Chapter 500: Chapter 499: Lost and Empty
The pair of green porcelain stolen goods were dealt in Yao City, and Mr. Huangâs antique store was also there, yet after going around and around, they still ended up with Lu Shouyue.
If you want to resell antiques at a high price in the Yangtze River Delta area, it is of course best to cooperate with Lu Shouyue, who has connections with private museums, Buzhou Antiques Store, and renowned auction houses. Itâs no surprise they came to him.
After being swindled by Lu Shouyue, Boss Huang could only accept his bad luck. He might hold a grudge, but heâd still have to cooperate in the future, as offending Lu Shouyue would mean heâd struggle in the Huaxiaâs collection circle.
This is why when Lu Shouyue first heard about the burglary at Lin Wanwanâs house and the theft of her antiques, he didnât go out of his way to involve official support. He was confident that if the thief intended to cash in, the items would inevitably end up with him.
Even if this group wanted to smuggle the antiques abroad, it wouldnât be without a trace.
The circle of collectors and appraisers is only so big, and as a leading figure in the industry, he had already circulated images within the circle as a heads-up. Unless they completely avoided the Huaxia circle, they couldnât stay hidden.
Walking towards the parking lot, Lu Shouyue said, "Wanwan, have you ever thought about moving? With your financial status, the security in your current neighborhood isnât suitable."
"No, this villa and community have a special meaning to me, I donât want to leave."
Lin Wanwan truly never thought about changing neighborhoods. This small villa held her past; how could she bear to let it become desolate?
In modern times, she didnât have many attachments; the memories of growing up in the small villa were her most cherished.
"Alright." Lu Shouyue just made a suggestion, whether to take it or not was entirely up to her. "Take care. Itâs late, letâs part ways here."
Lu Shouyue understood Lin Wanwanâs situation thoroughly. For someone like her, who grew up with her grandparents, this villa signified home, and her unwillingness to move didnât surprise him.
Lin Wanwan glanced at her phone to check the time and smiled at Lu Shouyue, "Thank you really for today. Do you have plans now? If not, Iâd like to take you out for drinks at Xie Yutingâs place!"
Lu Shouyue glanced sideways at the youthful and charming girl beside him, whose enticing eyes were shimmering at him, making his breath catch.
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But within moments, he exhaled gently and laughed, "Itâs rare for you to invite me for a drink, but Iâm busy tonight. Letâs postpone this till another day. Bye, see you."
With that said, he walked straight to his car, opened the driverâs door, and sat inside, casually waving to Lin Wanwan through the lowered window.
"Bye."
Lin Wanwan stood to the side, feeling somewhat odd inside.
Lu Shouyue seemed to have changed a bit; although he was still as polite and courteous outwardly as usual, his overall demeanor felt distant, both in expression and tone, cooler by at least three degrees than before.
Sitting back in her car, Lin Wanwan stared blankly at the speckled shadows cast by the lights ahead for a moment, then suddenly laughed, feeling a sense of loss.
That night Lin Wanwan did not return to the Great Tang but slept directly in the modern.
In the dead of night, Lin Wanwan was suddenly awakened by urgent barking.
She abruptly opened her eyes and immediately sensed movement inside the villa. The barking downstairs suddenly stopped, followed closely by a muffled male cry.
Silently, Lin Wanwan put on a coat, took the Longquan Treasure Sword hanging on the wall beside her bed, and quickly approached the door.
She first listened to the sounds outside the door, then quietly opened it and slid out like a ghost without a sound.
Outside her room was a combined study and living room, integrated into one. By the sofa area was a full-wall floor-to-ceiling bookshelf, and near the north window was an imposing Yellow Flower Pear Wood desk.
At this moment, the desk was outlined by a small halo of light, like a beacon in the night. A dark figure, wearing a cap with a flashlight and black gloves, was stealthily rummaging through things.
Wearing a white, regal nightgown, Lin Wanwan walked barefoot, sword in hand, toward the shadowy figure, her steps silent as if treading on clouds. Her face was cold as ice, eyes locked on the figure, excitement mixed with a touch of disdain.
The shadow moved quickly, obviously targeting small boxes and drawers.
Lin Wanwan approached him within half a meter and suddenly let out a light laugh, whispering nonchalantly, "What are you looking for?"
The shadow turned sharply only to see a white-robed ancient styled female ghost floating in the moonlight before him, sword pointed directly at his throat.
"Ahâ" he couldnât suppress a wretched cry that shattered the silence of the night.
Without hesitation, Lin Wanwan thrust her sword forward, piercing through both his shoulder blades and stabbing several more holes in his body. Blood spurted out, and the wailing shadow instantly lost the power to resist, left only with the sound of gasping and screaming.
Having memorized acupuncture points, human meridian diagrams, and skeletal maps daily, Lin Wanwan knew the precise force needed with each thrust, perfectly avoiding all the vital points.
The sound of frantic footsteps came from the stairs, the newcomer was a yellow-haired, fair-skinned foreigner dragging a German Shepherd dog, identified as Fortune.
He had just emerged at the top of the stairs when he met Lin Wanwanâs gaze and, incredibly frightened, tumbled down the stairs.
"Fortune, come back!"
At Lin Wanwanâs call, the German Shepherd deftly leaped toward her while the foreigner rolled downstairs.
Lin Wanwan did not chase after the fleeing man but pressed the community alarm button on the living room wall, and the security guards, hearing the commotion, rushed over.
The piercing alarm rang across the community, and lights in Lin Wanwanâs neighborsâ windows began lighting up, but no one came out to check the situation, though the community chat group buzzed busily.
[What happened?]
[Whose alarm is going off? Is there another burglar?]
[Is there a fire?]
Lin Wanwan naturally didnât care about the community chat, she sheathed the sword and commanded Fortune, "Turn on the light."
During the day, Lin Wanwan had already familiarized Fortune with the electrical switches at home.
With a leap, Fortune stood on his hind legs and pressed the light switch with his front paw. The warm yellow glow illuminated the scene, revealing the man, drained of blood and gasping on the floor, unable to utter a word.
In his line of sight, the elegant figure was calmly wiping the bloodied sword with a towel brought by the dog.
"Of all the things to do, why choose to be a burglar?" her cold voice echoed above his head, and he was too scared to respond.
He felt on the brink of death, having encountered such a fierce woman was the last thing he expected in his criminal career.