Date published: 

:::

[Even god can't change the past.]

:::

__________________________________________

Such a high-key person had taken an interest to Zhi Ruo's hidden figure. His cunning smile on his face had been apparent on his face for quite a while. While the ladies swoon at his looks, he got closer to Zhi Ruo.

That angelic person was surprised how small the mysterious figure was up close. He was a head taller said person. And was instantly curious as to who Zhi Ruo was.

Zhi Ruo who was looking at the person who was readying the equipments for cutting the stone. Was instantly alerted at the presence who sneaked up behind her. Although it wasn't noticable, but Zhi Ruo's eyes that had the jade eyes activated was observing the person behind her. She took a step back the moment that person decided to stand by her side.

It was her turn to be surprised at the flowing blonde hair. His tall figure reminded Zhi Ruo of an peaceful statue of an angel. She was even more surprised seeing his cool blue eyes probing her face. For the first time that Zhi Ruo had come into this world, she had finally seen a person that had a different color of hair and eyes. She had finally met a foreigner.

But Zhi noticed the gazes the followed the man and knew that he was someone that had influence. So as soon as she noticed that she had made a plan to escape the spotlight of the man. But who knew that before she could escape the man had actually called out to her. Making her stop on her tracks.

"Excuse me, but are you the owner of this stone?" His voice matched his appearance. Equally charming, and smooth. Zhi Ruo raised her brows at his inquiry. But of course that wasn't shown to the charming fellow. The gazes of the ladies instantly flew to Zhi Ruo's figure.

"And if I am?" But Zhi Ruo didn't trust his angelic features and looked piercingly at the fellow under her hood. Zhi Ruo's voice was unidentifiable. And her tone was monotonous as her appearance. Nothing was worthwhile noticing on Zhi Ruo. And so the gazes of the ladies shifted back to admiring the beauty of the person in front of Zhi Ruo.

"I just want to make a bet on the stones." The man had crossed his arms on his chest elegantly, tilted his head and smiled gently. And yet that action actually set an alarm of Zhi Ruo's smile. Contrary on the other ladies in the rooms that was charmed out of their dresses.

"..." Zhi Ruo kept silent. She was actually interested in the bet that the man proposed. This attracted attention from the people around them, seeing that this was a common thing that always happened on the establishment. And yet surprisingly the man also kept silent staring intently on Zhi Ruo.

Finally Zhi Ruo raised up ten hands, and opened it and closed it four time. This piped up the attention of the man. His head was tilted on the other side this time. "400 small Gold papers?" He muttered out to himself. He was surprised when Zhi Ruo actually heard him and nodded. "Ok!" The man instantly agreed. This earned him a smirk from Zhi Ruo.

The man was not worried whether he lost or win, he was just curious as who was the person under that hood. As for Zhi Ruo, she was already certain that she will win. With her jade eyes she had already knew that the stone that she picked was one of the few stronger ones around the whole area. And she knew what kind of a precious item that she would get.

She faced the man with a relaxed stance, and the small action was instantly noticed by the gaze of the angelic man. This tickled his curiosity more. "Say little brother, are you confident?" He asked, but his tone in asking had a little confusion mixed into it. He doesn't know why Zhi Ruo was confident and was so relaxed.

"Yes!" Zhi Ruo's voice was heard, the simple word was coated with confidence that left the man dumbfounded. He pursed his lips and only looked at the man that was drawing lines on the stone that he would cut. Like before Zhi Ruo didn't correct him that she was actually a girl. And continued to treat the charming man like air that she breathes.

"I don't understand why little brother is so confident. Do you actually know whats inside?" He probed Zhi Ruo again, he took out a fan from his sleeves and fluttered it close to his face. His hands looked as soft as jade. He was taken aback when Zhi Ruo coldly snorted at him. He even felt wronged, he just wanted to be friends with the interesting little brother.

"Nosy!" Zhi Ruo spat out the word. The man's face turned black and his eyebrows couldn't help but twitch in ire. But his attention was instantly shifted at the man who was already cutting the stone carefully. This time the lips under the fan curved up excitedly. It was apparent that he had plans if Zhi Ruo won.

The bright brimstone color peeked from the first stone that was chipped away. The crowd around the stone instantly shook with cheers of surprise. Even the man who suggested the bet was so surprised that he had took a step back. The man cutting continued to do his work. But the clamor of the crowd was only getting stronger after the whole stone was revealed.

"Brimstone eyes!" A man exclaimed his mouth was full of praise but his eyes held intense greed after the stone. He couldn't help but look at Zhi Ruo's figure with envy. Yet another man had inspected the stone from afar couldn't help but shout in amazement.

"It's a Mid High tiered Brimstone eyes stone!" The guy had exclaimed. In the establishment they had created a ranking. Low tiered, Low mid tiered,Low high tiered, Mid tiered, Mid high tiered and High tiered. Although other similar establishment had some much higher rankings. The General's establishment could only reach this high on the rankings.

