Chapter 87
Yang Ye stood in front of the mirror and finally adjusted the strands of hair on her forehead that were deliberately messed up.
The person in the mirror was wearing a gray-blue denim jacket that was almost washed white, black cropped trousers, and a pair of simple white canvas shoes. She had her hair tied into a loose low ponytail, and wore a pair of old-fashioned black-framed glasses. She lifted the collar of her clothes and tucked the royal blue short-sleeved shirt inside into her waistband.
"Very good." Yang Ye looked at himself in the mirror and whispered.
Walking down the stairs, she saw Xiao Xiao and Zhou Yiheng already waiting in the living room. Both of them had changed into going-out clothes. Zhou Yiheng had a small canvas bag at his feet, and it looked like he was ready to go out at any time.
"What's wrong with you?" Yang Ye stopped walking down the stairs.
"I'll go with you." Xiao Xiao stepped forward quickly. She grabbed Yang Ye's arm tightly and said worriedly, "There's something wrong with that place. It's too dangerous for you to go alone."
Zhou Yiheng nodded and said, "I'll go too. More people will help. If anything goes wrong, we can at least work together to find a solution."
Yang Ye saw the worry on their faces. She patted Xiao Xiao's hand gently as if to comfort him. She said to Zhou Yiheng and Xiao Xiao, "Don't be so nervous. I'm just going to see what they are doing. It's not like we're going to fight. Too many people will only attract attention. Besides, if I'm dressed like this, I won't pay much attention to those uncles and aunts who are going to the appraisal."
"But..." Xiao Xiao wanted to say more.
"I'll just take this with me. It's not worth much anyway. If they find out, the worst that can happen is that the things I have are gone. It won't cause any loss. Don't worry, I know what I'm doing." Yang Ye interrupted her and picked up the cloth bag that had been prepared on the table.
Yang Ye had already made up his mind. Xiao Xiao and Zhou Yiheng knew that it was useless for them to say anything. After all, she was not the type to be easily persuaded. They exchanged helpless glances, the worry between their brows not diminished at all. They just swallowed their words of persuasion and did not insist anymore.
"Then you better be careful," Xiao Xiao said.
"I know." Yang Ye looked at them and nodded.
Following the address on the business card, Yang Ye took three buses, crossed most of the city, and finally arrived at an old commercial street with a sense of age.
See that abrupt three-story building.
The brand-new walls seemed like an alien creature wedged into this street. The clean, polished walls and marble tiles on the floor reflected the dazzling sunlight. Compared to the old shops next to them, whose paint was peeling and whose doors and windows were faded, this place had an indescribable presence.
Standing at the entrance, before even entering, the glass door, polished to a brilliant shine, almost mistaken for an open one, caught my eye. The words "Jinshizhai" reflected so brightly in the lobby that it was blinding. The polished marble floor and modern reception desk, with several pots of green ivy on the countertop, their glossy leaves either scrubbed too clean or waxed, their veins clearly visible.
There was a display shelf on the side that was almost as tall as the high wall. Inside it were many strangely shaped copper objects. Next to it were some well-made certificates of honor, qualification certificates, and photo frames of many experts.
"Hello, how can I help you?" The receptionist raised her head, her voice sweet, a standard smile on her face. Her eyes with delicate eyeliner swept across Yang Ye's almost washed-out denim jacket and her slightly rough dress, and a hint of scrutiny and evaluation flashed across her eyes very quickly.
Hearing her voice, Yang Ye seemed to be startled.
The moment he caught her eye, Yang Ye subconsciously shrank his neck, his expression a little awkward. She raised her head sheepishly, a hint of caution and fear in her eyes. With a slightly clumsy movement, she carefully removed the wooden box wrapped in a soft cloth from her backpack. She handed it over with both hands, and in a deliberately low and slightly trembling voice, she said, "Hello, I, are you guys here to collect things?"
The receptionist smiled and said: "We are a specialized appraisal agency."
She nodded and said, "I'd like to trouble you to take a look. I have something, but I don't know what it is. Is it worth any money?"
The receptionist, wearing a white glove, took the wooden box from Yang Ye and took something out. It was a small pastel-colored dish with a few white peach flowers painted in the center. It was about the size of a grown man's palm.
The receptionist looked at it carefully for a few times, and the smile on her face deepened a lot. She put down the plate and turned on the small intercom hanging on her collar. "Manager Wang, there is a lady at the front desk to do the appraisal. Okay, I understand."
The person on the other end of the intercom said something to her and she smiled and nodded.
"Please come with me and sit down here. Our manager will be here to serve you soon." The receptionist raised her hand.
"Okay," Yang Ye replied nervously.
The receptionist led her to the rest area on the other side, which was more exquisitely decorated. There were several oddly shaped lazy sofas on the ground, reddish-brown antique display cabinets piled with things on the sides, and several beautifully framed reproductions of calligraphy and paintings hanging on the wall. The air was filled with an overly strong scent of incense. After all, these carefully arranged elegance and professionalism could not cover up the short-sighted commercial atmosphere in its bones.
