Serendipity in Vermilion Ink

When Jiang Yuyan stepped into the café, her seven-centimeter Jimmy Choo heels clicking rhythmically, she was already fifteen minutes late for the appointment. Glancing at her wristwatch, she furrowed her brow slightly—this was her third blind date of the day, and according to her mother, the man sitting across from her was a "highly eligible" bank executive. "Miss Jiang? Over here," a man in a impeccably tailored suit called out from a table by the window. His slicked-back hair and gold-rimmed glasses framed eyes that quickly swept over her from head to toe. Jiang Yuyan offered a professional smile, but accidentally knocked over a glass of lemon water as she sat down. "Sorry," she murmured, dabbing at the spill with a napkin while catching a glimpse of the man's slightly downturned mouth as he watched her fumble. "It's alright. I heard you work in investment banking? It must involve a lot of overtime," the man remarked, pushing his glasses up his nose. "I prefer a wife who can focus more on the family after marriage." Jiang Yuyan stirred her coffee, feeling a throbbing pain at her temples. Thirty minutes later, she excused herself, citing an urgent work matter, and stepped out into the fresh air, taking a deep breath before tossing the business card with "Looking forward to seeing you again" scribbled on it into the trash can. The May sunshine was pleasant, and she decided to walk back to the office. As she passed a narrow alley she rarely took, an antique shop caught her eye—"Ink Fate Ink Studio"—its black signboard with gold lettering adorned with various bronze artifacts, jade pieces, and ancient books in the window display. Compelled by an inexplicable force, Jiang Yuyan pushed open the carved wooden door. "Jingling—" A copper bell above the door chimed melodiously. The shop was dimly lit, with a faint scent of sandalwood lingering in the air. Jiang Yuyan's gaze was drawn to a glimmering ancient copper coin on the counter, inscribed with the characters "Prosperity" in seal script. "Interested in the coin?" A deep voice resonated from behind her. Jiang Yuyan turned to meet a pair of unfathomable eyes. The man appeared to be in his early thirties, standing nearly 1.9 meters tall in a simple black shirt, his sleeves rolled up to reveal well-defined forearms. His facial features were sharp, yet there was an indescribable air of aloofness about him. "Just browsing," Jiang Yuyan replied instinctively, taking a half-step back. The man—presumably the shopkeeper—approached the counter, his slender fingers gently turning the coin. "A Tongyun coin from the Qianlong era. Not many of these survive." Jiang Yuyan's professional instincts kicked in, prompting her to assess the coin's value. "How much is it?" "Not for sale," the man replied, looking up at her. Suddenly, his brow furrowed. "Have you been having trouble sleeping and experiencing vivid dreams lately?" Jiang Yuyan froze. "How did you know?" The man didn't answer but instead retrieved a brocade box from beneath the counter. Opening it, he revealed a white jade safety pendant tied with a red string. "Wear this and don't take it off for three days." "Wait, I didn't say I wanted to buy—" "It's a gift, not for sale," the man interrupted, pushing the pendant toward her. "Your forehead looks dark. You're bound to encounter a blood disaster within three days." Jiang Yuyan almost laughed. "Sir, what century are we living in? Still playing these old tricks?" She turned to leave. "Jiang Yuyan," the man suddenly called out her full name. She spun around sharply. "How do you know my name?" The man gestured toward her work ID hanging around her neck—she'd forgotten to take it off. Jiang Yuyan breathed a sigh of relief, only to see the man pull out a business card from a drawer and hand it to her. "Shen Mochuan. If you encounter anything inexplicable, feel free to come find me." The card bore only his name and the address of the shop, with no contact information. Jiang Yuyan intended to refuse but found herself slipping the card into her bag instead. "Remember, three days," Shen Mochuan's voice echoed behind her. "Especially be cautious around water." Stepping out of the shop, Jiang Yuyan shook her head, convinced she must be hallucinating from too much overtime. She casually tucked the pendant into her coat pocket and soon forgot about the incident. Until the rainy night two days later. Jiang Yuyan worked late until 10 p.m. When she stepped out of the office building, a torrential downpour was pouring outside. She opened her umbrella and decided to cross the street to hail a taxi. The rain blurred her vision as she waited at the crosswalk for the green light, her phone suddenly vibrating—a message from her mother inquiring about the blind date. As she lowered her head to reply, the light turned green. Jiang Yuyan stepped onto the crosswalk when suddenly, blinding headlights shone directly at her. "Look out!" Amidst the screams of passersby, a black sedan sped through the red light, heading straight for her. Jiang Yuyan froze in place, watching in horror as the car bore down on her— "Bang!" A deafening crash echoed, and Jiang Yuyan found herself lying on the wet ground, miraculously unharmed. She slowly sat up, seeing the sedan had crashed into a fire hydrant by the roadside, its front severely damaged. People gathered around, someone calling 120. "Are you okay?" An elderly woman helped her up. "That was terrifying! The car almost hit you!" Jiang Yuyan checked herself over and found, aside from her soaked clothes, she was completely unscathed. Suddenly, she remembered something and reached into her pocket—the white jade pendant had shattered into two pieces. The wail of sirens grew louder as ambulances and police cars approached. Jiang Yuyan stood in the rain, her mind replaying Shen Mochuan's warning: "A blood disaster within three days..."