But that was enough to toss the crowd in an uproar, no matter what in this continent that level was still very outstanding. Though it couldn't compare to other realms, it was very valuable in everyone's eyes at the moment. The man that made the bet with Zhi Ruo was surprised. But that quickly disappeared when Zhi Ruo's thin hands tugged on his robe and motioned her hands to hand over the 400 small Gold papers. Zhi Ruo now has 800 small Gold papers.

The man couldn't help but chuckle as he handed the thick cash on Zhi Ruo's hands. Pleased Zhi Ruo's hands retreated back to her robe. But the people on the sides wasn't as calm as the two of them. Most of them were already waving paper money and jingling pouches of coins waiting for the bidding to start.

"Young sir! Are you going to put the stone on bid?!" The employee that showed Zhi Ruo around shouted desperately, as he was squished by the over flowing amount of people. The man that had cut the stone had already called the guards over to try and calm the raging crowd. 

Seeing this Zhi Ruo calmly walked over to the stone that was fully cut, leaving the bewildered blond man behind. The moment her hands raised in front of the crowd they were instantly silenced. If they want to aquire the stone they must abide the rules. Zhi Ruo nodded to the employee. The employee's eyes brightened and he opened his mouth to let the bidding start.

"500 small Gold papers!" The moment it started a man raised his voice and bellowed. The others clicked their tongues in frustration. 

"800 small gold papers!" A arrogant voice was heard from a young looking young master. Another voice cuts in without a second to delay.

"1 Gold paper!" That voice belonged to a middle aged man.

"2 Gold papers!" The voice this time let out a scoff that basically told that middle aged man to eat his shit.

"4 Gold papers!" 

"6 Gold papers!" 

Noticably the competition had begun to rose up the flames of some master's competitive hearts. 

"40 Gold papers!" Zhi Ruo's gaze instantly fell upon the charming blue eyes of the angelic man. That man hid a gentle smile on his face. He felt that it was useless to even bother wasting time bidding and said the price that suited the stone. "40 Gold papers and my name? How about that little brother?" He flapped his fan once and smiled gently.

The other ladies could only bite their handkerchief in frustration seeing the scene before them. Yet they could do nothing, and even if they can wouldn't they be just embarrassing themselves because the person under the robe is a brother? Who would be willing in this era fight a guy for a man? Unless the young master with the 40 Gold papers leans the other way, then what could they do?

Zhi Ruo clicked her tongue in ire, and waved her hand dismissively. "No need, just the money." Zhi Ruo would most likely would've flipped that man with the tallest finger on her hand. But he did pay a hefty price for her stone so she should at least give him face. 

"Going once!" The young master's around was clicking their tongues like a clock. And they shot some glares towards the blond haired man.

"Going twice!" The man only fluttered his fan gently and folded his arms over his chest.

"Sold to the charming young sir! Please get your stone!" The blond man made his way to Zhi Ruo. Who only stood still like a stone statue. On Zhi Ruo's hand was the stone and on the man's hand was a wad of paper taels. They both exchanged it in unison, Zhi Ruo has the money and the man got the stone.

"As promised, let me introduce myself I am Alberu. And you little brother?" The man instantly got talkative the moment the people fanned out leaving them to talk. Zhi Ruo could only swore on her mind. But her hands on the robe never stopped on fondling with the money. Zhi Ruo paused for a bit before answering

Zhi Ruo wanted to blurt out Valkyrie because it was cool. But looking at her she couldn't really reveal much, and Alberu that man who didn't even blurt out his full name. It wasn't a bad choice if Zhi Ruo would state out a fake name. 

"Ashen." Zhi Ruo finally said. She pronounced it like 'Ah Shen', but fundamentally she stated it in English. Alberu was confused for a bit, the way that Zhi Ruo said it almost sounds familiar as his language. But it was so different at the same time. In the end he didn't really get much, didn't even figure out what Zhi Ruo's gender was. So he could only smile wryly under the fan and didn't state anything else.

Zhi Ruo left Alberu's side and looked around with her jade eyes again. She made it under the banner of 7. And she again picked out something from a random corner. But this time she had an annoying tail following her around. Alberu was like a dog, following his owner curiously peeking every few seconds or so.

Zhi picked out a decent stone from a corner. And picked out another stone from under the banner '6' both of which has no correlation at all and it seemed like Zhi Ruo was picking it up like she would pick up a random vegetable on the market. But not once did she acknowledge the cute golden retriever following her trails.

She called out an employee and payed for the stone. All of which only cost 1 gold paper, and 800 small Gold papers. The moment Zhi Ruo made the employee again led her to the cutting area.

____________________________________________

-Scarlett