Chapter 32

"Big deal?" Qi Xiang frowned, his eyes showing a hint of scrutiny. "Xiao Yu, what big deal?"

"Let's go, we can talk while we walk," Xiao Yu said with a smile. "You really have good timing. I was just about to go when I saw you. Since we know each other, I can't let this opportunity for wealth slip by without telling you."

"Thanks in advance..." Qi Xiang clasped his hands. "I'll treat you later."

"Sure, sure," Xiao Yu beamed. "To be honest, your network is wider than mine, so you'll definitely make more money."

"That depends on what kind of deal it is," Qi Xiang probed. "You know, I'm pretty busy right now. I appreciate your kindness, but I'll push away any ordinary jobs."

"Don't worry, it's definitely a big deal," Xiao Yu didn't hide it, and whispered, "An old collector has to sell some of his collection because his son wants to buy a big house to get married. He has no choice but to cut his losses."

"Tsk!" Qi Xiang shook his head.

He wasn't unfamiliar with such situations. Collecting is usually a personal matter. Some people are obsessed with it for life, while others don't care at all.

Some renowned collectors have spent their lives collecting tens of thousands of items. But soon after they pass away, their descendants put these items up for auction.

Such situations are common in the collecting world and will continue to happen.

"The son ruining the father's home is a natural thing, don't tsk," Xiao Yu laughed. "If he didn't ruin it, where would we have a chance to act?"

"Since it's an old collector, he must know a lot of people. What do you need us to do?" Qi Xiang was a bit confused.

"Hehe, you don't know," Xiao Yu chuckled. "I forgot to mention, the old collector isn't from here, but from Huzhou. He also wants to save face and doesn't want his peers to know he's selling his collection, so he's willing to go to great lengths."

"Before, I had a few dealings with him, and I didn't cheat him, so he trusts me. When he had this good opportunity, he called me first and asked if I wanted to take a look."

Xiao Yu said frankly, "However, he has a lot of items, and I can't handle them all alone, so I brought you in. What do you think, are you interested?"

"Huzhou?" Qi Xiang smiled. "Alright, no problem."

"Great..." Xiao Yu rubbed his hands. "The usual split, 70-30."

"Sure," Qi Xiang didn't mind.

Xiao Yu snapped his fingers. "Let's go!"

"So fast?" Qi Xiang was a bit surprised.

"I was about to leave anyway," Xiao Yu explained. "Besides, in such matters, the faster the better. We don't want the old collector to change his mind, which would be troublesome."

"True," Qi Xiang agreed. "Let's go then."

They left the alley, hailed a car, and headed straight for the airport. They first flew to Hangzhou and then transferred to Huzhou. By the time they arrived at their destination, it was already dusk.

Xiao Yu made a call to the old collector and then turned back with a smile. "Qi Xiang, let's find a place to stay first. We'll go to his house early tomorrow. He has everything ready, just waiting for us to take a look."

Qi Xiang had no objections and walked with Xiao Yu to find a place to stay.

After walking for a while, Xiao Yu was surprised. "Qi Xiang, have you been to Huzhou before? How come you know the roads better than I do?"

Qi Xiang smiled slightly, leading the way and nodding. "I lived in Huzhou for a few years."

This was also why Qi Xiang didn't refuse when Xiao Yu mentioned Huzhou.

After all, the turmoil in Nanjing hadn't subsided, and he didn't want to stay. But if he had to leave, he would choose a place he was familiar with, and Huzhou was a good choice.

"Ah, why didn't you say so earlier..." Xiao Yu was happy. "Then the eating, drinking, and entertainment will be up to you."

"Sure," Qi Xiang didn't refuse, and after a moment, they arrived at a fairly high-end hotel.

After settling in, they rested for two to three hours, then went to the night market, ate and drank to their heart's content, and returned to the hotel to sleep. The next morning, they went to meet the old collector.

The old collector didn't live in the city but had a house in the suburbs. Xiao Yu knew the place and led Qi Xiang there.

Huzhou, located on the shores of Lake Tai in southern Jiangsu, has been a prosperous and wealthy place since ancient times, known for its abundant fish and rice and its silk production. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, Huzhou was already an important grain-producing area in southern Jiangsu.

Due to thousands of years of cultivation and development, the plains are divided by a network of canals and rivers, with fields, land, and water interwoven, creating a rich water town atmosphere.

In the suburbs, Qi Xiang saw a typical southern water town and countryside landscape. White-walled, black-tiled buildings were scattered among the villages, with smoke rising from the chimneys.

