I Got Together With the Fake Heiress - Chapter 44

Wen Yimeng lowered her head to look at her hand, which was being held, and then shifted her gaze to the small wooden box Wen Yunqing was carrying in her other hand. “So, was Miss Fu just now also a practitioner of mystical arts?” Wen Yimeng asked. “What was going on? Why had so many people with special abilities suddenly appeared around me?”

“You could say that,” Wen Yunqing did not deny. “She is a bit more powerful than an average Taoist priest.”

Wen Yimeng nodded and asked, “She looked a little afraid of you. Are you even more powerful than her?”

“Of course. If I rank second, then no one would dare to rank first,” Wen Yunqing said confidently. “The quality of these copper coins she collected is very high. I will process them all when we get back later, and you can use them in the future.”

“Me use them?” Wen Yimeng was somewhat confused. “Aren’t talismans supposed to be written on yellow paper? What use could copper coins possibly have?”

Wen Yunqing pondered slightly, then said, “Copper coins can also serve as a medium for talismans, and it is much easier to write the script on them than on ordinary yellow paper.”

Copper coins can actually act as a vessel for spiritual energy. Although they are not comparable to fine jade stones, the benefit lies in their long existence, and the spiritual energy concentration in ancient times was much higher than it is now, making it far easier to write a talisman on them.

Of course, using copper coins as a medium has a drawback: just like ordinary yellow paper, the coin is rendered useless after being used once. Compared to the fine yellow paper that can be bought for a few yuan, copper coins—which often cost hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thousands of yuan per piece—are simply too expensive.

Wen Yunqing left the latter part unsaid. In any case, this batch of copper coins was acquired at a bargain price, working out to only a few tens of yuan per piece, so using them as a disposable item was not extravagant.

“They can be used like that? I’ve checked the information, and people in the Taoist sects seem to make the coins into Copper Coin Swords,” Wen Yimeng’s curiosity was piqued. “Can the coins we use now be used as a medium?”

“They shouldn’t be suitable yet. They haven’t existed long enough,” Wen Yunqing said. “Besides, have you forgotten? Damaging the Renminbi incurs a fine.”

“You’re right, I take back what I said.” Wen Yimeng immediately dismissed her preposterous idea. Her goal was to become a famous lawyer, and she certainly couldn’t knowingly break the law!

After wandering around for more than an hour, Wen Yimeng finally achieved her goal for this trip: buying something that looked valuable at a low price.

Near the center of the street, an area of about one hundred square meters was cordoned off, and it was filled with small, private vendors.

The vendors here typically spread a piece of black or red cloth on the ground, sat nearby on a small stool, and didn’t hawk their wares, simply waiting for customers to come browse on their own.

“Boss, how much for this?” Wen Yimeng pointed at an old, locked wooden box.

“I bought this for 300 yuan. If you want it, 350 yuan is fine,” the boss said.

Wen Yimeng pinched the brass lock on the wooden box and asked, “Does this have a key?”

“No, it was like this originally. I don’t know what’s inside,” the boss said, appearing very honest. “It could just be a pile of useless stuff, or it might be something from before.”

“Alright, I’ll take it.” Wen Yimeng took out her phone, didn’t haggle, and paid directly by scanning the code. After paying, Wen Yimeng picked up the box, holding it carefully and dearly in her hands.

Wen Yunqing stared at the wooden box for a moment. Wen Yimeng, holding the box, had deprived her of the chance to hold hands. “Do you think this box is valuable?”

“A purchase for 350 yuan shouldn’t be a loss. After all, the box is quite attractive,” Wen Yimeng said. “Plus, this is a brass lock, which looks very much like an ancient lock.”

Wen Yunqing noncommittally refrained from pouring cold water on her enthusiasm after seeing how Wen Yimeng treasured it, not telling her that the so-called brass lock was merely a modern craft item.

After leaving Antique Street, Wen Yimeng immediately located a locksmith shop on the map and rushed towards it excitedly.

“Are you sure you want to open this lock?” The locksmith was stunned. “Regardless of how difficult the lock is, my starting price here is 20 yuan.”

“That’s fine, just open it.” Wen Yimeng directly pulled out 20 yuan in cash and placed it on the table. “Remember not to damage the lock.”

The locksmith found it both funny and frustrating. Without further ado, he took the money, opened his toolbox, selected a suitable-sized metal shim, and fiddled with the brass lock for a few moments.

Click. The brass lock was quickly opened. The locksmith put away the shim and placed the intact brass lock on the table. “I’m done opening it. The lock is still good, see?”

Wen Yimeng nodded, took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled. Only after mentally preparing herself did she slowly open the box.

Wen Yunqing’s movements were basically in sync with hers. She watched curiously as the box was opened. After seeing what was inside the box, she couldn’t help but use her ability for a moment, and then the expression on her face became strange.

