Chapter 154: Teaming Up for Three Million Dollars

The more the situation unfolds like this, the more proactive the man should be. After all, I am someone who has studied the manual. Usually, girls tend to be more passive in such moments, and this is simply an opportunity bestowed upon me by the heavens that I must seize.

I quietly slid my arm behind Xiaoshuang, resting it on her other shoulder, and gently pulled her closer into my embrace. Fortunately, she did not resist. Instead, she leaned her head against my right shoulder, her face radiant with an expectant smile.

"Tell me, little Hu Xiaodong, are you confessing your love to me?"

With her head resting on my shoulder, Xiaoshuang spoke those words, then gently raised her head to look straight into my eyes. I knew instantly that this was the prelude to a kiss.

"Uh, well, this, that, it's... Mph!" I was nearly out of my mind. Before I could finish, I felt a pair of soft lips seal my mouth.

The subtle fragrance of Xiaoshuang's body instantly made me feel as though I had fallen deeply into Cupid's river of love, unable to free myself, longing only to take things a step further.

This long kiss lasted for about three minutes. Since we were sitting in the very last row, no one could see our intimate moment. Besides, almost everyone watching a romantic movie was a couple, so scenes of people kissing happened here all the time, and no one paid it any mind.

Finally, that cliché of a romance movie came to an end. Xiaoshuang and I had officially crossed the threshold into the ranks of lovers. To be honest, I really had to thank this movie for bringing me such an opportunity.

However, this was only the beginning. The real shopping spree was just about to start. Linking her arm through mine, Xiaoshuang dragged me from one shop to another. In less than an hour, my hands were already filled with numerous large and small bags.

To lighten my load, I pulled a cart over from nearby and piled everything onto it, instantly feeling a great deal more relaxed.

Fortunately, my coming here was not in vain. Ah Shuang suddenly grabbed my collar and forcibly hauled me into a men's boutique, which sold exclusively designer suits.

"Heehee, you need to look respectable for a job interview!" With that, Xiaoshuang looped her arm through mine once more, and we strolled through the dazzling array of suits.

In the end, Xiaoshuang picked out a suit and a brand-new pair of leather shoes for me. And I must admit, when I put them on and looked in the mirror, I discovered that I actually looked quite dashing in a suit!

Once the white shirt was on and the tie was knotted, it screamed high-end, elegant, and top-tier!

To be honest, I had never felt happier than during that shopping trip. Even though I was pushing a cart piled high with goods, having a beauty in a pink dress by my side made the feeling absolutely exhilarating.

We didn't have to squeeze onto the public bus to get home; instead, we hailed a cab. After giving the driver the address, we reached our destination in less than half an hour.

Xiaoshuang and I carried our bags into the elevator and rode straight up to the third floor. Upon arriving, we discovered that Uncle Ma was not at home.

Later, we found a note on the table in the room explaining that he had gone to visit an old friend to examine a blue-and-white porcelain piece from the early Qing Dynasty.

In our line of work in archaeology, once you step out into society, archaeology often feels more like a secondary pursuit. Even though one can find employment in companies unrelated to one's major, there is always a lingering sense that studying archaeology is ultimately useless.

Yet, upon second thought, out of three hundred and sixty trades, every single one produces its own master. Since I chose the path of archaeology, it means I too have the chance to become a master in the field of archaeology.

In reality, archaeologists simply register their credentials with an archaeological firm and wait for other scholars to form teams for expeditions. Most of the time, they rely on regular work to support their families.

Then, through continuous exploration and practical experience, one refines oneself until the authenticity of antique identification and dynastic dating can be discerned at a glance.

The next day, I first went to the archaeological firm to submit my resume and application report. While there, I browsed through their bulletin board, which made me feel as though archaeology was akin to being a mercenary.

Some expeditions were essentially adventures, gambling with one's own life—such as exploring deep, uncharted forests where one might be gone for a month, or perhaps never return at all, as teams going completely missing was by no means unheard of.

However, as the saying goes, under a heavy reward there are brave men. Since certain people passionate about archaeology are willing to seek out professional archaeologists like yourself to form an expedition team, all the funding naturally goes into your account first for discussion. Usually, the baseline rate starts at over one hundred thousand RMB, which is higher than the earnings of an ordinary employee over two years. If you believe your fortune is strong enough, there are those willing to drop a million.

My application to the archaeological firm was successful, and they immediately gave me a notice: a wealthy businessman's son was looking to fund an archaeological adventure!

His team already consisted of thirty-seven members, and the compensation was three million US dollars per person. As long as I dared to show up, he would immediately transfer the money into my bank account.

Good grief, this young master must have lost his mind to dare drop three million US dollars as bait.

That alone proved that this archaeological expedition was exceedingly dangerous, and ordinary people could easily lose their lives with the slightest carelessness.

Therefore, those daring enough to go were masters among masters, or perhaps legendary extraordinary beings and superpower holders.

Faced with the temptation of three million US dollars, to be honest, I really didn't want to leave just yet. I pulled out my phone and dialed Uncle Ma's number, asking him to hurry over and discuss it.

Time ticked away, and Uncle Ma arrived in a rush to help me deliberate.

If I could get my hands on those three million, I wouldn't need to look for a job at all, and I wouldn't have to worry about food or clothing for the rest of my life.

In the end, after much consideration, I decided to take the job. There were two slots available, but I chose not to let Uncle Ma accompany me.

After all, Uncle Ma was an ordinary person. If an ordinary man went, he might never return. Since the bounty was so high, the danger was clearly no game. Fortunately, Uncle Ma understood my intentions and readily agreed.

On the contract, I wrote down both my name and Burke's. Precisely because Burke and I were both extraordinary individuals, taking him along meant we would likely have the capability to support one another and survive in times of crisis.

If this mission was successfully completed, Burke and I would receive a staggering six million US dollars in total.

After submitting the agreement, the archaeological firm informed me that they would contact me by phone in a few days. They told me to keep my phone accessible at all times and wait at home for this adventurous journey to begin!