Chapter 76: The Pink Longevity Locket

Yan Feng’s furtive intentions had not yet fully formed before Bo Jin Xiu dragged them out into the daylight and mercilessly exposed them. Embarrassment, guilt, and shame flickered in his eyes, but vanished almost instantly beneath a layer of cool indifference.

“Mr. Bo, Xiao You and I grew up together. We’ve shared more than twenty years of affection—something an outsider like you could never understand. Matters between us are best left untouched by you.”

Without hesitation, Bo Jin Xiu hooked his arm around Jiang Ci You’s shoulder. “I don’t think I’m an outsider.”

The air was thick with tension, as though a spark might ignite it at any moment. The two men locked eyes.

Yan Feng’s expression was cold, taut with obvious hostility, like a leopard whose territory had been intruded upon. In contrast, Bo Jin Xiu remained utterly relaxed—even disdainful. Though his face was cool, a mocking smile glimmered in his eyes, as if Yan Feng was beneath his notice.

This only fueled Yan Feng’s anger.

Jiang Ci You rose first. “Dad, Mom, Grandpa, it’s getting late. Ah Xiu and I will be leaving now.”

Feng Yu Ping spoke abruptly. “Ci You, come with me. I have something for you.”

Jiang Ci You nodded.

She stood while Bo Jin Xiu remained seated. At that moment, her hand naturally rested on his shoulder as she leaned in, whispering near his ear, “Wait for me in the car. I’ll be right out.”

Bo Jin Xiu looked up, lightly tapped her slender waist, and smiled calmly. “Alright.”

Their gestures were casual, lazy, intimate, and entirely natural. It didn’t feel staged; rather, there was the ease of two people long accustomed to each other’s presence.

But how could that be possible?

Jiang Ci You followed Feng Yu Ping out of the dining room. Bo Jin Xiu excused himself and left as well. Yan Feng’s father and grandfather also departed. Yan Feng sat alone in the restaurant for a while, but eventually went after Bo Jin Xiu.

“Mr. Bo, please wait.”

Yan Feng caught up to Bo Jin Xiu just as he reached the villa’s garden. Bo Jin Xiu turned, standing tall beneath a magnolia tree.

This year the magnolia bloomed exceptionally late, only reaching full bloom at the end of August. In previous years, the tree would already be heavy with fruit.

The large, pure white blossoms glowed under the garden lights, cold and noble, isolated from the world—much like the man standing beneath them. Tall and elegant, he needed only to stand there to become a striking scene unto himself.

It was undeniable: Bo Jin Xiu possessed a refined, distant aura. Though everyone here was born into privilege, even among the apex, there were ranks, and Bo Jin Xiu was the one who stood above the clouds, looking down on all.

Bo Jin Xiu glanced at Yan Feng with indifferent, chilly eyes. His voice was detached, yet carried an unmistakable pressure. “Young Master Yan, what can I do for you?”

Yan Feng mustered his courage to meet Bo Jin Xiu’s gaze. “Mr. Bo, Ci You and I have been together since birth, childhood companions bound by deep affection. Three years ago, we held a wedding—many witnessed it. It’s true that, due to a misunderstanding, I broke our agreement to register our marriage at the last moment. We were supposed to get our marriage certificate.”

Bo Jin Xiu let out a soft laugh. “Then I must thank the heavens for intervening.”

Yan Feng’s expression grew colder. “Mr. Bo, a divorce certificate means little. In my heart, Ci You and I are husband and wife—at least, we were. I believe she feels the same.”

Bo Jin Xiu’s brow furrowed slightly.

Jiang Ci You had indeed told him about her childhood bond with Yan Feng, how it was incomprehensible to outsiders, and that she once waited for Yan Feng to return.

A sharp glint flashed in Bo Jin Xiu’s eyes, unnoticed by others. Outwardly, he remained nonchalant. “That may be, but even you acknowledge it was all in the past.”

Yan Feng spoke plainly. “I will not give up on Ci You. I was manipulated by Xia Ling, driven apart by schemes, but now the truth is clear. I will not abandon Ci You again. I owe her, and I intend to spend my life making it up to her.”

