2: Chapter 2 Prolonging Life

Including the Daoguang blue and white porcelain plate with the hundred-children pattern and the Republic of China Hetian white jade carved Flower Fairy pendant, Han Jingyang had a total of twenty-four antique items with attributes in his hands.

Among them, one was Grade 5, which was Wu Shaoyun's New Year painting.

There was also one Grade 6 item, which was the white jade pendant.

The rest were all Grade 7.

Although he didn't know their specific functions yet, he could roughly infer some information.

For example, Grade 7 antiques were white, Grade 6 were blue, and Grade 5 were green.

Also, for example, the attributes of Grade 7 antiques were 1-2, Grade 6 could reach 4, and Grade 5 could reach 8, though the specific parameters couldn't be calculated due to incomplete data samples.

Furthermore, for example, skills were unrelated to the grade level; among the twenty-four antiques, two skills were discovered—one on the Grade 6 Hetian white jade pendant and one on the Grade 7 fan surface, while the Grade 5 New Year painting, surprisingly, had no skill.

"Name: Gao Qipei's Double Cranes Prolonging Life Fan Surface."

"Grade: Grade 7."

"Attribute: Longevity +2."

"Skill: Prolonging Life."

Han Jingyang was shocked when he saw the attributes of this fan surface.

If this skill could really be used in reality like his Grandmaster-level Appraisal Technique, wouldn't that be heaven-defying?

Prolonging Life—it looked awesome at first glance!

The attribute was good too, "Longevity," though it was a pity it was only +2.

But that was normal. Although the fan surface was still relatively intact, its condition was poor; it had water damage marks, as well as oil stains and spots of unknown origin, so a Grade 7 rating was very reasonable.

But the problem remained: he didn't know if these attributes were truly effective, nor did he know how to activate these attributes and skills.

Thinking of this, he beckoned to Liu Jing: "Come here for a moment."

Liu Jing, who was wiping the counter, blinked: "Boss, your mood is a bit off."

"What?"

"Just a moment ago you looked utterly dejected and listless, but now you're... full of fighting spirit?"

"Just come here when I tell you to, why so much nonsense?"

"Oh," Liu Jing pouted and shuffled over: "I'll say it again, you can fire me, but you must pay my wages in full."

"..."

Han Jingyang took a deep breath: "I'm not firing you. If you perform well, I'll even give you a raise."

"A raise?" Liu Jing was shocked: "Boss, you wouldn't be harboring any improper thoughts about me, would you?"

"Sit down!"

"Oh."

"Look at this painting, what do you feel?"

Liu Jing followed Han Jingyang's gaze toward the Daiyu Visiting the Garden New Year painting and blinked: "Huh, this painting is nice."

"What's nice about it?"

"It's a feeling I can't describe, anyway it's just..." Liu Jing pondered for a moment: "Seeing this painting, my heart suddenly calmed down. I can feel the sensation Lin Daiyu felt when admiring the chrysanthemums; it's that kind of serene feeling. I don't even want to talk much anymore."

Han Jingyang was ecstatic inside, but he retorted expressionlessly: "You say you don't want to talk much, yet you say so much."

"That's just because I can't control my mouth," Liu Jing curled her lip: "I want to be like Lin Daiyu too, but unfortunately I can't. Don't you say it every day, 'What a pity that such a fine girl has a mouth'?"

"Take a look at this pendant."

"This pendant isn't any different, it's no different from before. Boss, why are you asking about this so seriously? Are you testing me? Or are you saying you finally came to your senses and want to teach me Appraisal Technique? Hehehe, thank you, Boss, I will definitely work hard—"

Han Jingyang felt his brain throbbing slightly. This shop assistant he hired was good at everything, except that she talked too much.

When he posted the job advertisement, he did have requirements in this regard—extroverted, cheerful, and possessing good language organization skills and eloquence.

After the interview, he thought he had found a treasure of a shop assistant.

It turned out after working together that this treasure of a shop assistant was indeed good in every way—tall figure, elegant features, no issues with interacting with customers or reading the room, and even her family background was clean. It was just that she talked too much; one person was equal to five hundred ducks.

Wait, family.

Han Jingyang remembered something Liu Jing had once said unintentionally and hurriedly asked: "How is your grandmother's health?"

"How could it be? She's still lying there. But it'll be soon; the doctor said it's only a matter of a month or two. There's no helping it, her bodily functions have reached their limit. Even a god descending to earth wouldn't be able to help."

"Liu Jing, you've been in my shop for over six months now, and you've always been diligent and hardworking, yet I haven't shown any appreciation other than paying your wages. How about this: I'll lend you this fan surface. Take it back and place it at the old lady's bedside; perhaps it might have a miraculous effect," Han Jingyang pointed to Gao Qipei's fan surface.

Liu Jing tilted her head, frowned, and squinted, looking at Han Jingyang with the "subway old man looking at phone" expression: "Boss, are you really okay? What kind of nonsense are you spouting in broad daylight?"

"Forget it, forget it, I'll go there myself."

"Huh?"

"It's settled, let's close up."

Han Jingyang was a man of action; he immediately tidied up the shop, locked the door, and left.

He also wore the Grade 6 Hetian white jade carved Flower Fairy pendant around his neck.

A pendant, after all, is better suited to be tied at the waist or played with as a hand-held piece; wearing it around the neck wasn't quite appropriate as it was too large, but since the T-shirt and jeans he was wearing really weren't suitable for tying it at the waist, he could only reluctantly wear it around his neck.

Driving his H6, he carried the bewildered Liu Jing straight to Xinkang Village.

Xinkang Village was an urban village, and they arrived in twenty minutes.

As soon as they entered the door, Liu Jing hurriedly introduced him to her family: "This is my boss, the one who earns less than what he pays me..."

"..."

That one sentence silenced everyone.

Han Jingyang twitched his mouth, handed over the fruit, and smiled: "Uncle, I heard from Liu Jing that the old lady isn't feeling well, so I came to visit since I had some free time."

Liu Jing's parents were ordinary workers and were a bit reserved, repeatedly being polite.

Liu Jing couldn't bear to watch and pulled Han Jingyang over: "Come, come, didn't you want to visit my grandmother? Come this way."

The old lady was lying on the bed without moving; if it weren't for her eyes being slightly open, she would have looked as if she had already passed away. Seeing Liu Jing dragging Han Jingyang, her eyes immediately widened, and she struggled to open her shriveled mouth: "Boy... boyfriend?"

Her speech was slurred, but barely understandable.

Moreover, the old lady's consciousness was very clear, her thinking wasn't muddled; it was truly just old age, not because of injury or illness.

At this moment, Liu Jing quietly tugged on Han Jingyang's hem, then hugged his arm and smiled sweetly: "Grandma, yes, this is the boyfriend I found, Han Jingyang. He's also from our Quancheng, and like our family, he's from an ordinary background. But he treats me very well, is a top student at Shanda University, very motivated and hardworking. His parents, grandparents are all around, and he even has a younger sister in high school..."

Liu Jing leaned close to the old lady and "blah blah blah" spilled all of Han Jingyang's background, as if she were really Han Jingyang's girlfriend.

The old lady was happy to hear it, her eyes crinkling with a smile, and she insisted on holding Han Jingyang's hand to chat for a while.

Han Jingyang patiently dealt with the old lady for over half an hour, and when the old lady ran out of energy, he finally took out the dirty fan surface.

As soon as he took it out, he noticed something unusual.

The dim white light on the fan surface seemed to be attracted by something, as if it were about to leave the object; the direction of the pull was exactly toward the old lady who had just closed her eyes.

"This..."