Obscuris Labyrinth

Two days later, in the afternoon, the sun lazily shone on the earth, casting a faint golden glow over everything. Zhao Yuxuan was sitting quietly on a chair on the lawn. This was a villa area meticulously developed for the wealthy in Xingyao City. In this villa area, each villa was like a brilliant pearl, exuding an air of wealth and luxury. The villa where Zhao Yuxuan lived was a two - storey European - style building. Although it was not large in scale, its design was extremely ingenious. Every line and every decoration seemed to tell of the designer's originality. The exterior was both magnificent and beautiful, like an elegant nobleman standing quietly there. In front of the villa was a stretch of soft grass, which was like a green velvet carpet, spreading flat and full of vitality on the earth, as if it were the most natural adornment bestowed on this villa by nature.

This was Zhao Yuxuan's home. Since his parents were busy with business all year round in other provinces or even abroad, like two tireless migratory birds, always traveling around. And his grandparents lived in different cities respectively. So in this large villa, apart from a doorman named Wang Qiang and a maid named Aunt Zhang, there was no one else. However, just today, Zhao Yuxuan received a call from his father, Sun Qiming. His father's voice on the other end of the phone sounded a little tired but still full of concern. He informed Zhao Yuxuan that he and his mother, Zhou Yaqi, would be back today and asked him to wait patiently at home.

Zhao Yuxuan's parents hadn't been back to Xingyao City for more than half a year. His heart had been full of anticipation originally, and he had even planned to bring his girlfriend, Chen Shihan, back to meet his parents. Chen Shihan was a gentle and kind - hearted girl and occupied a very important place in Zhao Yuxuan's heart. However, Chen Shihan had a very important class in the afternoon, and this class was one where attendance was taken. Once she skipped class, it might affect her academic performance. So he had no choice but to reluctantly give up this idea. Zhao Yuxuan sat on the chair, feeling a little disappointed. He looked at the grassland, and his thoughts drifted far away. He imagined the scene after his parents' return and also silently looked forward to the day when the whole family could truly be reunited.

Zhao Yuxuan waited like this for a long time. Time was like a slowly flowing stream, and不知不觉间临近傍晚时分了. At this time, he saw a taxi slowly stop outside. A middle - aged man and woman each carried a suitcase and got out of the car. It was his parents, Sun Qiming and Zhou Yaqi. They were college classmates in the 1970s. In that era full of ideals and passion, they both chose the foreign language major together, like two mutually attracted stars, shining together in the starry sky of knowledge. After graduation, they embarked on the journey of starting a business hand in hand. This journey was full of hardships and setbacks, and it took them thirty years to build up this enviable family business. The time they spent with Zhao Yuxuan was extremely scarce, like a brief meteor streaking across the night sky. But they often made phone calls at ordinary times, and the care and greetings in those phone calls made Zhao Yuxuan never doubt his parents' deep love for him. However, in his heart, there was always a tinge of regret. Although his parents had given him extremely superior material things, the family rarely could sit around together and share the warm time full of laughter. He often asked himself silently in his heart: Was money really so important?

Just then, Zhao Yuxuan's eyes fell on his parents' faces. He noticed that his parents' faces looked a little heavy, as if a cloud of gloom was hanging over them, as if something extremely unpleasant had happened. His heart couldn't help but skip a beat, and many thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant. He guessed that his parents might have encountered insurmountable difficulties in their business. So he quickly stood up from the chair and walked towards his parents, saying, "Dad, Mom, you're back. Why didn't you let me pick you up at the airport?" There was a tinge of eagerness and concern in his voice.

When Zhou Yaqi saw her son, a glint of light flashed in her eyes instantly. It was a mother's unique love for her son. She quickly ran over and hugged Zhao Yuxuan tightly, as if she wanted to pour all the longing of more than half a year into this hug. Then, as she used to do when Zhao Yuxuan was a child, she gently tugged at his hair. The love in her eyes flowed out naturally like a trickling stream, and the corners of her mouth slightly curled up as she said, "Waiting at the airport is too tiring. It's more comfortable at home."

At this time, Sun Qiming also walked over. His steps were a little heavy, as if he was shouldering a lot of pressure. He walked to Zhao Yuxuan's side and gently patted his shoulder. That hand bore the marks and strength of years. He looked at his son, with a look of gratification in his eyes, and said, "Yuxuan, you look stronger. Good. You're already a man."

A warm feeling welled up in Zhao Yuxuan's heart. That warmth was like the warm sun in winter, dispelling some of the gloom in his heart. Suddenly, he noticed that his parents' faces were much more haggard compared to the last time they parted. Their haggard faces were like flowers eroded by wind and rain, having lost their former beauty. His heart couldn't help but feel a pang of shame again. His parents worked so hard outside, all for him to be able to live a better life. He felt that he should also share some of the burden for his parents. He secretly made up his mind in his heart that in another year, after he graduated, he must go to his parents' foreign trade company to help and relieve some of their burdens.

