Chapter 3: Diamond Pendant

  Tap. Tap. Tap.

  Tianhao's bare feet whispered against the polished wooden floors as he moved deeper into the Lu family's main residence. Every step was calculated, every breath controlled. His golden eyes swept continuously from shadow to shadow, studying the positions of guards and the layout of corridors with the practiced efficiency of a born predator.

  The opulence surrounding him was almost overwhelming—jade ornaments that could feed a street orphan for months, silk hangings worth more than most people earned in a year, and artwork that spoke of generations of accumulated wealth. Yet he resisted the temptation to grab these obvious treasures. 'Such items would be noticed missing immediately. Better to find something valuable but overlooked.'

  As he rounded a corner, his movement came to an abrupt halt. There, standing like a bronze statue before an ornate door, was a guard. The man's posture was alert despite the late hour, his hand resting casually on his sword hilt while his eyes scanned the corridor with steady precision.

  'That door,' Tianhao thought, pressing himself against the wall to remain hidden. 'Why post a guard there specifically unless something valuable lies beyond? The other rooms I've passed had no such protection.'

  He studied the guard's stance and equipment with calculating eyes. The man wore the same polished silver armor as the entrance guards, marking him as one of the Lu family's elite security force. More importantly, a ring of keys hung prominently from his belt—keys that likely included access to whatever lay behind that guarded door.

  A slow smile spread across Tianhao's face as a plan formed in his mind. 'Sometimes the direct approach is the most effective.'

  Without hesitation, he stepped boldly into the guard's line of sight and immediately collapsed to the floor, his small body convulsing as if seized by invisible forces.

  "Who goes there—" The guard's challenge died in his throat as he saw the thrashing child. Years of training had prepared him for intruders and assassins, but the sight of a dying boy triggered entirely different instincts.

  "Heaven's mercy!" he gasped, abandoning his post to rush toward the convulsing figure. "Hold on, child! Don't move!"

  Tianhao let his eyes roll back, showing only the whites as he gasped in apparent agony. "W-water..." he wheezed, his voice barely audible. "Please... so thirsty..."

  The guard's face went pale with panic. A child dying on his watch would bring severe consequences, regardless of how the boy had arrived there. "Water, yes! Don't move—I'll return immediately!"

  He sprinted down the corridor toward the servants' quarters, his heavy boots echoing off the walls in his haste. The moment his footsteps faded, Tianhao's convulsions ceased entirely. With smooth grace, he rolled to his feet and approached the abandoned door, the guard's key ring now mysteriously absent from the man's belt.

  'Four keys,' he noted, examining his prize. 'One of these must fit.'

  The first key proved too large, the second too small. The third turned partway but stuck. But the fourth slid home with a satisfying click, and the door swung open silently on well-oiled hinges.

  What lay beyond, however, was not at all what he had expected.

  ---

  Instead of a treasure vault or study filled with valuable ledgers, Tianhao found himself in a beautifully appointed bedchamber. Moonlight streamed through latticed windows, illuminating delicate furnishings scaled for a child. Silk curtains in soft pastels hung around a small bed, while painted screens depicted scenes of flowering gardens and soaring cranes.

  On the bed itself lay a sleeping figure that made Tianhao freeze in recognition.

  'Lu Ruyi. The Lu family's youngest daughter.'

  Even in sleep, it was clear that the girl possessed striking beauty that would only grow more striking with age. Her features held a delicate perfection that spoke of exceptional care, while an aura of tranquility surrounded her that seemed almost mystical.

  Stolen story; please report.

  But it was not her beauty that made Tianhao's pulse quicken—it was what her presence here represented. In all of Willow Creek Town, whispers spoke of only one child born with immense potential to walk the path of cultivation. Lu Ruyi, youngest daughter of the Lu family, was said to possess a heavenly constitution that might one day allow her to transcend mortal limitations.

  Heavenly constitutions were rare physiques with many benefits, the most obvious being rapid cultivation talent. All those said to possess such constitutions were destined for greatness—as long as nothing happened to them, they would one day soar through the skies like dragons and phoenixes.

  'No wonder they posted a guard,' Tianhao thought, understanding flooding through him. 'To the Lu family, this girl represents something far more valuable than gold or silver. She's their bridge to a higher world.'

  A pang of something—envy? longing?—struck him as he watched her peaceful slumber. How different their fates were. She slept in silken comfort, destined for greatness, while he scratched and clawed for mere survival. Yet rather than bitter resentment, he felt only a strange sort of admiration.

  'So what if she has potential and family backing? Talent isn't everything. Intelligence and determination can overcome much.'

  Shaking off his thoughts, he forced himself to focus on practical matters. Time was running short—the guard would return with water soon, and those entrance guards had given Lu Chen only ten minutes total.

  'She may be the family's treasure, but that doesn't mean her room lacks other valuables. Someone this important would surely have emergency provisions hidden away.'

  His experienced thief's gaze swept the chamber carefully, studying possible hiding spots. The furnishings were expensive but not easily portable. The jewelry box held trinkets more pretty than valuable. It wasn't until his eyes settled on a calligraphy scroll hanging on the far wall that his instinct sparked.