By the canals and streams, lush grass and bamboo forests were green and vibrant. The old collector's residence was by a clear stream, with a brick and tile courtyard. Two jujube trees stood at the front gate, lush and full of charm.

The courtyard gate was open, and laughter and chatter could be heard from the hall.

"Huh?" Xiao Yu frowned, alert. "There are other guests?"

"Let's go in and see," Qi Xiang said softly. "You call out."

Xiao Yu nodded and called out with a laugh, "Is Old Guo there? We're here."

"Xiao Yu..."

A moment later, someone came out of the house, an elderly man with a receding hairline. He was wearing a clean and tidy Zhongshan suit, looking like a retired official with a somewhat stern demeanor.

But at this moment, he seemed in a good mood, smiling and saying, "You're here so early?"

"Old Guo, you called, we couldn't be late," Xiao Yu said with a grin, introducing Qi Xiang, "Old Guo, as I mentioned yesterday, this is Mr. Qi..."

"Mr. Qi, nice to meet you, nice to meet you," Old Guo was very热情.

Qi Xiang also responded politely, "Old Guo, it's a bit presumptuous of me to visit, but I hope I'm not disturbing you."

"Not at all, very welcome..."

After a few pleasantries, the three of them entered the courtyard together.

As soon as they entered, Qi Xiang saw that there were indeed other guests in the hall. He was taken aback for a moment because one of the two guests looked familiar.

A plump, chubby man with a gentle demeanor, clearly the Hai Gongzi he had met in the incense shop.

Qi Xiang hesitated for a moment, then followed.

In the hall, Old Guo began introducing everyone, "Come, come, let's get acquainted."

"This is Xiao Ding and his friend."

"Xiao Yu, Mr. Qi..."

Everyone gave Old Guo face, shaking hands and greeting each other, pretending to be old friends. In reality, each was trying to figure out the other's background.

For a moment, the atmosphere in the hall became a bit awkward, and the laughter gradually faded.

Xiao Yu and Xiao Ding, both about the same age and sharp, immediately sensed a kindred spirit in each other and were extra cautious.

Despite their friendly smiles, they were actually observing and subtly competing with each other.

In contrast, Qi Xiang and Hai Gongzi were more composed. They sat across from each other, holding their cups and nodding in greeting, like old friends drinking tea.

Amid the tension, Old Guo spoke up, smiling, "Everyone is here, let's get to the point."

"I won't hide anything from you. My family is in a difficult situation, and I apologize for the inconvenience."

Old Guo was a bit sad, "Every family has its own troubles. I spent most of my life collecting, and I wanted to pass it down, but my son... sigh, rather than let him ruin it, I'd rather handle it myself and find a good home for these items."

"Right, right!"

"Indeed, indeed!"

Xiao Yu and Xiao Ding nodded in agreement, confirming that the other was indeed a competitor.

To say they weren't a bit resentful towards Old Guo was impossible. They both thought he had only invited them, but it turned out he had set them up and invited others as well.

But they were also wise enough to know that at this point, any resentment had to be buried. The key was to outbid the other and get more good items.

At this moment, Old Guo forced a smile, "You know, I have a lot of items, and they are quite varied, some good, some not so good..."

Suddenly, Xiao Ding interrupted, "Old Guo, before we talk about the other items, I have a question. Is your incense Buddha also for sale?"

"Incense Buddha!" Qi Xiang's heart stirred, glancing at Hai Gongzi, understanding a bit more.

At the same time, Xiao Yu was first surprised, then delighted, "Old Guo, is your incense Buddha also for sale?"

"Uh..." Old Guo was taken aback, hesitating, "Xiao Ding, I didn't say I was selling the incense Buddha. I planned to keep it. After selling most of my collection, I want to keep something as a memento..."

"Old Guo, when it comes to such matters, it's either all or nothing," Xiao Ding shook his head. "Keeping a memento will only make you sad, thinking about it all the time. It's better to let it go and be done with it."

"Xiao Ding..." Old Guo was a bit displeased.

"Old Guo, my words may not be pleasant, but they are true. I'm speaking plainly," Xiao Ding sighed. "Old Guo, you know how expensive housing is now. A decent house can cost one to two million."

"Moreover, for your son's wedding, he'll need a wedding house and a wedding car. The wedding itself can't be small, and all these things add up to a significant expense."

Xiao Ding continued, "If you sell the incense Buddha, all these problems will be solved. This way, you won't need to sell other items, and you'll gain a lot."

Xiao Yu, listening on the side, was initially stunned, then his eyes almost caught fire.

"Vicious, this bastard is really vicious, trying to hog everything for himself!" Xiao Yu was furious, looking at Old Guo with concern...