Chapter 34: Hummer

After Liu Dong came out from the back yard of Taiyi Pavilion, he met Zhou Bin, who was watching the fine wood carvings in the store, and then they walked out together.

Because the antique market had a large number of people, and the items sold here were mostly fragile and valuable artworks, motor vehicles were generally not allowed to enter.

Therefore, the two, along with the two bodyguards following them, walked to a place not far from the antique market, near the street, and found a restaurant with a good environment, which looked very clean and had a Chinese classical decorative style. They then went inside.

According to Zhou Bin's idea, he originally wanted to find a high-end hotel for the two to have a good meal. However, Liu Dong did not want to make the other person spend so much on their first dinner together, so they chose this place.

Taking the menu, the two politely declined each other, then each ordered some signature dishes, and asked the waiter to instruct the kitchen to start cooking.

"Liu brother, may I ask, what is your relationship with Old Long?" Zhou Bin asked curiously.

He had known Old Long for quite some time and was familiar with his family, but this was the first time he had met this young man. The fact that an old man, who was renowned in the domestic handcrafted wooden furniture industry and could earn millions in a single commission, would go to such great lengths to secure an apprenticeship for him, indicated that their relationship was extraordinary.

"Of course, if it's inconvenient for you to say, then consider I didn't ask!" Zhou Bin quickly added.

After hearing his words, Liu Dong couldn't help but smile faintly and said, "Actually, there's nothing inconvenient about it!" As he spoke, a look of reminiscence appeared in his eyes, "When I first left home and came to Quancheng, I had no relatives or friends. I only had the wood carving skills I learned from a village carpenter when I was young. However, my wood carving skills were too poor, and no shop was willing to hire me. So at that time, I couldn't even earn enough for food, and had nowhere to stay at night!"

As he spoke, Liu Dong couldn't help but recall the hard days when he wandered the streets and lived with beggars.

Seeing Liu Dong's expression, Zhou Bin wisely did not interrupt.

After a pause, Liu Dong slowly continued, "After some time, about two years ago, I met Uncle Long. He didn't mind my poor skills and often taught me wood carving techniques by hand. This way, my skills gradually improved. Uncle Long is like family to me!"

Seeing the sincere expression on his face, Zhou Bin nodded and asked, "So, Liu brother, are you Old Long's disciple?"

"No!" Liu Dong shook his head with a bitter smile, "Uncle Long said his wood carving skills are only third-rate in the country, so he is willing to give me some guidance, but he refuses to take me as a disciple."

"Hehe, Old Long is being modest! However, what he is best at is not wood carving, but the making of traditional Chinese furniture! His skills are truly unparalleled in the industry!" Zhou Bin couldn't help but praise.

Liu Dong also nodded in agreement, but unfortunately, his interest was in carving, not in making antique furniture.

Perhaps feeling that the topic of conversation was a bit heavy, Zhou Bin took a sip of the tea on the table and then asked, "Liu brother, do you have time this afternoon?"

"This afternoon?" Liu Dong was taken aback and then shook his head. Originally, he planned to go to the bookstore to buy some books on antiques and collectibles to enrich his knowledge of antique appraisal, and then go to Jin Yu Pavilion to find some jade materials to practice his jade carving skills. However, since Zhou Bin had invited him, he naturally couldn't refuse, as he was also seeking help from him. Although Zhou Bin seemed to be a generous and easy-going person, they had only known each other for a short time, so if there was an opportunity to build a good relationship, Liu Dong would naturally seize it, as China has always been a society maintained by relationships.

"I have nothing to do this afternoon," Liu Dong didn't want any mistakes to occur in the opportunity that Uncle Long had worked so hard to secure for him.

"Hehe, that's great. I'll take you to broaden your horizons this afternoon!" Zhou Bin smiled mysteriously.

Hearing this, Liu Dong was taken aback and wanted to ask more, but at that moment, the dishes they had ordered started to be served one by one, so he had to swallow his words.

Perhaps preoccupied with the afternoon's plans, Zhou Bin didn't say much during the meal. Liu Dong, who had been taught the rule of "no talking while eating" since childhood, also spoke little, so the two were somewhat silent, but the meal progressed quickly.

Liu Dong and Zhou Bin sat at one table, while Zhou Bin's two bodyguards sat at another. Perhaps because they had plans for the afternoon, they didn't drink high-alcohol liquor but each ordered a bottle of Tsingtao beer, so the meal was finished in less than half an hour.

"Brother Zhou, is this your car?"

The traditional Chinese drinking culture brought the two closer after the meal. When speaking, they had fewer reservations. So when they walked to the parking lot outside the antique market, seeing the black car with a boxy shape, heavy tires, high chassis, and a body much larger than ordinary sedans, exuding a powerful aura, Liu Dong couldn't help but ask in surprise.

To be honest, in all the years he had been in Quancheng, this was the first time he had seen such a powerful car. The originally decent-looking Volkswagen, Toyota, and Audi, even the latest Mercedes-Benz and BMW, seemed like teenagers compared to it, making one involuntarily want to own one.

Seeing his surprised expression, Zhou Bin couldn't help but show a proud look and asked smugly, "How about it, Xiao Dong? Isn't this car great?"

"Not just great, it's amazing!" Liu Dong said enviously. The appearance of this car quickly overturned his previous image of cars.

"Hehe, this is a genuine American product, not yet available in the domestic market!" After a pause, he looked at Liu Dong and continued, "Have you heard of the 'Hummer'?"

To be honest, Liu Dong, who rarely went online, had no real knowledge of various car brands. His life had been too monotonous, with nothing but carving and reading books he was interested in, and no entertainment activities. Moreover, his income was far from enough to buy a car, so apart from the Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz seen on the streets, he didn't know any other car brands.

Seeing Liu Dong shake his head, Zhou Bin continued, "Hehe, it's normal that you don't know. After all, information in China is relatively closed, and many people don't know about it. However, the Hummer is famous worldwide. With its lineage from the U.S. Army's military vehicles, it is known for its excellent off-road capabilities and mobility, earning it the title of 'King of Off-road Vehicles.'"

"Then it must be expensive, right?" Liu Dong asked.

"Of course, buying this car and the modifications cost me about two million!"

"Two million?" Hearing this, Liu Dong was secretly shocked. Now he realized that the three and a half million he had thought was a huge sum was not so much after all. At least the value of this car alone accounted for more than half of his total savings. This made him somewhat envious, thinking that he should also buy a Hummer like Zhou Bin's, but after hearing his words, it was like a bucket of cold water poured over him, extinguishing the spark of hope that had just ignited in his heart.

"Xiao Dong, get in!" Zhou Bin called to Liu Dong and opened the rear door of the Hummer. Of course, he wasn't the one driving.

"Alright, no more thinking. I'll just have to find a few good deals, and I won't believe I can't afford such a car!" With this thought, Liu Dong stepped into the spacious rear seat of the Hummer, feeling somewhat excited.

To be honest, this was Liu Dong's first time in such a high-end car, so he was quite excited.

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End of Chapter 34

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