84: Chapter 84: The more you read and learn, the more you'll naturally understand over time.

Zhou Waner immediately took Hu Tian's silence as agreement. She leaned back against the chair, looking triumphant. "I knew it. I spent all morning researching the activity range of Zhu Bu and his group. Combining that with the wind direction and ocean currents at the time, there aren't many places to hide a ship. The underwater terrain around Donghu Island is complex; it looks unremarkable from the outside, but it perfectly blocks the view of government ships. If I were him, I'd choose that place too."

She spoke logically, and her analysis actually sounded quite plausible.

After listening, Hu Tian didn't say whether she was right or wrong, only responding indifferently, "You've done quite a bit of research."

Zhou Waner slanted her eyes at him. "Are you complimenting me?"

"Stating a fact."

"Pfft."

Zhou Waner turned back to look out the window. Though she sounded dismissive, the curve of her lips remained, unable to be suppressed. "So, is what you found the same as what I deduced? Or did you make other discoveries?"

Hu Tian merged into another lane, his tone steady. "The general direction is the same."

Zhou Waner slowly turned back. "General direction? What about the details?"

Hu Tian paused for a moment. "As for the details, we'll talk about them when we get there."

Zhou Waner stared at him for two seconds, perhaps sensing something from his unhurried demeanor. Her eyes flickered slightly. "Do you already have a plan?"

The scenery outside the car window receded piece by piece. Hu Tian didn't answer directly, only slowing the car down slightly. "Let's go eat first."

Zhou Waner opened her mouth, but ultimately didn't press further. She leaned back against the seat again, eyes fixed on the scenery outside, looking thoughtful, though she couldn't help but mutter softly, "It's definitely right."

"It's right in general, just some details," Hu Tian paused, then continued, "I believe the treasure of Zhu Bu was likely hidden in a dispersed manner, not at a single centralized point. The scope for salvage will be larger, and the difficulty will be higher than I initially estimated, but the overall direction is correct."

Zhou Waner acknowledged this. "That means this trip to Southern Fujian won't be short."

"It's hard to say," Hu Tian said. "Let's see the site first, and decide after we've verified the underwater situation."

"Mhm," Zhou Waner said. She paused. "If you go underwater alone, is it safe?"

"Don't worry," Hu Tian said. "I won't act rashly."

Zhou Waner didn't press further, just gave a soft hum of acknowledgment, and turned back to look out the window.

The car entered the city, and the traffic on the road gradually increased. Hu Tian slowed down, following the flow of traffic ahead.

The street Zhou Waner wanted to visit was a pedestrian street in the old city district. It didn't usually have much foot traffic, but it contained many interesting little shops—antiques, creative goods, handicrafts—and a few restaurants with good reputations hidden away.

Parking the car in a nearby lot, the two walked inside.

In the old street after four in the afternoon, the lighting was just right. Slanting sunlight hit the blue-brick paved road. The old buildings along the street retained their early layout, and a few tables were set up under the corridors of the arcade buildings, with people sitting there drinking tea, very leisurely.

Zhou Waner walked very slowly, entering any shop that caught her interest to take a look. Hu Tian followed beside her, not rushing her, letting her browse.

They walked into a small shop selling old items. The shop wasn't large, and things were packed densely—old porcelain, old copper pieces, old photos from the Republic of China era, and some miscellaneous items of unclear origin.

Hu Tian swept his gaze over the shop, his eyes pausing on a shelf in the corner displaying a few small items.

He walked over and picked up one of them to examine. It was a jade pendant; the quality was average, and the surface had some patina, but the carving was exquisite. The pattern was the common Qing Dynasty motif of bats and auspicious clouds. On the back, there was a line of small characters; the writing was a bit worn, but still legible.

He turned it over to look. His Treasure Hunting Radar silently activated in his mind, and the information surfaced line by line.

"Item Name: Qing Dynasty White Jade Bat and Auspicious Cloud Pendant" "Era: Mid-to-Late Qing Emperor Qianlong Period, circa 1770 AD"

"Material: Xinjiang Hetian White Jade, approximately 70% mutton-fat quality, with some localized flocculent cotton-like inclusions, generally warm and moist texture."

"Craftsmanship: Double-sided bas-relief. The front features a bat spreading its wings and holding a copper coin, surrounded by auspicious clouds. The back is intaglio-carved with the four characters 'Fu Shou Mian Chang' (Longevity and Blessings), with clear strokes and clean, crisp knife work."

"Condition: Surface has natural aged patina, slight nicks on the corners, and rope wear marks at the suspension hole, left by long-term handling and wearing. No signs of artificial aging."

"Valuation: Market reference price, in the range of 20,000 to 50,000."

Hu Tian turned the jade pendant over in his palm, feeling its temperature and weight, then put it down and picked it up a second time.

This jade wasn't top-tier, but it won on account of having clean material and good craftsmanship. For an item from the Emperor Qianlong era, it was rare for it to be preserved in this condition until now.

Zhou Waner came over at this moment, standing on tiptoe to peek into his hand. "What is it that's worth you looking at it for so long?"

"Something from the Qing Dynasty," Hu Tian said softly. "The jade material is decent, but the carving is good—it's the Suzhou style. It's well-preserved."

"Is it worth money?"

"Depends on how the stall owner prices it," he said, calling out to the inside. "How much for this jade pendant?"

An old man in his fifties or sixties walked out and glanced at the item in Hu Tian's hand. "That one? 1,500."

Hu Tian turned the jade pendant over and looked at it again. "500."

