795: Chapter 79 Ghost Eye Seven

As the man spoke, his other hand pulled a crumpled hundred-yuan bill from his pocket.

He slapped it directly onto the ground.

"Boss! I'm buying this book, keep the change!"

Hearing the commotion, the Shop Owner lying on the lounge chair by the door didn't even lift an eyelid.

"Just leave it there."

Buying a book of scrap paper for a hundred bucks—only a fool wouldn't take that deal.

The man looked at Shen Yan triumphantly, and with a flick of his wrist, he prepared to pull the book away.

"Five hundred."

Shen Yan calmly uttered a number.

The man's hand froze.

The book was only halfway out when it got stuck.

"Little brother, that's five hundred yuan, not five hundred pieces of scrap paper."

The man stared at Shen Yan, his tone turning somewhat unfriendly.

"I know."

Shen Yan pulled five red bills from his wallet and casually placed them on top of the hundred-yuan bill.

"My daughter just happens to need something to steady a table leg; the thickness of this book is perfect."

Youyou stood to the side, her big eyes blinking.

Though she didn't know why her father wanted to spend five hundred yuan on this ugly book, she was smart enough to remain silent, simply gripping the corner of Shen Yan's shirt tightly.

The man in the Mao suit narrowed his eyes.

He sized Shen Yan up from head to toe.

A plain hoodie, ordinary jeans.

But this level of composure didn't look like that of a reckless youth.

"One thousand."

The man raised the price.

Without any hesitation.

At this, the suspicion in Shen Yan's heart was confirmed.

The system hadn't provided any information about this man.

In the system's judgment, he was just a random passerby.

But Shen Yan had spent years navigating the business world; his eye for people had long been sharpened.

This man was definitely not here for the "Billionaire" title on the cover.

He knew the book's true nature.

He might even understand the book's value better than Shen Yan did.

No system required, just pure discernment.

To spot a disguised ancient text within this messy pile of junk at a single glance...

That was real skill.

"Two thousand."

Shen Yan continued to follow.

His tone was as flat as if he were buying cabbage at a wet market.

"Five thousand."

The man gritted his teeth, the muscles in his jaw bulging slightly.

This was no longer a matter of money.

It was about face.

It was also a test.

He was testing whether Shen Yan had just gotten lucky or if he actually knew the trade.

The air around them seemed to solidify.

The Shop Owner finally stopped waving his fan.

He sat up straight, looking at the two men crouching in the corner as if they were lunatics.

A tattered book, bid up to five thousand?

Was money really this easy to make these days?

Shen Yan looked at the man's hands, which were death-gripping the book.

His knuckles had turned white.

But the light in the man's eyes only grew brighter.

It was the excitement of meeting an opponent, and even more so, a fixation on a treasure.

Shen Yan suddenly smiled.

He let go of his hand.

"Since you like it so much, Elder, I'll let you have it."

The tension released.

The man nearly fell back onto his rear.

He was stunned.

He held the book tightly in his hands, yet there wasn't a hint of the joy of victory.

Instead, there was a hollow feeling, like throwing a full-strength punch into cotton.

"You're not following?"

The man was somewhat incredulous.

Based on the momentum just now, he thought Shen Yan would at least call out ten thousand.

"A gentleman does not take what another loves."

Shen Yan stood up and brushed the dust off his pant legs.

"Besides, seeing your intensity, Elder, if you didn't get this book, I doubt you'd be able to sleep tonight."

"I'm a vulgar man; I buy books just for a bit of fun. There's no need to cause someone insomnia over a bit of fun."

These were well-chosen words.

They gave the other party face while also hinting that the other's identity was unusual.

The man slowly stood up.

He casually stuffed the copy of 'Become a Billionaire in Thirty Days' into his large pocket.

The original wariness and hostility vanished the moment Shen Yan let go.

He gave Shen Yan a deep look.

"Little brother, you have a good eye."

The man patted his pocket, which made a dull thud.

"Beneath this skin, there's a real treasure."

Shen Yan smiled without saying a word.

He neither denied nor admitted it.

This enigmatic attitude only made the man more certain that the young man before him was an expert.

"In this territory of Jinghai, there aren't many who can snatch food from the hands of 'Ghost Eye Seven'."

The man introduced himself, his tone carrying a hint of pride.

"Consider today as me owing you a favor."

Ghost Eye Seven.

Shen Yan searched his memory for the name.

In his previous life, he had been busy with software and hadn't delved deep into the antiques circle.

But this nickname sounded like someone with a story.

It wasn't worth offending an unfathomable expert for an ancient text worth a few million.

But if he could make a friend, that would be a different calculation entirely.

Trading a fragment of the yongle encyclopedia for a top-tier connection in the appraisal world.

This deal was a massive profit.

Ghost Eye Seven's gaze fell upon Youyou.

The little girl wore a pink dress, carried a backpack, and stood obediently by Shen Yan's leg.

Those clear, big eyes were curiously sizing him up.

"Is this your daughter?"

The wrinkles on Ghost Eye Seven's face smoothed out, revealing a kindly expression.

"What a bright child."

"I must have scared the child just now, didn't I?"

He fumbled around his person for a moment.

From the inner pocket of his Mao suit, he pulled out a beaded bracelet.

It wasn't made of jade or emerald.

It was a string of multicolored beads that looked like glass.

But in the dim light, a cloud-like radiance actually flowed within the beads.

Every bead was a different color.

Red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, and violet—it was as if a rainbow had been solidified inside.

"This thing might not be jade from an old mine, but it's got some years on it."

Ghost Eye Seven took Youyou's small hand.

Regardless of whether Shen Yan agreed, he slipped the bracelet directly onto Youyou's wrist.

"Glasswork from the Qing Dynasty's Imperial Workshop. Though it's not worth a fortune, its bright colors make it look lovely on a little girl."

"Consider it a thank-you gift for that book just now."

Shen Yan's eyes narrowed.

Antique glass from the Qing Dynasty Imperial Workshop.

Although its current market price couldn't compare to top-tier emeralds, it was definitely not cheap.

The key was that it was a rare find with no supply.

This level of craftsmanship had long been lost.

This Ghost Eye Seven was quite generous.

"Aren't you going to thank Grandpa?"

Shen Yan patted Youyou's shoulder.

"Thank you, Grandpa."

Youyou raised her wrist and looked at the string of shimmering beads, her eyes lighting up.

"It's so pretty."

"As long as you like it, as long as you like it."

Ghost Eye Seven grinned from ear to ear.

He was clearly a man of temperament.

If he liked you, even a fortune couldn't buy his pleasure.

If he didn't, he wouldn't serve you even for a mountain of gold.

"Let's go, little brother."

Ghost Eye Seven waved a hand with grand enthusiasm.

"I've picked up a great bargain today, and I'm in high spirits."

"My shop isn't far ahead; I'll take you there to broaden your horizons and have a cup of tea while we're at it."

"That's Lao Banzhang tea from two years ago; I don't give it to just anyone."

Shen Yan didn't refuse.

"Then I shall trouble you."

He also wanted to see just what the background of this expert, who could see through a disguise at a glance, really was.