Chapter 16 of 100
Chapter 16
13 min read3,189 words
Chapter Sixteen: The Antique Stall
Liu Dong had been mixing in the antique market for three years. Although he did not deal in antiques himself, he was very clear about the ins and outs of the place.
Although the middle-aged man in front of him was unremarkable in appearance, Liu Dong knew that anyone who could open a stall in the antique market had been around for over a decade. These people might not match the appraisal skills of experts from museums and auction houses, but they were absolutely shrewd when it came to reading people and doing business.
As soon as Liu Dong showed the slightest interest in the items on his stall, the middle-aged man would definitely quote a sky-high price that would make anyone wince. Even modern art pieces could be hyped up as imperial tributes from some dynasty.
"Boss, how much is this?" Liu Dong bent down and picked up a blue-and-white three-legged pen washer from the stall.
"Brother, you have a good eye. This three-legged pen washer is a genuine Ru kiln porcelain from the Northern Song Dynasty. It's quite rare now. I found it in the countryside. If you like it...!"
"Stop, stop!" Liu Dong quickly interrupted the middle-aged boss's endless talk. Just mentioning a Northern Song Ru kiln, the next part would likely be about it being an imperial item, followed by a story full of references. Liu Dong was all too familiar with the lies told by antique dealers to laymen. He didn't want to waste his time listening to the middle-aged man's boring story.
Moreover, the Ru kiln, one of the five famous kilns of the Song Dynasty, was something Liu Dong knew a lot about, even though he had never seen it. The three-legged pen washer of the Ru kiln was a well-known typical piece, now housed in the Palace Museum.
But even without his special ability, he absolutely did not believe that this dull, rough-textured porcelain could be the crown of Song Dynasty ceramics.
"Boss, there are only sixty-seven Ru kiln porcelains in the world, and none of the museums in our Dongshan Province have one. If you think this is a million-dollar Ru kiln porcelain, you might as well keep it for yourself!" Saying this, Liu Dong put the three-legged pen washer back on the stall.
Although Liu Dong had exposed the truth, the middle-aged boss showed no signs of discomfort. Clearly, he was a seasoned veteran. He then smiled and said, "I didn't expect you to be an expert, little brother. If you really like this pen washer, I'll let you have it for two hundred yuan!"
Hearing this, Liu Dong couldn't help but sneer inwardly. This three-legged pen washer wasn't even a high-quality imitation; it was a crude and shoddy piece. Two hundred yuan was too much, even ten yuan would be too much. Besides, Liu Dong's goal wasn't this piece.
"Boss, how much is this?" Liu Dong picked up the item he had his eye on without showing any emotion.
"Oh, this snuff bottle is a genuine old piece from the Qing Dynasty. You're a smart guy, so I won't charge you too much—just a thousand yuan!"
Liu Dong quickly shook his head, "Boss, you and I both know that if it were from the Qing Dynasty, you wouldn't be putting it here!"
The middle-aged man understood the hidden meaning in Liu Dong's words. Indeed, he knew that the market for Qing Dynasty snuff bottles was good, with fine pieces selling for at least fifty to sixty thousand yuan at auctions. A Qing Dynasty glass snuff bottle with enamel painting sold for 1.67 million Hong Kong dollars at Sotheby's in 1997. And that was the price from a few years ago. With the thriving antique market, the price would definitely be higher now.
Even if it wasn't from the early Qing Dynasty, any old Qing Dynasty item would be worth more than a thousand yuan.
"How much do you want to offer, little brother?" The middle-aged man saw that the person in front of him, despite his young age, was a true expert and not easy to fool. He gave up on the idea of selling it at a high price.
"Five yuan!" Liu Dong haggled without mercy.
"Five yuan? Little brother, this isn't an antique, but I paid more than that when I got it!" The middle-aged man said, clearly incredulous. Because Liu Dong's offer was so low and he no longer saw him as a mark, he inadvertently revealed his cost.
Seeing his reaction, Liu Dong couldn't help but smile. He knew his price was indeed low, "Boss, how about fifty yuan? That's a good price for it!" He knew the snuff bottle in his hand was genuine. If he met someone who knew its value, even five hundred or five thousand yuan would be a good deal.
"Fifty yuan is a bit low. How about you add a bit more?" Before he could finish, Liu Dong made a move to put the snuff bottle back.
"Fine, fifty yuan it is!" The middle-aged man quickly agreed.
Although the antique market had the saying "three years without a sale, one sale to last three years," such big deals didn't happen often. Selling this snuff bottle didn't earn him much, but it was still a profit of thirty to forty yuan.
Hearing the middle-aged man agree, Liu Dong's joy flashed in his eyes, but he was looking down, so the middle-aged man didn't notice. To avoid any complications, Liu Dong quickly took out fifty yuan from his pocket and handed it over. After the transaction, he carefully put the snuff bottle in his shirt pocket, stood up, and prepared to continue his treasure hunt.
Seeing his series of actions and the careful look on his face, the middle-aged man, holding the fifty yuan, couldn't help but wonder if the snuff bottle he had picked up from an old house was indeed an old piece. But even if he wanted to back out now, it was too late. Once the money and goods were exchanged, even if the snuff bottle was worth a million, it had nothing to do with him anymore.
This was the rule in the antique market. Whether it was a "mistaken purchase" or a "bargain find," it was all due to one's own lack of discernment, and there was no room for regret or retaliation.
"Xiao Dong!" Just as Liu Dong was about to leave the stall and walk a hundred meters, he heard an elderly voice from behind.
"Uncle Long?" Turning around, Liu Dong saw an old man with a smile on his face, waving at him. He couldn't help but be surprised.
"Surprised to see me here?" The old man quickly walked over.
Hearing this, Liu Dong touched his nose and said with a calm smile, "Yes, it's already past four, and the store should be busy. Why are you here shopping?"
"Can I see the item you just bought, young man?" Before Uncle Long could speak, the old man who was following him spoke first. Liu Dong took one look and knew that this old man, wearing a traditional buttoned shirt, black shorts, and blue slippers, was not an ordinary person. Despite his casual attire, he exuded a gentle and refined scholar's aura.
When Uncle Long walked over, Liu Dong had seen this old man but didn't recognize him, so he didn't greet him.
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