Chapter 121: Targeted
Liu Ji closed his eyes, shrinking his neck, ready to welcome the beating.
However, the anticipated pain didn’t arrive. He opened his eyes in confusion, only to see Liu Xiu holding the hammer in mid-air, a complex expression on her face.
After a moment of silence, Liu Xiu sighed deeply and gently placed the massage hammer back on the table.
“Liu Ji…” Liu Xiu said in a low voice. “You are the youngest in our family. We know you have your own pursuits, but you… we are family. Do you know that if it weren’t for me, you right now…”
Liu Ji was stunned. He didn’t expect his sister to stop suddenly and say such confusing words. He looked at Liu Xiu, half guessing and half puzzled.
“Sister, what are you saying? Did Shifei Technology encounter something I didn’t know about before?” Liu Ji thought about it. The family wasn’t forcing him to come home anymore. “It’s fine now, right? Everyone knows, but I don’t!”
Liu Xiu fell silent for a long time. Liu Ji had smooth sailing growing up, and with his personality, she wasn’t sure if she should tell him these things. Moreover, she herself had only guessed bits and pieces from her father and grandfather’s secretive and evasive words.
Glancing obscurely at Elder Liu and Father Liu, Liu Xiu understood and turned her gaze back. “Just as you thought, I helped you hide Shifei Technology’s current progress and blocked most of the outside moves.”
“So the company’s fluctuations before were quickly resolved because you were helping me.” Liu Ji recalled the recent period and frowned again. “Wait, did you plant people in my Shifei Technology again? I clearly wanted to rely on myself, not the family.”
Liu Xiu pursed her lips, feeling helpless about Liu Ji.
“Where did you learn that? The family can give you help but you refuse it!” Liu Xiu didn’t want to continue this old topic. “Now there are no people of mine in Shifei Technology. With Gu Wanrong there, I’m not worried about you idiot anymore!”
Let off the hook by Liu Xiu, Liu Ji chuckled and acted coquettishly. “Sister, Grandpa, Grandma, Dad, Mom, don’t worry. Gu Wanrong is also from our Qingnan Hutong. With her investment, just wait and see what I can do!”
Liu Ji didn’t detect the difference Gu Wanrong’s existence meant to the Liu family; he only thought the Gu family behind Gu Wanrong was on par with their Liu family. He was just happy to have Gu Wanrong’s investment now. Having the Gu family as a backer without them interfering in his Shifei Technology meant the company established by his group of friends was still theirs.
Fortunately, he met Gu Wanrong. Otherwise, if he couldn’t persist, he would definitely have compromised with the family. Once there was a first time, there would be a second, and Shifei Technology would definitely be controlled by the Liu family in the future.
…
Entrance of the Gu Residence.
“Xie Xian, your gloves.” Gu Wanrong took off the black leather gloves that were obviously too big for her and returned them to Xie Xian.
After taking them, Xie Xian stood still.
The winter wind carried a biting chill, blowing Gu Wanrong’s hair. Xie Xian lowered his head, his gaze lingering on her, a faint smile on his face.
One second, five seconds, ten seconds. Gu Wanrong’s voice rang out in the quiet alley, “Is there anything else?” Her voice was light, carrying a hint of confusion.
It was freezing cold; why was he standing here without saying a word? He looked so silly.
“You rarely dress up like this; I have to take a few more looks.” Xie Xian was right. Although Butler Liu coordinated her daily outfits for comfort and convenience, it was the first time she had dressed up like this.
At the gathering today, everyone praised her beauty. Now, Xie Xian’s deliberate compliment made Gu Wanrong’s heart flutter again. Someone had noticed the styling she did today.
“Gaining your appreciation means my deliberate styling today wasn’t in vain.” She looked up slightly at Xie Xian, tucking the hair blown messy by the wind behind her ear.
“Go back in, it’s cold.” Under the yellow light of the alley, Xie Xian saw the tips of Gu Wanrong’s exposed fingers were red from the cold. He waved his hand, urging Gu Wanrong to go inside.
“Mm.” Nodding, Gu Wanrong stepped onto the stairs. “Not only cold, the wind is really strong; my hair is blown messy.”
Stepping over the threshold, Gu Wanrong turned around. The lights inside the Gu Residence behind her were much brighter than in the alley. “Xie Xian, you go back quickly too!”
A gust of wind blew past, lifting the hem of Xie Xian’s coat at the bottom of the steps, bringing a few fallen leaves swirling down to his feet.
