Chapter 401: Let him guess for a lifetime

Lu Qiao did not ransack the place; it was enough as it was. She was not that greedy.

The little dolphin by her side also told Lu Qiao that there was a shipwreck about five hundred nautical miles further south.

Inside it were many, many pieces of porcelain, gold, silver, and other items.

In any case, these were things humans liked, and they were from a very, very distant era.

The jellyfish said in a soft, thin voice: 【In my memory, that shipwreck is at least six hundred years old.】

As for this, Lu Qiao was indeed quite tempted.

Just like the gold in Red Star Lake, it was ownerless property; the mere thought of it was exciting.

Moreover, if she really went to salvage it, she absolutely wouldn't have to expend any effort. After all, she had so many helpers.

Sure enough, the great shark said excitedly: 【Little Master, I can take you there; you don't need to take a boat or swim.】

Lu Qiao patted the great shark's large head. If anyone saw this scene, their jaws would surely drop.

After thinking about it, she gave up and said: 【Not this time; let's wait for next time.】

Although the maritime defense forces were currently not as strong as those abroad or in the future, in a situation where everyone was a soldier, one still had to be careful in such places.

As for shipwrecks, there were plenty of them; it didn't have to be this one.

When Lu Qiao returned to Jiangcheng, the entire city had been gently covered by a heavy snowfall.

The fields and furrows outside the city were all submerged under the white snow, like an endless white carpet spread out, forming a pure and vast contrast with the deep blue sky in the distance.

Evergreen pines and cypresses stood quietly in the snow, their branches bearing the weight of the thick accumulation. Occasionally, as the wind passed, they would shed snow powder like jade dust, as if it were snowing lightly once more.

Snow melted on the rooftops, and rows of crystal-clear icicles hung under the eaves, flickering with a cold, faint light in the thin winter sun.

The cooking smoke drifting from the chimneys became the only active brushstroke in this quiet world, curling upward, peaceful as a fairy tale.

Returning suddenly from the warm coast to the frigid Jiangcheng, from lush greenery to snow-covered whiteness, it felt as if she had traveled through two seasons, winter and summer, in just a few days.

After returning from Big Fish Island, Lu Qiao first sent Xiao Qing back to the mountain forest where it lived, and Little Huacai and Tongtong also returned to Cuixia Peak. Before parting, she left plenty of spirit water for these creatures, including the little cuties in the sea, and repeatedly warned them not to get too close to humans just because they had gained intelligence.

One had to know that in the eyes of humans, they were delicious, edible ingredients; they must never lower their guard.

And after Chen Liangsheng arrived in Port City, he had already been transferred to Guangcheng through special channels, but Lu Qiao did not get to see him.

Because he immediately set off for Beidu. Going to Beidu was a better arrangement; he could see Lu Yun directly and thoroughly clarify the events of those years. This couple, having weathered many storms, finally reunited.

And Qin Hengzhi finally saw the young girl who had left Jiangcheng for more than half a month.

He couldn't go to the station to meet her in person as work was truly busy, but at dusk, he carried newly bought meat and vegetables and a net bag of rosy apples, stepping through the snow to the Lu residence.

Meng Xia considerately let the two talk in the living room while she ducked into the kitchen to prepare dinner.

Lu Qiao smiled and took out a large, jet-black, lustrous pearl, handing it to Qin Hengzhi: "Here, for you to play with."

Qin Hengzhi was slightly startled. It wasn't that he hadn't seen large pearls, but this was truly the first time he had seen such a plump, deep-lustered black pearl.

He reached out to take it; it felt warm and slightly cool to the touch, but a strange feeling arose in his heart—this scene, why did it feel like it had been reversed?

But he had to admit that this pearl was stunningly beautiful. Even he could imagine that if it were a woman, she would certainly love it dearly.

And for Qiao, this was not the first time she had given him a gift.

He cradled the quail-egg-sized pearl in his palm, feeling its roundness and weight with his fingertips, pondering: Did she go to Big Fish Island? But how did she get there?

He raised his eyes and looked at Lu Qiao, who was within arm's reach.

Her fair face was exceptionally vivid in the winter light, and his heart felt as if it had been lightly brushed by a feather, causing a slight itch.

Lu Qiao was also looking at him with a smile, her moist peach-blossom eyes flashing with a cunning brilliance, as if waiting for him to ask, or perhaps certain that he could guess the answer.

"Thank you for the gift," he said in a low voice, carrying an imperceptible gentleness, "I like it very much."

A black pearl of this quality was definitely not something seen on the ordinary market; one look and he knew it came from a specific sea area. Presumably, it was another gift from those "non-human little friends" who had once given her information about Chen Liangsheng.

What else was there to ask?

There was no need to pursue every detail. Qin Hengzhi thought, if he could accompany her like this and guess her little secrets for a lifetime, why wouldn't that be a profound kind of happiness?

He solemnly placed the pearl into his shirt pocket.

On Lu Qiao's first day back at work, she received praise from Old Hu.

He commended her and Shao Le for bringing the person back this time without escalating conflicts and for uniting the forces that could be united, saying they had done an excellent job.

And Shao Le knew he was basking in her reflected glory, but clearly, Lu Qiao didn't care about these things, so there was no need for him to stand out in the conference room to explain who did what.

Besides, the leaders' eyes were very sharp.

Shao Le had also gained a lot from this trip, and he saw many problems more clearly.

For example, how to treat his biological father.

He didn't want to acknowledge him, but if Zhao Laolaizi really made a scene, the impact on him and the unit would indeed be bad.

In the past, he always thought about meeting force with force, either hiding or arguing. This trip, following Lu Qiao and watching her handle things in a way that seemed easygoing but was actually extremely methodical, always finding a subtle balance, made him realize something different.

Blocking is not as good as dredging.

Since he couldn't hide, he wouldn't hide anymore.

He had to think of a way to keep Zhao Laolaizi from sticking to him like a dog-skin plaster and disgusting people, while also minimizing the potential negative impact.

Most importantly, he must not let Zhao Laolaizi affect his family and life.

And even more so, he must not let him continue to destroy the lives of his younger brother and sister.

He hadn't fully thought through exactly how to do it, but he already had a rough framework in his mind.

After Old Hu finished praising them and offered a few words of encouragement, he let the two go back to work.

Shao Le walked out of the director's office with Lu Qiao, scratched his head, and said somewhat embarrassedly: "Qiao, this time... thank you." He knew the main credit belonged to Lu Qiao; he couldn't even learn her ability to communicate with people and resolve conflicts.

Lu Qiao smiled: "What are you thanking me for? We were on the mission together, so the credit is naturally everyone's. You also put in a lot of effort."

And her little animals, each one of them was amazing.

Shao Le laughed as well.

Lu Qiao's frankness was not just polite talk.

She had a good impression of Shao Le; he was hardworking and down-to-earth, not wallowing in self-pity or changing his temperament due to the huge changes in his life. For such a person, walking steadily, his future wouldn't be bad. As for the Zhao family, she believed he could find a way to solve it.

So Lu Qiao said: "... The North District is all old, one-story houses. These past few days, Comrade Zhou Li and the others have been busy visiting and taking statistics to see if there are any residents affected by the disaster."