45: 45. Antiques

At eight in the evening, the city's nightlife began to light up.

Although Xinghai City is not a first-tier metropolis, it is an old city with a long history, and its unique relaxed and leisurely atmosphere is most evident at night.

Many people were out for a stroll after dinner, fanning themselves with palm-leaf fans and chatting in the hot summer.

Lu Feng walked out of the snack street, still holding the snacks he had just bought. After a few quick bites, he headed towards Xiantao Street, which was not far away.

Xiantao Street is located in the East District, filled with antique-style buildings, exuding an ancient charm.

The nearly five-hundred-meter-long street is home to hundreds of antique shops of all sizes, and in the middle of the street, there are various stalls selling jade, antiques, calligraphy and paintings, porcelain, and more—everything imaginable. It is one of the few tourist attractions in Xinghai City.

Even at night, it was bustling with many tourists.

"Young man, I see something isn't right about your brows; your glabella is dark. Something major is about to happen, so you need to be careful."

As soon as Lu Feng entered Xiantao Street, he was called out by a stall owner, who looked very regretful.

Lu Feng chuckled, "You can read faces?"

"I know a thing or two. Actually, face reading and fortune-telling are my original professions; selling antiques is just a hobby."

"Then do you think I have good fortune today?" Lu Feng asked curiously.

"Young man, don't even think about it. You don't have good fortune today; in fact, you'll lose money. Alas, since we're fated to meet, there's a copper coin on my stall that's at least two thousand years old. Take it. Not only can it ward off disaster, but it can also gather your wealth. As for the price, I'll just charge you six thousand six hundred and sixty-six."

Lu Feng looked at the copper coin on the stall, which was so new it looked like it was made last week, and his mouth twitched.

Are antique sellers so competitive now? Don't they sell directly? Do they also have to combine it with the charlatan route?

Just as he was about to make a few sarcastic remarks, footsteps came from behind him, and Yu Tianxiong appeared promptly.

Although he had only simply tidied himself up and changed into a grey shirt and black trousers, he looked completely refreshed and exuded an extraordinary aura.

Yu Tianxiong nodded slightly and said in a low voice, "Sir."

This address made the old charlatan at the stall pause, and he curiously sized up the two men in front of him.

Lu Feng ignored him, looking at Yu Tianxiong with satisfaction. "Not bad, you look much more energetic. Let's walk together."

"Yes," Yu Tianxiong replied.

He kept his demeanor very humble, which was the appropriate behavior after he decided to follow Lu Feng.

The noisy sounds of the street kept coming, and the sounds of bidding and haggling could be heard everywhere. Lu Feng said, "Do you know about antiques?"

Yu Tianxiong was surprised and shook his head. "I don't. Someone recommended it to me before, but I wasn't interested."

"Then it's a good time to get acquainted. I plan to make my first pot of gold here," Lu Feng said confidently.

Yu Tianxiong followed Lu Feng's bright gaze and looked around, becoming more and more puzzled.

Although he had never been involved in this business, he knew that the barrier to entry was not low. People made money based on genuine skill, and without decades of experience in the industry, one would only be paying tuition fees.

However, he did not question it. As a subordinate, obeying orders was his duty. If the boss didn't ask, he shouldn't speak too much.

"Do you still have the money I gave you this afternoon?"

"Three thousand left."

"Hmm, that's enough."

Lu Feng slightly raised his chin, indicating, "That stall six meters away, yes, the vendor is an old man with a missing front tooth. On his stall, there's a celadon palace bowl with a chip. Buy it."

"Yes!"

Yu Tianxiong walked through the crowd. As he approached the stall, he slowed his pace and quickly scanned the items on the stall.

On the black blanket were various old items, ranging from large celadon vases to small snuff bottles and jade pendants. There was a wide variety, but there was only one celadon bowl, placed together with several porcelain cups and vessels.

The old stall owner was holding a "Treasure Appraisal Handbook" and reading it, looking profound and mysterious, if not for his missing front tooth when he opened his mouth.

When Yu Tianxiong stood in front of his stall, the old man's eyes discreetly scrutinized him.

In this business, keen observation is very important, not only for appraising antiques but also for judging people.

Although the middle-aged man in front of him was dressed in ordinary clothes and his attire was unconventional, he exuded a slight aura of a person in a high position.

This must be a wealthy person.

The old man immediately smiled, "You can take a look."

Yu Tianxiong squatted down, picked up items from the front of the stall to examine them—a rooster cup, a pendant—and then picked up the celadon bowl. Indeed, it had a chip.

However, Yu Tianxiong looked at it several times and found nothing unusual; he couldn't distinguish between real and fake.

"How much is this?" he asked in a deep voice.

As soon as he spoke, the old stall owner's smile widened. This was an amateur.

He showed a harmless smile and said, "Good eye! This bowl has quite a history. It's a genuine Ming Chenghua palace bowl, and very few exist. Look at the glaze, the quality of the body, and then the signature at the bottom. Any connoisseur knows its value."

"I acquired this when I went to the countryside years ago, from the ancestral home of a villager whose family ancestors were officials. Alas, if it weren't for some recent family troubles requiring money, I would never sell this bowl. This is a treasure that can be passed down through generations."

The old man's eyes dimmed, and his words were full of sighs, making people feel pity.

Yu Tianxiong listened expressionlessly, without a ripple in his heart, and retorted, "So, how much are you asking?"

The old man pondered for a moment, then held out five fingers. "Since we're fated, just fifty thousand! Last time, a rich man offered sixty thousand, and I didn't sell it."

"Three thousand."

"How much? You must be joking. This is a Ming Chenghua palace bowl. No, no, three thousand is absolutely impossible." The old man immediately got anxious, as if he had been greatly insulted.

Yu Tianxiong said calmly, "Two thousand five hundred."

"No! You! How can you haggle like that?" The old stall owner's face flushed red with exasperation.

"Two thousand..."

The old stall owner quickly interrupted him, "Wait, wait, wait! Alright, alright, alright! I'm scared of you. Two thousand five hundred it is."

Yu Tianxiong was not surprised. For someone who had handled negotiations for projects worth tens of billions, his understanding of human nature was profound. From the stall owner's various behaviors, Yu Tianxiong knew that the so-called celadon bowl in his hand was fake.

Since it was fake, there was no reason to be ripped off.

Getting it for under three thousand yuan was Sir's requirement, so five hundred more or five hundred less was not an issue.

He took out two thousand five hundred and handed it to the other party. The old stall owner grudgingly took it. Then he wrapped the celadon bowl in newspaper and handed it over.

"You're really ruthless."

Yu Tianxiong took it and turned to leave.

The old stall owner, who had just been flushed with anger, immediately beamed with joy, happily counting the money in his hand, and shaking his head triumphantly, "This guy who thinks he's so smart, if I didn't put on a show for him, it might not have worked. Hehehe... Ming Chenghua palace bowl, he's dreaming."

That bowl was something he had bought from another stall; it was just a relatively realistic craft item, not worth much.