Walking into the downstairs hall, Aunt Zhang had already carefully prepared dinner. The dining table was filled with all kinds of dishes, emitting an inviting aroma. The whole family sat around the dining table, eating dinner silently. Although there wasn't much verbal communication, the atmosphere was full of the warmth of home. After dinner, they went upstairs to Sun Qiming's study to chat.

After sitting down on the sofa, Zhou Yaqi was the first to break the silence. She looked at Zhao Yuxuan gently and said with a smile, "Yuxuan, didn't you say you had a girlfriend? Why didn't you bring her back to show me and your dad?"

Zhao Yuxuan scratched his head a little embarrassedly and replied, "She has a very important class today, so she couldn't come. I want to bring her to see you tomorrow, Dad, Mom. Can you stay for a longer time this time? Our family can get together well and go out to play." There was anticipation in his eyes, like a child longing for a gift.

Sun Qiming and Zhou Yaqi looked at each other when they heard this. A complex emotion flashed in their eyes, and a look of gloom reappeared on their faces. Zhou Yaqi nodded gently and said, "Yes, Yuxuan. Your dad and I may stay for a long time this time."

Zhao Yuxuan immediately beamed with joy. That smile was like a blooming flower, full of vitality. He said, "Really? Dad, is what Mom said true?"

Sun Qiming also nodded. After a moment of silence, his eyes became a little serious as he asked, "Yuxuan, what is your girlfriend's character like? Can she share weal and woe with you?"

Zhao Yuxuan didn't quite understand why his father would ask such a question. His heart skipped a beat slightly, but he still answered quickly, "Shihan is a very gentle girl. She will listen to whatever I say. And her family is not well - off. Sharing weal and woe is definitely no problem, Dad. Don't worry. Shihan and I will be like you and Mom."

Sun Qiming gave a soft grunt but didn't continue this topic. There seemed to be something hidden in his eyes, like a deep lake, making it impossible to see through.

At this time, Zhou Yaqi laughed. Her laughter broke the somewhat dull atmosphere as she said, "Qiming, let's talk about something happy. Show that precious item to our son quickly."

Zhao Yuxuan knew that his parents both had a hobby of collecting antiques. There was a treasure - storing room specially set up at home. That treasure - storing room was like a mysterious treasure trove, used to store ceramics, paintings, sculptures and other antiques they had collected during their travels. Hearing what his mother said, he also became interested, with a curious glint in his eyes, and said, "Dad, what is the precious item? Let me have a look quickly."

Sun Qiming then opened the suitcase he carried with him. The zipper of the suitcase made a slight "rattle" sound, as if opening a mysterious world. He took out a red sandalwood box from the suitcase. The box emitted a faint sandalwood fragrance, giving a simple and mysterious feeling. After opening the box, he carefully reached in and took out an item and handed it to Zhao Yuxuan, saying, "Yuxuan, it's this ancient jade. You must hold it carefully and don't drop it on the ground." There was a tinge of nervousness and expectation in his eyes, as if this ancient jade was of great significance.

Zhao Yuxuan took the item and examined it carefully. This was a green ancient jade slightly larger than his palm. The green color was like the newly sprouted young leaves in spring, full of vitality. However, some black jade spots began to grow on the ancient jade. Those jade spots were like the marks left by time, silently telling the history of the ancient jade. And on the ancient jade, there were some twisted and strange characters. Those characters were bright red in color, like congealed blood, exuding an indescribable eeriness.

He felt it was a bit strange, so he gently rubbed it with his finger. His finger moved slowly on the ancient jade, but he didn't detect any carving marks. Those strange characters seemed to be naturally grown in the jade, as if they were an inborn part of the ancient jade.

Zhao Yuxuan became even more curious. He picked up the ancient jade and brought it close to his eyes, staring at it intently without blinking.

Just at this moment, something eerie happened. Those red strange characters seemed to flow slowly, like the blood vessels of the ancient jade, as if the ancient jade suddenly came to life.

A sudden horror gripped Zhao Yuxuan's heart. His hand almost involuntarily loosened, and he nearly dropped the ancient jade. His heart rate instantly accelerated, like a frightened deer running wild in his chest. But he quickly tightened his grip. Looking at it again, those red strange characters were quietly staying in the jade, with no sign of flowing at all.

"An illusion," he said to himself in his heart. At that moment, he couldn't believe that he would have such an illusion. He couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief, but a tinge of uneasiness still lingered in his heart. He handed the ancient jade back to his father and said, "Dad, this jade is quite strange."

