Chapter 54

"You still need some work on your appearance."

Jing Shizhen looked Su Xiaofan up and down, then shook his head.

Su Xiaofan always prioritized comfort when it came to dressing.

The weather in Yanjing was quite hot now. He wore a T-shirt that cost a few dozen yuan, a pair of sweatpants, and a pair of sports shoes whose brand he didn't even know. The total cost of his outfit was probably less than 200 yuan.

"Old Liu, come here."

Jing Shizhen called out to Liu Zang, pointed at Su Xiaofan, and said, "Get him a set of clothes, something similar to what he's wearing."

The work uniforms at Jingxin Hall were those traditional long robes with a front opening, available in various sizes. Liu Zang quickly brought out a dark blue one.

"Next door is Neiliansheng; go buy a pair of cloth shoes yourself." Jing Shizhen pointed outside.

"Ah? Uncle Jing, you're not covering the full cost?"

Su Xiaofan smiled, a bit shamelessly.

"Sure, I'll take half of your appearance fee later."

Jing Shizhen smiled even wider than Su Xiaofan.

"Alright, I'll go buy them myself."

A pair of shoes didn't cost much, and Su Xiaofan could do the math.

Wearing a pair of cloth shoes with a thousand-layer sole and a dark blue long robe, Su Xiaofan looked several years older.

"Hmm, put on a pair of glasses, and you'll look a bit more like a cultured person."

Jing Shizhen looked at Su Xiaofan, nodded in satisfaction, and said, "This afternoon, you'll go with me to Yanjing TV."

"Isn't it supposed to start tomorrow?"

Su Xiaofan was taken aback. He had planned to continue looking for antiques in the afternoon.

After deciding to open an antique shop, Su Xiaofan had to change his mindset.

Previously, he had planned to find seven or eight good deals and sell them gradually.

But for an antique shop, the more genuine items, the better.

As long as they weren't stolen goods or non-circulating cultural relics, no one would care about their origins. Would you tell others where you sourced your goods?

"An interview, understand?"

Jing Shizhen stood up and said, "I'm just recommending you; it's up to Yanjing TV to decide if you're suitable..."

"There's an interview too?"

"How about it? Scared?"

"Hey, Uncle Jing, I'm not scared of anything."

Su Xiaofan rolled up the sleeves of his robe, "When I was twelve, I rode my bike through a graveyard alone. I've never been afraid of anything in my life."

"Oh? You're not afraid of a ghost crawling out of the graveyard?"

Jing Shizhen was taken aback; he didn't know about Su Xiaofan's experiences.

"I'd kick a male ghost's head around like a ball."

Su Xiaofan smirked, "A female ghost? It depends on how she looks. If she's pretty, I'd take her home to warm my bed."

"You're just boasting."

Jing Shizhen didn't believe him. There were many people who talked big but froze when faced with real danger.

"Ask Brother Gang. Last time, when we encountered a ghost wall, wasn't it me who broke it?"

Su Xiaofan was telling the truth. He was naturally brave or, rather, had good psychological resilience.

He was mischievous as a child, and in junior high, when he got into a fight with classmates, the school called the parents to handle it.

Su Xiaofan rode his bike to the village and brought Uncle Ah Er, who was mentally challenged, to the school.

In the end, the teacher had to treat Uncle Ah Er to a meal to send him away because Su Xiaofan told him he was taking him to town for a feast.

Growing up, Su Xiaofan had never been afraid of anyone. He respected his elders, but fear was not part of his nature.

"Then why did you throw away the yin stone?"

Jing Shizhen was still angry about that.

"I was afraid it would affect my sister."

Su Xiaofan said this without hesitation. He had been practicing his smooth talk in the antique market for years.

"Stop joking. Let's go. If they agree, you'll need to take some promotional photos."

Jing Shizhen walked out, having already arranged a car.

"Xiaofan, when you get to the TV station, just say you're my apprentice."

As they approached Yanjing TV, Jing Shizhen suddenly spoke.

"Uncle Jing, are you joking or serious?"

These days, the concept of apprenticeship wasn't popular, and Su Xiaofan's age wasn't suitable either...

Hearing this, Su Xiaofan's smile faded. He could tell that Jing Shizhen was serious.

Publicly claiming to be Su Xiaofan's master wasn't something to be taken lightly. Once the master-apprentice relationship was established, it couldn't be changed.

Su Xiaofan understood the customs and rules of the antique trade.

The antique trade valued traditional culture and took apprenticeship very seriously, treating it as a lifelong commitment.

