Chapter 247: The Nerve to Ask for That
Qin Sitong was successfully convinced by Yun Zijin.
Yun Zijin’s car ultimately pulled up to the Dijing Ancient Street.
"Why are we here? I thought you were taking me to the mall."
Qin Sitong knew that Yun Zijin frequented Jinsheng Mall the most, and all the sales associates there already knew her.
After all, whenever Yun Zijin showed up, they didn’t have to worry about meeting their sales quota for the day.
"I met an elderly gentleman here once. I just remembered him and wanted to come see him."
’And I can buy a few nice things while I’m at it. After all, with antiques, as long as they’re even slightly rare, they won’t be cheap.’
’Perfect timing, too. I haven’t finished this week’s spending mission, so I can come here and hit my KPI.’
Qin Sitong understood. She said no more and walked into the Antique Street with Yun Zijin.
There were many stalls lining both sides of the street, but the items were mostly fakes. Spotting the rare genuine piece required a keen eye. Not everyone could be the protagonist of a novel or TV show, stumbling upon priceless treasures everywhere they went.
Yun Zijin was well aware of her own limitations. As for Qin Sitong, she was even more of a novice than Yun Zijin.
"These little trinkets at the roadside stalls look quite pretty."
Sure enough, the moment Qin Sitong spoke, she completely exposed her naivete.
Many vendors noticed the pair, but with bodyguards flanking them, no one dared to hawk their wares too aggressively or block their path.
"If you like something, feel free to buy it. Just treat it like a craft piece, though. Don’t expect to find any real antiques."
Qin Sitong nodded quickly. She knew better.
"This carved comb is really pretty. How much is it?"
Qin Sitong had picked out a stall run by a man in his forties or fifties. It was covered with all sorts of knick-knacks: small ceramic bowls, a Jade Ruyi, ceramic dolls, and the like.
However, Qin Sitong was only interested in that carved comb; it was love at first sight.
"Young lady, you’ve got a good eye. This is made from top-grade rosewood. See the carvings? Those are from the Tang Dynasty.
Since I’ve taken a liking to you, young lady, I’ll give it to you at cost: five hundred thousand."
Qin Sitong thought, ’Does he take me for a fool?’
"Sir, lying through your teeth is a bad habit."
The moment Yun Zijin spoke, Zero One and his men fixed their gazes on the vendor. Their imposing aura instantly took the man down a few notches.
"Th-the price is negotiable! Seeing as you’re students, how about this? I’ll take a small loss. You can have it for 250,000."
He’d just cut the price in half, which proved he’d been trying to rip Qin Sitong off with the initial five hundred thousand.
"Twenty-five. And not a cent more."
Yun Zijin simply dropped the "ten thousand" from his asking price.
The vendor’s jaw dropped. He stared at Yun Zijin in shock. "Miss... even when you bargain, you can’t just... you can’t bargain like that..."
’From 250,000 down to 25? Was she serious?’
"Alright then, twenty."
The vendor: ...
’Do I look like twenty bucks to you?’
Qin Sitong had no chance to get a word in. Still, if they could really get them for twenty, she could buy two—one for herself and one for Zijin.
"Are you selling it or not? We’re leaving."
With that, Yun Zijin grabbed Qin Sitong’s hand and turned to walk away.
"Fine, fine, fine! I’ll sell! Twenty it is, take it! Ugh! I’m taking a huge loss here! Young lady, if you didn’t have bodyguards with you, you’d be getting a beating today, you know that?"
Yun Zijin raised an eyebrow. ’So he’s still making a profit. That just goes to show how crooked this vendor really is.’
’The cost was less than twenty, and he had the gall to ask for five hundred thousand. The nerve of that guy.’
"Sir, can I have two?"
Qin Sitong decided to press her advantage.
’After all, the price is already set. If I buy another one, he’ll just make more money. The vendor still comes out ahead.’
The vendor was utterly speechless. Not wanting to argue with them any further, he finally tossed two identical carved wooden combs to them and took the forty yuan.
After Yun Zijin and Qin Sitong left, the stall owner hummed a happy tune. "Heh! Made a fifteen-yuan profit on each of those!"
It turned out the cost was only five yuan each. A markup from five to five hundred thousand is one hundred thousand times. It’s a wonder what was going through his mind when he quoted that price.
Yun Zijin led Qin Sitong forward, and they soon arrived at Jubao House.
"Grandpa Li, I’m back."
Compared to her last visit, Yun Zijin now looked even more the part of a young lady from a wealthy family.
Li Bingzhen noticed the change in Yun Zijin, but didn’t say anything.
"This is only your second visit, and you’re acting as if this old man and you are old friends."
"You taught me how to brew tea last time. Don’t tell me you’re getting on in years and your memory is starting to fade?"
The two of them started bickering the moment they met.
Watching the old man and the young woman bicker like a couple of schoolchildren, Qin Sitong couldn’t help but smile.
"Nonsense! This old man is in better shape than you young folks!"
’After all, I go to bed early and wake up early, and I exercise every day. Young people these days stay up late, sleep in, and never exercise. They’re all just a bunch of brittle bones.’
Yun Zijin knew the old man had a point.
"So, what are you buying today? I’ll have you know, my things are very expensive."
"Do I look like I can’t afford it? I’m in need of a vase for flower arrangements at home. It would be perfect if you had one in blue and white porcelain."
Yun Zijin thought for a moment. The living room at Villa 1 in Xingyu Mansion could use a new vase for flower arrangements.
She had been using a transparent glass vase, and she’d grown a bit tired of it.
"Why don’t you just ask me to find you a set of Tang Sancai while you’re at it!"
"If you have a set, I wouldn’t mind taking it off your hands! You have one here?"
Yun Zijin’s eyes lit up at the mention of Tang Sancai. It was another famous type of historical porcelain.
"Get outta here. I only have a piece of Yuan Blue and White Porcelain, no Tang Sancai."
Li Bingzhen felt that if Yun Zijin visited a few more times, she would be the death of him.
"Yuan Blue and White Porcelain!"
This was the most famous type of blue and white porcelain. Yun Zijin was genuinely surprised and delighted.
’She had thought that if he didn’t have any blue and white porcelain, then white porcelain or some other kind would have been fine, too.’
’After all, her goal was simply to spend money.’
’She never expected this. She had really come to the right place today.’
"Grandpa!"
Just as Yun Zijin was about to speak, she heard someone call out from the entrance, and the voice sounded a little familiar.
She turned to look...
"Zijing, what are you doing here?"
Li Yuexing hadn’t expected to see Yun Zijin at his grandfather’s shop.
’What a coincidence.’
"Li Yuexing?"
"You two know each other?"
Li Bingzhen’s gaze swept back and forth between Yun Zijin and Li Yuexing. He never imagined that this good-for-nothing grandson of his actually knew Yun Zijin.
’Dijing isn’t a small city. How could it be such a coincidence?’
"Grandpa, we’ve known each other for a while. Wait, Zijing, you haven’t said what you’re doing here yet."
"I came to buy a vase."
Yun Zijin said plainly.
"I came with Zijin."
Qin Sitong had only spent forty yuan on two modern, machine-made combs. She hadn’t even considered buying something like an antique.
"Since you two already know each other, there’s no need for introductions. Yuexing, come help me move this vase."
He was originally going to ask Yun Zijin’s bodyguards for help, but now that Li Yuexing had arrived, the old man put his grandson to work instead.