Chapter 78

Yang Kang touched the item, then picked it up and shone a flashlight on it. It was indeed the piece of jade, which his father had personally hung around his neck on his nineteenth birthday.

Having missed the white jade lock, if he could bid for this piece of jade at the auction, it would be a small consolation.

Thinking of this, Yang Kang felt greatly pleased. If he could gradually buy back the things from the past, it would be enough to comfort his father's spirit in heaven.

The Jade Treasure Shop had already returned to his hands, and now it was this "Pine and Snow" jade pendant. He believed there would be opportunities for other things as well.

Glancing at the starting bid, Yang Kang couldn't help but curse inwardly. When he sold it, it only fetched 1.2 million, but the starting bid now was 3 million, which was simply too much.

The auctioneer announced the auction rules and then began the auction.

Yang Kang immediately raised his paddle and called out, "3.2 million!"

Most of the people present were there for antiques and had no interest in jade, so after he bid, no one else bid. The auctioneer asked twice, but the venue remained silent.

Just as the auctioneer was about to announce that the "Pine and Snow" jade pendant belonged to Yang Kang, Tang Chen, who was sitting next to him, suddenly said, "3.5 million."

"Mr. Tang..." Yang Kang said in a daze, "This was originally my thing. Please don't compete." As he spoke, he hurriedly tried to raise his paddle.

However, when he looked for the paddle, he found it was missing. He became anxious and started searching. These paddles were electronic devices, and when you bid, it was like using a remote control. You pressed the corresponding number, and it would appear on the electronic screen at the front of the auction.

Without the paddle, even if he shouted until he was hoarse, the auctioneer wouldn't pay attention to him.

At this moment, the auctioneer asked three times, and there were no more bids. He immediately announced that Tang Chen had won the "Pine and Snow" jade pendant.

A waiter had already brought a tray and carefully delivered the jade pendant to Tang Chen, who paid with his card without hesitation.

"Mr. Tang, 4 million, please transfer it to me," Yang Kang said, almost in tears. What was going on?

Tang Chen didn't speak, just smiled at him. Yang Kang said urgently, "Mr. Tang, this jade pendant was originally mine. My father gave it to me on my nineteenth birthday. Please..."

Tang Chen placed a paddle on the table, then rubbed the jade and examined it against the light. "It's indeed a fine piece. The water is good, the type is good, and the luster is strong. Your father had good taste and knew how to pick things."

As he spoke, he hung the jade pendant around Yang Kang's neck and smiled. "You're young, and the jade has a bright and fresh color. It looks great on you. The Song Dynasty jade, get someone to make a string for it and hang it on your waist. You can play with it when you have nothing to do."

Yang Kang was overjoyed and said, "Thank you, Mr. Tang. Give me your account, and I'll transfer the money to you."

"Wait, it's a bit chaotic here. No rush," Tang Chen said with a smile.

Yang Kang looked around and saw that the auctioneer had already started the next item. He nodded, understanding.

Wang Qiyi was also sitting next to Yang Kang and frowned slightly at the scene. Tang Chen seemed a bit too enthusiastic about Yang Kang.

"What did the good fortune lock you wore as a child look like? Do you have a photo?" Tang Chen asked in a low voice. "If you do, show it to me. I'll keep an eye out for it and buy it for you if I see it."

"I do!" Yang Kang said with a smile. "It's at home!"

"I'll take you back and take a look," Tang Chen said.

The auction proceeded quickly and smoothly, ending after 11 PM.

Originally, Wang Qiyi was going to take Yang Kang back, but because of Tang Chen, Yang Kang got into Tang Chen's car and returned to Ruyi Fang.

"Ah Kang, I'll take a look at your priceless vases as well," Tang Chen said with a smile. "Is that okay?"

"Sure!" Yang Kang nodded. Tang Chen was passionate about porcelain, and his purpose for taking him back was probably the vases. He immediately said, "Since that's the case, come upstairs with me to see them. It will save me a trip."

"Okay!" Tang Chen nodded and followed Yang Kang upstairs.

Through the glass door of the display cabinet, Tang Chen's gaze fell on the three vases. After a long look, he said, "They are truly breathtaking. These two meiping vases are rare treasures."

Every time someone said something like this, Yang Kang would think of what Fat Guo had said: "Even for soy sauce, it's too much trouble!"

These two vases were beautiful but had no other practical use.

"Mr. Tang, should I open the cabinet for you to see?" Yang Kang asked, reaching for the key.

"No need, I'll just look from here," Tang Chen shook his head. "I'm not an expert. Touching them wouldn't make much difference, and when I see something I like, I want to own it."

"There are many good things in the world, not all of which can be owned," Yang Kang said with a smile.

Tang Chen looked at them carefully for a while and then said with a sigh, "They are indeed beautiful. No wonder Professor Qin joked that we haven't seen the world."

Yang Kang just smiled. When he first saw the vases, he almost forgot to breathe.

"Show me the photo so I can keep an eye out for it," Tang Chen said.

"Sure!" Yang Kang said, pulling out a photo album from the drawer below the display cabinet. He flipped through it and found a photo, saying with a smile, "This was taken by a curious classmate when I was in college. It's not very clear."

As he spoke, he pushed the photo album toward Tang Chen.

Tang Chen looked at it and, as Yang Kang had said, the good fortune lock was only as thick as a thumb, with tiny seal script carved on it—Good Fortune and As You Wish.

A person's lifelong aspiration is encapsulated in these four words, but how many can truly achieve them?

"Good fortune is one thing, but for everything to go as you wish is another," Tang Chen said with a bitter smile.

"Life is often filled with disappointments, and nine out of ten things don't go as planned," Yang Kang said with a bitter smile. "Mr. Tang already has good fortune, which is far more fortunate than ordinary people."

"You're right. One must be more open-minded; otherwise, how can one live?" Tang Chen smiled, took the photo from the album, and said, "I'll keep this and look for it for you."

"Thank you!" Yang Kang hurriedly thanked him.

Tang Chen seemed to be casually flipping through the album, then pointed to one of the photos and asked, "Your father?"

The photo showed an ordinary-looking middle-aged man with a cheerful smile and a scholarly air, but his appearance was definitely not as handsome as Yang Kang's.

"Yes!" Yang Kang nodded.

Tang Chen flipped through a few more pages, which included family photos of Yang Kang with his parents, photos of family trips, and some ordinary life photos, as well as photos with classmates at school.