7: Chapter 7 Argument

It was the old pottery jar that had held the silver dollars when he dug them up at the Temple of the God of Wealth this morning.

At the time, he had only been focused on the silver dollars. Plus, the pottery jar looked rough, archaic, and unremarkable, so he had just tossed it into his bag and hadn't given it a second thought.

If he hadn't accidentally bumped into it just now, Zheng Jing wouldn't even have remembered the jar existed!

Thinking that this had been buried underground alongside the silver dollars, and was an old object at least several decades, if not a hundred years old, what if it was worth something too?

So, Zheng Jing took out the pottery jar, intending to ask the Shopkeeper to take a look at it.

"Shopkeeper, you're a pretty honest person. Could you help me take a look and see how this jar is?"

When the Shopkeeper's gaze fell upon the pottery jar, his expression suddenly turned serious. He hurriedly reached out to take it, his demeanor becoming quite solemn.

He held the pottery jar and examined it repeatedly, observing the shape, patterns, and texture of the clay, his eyes widening in shock the more he looked.

After a good while, the Shopkeeper finally looked up and said in a grave tone, "You're a sly one, kid. You really kept that hidden well."

Zheng Jing was also taken aback. "What's that mean? From the sound of it, is this jar valuable?"

As he asked, he secretly took out his phone, snapped a photo, and had the intelligent assistant help identify it.

The Shopkeeper acted as if he hadn't seen Zheng Jing's actions and continued to speak to himself:

"This pottery jar has a long history. It's an authentic old object, and both the materials and the craftsmanship are extraordinary.

The only pity is that it was used by an ordinary wealthy family. It doesn't count as an artifact by a famous master, nor does it have any inscriptions or seals, so it lacks a collector's premium, which significantly discounts its value."

After a brief moment of deliberation, the Shopkeeper stated his base price: "Setting aside the added value, just based on its age and material alone, I can offer eighteen thousand."

Zheng Jing was suddenly stunned, his heart giving a violent jolt.

He didn't even bother to pretend anymore, looking at the intelligent assistant on his phone to see what it would quote.

But unexpectedly, the intelligent assistant, which was usually reliable in everything, failed him at this crucial moment.

A line of text popped up on the chat screen: [Sorry, I am currently unable to determine the age and cultural value of this pottery jar and cannot provide a valuation reference.]

Seeing that Zheng Jing was silent, the Shopkeeper assumed he was dissatisfied with the offer, so he spoke up:

"Young man, I've always been honest in my business dealings, only earning what I deserve. If you don't believe me, you can take this jar and walk around. If anyone in the entire antique city offers a higher price than mine, I'll give you an extra 500!"

Zheng Jing snapped out of it and hurriedly shook his head. "Shopkeeper, you've misunderstood. Just based on the price you gave me for the silver dollars earlier, I know you wouldn't try to swindle me. I was just surprised that this jar is actually worth more than the silver dollars."

Zheng Jing wasn't lying; he had truly thought it was just a worthless, broken container. He hadn't expected it to hold such a pleasant surprise.

If he had thrown it away or ignored it that morning, that would have been a true case of keeping the box and returning the pearl, missing out on a windfall for nothing.

"So, is that a deal?" The Shopkeeper looked at Zheng Jing with a meaningful glance.

"Deal!"

Emerging from Zhongxing Antique City, Zheng Jing gripped his phone tightly, his fingertips repeatedly rubbing against the WeChat balance page.

The ten silver dollars had sold for 9,200 yuan, and with the 18,000 yuan from the pottery jar, he had obtained a total of 27,200 yuan from the Shopkeeper!

Added to the 5,000-plus yuan already in his balance, Zheng Jing's total assets had now broken through the 30,000 mark! Reaching a whopping 33,578!

Numbers are cold, but when seen on an account balance, they provide a solid sense of security.

Zheng Jing's footsteps unconsciously lightened. He had never been this well-off in his entire life!

At this moment, Zheng Jing was absolutely certain that in the future, even if he left home, he wouldn't have to live cramped in a tiny rental apartment, scrimping and saving; and he wouldn't have to worry day and night about unemployment and making a living!

As time passed, the sun gradually dipped behind the western mountains, and the horizon was shrouded in the dim twilight.

Zheng Jing walked while keeping an eye on the radar page in his mind, wanting to try his luck again in the Pingnan City urban area.

But after walking for over an hour, Zheng Jing felt like his legs were about to break. Forget finding treasure; he hadn't even encountered a single coin.

Fortunately, Zheng Jing wasn't disappointed, because this was within his expectations.

The early summer evening breeze was slightly cool and felt exceptionally comfortable against his skin. It had just passed seven o'clock, and street vendors were already setting up their stalls one after another.

Zheng Jing had a simple dinner, then found a nearby clean and affordable budget hotel, spending 180 bucks to check in.

The first thing he did after opening his room door was plug in his charger to charge his phone, then he took a quick shower and collapsed into bed.

From digging for treasure in the morning to cashing in at Zhongxing Antique City in the afternoon, and wandering around Pingnan City looking for ownerless treasures, Zheng Jing had been busy and on the move all day, and he was already exhausted in body and mind.

That night, Zheng Jing slept exceptionally soundly and securely.

There was no tossing and turning from the heavy pressures of life like in the past; his dreams were filled only with relaxation and peace.

He slept until nine o'clock the next day before slowly waking up naturally.

He checked out, took a motorcycle taxi, had a bowl of wontons for breakfast, and then bought a ticket back to Hezheng County.

Because Pingnan City had a convenient location, the distance to the subordinate counties and cities wasn't far. With a light heart, Zheng Jing soon returned to his hometown.

But just as he walked to the gate of his own small courtyard, his joyful mood instantly vanished without a trace.

Because inside his courtyard, intense arguing could be heard at that moment, harsh and abrupt.