Chapter 83 (First Update)
The owner asked for 3 yuan for a Qing Dynasty jade cucumber, which was far beyond Yan Ruyi's expectations.
The shop owner stared at her blankly, seemingly a little impatient. "Three yuan. Do you want it or not? If not, don't stand here. You're affecting my business."
"That fool Yang is making a foolish move again. This jade cucumber is worth at least 300 yuan, but he sold it for only 3 yuan."
"Girl, are you going to buy it or not? If not, I'll buy it."
Yan Ruyi then noticed that several people had somehow appeared around her.
Yan Ruyi whispered to the person next to her, "Is this jade cucumber worth 300 yuan?"
When Yan Ruyi struck up a conversation with him, the man perked up. “Other places, this quality would sell for at least this price,” he said, holding up five fingers. “You’re getting a great deal for 300 yuan.”
Another person whispered to Yan Ruyi, "This boss has something wrong with his head. He's sometimes clear-headed and sometimes confused. He's probably confused again right now. Girl, if you've got your eye on him, hurry up and make your move. If you don't, I will."
Mr. Yang impatiently urged Yan Ruyi, "Are you going to buy it or not?"
Yan Ruyi, “I…”
She had barely uttered a word when a young man came over and said to Mr. Yang, "This jade cucumber is 3 yuan, right? I'll take it."
As he spoke, he took out 3 yuan from his wallet to give to Boss Yang.
The two people next to Yan Ruyi spoke up righteously, "Comrade, this girl took a liking to it first, you should at least respect the order of arrival."
Mr. Yang hesitated and didn't take the young man's money.
The young man gritted his teeth and took out another 3 yuan from his wallet. "I'll add another 3 yuan, 6 yuan in total. Will you sell it to me or not?"
Boss Yang's expression softened a bit, and the man next to him nudged Yan Ruyi and whispered to her, "Girl, you should add some more. We can't let that person take such good stuff."
Yan Ruyi: "Nine yuan."
The young man was determined to win, and with a determined effort, he said, "15 yuan."
Yan Ruyi hesitated.
The man next to her said anxiously, "Girl, hurry up and follow him, or he'll take it away."
Yan Ruyi whispered, "I only brought 200 yuan with me today. I want to buy other things."
"Buying this one is better than buying 10 counterfeit ones."
Another person said, "You don't want it anymore, right? Then I'll take it. I'll pay 20 yuan!"
Young man, "25!"
Yan Ruyi decisively followed, "30!"
"35!"
"40!"
...
The three people took turns raising the price, and eventually it became a bidding war between Yan Ruyi and the young man. The two of them went back and forth, and had already raised the price to 197 yuan.
Yan Ruyi, "198!"
Young man, "199, that's all the money I have, stop arguing with me!"
Yan Ruyi clapped her hands and stood up. "Alright, you've had it pretty tough. I won't argue with you then. You can take the 199 yuan."
Everyone, "..."
The two people standing next to her were even more anxious than Yan Ruyi. "Girl, he only has 199 yuan left. If you pay just one more yuan, you can take away the jade cucumber worth 300 yuan!"
Yan Ruyi sighed, "I think he really likes it. He kept bidding until his voice was hoarse. It must have been tough for him. Let him have it."
After saying that, he looked at the jade cucumber with regret, "I originally wanted to buy it for 198 yuan, but he insisted on going up to 199 yuan. What a pity."
After saying that, he shook his head and left.
They were bidding here just now, which attracted quite a few onlookers.
Seeing Yan Ruyi leave, someone chuckled and said gleefully, "Boss Yang, you messed up the performance, didn't you?"
The young man who had been bidding against Yan Ruyi just moments ago, shouting at the top of his lungs, now felt his throat was burning. He picked up the large tea mug in front of Boss Yang and gulped down half of it in one go.
They've been doing this business together for a long time and have almost never made a mistake.
Especially someone like Yan Ruyi, who looks like a fool with lots of money, and who came alone, looks easy to fool.
Unexpectedly, it failed.
Mr. Yang complained to the young man, "When she called it 198, you should have stopped. You insisted on adding another dollar and then told her not to argue with you."
"She just said she had 200 yuan on her, and I just wanted to earn two more yuan."
...
Yan Ruyi left that stall and went to browse elsewhere.
This place sells a wide variety of things, including all sorts of strange and unusual items.
However, most of them are from the Qing Dynasty, since that dynasty is the closest to the present day, and the capital city is right under the emperor's nose.
The Manchu bannermen who were supported with money back then were quite fond of eating, drinking, and having fun, and they were willing to spend a lot of effort on their food, clothing, and other necessities.
The food is exquisite, and the utensils are even more luxurious and refined.
After the fall of the Qing Dynasty, many valuable items were scattered among the people, including a considerable number in Panjiayuan.
Of course, there are genuine and counterfeit products; it all depends on whether you know what you're looking for. Otherwise, it's called finding a bargain.
Yan Ruyi then took a fancy to an enamel hand warmer from the Kangxi period. The outer wall was made of copper-bodied cloisonné enamel, with intertwined flowers and auspicious patterns outlined by metal wires.
