Chapter 2

### Chapter 2: The Beautiful Neighbor

"Xiaodong, this time you've really made a big profit!"

Just as Liu Dong had finished collecting the money, a middle-aged man standing next to his stall, wearing a gray vest and blue slippers, with a slightly dark complexion, said enviously.

Hearing his words, Liu Dong couldn't help but smile. The man speaking to him was named Wu Yunxin, and they had known each other for almost two years. They were very familiar with each other, but while Liu Dong operated a wood carving stall, Wu Yunxin's stall dealt in antiques, which were the most common items in the antique market.

However, Wu Yunxin had only recently entered the business, lacked the necessary expertise, and had limited resources. Therefore, he could only set up a small stall on the roadside with Liu Dong, earning a modest living. Of course, although the earnings were not substantial, it was enough to support his family.

Back in the day, because they often helped each other secure spots, they gradually became close friends. They knew each other very well.

"Wu Shu, I'm just doing small-scale business. When it comes to making money, I can't compare to your antique business!" Liu Dong said with a smile.

He wasn't exaggerating. As more and more people in China became interested in collecting, the antique market had become increasingly popular. A small stall like Wu Yunxin's could earn one or two thousand yuan a month during good times.

Hearing his words, Wu Yunxin shook his head. "It's different, different! The antique market is too deep. Mistakes and losses are common. Although the profits are high, the risks are also significant. It's far better to learn a skill!"

Liu Dong nodded in agreement. They say all arts are interconnected. As his carving skills improved over the years, his understanding of ancient Chinese culture deepened. Being in the antique market, Liu Dong gradually became familiar with and even fond of antique collecting. However, he was well aware of the risks involved. In the three years he had been there, he had seen many people make mistakes, even losing everything overnight.

Therefore, he often reminded himself to be cautious. In the antique market, it was rare to find genuine items, and he often only looked but never bought from the stalls. As for the antique shops in the market, it was even more so; without expertise, one would only be taken advantage of.

"Xiaodong, you're twenty this year, right?" Wu Yunxin asked.

"Yes, after my birthday in November, I'll be twenty-one!" Liu Dong nodded in response.

"Ah, seeing you reminds me of my son. He's three months older than you, but he's always so carefree. He just plays games and uses the computer all day, with no proper direction. He's going to graduate from university in a year, and I really don't know what he'll do after that."

Pausing, he looked up at Liu Dong and said with a sigh, "If he had half your skills, I wouldn't worry about him finding a job after graduation."

Hearing his words, Liu Dong smiled faintly. He had met Wu Shu's son a few times but didn't feel comfortable commenting, as they didn't know each other well.

"Wu Shu, don't worry! Isn't that how most college students are these days? And they have degrees, so it's not hard for them to find jobs!" He paused. "If my family hadn't been poor and couldn't afford my tuition, I would have gone to college long ago. To be honest, I really envy Wu Ge!"

Liu Dong wasn't lying. With his high school grades, he could have easily chosen any top university in China. However, his family had no savings and couldn't afford to send two children to school. So, Liu Dong had secretly dropped out and followed some classmates to Quancheng to "seek a future." It had been three years since then, and he had almost never returned home.

It wasn't that he didn't want to go home, but he felt ashamed to face his aging parents with nothing to show for his efforts.

Thinking about this, Liu Dong sighed inwardly, a hint of sadness showing on his face.

"Alright, let's not talk about these depressing things. It's noon now, and there are few customers. Let's have lunch first!" Seeing his expression, the experienced Wu Yunxin guessed what he was thinking, blamed himself a bit, and quickly changed the subject.

"Wu Shu, you go first. I'll watch the stall for you!" Liu Dong said.

Although there were many people outside the antique market, there were few places to eat. Apart from bringing food from home, they had to buy from small food stalls on the roadside. However, their stalls needed to be watched, so they took turns going to eat.

Hearing his words, Wu Yunxin waved his hand and smiled. "No need, no need. This morning, my wife made me some dumplings, with real pork and chives. They're very delicious. Come and have some with me!"

Liu Dong didn't refuse. This wasn't the first time. Over the two years they had known each other, they often shared meals.

In the scorching midday heat, even the tall willows couldn't block the intense sunlight, and the streets became less crowded. It wasn't until after four in the afternoon, when the sun began to set, that the market started to get busy again. By around six in the evening, when the sun was about to set, the antique market was at its busiest.

The sounds of people buying and selling, haggling, car horns, and children crying created a vivid scene of daily life. Liu Dong and Wu Yunxin's small stall also saw its busiest time of the day.

By the time the streetlights came on, Liu Dong had sold almost all the wood carvings he had prepared over the past week.

Relieved and pleased, he wiped the sweat from his face with a white towel and rolled up the plastic sheet on the ground, putting it back into his black camphor wood box. After tidying up the area, Liu Dong picked up his wooden box, which he had carried for nearly three years, and prepared to go home.

"Wu Shu, I'm going back first!"

"Okay, I'll tidy up and go home soon! Xiaodong, are you coming tomorrow?" Wu Yunxin asked with a smile.

His business had been good today, especially in the afternoon when he managed to convince a tourist from the United States to buy a Qinghua porcelain vase for ten thousand yuan from his stall.

Even with Liu Dong's limited knowledge of antiques, he could tell that the Qinghua porcelain, which Wu Yunxin claimed was from the Qianlong period, was a modern craft item.

However, the American tourist liked it, and the shiny "thief's light" on the porcelain made it look very beautiful. So, both parties were happy, and the deal was made.

With this big sale, plus the other items he sold today, Wu Yunxin's income exceeded twenty thousand yuan. Although his costs were much higher than Liu Dong's wood carvings, his profit was still around eighteen thousand yuan, demonstrating the high profits in the antique business.

Hearing his words, Liu Dong patted the wooden box slung over his back and shook his head with a smile. "No, I sold all the wood carvings I had. So, I need to restock and carve more. I won't be coming tomorrow!"

"Okay, then I won't save a spot for you tomorrow!" Wu Yunxin said with a smile.

"Alright! I'll go back first, Wu Shu!"

"Okay, be careful on your way home!"

"Got it!" After agreeing, Liu Dong turned around, picked up the small stool he had been sitting on, and walked to his Jinlu brand black bicycle.

He rented a place in the Dijingyuan neighborhood on Weier Road. It took at least half an hour to ride from the antique market, but it was much closer than the bridge tunnel and suburban village where he had lived before.

In the summer, especially in July, the days in the north were the longest of the year. The streetlights usually came on around eight in the evening. Liu Dong's bicycle was an old "Jinlu" he had bought from a scrap yard when he first came to Quancheng. Although it wasn't very attractive, it was sturdy and cheap.