She froze as she finished reading the last word.
"Huh?"
"How did I read that?"
She clearly didn't recognize these characters.
Yet in that instant, those strokes had automatically turned into meanings in her mind.
Holding the staff, Jade looked left and right, both excited and unnerved.
This thing was definitely no ordinary object.
She was wondering whether to sneak the staff into her backpack and pretend nothing had happened when a voice suddenly came from behind her.
"Jade."
Jade went rigid.
She slowly turned her head.
Jackie Chan stood beside the Excavation Pit, still clutching a brush. His expression shifted from confusion to shock, then from shock to a deep, all-too-familiar resignation.
"You..."
His gaze moved from her face to the golden staff in her arms, as tall as she was, then back to her face.
"Where did you dig that up?"
Jade hugged the staff and blinked.
"Just... over there."
She pointed her chin at the dirt slope beside her.
"It poked out on its own."
"Really! I was just sitting there, and then I saw a corner, so I..."
"So you dug it up."
Jackie finished for her.
Jade chuckled sheepishly.
Jackie raised a hand and patted his forehead.
"Jade, this is an archaeological site."
"I know."
"You can't just touch these things."
"I know."
"You promised me you wouldn't touch anything."
"Hee hee hee."
Jade stopped talking and tried to hide the staff behind her back.
But the staff was taller than she was, impossible to hide. Its golden bird's head poked out from behind her shoulder, gleaming right at Jackie.
Jackie took a deep breath.
Jackie stepped forward and held out his hand.
"Let me see."
Jade hesitated, but handed the staff over.
The instant Jackie took the staff, warmth spread through his palm, as