The hand warmer isn't big, but in winter you can hug it to keep warm.
The hand warmer also has a handle, making it easy to carry around.
The hand warmer is exquisitely crafted, with almost no visible damage.
Yan Ruyi guessed that it must have come from the palace in the past, or at the very least from the household of a prince. Ordinary officials and their families could not afford such an exquisite hand warmer.
The shopkeeper offered a fixed price: "No bargaining, take it for 30 yuan."
This was another surprise to Yan Ruyi, because the normal price of this hand warmer is only around 30 yuan.
Seeing Yan Ruyi hesitate, the shopkeeper smiled and said, "Don't worry, this is the price. There are no shills to raise the price."
He lowered his voice and said to Yan Ruyi, "Girl, you noticed that they were deliberately raising the price, right? They've done this kind of rip-off a lot. Yesterday, someone from out of town was ripped off for almost 400 yuan. The things they sell aren't fake, they're just not worth that much."
Yan Ruyi could see that this was actually the same trick used by auction houses: the starting price was very low, and then the auctioneer would guide the bidders to raise the price.
In that atmosphere, bidders are prone to losing their rationality and impulsively buying items at high prices.
This is why auctioneers are required to understand the psychology of bidders in order to accurately guide bidding and maximize the value of the auctioned items.
Although she wasn't an auctioneer, she had worked at Garrett for so long that she knew a thing or two about these practices.
Besides, the taxi driver had already warned her when she arrived.
Yan Ruyi just smiled, ignored the shopkeeper's words, took out 30 yuan, and bought the hand warmer.
It's rare to see such an honest vendor in the antique market, and almost everything he sells is genuine.
Yan Ruyi bought another 10 Yuan Shikai silver dollars and a snuff bottle from the Kangxi era from him.
This snuff bottle is quite different from the common ones, which are usually decorated with traditional Chinese paintings or patterns.
This is an oil painting, also known as a Western painting.
The shopkeeper didn't overcharge for either the silver dollar or the snuff bottle, and Yan Ruyi didn't haggle; she paid the money readily.
She had just paid when a man pointed at several antiques and asked, "Boss, I'll take all of these. How much is it in total?"
The shopkeeper quoted a total price, and the man paid without haggling over a single cent.
Yan Ruyi went to other stalls, and the men followed her.
Yan Ruyi bought something at that stall, and he followed suit.
He just follows Yan Ruyi. If Yan Ruyi goes, he goes; if Yan Ruyi buys something, he buys something too.
Yan Ruyi, "..."
She figured it out: this person probably didn't know anything and just thought she was an expert, which was why he kept following her to pick up bargains.
The problem is that, apart from the stall owner selling genuine hand warmers, the other stalls sell both genuine and fake ones.
She buys them because she can tell the difference and chooses the genuine articles.
The man couldn't tell the difference and followed her lead, buying fake antiques as well.
Yan Ruyi left the stall, and the man followed her. Yan Ruyi turned to look at him, and he said cheerfully, "Comrade, you can buy your things, I'll just follow you, I won't bother you."
Yan Ruyi said helplessly, "Then you can't buy things like me. Several of the things you just bought were fakes."
The man was taken aback. "Do you have counterfeit products? I saw you buy one from that stall."
"Aren't you afraid I'm a shill?"
The man asserted, "I don't think you're a shill."
He noticed Yan Ruyi as soon as he arrived at Panjiayuan.
He witnessed Yan Ruyi bidding against someone to "snatch" the jade cucumber.
He overheard what the shopkeeper said when Yan Ruyi bought the hand warmer.
Based on this, he firmly believed that Yan Ruyi was definitely an expert, which is why he had been following Yan Ruyi all along.
Yan Ruyi was speechless.
However, since they trusted her so much, she couldn't let them down.
He said to the man, "If you insist on following me, then you have to listen to me. If you see something you like, just tell me, and I'll let you buy it."
The man said happily, "Okay, okay, I'll do whatever you say. My name is Feng Ankang. Would you mind telling me your name?"
"Yan Ruyi".
Feng Ankang frowned and thought for a moment, feeling that the name sounded somewhat familiar. He quickly realized and said, "I remember now, aren't you from Beijing?"
Yan Ruyi nodded.
"I knew that sounded familiar. Oh, it's you! You're quite famous in the overseas Chinese community now. It seems I really made the right choice in following you."
"Are you an overseas Chinese? How come you don't have any accent?"
“My family taught me to speak Chinese from a young age, so I don’t have an accent.”
...
Yan Ruyi bought a few more things, mostly small items, as she couldn't carry anything too big.
Feng Ankang also bought a few.
Yan Ruyi glanced at her watch; it was almost 5 o'clock. "I have to go now. Mr. Feng, are you still going to shop?"
Looking at today's spoils, Feng Ankang was already satisfied. He waved his hand and said, "I'm not going shopping anymore. I'm not going with you. I'm going to get tricked again."
Yan Ruyi smiled and said, "If you really enjoy collecting, you can learn more about this field and master some appraisal skills. Over time, with experience, you won't be so easily fooled."
