Chapter 7

"Give me your family's recycling station, and you won't have to worry about money anymore." Qin Hong lifted his eyelids to glance at Chen Muyu, sneered, and said, "Take it out, let me see what good things your grandfather left you."

Those who have been in the scrap business for a long time can't possibly say they've never found treasures, so Chen Muyu's excuse didn't make Qin Hong suspicious; instead, it piqued his interest.

The fat old man beside him also came over.

Chen Muyu opened his backpack, took out the poetry collection, and placed it on the table in front of Qin Hong.

Qin Hong picked it up and examined it for a moment, then his anticipation turned to disappointment. He looked at Chen Muyu, as if to say, "Is that it?"

"Poetry collection of Tang Yin?"

The fat old man took it over and flipped through it for a while. "A fine edition from the late Ming Dynasty, well-preserved, it's definitely genuine. However, young man, its value..."

When it came to value, the fat old man shook his head, clearly indicating that it wasn't worth much.

A fine edition refers to a rare ancient book that is finely engraved, printed, copied, or proofread, valuable manuscripts, unique editions, and rare documents, with the Song and Yuan dynasties being the most valuable.

Chen Muyu had done some research and didn't expect the poetry collection to be worth much.

"How much is it worth?" Chen Muyu asked directly, his eyes focused only on money.

"2000 yuan!"

Qin Hong took a sip of tea and quoted a price, with an expression that said he didn't want to waste words.

Chen Muyu almost spat in his face. He had spent 1900 yuan just on restoration, and Qin Hong was offering him 2000 yuan, making a profit of only 100 yuan. He had even spent 20 yuan on a taxi ride to get there!

He reached out and took the poetry collection back. "Old Qin, you're not being fair. 2000 yuan, are you taking me for a fool?"

"How much do you want?"

Qin Hong raised his eyelids and chuckled. "Ten thousand? Twenty thousand?"

Chen Muyu shrugged. "Actually, it's not about the amount of money. Since you're not being fair, I'll find someone else to look at it!"

With that, he put the poetry collection back in his backpack and turned to leave.

"Young man!"

After a few steps, the fat old man called out to him.

Chen Muyu turned around to see the old man smiling. "Young man, don't be so hasty. In business, it's all about negotiation. If you trust me, I can give you 20,000 yuan for this fine edition. How about it?"

20,000 yuan?

Chen Muyu looked at the fat old man in surprise. Compared to Qin Hong, this old man seemed much more amiable.

However, someone who hangs around with Qin Hong probably isn't a good person.

Qin Hong didn't introduce the old man to Chen Muyu.

"Are you serious?"

Chen Muyu raised an eyebrow.

The fat old man nodded. "If you feel it's a loss, consider it as if I never said it."

"Ha, as the saying goes, losing is a blessing. I'm afraid of many things, but not of losing. If you like it, you can have it!"

Chen Muyu smiled. He had only been testing the waters and didn't expect to get much money. Qin Hong's offer had indeed made him angry.

He had spent 1900 yuan on restoration, and selling it for 20,000 yuan was already a good profit. The poetry collection might be worth more, but Chen Muyu didn't want the hassle and just wanted to cash out quickly.

He handed the poetry collection back to the fat old man, who didn't hesitate and quickly transferred the money to Chen Muyu's phone.

With 20,000 yuan in his account, Chen Muyu smiled and glanced at Qin Hong. "It seems there are still people who can appreciate things here, Old Qin."

Qin Hong was quite frustrated. This kid was indirectly saying he couldn't recognize good things.

"Surely you have better things on you, young man. Can you show them to us?"

The fat old man's eyes were sharp, focusing on Chen Muyu's backpack. He could tell Chen Muyu was testing the waters, and that's why he had offered that price. He wanted to see what Chen Muyu could bring out.

"Hurry up, don't waste time!" Qin Hong said impatiently.

Chen Muyu cleared a large space on the desk, almost knocking Qin Hong's teacup to the ground.

Qin Hong was about to scold him but held back when he saw Chen Muyu's determined look.

Chen Muyu took out a yellowed scroll from his backpack, placed it on the table, and carefully unrolled it.

A ancient ink painting soon appeared before the three of them: distant mountains, large rocks, a stream, dark clouds, and a soaring eagle with sharp eyes, looking down on the world.

The two old men were immediately captivated!

"An eagle spreading its wings, a genuine work by Tang Yin. Only look, no touching!"

Chen Muyu's lips curved into a smile as he stepped back, giving the two men space.

"Hmph, young man, you're talking nonsense. Just because you say it's genuine, it is?" Qin Hong grunted.

Chen Muyu shrugged. "If you don't believe me, find an expert to look at it!"

Qin Hong was speechless, but he looked at the fat old man, who had already put on his reading glasses and was examining the painting closely.

The room was very quiet!

After a long time, the fat old man straightened up, his face filled with excitement. "An eagle spreading its wings, dominating the world. It is indeed a genuine work by Tang Yin, created in his early years. Look at this eagle, strong and passionate, fitting his youthful ambition..."

"Look at the small insect in the eagle's beak. Though small, it is exquisitely detailed. This level of skill is not easy!"

"Unfortunately, unfortunately, how did it get damaged like this..."

"What a waste, what a waste..."

...

The old man's expression changed from serious to shocked, and then he pounded his chest in sorrow, lamenting the damage.

Hearing this, Chen Muyu realized that the old man was knowledgeable. It seemed he had indeed found a treasure.

The fat old man took off his reading glasses and looked at Chen Muyu. "Young man, do you want to sell this?"

His eyes were filled with unhidden anticipation. Although the item was damaged, it could be a family heirloom for an ordinary person. He didn't think Chen Muyu would sell it.

"Of course!"

Chen Muyu gave him a definite answer. "If the price is right, there's no reason not to sell."

The fat old man's expression relaxed. "Do you understand the value of this painting?"

Chen Muyu shook his head. "I'd like to hear more."

The fat old man said, "Tang Yin's surviving masterpieces are few. Those that have survived to this day are rare treasures. To give you an idea, the most valuable one, 'Waterfall at Mount Lu,' sold for 3.6 billion yuan!"

3.6 billion yuan?

Chen Muyu felt dizzy and almost fell to the ground. How much money was that?

"Of course, not every piece can sell for that much. You should understand that this field is very complex. Nowadays, most of Tang Yin's works are privately owned, and it's almost impossible for anyone to put them up for sale..."