Yang Ye sat nervously on the edge of the sofa, her knees neatly together. She tightly held the small pastel dish wrapped in cloth in her arms, looking around anxiously.
Not long after, the front desk brought in a middle-aged man in a neat suit. The man had the same gentle and standard smile on his face as the receptionist. He sat down on the sofa opposite Yang Ye with a relaxed posture.
"Sorry to have kept you waiting." He looked at Yang Ye and greeted him warmly and politely. His eyes fell on the cloth bag that Yang Ye was protecting. "Hello, I am the appraisal manager here. My last name is Wang, and this is my business card."
He took out a business card from his pocket and handed it to Yang Ye.
Yang Ye took the business card he gave him, looked at the content on it carefully, looked at him again, nodded awkwardly, "Hello, Manager Wang"
He asked, "Would it be convenient for me to see what you brought?"
"Oh, okay, okay, take a look," she finally responded, hurriedly handing over the thing in her hand, her eyes full of anticipation and nervousness.
Manager Wang touched her things with his hands, placing them on the table. He then stood up and retrieved a pair of white gloves, a small, high-intensity flashlight, and a small magnifying glass from a nearby drawer. He put on his gloves and slowly unwrapped the layers of cloth covering the dish. He then lifted the dish and examined it carefully. Occasionally, he would use the high-intensity flashlight and magnifying glass to magnify the patterns, or he would turn it over and frown at the cracks or decorations underneath.
He looked at it for a long time before slowly putting down the tools in his hand and gently placing the small plate on the soft cloth he had just taken.
"Could you please tell me your last name?" Manager Wang said.
"Oh, oh, my last name is Yang."
"Ms. Yang," he said steadily, "To be honest, based on my personal preliminary judgment, there is a high probability that this thing of yours is real."
Yang Ye's eyes suddenly lit up, and he unconsciously leaned towards Manager Wang, his voice filled with unconcealed excitement, "Really, really, Manager Wang, are you saying this thing could be real?"
"There's a high probability, but this is also my own judgment," Manager Wang nodded. "From the glaze to the painting, and the texture of the entire material, this piece of yours is not something that can be made by ordinary new imitations. Especially the body glaze on the bottom of your small dish, the workmanship is meticulous and the brushstrokes are smooth."
But suddenly, he changed the subject, his tone becoming very sincere, as if he was considering her. "But you also know that in our industry, it's easy to make mistakes by relying solely on the naked eye and experience. Especially when it comes to something more modern like you, you need to be more cautious. So, I still recommend that you choose a more reliable testing method?"
"Then what other tests are there?" Yang Ye asked nervously.
"We have a specialized X-ray fluorescence spectrometer and an appraisal teacher who retired from the provincial museum. Each of them is very experienced. We combine visual observation with comprehensive scientific testing before giving you the final conclusion."
Yang Ye's face showed an expression of being persuaded by his words, but his eyes were still filled with concerns and worries about the price. "I don't understand what you are talking about. So, how much is the inspection fee?"
Manager Wang stood up and pulled out a few price lists from a nearby drawer. "Take a look. This is the most basic level. It's what I just told you about, judging by the naked eye. The price is 800. These levels include basic appraisals and a certificate. Of course, if you need a complete written report, including analysis of the year, condition, market valuation, and so on, this report is more formal and more authoritative and credible than a regular certificate. However, it will cost you an additional 1200."
Yang Ye seemed confused by him. She looked at Manager Wang and asked, "I want this one. How much does it cost?"
"Wait a moment, let me calculate it for you." Manager Wang took out his mobile phone.
He pulled out the calculator above, pressed a few numbers, added and subtracted them, and then showed them to Yang Ye.
"3,3200, this is too expensive" Yang Ye was shocked by the number.
"Professional reports are all priced this way," Manager Wang told her. Seeing the hesitation on Yang Ye's face and the small pastel dish placed beside her, Manager Wang's eyes darkened. He smiled and said to Yang Ye, "If you think this quote is too expensive, then I recommend you choose the basic package, plus a written report. The total will only be around 2,200 yuan, but you'll need to leave the report with us for about seven to ten working days. Is that okay with you?"
"Why does it take so many days?" Yang Ye was confused again.
"That's right," Manager Wang smiled, "because it takes time to identify it, and we have limited identification experts. Some customers choose to expedite it, so..."
Manager Wang stopped there.
"The 3200 you just mentioned, is it expedited?"
"right"
Yang Ye asked again: "Should we also put you here if we need to expedite it?"
Manager Wang replied: "To issue relevant reports, you need to deposit your items with us."
"How long does it take for expedited delivery?"
“It will take about three to five working days.”
Her hands fell in front of her, her fingers fiddling with the corners of her coat. She sat in her seat, carefully thinking about the two plans given by Manager Wang. Seeing the small plate on the table, she raised her hand and pointed to the plan Manager Wang had just mentioned. "Well, then this one will do. I'll keep it for a few more days."
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