Volume One, Chapter 46: The Gem on the Ring Is a Ruby

Everyone exchanged glances in bewilderment.
What?
They were going to use a detector?
And it was a brand-new one.
Was the prince always this direct? Going straight for the detector.
But with so much metal in the hotel’s private room, could the detector really find the ring?
Twenty minutes later, Dai Ming entered the room with two men in work uniforms.
The two uniformed men gently set their toolboxes down on the carpet.
They took out the equipment and began setting it up—a device resembling a metal detector, but clearly far more precise and sophisticated.
Everyone was stunned by the advanced device.
Dai Ming was already briefed on the situation.
His expression was as cold and sharp as Mu Shaozhou’s as he introduced the device to those present.
“This is a special material detector. Set it to resonate with the material of the known object, and it will detect that specific substance.”
Everyone gasped; the prince had actually brought such a device.
Dai Ming turned to his two assistants.
“The material is a special metal, and the ruby on the ring is about five carats.”
The two men nodded and began a meticulous search of the room.
Yan Kejia frowned and stepped forward to correct Dai Ming.
“The ring doesn’t have a ruby; it’s a red diamond.”
Mu Shaozhou ignored her, not even sparing a glance.
He wrapped his arm around Yu Mo’s shoulders and led her to a sofa.
Dai Ming looked at Yan Kejia with a peculiar expression.
Being stared at unsettled her—had she said something wrong?
Her ring was clearly set with a red diamond.
“A ruby isn’t nearly as valuable as a red diamond,” she added.
If it were just a plain ruby ring, she wouldn’t have made such a fuss searching Yu Mo.
Dai Ming’s look grew even stranger. He addressed Yan Kejia.
“Miss, you know red diamonds are valuable. You must also know how rare a red diamond of that size is. There’s only one known 4.5-carat red diamond ring in the world, which is also the largest red diamond on record.
Last year, it was auctioned in the States for 150 million dollars. You don’t really think your ring has a five-carat red diamond, do you? That would make your ring worth over 200 million.”
Yan Kejia’s face darkened, eventually turning a deep shade of purple.
She had never bothered to keep up with the world’s largest red diamond rings.
With that, Dai Ming laid bare the ignorance and folly Yan Kejia had always tried to mask with her wealth.
She simply lacked the poise of a true heiress—something cultivated over years, not acquired overnight.
After this crash course on red diamonds, everyone took in Yan Kejia’s embarrassment with barely concealed satisfaction.
The two men continued their meticulous search of the room, but found nothing.
Dai Ming glanced at those present, silently seeking Mu Shaozhou’s decision.
“Continue searching.”
Mu Shaozhou’s strong brows betrayed a trace of languor as he spoke in a calm voice.
Dai Ming acknowledged and directed the two men to scan the people present.
Though many were disgruntled, facing the prince’s icy authority, no one dared speak up.
When the man approached Yan Kejia with the device, she finally snapped.
“Your Highness, how could I possibly have the ring on me?”
She was the one who lost it, yet now she was being searched.
Mu Shaozhou paid her no mind, drawing closer to Yu Mo and catching the faint scent of alcohol on her.
His brows knit slightly.
“You’ve been drinking?”
Yu Mo nodded.
“A little.”
“I’ll take you home later.”
“No need. I’ve already called a friend to pick me up.”
Chu Xirui had just bought a new car and was looking for an excuse to take it out for a spin.
Mu Shaozhou said nothing more.
Yu Mo fell silent as well.
A series of beeps sounded.
She looked up, searching for the source.
The technician’s device emitted a crisp alert as he approached Qin Xiang.
“Sir, please come forward and cooperate with our inspection.”
The staff member gestured politely.
Qin Xiang followed him to the center of the room.
Yan Kejia exclaimed in disbelief.
“Impossible! How could it be him? There must be something wrong with your device.”
The uniformed man lifted his face, only his eyes visible, flashing with an intimidating intensity that silenced Yan Kejia.
Yet she still refused to believe it could be Qin Xiang.
What reason would he have to steal her ring?
Absolutely impossible!
Under the unwavering stares of the two men, Qin Xiang finally lowered his head and fished the ring out of his pocket.
Everyone in the room gasped.
It was actually Qin Xiang—the last person anyone would suspect.
Yan Kejia was even more stunned. She rushed forward, snatching up the ring and inspecting it closely.
It was indeed hers.
She looked up.
“Qin Xiang, what’s going on?”
Everyone else looked on in confusion.
Facing the questioning stares, Qin Xiang finally let go of his usual dignified reserve.
He spoke slowly.
“I took it.”
Yan Kejia could not accept this and asked “why” again and again.
But Qin Xiang just bowed his head, refusing to say another word.
After a long time, he finally spoke to Yan Kejia.
“Jiajia, let’s break up.”
“What? Qin Xiang, why are you breaking up with me?”
Yan Kejia was nearly hysterical—she couldn’t help it, the turn of events was simply too abrupt.
Her mind couldn’t process it all.
Mu Shaozhou rose gracefully, surveying the room with a cool gaze.
“Now that the ring’s been found, I’ll take my leave.”
He lowered his head, reached out a large hand to Yu Mo, and said softly,
“Let’s go.”
Yu Mo took his hand and rose to follow behind him.
Fu Yanting’s fists clenched tightly, wanting to intervene, but his feet felt as heavy as if filled with lead.
The two technicians turned to Dai Ming.
“Assistant Dai, the fee for this inspection comes to thirty million.”
Everyone was astonished—a simple inspection cost so much.
One of the technicians shook his head and remarked,
“That ring itself is worth only about three million.”
Once again, everyone was left speechless—spending thirty million to retrieve a three-million-dollar ring. They really didn’t know what to say.
Dai Ming led the two men out of the room.
Mu Shaozhou, holding Yu Mo’s hand, headed for the door.
Xie Mengqi suddenly blocked his path.
Her voice was loud, tinged with obvious resentment and discontent.
“Your Highness, don’t be fooled by Yu Mo. She’s two-timing and has another man. If you don’t believe me, check the last banquet at the Yunlan Hotel—she brought a pretty boy as her date.”
Yu Mo was a little surprised. The last time she took that pretty boy to Lin Hua’s celebration banquet, Xie Mengqi hadn’t even been there.
So how did she know about it?
Her gaze landed on Lin Hua and she immediately understood.
Xie Mengqi was being used as someone else’s pawn and didn’t even realize it—truly naïve.
Unaware of the growing disgust in Mu Shaozhou’s eyes, Xie Mengqi continued,
“Your Highness, you don’t know—Yu Mo used to be my cousin Fu Yanting’s lapdog, following him everywhere. Now she’s turned her sights on you. You’d better open your eyes…”