Chapter 2

While still on the train, Yu Lifei had bought a map of Tanzhou and studied it carefully. He knew that upon exiting the train station, he would face the largest commercial street in Tanzhou: Wuyi Road. Although he was eager to find answers, his first priority was to solve the problem of food and shelter. Only by finding a job would he have the opportunity to seek the answers in his heart; otherwise, everything would be just empty talk.

Yu Lifei carried his simple luggage and walked west along Wuyi Road. The further he went, the more he felt something was drawing him. To be precise, something was calling to him, making him follow his instincts.

Following Wuyi Road westward, after more than an hour, he arrived at the Tan River within Tanzhou. The Tan River Bridge, built in the early days of the People's Republic of China, has always been the link between the east and west sides of the river. Yu Lifei had grown up in the mountains and had seen small streams and rivers, but this was the first time he had seen a river over a kilometer wide. Leaning on the railing, he gazed at the surging river, its waves vast and magnificent. The lights on the other side of the river were bright, making it a place of great allure.

However, Yu Lifei did not cross the river. From the map, he saw that the west side of the Tan River mainly had Tan Mountain, with several universities at its foot. The east side, however, was the true city center, with wide roads and bustling commercial areas. His future living environment would be on this side. Moreover, there was an inexplicable attraction here, drawing him involuntarily.

The reason Yu Lifei would unconsciously go to the village temple to sleep at night, or spend the night in the old man's attic, was actually a subconscious behavior. This was his secret, a secret he hadn't even told the old man. In the past, Yu Lifei always considered the mountains his home. Every morning, before the sun rose, he would sit on a rock, facing east, and practice the breathing exercises taught by the old man.

The old man had taught him this set of breathing exercises for cultivating the body and mind when he was just learning to walk. After moving to the mountains, the old man continued to practice, feeling refreshed and benefiting his health. He had learned this from an ancient book and, after practicing it himself, taught it to Yu Lifei to help him strengthen his body.

However, the old man didn't know that these breathing exercises had caused a change in Yu Lifei. After the ancient jade pendant around his neck suddenly disappeared, one night, Yu Lifei couldn't resist the urge to go to the village to sleep. His favorite places were the village temple and the old houses. Whenever he slept in these places, he would sleep very soundly, and when he woke up the next day, he felt more refreshed than after a month of practice.

Along the Tan River, there were many pavilions and corridors. The gentle river breeze made it a great place for people to relax. There were those exercising, playing chess, and even singing and playing with birds. Of course, where there are people, there are vendors. Besides those selling water and drinks, he also saw some stalls selling various goods, including antiques and old items.

Looking at the antiques and old items, he didn't find anything he liked, and the silver in his pocket wasn't enough to buy dinner and accommodation. But Yu Lifei was more concerned about food. As for accommodation, he thought that with such weather, sleeping in a pavilion by the Tan River shouldn't be a problem. In the past, he had even slept in trees, tying himself to the branches with bark-made ropes, which was a much more precarious experience.

Walking north along the river, he suddenly saw many people setting up stalls on the opposite side of the road. There were many people, bustling and lively. Yu Lifei crossed the road and saw that most of the stalls were similar to those by the river. But as he walked further along a street called Qing Shui Road, the number of stalls increased, and most of them sold antiques. Yu Lifei didn't know that this was actually the famous antique street in Tanzhou.

Others were looking at the items, but Yu Lifei was more interested in the lively atmosphere. He wasn't particularly fond of old items. If given a choice between an old item and a new one, he would always choose the new one. As the saying goes, "Out with the old, in with the new." In his view, people who bought old items were mainly looking for bargains because they couldn't afford new ones. Of course, if an old item attracted him, it would be a different story.

He noticed a rice noodle shop ahead, which made him hungry. But just as he was about to enter the shop, something on a stall at the entrance caught his attention. The stall was simply a piece of velvet cloth laid on the ground, with a variety of old items displayed on it. The stall owner sat on a small stool, and business had begun.

What caught Yu Lifei's attention was a figurine covered in mud. It depicted a child on top and what seemed to be a cow below. From the outside, it didn't look particularly special. The stall owner didn't seem to value it much, placing it in a corner with other figurines, and it was even at the bottom of the pile. When Yu Lifei picked up the figurine, a vague image immediately appeared in his mind, somewhat resembling the figurine.

This startled Yu Lifei. The feeling was as if the figurine had flown into his brain. He was shocked and immediately put it down, and the image disappeared. He hesitated for a moment, then slowly picked it up again, and the image reappeared. This time, the image was slightly clearer, though not much, but he could still sense the difference.

This time, Yu Lifei didn't put it down immediately. He carefully "looked" at the image in his mind, which was transparent and glowing, a three-dimensional image of the child and the cow. He also noticed something inside the cow's belly, but it was obscured by bamboo roots, making it hard to see clearly. Based on his guess, it was probably a piece of jade. Although he didn't know much about jade, he could tell that the light emitted by the jade was stronger than that of the figurine.

When he put the figurine down and picked up other items, nothing similar happened. But when he picked up the child and cow figurine again, the image immediately reappeared. This left him amazed, but he couldn't explain it. After the initial shock, he now felt a comfortable sensation, similar to the feeling he had when sleeping in the village temple. This feeling was strange, and with his current knowledge, he couldn't fully understand it. However, he was certain that this situation wasn't a disease and didn't harm his body.

"How much is this?" Yu Lifei asked, putting down the figurine. When buying, it's best not to be too eager; if the seller sees through your intentions, you won't get a good deal.

"You have a good eye; this is a fine piece," the stall owner, a man in his forties with a square face, said. He looked honest, but his eyes were sharp. He didn't explain why it was good, just called it a fine piece, waiting to see the buyer's reaction. He knew the origin of his items well and was delighted when someone showed interest in his stall.

"What makes it good?" Yu Lifei asked. He wasn't an expert; his interest in the figurine was purely due to a mysterious feeling, not because of his knowledge.

"Look at the quality; it's an old piece," the stall owner said, liking buyers like Yu Lifei who were novices. However, seeing his simple clothes, he was somewhat disappointed.

"How much?" Yu Lifei asked. If an expert were buying, they would first examine the item and explain its history. Buying an item and hearing its story is the joy of antique enthusiasts. It's both profitable and enjoyable, naturally captivating.

Of course, not all antiques have a story. Given China's long history, the number of people and items from ancient times is vast. It's impossible for every item's story to be passed down. However, the Chinese are not short of clever people. If there's no story, can't one be fabricated? Some people, upon hearing a story, deliberately create items to match it.

"I think this item has a special connection with you. To be honest, someone once offered 5,000 yuan for it, but I didn't sell it. Today, meeting a young brother like you, I'll part with it for 2,000 yuan as a favor." The stall owner adjusted his price based on the buyer. If he set it too high, the buyer might turn away, which would be a loss.

PS: New book uploaded, please recommend and collect.

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