Feng Ankang said with distress, "I've studied with others, but I probably don't have the talent. I always make mistakes. There are too many fakes now. Even if you go to an auction house, you can't guarantee that everything you buy is genuine."
Yan Ruyi said, "Come to our Jialide. We at Jialide will never allow any counterfeit to reach the auction stage. This clause is already written into the contract."
Feng Ankang's eyes lit up. "I've heard of Jialide Auction Company, but I didn't know when you would hold your auctions."
"Mr. Feng, would it be convenient for you to leave your contact information? I will have someone from the business department contact you later."
Feng Ankang's family is in business and has a company in Beijing. He gave Yan Ruyi the company's phone number, saying, "Just have someone call this number when the time comes."
I came to Panjiayuan and not only found a bargain, but also gained a potential customer.
Yan Ruyi happily returned to the Peking University Guesthouse.
The second day of the retest mainly consisted of two parts: political theory and a comprehensive assessment of professional knowledge.
Apart from the increased difficulty, there are no major differences from the preliminary test.
Yan Ruyi felt that she had performed quite well.
She came with Xie Yunlong, and she returned together.
When she arrived in Beijing, Song Yiping was already waiting for her at the exit.
Yan Ruyi bought her train ticket back after arriving at the train station; she hadn't expected Song Yiping to come and pick her up.
She ran over cheerfully, carrying her travel bag. "How did you know I was taking this bus?"
Song Yiping took the travel bag and said, "I guessed it. There are only a few buses coming from Beijing."
Xie Yunlong also came out.
Yan Ruyi introduced him, "Director Xie, this is my husband. He drove here. Let him give you a ride."
He wasn't sure if it was just his imagination, but he felt that Yan Ruyi's lover seemed to be a little "hostile" towards him.
He quickly declined, saying, "No need, my home is the opposite of yours, so I won't trouble you. It's very convenient for me to take the bus. Manager Yan, see you later."
Xie Yunlong quickly grabbed his bag and went to catch the bus.
Yan Ruyi asked in confusion, "Why does it seem like Factory Director Xie is a little afraid of you?"
Song Yiping: "Why are you afraid of me? I'm not some kind of monster."
He carried a bag in one hand and held Yan Ruyi's hand with the other, saying, "Let's go home."
Yan Ruyi got on the bus and slumped into her seat. "Finally, all the exams are over. I'm going to get a good night's sleep now that I'm home."
Back home, he hugged Da Hua and sprawled out on the recliner. "Home is best," he said. "No wonder they say there's no place like home."
The young couple felt like they hadn't seen each other for two years after not seeing each other for two days.
Song Yiping squeezed in next to her and got intimate.
Yan Ruyi nudged him. "I think I heard the phone ring."
Song Yiping heard it too, got up to answer the phone, and quickly came out again, saying, "Luo Huihui is looking for you."
Yan Ruyi stood up to answer the phone, "Huihui, how did you know I was back?"
Luo Huihui: "I don't know, I'll just make a call and see."
"What's wrong?"
Luo Huihui just chuckled foolishly on the other end of the phone.
Yan Ruyi suddenly had a bright idea, "Huihui, are you pregnant?"
"Hehe, Ruyi, you're going to be an aunt."
Where are you now? I'm coming to find you.
"I am at home."
Yan Ruyi put down the phone and said to Song Yiping, "Huihui is pregnant. I'm going to go see her."
There are still two cans of milk powder at home, which Fang Yuru insisted on giving to her during the Chinese New Year, but she hasn't drunk them yet.
This is perfect for Luo Huihui to use to supplement her nutrition.
She then went to a fruit shop and bought 3 jin (1.5 catties) of apples.
Luo Huihui's home is on the third floor. Jiang Hao opened the door for Yan Ruyi.
Where is Huihui?
Luo Huihui had already arrived, and Yan Ruyi immediately hugged her, saying, "Huihui, you're going to be a mother! Congratulations!"
He handed the milk powder and apple to Jiang Hao.
"Huihui, you must eat more apples. I heard that if you eat more apples, your baby will have rosy cheeks like an apple."
Jiang Hao told Luo Huihui that he was going out to buy groceries, so that the two good friends could have a private chat together.
Luo Huihui pulled Yan Ruyi to sit down on the sofa.
Yan Ruyi carefully touched Luo Huihui's belly, "Will it move?"
Luo Huihui said speechlessly, "It's only been a month. The doctor said it won't move until five or six months."
"You got married later than me, but you had a child earlier than me."
"You're going to take the postgraduate entrance exam, but I'm not."
“When I went for the second interview, I saw two pregnant women.”
This recruitment is open to employed individuals who have worked for more than two years.
It's not unusual to find pregnant women there.
She lay down on the sofa and said, "Do you think I should have a baby too?"
She actually really likes children.
She really likes Miaomiao.
Putting Li Yan aside, she also really likes Congcong.
Of course, she likes pretty dolls.
She said confidently, "I think my child with Yiping will definitely not be ugly."
"Then have the baby. You'll be doing a master's degree for three years. You can't wait three years to have a baby."
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The author's note: I'm terrible at bargaining, so when I buy groceries, I'm just like Feng Ankang—I buy whatever everyone else is buying…
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