71: Chapter 71 Selling at a High Price

"You! You!" The Vice President was nearly fuming to the point of fainting.

He knew how to swear, too.

It was just that the reporter was filming in real-time, and swearing would damage his image.

He stammered, ultimately unable to let the profanities in his heart escape.

But with the profanities bottled up inside, his heart felt tainted.

Watching Zhao Jian complete the transaction with the old man,

the Vice President sneered:

"At the very earliest, this book is just an item from the Qing Dynasty. The author is nameless, and it has no story. Twenty thousand is the absolute ceiling for its price."

"Spending twenty-five thousand just to spite someone and act like a sucker—young people are still too young."

After saying this, he shook his head.

He wore an expression of sighing, as if saying, 'A child who cannot be taught, a piece of rotten wood that cannot be carved.'

Zhao Jian had originally intended to go to the Mingyue Antique Shop to find the Shop Owner he was familiar with for an appraisal.

But since this Middle-aged Man didn't know what was good for him,

he didn't mind showing him a thing or two right then and there.

He gently flipped to page 29.

With just a touch, he could feel that it was different.

Although the thickness was similar to the other pages, the layering was clearly perceptible.

After all, it was just crudely sealed with two thin sheets of paper enclosing the replica content of the Tianhui Medical Slips inside, without being glued together.

He rubbed it gently with his hand and twisted open a corner.

Seeing his actions, the Vice President immediately felt disdain.

He thought to himself: 'I thought he was an expert, but it turns out he's just an upstart!'

It was a perfectly good antique book; even if it wasn't worth much, there was no need to ruin it!

Zhao Jian had actually peeled the paper open as soon as he got his hands on it.

Now, if he wanted to sell it again, it wouldn't be worth twenty-five thousand.

"I knew it. Today's young people lack cultural literacy and only have money in their eyes. Once a well-preserved antique book falls into their hands, they only care about its value. If they can't make a profit, they take their anger out on the antique and destroy it recklessly!"

The Vice President sighed to the reporter.

Then, gritting his teeth, he said, "People like this should really be arrested and sentenced!"

The beautiful reporter pressed further: "Are you angry because you saw the antique being destroyed?"

The Middle-aged Man nodded.

Immediately after, the reporter asked again: "Then why didn't you keep bidding to buy the antique book earlier?"

The Vice President said: "Don't ask anymore."

To ease the awkwardness,

he kept his focus on Zhao Jian.

"The book is torn and isn't even worth twenty thousand now. You don't look old; it must have taken you a long time to save up that twenty-five thousand, right?"

"With that kind of money to ruin an antique book, you'd be better off using it to show filial piety to your parents."

Zhao Jian suppressed his anger and focused intently on peeling open the interlayer.

He pulled out a sheet of paper from inside that was as thin as a cicada's wing!

Then, he looked at the Middle-aged Man askance and said:

"Blah, blah, blah—you're the only one who can yap! Do you see what this is?"

"You're ignorant, yet you love to point fingers!"

The Vice President was still unconvinced at first.

What was so impressive about peeling a layer of paper out of a book!

He admitted that this peeling technique was impressive; normally, it would require professional tools, at the very least using cell tweezers to operate.

To dare to do it with just a pair of hands—

he was either a master-level bench worker or a reckless fool.

He felt it was the latter.

But when he saw the content on the paper, especially the signature 'Zhang Gao',

he was shocked, regretful, and then shocked again!

As the Vice President of the Antique Association, he knew a bit of history.

He knew that from the material to the content and the calligraphy, this piece of paper was consistent with the Southern Song Dynasty era.

It was authentic.

It was a pity he hadn't kept bidding.

If he had known earlier that there was such a treasure inside, he would have done whatever it took to secure it!

He regretted it deeply!

The Vice President's attitude changed immediately, and a smile appeared on his face that even surprised himself.

"Little Brother, will you sell this treasure to me?"

Zhao Jian wanted to say: "Not for sale!"

The Mingyue Antique Shop not only offered fair prices, but trading with an acquaintance was also more reassuring.