In modern times, the process had been simplified, but in the past, an apprentice had to work for free for three years.

During these three years, the apprentice did more than just work in the shop. They had to do all the household chores for the master, including washing clothes, cooking, and cleaning, with no pay, only food. This was known as a "child apprentice."

After three years, the apprentice would be promoted to a regular apprentice, and the master would start teaching them skills, but not directly. The apprentice had to learn by observing and listening, with the master only giving occasional guidance.

After another three to eight years, depending on the apprentice's progress, they could be considered a master of the craft. However, they still had to work for the master for another five to ten years before they could open their own shop.

So when Su Xiaofan heard Jing Shizhen suggest he call him master, he immediately asked.

Su Xiaofan had never eaten at Jing Shizhen's expense, nor had Jing Shizhen taught him any skills. The title of master seemed inappropriate.

Of course, Su Xiaofan understood the benefits of calling Jing Shizhen master, but he didn't like taking advantage of others.

"You're bold and meticulous, suitable for learning some of my skills."

Jing Shizhen clearly wasn't making a spur-of-the-moment decision. Compared to Zheng Dagang, Su Xiaofan was more to his liking.

Through their interactions, Jing Shizhen found that Su Xiaofan had a good sense of judgment.

Sometimes he seemed shameless, but his actions never crossed the line, and he didn't offend people.

For example, when Su Xiaofan negotiated the price of the meteorite, he was straightforward in his bargaining.

But when he couldn't pay the full amount and had to write an IOU, he didn't argue or delay.

This showed his integrity. If Su Xiaofan had asked to waive the 300,000 yuan, Jing Shizhen would have done so, but the apprenticeship would have been off the table.

"Uncle Jing, have you ever taken on apprentices before?"

Su Xiaofan asked, "If I become your apprentice, what will I learn, and what will I have to do?"

Apprenticeship was a mutual choice.

Su Xiaofan wouldn't become an apprentice just because Jing Shizhen was famous and could benefit him. He wanted to see if he could learn from Jing Shizhen.

"I've never taken on apprentices, just taught some people about antique appraisal. They don't count as my apprentices..."

Jing Shizhen shook his head. He knew what Su Xiaofan was thinking and said, "Don't overthink it. I want to pass on some knowledge that I don't want to be lost. I'm not asking you to work for free."

"Alright, learning from Uncle Jing will be a great opportunity for me."

Su Xiaofan thought for a moment, then nodded. "If you really think I'm suitable, I'll become your apprentice!"

The benefits of becoming Jing Shizhen's apprentice were obvious.

Su Xiaofan was self-taught, and while his repair system could authenticate antiques, he couldn't explain the details.

From Jing Shizhen, he could systematically learn the theoretical knowledge of antique appraisal, filling in his gaps.

Moreover, with Jing Shizhen's reputation in the antique trade, his shop would surely thrive if he advertised himself as Jing Shizhen's disciple.

Su Xiaofan wasn't so rigid. If he became Jing Shizhen's apprentice, he would use the resources available to him.

"Let's not talk about apprenticeship now. We'll discuss it after the treasure appraisal show."

Jing Shizhen smiled, feeling good.

Su Xiaofan's hesitation showed that he wasn't someone who would jump at every opportunity without thinking.

Some might think everyone thinks, but Jing Shizhen valued Su Xiaofan's ability to think critically, especially in important situations, without being swayed by personal gain.

With Jing Shizhen's reputation, anyone of a lower generation would have readily agreed to become his apprentice. Su Xiaofan's questions showed his thoughtfulness.

They arrived at Yanjing TV. They had to show their IDs, but since they had arranged it in advance, a staff member greeted them.

The "interview" was more of a discussion with the show's director.

Jing Shizhen didn't say much, just observed quietly.

He noticed that Su Xiaofan was indeed unflappable, as he claimed. Whether meeting the station's leadership or the director, Su Xiaofan spoke confidently, showing maturity beyond his years.

However, Jing Shizhen didn't know that Su Xiaofan treated them like customers in the antique market, just selling himself instead of antiques.

Seeing the director and the station's leadership satisfied, Jing Shizhen mentioned that Su Xiaofan was his apprentice.

The director, familiar with the antique trade, knew Jing Shizhen's influence.

Hearing this, the director immediately decided to include Su Xiaofan as a guest on the show.

With time to spare, the director called in some people to take promotional photos of Su Xiaofan.

The calm and composed Su Xiaofan was a bit flustered by the photo shoot.

As they left Yanjing TV, Su Xiaofan was still using a wet towel to wipe off the foundation from his face.