Chapter 24: The Bargain

Clutching this “fruit plate” was like holding a small fortune. With such a treasure in her arms, Ruan Mianmian lost all interest in browsing further. She was anxious about the crowds bustling past her—what if someone jostled her and the plate fell to the ground?

She really couldn’t handle much excitement. She was not someone used to the storms of life. To her, it felt as though a pie had fallen from the sky—somehow, she’d suddenly come into possession of a precious object worth a fortune.

Now, her only thought was to sell it for cash.

She was destitute, without the means to collect antiques. That was a pastime for the wealthy. Even though she had the system, and earning points was as good as earning money, upgrading the system cost a fortune. Nearly all the points she’d earned so far had gone into upgrades.

Now that she had the chance, getting some cash in hand was the most important thing.

After leaving the lively stalls of the antique market, Ruan Mianmian still worried that the plastic bag wouldn’t hold the plate and it would crash to the ground with a shattering sound. She slipped the plastic bag into her backpack for added security.

That settled her nerves.

She took out her phone and searched the internet for reputable local antique shops. The result that came up was Gathering Pavilion, just five hundred meters around the corner.

Following the GPS, she made her way there, determined to sell the plate at that shop.

That street was lined with proper shops, a world apart from the stalls she’d just left, though it was still under the antique market’s management.

According to what she’d read online, Gathering Pavilion was a century-old establishment, renowned throughout Shangjing. Many wealthy collectors frequented it in search of treasures.

A signboard of ebony with gold-inlaid characters hung at the entrance, and inside, a spacious hall stretched deep. Rosewood display shelves held a variety of artifacts, each glowing with the gentle luster of history under the soft lights.

The air was tinged with a unique blend of aged wood, old paper, and the fragrance of time-steeped tea.

It was Ruan Mianmian’s first time in a place like this, and she felt a twinge of nervousness.

“Young lady, is there something you’re looking for?” an elderly man in a plain long robe, his hair silvered with age, asked kindly.

Ruan Mianmian steadied herself. “Hello, sir. I’d like to see the owner.”

“I am he. What can I do for you?” This was Master Chen, a leading authority in the world of antiques.

“Sir, do you only sell antiques here, or do you also buy them?” Ruan Mianmian asked.

“Of course we buy. We take in anything good. Do you have something to show me?”

Ruan Mianmian took the plastic bag from her backpack, set it on the counter, and carefully unwrapped the plate from its cocoon of old newspaper, placing it gently on the deep green velvet of the showcase.

“Sir, would you mind having a look?”

“Certainly.”

Master Chen perched a pair of gold-rimmed glasses on his nose and directed his gaze at the plate. He picked up a high-powered magnifying glass, inspecting it inch by inch.

A long moment passed before he set both the lens and the plate down, his fingers tapping silently on the velvet.

He spoke in a low, even tone: “Miss, this plate is a Republic-era imitation of Yingqing ware. Not bad, but the body is still a little new, the fire not fully tempered. I’ll give you five thousand for it—just a trinket to display in the shop.”

A faint smile played on Ruan Mianmian’s lips as she made no move to refute his comments about it being “new” or the “fire.”

She traced her finger along the rim. “Unglazed rim, covered firing—an old Song dynasty technique.”

Her fingertip then slid to the heart of the plate, where the glaze was deepest. “The color is a serene water-green, the pooled glaze as deep as a pond, blue-white to the core.”

Finally, her touch followed the lotus motif at the center. “The carving flows like water, completed in one breath!”

She gave a soft laugh. “Sir, no matter how skilled the imitation, can it truly capture this spirit?”

She didn’t even have to think—the words came as if the knowledge of appraisal had naturally taken root in her mind.

Ruan Mianmian thought to herself: this antique appraisal skill really is impressive.

After hearing her, Master Chen’s eyes narrowed as he studied her through his lenses. After a moment, he bent down again, this time almost pressing his face to the plate.

He peered at it again and again with the magnifier, his fingertips lingering on the lotus leaves and buds.

At last, he straightened, his composure gone, a hint of excitement in his voice:

“Spring Dawn at the Lotus Pond! This is a Southern Song kiln Yingqing-carved lotus-patterned flared-rim plate—a relic once from the imperial court!”

He took a deep breath, no longer looking at the plate, but meeting Ruan Mianmian’s eyes with sincerity.

“Miss, I misjudged it earlier. Since you’re clearly an expert, I won’t try to fool you. I’ll offer you eight hundred thousand for this plate. We can settle the deal right now—I’ll transfer the money to you immediately.”

He hadn’t expected this young woman to speak so knowledgeably.

He realized there was no way he could deceive her even if he wanted to.

Besides, when he’d named five thousand earlier, it was truly a misjudgment, not an attempt to cheat her. And he would never stoop to strong-arming her into selling—after all, he was a man of some standing in Shangjing.

Ruan Mianmian thought: eight hundred thousand—this time the owner was being fair.

As for his earlier claim of misjudging the piece, she couldn’t say for sure.

But she was certain eight hundred thousand was the minimum; she could probably get more for it.

Judging by the owner’s excitement, he must really love this plate.

Having made up her mind, she replied, “Sir, to tell you the truth, this was my grandfather’s prized possession. Someone once offered him one point two million, but he couldn’t bear to part with it.”

“It’s just that he’s fallen seriously ill and needs a large sum for treatment, so he asked me to sell it. He told me it couldn’t go for less than a million.”

Her grandfather had long since gone to share tea with Buddha, but borrowing his name for a little white lie didn’t seem so terrible, did it? At worst, she’d simply burn a few more paper offerings at his grave next Tomb Sweeping Day.

Besides, she wasn’t being greedy. The knowledge in her mind told her the market price for the plate ranged from a low of eight hundred thousand to a high of one point two million.

She was just asking for a fair million—not unreasonable.

“Very well. For your grandfather’s sake, one million it is. Deal!”

The extra two hundred thousand, he’d consider it his act of charity. If he missed out on this Southern Song kiln Yingqing-carved lotus-patterned plate, he’d regret it for the rest of his days.

If he wanted to turn a profit, it would fetch at least one point five million at auction. But the plate was of such value for a collection, he could never bring himself to sell it.

Clearly, the young woman’s grandfather had been an expert, and she had inherited his knowledge.

Otherwise, how could she have described it so precisely?

Ruan Mianmian suppressed her excitement, forced her voice to remain calm, and said, “All right, deal. Please transfer the money—I need it urgently.”

She wrote down a bank account and handed it to the old gentleman. “Just transfer the money to this account.”

“I understand—I’ll do it right away since your grandfather is ill and you’re in a hurry.”

Master Chen cheerfully completed the transfer.

Ruan Mianmian thought to herself: Well, that part wasn’t exactly true!

With a million in her pocket, Ruan Mianmian felt as though she’d just won the lottery. Overwhelmed, she left Gathering Pavilion.

But she hadn’t gone far before she ran into someone she really shouldn’t have met.