Sun Qiming took the jade and swept away the gloom from just now, with a smile on his face, like the sun piercing through the clouds. He said, "Yuxuan, this is no ordinary jade. Look at the jade spots on it. It takes at least two or three thousand years to form like this. That's not all. The strangest thing is that the characters in this jade are obviously not artificially carved but are naturally formed. Maybe they are not characters, just look like characters. I haven't heard of anyone else having such a jade piece. Its value is inestimable."

Zhao Yuxuan looked at the jade again, remembering the illusion just now, and still felt a little uneasy in his heart. His brows furrowed slightly as he asked, "Dad, how did you get this ancient jade?"

Sun Qiming said, "I went to the Central Plains to do something. The Central Plains is a place full of mystery and historical heritage. But things didn't go smoothly at all. My mood was as low as a cloudy sky, and I was not happy. So I went to the local antique market to see if there were any good things. Unexpectedly, I really found this treasure in a familiar antique shop. I bought it for 800,000 yuan. It was so worth it. Really, it was so worth it. I think the real value of such a jade is truly inestimable."

Sun Qiming studied the foreign language major and was also enthusiastic about collecting domestic antiques. He could be said to be proficient in Chinese and foreign history. Zhao Yuxuan had been influenced since childhood and naturally knew a lot of relevant knowledge. The Central Plains is located in the middle - east of China, in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River. Because it is in the center of the nine prefectures, it is also known as "the Central Plains" or "Zhongzhou". It is also one of the birthplaces of Chinese national culture and a place that must be contended for by hegemonists. In history, more than 20 dynasties established their capitals here. The famous ancient capitals such as Luoyi, Qifeng, and Anyi within its territory are all among the seven ancient capitals in China. There are countless imperial mausoleums and tombs of princes and nobles throughout the dynasties, and the cultural relic resources are extremely rich, and there are also the most tomb robbers. This strange ancient jade was probably stolen from some mausoleum again. At the moment, he said, "Dad, you mean this ancient jade is priceless. Haha, you've made a great profit this time."

Sun Qiming didn't laugh. Instead, he stared at his son and said, "Yuxuan, I don't know what I can leave for you in my lifetime, but this ancient jade will definitely be left to you. With it, you can live a prosperous life all your life." There was firmness and deep fatherly love in his eyes.

Zhao Yuxuan felt that something was wrong from his father's tone. A sense of doubt welled up in his heart as he asked, "Dad, what on earth happened?"

Before Sun Qiming could speak, he heard Zhou Yaqi on the side say, "Qiming, we just got back..." There was a tinge of dissuasion in her voice.

Sun Qiming nodded and said, "Yuxuan, I'll tell you about this matter in a few days."

Zhao Yuxuan had no choice but to give up. Although his heart was full of curiosity, he couldn't ask any further. He asked again, "Dad, since this ancient jade is so precious, are you still going to put it in the treasure - storing room?"

The Zhao family's treasure - storing room was in the specially made basement downstairs. That basement was like an impregnable fortress, very firmly designed. The walls were so thick that people felt extremely secure. And it was equipped with a very advanced alarm system. That alarm system was like a loyal guard, connected to the outside security room and the police station. As long as a thief touched it, the police would arrive within ten minutes. When Zhao Yuxuan was fifteen years old, there were once thieves who had ideas about the treasure - storing room. However, before they could open the steel - reinforced door of the basement, they were surrounded by a large number of security guards and police.

Who would have thought that Sun Qiming shook his head and said, "This jade is what I want to leave to you the most. I don't want to put it together with other things. I'll just keep it in this study."

Zhao Yuxuan's eyes were full of confusion. He tilted his head slightly and said in surprise, "Moxiang Pavilion? It doesn't seem safe here."

Sun Qiming didn't reply immediately. He just quietly put the ancient jade exuding a primitive simplicity back into the exquisite red sandalwood box, then gently placed it in Zhao Yuxuan's hand and said calmly, "Yuxuan, follow me."

After that, Sun Qiming walked slowly towards the left. Zhao Yuxuan carefully held the box and followed him closely. Moxiang Pavilion was filled with a faint sandalwood fragrance. All kinds of antiques, calligraphy, and paintings were placed around. Under the dim yellow light, those items seemed to be telling ancient stories.

Arriving at the left wall of Moxiang Pavilion, Sun Qiming slowly bent down as if performing a solemn ceremony. He gently lifted a section of the carpet, and there was a row of square - decorated floor tiles neatly arranged like a phalanx underneath. Sun Qiming's hand stretched out like a nimble snake and accurately pressed one of the floor tiles. In an instant, the floor tile seemed to be given life and popped up. He carefully removed the floor tile and put it aside. At this time, a mini - safe about 30 centimeters in size appeared in front of them. It was firmly fixed there as if guarding some peerless treasure.

