24: Chapter 24 The First Million

[Su Wanqing]: Just got back to the office. I wore this outfit all through class today, and you were staring for so long. Do you like it?

Jiang Chen’s fingertips paused slightly as the image of her entering the room immediately flashed in his mind.

The collar of her white shirt was slightly loose, the black stockings made her legs look long and straight, and the crisp rhythm of her high heels seemed to step right onto his heartstrings with every pace.

A faint smile played on his lips as he typed a reply.

[Jiang Chen]: I like it. Black stockings with a white shirt have more charm than your usual professional attire. Did you wear it for me on purpose?

The message had only been out for a few seconds when she replied instantly, her words carrying a hint of coquettishness and guilt.

[Su Wanqing]: I didn't do it on purpose! I just wanted to change my style. Who knew you'd keep staring during class? I almost lost my rhythm several times; I felt so self-conscious just standing there.

[Jiang Chen]: You dared to wear it, yet you're afraid of me looking?

[Su Wanqing]: Don't get too ahead of yourself. Anyway, I don't have classes this afternoon, so I'll be in the office preparing lesson plans. If you don't have anything else to do, you can come over later to pick up some exercise materials.

[Jiang Chen]: Sure. I have some personal business to handle this afternoon first. I'll contact you later.

[Su Wanqing]: Okay, I'll wait for you.

[Jiang Chen]: Don't worry, I won't.

The chat went quiet for a few seconds. Just as Jiang Chen was about to lock his screen, a photo suddenly popped up.

The image showed a section of Su Wanqing's calf resting against the edge of her desk. The matte black stockings accentuated her shapely lines and slender ankles.

Following the photo was a line of small text, carrying a bashful probe.

[Su Wanqing]: I took this while organizing my lesson plans... just giving you one more look. I'm the only one in the office. Delete it immediately after seeing it; don't leave any traces.

Jiang Chen stared at the photo for two seconds, his Adam's apple bobbing almost imperceptibly.

He could imagine what she looked like when she took this photo.

Perhaps she was sitting in her office chair, fingertips lightly pressing the phone, her cheeks flushed with a faint red, terrified of being caught.

He didn't ask further, only replying earnestly with a tone of gentle reassurance.

[Jiang Chen]: Received. Deleting it now.

After ending the conversation, Jiang Chen deleted the photo as she asked before tapping open the daily wealth intelligence interface that only he could view.

This information had updated automatically at midnight. He hadn't had time to look closely while rushing to class this morning, but now he could finally read all the precise details in full.

[Today's Intelligence: No. 56, inner side of Huancheng Road, Old City District, Jiangcheng; Minsheng Second-hand Market. Go straight for 140 meters from the main entrance to the third row of old book stalls on the west side. An old-fashioned wooden radio against the wall contains a hidden 1953 edition big black ten banknote inside the back cover. Grade 96. Estimated profit: 300,000 yuan.]

After reading, Jiang Chen noted all the key details in an encrypted memo.

"Once this business opportunity is over, my assets will reach a million. I wonder if there will be any changes to the daily intelligence once I have a million in assets?"

A hint of anticipation grew in Jiang Chen's eyes.

...

As the third and fourth periods of the afternoon arrived, Jiang Chen patted Wang Hao beside him.

"Haozi, help me sign in for the next two classes. I'm going out to handle some business."

Wang Hao immediately winked suggestively. "Got it, got it! A man's 'urgent business,' right? Don't worry, I'll cover for you during roll call. If anything happens, I'll take the heat!"

"Thanks. I'll treat you to dinner when I get back."

With arrangements made, Jiang Chen quickly left through the side door of the teaching building and took a taxi straight to the Minsheng Second-hand Market in the Old City District.

Ten minutes later, the car stopped at the market entrance.

Following the intelligence route, Jiang Chen walked 140 meters straight from the main entrance, turned right into the third row on the west side, and walked all the way to the old book stall at the very back.

Sure enough, an old-fashioned wooden radio sat quietly amidst a pile of junk in the corner. Its casing was old and covered in dust, clearly an item forgotten for a long time.

