After helping Zhongli move the pile of stuff from the living room into the storage room, Lu Chen found himself intrigued by the massive piece of jade ore.
He didn't know much about jade, only that the market for it was notoriously lucrative.
Raw jade ore looks like a nondescript rock—aside from shape and weight, even the most advanced tech can't reveal what lies inside.
You only know the truth after cutting it open—revealing the texture, clarity, and color. Even seasoned pros often make mistakes.
Sellers never allow full cuts before purchase—at most, just a tiny slit. That's how the trade of "stone gambling" came to be.
Stone gamblers rely on experience, analyze the surface through a small opening, and estimate the value.
Once it's purchased and fully cut open, some people hit the jackpot, others walk away crushed.
"One cut makes you rich, one cut makes you poor, one cut wraps you in sackcloth."
This saying is well known in the stone gambling world.
"Is this piece really that high-quality inside?" Lu Chen couldn't help but ask.
Zhongli gave a slight nod. "I sense a refreshing, vibrant green within. But the small cut on the surface appears cloudy, which led many to mistakenly consider it worthless."
Lu Chen had no reason to doubt him. This was the Geo Archon, after all—he could tell a stone's exact nature with just a touch.
Curious, Lu Chen pulled out his flashlight, leaned close to the surface cut, and studied it carefully.
"If stone gambling's all about guessing how much green is inside..." He clicked his tongue. "This one doesn't look too promising."
Venti had said they bought the stone for just a few tens of thousands. At the time, even the shopkeeper had looked at them like they were fools.
Venti had sensed something was off, but Zhongli had insisted—so they bought it.
"This overlooked stone... once carved into jade ornaments, will surely reveal its true value," Zhongli said, glancing at Lu Chen with a small smile.
"If you're short on cash, young friend Lu Chen, you can sell the raw ore. But if you do craft it into jade, just give me one piece—that would honor our shared fate with it."
"Really?" Lu Chen's face lit up with delight.
"Of course."
In under twenty minutes, Lu Chen had gone from feeling bankrupt to seeing wealth ahead—it was a rollercoaster, and it showed on his face.
He sized up the stone—it was bigger than a watermelon. If it was truly as Zhongli said, then this was an insanely profitable deal.
So the saying really was true—one cut poor, one cut rich.
"Then I won't be polite about it." Lu Chen grinned and accepted the raw jade ore.
...
After dinner, Old Man Zhongli was out strolling in the garden.
Lu Chen spotted him with scissors and a spray bottle, apparently trimming the "wild and unruly" cosmos flowers.
The man really couldn't stay idle.
Lu Chen, laptop in hand, sat down on a bench in the garden.
A soft night breeze brushed past, and in the distance, he could faintly hear waves hitting the dock. He gazed toward the lights of the harbor.
Beautiful scenery always sparked inspiration—and a little slacking off was good for the soul.
Zhongli walked over slowly, holding the freshly trimmed leaves.
"You know your way around gardening too?" Lu Chen asked, curious.
"I know a bit," Zhongli replied.
"If you only 'know a bit,' then I don't think anyone in this field could possibly 'know a lot,'" Lu Chen said, exasperated.
Zhongli didn't reply, and Lu Chen suddenly remembered something.
He patted the seat beside him, signaling Zhongli to sit and rest.
"Oh? You need something?" Zhongli asked after sitting down.
"Yeah... just a little question."
Zhongli glanced at the characters on Lu Chen's screen and understood immediately. "About the novel where I'm the main character?"
Lu Chen nodded, a little embarrassed. "Could you tell me more about you and Guizhong... and the past stories of Liyue?"
He knew it might be digging up old wounds, but his curiosity won out.
He'd been stuck figuring out the plot of Liyue: Floating World Among a Thousand Rocks—but with Zhongli himself here, why not just ask?
This was firsthand source material!
With such a legendary life, Zhongli could casually recount a few memories and Lu Chen might have a best-selling chapter on his hands...
"May I read what you've written?" Zhongli suddenly asked.
"Uh..." Lu Chen froze.
Then nodded. "Sure..."
The old man took the laptop and began reading silently on the garden bench. The mood was incredibly still.
Lu Chen felt more embarrassed letting Zhongli read it than he had when showing it to Yae Miko.
He'd added plenty of his own... personal touches.
Zhongli read for a long while.
Trying to suppress his embarrassment, Lu Chen finally asked, a bit hopeful, "So... what do you think? Is it good?"
Zhongli returned the laptop, his expression unchanged.
Lu Chen's heart skipped. That kind of reaction... did I mess up the characterization?
I didn't mean to write him out of character! It's just that readers really liked this kind of style...
"It's very well-written," Zhongli said calmly.
"Huh?" Lu Chen scratched his head. "Really?"
"From a generally rational standpoint, it's very good."
Hearing that, Lu Chen finally relaxed...
"You're not mad I messed around with CPs?" he asked cautiously.
"CP?"
Zhongli's expression shifted slightly. "I don't know what you mean exactly, but I assume it refers to emotional connections between people."
"As expected of the wise and intelligent Lord of Geo!" Lu Chen laughed.
"You're quite perceptive yourself, young friend," Zhongli said with a faint smile.
"This story has ups and downs, multiple perspectives portraying the hardships of the people's migration—yet it remains lively and not overly serious."
Receiving the main character's praise, Lu Chen circled back to his original question.
"Come on, tell me about your relationship with her!"
Zhongli sighed with a helpless smile.
He looked out at the freshly trimmed cosmos, his eyes filled with thought.
"Guizhong was a trusted ally, and a comrade I could fight alongside. It's been so long... I truly miss her."
"Oh..."
Lu Chen nodded, waiting.
But no more words came.
Zhongli wasn't one to lie, so...
They really weren't a thing. His "wild CP" theory had just collapsed.
Maybe he shouldn't have boxed these two Archons into a romantic framework. His perspective had been too narrow.
They were gods who sought the betterment of humanity, who fought each other, who climbed to their thrones...
Maybe a deep, unguarded friendship was the truest reflection of their bond.
Lu Chen had a lot to reflect on.
"But speaking of which," Zhongli suddenly frowned, "the Morax in your story has many internal monologues... but some of them..."
He finally voiced what he'd been holding back:
"They're a bit odd. Did I really think that way at the time?"
Lu Chen snorted and suddenly remembered a saying: "Adaptation is not fabrication! Embellishment is not nonsense!"
He waved it off.
"Who understands the Lord of Geo better—me, or you?"
"..."