But the Middle-aged Man's next sentence made him change his mind.

"I'll offer 200,000!"

Based on past experience, the Shop Owner would offer a price close to the system's appraisal—not too little, but not too much more either.

After all, he needed to make a profit too.

But this Middle-aged Man was likely buying for the purpose of collection, so the price would naturally be much higher.

"Fine."

"In the future, stop putting on airs of seniority. There is always someone better, and there is always a sky beyond the sky. There's still a lot you don't understand."

Zhao Jian had originally intended to slap the other person's face hard.

Now that the man was a customer, he decided to quit while he was ahead and just offered a few words of education to wrap things up.

A flash of displeasure crossed the Vice President's face, but he still nodded in agreement.

He admitted he had lost; at a time like this, he absolutely could not lose his composure, or he would lose even more face.

Zhao Jian soon received a text notification that 225,000 had been deposited.

He looked at the other person in confusion.

The Middle-aged Man forced a smile:

"Sell me that book as well. I want to study this kind of craftsmanship."

One page of the book had been separated, but it didn't affect reading.

It just counted as a flawed item for a collection.

The Vice President didn't care; he just wanted to buy it back to examine the characteristics of the interlayer.

He could use it when picking up bargains in the future.

Zhao Jian didn't mind either; he was just doing this for the money to begin with.

Now, his income was even higher than expected.

He handed the antique book over to him as well.

He turned and left.

Not until Zhao Jian was far away did the Vice President say to the reporter: "Cut this part and don't air it."

The female reporter didn't agree directly, but nodded and said: "I'll tell the station head to have them cut it when I get back."

Upon hearing this, the Vice President breathed a sigh of relief.

His lifelong reputation had been preserved.

But the female reporter thought to herself: 'I will definitely tell them to edit this explosive highlight separately and post it on the short video platform.'

Zhao Jian left the Antique Street and first went to the Vegetable Market to check the revenue.

He learned that the newly built fruit and vegetable wholesale market had cost over 400,000. Although there were subsidies, the Vegetable Market still had to shoulder 120,000.

Not to mention this year, he would have to use next year's profits to repay the money advanced by the operating company.

Fortunately, after the Vegetable Market and the wholesale market were combined, their competitiveness had further improved.

There could be an annual revenue of around 100,000.

At least it wasn't a loss.

It was unfortunate that when he went, the Tofu Beauty had already packed up and left.

He could only wander around the Vegetable Market in boredom before planning to go home.

"Beep beep beep!" His phone rang at an inopportune moment.

It was Zhang Tao.

Then again, he thought that listening to a song in this situation wouldn't be bad.

He answered.

Zhang Tao's rather chirpy voice came through the phone:

"Little Brother, are you coming to my place tonight?"

"Have Uncle and Auntie gone back?" Last time, the two of them had wanted to cuddle until dawn.

Unfortunately, Zhang Tao's parents had come to visit, and he had to leave in a hurry.

Since the Good Older Sister asked him on her own today, she must have returned to living alone.

It was just as he had expected.

Zhang Tao said softly over the phone: "Mm."

Oh? Is she shy?

Although he couldn't see her face, Zhao Jian easily guessed it. The Good Older Sister was blushing.

She definitely wasn't thinking about anything serious!

He teased her deliberately:

"Then does Sister Tao want me to go?"

"Ew, no!"

How could Zhang Tao not hear the teasing tone in Zhao Jian's voice?

She thought to herself: "This bad egg, just wait until I see you—I'll show you!"

However, Zhao Jian feigned regret and said:

"Since Sister Tao doesn't want me there, I guess I won't go. Sigh, I really don't want to be a nuisance."

"Fine, fine, fine, I want you to! I want you to, okay?"

"Want what?"

"I want to beat you to death! You stinky Little Brother!" Zhang Tao was blushing like a tomato.

She wrinkled her nose and hung up the phone.

She cursed Zhao Jian under her breath: 'You big pervert, thinking about inappropriate things all day long!'