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"Thank us?" Fayan Luo looked bewildered as she shook him, his brows knitting slightly. "Why are you thanking us?"
Angelina did not answer. She turned and ran, moving with the crisp efficiency of a battle-hardened soldier. In moments, she hauled a brand-new tire off the jeep, deftly took out her tools, and replaced the damaged tire in a few swift moves. The whole process flowed seamlessly, leaving no trace of the frail female scholar she had seemed to be moments earlier.
With the tire replaced, she jumped down and began loading without another word. She stacked gleaming gold platters and translucent jade dishes in the vehicle, pile after pile, her movements swift and decisive.
"Hey! Wait!"
Fayan Luo's expression darkened. He hurried after her and held out an arm in front of the vehicle, his tone stern. "We dug these things up. By the rules, you need to negotiate terms first."
An outrageously saccharine smile curled Angelina's lips, and something called "gratitude" sparkled in her eyes. She pressed her palms together in a devout pose. "Thank you so much."
Fayan Luo frowned slightly, that inexplicable sense of dread growing stronger. He was just about to put a stop to this excessive display of enthusiasm when Angelina turned and plunged back into the dazzling pile of treasure.
"If you insist, keep a souvenir." Without looking back, Angelina muttered and casually fished a cheap silver spoon out of the mountain of treasure, tossing it behind her toward Fayan Luo. "Here. The little one's just right for picking your teeth."
Fayan Luo caught the spoon instinctively. It still held her body heat, yet a chill shot from his fingertips straight to the crown of his head. Staring at it, he spoke in a voice as cold as shards of ice. "Angelina, I