The old man waved his hand. "That won't do. This is an old Qing Dynasty piece. 1,200, can't go any lower."

"800," Hu Tian said. "With this grade of jade material and no famous provenance, 800 is about right."

The old man pondered for a moment. "Fine, 800 it is. You know your stuff."

Hu Tian paid the money and put the jade pendant away.

Zhou Waner was watching from the side. Once they left the shop, she couldn't help but laugh. "Why did you buy this? To use yourself?"

"Just to keep," he continued, "A small, fine piece of Qing Dynasty Suzhou craftsmanship. It's alright."

Zhou Waner shook her head. "You have this habit of picking up things wherever you go."

"Just picking up a bargain."

The two continued walking forward. Zhou Waner stopped at the entrance of a small shop selling handmade accessories, went in to pick for a while, and grabbed a braided rope bracelet. She turned back to look at Hu Tian. "Do you think it looks good?"

Hu Tian glanced at it. The bracelet was simply braided, using wax thread and a few small ceramic beads. The colors were a mix of light apricot and off-white. It looked quite elegant when worn on the wrist.

The Treasure Hunting Radar spun gently in his mind, a white halo spreading out, and information surfaced immediately.

"Item Name: Handmade Wax Thread Ceramic Bead Bracelet" "Era: Modern handicraft, recently made, no collection value"

"Material: Imported wax thread, imported Korean matte ceramic beads, clasp is silver-plated copper. Overall workmanship is quite fine, with understated coloring."

"Value: Market reference price, in the range of 30 to 50 yuan."

Hu Tian glanced at it. "It's alright."

"Just 'alright'?"

"It looks good," he corrected himself, his tone steady. "Buy it."

Zhou Waner smiled, had the girl in the shop wrap up the bracelet, paid for it, and casually stuffed it into her bag when they came out.

Walking to the end of the street and turning the corner, there was a row of small restaurants. Zhou Waner had long had her eye on one that specialized in local Southern Fujian cuisine. She checked the time—it was just before six, and there weren't many people yet. The two went in and found a seat by the window.

They ordered a few dishes and two bowls of soup. While waiting for the food, Zhou Waner placed her phone on the table and rested her chin on her hand, looking out the window. People were starting to fill the street outside, and as the lights came on, the whole street lit up.

"When did you start getting interested in these things?" Zhou Waner asked suddenly. "Antiques and such."

Hu Tian held his teacup. "Not long ago, but I've liked them since I was little."

Zhou Waner tilted her head. "Liked them since you were little?"

"Mhm," Hu Tian nodded, his tone unhurried. "The elders in my family liked to fiddle with these things, so I was influenced by what I saw and heard."

He said this naturally, almost believing it himself.

But he knew clearly in his heart that this so-called "liking them since I was little" was just a made-up line.

A few months ago, he was still holed up in a small foreign trade company, doing odd jobs and copywriting. He was pressed by a mean little supervisor who gave him attitude every day. His monthly salary was just over 3,000, barely enough to cover rent.

Back then, let alone antiques, he had to think twice even before buying salted fish at the market.

Everything started with that stone.

Since then, he had seen things far more valuable than that jade pendant, touched treasures worth more than all the stalls on this street combined, and been to places that couldn't even be found on a map.

But these things, Zhou Waner didn't know, and there was no need for her to know.

"Does your family work in this industry?"

"No," he said. "Just exploring it on my own."

Zhou Waner looked at him. "Then how do you know so much?"

Hu Tian didn't answer directly, only saying indifferently, "See more, learn more, and you'll naturally understand over time."

Zhou Waner nodded thoughtfully and didn't press further.

Browsing while walking.

Soon the two arrived in front of a restaurant at the corner of the street.

This restaurant was hidden at the corner of the street. The frontage wasn't large, and an antique-style iron lantern hung at the entrance, casting gentle light onto the bluestone road.

Pushing open the door, the space inside was deeper than imagined. The decor followed the style of an old Southern Fujian house. The walls were painted with off-white plaster and hung with a few photos of old Southern Fujian streets framed in old wooden frames. The arcades and stone roads in the photos looked somewhat similar to the street outside.

Along the walls were a few old-fashioned square wooden tables. The tables weren't large, only seating four people. The tabletops were covered with light cyan cotton-linen tablecloths, and in the middle sat small blue-and-white porcelain vases with a few sprigs of dried flowers, very pale in color, looking elegant.

The shop didn't have ceiling lights; instead, it used a few small, warm-yellow wall lamps. The light wasn't glaring—just enough to clearly see the menu without being too bright—making the whole space feel quiet and soft.

The spots by the window were the best. You could see the street scene outside, people coming and going, but separated by a layer of glass, the noise outside was mostly filtered out, leaving only blurred lights and shadows of people.

There weren't many tables in the shop, less than ten in total. It was still early, and less than half were occupied. People spoke in soft voices, and occasionally one could hear the sound of spatulas clashing in the kitchen, as well as the low hum of the range hood.

The air was filled with the aroma of food, carrying that distinct scent of seafood and sauces typical of Southern Fujian cuisine—neither too strong nor too weak, just enough to whet the appetite.

After sitting down, Zhou Waner scanned her surroundings and nodded with satisfaction. "This shop really has a nice vibe."

Hu Tian also looked around, his gaze lingering on the old photos on the wall for a moment. "The decor is thoughtful."

The two found a seat by the window.

The dishes were served quickly: a plate of steamed grouper, a bowl of blanched shrimp, a portion of stir-fried Chinese broccoli, and a pot of slow-cooked soup.