"Anyway, there's nothing particularly important going on today, so why don't we go check it out? Maybe there'll be some surprises waiting for us."
Mr. Zhong has always been passionate about antiques, and he came here today to learn about the exchange meeting, so he did not refuse again.
Hu Yuan nodded. His purpose in coming to Liucheng was to find a bargain, and there was nothing wrong with trying his luck.
Hailan Mingxue was clearly displeased, because she knew nothing about antiques and couldn't stand this annoying guy who had suddenly appeared.
"Follow me, we'll be there soon."
Seeing an opportunity, the young man smiled so broadly his eyes almost squinted into slits, and quickly led the three of them in.
This time, the guy wasn't lying after all, and the three of them soon arrived at his shop.
The shop wasn't small, and there were quite a few customers, but anyone with a discerning eye could tell that most of the items were handicrafts, no different from those sold at street stalls.
"Let's take a look at your Jun ware porcelain."
Hu Yuan looked around the store and spoke.
"Please wait a moment, I'll go and fetch it right away."
The man moved quickly, and in less than a minute, he went out through the back door of the shop and came out carrying a large jar.
The customers in the shop were immediately drawn to the large jar he was carrying.
"Anyone interested is welcome to come and take a look. Although these three guests were the first to take a liking to this large Jun kiln jar, if any of you are interested, we can transfer it to you if the price is higher, since they haven't paid yet."
It wasn't until this moment that Hu Yuan understood why this guy had insisted on pulling the three of them in from outside, even though there were clearly many customers in the shop.
So that's what they were up to.
This is a clever marketing tactic called creating a false sense of prosperity, but for Hu Yuan, who has lived two lives, it's child's play.
But in many places, it is indeed very useful, especially in this day and age.
Sure enough, almost everyone gathered around, and some even wanted to touch it.
"Since the three of you were the first to take a liking to it, and you came here because of its reputation, then let the three of you take a look first, so that you won't say that I didn't give you a chance to bid and just let someone else have it."
This guy's attitude changed immediately. Just now he was begging Hu Yuan and his two companions to come in, but now it's Hu Yuan and his companions coming because of his reputation.
His decision to let Hu Yuan and the other two see the items first was seen as an act of kindness.
"No need to look anymore, just give it to whoever wants it. Let's look at the others."
Hu Yuan pushed the large jar aside, smiled, and turned to look at the other shelves.
This type of vessel, from the Jun kiln? Hu Yuan would never believe it, even if you beat him to death.
Would you like me to take a look?
The man was somewhat disappointed, so he handed the large jar to Old Zhong.
"No need for that. I like that abacus. Bring it over so I can take a look."
Zhong Lao's smile conveyed a similar meaning to Hu Yuan's, but he had already set his sights on something.
With just that one sentence, everyone's attention was drawn to the abacus in the shop.
“That’s a family heirloom, not for sale. You should take a look at this instead.”
Seeing that things were going badly, the man immediately tried to get back on track.
"Those items that are said to be not for sale are just overpriced. Why don't you bring them over so I can take a look? Maybe I can give you an unexpected price."
Old Zhong, however, insisted on looking at the abacus on the table.
"Bring it here."
The man frowned slightly, showing some impatience. However, if he didn't do as the old man said, the play would probably fall apart. So he beckoned to the person behind the table.
Upon receiving the boss's order, the shop assistant immediately grabbed an abacus and jogged over.
"This thing feels so familiar, would you sell it for 50,000?"
After examining the abacus for a while, Old Zhong finally spoke slowly.
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone in the store was in an uproar. How could this old abacus, which looked somewhat damaged, be worth 50,000?
"Could this old man be a shill? That abacus isn't made of gold or silver, it's just a piece of broken wood, how could it be worth 50,000?"
"Exactly, I think it's not as good as the big jar the boss is holding."
“…”
Most people were skeptical, believing the old man was just a shill.
"I already told you this is a family heirloom, and of course I won't sell it for 50,000. But if you can give me a reason, I might soften my heart and give it to you."
The boss's eyes kept changing. He didn't immediately agree to Zhong Lao's request, but instead planned to get the details of the scheme out of Zhong Lao.
The shop owner didn't know why the abacus was so valuable; he only knew that his family had had it since he could remember.
"Buying antiques isn't about their value, it's about enjoyment and collecting. I can't really explain it, just tell me how much you're willing to sell them for."
Hu Yuan thought that Old Zhong would explain the value of the abacus in detail, but he didn't expect the old man to be so flexible, knowing that it would be even harder to buy it if he explained.
"Well... then let's make it 100,000."
The boss hesitated for a moment, then spoke.
"Deal. Find me a box to put it in, and the money will be delivered immediately."
Without saying a word, Mr. Zhong immediately took out his phone and asked someone to send the money over.
The boss's expression froze, as if he felt he had ordered too little, or as if he felt he had made a huge profit.
"Sir, now that the deal is done, why don't you tell us more about it?"
The guests nearby thought the old man must be a plant, so they all egged him on to say what he hadn't said earlier.
"What if he changes his mind if I don't tell him?"
Seeing that the usually serious Mr. Zhong had suddenly become playful, Hu Yuan almost burst out laughing.
"Don't worry, with so many of us as witnesses, he wouldn't dare to deny it."
The man continued.
"Alright, if that's the case, then let Xiao Hu show them what he's made of."
Old Zhong played a trick again, not saying it himself, but letting Hu Yuan say it.
All eyes turned to Hu Yuan again, and the boss stared at him curiously.
"Actually, it's nothing much. This abacus is made of Hainan huanghuali wood and isn't very old, only from the mid-Qing Dynasty. Its real value is around 150,000 yuan, but Mr. Zhong has always liked Hainan huanghuali antiques, so in his eyes it may be worth more than that."
After Hu Yuan finished speaking, everyone was in an uproar. They all knew a bit about antiques, but no one could tell that it was Hainan Huanghuali.
The term "Hainan Huanghuali" is short for Hainan Huanghuali wood, and it is considered a gift wood.
Items made of this material are generally not cheap, and with a history spanning hundreds of years, their value is naturally much higher.
"Upon closer inspection, it really does look like Hainan Huanghuali. How come I didn't notice it before?"
"Exactly, we lost a lot of money."
“…”
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