The ancient wooden beads had been with him since his coming of age at 18.
It was a gift from his grandfather, something he always kept with him.
It was something he had long come to regard as a personal talisman, one he wielded against the darkness that sometimes threatened to swallow him whole.
Very much like the darkness he had glimpsed swirling underneath Tang Lin's gaze that screamed composure.
She was incredibly skilled at maintaining her carefully perfected image of being unaffected by anything.
The Eagle Eye, they called her.
It was a well-earned moniker for her ability to discern real antiques from the fakes with almost zero inaccuracy.
But Zhao Jun knew better.
He had seen enough to think differently.
He had seen that swift flicker in her eyes when she touched the piece of jade he had out to her.
The almost unnoticeable tremble of her fingers. The quick, suppressed breath she had taken to steady herself.
The jade seemed to have remembered her. And from what he could discern, it seemed that somewhere deep inside, she too remembered it.
A soft sound of movement came from a corner of the office, interrupting his train of thought.
As if materializing out of thin air, Hsu Jin appeared from the shadows where he had literally blended into the darkness.
He walked towards Zhao Jun and stopped when he got to him.
"Young Master…" he lowered his head in greeting.
"What do you think?" He was referring to Tang Lin.
"She is… interesting." Hsu Jin was unsure of exactly how to describe her so he settled on the word 'interesting'.
"Hmm." He resumed drumming the table, his gaze deep.
"Get the contract ready. Do not miss out any details." He got to his feet and adjusted his clothes.
"Yes. I'll take care of it"
Zhao Jun nodded and rose to his feet
Zhao Jun slowly wrapped the jade fragment in the silk clothes and placed it back inside his jacket pocket.
This piece had been in his family's possession for years, transferred from one generation to another along with tales of its significance.
But no one had fully understood exactly what puzzle it was a part of, or what power the full picture held.
Until he began having those dreams.
Dreams of a woman with eyes that shifted between striking clarity and mellow light.
Dreams of ancient artifacts and scattered jade pieces that seemed to be calling to each other across time and space.
"Young Master Zhao," a knock sounded and Mr. Chen's voice as soon as Hsu Jin opened the door.
In a few quick steps, Hsu Jin reached the door and pulled it open.
"You're ready to go? Perfect timing. I saw Miss Tang leave and figured you might be leaving soon. I've asked someone to inform your driver to bring the car around."
He remained outside the door, not daring to take a step inside even though it was his office.
His tone was utterly respectful, almost to the point of currying favour.
After all, this was not a big shot whose audience they could seek out even if they wanted to.
"Thank you, Mr. Chen. I'll be out shortly"
As he stepped out of the office, Mr. Chen was waiting, his posture rigid, but slightly bent.
His head was lowered and his hands were clasped behind his back.
"I hope your meeting with Miss Tang was productive?"
"Very much so," Zhao Jun replied, his expression giving nothing away. "She has agreed to assist me with a project."
Mr. Chen's eyebrows raised slightly. "That is quite unexpected. Miss Tang rarely ever takes on any exclusive clients, no matter how generous the offer."
"I guess I'm in luck this time."
Or perhaps your presence is so compelling. Who could reject you?
Mr. Chen thought to himself, but did not dare to say them out loud.
As they walked the winding corridor toward the main hall, Mr. Chen summoned the courage to speak again.
Clearing his throat, he said "If I may ask, Young Master Zhao, what is your interest in Miss Tang specifically? There are many other authenticators with solid reputations who would be eager to work with the Zhao family. Yet you insisted on her…"
Zhao Jun paused, considering his response carefully but ended up not saying anything.
His eyes squinted as a thought, causing his face to look even more threatening.
Hsu Jin who was a couple of steps behind spoke up in a low voice.
"Don't ask what you shouldn't Mr. Chen."
Mr. Chen nodded immediately, the pressure that these two men exuded weighing down on him.
Even his back was covered in a layer of sweat.
He mentally covered his mouth with his hand. He should have known better than to be a busybody and ask those questions.
The number of people in the auction hall had thinned considerably in the time he had been speaking with Tang Lin.
Only a few individuals remained, examining pieces with intense focus or engaged in hushed conversations.
"Would you like to view any other pieces before you leave?" Mr. Chen's voice sounded weakly, more like he was saying 'whatever you want to do, up to you'.
"No need. I've seen enough." Zhao Jun's eyes swept through the room, noting Tang Lin's absence.
She had likely left as soon as she left the office.
He found himself wondering how she would react to the contract his assistant would prepare and deliver to her office tomorrow.
The terms were excessively generous, but the tasks he would require of her would test more than just her professional skills and experience.
They would test the boundaries between Tang Lin and Tang Mei. As for how he got to know…