Chapter 8 Selling Dusters
Didn't you notice?
Li Zhen gave her a strange look, and Xiao Yuzhu realized: she hadn't thought before she spoke.
She blushed slightly, almost instinctively, and said, "I haven't seen it!"
Lin Sicheng nodded seriously.
"Lin Sicheng, I haven't seen it!"
"I haven't seen it, I haven't seen it. What are you so proud of, and why are you shouting like that?"
Xiao Yuzhu clenched her fist and shook it at him.
Lin Sicheng chuckled and said, "I have other things to do, I'm leaving."
"what?"
"Selling dusters!"
"Sell it to whom, your grandfather?"
Hey, you've got poison in your mouth, haven't you?
That's even dirtier than cursing your mother.
Lin Sicheng raised an eyebrow: "What if I want to sell it?"
"I ate it!"
Involuntarily, Lin Sicheng thought of Gu Ming, who often freeloaded on food and drinks.
He looked up at the sun shining over the city wall: "I'm selling dusters, so you can't get any even if you want them. Here's the deal: whoever loses treats us to three bowls of mutton soup at noon!"
"Aren't you quite rich?"
Lin Sicheng laughed: "Okay, little seashell!"
"That's more like it!"
With a few words, lunch was settled. Lin Sicheng, carrying a duster and holding a Buddha statue, walked out happily.
The two girls followed behind, whispering to each other, "Yuzhu, aren't you going to buy any supplies?"
"Buying it this afternoon is fine, but senior sister, aren't you curious?"
curious.
It wasn't just ordinary curiosity.
Li Zhen was a graduate student in the Archaeology Department of Xida University who stayed on as a faculty member, so she certainly had professional expertise. But to her, it was just a tattered feather duster with a small part of its feathers missing and a filthy, black handle.
Who is Lin Sicheng planning to sell to?
She thought for a moment: "Small seashells aren't cheap!"
"I know," Xiao Yuzhu blinked. "I've been wanting to eat mutton soup for a long time. I was just trying to scare him!"
Li Zhen pursed her lips.
Lin Sicheng walked unhurriedly, with the two girls following behind, but after walking for a while, Lin Sicheng stopped again.
Li Zhen looked up: the expert Sheng and General Manager Chen were blocking the aisle, their eyes fixed on the Buddha statue in his hand.
With a "whoosh," Lin Sicheng slipped it into the pocket of his shorts.
The two people opposite were stunned: Why is this like guarding against thieves?
Unfortunately, it wasn't long before Teacher Sheng realized something was off about that small Buddha statue.
The item is definitely old, but the key is its shape and carving, which are indeed very much in line with the style of Tibetan Buddhism.
But because of preconceived notions, and because the two lines of text on the ribbon didn't look like Tibetan, he didn't look at them closely.
The more she thought about it, the more something seemed off, so Teacher Sheng quickly turned back, but unfortunately, the item had already been bought.
Coincidentally, I ran into him again: wasn't this the young man I had been watching at the stall earlier?
Sheng Shijian carefully considered his words, then said with a serious expression, "Young man, that item of yours is incorrect!"
Ha, here comes the main event?
Lin Sicheng smiled and said, "It's alright, I have plenty of money!"
The two of them paused for a moment, unsure how to respond.
After a long pause, Mr. Chen cleared his throat and said, "Young man, are you sure you can joke around? Do you even know who Professor Sheng is? He's a renowned expert in lacquerware and wood carving in this province!"
"Oh, really? I've heard so much about you!"
Saying he had heard so much about them, Lin Sicheng walked past the two men. Purely instinctively, Boss Chen reached out to stop him.
Lin Sicheng paused, then frowned: "What, trying to steal it?"
The two were stunned: No, how come this is not what we expected?
He was in his early twenties, barely any hair on his head, clearly still a student. Shouldn't he be filled with trepidation and admiration upon hearing that someone was an expert?
But look at this kid, so nonchalant, indifferent, even... with a hint of disdain.
Perhaps they've mistaken them for scammers?
"Young man, Professor Sheng is a true expert!"
"Even a real expert can't block the way! Are you going to move or I'll call the police!"
Seeing him take out his phone, as if he were calling the police, Mr. Chen's face darkened.
Sheng Shijian gently shook his head before he stepped aside.
Lin Sicheng walked straight ahead, and Xiao Yuzhu followed behind excitedly: "That's more like it. I thought Lin Sicheng had changed his ways."
Li Zhen seemed thoughtful: "Is he like this at school too?"
"Yeah, he's always so arrogant and doesn't care about anyone. Of course, he still respects his teachers quite a bit."
No wonder you don't have any friends?
After saying a few words, Xiao Yuzhu skipped and hopped after Lin Sicheng: "Lin Sicheng, he's a real expert, maybe there really is something wrong with your stuff!"
"It's fine, I'm rich, I can do whatever I want!"
Xiao Yuzhu puffed out her cheeks: Why is this person so infuriating?
Lin Sicheng just smiled and said: Experts are also divided into different levels.
Someone like Sheng Shijian, who knows how to distinguish the real from the fake, yet gets tricked into buying things back at the price of counterfeits, how high can you expect his moral standards to be?
If you don't want to fall into a trap, stay as far away from it as possible.
With a sigh, the three of them left the city gate and crossed the road.
After walking a few steps, an antique-style facade came into view: Rongbaozhai!
Xiao Yuzhu and Li Zhen were both stunned for a moment: they were studying cultural relics, so how could they not know what Rongbaozhai was?
But I can't understand how Lin Sicheng dared to come in?
If the master saw that broken feather duster, would he kick them out on the spot?
Just as they were in a state of shock, a male shop assistant in his early thirties came over and asked, "Hello, what would you three like to see?"
"Can this be authenticated without looking at the item itself?"
What is that?
The shop assistant was stunned for a moment, looking at it again and again: a feather duster?
This item does indeed belong to the category of antique collectibles, but I've only ever heard of it before; this is the first time I've seen it in person.
Upon closer inspection: it's just ordinary chicken feathers and an ordinary bamboo pole, and quite a few feathers have fallen off.
The patina is quite old, and the name "Mr. Qiuming" is engraved at the end of the bamboo pole.
The characters were quite neat, and the engraving was good, but the shop assistant thought for a long time but couldn't remember who "Qiu Ming" was.
He hesitated for a moment: "I can get it identified, but it will cost a thousand."
The implication is: Don't go back on your word if the final product isn't right.
"I know!"
Lin Sicheng nodded, took out his wallet, and the shop assistant was taken aback for a moment before quickly calling for the cashier.
"Wait a moment, I'll go get the master!"
"good!"
When he pulled out ten bright red banknotes, Xiao Yuzhu's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Lin Sicheng, aren't you selling dusters?"
"Inspect before you sell!"
"No... a thousand yuan is enough for the three of us to eat two meals at Little Shell."
"Don't worry!" Lin Sicheng patted the duster, "It'll definitely be higher than a thousand!"
Li Zhen coughed lightly: "How about we let Professor Lin take a look first?"
Lin Sicheng shook his head: "He studies porcelain!"
It is indeed porcelain, but with experience and a discerning eye, can't you check its quality?
At least you won't waste your money.
Li Zhen thought for a moment and said, "The appraisal fee will be one thousand!"
Lin Sicheng smiled and said, "I know!"
It's quite expensive, but he didn't come specifically to get it appraised.
There are many places in Xi'an that collect antiques and miscellaneous items, but if you ask where the appraisal level is the highest and the prices are the fairest, Rongbaozhai is second to none.
Not just Xi'an, but the whole country.
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