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Chapter 47: What Does This Flame Pattern Look Like?
Chapter 47: What Does This Flame Pattern Look Like?
Jiang Xia quickly walked over to Zhou Chenglei. "Opening the conch shells?"
"Yep." Zhou Chenglei carefully placed the two conch shells on the ground and went to the storage room to find some tools.
Zhou's mother, seeing the two large shells, exclaimed, "Oh my, what kind of conch shells are these? They're so big! These two are quite beautiful. Why didn't you sell them? Such pretty shells are worth some money."
The shells of the Star Clam were similar in color to a coconut, but they were covered in white, sharp spikes of varying lengths, making them look quite intimidating.
The Emperor Helmet Shell was white with brown spots, and it also had spikes, but they were not as sharp as those of the Star Clam. They were more like blunt spikes, making it easier to handle.
Zhou's father, who had just finished his shower, took one look and immediately put down the bucket to walk over. "Sell them? These are Emperor Helmet Shells and a Star Clam! Such large ones might even contain pearls! Who found them?"
Zhou Chenglei replied, "Jiang Xia found them."
Zhou's father was taken aback. "Jiang Xia again?"
"Xia, your luck at sea is incredible!"
Jiang Xia smiled. "I just got lucky."
Hearing that there might be pearls, Zhou's mother urged, "Hurry up and open them!"
At that moment, Tian Caihua came in with a basket of vegetables, asking casually, "What do you mean by 'lucky'? What are you opening?"
She had gone to the vegetable garden to pick cucumbers for the children to eat as a snack. This year's cucumbers were plentiful and good, and if they weren't eaten soon, they would go bad, so she brought a basket over.
Then, Tian Caihua saw the two large shells on the ground and her eyes widened. "What kind of conch shells are these? Fourth Sister-in-Law, did you find them?"
Jiang Xia couldn't hide them now, especially since she had just come back.
Zhou's mother, proud, said, "Who else in our family has such luck at sea? Your father says these are Emperor Helmet Shells and a Star Clam, and they might contain pearls. Ah Lei, open them quickly and see if there are any pearls."
Tian Caihua felt a pang of jealousy. What kind of luck did Jiang Xia have?
She couldn't help but say, "These conch shells are indeed big, but I remember the one the Sea Family found that contained a pearl was even bigger. This one is so small, I wonder if it has any pearl at all."
Zhou's mother glared at her. "Tsk tsk, you jinx! If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all!"
The Star Clam was covered in spikes, and Zhou Chenglei had to wear gloves to finally pry open its shell. A white, UFO-shaped pearl appeared in the clam's flesh!
Tian Caihua was speechless. What kind of luck was this? Just picking up a spiky shell and getting a pearl?
Jiang Xia, who had known about the pearl all along, still couldn't help but feel surprised. "This pearl is quite large."
Zhou Chenglei picked up the pearl, washed it in a bowl of saltwater, and then handed it to Jiang Xia.
Jiang Xia took it and examined it closely.
The pearl from the Star Clam was white, with no luster and not very round, but it had a slight sheen. Its luster was far from that of ordinary white pearls, but this pearl was larger than a button. Most importantly, the pattern on it formed a camellia flower!
It lay in her palm like a blooming white camellia, elegant and understated.
Even without much luster, such a pattern made it valuable! If it were to be auctioned internationally, it would likely be bid on at a high price by a certain brand!
Tian Caihua glanced at it. "It is a pearl, and it is quite large, but it has too many flaws, no luster at all. It probably isn't worth much."
"Such a pity!"
Not all pearls are valuable.
Zhou Mother was a bit disappointed. "What a large pearl, but it lacks that luster. Otherwise, it would be worth a fortune!"
Jiang Xia said, "If it can't be sold for much, we can keep it. This is a natural pearl, a gift from nature. Even if it's not expensive, it can still protect the house!"
Zhou Father couldn’t stand his eldest daughter-in-law’s pessimistic words. No matter what, finding a pearl was a sign of very good luck.
He said, "Jiang Xia is right. The elders used to say that a flawless pearl can ward off evil. If it can’t be sold, we can keep it to protect the house. Such a large pearl can ensure the safety and well-being of the family."
Tian Caihua’s lips twitched. She wanted to say, "Can a single pearl really protect the house and ensure everyone’s safety? If so, everyone in the world would be safe and prosperous." But she held her tongue, not wanting to upset her in-laws.
Tian Caihua said, "Fourth Sister-in-Law has such good luck. Maybe this sea snail also has a pearl. Fourth Brother, hurry up and open it and see."
Zhou Chenglei was about to smash the sea snail shell, but Jiang Xia thought such a large shell could be turned into a beautiful piece of art. She quickly stopped him, "Is there a way to get the meat out without breaking the shell?"
Zhou Father immediately brought out an iron hook.
Zhou Chenglei struggled a bit before using the iron hook to extract a large lump of sea snail meat.
Zhou Mother said, "Check carefully for any pearls."
Zhou Chenglei carefully searched through the sea snail meat.
The whole family gathered around, watching his every move without blinking.
Tian Caihua’s heart raced. They had already found one pearl. Could they be so lucky again?
Suddenly, Zhou Chenglei paused.
Tian Caihua’s heart skipped a beat.
No way, right?
Zhou Chenglei pinched something in the sea snail meat and pulled out a golden, round pearl about the size of a fingernail.
Zhou Father’s eyes lit up. "This pearl looks very valuable."
Tian Caihua was stunned. "!!"
Zhou Mother exclaimed excitedly, "This pearl is beautiful! It looks like a golden bead, and it’s so smooth, with no visible flaws?"
Natural wild pearls are almost always flawed. Finding a pearl without any flaws is a sign of great fortune and wealth.
Zhou Chenglei washed the pearl in saltwater and then handed it to Jiang Xia. "It has no significant flaws. That tiny spot doesn’t count."
Jiang Xia reached out to take it, but Tian Caihua couldn’t resist and tried to snatch it. "Let me see!"
Zhou Chenglei dodged her hand and gave the pearl to Jiang Xia.
Jiang Xia took it.
Tian Caihua pursed her lips and silently withdrew her hand. "What’s so special about it? I’ve seen pearls before!"
A few years ago, she had found a pearl oyster and extracted two pearls from it.
Jiang Xia ignored her and focused on studying the pearl in her hand.
It was a golden pearl with a hint of orange flame patterns. The pearl was perfectly round, with a soft, lustrous glow, exuding an opulent charm.
"This pearl is much better than the previous one. It’s round, large, and if it has no flaws, it’s worth at least a hundred dollars," Zhou Mother said, her voice filled with delight.
Jiang Xia rotated the pearl in her hand. "It has a tiny flaw."
Tian Caihua noticed the small black spot. "It looks so good, but it still has a tiny flaw. Otherwise, it would be worth so much more!"
Jiang Xia didn’t respond. She carefully examined the patterns on the pearl and suddenly tugged at Zhou Chenglei’s sleeve. "Zhou Chenglei, look at the flame patterns on this pearl. What do they remind you of?"
Jiang Xia’s voice couldn’t hide her excitement.
(End of Chapter)
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