, we really will pass by the Mo family road, heading to the northern side of Road City, into the mountains for the veins. So you can stop home. By the way, what does Old Master Mo like? Should I prepare a gift?”

Mr. Jin was considerate—after all, Old Master Mo wielded considerable influence, and forming a good relationship with him could only be beneficial.

Mo Lan was momentarily taken aback by Mr. Jin’s thoughtfulness, then pondered. “Grandfather enjoys playing Go.”

An Feng was displeased. Was Mr. Jin being overly enthusiastic? Even gifts for her grandfather? What was he up to—trying to curry favor with the Mo family?

“Good!” Mr. Jin replied loudly, then beckoned. A bodyguard in black approached, head lowered, ear close to Mr. Jin.

“Go, have them craft a Go set from cool jade,” Mr. Jin said with curiosity, paying no heed to the odd looks exchanged among those present.

The bodyguard murmured assent and departed. Mo Lan hadn’t time to stop him; only after he left did she find her voice. “Mr. Jin, this may not be appropriate. The jade here is precious. Always giving gifts isn’t good; there’s not so much to go around. I’d feel guilty.”

“No matter! Eat your fill and let’s depart. I’ll have it delivered personally someday,” Mr. Jin waved it off as a triviality.

“Thank you, then!” Mo Lan replied with a smile. She hoped she could be of help to Mr. Jin in the future, for accepting so much generosity left her a little uneasy.

Qian Yin, however, was thick-skinned and thought nothing of accepting the gifts. As friends, she reasoned, they would be willing to go through fire and water for each other.

Thus, the group set out once more. Mo Lan and An Feng spent the journey investigating the whereabouts of the masked man, so their actions were not strictly personal, but part of their official duties.

Upon arrival at the Mo residence, Mo Lan simply informed the gatekeeper that she would be away for a few days, then swiftly returned to the car. The guards were new and not familiar with the young lady, but they followed instructions and would inform the master of the house. They knew their duties well.

Seeing Mo Lan’s efficiency, Mr. Jin realized their urgency and wasted no words, urging the journey onward. Their affairs must be pressing, hence the haste.

The scenery along the way was lovely, but as they drew closer to the deep mountains, the road became harder. The mountain paths were much like those in Wolf Bear territory—sloping and difficult—though thanks to the laborers, the roads here were laid with stones and somewhat more complete.

At the entrance stood a sign marking the area as private property. Within, miners pushed carts of mud and stone to pave the road, while a foreman directed them beside a small cart still loaded with mud, watching closely.

After they alighted, Mr. Jin led the group directly to the gate, stopping there. The foreman hurried over, smiling, though beads of nervous sweat dotted his brow.

Mo Lan and Qian Yin found his demeanor curious, and the others too sensed something was off. Leng Xue surveyed the surroundings, noting this was indeed a good place. The soil was neither dry nor wet, and there were many cool stones. Not as valuable as jade, but they could fetch a modest price.

An Feng’s sharp eyes caught a glimmer atop the cart of mud—a tiny spot shining with a rainbow of colors. Could it be “Seven-Colored Light Jade”?

The foreman seemed to notice An Feng’s gaze and edged closer to the cart.

“Mr. Jin, what brings you here?” he asked.

“Ah, Xiao Lin, I’ve brought friends to see the jade here. How are things? Any new finds?” Mr. Jin’s tone showed respect, with no airs; clearly this was a trusted subordinate.

An Feng suspected disappointment was imminent.

“Nothing yet, but we seem to have found some black stone jade. Not sure what variety—it’s still under investigation,” said Xiao Lin, wiping sweat from his brow and pointing to a wooden crate of stones. It looked decent, but nowhere near the value of “Seven-Colored Light Jade.”

Mr. Jin showed no suspicion, striding forward to examine a piece of black stone jade, only to be disappointed. This type was rare in the market yet not expensive, being of inferior quality.

The foreman quickly approached, head lowered. Meanwhile, An Feng seized the opportunity to go to the cart, peel away the layer of mud, and extract a piece—it was indeed the legendary “Seven-Colored Light Jade!” No wonder greed had arisen.

“Foreman Lin, you said nothing good was found. What do you call this?” An Feng’s tone was icy. Given Mr. Jin’s generosity to Mo Lan, he couldn’t simply stand by and let Mr. Jin be deceived.

Mr. Jin spun around, seeing the “Seven-Colored Light Jade,” at once delighted and furious. Xiao Lin, who had been by his side since childhood, had harbored thoughts of betrayal for the sake of jade.