Wen Yimeng picked up the item inside the box. After removing the outermost layer of rice paper wrapping, a scroll-like object was revealed inside.

“Yunqing, do you think this might be a famous work by some master?” Wen Yimeng was a little excited. If it were an ancient painting, it should be extremely valuable.

The expression on Wen Yunqing’s face was still somewhat subtle. “I don’t think it’s the work of a master, but it must be something very… stunning, something truly breathtaking.”

“Really?” Hearing Wen Yunqing’s words, Wen Yimeng became even more excited. She carefully unrolled the scroll, slowly unfurling it from top to bottom.

What first appeared were three lines of cursive script, followed by the head of a person wearing a scholar’s cap.

It’s an ancient portrait! Wen Yimeng’s heart fluttered slightly, and then she continued to unroll it…

The expression on Wen Yimeng’s face instantly froze. The first two-thirds of the painting were absolutely perfect—the inscription, the seal, the landscape, and the figure painting—but could someone please tell her why the figure was riding a motorcycle!!!

Shouldn’t ancient people be riding fine horses!!! Why was he riding a motorcycle, and one that was even spewing exhaust fumes!

“I’ve been scammed?” “This was clearly a modern craft item! How could it possibly be inside the box?

“Didn’t you say the lock looked quite interesting?” Wen Yunqing said cautiously. “Although it’s a modern craft item, the quality isn’t bad. Are you going to keep it?”

Wen Yimeng looked at the painting in front of her, finding it both funny and frustrating. What was this? If it had just been a fake painting, that would have been one thing, but the content of this painting was clearly mocking her!

“Pies don’t just fall from the sky. I understand now.” Wen Yimeng let out a heavy sigh, slowly rolled up the painting, and placed it back into the box.

“Keeping it?” Wen Yunqing asked.

Wen Yimeng nodded. “Luckily, this was 350 yuan and not 3,500,000 yuan. I’ll just treat it as paying for a lesson.”

“It’s not that I’m stupid; the wooden box was too deceptive, and the boss’s tone when he spoke was so natural,” Wen Yimeng explained, trying hard to salvage her dignity.

“Indeed, this boss wasn’t very honest. He claimed he collected it from an old spot, when it’s clearly a mass-produced item,” What else could Wen Yunqing do but suppress her laughter and cooperate?

Just as the two of them were talking, a man rushed over, panting heavily. “Boss, locksmith! Quickly go and open the lock for me! My wife and child are locked inside!”

The man’s words immediately drew the attention of everyone in the shop. The boss immediately put down what he was doing and started packing up. “Brother, where is your house? What’s the situation? Is it deadbolted or is the lock broken?”

“The lock is broken. I just stepped out to throw away some trash, and when I finished, I found I couldn’t get back in!” the man said anxiously. “I live in the nearby residential area. If you run over, seven minutes will be enough!”

“Alright, alright.” The boss quickly grabbed his tools. “Two students, I’m the only one in the shop. I have to go out now. Can you two please help me watch the store?”

“Boss, go ahead and be busy. I’ll keep an eye on the store for you,” Wen Yimeng said.

“Thank you very much.” After saying that, the boss slung his toolbox over his shoulder and hurriedly left with the man.

Watching the backs of the two men as they left, Wen Yunqing couldn’t help but rub her chin. “Yimeng, did you feel like the man just now was a little off?”

“Huh? What was off?” Wen Yimeng was puzzled. She recalled the man’s appearance but couldn’t find anything amiss.

“If he was just stepping out to throw away trash and then coming right back, he was dressed a bit too neatly—in a suit and leather shoes,” Wen Yunqing said.

More importantly, she felt that the man’s anxiety was feigned. If he had genuinely run for seven minutes to get here, it was impossible for his breathing to be labored but for him to not be sweating.

Wen Yimeng furrowed her brows, quickly thinking. “He was pretending to go out and throw trash? Why the disguise? Did he deliberately lock the door?”

“But his wife and child are inside the house! Why would he deadlock the door?” Although Wen Yimeng’s reaction was quick, she hadn’t been exposed much to the evil side of human nature, so she didn’t jump to the worst conclusion.

“If the exit is sealed, what situation is the most dangerous?” Wen Yunqing prompted, several hypotheses forming in her mind.

“Gas leak? Carbon monoxide poisoning?” Wen Yimeng guessed, then instinctively looked outside and immediately stood up. “That residential area over there seems to be smoking. Is it a fire?”

A fire? Wen Yunqing’s eyebrow lifted. She glanced outside and saw a tall building not far away spewing black smoke. Based on the amount of black smoke, the fire must have been burning for a while, and the blaze inside the apartment should be quite intense.

“Isn’t that the residential area the boss just went to open the lock in?” Wen Yimeng understood instantly, and immediately pulled out her phone to call the fire department.