CHAPTER 603: CHAPTER 602 JADE

Shen Siyuan had just finished breakfast when Zhong Xiaonan arrived, carrying something in her hand.

"What’s up? Did you get reprimanded?" Shen Siyuan glanced at her, asking with a bit of amusement.

Upon hearing this, Zhong Xiaonan blushed and then directly bowed to Shen Siyuan, saying, "I’m sorry, I was rude."

"Haha..."

Shen Siyuan laughed heartily at her reaction and then led her inside the house.

Mao Sanmei quickly brewed tea and served it.

Ruan Hongzhuang and Taozi were originally going to the company together. Seeing Zhong Xiaonan arrive, Ruan Hongzhuang immediately gave Taozi a look. Without needing words, Taozi understood her meaning and then casually stayed behind.

She proactively took the teapot that Mao Sanmei brought over and poured tea for the two.

Shen Siyuan glanced at her with amusement but didn’t say anything.

Instead, he directly asked Zhong Xiaonan, "What did your leader say?"

"Our leader wants to try it. Even if it can’t extend his life, allowing him to be free from pain at the end of his life is worthwhile," Zhong Xiaonan quickly replied.

"Not necessarily. While a person’s life span is fixed, humans are constantly exhausting their bodies, and few live to the age they should. So, although my elixir can’t extend life, it can replenish vitality and restore body functions, indirectly serving as life extension..."

"Thank you..." Zhong Xiaonan quickly expressed her gratitude to Shen Siyuan.

Then she lifted the gift box she was holding and placed it on the table.

A bit stammeringly, she said, "This... this is prepared by our leader for you."

The bag’s exterior had no markings, making it hard to tell what it was, but based on the shape, it seemed to be a brocade box.

"First time giving gifts to someone?" Shen Siyuan asked with a smile.

Zhong Xiaonan nodded and then cautiously asked, "Did I do something inappropriate?"

Never mind giving gifts, she’s not skilled at social interactions.

Apart from unnecessary communication, she could avoid talking to people for weeks.

She’s truly a homebody queen, but she doesn’t feel lonely; she enjoys it.

"No, have some tea."

Taozi lifted the teapot and added some water to her cup.

"Thank you." Zhong Xiaonan quickly expressed her thanks.

She looked at Taozi with clear eyes, utterly free of any impurities. This kind of gaze, she’s only seen in Dou Dou and the others, making Taozi suddenly feel a bit ashamed, as if she had used small-minded suspicion on a noble person.

Just then, a little head suddenly popped out from the side, reaching out to grab the gift bag on the table.

"Tang Tang~"

Shen Siyuan stretched out his hand, scooping her up by the waist and placing her on his lap.

Mao Sanmei, who was about to come over and take her away, immediately paused in her steps.

"Oh~ oh..."

She pointed at the gift bag on the table.

"What’s inside?" Shen Siyuan looked at Zhong Xiaonan.

Zhong Xiaonan quickly put down the cup in her hand and said, "I’m not sure, my leader just asked me to bring this to you."

"You don’t mind if I open it now, do you?" Shen Siyuan asked.

"Of course... of course you can." Zhong Xiaonan quickly said.

So Shen Siyuan, not holding back, directly opened the bag and revealed an exquisite brocade box inside, which felt heavy and substantial.

Tang Tang seemed impatient, reaching out her little hand to grab it.

"Take it easy." Shen Siyuan patted her little hand lightly.

"han~han~"

Sitting on Shen Siyuan’s lap, Tang Tang wiggled her little bottom, appearing very excited.

Seeing this, Shen Siyuan grew even more curious about what was inside.

When the brocade box was opened, inside were several pieces of top-quality jade, each cut squarely without the slightest flaw, crystalline and water-like, extremely beautiful.

Shen Siyuan reached out and picked one, palm-sized, feeling a gentle and delicate sensation as soon as it touched his hand.

But before Shen Siyuan could carefully examine it, Tang Tang snatched it away.

"han~"

She looked extremely excited, bringing the jade up to her eyes, seemingly observing its internal structure, or perhaps attempting to view the world through it.

Shen Siyuan didn’t mind her and let her down to play, though he was somewhat curious why the Special Affairs Bureau’s leader would gift him jade.

Hold on? Shen Siyuan seemed to understand something?

Whether traditional mythology or modern fantasy novels, human cultivation appears to link closely to jade.

Might they believe jade aids my cultivation?

As Shen Siyuan thought about this, it became increasingly plausible.

"Thank your leader for me." Shen Siyuan said.

Even if these jade pieces couldn’t aid his cultivation, they’re quite valuable, so a word of thanks was in order.

Then, without beating around the bush, he fetched a small porcelain bottle and handed it to Zhong Xiaonan.

"Here’s what you wanted."

"Thank you."

Zhong Xiaonan quickly stood up and received it with both hands.

Having reached her goal, Zhong Xiaonan quickly proposed taking her leave.

Shen Siyuan was somewhat taken aback by her urgency. Those who knew his identity all wished to stay with him longer, striving to cultivate a good relationship.

She was the first to be in such a hurry to leave.

Still, Shen Siyuan didn’t hold her back but asked Taozi to escort her out.

"Miss Zhong, come with me." Taozi led her towards the door.

Only then did Shen Siyuan turn his gaze towards Tang Tang.

He saw her holding the jade, bending sunlight.

"Eh?"

He noticed something unusual. The jade was supposed to be milky white, but now there seemed to be streaks of golden patterns on it.

"Tang Tang, come here, let me take a look..."

Shen Siyuan beckoned to Tang Tang, asking her to come over.

But Tang Tang immediately hid her hand behind her back, looking at him warily.

Shen Siyuan: ...

"I’ll just look, not snatch it from you."

Tang Tang: →_→

"You don’t trust me now?" Shen Siyuan was quite helpless.

Then he turned to the brocade box on the table; there were still several pieces inside, each of a different color.

White, green, jade-colored, black, etc.

Shen Siyuan casually picked one up, brought it to his face to take a look, but didn’t find any golden patterns.

If his memory served him correctly, the piece Tang Tang held shouldn’t have had them either.

So the change was attributed to Tang Tang.

Thus, Shen Siyuan directly handed her a jade and said, "Here, give me the one you have so I can take a look."

Tang Tang looked at the jade in her hand and then at Shen Siyuan’s. Clearly, the jade he was offering was more attractive.

Finally, she briskly walked towards Shen Siyuan, only to be quickly scooped up.

"Little miser." Shen Siyuan pinched her cheek.

Then swapped the jade he offered for the milky jade she held.

Indeed, he wasn’t mistaken; the milky jade contained golden threads that combined into a unique pattern.

"How did you do this? What’s the use of it?" Shen Siyuan directly asked Tang Tang.

But Tang Tang blinked her big eyes, looking at him utterly cluelessly, as if she didn’t know either.

At that moment, Taozi came back after seeing Zhong Xiaonan off.