At that moment, hearing Wang Guan's explanation, the reactions of the assembled group were varied. Gao Dequan felt a deep understanding, knowing Wang Guan's substantial collection made finding another marvelous white jade bracelet unsurprising. The others, however, were astonished—astonished by Wang Guan’s willingness to give such a precious treasure to merely a girlfriend.

"Something I came across by chance..."

Wang Guan smoothly took the white jade bracelet back, then slipped it onto Bei Ye's wrist before continuing with a light laugh, "I don't think the Vermilion Bird pattern on the bracelet is a blood-stain seepage. It might be a kind of special herbal dye. After ancient artisans outlined the Vermilion Bird design, it slowly permeated the jade, resulting in its current appearance."

It went without saying that Wang Guan was intentionally misleading them.

"Perhaps so."

Elder Yan believed him, musing thoughtfully, "Legends say the ancients knew how to mix a special ink that would disappear on white paper until water was splashed on it to reveal the writing. There was also a plant called Rainbow Grass; adding its sap to ink made the resulting text glow, clearly visible even without a lamp at night."

"That's right, I've also heard of fossil powder, soft jade juice..."

Under Elder Yan's guidance, the group’s focus drifted astray. The conversation veered towards ancient oddities, even myths and legends, leaving the white jade bracelet temporarily forgotten. Of course, for Wang Guan, this was a good thing, saving him from others coveting it.

After chatting for quite a while longer, an elderly man suddenly suggested they go outside for a look. The others readily agreed; after all, it was rare to be on this island, and not seeing its scenery would be a shame.

The elders all consented, and Wang Guan and Gao Dequan were even more eager. This was their first time on this island, and they had long wished to explore.

With the decision made, they exited through the manor's back door, led by Su Yu. After passing through a patch of low camellia bushes, the mountaintop became visible. Furthermore, from the back door to the summit, a winding set of stairs provided convenient access.

They ascended the steps, soon reaching the peak where a small pavilion stood, perched beside a broken cliff edge—exquisitely crafted yet brimming with the thrill of precariousness.

Gazing from this height, the entire island unfolded beneath them. It was then that Wang Guan was astonished to realize the island was actually three islands connected together. The largest island was clearly the one hosting the manor. On its left and right were two smaller islets, linked by suspension bridges.

Wang Guan peered intently. On the left islet, there was a vast iron shed, resembling a factory. Several huge pipes extended from the factory, plunging into the sea.

Seeing this, Wang Guan vaguely understood that the factory on that small island was likely the seawater purification facility. After a brief look, he turned his attention to the other islet.

In contrast, the second islet appeared much more tranquil, covered in lush vegetation, with occasional scattered buildings visible. But what surprised Wang Guan most was the presence of a large beach on that island.

"There's a small island over there," Wang Guan immediately proposed. "How about we go take a look?"

Upon reaching the mountaintop, two or three elders decided the spot was excellent and settled into the pavilion to enjoy the view. Others, however, were less content; spotting the islet Wang Guan indicated, they nodded enthusiastically and descended the stone steps.

Soon, the steps led down to a suspension bridge about a hundred meters long. The bridge was constructed using several massive iron chains, topped with thick wooden planks, making it appear quite stable. It looked sturdy enough for a small car to cross, let alone a few people.

Safely crossing the bridge, the specifics of the islet immediately came into view.

With no obstructions, the islet was clearly visible. Compared to the main island, this one was relatively long and narrow, with flatter terrain. There were few large trees, but the flowers and grasses grew luxuriantly. Additionally, on the islet, particularly near the beach, a row of single-story buildings had been constructed—their purpose unknown.

Approaching them, Wang Guan realized the cluster of buildings was a multi-functional area: warehouses, bathrooms, an iced drink shop...

This was clearly a small, private summer beach resort center, designed for the younger members of the Su family to gather when summer arrived—waves, sand, cold drinks, bikinis...

Ahem, considering this was Elder Su’s sanctuary for peaceful retirement, the last item on that list seemed highly improbable.

As soon as they stepped onto the islet, several elderly members went off to admire the exotic flora, while Wang Guan, holding Bei Ye’s hand, broke away from the main group and sauntered toward the beach.

Just then, Bei Ye subtly turned her head and casually remarked, "You know that Miss Su, don't you."

"Hmm?"

Wang Guan blinked, then casually replied, "Uncle De has business dealings with the Su family, and I was involved peripherally. I’ve crossed paths with her a few times, but we aren't close!" He gestured around with feigned naturalness, smiling, "Why bring her up out of the blue? See that? Lots of shells." He continued, "Want to dig some up to take back? I know a master craftsman in Taicang who can use these shells to inlay exquisite artwork."

