Chapter 46: One for 100,000! Stunned!

Chu Lin immediately exited the Atlantis map, grabbed an old, worn leather pouch, and re-entered the game, placing all the pearls inside. After counting carefully, there were 115 pearls in total, each one larger than the 15mm pearl on First Love’s... well, that shameful place.

After logging out with the pearls, he took a shower, changed his clothes, and then drove into the city. He already knew these pearls would be far more valuable than the one First Love wore in that embarrassing spot—certainly worth more than twenty thousand. But as an outsider, he couldn’t possibly know their exact value; only a professional jewelry appraisal company could determine that.

Chu Lin went straight to Feihua Mall, the same shopping center where he’d previously taken Li Qian. In addition to the three floors of luxury clothing, the fourth floor was a gathering place for jewelry brands, making it the best choice for an appraisal. Not only did the brands care about their reputations, but with so many peers in one place, any mistake would surely be noticed and pounced on by competitors.

He took the elevator to the fourth floor and glanced at the array of jewelry boutiques, choosing a Tasaki store. First Love had once mentioned that her pearl was purchased from Tasaki, so the name stuck with him.

As he entered the store, he saw that it was bustling with people viewing the displays—after all, evening was the busiest time. He noticed a dedicated VIP waiting area inside. No surprise for an international brand.

But as his gaze swept across the VIP section, a striking figure in a black-and-white color-blocked gown caught his eye. Wasn’t that the young lady from Zhizhen Group?

This was the first time Chu Lin had seen Miss Cai not wearing her usual business attire. He’d already thought she had an impressive figure in her suits, but now, with the gown accentuating her assets, her allure was undeniable. The cut of the dress perfectly set off her curves, and the high slit in the skirt added a bold touch. Yet, she still radiated that elegant, refined air—graceful and poised as an orchid. That was what made her truly captivating, elevating her charm to its peak.

Cai Yao looked over, saw Chu Lin, and smiled in surprise as she walked toward him. “President Chu, I didn’t expect to see you here.”

“President Cai, I’m surprised, too,” Chu Lin replied, his eyes drawn to her ensemble. He couldn’t help but praise her, “You look stunning tonight.”

“Thank you for the compliment.” Cai Yao’s eyes sparkled as she smiled. But as soon as she finished speaking, she unexpectedly moved closer and whispered, “President Chu, may I borrow you as a shield?”

A shield?

Chu Lin hadn’t caught on yet.

Was this one of those magical scenarios? The sort you usually find in TV dramas and novels, and everyone complains about how unrealistic they are? Who would have thought he’d find himself in one in real life?

But before he could think any further, Cai Yao had already taken his arm, striking an intimately close pose. Chu Lin glanced down—this young lady’s assets were truly impressive. Even though he’d never considered getting involved with someone as complicated and troublesome as Cai Yao, at a moment like this, he couldn’t help but admit: the sensation was exceptional.

However, as Cai Yao turned him around, Chu Lin was dumbfounded. He’d assumed she was using him as a shield against some man, but instead, approaching them was another beautiful woman in business attire.

She needed a shield from a woman?

Seriously?

Could it be that Miss Cai’s beauty attracted not only men interested in “software hardening” but also women curious about “pipeline interconnectivity”?

And this woman was gorgeous as well. Had the world changed so much that beautiful women no longer preferred men?

“Liu Ling, this is my boyfriend, Chu Lin,” Cai Yao said with a radiant smile. “Chu Lin, this is Liu Ling, my classmate and best friend, and she’s also the manager of this Tasaki boutique.”

“Hello!” Chu Lin greeted her politely. After all, given Cai Yao’s current display, he was happy to play along.

“Hello!” Liu Ling replied, then sighed, “So handsome… It seems my brother really doesn’t stand a chance.”

Chu Lin was a little stunned by this remark.

Had he misunderstood something just now?

But he quickly pieced it together: Liu Ling must have been trying to introduce her exceptional best friend to her brother, hoping her friend would become her sister-in-law and keep things “in the family.” But clearly, either her brother wasn’t up to par or hadn’t caught Cai Yao’s eye. Yet Liu Ling persisted, prompting Cai Yao to come up with this ruse.

Not wanting to dwell on the topic, Cai Yao immediately changed the subject, “Liu Ling, how’s your stock looking? Does Tasaki have any pearls left?”

Liu Ling apologized, “Cai Yao, I’m sorry. We do have finished wild, top-grade, non-nucleated pearl earrings, but if you want loose pearls to design your own, because of special circumstances, our head office has to transfer them in from other locations.”

“Ah!” Cai Yao couldn’t help but sigh.

Her mother’s birthday was approaching, and she wanted to have a pair of pearl earrings made as a gift. Her mother had always loved pearl jewelry, and the earrings were a design her mother had created in her youth.

Seeing Cai Yao’s disappointment, Chu Lin spoke up, “Top-grade wild, non-nucleated pearls? President Cai—Cai Yao, is that what you’re looking for?”

“Yes,” Cai Yao nodded, “But such pearls are extremely rare, and I’m not sure if other stores have any unprocessed ones available.”

“Then, would these do?” Chu Lin reached into his battered leather pouch and took out two Atlantis pearls.

“You actually have these pearls?” Cai Yao was astonished. If she’d come looking for such pearls, she naturally knew what she was after. Judging by their luster alone, the ones Chu Lin produced seemed to be of the highest wild quality.

Liu Ling was drawn over as well. “May I have a look?”

Chu Lin smiled and handed her the two pearls. Since Liu Ling was the manager here, she could give them a proper examination.

Liu Ling carefully studied the pearls, then promptly picked up her walkie-talkie and called inside, “Master Lin, could you please come out and examine these two pearls?”

She’d already made her assessment, but out of caution, she summoned the master.

Moments later, an elderly craftsman emerged. Liu Ling handed the pearls over. “Master Lin, these are the ones.”

Master Lin scrutinized the pearls under the light, his eyes growing brighter with each passing second. “These pearls have no growth rings, the surface is smooth and delicate, and there are no blemishes or diffuse reflections. Most importantly, they have an intense metallic luster. Pearls of this sheen are exceedingly rare—these are absolutely top-grade wild, non-nucleated pearls. And both of them are 20 millimeters. Pearls of this size are worth one hundred thousand apiece. The head office has been searching for pearls of exactly this quality—these are precisely what they need.”

Hearing this, Liu Ling turned to Cai Yao, “My dear friend, you’ve found the pearls you needed! Hurry and ask your handsome shield here if he’ll sell them; otherwise, our store will be scrambling to buy them for the company’s quota!”

“Wait—what?” Cai Yao was surprised. “You saw through our act?”

“Do you take me for a fool?” Liu Ling replied with feigned annoyance. “Your acting was terrible—you both slipped up and called each other President Chu and President Cai.”

“But don’t worry; since you went so far as to use a shield, I won’t try to match you with my brother anymore. No need to risk losing a best friend!”

Cai Yao couldn’t help but laugh at that. After all, she’d pulled Chu Lin in on a whim—there was no hope of pulling off a convincing act.

But she didn’t forget her main concern and quickly turned to Chu Lin. “President Chu, would you sell these pearls? I genuinely need a matching pair like this.”

“If President Cai wants them, of course I’ll sell. That’s not a problem. But I’d also like Master Lin to appraise the rest of these pearls for me,” Chu Lin said, opening his battered pouch to reveal pear after gleaming pearl.

This sight left Liu Ling and Master Lin completely speechless.