If not for the need to maintain Northland Bank's public image, she would have clung to Xie Jun like a lifeline.
As she spoke, Nadia proactively took Xie Jun's hand. "Come, let's talk inside. It's windy out here. We can discuss things more comfortably in the bank."
Seeing Nadia take his hand so eagerly, Xie Jun's heart pounded with excitement.
He instantly forgot the old man's warning.
Northland Bank is so welcoming. How could they be ruthless?
Xie Jun smiled and walked inside with her.
They entered the bank together.
"Lord Harbinger."
The moment they stepped inside, Nadia saw Tartaglia and bowed respectfully.
She hadn't expected Lord Tartaglia to be in the lobby so early.
"And who is this?"
Seeing Nadia holding a stranger's hand, Tartaglia grinned. "Your boyfriend?"
"No, no!"
Before Nadia could answer, Xie Jun shook his head vigorously. "I'm here to borrow money."
"Oh, a loan? Of course! Come, come, have a seat."
Hearing this, Tartaglia's smile widened.
A borrower was good news.
"How much were you thinking of borrowing?" Tartaglia asked after they sat down. "Since you came to Northland Bank, you must be familiar with our lending terms."
"Mhm."
Xie Jun nodded. "I need to borrow 100,000 Mora. I'll pay it back in two days. Actually, I don't need to borrow from the bank. I could just borrow it from you."
As he spoke, Xie Jun extended his hand—the one fused with the Hand for Asking.
"100,000 Mora? That's a bit small."
Tartaglia paused. He had been expecting a request for millions.
But borrowing from me personally? I don't even know this guy.
He was about to refuse, but when he opened his mouth, the words that came out were, "No problem. I'll get it for you now."
He casually pulled a bag of money from his pocket and placed it in Xie Jun's outstretched hand.
Tartaglia: "!"
The moment the money left his hand, Tartaglia snapped back to his senses.
Xie Jun, seeing the bag of money, was ecstatic.
This thing really works!
He snatched the bag. "Thank you, my lord! Your generosity is immense! I will pay you back. I'll be going now. Goodbye!"
Xie Jun immediately stood up and rushed out.
He wasn't going to stick around and give him a chance to change his mind.
"I..."
Watching Xie Jun flee with the money, Tartaglia's face froze. His hand remained suspended in the air.
He had been about to take the money back, but the man had run off too quickly.
And he had verbally agreed to the loan himself.
Tartaglia's expression stiffened. He couldn't understand why he had just lent the money.
"Lord Harbinger is so magnanimous!"
Nadia watched the scene with awe. "He lent 100,000 Mora to a complete stranger without even a promissory note."
She was genuinely impressed.
Hearing someone wanted a loan, her boss had just handed over the cash. He didn't even ask for a name or address.
What incredible confidence!
If it were her, she would have never lent the money.
A stranger asking for 100,000 Mora, promising to pay it back in two days?
And Lord Tartaglia just went along with it? Wasn't he worried the man would disappear?
"I..."
Hearing Nadia's praise, Tartaglia's face darkened. He didn't know what to say.
He wanted to know why he had done that too.
He didn't know the man. He was about to refuse, but somehow agreed and handed over his own money.
The action was a mystery even to himself.
What just happened?
Is my brain foggy this morning?
Tartaglia shook his head, unable to comprehend his actions.
Forget it.
It was only 100,000 Mora. In the grand scheme of things, it was nothing.
Whether the man paid it back or not didn't matter.
He'd just consider it charity.
"Lord Harbinger."
Ekaterina walked over, her face still pale from her injuries.
"Didn't I tell you to rest?" Tartaglia frowned. "You should be in bed for a few days."
Her body had been pierced by multiple bone fragments. Even though his medicine had stopped the bleeding, she still needed to recover.
"I'm alright, Lord Harbinger."
Ekaterina shook her head. "I feel well enough to handle simple reception duties."
She could still feel a dull ache, but she could endure it.
"No. You must rest," Tartaglia said firmly, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Nadia, help Ekaterina to her room."
"Yes, Lord Harbinger."
Nadia nodded and helped Ekaterina into a side room.
Tartaglia watched them go, running a hand through his hair in frustration. He glanced in the direction Xie Jun had fled.
The more I think about it, the weirder it gets.
...
While Tartaglia was confused...
At the Jar Shop.
Qianyan excitedly pointed at several jars.
"I want that one, that one, and this one!"
She randomly selected nine jars.
Felix waved his hand, and the nine jars floated over to her.
Looking at the jars, Qianyan felt a surge of excitement. Nine jars. Surely, she would get something good.
If she pulled another Steam Battleship, she'd be rich!
Hu Tao watched with keen interest, curious to see what Qianyan would get.
"Go ahead," Beidou smiled. "Let's see what you get today."
"Yes, Captain!"
Qianyan took a deep breath and smashed the first jar.
Smash!
A red stone fell out.
"It's an ore I've never seen before!"
Qianyan's eyes lit up.
Rare ores were extremely valuable in Liyue.
"I don't recognize it."
Beidou examined the stone and shook her head.
She had seen most of Liyue's ores, even Amethyst Lumps from other nations. But she had never seen a red one like this.
"There's no pyro energy," Hu Tao remarked, resting her chin on her hand. "It looks like an ordinary rock."
"Shopkeeper, what is this?"
Since neither the Captain nor the Director knew, Qianyan looked at Felix expectantly. "Is it a rare ore?"
As the shopkeeper, he would definitely know.
Felix glanced at it. "It is indeed a rare stone, though calling it an ore might be inaccurate."
[Fire Agate]
A layered agate containing thin films of iron oxide. When light shines on it, thin-film interference creates a fiery red iridescence. A common stone from an unknown world. It is pretty but has no other use.
"This is a stone called Fire Agate," Felix explained with a smile. "While technically an ordinary stone, it is quite beautiful and considered a rare gem."
"When placed under sunlight, it produces a fiery red shimmer. You can keep it or sell it. It's quite valuable."
"Just an ordinary stone?"
Qianyan was slightly disappointed, but she picked up the Fire Agate and walked to the shop's entrance.
The moment sunlight hit it, a brilliant, fiery iridescence flashed across its surface.
"It's so beautiful!"
Qianyan gasped, her face lighting up with joy.
She loved it.
Selling it was out of the question.
Beidou, Hu Tao, and Huixing came over to look. It was indeed pretty.
But that was all. Nice to have, but not essential.
"Time for the next one!"
Qianyan carefully placed the Fire Agate in her pocket and moved to the next jar.
Smash!
The second jar was empty.
"An empty jar."
Her face fell. The joy from the Fire Agate vanished instantly.
My luck is that bad?
Smash!
She broke the third jar.
This time, a blue stone fell out.
"Phew."
Qianyan breathed a sigh of relief. At least it wasn't another empty one.
She looked down at the blue stone.
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