Space Acquired

Ming Jiu did not even need to urge it. From the moment she stepped into the study, the system had been constantly sending her alert sounds.

[Specific location locked. Please open the system panel.]

Ming Jiu immediately opened the panel, and a light screen visible only to her appeared before her eyes.

The system spoke again: "Please adjust the panel to the host's three o'clock direction."

That was easy. The panel moved with her line of sight; Ming Jiu only needed to turn slightly.

The light screen aligned with the antique display shelf that occupied nearly half a wall of the study. Various antique decorations were arranged across it, and a red dot flashed at the edge of the screen.

The red dot marked the jade miniature mountain ornament Ming Jiu had been longing for.

The good news—this miniature mountain ornament was not valuable. It had been placed in a small corner of the display shelf, at just the right height near her thigh.

With this position, this height, and its distance from the study door... as long as her hands were fast enough and Zuo Zhenrong was not staring at her too closely, she could take it directly when she left the study.

In short, it was extremely convenient.

The bad news—

[Three cameras detected in the room.]

Fine, the cameras were not the problem. The problem was that Zuo Zhenrong himself was still here, and his gaze had remained fixed on her.

Zuo Zhenrong sat down behind the large desk and gestured for Ming Jiu to sit opposite him.

"Sit."

"I know everything you told me. I'll arrange for someone to handle it later. When do you want to visit the old man?"

"Would tomorrow morning work, Uncle?"

"Sure." Zuo Zhenrong nodded. "I'll give you the driver's contact information later. Have him pick you up from your place."

After saying that, he added politely, "Where are you and Xiao Rong staying now? Why not move back home? I'm getting on in years, and I like a lively house."

Ming Jiu hurriedly refused. "No need, Uncle. Xiao Rong and I won't disturb you and Auntie. The hotel we're staying at is near the psychological clinic, which makes it convenient for Xiao Rong to attend her consultations."

Zuo Zhenrong did not press further, and an awkward silence fell over the study.

Ming Jiu lowered her eyes, wondering how she could pocket the item later, while Zuo Zhenrong silently watched his own niece sitting across from him.

She did not look well. Her face was pale, she lacked energy, and she seemed somewhat timid and withdrawn.

Forget it—the man was already dead.

Zuo Xiangchen had given up his inheritance rights. Naturally, his two daughters would get nothing either, and they could not stand in anyone's way.

With that thought, Zuo Zhenrong took a deep breath and rose from his chair.

"Wait here. I'll get something the old man left for you before he passed."

Ming Jiu froze. Her grandfather had left something for her?

That was not the point. The point was that the opportunity had arrived!

The moment Zuo Zhenrong left and casually pulled the study door almost shut behind him, Ming Jiu asked, "Can I make my move? Don't shut off the surveillance. Just alter the footage."

The system replied, "Connected. Altering footage now. Host, you can make a few extra movements. Thirty-second countdown."

So Ming Jiu looked up and pretended to inspect the study's lighting, lowered her head to play with her fingers, and raised a hand to smooth her hair.

When the thirty-second countdown ended, the system reminded her, "You can proceed."

Ming Jiu immediately got up and walked over to the display shelf. She picked up the jade ornament and instinctively tried to store it in her inventory slot—but failed.

"Host, inventory slots are also spatial devices. The two cannot be nested."

Ming Jiu did not hesitate. She was dressed warmly, and the ornament was not large, only about 20 by 20 by 5 centimeters. She shoved it straight into her loose, thick coat, then pulled her pants up. The waistband pressed firmly against the ornament, holding it in place.

After hiding the ornament, Ming Jiu glanced over the display shelf. The Zuo Family's servants were diligent; there was no dust on it, nor any marks left by ornaments that had been sitting there for a long time.

She sat back down in her chair.

"Is the alteration finished? What did you change it to?"

"For the minute that just passed, the host sat in the chair examining the lights and fixing her hair. I slowed those movements down and used them to replace the actual surveillance footage."

Ming Jiu asked, "Can you make it look like the ornament was never missing in the surveillance footage over the next few days?"

The system replied, "There is no need, Host. The ornament's position is in a surveillance blind spot."

Ming Jiu was speechless.

It was not her imagination. Since being reborn, her luck had improved by far more than a little.

"Sis System, keep an eye on all the surveillance feeds until I leave the villa district. If anything gives me away, remember to alter it."

Logically, no one should be able to tell that she had hidden something in her clothes, but what if?

"Understood, Host."

With the matter resolved smoothly and Zuo Zhenrong still not back, Ming Jiu continued talking with the system.

"Sis System, you were very excited just now. Is this thing special?"

The system had indeed been extremely excited just now, making no attempt to hide it.

"The system's preliminary assessment is that this item does not belong to Blue Star civilization."

Ming Jiu asked, "Are you and it from the same hometown?"

The system denied it. "No. The specific circumstances require further assessment."

"Do you think I can use it? I'm carrying it right now, but I don't feel anything at all. You know, a feeling."

"Could it need blood to recognize its owner, like in those spatial-storage novels?"

"And another question—if the ornament can't be stored in my inventory, will I have to carry it around like Zuo Junhao from now on?"

In her memories of her previous life, the two times she had seen Zuo Junhao at City B Base, he had always worn an unusually large waist pack with a flashy design.

Rather than a waist pack, it was more like a small leather case. Anyone unaware of the truth would have thought it held a weapon he carried with him—at least, that was what Ming Jiu had assumed in her previous life, without giving it much thought.

Only after dying and reading the novel had she learned that it was Zuo Junhao's golden finger.

The system had only one answer: "Uncertain. The specific circumstances require further assessment."

Ming Jiu wanted to say more, but footsteps approached from afar. Soon, the study door was pushed open again, and Zuo Zhenrong walked in carrying a blue document envelope.

He handed the envelope directly to Ming Jiu.

"Inside is the contact information for the person in charge. When it's convenient, make a trip there. If there's anything you don't understand, call me."

As he spoke, Zuo Zhenrong handed her a business card as well.

Ming Jiu accepted them and, reading the room, promptly took her leave. Zuo Zhenrong did not offer any false politeness.

"Fine. Your uncle really can't get away today. In a few days, I'll have your older brother take you two sisters around."

Ming Jiu followed another household servant out through the back door. Outside, the Zuo Family's driver was already waiting.

After thinking it over, Ming Jiu did not refuse and got into the car.

She had only one goal now—she absolutely could not reveal any flaws.

To keep herself from smiling, she pulled her scarf higher and dug her nails into her palms until they nearly drew blood.

They returned to the hotel where she was staying without incident. Ming Jiu got out, watched the car drive away, and only then quickened her pace toward the hotel.

"Did you handle the dashcam footage?"

The system replied, "...The host barely moved in the car. Everything in the footage is normal, so there is no need to handle it."

With a soft beep, Ming Jiu swiped open the room door. She first checked Xiao Rong's bedroom. She had only been gone for a little over two hours, and her younger sister was still sleeping soundly.

Ming Jiu quickly went to her own room and drew all the curtains. The hotel was absolutely safe—the system had checked for cameras when they checked in—but she still retreated into the comparatively cramped bathroom.

She undid her clothes, pulled out the ornament, and carefully placed it in the sink.

She had gotten the item, but whether she could use it remained unknown. What if this spatial storage was a golden finger meant specifically for the male lead?

Ming Jiu's plan had never changed. If she could use it, then everyone would be happy.

If she could not use it, she would smash it into powder and scatter it into the sea at the nearest beach.