Chapter 8: Suspicion

Li Ling splashed the remaining water in his cup onto the street, watching Yang Bo's departing back with puzzlement. How could Yang Bo be associating with the antique seller?

Back inside the shop, Jia Huairen, seeing Li Ling's pensive expression, asked with a smile, "What's wrong? Who were you talking to just now?"

"Oh, it was Yang Bo," Li Ling explained, unable to resist adding, "Uncle, isn't it strange? I just saw Yang Bo chatting with the antique seller who just left our shop!"

Jia Huairen laughed, "What's so strange about that?"

Suddenly, Jia Huairen's expression changed, and he exclaimed, "What did you say? Yang Bo, the Yang Bo from Gudezhai? He was actually with that fraudster?"

Li Ling's heart skipped a beat, "Yes, it was Yang Bo from Gudezhai, and they were talking!"

Jia Huairen's face turned serious, and he said angrily, "What a scoundrel, Guo Bapi! He's trying to deceive me, how dare he! Does he really think that such a flawed scheme can fool me?"

"Humph! Guo Bapi, I must strip you of your skin!" Jia Huairen muttered to himself for a moment, then turned to Li Ling and instructed, "Don't mention this to Yang Bo again. Stay away from him in the future, don't let him sell you out without you even realizing it!"

Li Ling also thought about the implications. The thought that his uncle might be deceived by Yang Bo and his boss filled him with anger. How could I have treated you like a brother all this time!

...

Yang Bo, of course, was unaware of these developments. He brought the middle-aged man to the bank, drafted a simple transfer contract, signed it, and transferred 50,000 yuan to him. The deal was done.

Holding the red long box, sitting in the bank's service hall, Yang Bo felt a mix of relief and pressure. The 50,000 yuan he had just received was gone in a flash, but he was glad he hadn't called home. The brocade box in his arms gave him a sense of reassurance, and he hoped this painting would bring him good luck!

Now that he had the ancient painting, the next step was to sell it. Gudezhai and Boguzhai were out of the question. There were several other antique shops in the area, but few were truly trustworthy. Early this morning, when he followed Deputy Curator Qu to Boguzhai, he almost fell for Jia Huairen and the other old man's deception. If even acquaintances could be so deceitful, how much more so the ruthless dealers!

After some thought, Yang Bo decided to try the shop where he had sold the fish basket vase. He had already established a professional image there, and he believed Mr. Liu wouldn't dare to be too unreasonable.

The three characters "Jiyatang" were written in a flowing script. When Yang Bo entered, there was no one else in the shop. Mr. Liu was sitting in the hall drinking tea, and a clerk was dozing off at the table.

Seeing Yang Bo walk in, Mr. Liu was initially surprised, then smiled. Anyone who could bring business was a god of wealth, "Oh, Young Yang, do you have something good?"

Yang Bo nodded and put down the box, "Take a look first, then we can talk!"

"Sure!" Mr. Liu laughed, then instructed the clerk, "The tea in the pot is too weak, go and brew a good pot!"

The clerk glanced at Yang Bo curiously, wondering why the boss was treating this young man with such respect.

Yang Bo smiled to himself, realizing that the rules were similar in every shop. The quality of the tea served was a clear distinction.

Although Mr. Liu had previously accepted a genuine item from Yang Bo, he was clearly more cautious this time. He opened the box, took out the scroll, and laid a cloth on the table before placing the scroll on it and slowly unrolling it. As soon as he saw it, a sense of clean and serene Zen washed over him, and he couldn't help but praise it.

Yang Bo sat to one side, sipping his tea. When he came early in the morning, he was nervous and restless, with no time to enjoy the tea. Now, with a plan in mind, he savored the tea and looked around the shop, feeling a different kind of sentiment.

In the past, Yang Bo had closely observed the customers who came to sell antiques. Their backgrounds varied, and their behaviors were different. Farmers who brought items were often anxious, looking around nervously with unfocused eyes. Smooth-talking fraudsters and brokers entered calmly, maintaining a pleasant demeanor even during conversations, making it hard to read them, but their slick, business-like aura was unmistakable. Finally, there were the collectors, who had the most refined demeanor. When they spoke, they could often leave Guo Bapi speechless, though this was rare.

Yang Bo had once fantasized about being a collector, holding valuable items like bronze, jade, and paintings, and speaking with such authority that others would be in awe. Now, he found this fantasy somewhat laughable. Without hard work and study, how could he achieve such a status?

As he reminisced, Mr. Liu returned, "Young Yang, you're really efficient. Did you get this ancient painting this afternoon?"

Mr. Liu clearly saw Yang Bo as one of those secondhand dealers. Yang Bo smiled but didn't deny it, "Kun Can, whose courtesy name is Jieqiu and style name is Shixi, is one of the Four Monks of the Qing Dynasty. This painting has a stable composition, intricate and dense, with scenery that doesn't rely on novelty but reveals depth in the ordinary, and the brushwork is extraordinary."

Seeing that Yang Bo was only talking about the painting and not other matters, Mr. Liu didn't press further, but he was inwardly impressed. He wondered who had raised such a talented individual, "Indeed, Kun Can studied under Huang Gongwang and Wang Meng, especially close to Wang Meng. His paintings have a tight composition, a rugged and vigorous brushwork, and he particularly likes to use a worn brush and dry ink, layering and rubbing to create a heavy yet uncluttered, lush yet unobstructed effect, excelling in depicting ordinary scenes with depth in the mundane."

Yang Bo smiled, took a small sip of tea, and the clear broth flowed smoothly down his throat, leaving a fragrant aftertaste.

Mr. Liu's expression became more serious, "Young Yang, you should know that this painting is not like the fish basket vase. We don't deal in dubious items. This street is full of shops, and many items have a reputation, and we are all aware of each other."

At first, Yang Bo didn't understand the implication, but after a moment's thought, he realized that Mr. Liu suspected him of being a thief!

Not revealing his identity had led to such wild speculation, which frustrated Yang Bo. However, he couldn't reveal his true identity. Could he tell Mr. Liu that he was just a clerk at an antique shop? If he did, could he still be treated as an equal? The mystery he had worked hard to create would be lost, and he would lose leverage in negotiations, as Mr. Liu wouldn't dare to offer a low price if he didn't know who he was dealing with.

"Mr. Liu, rest assured. I never deal in dubious items. The items I have are all legitimate. I keep coming back because the prices you offer are fair," Yang Bo explained.