Oh no! I've only been a freshman and I've already been targeted by a mean upperclassman.

"Online," Li Chen smiled. "I don't know if it's true or not."

"The rules are real, but no one has been able to solve them for a long time." Master Liu lowered his head again and continued to tap the silver piece in his hand. "You can try; the riddle is on the wall."

Yan Xi looked in the direction he indicated.

A calligraphy scroll hangs on the wall, bearing four lines of poetry:

"A dot and a horizontal line, a stroke to the South Seas, crosses to crosses, sun to moon."

"Is this a word puzzle?" Yan Xi frowned in thought.

She read extensively from a young age and was quite adept at this kind of wordplay.

But after looking at it for a long time, I still couldn't figure it out.

Li Chen glanced at it and then smiled.

He walked to the counter, picked up a pen and paper, but instead of writing anything, he drew a symbol.

It's a single character, "囍," but it's also somewhat different.

He drew the two "mouth" radicals of the character "囍" as a sun and a moon.

He pushed the paper in front of Master Liu.

Mr. Liu picked up the paper, and his pupils suddenly contracted.

He stared intently at the symbol, his hand holding the silver hammer beginning to tremble slightly.

"How...how did you know this!"

"This is not a word puzzle, but a symbol," Li Chen explained calmly.

"A dot, a long horizontal stroke, and a slant that reaches Southeast Asia" describes the cursive script of the character "喜" (happiness).

"The cross against the cross is two 'crosses', which is also called 'twenty', representing twenty, implying that they are a pair."

"The sun facing the moon, the sun and moon shining together, is called 'brightness', and also refers to the harmony of yin and yang."

"These four lines of poetry together are not a single word, but a unique totem passed down through generations of your silversmithing family, used to bless newlyweds with the wish of 'a happy marriage and a lifelong bond.'"

Li Chen's words completely stunned Yan Xi and Master Liu.

Yan Xi was shocked that he even knew such obscure industry secrets.

Master Liu was shocked that this young man could see through this secret that had been hidden for decades at a glance.

"Who...who exactly are you?" Master Liu's voice had changed.

"An ordinary person who wants a unique keepsake for the one he loves."

As Li Chen spoke, he looked at Yan Xi with tenderness in his eyes.

Yan Xi's heart was burned by his words and his gaze.

Master Liu fell silent.

He glanced at Li Chen, then at Yan Xi.

After a long while, he sighed, and shakily took out a small copper key from his pocket and opened the pear wood box.

The moment the box was opened, a warm, silvery light illuminated the entire room.

A hairpin lay quietly inside.

The hairpin head is a phoenix with outstretched wings, and the tail is inlaid with tiny tassels. Every feather is carved with exquisite detail, making it lifelike.

The most exquisite part is that the phoenix's eyes are inlaid with two tiny, finely polished black gemstones, giving the entire phoenix a sense of soul.

This is no longer an ornament, but a work of art.

"This 'Phoenix Seeking Its Mate' is my grandfather's final masterpiece. It has been in my hands for sixty years," Master Liu said, his voice tinged with a sense of vicissitude.

"Today, it has met its true owner."

He carefully took out the hairpin and handed it to Li Chen.

"Give this to this young lady; it's free."

Li Chen did not answer.

He took a bank card out of his pocket and placed it on the counter.

"Craftsmanship is priceless. But the sentiment behind it should not be taken lightly."

"The password is six eights. The money inside is enough to buy your shop."

"I have only one request."

Mr. Liu stared at the black card, stunned.

Li Chen picked up the exquisite phoenix hairpin and turned to walk towards Yan Xi.

He stopped in front of her, looking intently at her.

"Turn around."

Yan Xi's heart was beating a little fast, but she still did as she was told and turned her back.

She felt Li Chen's slender fingers gently brush aside her long hair.

Then, the phoenix hairpin, which carried a slight chill, was firmly inserted into her hair.

Li Chen took a step back and looked at his masterpiece.

Her long, jet-black hair, paired with the silver phoenix poised for flight, added a touch of classical and luxurious beauty to her cool and aloof demeanor.

It's so beautiful.

"Okay," he said.

Yan Xi slowly turned around.

She didn't look in the mirror, but stared into Li Chen's eyes.

"Is it pretty?"

Li Chen did not answer.

He simply stepped forward, lowered his head, and kissed her lips.

This kiss carried the cool elegance of silver ornaments and the gentle warmth of the ancient town.

It also carries a man's most solemn and profound feelings.

The kiss was light and gentle.

Like a feather brushing against the tip of the heart.

Yan Xi closed her eyes, feeling the warmth of his lips on hers.

Everything around us seemed to disappear, leaving only our intermingling breaths.

After a long while, Li Chen slowly released her.

He looked at her lips, which were slightly red from being kissed, and her bright, sparkling eyes, and his Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily.

"You look good," he answered her question in a hoarse voice. "You look good in anything."

A faint blush rose to Yan Xi's cheeks.

She reached out and gently stroked the phoenix hairpin in her hair, feeling its delicate carving and warm texture.

"How did you know the answer to that riddle?" she couldn't help but ask.

"My research notes mentioned Master Liu's background," Li Chen explained. "I looked up some information about silversmith families in the south and found a record of this totem in a very obscure folklore book."

"It was just a guess, but I didn't expect to be right."

Yan-Xi looked at him.

He spoke of it casually, but she knew how much time and effort had been invested behind the scenes.

To give her a perfect trip, he did everything he could to make the best preparations.

This man either doesn't do anything, or if he does, he must do it to the best of his ability.

The two said goodbye to Master Liu and left the silver jewelry shop.

Master Liu ultimately did not accept the card that Li Chen left behind.

He said that craftsmen's items are only given to those who are destined to receive them.

Walking on the bluestone path, Yan Xi could feel that passersby would always have their eyes, whether intentionally or not, fall on the phoenix hairpin in her hair.

It was a look that was a mixture of amazement and envy.

She doesn't like being stared at.

But this time, a secret sense of pride rose within her.

Because this unique hairpin was something he had begged for her.

It's a mark that belongs only to her.