Jiang Ci knew perfectly well what he meant.
During her absence from Beijing, the city must have undergone tremendous changes.
At least the two major obstacles that weighed on Jiangci have been completely removed.
Hearing that Zhou Mingli was alright, Jiang Ci felt relieved.
She said, "I am currently five days' sea voyage from country Y. I will call you again after I arrive in country Y."
Zhou Mingli: "Okay."
"It's the same phone number, the one from the convenience store near our house."
Jiang Ci remained silent. "I know."
"Jiang Ci, are you done? There are other colleagues waiting!"
It was Secretary Miao's voice.
Jiang Ci turned her head and said, "It's over."
She spoke faster, "I'm glad you're all alright, I have to hang up now!"
"Wait!" Zhou Mingli stopped her from hanging up immediately. His voice sounded a little aggrieved on the other end of the line. "I still have something to say."
Jiang Ci paused, and a deep voice came through the microphone into her ears, "Jiang Ci, I miss you so much."
Jiang Ci: "..."
Her gaze shifted, landing on the bright, alert faces of the others, and she remained silent for a long time.
“I…” Her throat felt a little dry.
Pride made it difficult for her to express her feelings for Zhou Mingli, no matter how close they were, when she was sober and rational.
Jiang Ci licked her lips, her ears turning slightly red, probably from Zhou Mingli's words. "I miss you too."
The colleagues in the room let out knowing yet ambiguous chuckles.
Zhou Mingli was also laughing, laughing heartily.
Jiang Ci hung up the phone, her face and neck flushed red.
Damn it, it's just a short trip.
It’s happened before!
What's with the sentimentality?!
bother!
...
The ship arrived in Country Y on August 10th. The delegation, led by Secretary Miao, first held talks with the local Ministry of Foreign Affairs before returning to the embassy.
They have many important itineraries to come, including but not limited to visiting some local shopping malls, meeting with nobles who buy their tea in large quantities, and negotiating with local distributors.
After arriving at the embassy, Jiang Ci called Zhou Mingli again.
While on the ship, Jiang Ci heard from Secretary Miao about what had happened in China. When she called Zhou Mingli, he also told her that although Shan Shengshuo, Guo Zhen, and their accomplices had all been arrested, none of the antiques and cultural relics that Shan Shengshuo had plundered in Liulichang and other places over the past few decades had been found.
Dan Shengshuo is very stubborn and hasn't said anything yet.
The imperial seal has also disappeared without a trace.
Jiang Ciren, being out there, didn't have any good options; he just knew, and that was all he knew.
She didn't have time to think too much and started her busy work. During her breaks, she would take the orders and the money given to her by the Cheng and Shen families and go shopping at the mall.
Liu Ke was also told to buy a lot of things, so the two of them went together.
Jiang Ci first bought everything the Cheng and Shen families wanted. As for the list of books, the bookstores in the store didn't have it all, so she would have to go to the vicinity of the local university tomorrow.
She and Liu Ke arrived at the watch counter and looked down at the watches.
"Don't you already have a watch? Why are you giving it away?" Liu Ke had barely asked the question when he noticed that Jiang Ci was looking at a men's watch.
She suddenly realized, "You're buying it for your boyfriend!"
Jiang Ci smiled and readily admitted, "Yes."
"Tickets for watches in China are hard to get and expensive. Taking advantage of this opportunity to go abroad, I can buy them here without needing tickets."
"Oh my, why didn't I think of buying a watch?! The watches here are really cheap!"
"Maybe it's because... you haven't found someone to give the watch to yet?" Jiang Ci joked.
Liu Ke's ears turned red, and he patted Jiang Ci on the shoulder.
Jiang Ci laughed even harder.
After their playful banter, Jiang Ci seriously started looking at watches. There were many styles of watches from abroad, but in the end, Jiang Ci chose a men's watch from the same brand as the one she was wearing.
It's a basic model that's not too complicated, priced at around sixty pounds. More advanced models cost over a hundred pounds, which isn't enough money for the one I brought.
The staff at the counter took the watch out for her, quickly explained how to use it, and then handed it to Jiang Ci for her to check.
Jiang Ci touched the texture of the metal chain, turned it over to look at the back, and saw that the number 1977 was stamped on the back.
The watch was put into a black velvet box. Jiang Ci touched the ten pounds she only had left in her pocket and sighed again about her poverty.
A watch drained her dry.
Fortunately, the remaining items she needed to buy weren't too expensive, and if she bought a small amount, ten pounds would be enough.
So in one day, he spent almost all of the seventy pounds he had brought with him.
The purchasing power of the pound in 1977 was much stronger than it would be decades later; it's just that the watches were too expensive, which is why Jiangci's money was spent so quickly.
Without hesitation, she took the things and went back with Liu Ke.
Liu Ke also suggested that she and Jiang Ci try the local cuisine, but Jiang Ci declined, saying, "What good food is there in a food desert? The desserts are alright though."
The main problem is that I don't have enough money.
Liu Ke: "...What you said seems to make a lot of sense."
After staying in Country Y for three days, Jiang Ci and several nobles signed some contracts with the distributors. The delegation then traveled to Country F, which is not far from China, only a few hours away.
During her free time, Jiang Ci met an unexpected person in F country.
Single ripple.
That day, they had just finished meeting with the distributors and returned to the embassy. Outside the embassy, Jiang Ci saw Shan Lian pacing back and forth.
At first, Jiang Ci thought she was seeing things, but when she turned around, Jiang Ci saw her face clearly.
"Shan Lian?" Jiang Ci called out uncertainly.
Shan Lian stopped in her tracks, looked up at Jiang Ci, and before she could speak, her eyes reddened.
Liu Ke hesitated, "This?"
"You guys go back first, I want to talk to her."
"good."
Jiang Ci and the others went into the embassy before heading towards Shan Lian.
Shan Lian stared at Jiang Ci.
Jiang Ci asked casually, "How did you end up here?"
With her neck stiff, Shan Lian asked, "Don't you have anything you want to tell me?"
Jiang Ci tilted her head. "You mean, your maternal grandfather secretly amassed a large collection of cultural relics and antiques, and engaged in the buying and selling of official positions?"
"Or are you referring to your father causing the deaths of three people, forcing innocent people to lose their families and become homeless?"
Dan Lian's face turned pale. "Not this!"
"Did you approach me in the first place because of my grandfather and my father?"
Jiang Ci smiled. "Think about it carefully. Was I intentionally getting close to you, or were you unconsciously getting closer to me?"
Shan Lian was completely stunned.
She had a difficult time in F country, trying every means to find out why her grandfather and father had sent her to F country and had people watching her to prevent her from getting close to the airport.
She finally managed to get some information from elsewhere, but the news was devastating: her maternal grandfather had been arrested, and her father had also been arrested.
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