Chapter 25

Liu Mengxun had no good feelings toward Jia Zhengjing from the very beginning. The reason was very simple: she had previously lived in the upper echelons of society in Taiwan and had seen many rich young men, whether they were in politics or business. She had a deep-seated aversion to such people.

It's like when you eat too much abalone; you eventually get tired of it. When you see it again, you have no interest. Instead, you become particularly interested in those snacks you've never tried before.

Moreover, Jia Zhengjing had abandoned his female companion to fawn over her, which made Liu Mengxun feel even more disgusted. For such a man, she had only two words to describe him: shameless!

But she was, after all, a well-mannered person who had received a higher education. She didn't like to curse, so she reluctantly took Jia Zhengjing's business card.

She thought that this would settle the matter, but who would have thought that Jia Zhengjing was like a disgusting fly that, once it stuck to you, wouldn't let go.

Jia Zhengjing tossed a few bills to his female companion and then came over, moved a chair, and sat down, completely ignoring the disgusted or surprised looks from the others.

"Who is this guy? How can he be so disrespectful?" Xu Gang was the first to become impatient. He had seen shameless people before, but never one as shameless as this.

Boss Murong smiled awkwardly and said, "He's the son of an old friend. I apologize for his behavior. Zhengjing, if you're going to sit, just sit. Don't talk nonsense. Everyone here has seen the world, and there are many who are richer than you. Don't always act so condescending; it's embarrassing!"

Jia Zhengjing, however, was not at all bothered by Boss Murong's scolding. He just laughed and kept his eyes fixed on Liu Mengxun.

"Uncle Murong, I have no ill intentions. The dancer in your club is very suitable to be a model for our Romer clothing. As you know, our clothes are very retro, designed with classic Western medieval styles combined with modern trends. This young lady, when dressed, would surely shine brilliantly," Jia Zhengjing said with a smile.

"Sorry, she's not just any dancer!" Zhang Tianyuan couldn't hold back and coldly retorted.

Jia Zhengjing was taken aback and looked at Boss Murong.

Boss Murong nodded and said, "Miss Liu has a significant background. She wouldn't be interested in being a model in your store. Even if a famous director asked her to act in a movie, she might not be interested."

Jia Zhengjing was genuinely shocked. He had initially planned to bring Liu Mengxun to his store and deal with other matters later, treating her as a new toy. But now, hearing Boss Murong's words, he had a new idea. If this woman had such a distinguished background, he might be able to form a wealthy connection if he tried hard enough.

Jia Zhengjing stopped talking, knowing that he had been a bit frivolous today and could now act more composed.

The others, knowing that Jia Zhengjing was the son of Boss Murong's friend, understood that he had deep connections and couldn't be easily driven away. So they pretended he didn't exist.

The necessary things still needed to be done. After enjoying the classic Feather Dress Dance, the next important event was the appraisal of treasures.

"Gentlemen, it's not yet time for dinner. Why don't we appraise the treasures first and then enjoy a good meal?" Boss Murong looked at the time and asked.

"Even if it were time for dinner, I wouldn't have the leisure to eat. I'm very eager to see what my young friend Tianyuan has," Old Dong nodded and said.

Old Li and Boss Xiao also agreed, and Zhang Tianyuan had no objections.

Xu Gang, however, had little interest in the appraisal. He left his seat and sat at the edge, playing on his phone.

This was a private room, designed like a pavilion, but the surroundings were wrapped in soundproof materials to prevent outside noise from coming in. Even the soundproof materials were beautifully designed, depicting the essence of Han and Tang culture in a long scroll.

After closing the door, the music from outside could still be heard, but it was very faint.

"How shall we proceed with the appraisal?" Boss Xiao asked.

Old Li thought for a moment and said, "Let's write down our appraisal results on paper. That way, we can evaluate them at the end. Otherwise, it wouldn't be interesting if we just said them out loud."

Everyone nodded in agreement. This method was good because no one could pretend to know more than they did.

"Who will show their treasure first?"

"Let me go first. Young friend Tianyuan's item can be the highlight, to be shown last," Old Dong smiled and said.

"Alright, you decide!" Zhang Tianyuan was no longer particularly eager to know the price of the "Shangyangtai" scroll. After seeing the high price of the previous comic book, he had little confidence in this item. Though it wasn't bad, it probably wouldn't be as expensive as that.

"I must clarify that since this is an appraisal, there will be both genuine and fake items. If everything were genuine, there would be no need for an appraisal. So, everyone should carefully consider before making a decision and not act impulsively," Old Dong added.

Boss Xiao suddenly said, "This isn't interesting. We need to add a stake."

"What stake?"

"How about this: if someone appraises a fake as genuine, they have to buy it at the appraised price. If someone appraises a genuine item as fake, they have to donate one-tenth of its value to charity. What do you think?" Boss Xiao smiled and said.

"This is a good idea; I agree!" Old Li was the first to nod in agreement.

Old Dong didn't want to be left behind and also nodded in agreement. Boss Murong, being a confident appraiser, naturally agreed as well.

Zhang Tianyuan hesitated for a moment but then nodded. Although he wasn't very accurate in his appraisals, he was confident in distinguishing genuine from fake items. Today, he was the most confident of all.

Just as the appraisal was about to begin, Xu Gang interjected, "I'm an outsider, so I won't join in. Otherwise, I might ruin everyone's fun. I wonder if this 'shameless' gentleman is willing to try?"

Jia Zhengjing, who had already been annoyed by Xu Gang, straightened his clothes and said confidently, "I'm sorry to disappoint you. My father has been in the antique collection business for a long time, and I have been influenced by it since childhood. I have handled many antiques and paintings. I will definitely participate in today's appraisal."

"Hehe, I hope you don't disappoint everyone," Xu Gang laughed, secretly cursing, "Idiot, with your meager skills, you dare to show off in front of these masters? You really don't know your limits."

Mou Ying knew her skills were limited and didn't join in the fun. Instead, she sat to the side to observe, knowing it was a rare learning opportunity.

As for Liu Mengxun, she didn't refuse. Unlike Mou Ying, she thought that since she had brought something today, she should participate in the appraisal. Besides, she might learn something. Even if she lost, it wouldn't matter much, as her specialty was archaeological research, and she was just a beginner in appraising treasures.

Of course, Liu Mengxun was much more polite than Jia Zhengjing.

"Seniors, I can only claim to have a shallow understanding of appraising. If I make a mistake, please don't laugh at me."

The elderly liked humble young people. Old Dong, who had been upset about the comic book incident yesterday, now laughed it off, appreciating the young lady's politeness.