Sun Qiming looked at Zhao Yuxuan and said slowly, "Yuxuan, the password is your birthday." As he spoke, he extended his index finger and thumb. His finger movements were steady and powerful as he twisted the password switch on the safe. With a slight mechanical rotation sound, the safe door slowly opened. He steadily put the red sandalwood box containing the ancient jade into it, then gently closed the cabinet door, put the floor tile back in place, and carefully covered it with the carpet again. Zhao Yuxuan was secretly amazed in his heart. If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he would never have thought of such a hidden place. He thought that even the most cunning thieves would never expect there to be such a hiding place here. This place was indeed much safer than the basement.

After putting away the ancient jade, Sun Qiming sat back on the soft sofa again. With a hint of concern in his eyes, he began to inquire about Zhao Yuxuan's study situation. Zhao Yuxuan felt a bit ashamed in his heart. He was studying in the Business Department of the Foreign Languages and Foreign Trade College. Every time he thought of his academic performance, he felt somewhat ashamed. He had an English foundation since childhood, so his English grades were quite good. However, for other subjects, although his grades were not extremely bad, they were just barely passing. He knew clearly in his heart that his grades like this were really a bit of a disappointment to his hard - working parents. He secretly made up his mind to work harder in the future.

However, Sun Qiming didn't mean to blame him at all. He just said some words earnestly about being a good person. At this time, Zhou Yaqi beside them seemed to be very curious about Zhao Yuxuan's love life. She kept asking him about Chen Shihan and enthusiastically told him to bring his girlfriend to have dinner at home no matter what tomorrow night.

The family sat together and chatted happily. Unconsciously, time slipped away quietly, and it was almost midnight. Sun Qiming was about to ask Zhao Yuxuan to go to bed when suddenly, there was a knock on the door outside Moxiang Pavilion. Zhao Yuxuan quickly got up to open the door. Standing outside the door was the maid, Aunt Zhang.

Sun Qiming also stood up and asked gently, "Aunt Zhang, what's the matter?"

Aunt Zhang bowed slightly and said, "Someone wants to see you, Mr. Sun. The security guard at the gate asked whether to let him in or not."

Someone was coming to visit so late. Sun Qiming couldn't help but be stunned for a moment. He frowned and asked, "Who is it?"

Aunt Zhang replied, "An old gentleman surnamed Li. He also said that it was a very important matter."

After hearing this, Sun Qiming pondered for a while and then waved his hand gently, saying, "Okay, let him in. Aunt Zhang, bring him to Moxiang Pavilion."

Twenty minutes later, Aunt Zhang walked in slowly, followed by a person.

Zhao Yuxuan's eyes curiously looked over. He saw an old man in his sixties or seventies. The old man's hair was already gray, like the frost and snow in winter, and he had a strand of white beard, which looked rather elegant. He was wearing a pair of old - fashioned glasses, and his eyes behind the lenses showed a persistent light. His facial features were thin, but his figure was slender. He was wearing a blue suit and looked like a learned scholar. He was also carrying a small suitcase in his hand. The suitcase looked a bit shabby, and no one knew what was inside.

After Sun Qiming let Aunt Zhang leave, he warmly greeted the old man, extended his hand, and said with a polite smile, "Are you Mr. Li? I'm Sun Qiming. I wonder what advice you have for me?"

The old Mr. Li quickly shook hands with Sun Qiming. His tone was a bit hurried as he said, "Mr. Sun, I'm here for that ancient jade. I hope you can sell it to me."

As soon as he said this, Sun Qiming was stunned again, full of doubts in his heart. He asked, "How did you know I have that jade?"

The old Mr. Li sighed gently and said slowly, "I've been looking for that ancient jade for many years. Only recently did I get some clues and traced it to that antique shop in Henan, but you had already bought it. I begged the shop owner for a long time before he told me your mobile phone number. But when I called, it was always out of service. Then the shop owner told me your address, so I hurried over here. Mr. Sun, no matter what, you have to sell that ancient jade to me."

Zhao Yuxuan knew in his heart that his father was an old customer of that antique shop, so it was not strange for the other party to have his father's mobile phone number and address. However, how could his usually busy father have his mobile phone out of service? No wonder his father's mobile phone hadn't rung during such a long chat. At this time, he already had a faint feeling that his parents' business might be in great trouble.

At this time, his father welcomed the old Mr. Li to the sofa, and his mother politely made a pot of fragrant tea and brought it over. Then, his father said with an apologetic face, "Mr. Li, it's true that I bought that ancient jade. You came all this way so late, and I believe you like this jade very much. But I'm sorry, I cherish this jade very much and have no intention of selling it."

After hearing this, the old Mr. Li's expression became a bit serious. He said, "Mr. Sun, you can't keep that jade. It's an unlucky thing. Whoever gets it will die suddenly for no reason. It will harm you."