Chapter 1124: Lost and Found

Hearing the sincerity in Guo Jia’s words, Chen Xi didn’t say much more. After chatting briefly with Liu Luo, he left with Chen Yun. Each year, as long as he made an appearance to show that he still supported the place, that was enough.

"Xiaozhi, are you trying to leave too?" Guo Jia grabbed Fa Zheng, who was preparing to leave, with a sinister smile. If Chen Xi could slip away, he wouldn’t let Fa Zheng do the same.

"Tch, you’re drinking with cups? Shopkeeper, switch them out for large bowls. Today, I’m making sure Guo Fengxiao leaves lying down," Fa Zheng, realizing he couldn’t escape, decided to give up and aimed to drink Guo Jia under the table instead.

"Uncle Chen!" While selecting gifts, Guan Ping spotted Chen Xi and immediately waved.

"..." Chen Xi felt his face go blank. He didn’t know why, but every time he heard Guan Ping call him ‘Uncle,’ he felt a lot of pressure. After all, he wasn’t that much older than Guan Ping.

Moreover, Guan Ping had developed extraordinarily well—tall and strong, looking older than his actual age, which was under twenty. He even seemed older than Zhao Yun, the eternally youthful general, whom no one could ever compete with.

"Greetings, Uncle," Guan Ping's concubine also called Chen Xi ‘Uncle,’ following Guan Ping’s lead. It’s a good thing Guan Yu wasn’t bothered by this, and Chen Xi had taken the blame for it. Although Su Yue, as a courtesan, had managed to enter the Guan family by luck, Guan Yu, in his righteous compassion, didn’t say much about it.

As for Lady Hu, Guan Ping’s mother didn’t care about such minor matters. A concubine was just that—a concubine. Since concubines were chosen for their beauty rather than status, Lady Hu wouldn’t mind. On the contrary, she’d probably be happy that her son had grown up.

Chen Yun bowed in return, while Chen Xi looked helpless. It seemed that he had run into quite a few acquaintances today. "Tan Zhi, keep up the hard work after the New Year. Look at Xiaozhi; he’s already a marquis."

Guan Ping smiled. Indeed, Fa Zheng had become someone others now looked up to, a source of inspiration for many young men aiming to achieve great things. Speaking of which, the record for the youngest military marquis in a century had just been broken by Chen Xi, only to be broken again by Fa Zheng shortly after.

"Uncle’s teachings are correct," Guan Ping responded warmly, showing no sign of awkwardness. "Marquis Tai Ting is truly a model for us all."

"I won’t keep you any longer. After the New Year, make time to spend with Han Sheng’s son. You two will have plenty in common," Chen Xi smiled, patting Guan Ping on the shoulder. Building relationships among the younger generation was important, though Fa Zheng was a bit tricky—was he a peer or a senior?

With that, Chen Xi dismissed Guan Ping. If he stayed, Guan Ping would undoubtedly become uncomfortable. It seemed that at some point, the young man he used to tease had grown into a respectable figure. Now, the only ones Chen Xi could still joke around with were kids like Lu Xun and Xin Xianying.

Chen Xi strolled down the street like an old man, hands behind his back, casually looking left and right to see if anything caught his eye. Some people who recognized him treated him with respect, while others, not recognizing him, thought he was just a pampered young lord. Overall, life was peaceful and harmonious.

After walking down an entire street, Chen Xi stopped at a corner, with Chen Yun quietly following behind.

"Let’s go with this shop," Chen Xi said casually. He didn’t have much preference—most of the shops seemed the same to him. Walking around and observing the lives of the people had become a regular habit of his, though he couldn’t recall when he started doing it.

"Welcome, sir," a shop attendant greeted Chen Xi as he approached the door. It was a store that sold luxury items, and the service was quite good.

"Recommend something suitable for gifting to my wife for the New Year," Chen Xi glanced at the decorative items on the shelves. Aside from a few pieces, there wasn’t anything particularly impressive.

Chen Yun followed closely behind him. Even if the shopkeeper couldn’t recognize Chen Xi’s status, it was clear that he wasn’t an ordinary person. Chen Xi’s attire was simple—a pure white brocade robe with a fur coat, unadorned and elegant.

On the other hand, Chen Yun’s attire added a touch of grace, making her look more like a noblewoman from a scholarly family who seldom left her home. It seemed that the roles she played had truly become second nature to her.

"Please, come this way," the shopkeeper said respectfully, addressing both Chen Xi and Chen Yun. He didn’t see any signs of humility in Chen Yun’s demeanor, so he naturally treated her as a noble lady as well.

Chen Xi smiled as he followed, listening to the shopkeeper explain the store’s policies. He was curious to see what treasures this shop might be hiding that needed to be kept out of sight.

Once inside the private room, Chen Xi’s attention was drawn to something immediately, and he frowned slightly. Ignoring the rules the shopkeeper had just explained, he reached out and touched a chessboard. His fingers found a familiar mark, and a wave of nostalgia hit him.

"Were there any other items that came with this chessboard, aside from the pieces?" Chen Xi asked with a nostalgic expression. Seeing something like this again brought back memories.

"This chessboard is over a hundred years old..." the shopkeeper began to explain enthusiastically, seeing that Chen Xi was interested.

"That’s enough. I’m more familiar with this item than you are," Chen Xi said with a smile as he touched the surface of the chessboard. If he brought this back to Uncle Chen, he would be overjoyed. This was something from their family’s ancestral home in Yingchuan.

"And the original chess box and pieces?" Chen Xi asked, somewhat disappointed as he handled the jade pieces. They didn’t have the same feel as the originals.

"The chessboard is a valuable antique, so we replaced the chess box and pieces with newer ones," the shopkeeper replied with a respectful bow.

"Bring me the original chess box and pieces," Chen Xi said, turning to look at the shopkeeper. At that moment, the commanding aura of someone accustomed to giving orders emerged, causing the shopkeeper’s face to change instantly.

"Please wait a moment. I’ll have someone fetch them right away," the shopkeeper responded, much more humble now.

The aura Chen Xi had exuded in that moment was something only those accustomed to observing people’s behavior could immediately recognize. It wasn’t something an ordinary person could possess.

Before long, the original stone chess box and rough pieces were brought out. Chen Xi ran his hand over the pieces, recalling the time when Uncle Chen had reluctantly pawned them during a serious illness. The memory was vivid in his mind, even if he couldn’t physically relive the sensation.

However, memories alone could evoke strong emotions, and since he had the chance to buy them back, Chen Xi wasn’t going to miss it. He never minded being overcharged when it came to sentimental items.

Incidentally, the shopkeeper didn’t just bring the chess set. He had nearly all the items from that particular acquisition brought out. Among them, Chen Xi spotted Chen Lan’s red jade bracelet. Although only one of the pair remained, at least it had returned.

"Do you remember anything about the other bracelet?" Chen Xi asked, holding up the bracelet and tilting it under the light. In a faint glow, the character "Chen" appeared. As expected, this was the bracelet Chen Lan had pawned. Incidentally, the engraving technique, so subtle it couldn’t be felt, was of exceptionally high craftsmanship.

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