Episode 4

Dara had changed into her best clothing, the finest she possessed. Although the colors had somewhat faded, the outfit was superior to her other garments.

She hurried out of her small lodging, walking toward the main road. Along the way, she encountered several villagers. They exchanged warm greetings, for Dara was known as the most beautiful and polite girl in the village despite her poverty.

The gazes of some village men lingered on her as if they desired her, an uncomfortable regularity for Dara. Thus, she quickened her pace.

"Hopefully, I can sell it quickly and earn some money," Dara whispered to herself, filled with hope.

The money Dara had left was a mere five thousand; the rest she had given to Dimas for his school expenses. The sum was only enough for a one-way minibus fare, but it sufficed for her.

An unpleasant incident occurred on the minibus: a man seated beside her seized the opportunity amidst the overcrowded confines.

He deliberately brushed his body against her, elbow subtly grazing her chest – an act of sexual harassment. In the past, Dara might have simply shifted away to avoid close contact, powerless to react.

Now, however, she would not remain silent; she stealthily retrieved an acupuncture needle from her dimensional space. Her powers might be dormant, but the principles of Liu Annchi's teachings were embedded in her. Thus, applying a minor acupuncture technique without exerting Qi presented no issue.

"I shall give this vile man a small lesson. Consider it kindness, for I will refrain from using Qi. Yet this will suffice to make him suffer," Dara mused with a faint smile.

"Oh, this girl's chest is so soft, how I long to squeeze it. Perhaps there will be an opportunity," the lecherous man smirked inwardly.

But before he could act on his thoughts, Dara preempted with her move, unnoticed in the crowded minibus.

Tap! Tap! Tap!

Three needles flew at the man's body, which suddenly tensed. Excruciating pain spread throughout, but he could neither move nor scream, though he wished to.

"This isn't over yet, you lecher! I'll deliver a parting gift as we near our destination," Dara thought to herself.

The remainder of the journey passed in relative peace, the harassment having ceased.

As the minibus approached its stop, Dara plunged one more needle into a specific point, eliciting a piercing scream from the man plagued by unbearable agony.

"Aaaahhhh! Pain! Somebody help!!!" the man yelled, clutching his private area.

Dara swiftly withdrew the needle, undetected. The man's scream startled all the passengers, and the minibus came to an abrupt halt.

Everyone disembarked, leaving the man behind in the minibus, as some re-entered to check on the perpetrator.

Passengers were frustrated to disembark short of their intended stops, though only a few meters remained to walk.

...

Dara now stood in front of the sizable Y Red Jewelry store in the city, after repeatedly asking for directions. Greeted by shop assistants inside, they were taken aback and envious of her beauty but looked down on her attire. Regardless, adhering to work protocols, they served her respectfully.

"How may I assist you, miss? We offer a variety of jewelry, from gold to jade to diamonds," an employee asked politeness tinged with disdain.

Ignoring the tone, Dara responded without a fuss as long as she wasn't troubled.

"Can I sell pure gold here?" inquired Dara gently.

"Please, follow me this way," the worker responded, leading her to a dedicated area.

"Thank you," Dara sincerely thanked the assistant guiding her, even though her tone seemed grudging.

"Can I help you, miss?" asked a specialist employee who evaluated the jewelry for sale.

"I would like to sell this gold. Can I do that here?" Dara stated her intention.

"Certainly, if it's genuine and certified," the employee replied.

"However, I don't have a certificate as it's a family heirloom," Dara expressed with a tinge of disappointment.

"May I have a look and check it first, miss? If it's indeed pure gold, I can ask the manager if it's acceptable for sale here," the employee politely offered without discriminating against customer status.

"Of course, here! Please take a look," Dara confidently handed over the gold coin.

Surprised, the employee recognized the coin as ancient and immediately verified its purity; shockingly, it was indeed pure gold.

"This is genuine pure gold. Would you mind if I show this to the manager for a moment?" the employee politely questioned.

"Not at all," Dara consented.

"In that case, feel free to wait over there and take a seat," the employee suggested.

Entering an office, Dara calmly waited.

Shortly after, three people approached: the employee with a man and a woman. Dara surmised one of them must be the store's manager.

"Mrs. Carmila, Mr. Dion, this is the miss, the owner of the gold coin," the employee introduced them.

"Hello, it's nice to meet you, miss. I'm Carmila, owner of Red Jewelry," greeted an elegant woman in her early thirties.

"Hello, it's nice to meet you, miss. I'm Dion, the manager of Red Jewelry," a middle-aged man in his forties introduced himself.

"Hello, Mrs. Carmila, Mr. Dion, it's a pleasure. My name is Addara," Dara introduced herself.

"If you don't mind, please join us to talk in the office," Dion invited.

"Certainly," Dara accepted.

She followed Carmila and Dion into a room which she guessed belonged to either of them for work-related matters.

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