Though Lu Chongming was a jade carver, understanding one art often implied understanding others; surely, he could manage to create some delicate little trinkets from shells. If all else failed, they could always be glued to a wall for decoration.

"Alright," Bei Ye nodded slightly, her pretty eyes curving into charming crescent moons.

"Let's go, let’s look for the big clusters..." Wang Guan chuckled, and they slowly headed toward a more secluded part of the beach, where the shells were more plentiful, including conch shells the size of a fist.

If such things appeared on the mainland shore, they would probably be picked up by fishermen and boiled.

Of course, while they were ostensibly looking for shells, after picking up a few randomly, the two abandoned the effort. Strolling hand-in-hand along the secluded beach was, in itself, quite romantic.

After walking a short distance, the beach ended, giving way to a stretch of reefs. Because the rocks had jagged, craggy shapes and were slightly elevated, the waves, instead of gently washing over the sand, crashed directly against them, kicking up sprays of foam.

At this point, Wang Guan leaped onto a piece of reef, then turned to help Bei Ye up. Immediately, he watched the tide surge forward, colliding with the rock as hard as stone, sending plumes of fine spray soaring into the air, misting the surroundings...

Under such conditions, Wang Guan could somewhat understand Cao Cao’s mood when viewing the great sea. But safety first; observing from a distance was best. There was no need to push their luck near the slippery, wave-drenched edges.

"Boom!"

Just then, a strong gust of wind swept in, whipping up a relatively large wave that charged backward with surprising momentum towards the not-very-high reefs. Its aggressive posture seemed intent on toppling the rocks and grinding them to dust.

"Be careful,"

Seeing this, Wang Guan quickly pulled Bei Ye a few steps away to avoid being completely drenched, which would be disastrous.

Wang Guan’s guess proved correct. The wave struck the reef with a roar, immediately surging up huge clouds of mist that soaked much of the rock.

Although they dodged quickly, they inevitably enjoyed a light mist bath. Fortunately, it was only a fine haze, barely reaching the point of dampening their clothes, and the mild, warm sea breeze dried the moisture almost instantly.

"Hey, what’s that?"

At that moment, Bei Ye pointed with her slender hand, a shade of curiosity coloring her pretty face.

Wang Guan’s gaze shifted, and he looked where she pointed. Something had been deposited on the reef. It must have been carried in by the surging water but left behind when the wave receded.

"Looks like a turtle," Bei Ye said with a smile. As the seawater ebbed back into the ocean, the object became clearer under the sunlight. Its yellowish-brown color and net-like patterns strongly resembled a turtle.

"Not a turtle; I think it’s a piece of turtle shell," Wang Guan observed for a moment, then chuckled, "It hasn't moved for so long; it’s probably dead."

As he spoke, Wang Guan stepped forward lightly and picked up the piece. At first glance, a touch of pleasant surprise registered on his face.

"What is it?" Bei Ye walked over, glanced at it, and laughed, "It really is a piece of shell! So big, you could use it as a plate."

"It's not just a regular turtle shell; I think it’s a scale from a Hawksbill sea turtle," Wang Guan explained softly, lifting the plate slightly. It appeared yellowish-brown, semi-translucent, with a soft, vivid luster when held up to the light.

Most importantly, within the scale were variegated black and brown patterns, formed by countless dots of varying sizes clustered together. The spots were dense, the color deep, the markings clear, beautiful, and translucent, with natural gradients of shade and tone. He could even discern thread-like blood-colored markings—it was undoubtedly an authentic Hawksbill scale.

"Hawksbill?" Bei Ye pondered, asking curiously, "Isn't that a type of sea turtle?"

"Something like that," Wang Guan smiled. "It's a precious variety among sea turtles, especially their scales and shells, which are considered akin to gems; they hold high value."

"What luck! Fortune doesn't even wait at the door, a treasure just delivered itself," Wang Guan felt elated. As his fingers brushed over the scale, feeling its firm, warm, and smooth texture, a look of slight confusion appeared on his face.

Bei Ye noticed his expression. "We should be happy finding something valuable. Why the frown?"

"This isn't a naturally formed scale... ah, wait, to be precise, this piece seems to have been polished, deliberately sectioned and cut..." Wang Guan watched the piece more intently, lost in thought. Soon, a look of intrigued amusement spread across his face. "Interesting. Truly interesting."

"Wang Guan, what's so interesting?"

At that moment, Gao Dequan and Hao Baolai strolled slowly onto the sand.

Hao Baolai smiled as he explained, "Wang Guan, it's not that we want to interrupt your private time, but they are preparing to start the banquet, and they sent us to notify you..."