Chapter 181

Magic City

Located in the Jiangnan region, Magic City is the most bustling metropolis and the economic hub of the South. This cutting-edge city imposes a fast pace and immense pressure on its inhabitants. Walking among the towering skyscrapers, one can't help but feel as small as a speck of dust.

Zuri and Azura checked into a local five-star hotel, booking a suite. The extravagant cost for just one night made Zuri, who was used to a frugal lifestyle, wince.

"We could have stayed in a standard room," Zuri suggested.

"Don't worry, this place belongs to my uncle. It's free, and we can stay as long as we want," Azura grinned mischievously as she took the room keys from the front desk.

Zuri stayed silent. *Rich people really are walking opportunities.*

As soon as the elevator door opened with a "ding," two bodyguards stepped forward, blocking their path.

"What do you want?" Azura frowned.

"Ladies, this floor has been reserved. Please leave," one of the bodyguards said.

Azura and Zuri exchanged glances.

Azura chuckled, "Sir, the floor is reserved? Why didn't I know that?"

The bodyguard patiently explained, "Young lady, it's important to know your limits when idolizing someone. Celebrities are just ordinary people. Please go back now, or I'll have hotel security escort you out."

Azura flashed the room key, "Take a good look. This is our room key. We're staying here."

The bodyguard inspected the key and confirmed they were indeed guests.

The bodyguards stepped aside.

"Can you tell me who's staying here tonight?" Azura asked, curious.

The bodyguards remained silent, watching the two women enter their room. After confirming the key was genuine, they relaxed.

Just then, the door to the suite across the hall opened, and Owen stepped out, instantly spotting Zuri.

"Zuri!"

Both women turned to him.

Azura was thrilled, her eyes sparkling.

Zuri was surprised, "Owen, what are you doing here?"

The bodyguards, realizing they knew each other, retreated obediently.

"You came to Magic City and didn't tell me," Owen complained.

"I just arrived today."

Isaac, Owen's manager, noticing Owen's eagerness to start a long conversation, quickly intervened, "Owen, the car is waiting downstairs. We need to go now, or we'll be late."

Owen shot him a disgruntled look but then smiled at Zuri, "How long are you staying in Magic City? You should come visit me on set. I'm shooting here for a while, and you can come by anytime."

Zuri was about to decline, but Azura tugged on her sleeve persistently. Eventually, Zuri nodded, "Sure. Once I'm done with my business, I'll get in touch."

"Great, it's a deal!"

Satisfied with her response, Owen finally allowed Isaac to drag him away.

After Owen left, Azura hugged Zuri excitedly, "Zuri, you're my lucky star! If I stick with you, I can see my idol every day. Let's stay here for the entire summer and head straight to the capital when school starts."

Zuri… quietly walked into the room, not agreeing with Azura's crazy plan.

She had much more important things to do.

Late at night, Owen, fully disguised, returned to the hotel and was about to knock on the door across the hall when Isaac stopped him.

"Dude, it's eleven at night. You might not need sleep, but other people do. And if someone catches you coming out of a young girl's room, do you want to ruin her reputation?"

Owen reluctantly pulled his hand back.

"Can I at least ask her to breakfast tomorrow?" Owen asked, his eyes pleading with Isaac, making it clear that he'd knock if Isaac said no.

Isaac sighed, nodding, "Sure, sure."

He couldn't understand why this guy, who was so cold to everyone else, was so attached to this girl. The contrast was almost painful to watch.

The next morning, Owen, having timed it perfectly, eagerly knocked on the door and pressed the doorbell repeatedly, but there was no response.

"What's going on?"

Isaac pointed to the monitor beside them, "There's no one in the room. They must've gone out."

Owen checked the time. It was only 7:30 a.m. They should either be waking up or still in bed. How could they be out already? This wasn't normal!

Regardless, Owen was left disappointed.

While Owen was disappointed, Isaac was relieved. At least he had avoided another tabloid scandal.

Meanwhile, Zuri and Azura had already arrived at a dim sum restaurant. A waiter led them to a classical, elegant pavilion in the back garden. When they opened the bamboo door, they found a man already enjoying his breakfast.

The middle-aged man didn't look up and continued brewing his tea, "Have a seat."

They sat across from him.

"Uncle Lei," Azura greeted.

Lei Mingjun looked up at them, smiled, and said, "You haven't eaten yet, right? I've had some breakfast prepared for you. Eat first, and then we'll talk."

"Alright."

The waiter served a variety of exquisite dishes. Each dish was just a bite-sized portion, but the sheer number and variety gave the meal a royal banquet feel.

After breakfast, the waiter swiftly cleared the table, transforming the room into a meeting space.

Knowing that Zuri was anxious, Azura got straight to the point, "Uncle Lei, can you take a look at this jade for my friend?"

Lei Mingjun turned to Zuri, "Let me see it."

Zuri took out the wooden box, carefully removed the blood jade, and handed it to Lei Mingjun.

As soon as he held the jade, Lei Mingjun's interest was piqued. He took out a magnifying glass and examined it closely.

Zuri and Azura waited quietly, not interrupting him.

After a while, Lei Mingjun set down the jade, "This blood jade was cut from a high-quality piece. Though it's not ancient, its quality is exceptional. The color is even, and the red is vibrant. The only flaw is the crude craftsmanship, which wasted such fine material."

He sighed as he spoke.

"Are you planning to sell this jade? If you are, I can offer you a good price."

Zuri shook her head, "No, I just want to know if you've seen this jade before or if you recognize the style of the craftsman."

Finding the craftsman could bring her one step closer to the truth.

Lei Mingjun was stumped. He knew many skilled jade carvers, but the craftsmanship on this piece was amateurish, clearly not at the level of a master.

"You've posed a real challenge. From a professional standpoint, this carving is clumsy. Such a fine jade should not have been entrusted to an unskilled carver. The only other possibility is that the carver was the jade's owner."