The stall owner was an old man with thinning white hair, sitting on a small stool drinking tea.

Jiang Chen squatted down and fiddled with it casually. "Old man, does this radio still work?"

"It's an antique. It makes sound, but there's a lot of static," the old man glanced over.

"If you want it, take it for fifty yuan."

"Sure, I'll take it back to use as a decoration."

Jiang Chen scanned the code to pay, picked up the radio with both hands, and turned toward a secluded corner of the market.

After confirming no one was around, he found a clean stone step to sit on and pulled a small multi-tool knife from his pocket.

The back of the radio consisted of several solid wood panels fixed with old-fashioned wood screws.

He carefully unscrewed them and gently lifted the back panel.

The internal space was dry and sealed, with a layer of old oil paper lying flat inside.

Jiang Chen's heart skipped a beat as he slowly pulled out and unfolded the oil paper.

Inside the oil paper was indeed that 1953 big black ten.

The banknote was clean and crisp, with no hard folds or stains. The watermark was transparent and clear, with only a very faint trace of natural aging on the edges. It was a standard Grade 96, exactly as described in the intelligence.

big black ten

He took a deep breath and carefully placed the banknote into a waterproof pouch he kept on him.

This single banknote was worth 300,000 yuan.

It was more valuable than gold.

He wouldn't have believed it before.

He put the radio back together as it was and tossed it into a nearby trash can.

Item in hand, no traces left.

Walking out of the second-hand market, Jiang Chen found a quiet milk tea shop and sat down.

He opened a professional coin collection and trading app on his phone—Cangquan.

This was a platform recognized by enthusiasts in the circle for being legitimate, with low fees, many buyers, and stable pricing.

Registration, real-name authentication, and opening seller permissions were all completed in one go.

Then, he took six high-definition detail photos against the light: front, back, watermark, serial number, and edges, capturing every aspect of its condition clearly.

Listing the item.

[Name] 1953 big black ten, 10 Yuan

[Grade] Grade 96, Near Mint

[Description] No hard folds, no damage, clear watermark. Actual photos shown. Guaranteed authentic and vintage. Supports appraisal.

[Price] 300,000 Yuan

[Transaction] Escrow Appraisal Transaction

Less than three minutes after listing.

A message immediately popped up in the platform's backend.

[Buyer has sent a private message. Price is acceptable. Requesting platform appraisal and escrow transaction.]

The other party's IP showed they were in the same city. They were a certified senior collector on the platform with a perfect reputation score. Their reply was very straightforward.

"I'm also from Jiangcheng. The condition looks fine. I'll take it for 300,000. Let's go through appraisal."

Jiang Chen replied: "Okay."

Following the platform's process, he packed the big black ten, entered the address of the platform's appraisal center, and scheduled a courier pickup.

When the courier arrived, the entire process was recorded and registered to ensure safety and traceability.

After the package was sent, Jiang Chen didn't just wait around.

Appraisal, inspection, and the buyer's receipt all took time, so he headed back to his rental apartment first.

It wasn't until evening that notifications began popping up on his phone.

The first one.

[Cangquan Platform: Your item "1953 big black ten" has arrived at the appraisal center. Verification has begun.]

Half an hour later.

[Cangquan Platform: Appraisal complete. Item is authentic and the condition matches the description. It has been shipped to the buyer's address.]

Another hour or so passed. As the sky grew dark, the buyer finally completed the signing and receipt.

The system notification rang.

[Cangquan Platform: Buyer has confirmed receipt. Transaction complete.]

Transaction Price: 300,000 Yuan

Platform Service Fee: 1.2% → 3,600 Yuan

Appraisal Fee: 900 Yuan

Actual Amount Received: 295,500 Yuan

Almost at the same second, a bank SMS notification rang.

[Jiangcheng Bank] Your account ending in 9985 completed an interbank transfer at 18:42: 295,500.00 Yuan. Account balance: 1,049,580.60 Yuan.

He exhaled softly, an irrepressible light finally flashing in the depths of his eyes.

"The first million of my life is in hand, and it took less than a month."