  The painting itself was unremarkable—a mediocre work depicting bamboo and plum blossoms. But its placement struck him as odd. 'Why hang such inferior art in a room otherwise filled with only the finest objects?'

  Without hesitation, he carefully lifted the scroll from its hooks.

  Behind it, carved into the wall itself, was a small wooden compartment sealed with an intricate lock. But this was no ordinary keyhole—instead, a diamond-shaped depression was carved into the wood's surface, clearly designed to accept a specially shaped key.

  'Clever,' Tianhao admitted, examining the mechanism. 'But where would they keep such a key?'

  His gaze swept back to the sleeping girl, and his sharp eyes caught the glint of something at her throat. There, hanging from a delicate silver chain, was a pendant cut in the exact diamond shape needed to open the hidden compartment.

  Understanding dawned like sunrise. 'Emergency provisions for the family's most precious asset. If crisis struck and they needed to flee, everything she would need to survive would be contained in that compartment.'

  For a moment, guilt stayed his hand. The pendant clearly held sentimental value—possibly a gift from loving parents or a family heirloom. Taking it felt different from stealing anonymous coins from a merchant's strongbox.

  But survival had taught him harsh lessons about sentimentality.

  'I've already invested five silver coins in this venture. I can't leave empty-handed.'

  He approached the bed with careful steps, reaching slowly toward the silver chain. The pendant was warm from her body heat, and her breathing remained deep and even as he worked to carefully lift it over her head.

  Just as the chain cleared her hair, soft fingers closed around his wrist like a silk trap.

  Tianhao's heart nearly stopped as he found himself gazing into a pair of crystalline blue eyes filled with unmistakable intelligence and amusement.

  "Well, well," Lu Ruyi said quietly, her voice carrying none of the sleepy confusion he might have expected. "You certainly have impressive courage, sneaking into my room like this. I was wondering when you'd make your move."

  The words hit Tianhao like a bucket of cold water. 'She was awake the entire time?'

  "Shhh," he whispered urgently, placing a finger to his lips while his mind raced through possible escape plans.

  To his surprise, Lu Ruyi released his wrist and sat up gracefully, showing no signs of alarm or fear. If anything, she seemed delighted by the situation.

  "Relax, little rascal," she said with evident amusement. "If I wanted you caught, I would have screamed the moment you entered. You should thank this young miss for her mercy."

  Tianhao stared at her in bewilderment. Her words carried an odd maturity that seemed at odds with her age, while her calm acceptance of an intruder in her bedchamber defied all reasonable expectation.

  Lu Ruyi's laughter rang out like silver bells at his expression. "You look like a fish gasping for air! It's quite amusing."

  "Keep quiet!" Tianhao hissed, glancing nervously toward the door.

  "Oh, don't worry about the guard," she said with a dismissive wave. "Poor Uncle Wu will spend at least ten minutes searching for clean water and proper cups. He's very thorough that way." Her eyes sparkled with mischief. "Besides, I'm curious about you. It's been so boring lately."

  She gestured toward the pendant still clutched in his hand. "I noticed you eyeing my necklace. You're welcome to keep it—I never liked that gaudy thing anyway. But I do have one small condition."

  Tianhao's eyes widened. 'If only she knew what treasure that pendant unlocks.' Aloud, he asked warily, "What condition?"

  "Simple," Lu Ruyi replied, extending a delicate hand toward him. "I want to know your name. I'm Lu Ruyi, youngest daughter of this household. And you are?"

  For a long moment, Tianhao hesitated. Giving his real name could be dangerous—it could be traced back to him later. But something in her direct gaze and open manner made deception feel... wrong.

  "Tianhao," he said finally, grasping her small hand briefly. "My name is Tianhao."

  "Tianhao the little rascal," she said, as if testing how the name sounded. "I'll remember that." She settled back against her pillows with evident satisfaction. "There—wasn't that civilized? Much better than screaming and raising alarms."

  Tianhao shook his head in amazement. This girl was unlike anyone he'd ever encountered—noble yet approachable, intelligent yet playful, completely unafraid despite being confronted by an intruder in her own room.

  He moved toward the window, preparing to make his escape, when her voice stopped him once more.

  "Tianhao," she called softly, and he turned back to face her. "I hope... I hope this is the last time you need to steal. You seem like someone who could become something better."

  The words struck him like a physical blow, carrying no judgment or condemnation—only genuine hope for his welfare. In that moment, he felt something shift inside his chest, an unfamiliar warmth that had nothing to do with victory or successful theft.

  He looked at her one final time, as if trying to memorize her face. "Thank you," he said quietly, meaning far more than just her cooperation. "For everything."

  Then he slipped through the window into the night, carrying with him not just a valuable pendant, but the memory of unexpected kindness from someone who had every reason to see him as nothing more than a thief.

  Behind him, Lu Ruyi watched his departure with thoughtful eyes, a small smile playing at her lips.

  "Tianhao," she whispered to the empty room. "I wonder if we'll meet again someday."