“You, Mr. Bo, come from an illustrious family. The world’s most beautiful and exceptional women are at your disposal—you do not need her. But I am different. We’ve lived together for twenty years, closer than family. I hope you won’t interfere between us.”

Bo Jin Xiu smiled faintly. “Young Master Yan, you are both foolish and absurdly confident. Foolish, because a bond of twenty years was so easily undermined by a few words from an outsider—do you call that deep affection?

“But your confidence astounds me. Why do you believe that when you finally turn back, someone should wait for you, unmoving? Sometimes, missing your chance is a mistake you can never undo. The rest of your lives will only drift further apart.”

Bo Jin Xiu’s eyes were as calm as the sea beneath nightfall, yet beneath the surface, currents surged—ready to erupt at any moment. He paused, fixing Yan Feng with a steady gaze, and his words were firm:

“And how do you know I do not need her above all others?”

The summer night’s breeze carried a stifling heat, as if invisible hands were closing around Yan Feng’s throat, suffocating him.

Elsewhere.

Jiang Ci You followed Feng Yu Ping into a room.

Feng Yu Ping opened the safe in Jiang Ci You’s presence.

Then, she took out a small black velvet box and brought it to Jiang Ci You.

Inside was a jade longevity lock.

But what was astonishing was that this was an exceedingly rare pink jade.

Such material was seldom seen on the market, and even when it appeared, its quality was usually mediocre.

Yet this longevity lock was as transparent as glass, suffused with a gentle pink hue—the jade was of the highest grade. The carving was seamless, its form both bold and harmonious.

Jiang Ci You didn’t know much about jade, but even at a glance, she could tell it was priceless.

Jiang Ci You seemed to guess Feng Yu Ping’s intention.

Before she could speak, Jiang Ci You refused: “Mom, I can’t accept this.”

Feng Yu Ping replied, “It’s not for you—it has always been yours.”

Jiang Ci You was a little surprised.

“This jade was the token exchanged when the Jiang and Yan families arranged your childhood engagement. The Jiang family gave this pink jade longevity lock, and the Yan family gave a Hetian jade ruyi.

“But this longevity lock has an extraordinary origin—it wasn’t custom-made by the Jiang family. On the day you were born, a prominent figure gifted it. It was a stroke of destiny, but your father never spoke much about it. He just said that with this jade, you would enjoy a lifetime of prosperity.

“Jiang Jin Hui cherished this jade as a family heirloom, intending to pass it down through generations. That’s why it became the token of your engagement with Yan Feng, with the hope that you two would one day pass it on to your children.

“Yan Feng no longer has this fortune. Now that you and Yan Feng have separated, the jade is yours to keep.”

Jiang Ci You frowned slightly. “I have already severed ties with the Jiang family. If it’s to be returned, it should go back to them.”

After all, Jiang Xiao Xiao was the Jiang family’s true daughter.

So the longevity lock should rightfully belong to Jiang Xiao Xiao.

Jiang Ci You was not greedy.

“Silly child, if I wanted to return it to the Jiang family, I would have done so long ago. I want you to have it. Jiang Jin Hui said the person who gifted the jade did so only after seeing you and feeling a bond. If you and Jiang Xiao Xiao hadn’t been switched, perhaps the jade wouldn’t have been given. Don’t blame yourself—the swapped children weren’t your fault. I’ve kept this jade safe for over twenty years, treating it as a treasure. You must keep it, and don’t give it to Jiang Xiao Xiao, no matter what. Otherwise, I’ll be upset.”

Jiang Ci You smiled as she took the box. “Alright, I’ll keep it. Even if Jiang Xiao Xiao asks for it someday, I won’t give it to her.”

Feng Yu Ping finally smiled with satisfaction. “That’s my good daughter. Good things should be kept for ourselves. You’re too noble, but in this world, don’t play the saint. We can endure anything—except being taken advantage of.”

Jiang Ci You laughed heartily. “I’ll remember, Mom.”

When Jiang Ci You left the villa, she saw Bo Jin Xiu and Yan Feng standing beneath the magnolia tree in the garden.

“Ah Xiu, what are you two talking about?”