Dragon Hermit

Though, upon hearing about Xia Yan’s desire to send a female friend a birthday present, Jiang Wenchuan heaved a sigh of relief. He wasn’t so pure as to believe in real friendships between students of the opposite sex. A female friend wasn’t any different than a girlfriend, a lover or a sex friend.

[As long as you don’t fight over Lil Ting with me, I will put up with what happened today.]

Jiang Wenchuan’s hostility for Xia Yan had lessened, and he couldn’t help but give thoughts about how Xia Yan called Yao Shigu ‘Martial Uncle’. Thereafter, he decided to mend his relationship with Xia Yan, but when he was about to speak, Yao Shigu said, “I don’t know what nowadays youngsters like. Lil Ting, help Lil Yan pick a gift and just choose something you like. Girls probably like the same stuff.”

[F*ck!]

Jiang Wenchuan couldn’t keep his calm. [Does Yao Shigu want to play matchmaker between his granddaughter and his martial nephew? What do you mean by ‘choose something you like’? Any adult man can clearly discern this statement’s implication. You just want them to go pick stuff together, and build feelings for each other that way.]

[Yao Shigu, you are an old man who parades around town every day in long gowns. Since you are keeping to tradition so much, then why don’t you continue keeping it properly? Xia Yan is obviously older than your granddaughter by a whole generation, is it really alright to play matchmaker between them?]

Jiang Wenchuan’s hostility increased again, however, he would obviously not show it, or else, he would leave a bad impression in the eyes of Yao Ting and Yao Shigu. He just rolled his eyes around and said with a smile, “What a coincidence, one of my female friends’ birthday is also tomorrow. Lil Ting, why don’t you help me, too? You can just choose anything you like, and I’m sure that my friend will like it.”

[Damn! I didn’t expect that a man like him would be so shameless!]

Xia Yan cursed him inwardly. [Your pick up ways are too banal and cliched.]

He was certain that Jiang Wenchuan didn’t have any female friend with a birthday tomorrow, and he just wanted to pick up something to offer Yao Ting.

“This is…” Yao Ting found herself in a dilemma, and she couldn’t help but look at those three men, who all had ulterior motives. It was obvious that she couldn’t refuse them. So, she could only say, “Fine, but don’t blame me for choosing terrible presents.”

“I won’t do so,” Jiang Wenchuan said quickly.

“Miss Ting, thank you.” Xia Yan found it embarrassing to ask this of her, but since Jiang Wenchuan also joined in the fun, he didn’t mind it any longer. After he expressed his thanks, he continued, “I don’t have a high budget for the present. So, just buy a cheap present, as I can’t afford expensive presents.”

“Got it!” Yao Ting replied with a smile.

“Lil Ting, when it comes to my present, money isn’t an issue. This friend’s family always had dealings with my family, and as long as it’s an exceptional present, money isn’t an issue.” Jiang Wenchuan cast a glance at Xia Yan and called him ‘poor bum’ inwardly. He had demonstrated clearly that he didn’t lack money, and explained to Yao Ting that he had only a normal relationship with his female friend.

“Fine,” Yao Ting said with a smile.

“Lil Ting, what do you think I should gift her?” Jiang Wenchuan asked quickly.

“Mister Jiang, your jade ornament is pretty exceptional. Men wore Guanyin ornaments and women wore Maitreya ornaments, so it’s a pretty good present for your friend,” Yao Ting said with a smile.

[Miss Ting, good job!]

Xia Yan applauded Yao Ting inwardly. Jiang Wenchuan had bought this jade ornament to offer it to Yao Ting, yet she had asked him now to offer it to another woman. She rejected him clearly without offending him.

Jiang Wenchuan was left at a loss for words and didn’t know what to say in reply.

Yao Ting only smiled at Jiang Wenchuan sweetly and said to Xia Yan, “Xia Yan, what does your girlfriend like?”

“Cough, cough… Miss Ting, it’s a female friend, not a girlfriend,” Xia Yan corrected her quickly.

“Oh, my bad. hehe!” Yao Ting pouted and spoke with a smile.

“I don’t know what she likes…” Xia Yan gave this some consideration, and realized that he never brought up this subject with Liu Xue’er.

“Why don’t you carve a sculpture for her?” Yao Ting asked out of wonder.

“This isn’t appropriate, is it?” Yao Ting said hesitantly. He had also thought of carving a sculpture for Liu Xue’er, but there was a large difference between making and buying a present and their implication was completely different. What if Liu Xue’er misunderstood his intentions?

“What’s so bad about this? Do you think that she will overthink this? This is better than sending her flowers,” Yao Ting said in objection.

“Does a girl really want such stuff?” Xia Yan asked out of doubt.

“Of course!” Yao Ting said. “We aren’t in the 20th century. So, why will she overthink such a kind gesture?”

“You’re right, I will carve a sculpture for her,” Xia Yan said hesitantly.

“You must do it,” Yao Ting said, “What materials do you need? I will fetch them for you from the store.”

“I will have to trouble you with fetching a piece of jade for me,” Xia Yan said. All girls loved jade ornaments, and this was the best gift possible.

“It just happens that my grandpa still has glass jade left from his last carving session, I will fetch it for you.” Yao Ting turned around and went upstairs.

“Miss Ting, stop!” Xia Yan shouted quickly. Even though he didn’t know much about jade stones, he still knew that glassy jade was expensive. Yao Shigu and Yao Ting probably didn’t care about this, but he couldn’t just take it.

“I want a piece of ordinary jade that doesn’t cost more than 1000¥,” Xia Yan said.

“Grandpa, what do you have to say about this?” Yao Ting looked at Yao Shigu.

“Lil Yan is still a student, and it won’t be appropriate for him to offer someone an expensive gift. Just follow his instructions,” Yao Shigu said.

Yao Ting quickly fetched a piece of green and white jadeite. Xia Yan knew that this piece was worth a lot more than 1000¥, but it would be disrespectful to ask her to change it. He just took it and said, “Thank you, Miss Ting.”

“Can you carve jade?” Jiang Wenchuan asked.

“I have some knowledge of it,” Xia Yan said

Jiang Wenchuan blinked and he was about to speak, but the store suddenly darkened and a person appeared at the entrance of the store. “Is there someone here? I’m here to sell some products.”

Xia Yan’s gaze turned sharp. He could detect clearly that this person’s body emitted Undead Elements, corrupted Undead Elements.

A dark-skinned middle-aged man arrived in the store. His hair was a mess, and he wore a large western suit. as well as a pair of mismatched dirty sneakers, and he held a bulging woven bag in his hand.

A person with such a look was either a farmer or a migrant worker, and if he went to other places, he would be held in contempt by people or even chased out. But, the Antique Street was different, and when the Antique Collectibles Store’s owner caught sight of this person, he realized that he would likely get a treasure.

Even though successful excavations and findings of treasures were quite rare, there were always several lucky guys every year, and the stores’ owners who got to receive such treasures were even luckier.

“Miss Li.” Yao Ting cast a glance at the clerk.

“May I ask what’s your business here?” Miss Li quickly went to welcome him into the store.

“I… I want to sell some stuff, and I wonder whether you will accept it?” The farmer spoke while shivering in fear.

“We will obviously accept it, what do you have for sale?” Miss Li asked politely.

“A treasure!” Upon replying, the man looked warily at the people in the store.