The servant closed the vermilion door. Xie Xian left slowly, returning to the Xie home.
“Miss, drink this bowl of cold-dispelling drink quickly.”
As soon as Gu Wanrong took off her coat and hung it up, Butler Liu came in with a thermal container, taking out a bowl of the cold-dispelling drink she mentioned.
In Gu Wanrong’s impression, things that dispelled cold were either strong liquor or water boiled with raw ginger. She wrinkled her nose; she didn’t smell alcohol or ginger.
“It’s sweet, not bad.” Taking a tentative sip, Gu Wanrong looked at Butler Liu in surprise. She smacked her lips lightly; there was a faint hint of ginger, but not obvious.
As she finished the drink in a few gulps, Butler Liu explained that this recipe was modified knowing Gu Wanrong disliked ginger, reducing the ginger taste to a minimum without affecting the effect.
“Miss, I’ve agreed on a time with the designer. Tomorrow morning at ten, they will come to help you select and place the auction items you bought today.” Butler Liu reported, “If you have an appointment, I will change the time with the designer.”
“Let’s leave it at that.” Gu Wanrong put down the bowl in her hand, answering while removing her makeup.
After Gu Wanrong finished drinking and her changed clothes were tidied up, Butler Liu gently closed the door and left her courtyard with the clothes.
“System, I want to draw blind boxes.”
The System was summoned, and the panel floated before her.
“I click the targeted blind box first, then select fixed assets, click agree to spend 100 draw points, and then I can draw gemstone mines, right?”
Having never done a targeted draw in the system, Gu Wanrong asked the System while tapping on the panel. These 100 points were not a small amount; if she clicked wrong, it would break her heart.
[Yes, host.]
After getting the System’s affirmative answer, Gu Wanrong clicked the [Agree] button. After deducting 100 draw points, the System panel switched, showing the blind box draw page with a [Fixed Assets] header added at the top.
“Should I do a ten-draw or a hundred-draw? I want to win gems and jade like jadeite, diamonds, gemstones, etc., that Fu Pearl Treasure can use. System, what do you say?”
The remaining draw points weren’t many, so Gu Wanrong didn’t choose the hundred-draw directly.
[Ten-draw.] The System also recommended the ten-draw.
Gu Wanrong took a deep breath and clicked the [Ten-Draw] button. Dazzling light flashed on the screen, and then a line of words slowly emerged:
[Congratulations host on drawing a rare gemstone mine, Attribute Point x1.]
Then, the screen switched, showing the appearance of the gemstone mine and the brilliant gems inside after mining. It was a sapphire mine.
Gu Wanrong was so excited she almost jumped up. She didn’t expect to be so lucky on her first targeted draw, getting a gemstone mine directly. Those 100 points weren’t wasted!
Then Gu Wanrong continued to draw targeted blind boxes.
[Congratulations host on drawing a jadeite mine, a rare gemstone mine.]
[Congratulations host on drawing Tong Shen’er, a Red Flag car, license plate Jing A00010.]
[Congratulations host on drawing a Koenigsegg One:1, license plate Jing A00001, license plate Jing A06688.]
[Congratulations host on drawing a rare gemstone mine, a jadeite mine.]
[Congratulations host on drawing a jade mine, a rare gemstone mine.]
[Congratulations host on drawing a pearl breeding base, Attribute Point x1.]
Six consecutive ten-draws basically got her all the mineral deposits she wanted, plus two unexpected cars and license plates. Sure enough, what one draws in the blind box is greatly related to what one thinks and wants.
Gu Wanrong stopped drawing blind boxes and checked the gemstone mines she won in the System.
The two jadeite mines were in Myanmar, but one of them had been mined for over a hundred years. As far as Gu Wanrong knew, jadeite rough stones were non-renewable resources. The mining volume in the last ten years had already exceeded the total mining volume of the past three hundred years. Jadeite resources being exhausted was only a matter of time, so the value of jadeite was climbing year by year.
Now, one of the mines drawn was okay, but the other had been mined for over a hundred years. Could it still produce high-quality jadeite rough stones?
Gu Wanrong’s heart beat like a drum. But would items produced by the System have such irredeemable problems?
Next, looking at the jade mine in Tianshan City, China. It once had a huge reputation and produced a large amount of Hetian jade. However, the data showed that this mine had long been over-mined, with almost no ore left.
