Chapter 114: Broken Jade—Blood-Soaked Ancient Jade
Wen Hao thought to himself: Why is it a mirror again? What kind of grudge does a mirror have against me?
Still, after Su Keke said it, he did feel it was somewhat similar. Sometimes when he woke up in the middle of the night, half-asleep and hazy, if he suddenly caught the shadow reflected in the TV screen, it would startle him a little. He considered himself bold and felt it was nothing serious.
Su Keke continued explaining, “When people sleep, they’re the most relaxed and least guarded. At that time, your own aura is weaker too. If you get up in the middle of the night and get startled by a reflection, it’s easy to injure your primordial spirit.
“Also, mirrors can block sha. If a mirror is positioned directly facing the bed, it can transmit sha to the person sleeping, affecting health and wealth.”
Wen Hao’s mouth twitched slightly. Why did it sound so mystical?
Su Keke had been reading Master Yin’s book lately and gained a lot, so she switched to a more easily accepted explanation. “From an energy perspective, mirrors have nine major feng shui functions: amplifying energy, recreating energy, transforming energy, introducing energy, simulating energy, revealing energy, supplying energy, reflecting energy, and destroying energy. Here, the TV screen has the function of ‘simulated energy.’
“A bedroom is our most private place, and the bed is even more private. When you sleep, you definitely don’t like outsiders suddenly barging in, right?”
Wen Hao nodded. He was someone who cared a lot about privacy.
“If a mirror reflects the bed, when we move, the reflection moves too. It’s like the mirror has simulated the energy of a human figure, forming the image of ‘an outsider intruding.’
“And from a psychological standpoint, a mirror at the foot of the bed is like a soul-stealing mirror. It’s easy to scare yourself and make your emotions unstable.”
Wen Hao fell silent for a moment, then asked, “Little Master, are you saying that the weird dreams and strange sounds I’ve been having lately are because of this small TV?”
Su Keke grinned. “Of course not.”
She pointed at the red cord around his neck. “Can I take a look at the jade you’re wearing?”
Wen Hao looked down. “Heh—how do you know I’m wearing jade? What if it’s something else?”
Su Keke’s eyes curved. “Because I can feel the jade’s spiritual aura.”
Wen Hao took the jade off his neck, unable to resist rubbing the patterns on it. He clearly liked it a lot.
When Su Keke saw it, she was surprised. “A broken jade piece? And it even has blood seepage?”
This jade was only a small corner. Only a bit of the carved pattern remained—like the feathers of a hawk or some other bird of prey. The blood-like veins inside the jade were mottled across those feathers, very beautiful.
Wen Hao handed it to her. “Some time ago, I went with my teacher’s archaeology team to do fieldwork in the far north. We found this broken jade in a stone cave.
“This blood-stained ancient jade is at least eight hundred years old. Unfortunately, it’s too badly damaged—there’s no value in preserving it. So I kept it for myself.”
Su Keke held it for a long time. Her gaze fell on the blood-veins, and as she stared, she drifted into a daze.
Qian Yunze lightly patted her shoulder and pulled her back to herself.
“So pretty you’re getting lost in it?” Qian Yunze asked.
But Su Keke’s face turned serious. She immediately said to the two of them, “It should be this jade. You can’t keep wearing it.”
Wen Hao frowned. “The jade? But I’ve been wearing it for two months. Those strange dreams only started last month.”
He liked this broken jade a lot—otherwise he wouldn’t keep it on him.
“There are many taboos about wearing jade. If it isn’t your jade, how dare you wear it casually? And this is blood-seeped ancient jade.”
Wen Hao forced a dry laugh. “The owner of this jade is probably long gone. It’s not like I stole or robbed it, right?”
Su Keke explained seriously, “Jade has memory—especially blood-seeped jade that has been stained by its owner’s blood. It may carry the owner’s grudges and emotions from life.
“Some people start getting sick after wearing ancient jade. Some get nightmares. That’s the jade’s memory causing trouble.
“So ancient jade can only be admired and collected, not worn. That’s basic feng shui common sense.”
Wen Hao chuckled. “Did you forget my profession? I understand better than you how blood-seeped jade forms. Ignorant people think blood-seeped jade is formed by a dead person’s blood soaking into the jade, but that’s wrong.
“When jade is buried in soil for a long time, it gets corroded. The texture loosens, and minerals in the soil seep in, changing the jade’s quality. That’s what creates the various ‘blood seepage’ colors.”
“No.” Su Keke looked at him, her expression serious, her tone certain. “What seeped into this ancient jade isn’t the minerals you’re talking about. It’s blood. Because—”
She paused. “I can smell the bloodiness inside.”
Wen Hao froze for a moment, then burst out laughing. “Bloodiness? You can smell it? If this blood-seeped ancient jade really formed from human blood soaking in, after nearly a thousand years, the blood wouldn’t still be blood. How could you possibly smell blood?”
Beside him, Qian Yunze knocked his arm once. “Be serious.”
Su Keke puffed her cheeks. “I really did smell it. Anyway, your nightmares are because of this blood-seeped ancient jade. If you don’t want this to continue, stop wearing it.”
Wen Hao gradually stopped laughing and asked, “You’re sure it’s because of this jade?”
He had been severely sleep-deprived lately. If this kept up, something would happen sooner or later. If it really was because of this jade, then he truly couldn’t keep it.
Su Keke nodded solemnly. “Jade usually only stays loyal to one person. Jade worn by others can’t be worn again—especially ancient jade, and especially burial jade.”
Qian Yunze thought for a moment and offered a suggestion. “Wen Hao, if you don’t believe it, you can first let her keep the jade. If in the next few days you’re no longer tormented by nightmares, then it proves she’s right.”
Wen Hao rubbed the broken jade in his hand, looking conflicted.
Qian Yunze reminded him, “Tell me—what’s more important, your life, or a broken jade piece with no research value?”
Wen Hao rolled his eyes at him and handed the broken jade to Su Keke. “If it really is the jade, then don’t give it back to me—consider it a gift.”
“T-that’s not really appropriate, is it?” Su Keke didn’t take it right away. “Even though it’s broken, I can feel it—this jade has spiritual aura sealed inside, and it’s abundant. It’s an excellent, high-quality jade.”
Wen Hao sighed. “Yunze is right. If I’m dead, what do I need this thing for?”
Seeing he wasn’t joking, Su Keke finally took it out. She pulled out a sheet of yellow talisman paper, drew symbols, and carefully wrapped the jade inside.
Afterward, Su Keke didn’t ask Wen Hao for any payment. This blood-seeped broken ancient jade was valuable enough—though she didn’t know what she could even do with it after bringing it back.
“Thanks for today. I’ll treat you to a meal—will you give me face?” Qian Yunze looked at Su Keke and asked with a faint smile.
