"Garbage collector, where did you steal this ancient jade lock from?"
Jackson McCartney ignored the stunning beauty standing next to the BMW convertible, pulling the brim of his straw hat a little lower to completely cover his eyes.
Is this his unmasked fiancée?
The old man's taste is really bad.
He initially didn't want to come down the mountain, but the old man pressured him to death, insisting that he come down the mountain to marry a woman he'd never met.
To understand the situation better, Jackson disguised himself as a scrap collector to investigate the truth.
He learned that his fiancée, Esther Anderson, is the dean of the largest private hospital in California, Green Spring Hospital.
Looking at the photo, he thought she would be a gentle and cute woman. It turned out that although she's pretty, her temper is not so good.
She doesn't even have the feminine charm of the widowed woman in the village.
"Hey! Didn't you hear me talking? Why is a garbage collector so arrogant?"
"Be clear, I am a scrap collector."
Jackson pointed to the sign hanging in front of his tricycle and irately reminded her.
"Isn't a scrap collector the same as a garbage collector?"
Esther rolled her eyes, feeling a bit impatient.
After all, she is the number one beauty in California.
What young man doesn't freeze at the sight of her?
Yet, this man, a garbage collector of all people, didn't even bother to glance her way.
In fact, he seemed to be rather disgusted by her.
Could it be that she was no longer attractive?
Esther began to doubt her beauty and figure.
But the most pressing issue at hand was getting hold of that ancient jade lock around this man's neck.
With this in mind, Esther continued to question: “I’ll ask you again, where did you steal this ancient jade lock from?”
“Who said I stole it? I obtained this from collecting junk!” Her accusation was somewhat annoying.
This jade lock was a heirloom left to him by his parents.
It was also a token for him to come down the mountain and get married.
His master had told him that as long as the Anderson family saw this lock, Esther would be married to him.
Jackson understood that Esther was specifically here for his jade lock.
As expected, in the next second, Esther pointed at the jade lock and boldly stated: “I want this lock. Name your price.”
Jackson noticed that Esther had an identical jade lock hanging around her neck.
The ancient jade lock was a treasure passed down through the generations of the Anderson family, also serving as an engagement token.
A long time ago, Esther's grandfather told her that a heroic figure would come and marry her, carrying an ancient jade pendant identical to hers.
Initially, Esther didn't pay much attention to his words. But when she passed by the garbage collector and saw the ancient jade pendant in his hand, identical to hers, she was taken aback and hurriedly stopped to question him.
Much to her relief, the young man had acquired the jade pendant from someone else. If this garbage collector was indeed her future husband...
She'd rather die than that be true.
"I'm not selling," Jackson responded without a moment's hesitation.
The jade pendent was intimately linked to its origins, it was something he could never sell!
"Why won't you sell it?"
"My stuff is my own business. Whether I sell or not, what's it got to do with you?"
"You...!"
Esther widened her eyes in disbelief.
A stinking, garbage-collecting man dared to disrespect her like this?
She was so angry that she felt like turning around and leaving. But thinking of the ancient jade pendant around the young man's neck, which was vitally important to her, she had to stay.
She took a deep breath, took out several stacks of notes, and handed them over, asking, "Is sixty thousand dollars enough?"
"Not selling."
Esther asked with a cold face, "How much do you want to sell?"
Sixty thousand dollars, and he still won't sell. Is he deliberately raising the price?
"I've already told you I'm not selling regardless of the price, are you deaf? Move, don't block me from collecting scrap."
Jackson's attitude remained indifferent.
He didn't want to grovel like other men before this young Miss Anderson.
If he were like that, how would he maintain his dignity as a man after marriage?
"You…you are telling me to leave?"
Esther clenched her fists, her brows knitting sharply, "This is the entrance of my family's hospital, do you believe I can have security chase you out?"
"No need for you to chase, I can leave myself."
Having said that, Jackson began to push his tricycle, ready to leave.
But after he took two steps, he suddenly turned back to look at Esther.
"Just a word of advice before I go, it seems that there's a strange cold toxin in your body. If it's not treated in time, it might be life-threatening."
Having finished speaking, Jackson didn't wait for Esther to retort and continued pushing his tricycle towards the exit.
At this moment, a large Benz suddenly stopped, and a young man dressed in branded attire stepped out of the car.
Ignoring Jackson, he stared at Esther with a lecherous grin, "Esther, are you standing at the door to welcome my arrival?"
Esther looked at the man with a slight furrow in her brows, a face of disgust.
"James, what are you doing here?"
"We are about to get engaged soon, I came to discuss with you where to choose for our engagement banquet," James spoke in a frivolous and cheerful tone.
"Are you out of your mind? Who's going to get engaged with you?" Esther looked bewildered.
"Aren't you aware? My dad just agreed to loan two million to your Anderson Group. Your Uncle Gabriel Alexander has already agreed that we will hold the engagement ceremony in two days."
"I will decide my marriage. It's not up to anyone else," Esther snorted coldly, her face covered in frost.
"That's not up to you. Your uncle is the head of the Anderson family and the chairman of the Anderson Group. Can you not obey his orders?" James had a look of triumph.
Looking at James, Esther sternly warned in a cold voice, "James, I advise you not to harbour delusions. It is impossible for us."
"No matter what my uncle says, does it mean that if he sells me out, I have to count money for him?"
"Esther, I know you love me, but you're just too shy to admit it. Anyway, we'll be getting engaged soon, and we'll have to sleep in the same bed. What's there to be shy about..."
James kept his eyes glued on Esther's enchanting figure, cheerfully reaching out to grab Esther's hand.
"What are you trying to do?"
Scared, Esther immediately tried to pull away her hand.
James firmly grabbed her, dragging her towards his Benz.
James smirked, saying, "Esther, since we're destined to become family sooner or later, why don't we just go ahead and seal the deal?"
At these words, James's bodyguard stepped forward to assist, pushing Esther towards the car.
Now Esther truly panicked. She blurted out in a loud voice, "Help! Let me go."
But the surrounding onlookers simply lowered their heads; no one dared to utter a word.
"Hehe, save your energy. Even if you scream your lungs out, no one would dare come to your rescue. Why not just obediently come with me? I'll surely treat you well…"
Just as James was preparing to get in the car, Jackson, who was pushing a tricycle, moved.
The next second, with a resounding slap, a loud smack landed on James's face...