Gu Wanrong felt a wave of frustration. Did she really draw mines with no value? Unreconciled, she continued to check the information of the subsequent mines. So, she hurriedly exited this jade mine page and looked at other mines.
Next were the gemstone mines. The first was a diamond mine, which didn’t have any headache-inducing problems; everything was normal. After the holiday, she could arrange for employees to take over and wait for normal mining.
The second gemstone mine was an emerald mine. Originally hit hard and feeling anxious, she almost screamed out loud now. The area where this mine was located was a famous emerald producing area.
Seeing two mines with no problems in a row, Gu Wanrong let out a long sigh of relief. Then she looked at the next gemstone mine.
This gemstone mine made Gu Wanrong’s brow twitch. This mine was said to contain rare ruby resources, but it was only “said”—no one had ever mined any. The System showed there was rare Pigeon Blood Red inside, but could those capitalists who mined nearby really have missed it?
Several mines drawn in a row seemed problematic to Gu Wanrong, making her involuntarily suspect if the System had malfunctioned. But did the System really malfunction? Gu Wanrong was unsure again. In her heart, she actually chose to believe the System, which made her appear very conflicted.
Gu Wanrong’s internal struggle was so intense that the usually silent System spoke up automatically.
[Since the System update, the host has never drawn Future Technology related blind box items. The host can give it a try.]
After listening, Gu Wanrong felt the System was being mysterious, but the worries in her heart mostly dissipated.
The international jewelry world recognizes four precious gemstones: diamonds, rubies, sapphires, and emeralds. Gu Wanrong now possessed mines for all of them. For domestic circulation of jadeite and jade, Gu Wanrong also had three mines.
Currently, although the ruby mine, jadeite mine, and jade mine still had problems, there was a direction to solve them.
Immediately, Gu Wanrong spent another 100 points, designated the blind box, and selected Future Technology.
She clicked the [Ten-Draw] button.
Gu Wanrong stared closely at the panel. After the lights flashed on the screen, ten blind boxes opened in sequence.
[Congratulations host on drawing a Jadeite Regenerator.]
What? Jadeite regeneration! Gu Wanrong’s heart raced. could such a thing exist? It would affect the entire jadeite industry! Even if she drew it, she couldn’t use it, right?
Fingers trembling, she clicked on the detailed page of the Jadeite Regenerator.
“Phew—”
“Fortunately, it’s not that heaven-defying.”
Gu Wanrong read ten lines at a glance, quickly finishing the System’s introduction to the Jadeite Regenerator.
[Jadeite Regenerator]
Place this device within a jadeite mining area, adjust the range of effect, and it can cause jadeite to generate naturally within that range.
Note:
- The larger the range, the lower the quality of the jadeite rough stones; conversely, the smaller the range, the higher the quality.
- It recovers at most 10% of the area’s rough stone volume per year.
- This device has a service life of only 10 years.
- Equipped with anti-cracking technology and anti-loss auto-retrieval technology (500 years ahead of current technology levels).
- There is only one such device in this world at the same time.
This was perfectly tailored to serve her! Only she in the whole world could own and use it, and with so many restrictions, it was just enough for Fu Pearl Treasure’s use without harming the jadeite industry.
Now that the jadeite mining areas in Myanmar were all carved up, only these non-producing mines were easy to transfer, which was convenient for her.
There were still 52 blind box chances left; she could continue drawing.
Ten-draw, nothing? Gu Wanrong unyieldingly did another ten-draw, and again nothing!
Gu Wanrong rubbed her hands together, took a deep breath, then another deep breath, clicked [Ten-Draw], closed her eyes, and muttered, “Three times is the charm, three times is the charm. If I don’t draw anything this time, I won’t draw anymore!”
Closing her eyes, it was pitch black, but she could still sense the panel’s flashing light effects stopping.
Gu Wanrong mustered her courage, opened one eye—there was something! She opened both eyes.
[Congratulations host on drawing a Research Talent Detection Halo.]
“It doesn’t work on my gemstone mines, huh.”
Gu Wanrong murmured somewhat disappointedly, but her finger itched to click the [Ten-Draw] button again. She was still making excuses for herself: Drawing something else counts as drawing something, it’s not a total loss. There are two more ten-draw chances, maybe next time I’ll hit the jackpot.
[Congratulations host on drawing Deep Sea Pearl Farming Technology.]
One more time! This is the last time!
[Congratulations host on drawing a Hetian Jade Generator.]
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