Chapter 19: The Jade Bracelet—A Storm of Accusation

Everyone followed Bian Changxi’s startled cry and looked over. Inside the small, flat box, lined with yellow silk, was a ring-shaped indentation—anyone could tell that a bracelet or something similar had once lain there. But now, the box was empty.

Bian Changxi’s face turned pale. Her lips trembled as she turned her backpack upside down. Apart from food, there was nothing else—not even a trace of the jade bracelet. She grabbed Jiang Hui and asked, “Are all my things here?”

Startled by her icy, panicked expression, Jiang Hui hurriedly nodded. “Except for your motorcycle and weapons, which we borrowed for a bit, Haijun wouldn’t let anyone touch your other things. Right, Haijun?”

Cheng Haijun nodded. “I specifically told everyone. Did any of you touch Bian’s bracelet?”

“No.”

“Come on, it’s not like you can eat or drink a jade bracelet. Who would want it?”

“What does it look like? Maybe we can help you look for it?”

Zhang Yuwen suddenly said, “Maybe you lost it earlier? Or maybe those soldiers took it?”

Cheng Haijun sounded uncertain. “Those people all seemed pretty decent.”

Zhang Yuwen sneered. “These days, you can’t judge a book by its cover.”

Cheng Haijun still didn’t believe it, but Bian Changxi felt a chill run through her.

She remembered that in her previous life, there’d been a girl by Zhu Yunhua’s side with some kind of detection ability—she could sense treasures. It was that girl who’d discovered the extraordinary nature of the jade bracelet. Could it be that one of those soldiers had a similar ability? Or had the bracelet changed in some way while she was unconscious, making them think it was valuable?

No! The jade bracelet farm was hers—no one else could covet it!

Her bracelet! Her bracelet...

Suddenly, Bian Changxi felt a strange pull, as if something was calling to her. She looked up and her gaze locked onto Wang Yan—or rather, onto the red leather backpack slung over Wang Yan’s shoulder.

Could it be...

She pressed her lips together, then abruptly stood up and strode over, yanking the backpack off Wang Yan’s shoulder. It was stuffed full—tissues, cosmetics, glasses, candy, sanitary pads—packed to the brim. She dumped everything out onto the floor item by item. Wang Yan froze for a moment, then shrieked and lunged at her. “You lunatic! What are you doing? Give me back my bag!”

Bian Changxi suddenly stopped. From the bottom of the bag, she pulled out a jade bracelet. Its lustrous, creamy-white glow stood out in the dim warehouse—it was unmistakably hers.

She examined it carefully, let out a long breath of relief, then sneered, “Care to explain this?”

Wang Yan’s face went from pale to green. She tried to argue, “Explain what? That bracelet was mine to begin with!”

“Oh, really?” Bian Changxi tossed the bag aside and slipped the bracelet onto her left wrist. Covering it with her right hand, she sensed her spiritual power being drawn into a vast space.

She was overjoyed—the farm was open!

No, not necessarily the farm, but at least the bracelet’s space was there. Bian Changxi could hardly wait to go in and check it out. She felt completely at ease, her mood soaring, but outwardly she remained calm, shooting Wang Yan a cold look.

Did this woman steal the bracelet out of greed, or had she discovered something?

Her gaze was like an ice pick, like a bolt of lightning. Wang Yan felt as if she’d been stripped bare from head to toe, shivering all over. She jabbed a finger at Bian Changxi and shouted, “We took you in out of kindness, gave you food and a place to sleep, even had someone look after you, and this is how you repay us? What’s the big deal about a stupid bracelet? I can’t even take a little reward? I’m telling you, I’m keeping that bracelet. If you don’t hand it over, don’t even think about staying in our team!”

Everyone stared at her in shock.

Suddenly, someone in the warehouse snorted. “Reward? Didn’t those soldiers already pay you?”

Wang Yan’s face froze. She spat at the speaker, “That was their business. This is ours. Mind your own business!”

Bian Changxi understood now. She turned to Cheng Haijun. “Reward? So you only took me in because someone paid you?”

Cheng Haijun’s face flushed red. Jiang Hui quickly stepped in to smooth things over. “Bian, it’s not what you think.”

Zhang Yuwen anxiously grabbed her hand, shooting her meaningful looks. “We’re all classmates. We’ll have to get along in the future. Don’t make a fuss, Changxi. Wang Yan likes the bracelet—just give it to her. It’s not worth anything now, anyway.”

Bian Changxi looked at him as if he were an idiot.

Zhang Yuwen felt stifled by her gaze and was full of resentment. He couldn’t understand why Bian Changxi refused to give him any face—yesterday, today, always the same. Did she still think she was the pampered daughter of the Bian family? That she could roam the world with just a car and a few knives?

What a joke!

A sickly, inexperienced college girl would eventually have to rely on the team. If she kept making trouble, she’d only drag him down too.

Besides, the way Bian Changxi had faced the zombies yesterday—with such courage and skill—had stirred something in Zhang Yuwen. He felt that his nominal girlfriend had changed. That cold, sharp aura was actually... quite attractive. Because of this, he was determined to keep her close. If he was the one who got her into the team, and the one who smoothed things over when she clashed with others, then she’d have to rely on him, right?

If she really had some skills, he’d reap the benefits. If she was useless and a burden, he had plenty of ways to kick her out.

Especially—especially that thing he’d discussed with Wang Yan. That had to happen.

His mind raced as he stared at the bracelet on Bian Changxi’s wrist, regretting not telling Wang Yan to hide it better. Who could have guessed Bian Changxi would know exactly where it was and have the guts to take it back so openly?

Seeing the other team members looking at him, and at Bian Changxi with disapproval, he grew bolder and said righteously, “Changxi, you should know how to be grateful. You were covered in wounds, your shoulder nearly burnt to a crisp, burning up with fever, completely unconscious. If we hadn’t taken care of you, do you think you’d have recovered? Who do you think you have to thank for being able to stand here now? Wang Yan just wanted a bracelet from you, and you can’t even give her that? How can we trust you if you’re so selfish? I’m really disappointed in you!”

He never mentioned the so-called reward, only pushed Bian Changxi into the position of being ungrateful and immoral.

Wang Yan caught on, rolled her eyes, and suddenly burst into tears, drawing everyone’s attention. “Changxi, we used to be so close—we ate together, slept together. You even said you’d give me the bracelet for my birthday—have you forgotten? I really liked it, that’s why I took it. I know it was wrong to take it without asking, but if you were upset, we could’ve talked about it privately. Why embarrass me in front of everyone?”"