Chapter 58

"Mr. Meng, please don’t call me teacher. Just call me Xiao Su. I’m not even a master yet."

Xiao Fan quickly humbly responded. The two experts at the table were both from the Xingong Museum.

Both were renowned experts in the miscellaneous category, highly respected in the antiques industry, not just any ordinary experts.

The two teachers were in their forties or fifties, and being called "Teacher Su" by them made Xiao Fan feel very uncomfortable.

"Xiao Su, do you also like cultural artifacts?"

Another expert surnamed Gu, noticing the Vajra Bodhi beads on Xiao Fan’s wrist, couldn’t help but smile and say, "In recent years, cultural artifacts have become very popular. I see many ordinary people wearing such beads."

Cultural artifacts have a very low entry barrier.

A string of five-petaled Vajra Bodhi beads, even with excellent quality, costs only a few hundred yuan.

Wear it on your wrist for three to five years, and if you play with it well, you can resell it for two to three thousand yuan.

So many ordinary people buy a string to wear, partly to follow the trend and partly because it can appreciate in value after a few years.

Therefore, it’s common to see young people wearing a string of Star and Moon beads around their necks or Vajra Bodhi beads on their wrists.

"This thing requires effort."

Mr. Meng glanced at Xiao Fan’s Vajra Bodhi beads, "Xiao Su’s beads are quite good. You must have put in a lot of effort in the past two years. This patina looks like it has taken four or five years to form."

Mr. Meng, an expert in miscellaneous items, naturally knew how to play with cultural artifacts.

For Star and Moon or Phoenix Eye Bodhi beads, you usually just need to play with them with clean hands, and they will naturally develop a patina.

But Vajra Bodhi beads are different. Due to their many ridges, you must brush out the dust and dirt in the gaps every day.

After years of playing and brushing, the ridges of the Vajra Bodhi beads will gradually wear down.

Like the string on Xiao Fan’s wrist, all the edges have been worn down, making it look exceptionally smooth and glossy.

"Mr. Meng, I didn’t play with these myself."

Xiao Fan smiled and said, "I bought them for 1,800 yuan yesterday while wandering around Pan Garden. But the seller must have played with them for three to five years."

"1,800 yuan, that’s a good deal." Mr. Meng nodded.

After being nurtured in the Nurturing Pool, this string of Vajra Bodhi beads had become a low-level magical artifact. The original luster, when examined closely, revealed a faint glow, clearly not an ordinary cultural artifact.

"Hmm? Xiao Fan, take it off and let me see."

Jing Shizhen, who hadn’t paid much attention to Xiao Fan’s Vajra Bodhi beads, suddenly focused on Xiao Fan’s wrist and was momentarily stunned.

"Uncle Jing, here you go." Xiao Fan took off the beads and handed them to Jing Shizhen.

Jing Shizhen held the beads, using his thumb and index finger to feel each bead, then closed his eyes as if savoring something.

"Did you really buy this for 1,800 yuan?"

After about five or six minutes, the atmosphere at the table had become a bit cold, and Jing Shizhen finally opened his eyes and looked at Xiao Fan.

"Yes, the seller asked for 2,000 yuan, and I haggled down to 1,800 yuan."

Xiao Fan’s heart raced, and he nodded seriously, knowing that Uncle Jing had recognized it as a magical artifact.

However, Xiao Fan was puzzled because, from the outside, a magical artifact looked no different from an ordinary item.

With the repair system, he knew it was a magical artifact, but how did Uncle Jing identify it?

"This item..."

Jing Shizhen started to speak but stopped, shook his head, and returned the Vajra Bodhi beads to Xiao Fan.

"Uncle Jing, teachers, thank you for your hard work today. I’ll toast to you all."

The director of the program entered the private room. He had been at the staff table and now came to toast.

The director, who dealt with people all day, quickly livened up the atmosphere, and no one paid attention to Xiao Fan’s beads anymore.

Around 8:30 PM, the banquet finally ended, and the program’s car was waiting outside the restaurant.

"Mr. Meng, Mr. Gu, we’ll come a bit later tomorrow."

Standing at the restaurant entrance, Jing Shizhen said, "Xiao Su and I have some things to do, so we’ll be a bit late. Please bear with us..."

"Oh, Uncle Jing, don’t be so formal. Do what you need to do, and we’ll call you if anything comes up."

Mr. Meng and Mr. Gu didn’t dare to act superior. Although they were official experts, their status in the antiques industry was far below Jing Shizhen’s.

"Uncle Jing, where are we going tomorrow?"

In the car, Xiao Fan had a hunch.

"To Pan Garden, at 8 AM. I’ll pick you up at your hotel!" Uncle Jing’s words confirmed Xiao Fan’s guess.

"This is just a low-level magical artifact. There’s a mid-level one in the Nurturing Pool."

Xiao Fan grumbled in his mind, not quite understanding why Uncle Jing valued the magical artifact so much.

He had been wearing the dragon-shaped jade pendant around his neck, but his life hadn’t changed much. He hadn’t even won a fifth prize in the lottery.

The car first dropped off Jing Shizhen at Jingxin Hall, then took Xiao Fan to his hotel. Jing Shizhen didn’t say much in the car.

After resting for a while, Xiao Fan sent the photos he had taken today to his sister and Zheng Dagang.

The photos included the event banners, his own expert promotional photos, and some scenes and videos of the appraisal process taken by the staff.

"Xiao Fan, are you really going to be on TV?"

Xiao Xiao replied almost instantly. Xiao Fan noticed that since high school, his sister had become a net addict, almost never putting down her phone.

"Hehe, you’re going to college, and your brother is becoming a big star. How about that?"

Xiao Fan replied quickly.

To be honest, after today’s experience, Xiao Fan felt a bit proud. After all, he was just a young man in his early twenties.

"It’s not like you’re making a movie. You’re far from being a star."

Xiao Xiao didn’t give her brother much face, "Oh, I have class tonight. Yao Yao is calling me."

Xiao Xiao was busy with something and quickly ended the conversation with Xiao Fan.

"Brat!"

Xiao Fan had wanted to show off to someone, but Xiao Xiao’s lack of enthusiasm left him feeling a bit deflated.

Fortunately, Brother Gang never disappointed. He soon replied.

"Nice, Xiao Fan. When you return to the antiques market, you’ll be a big star." Zheng Dagang sent a smiley face, warming Xiao Fan’s heart.

Xiao Fan knew that Zheng Dagang, despite his cunning, was a true friend.

"Brother Gang, I want to open an antiques shop when I return. Let’s do it together."

Xiao Fan had been thinking about this since yesterday.

For safety, it would be best for Xiao Fan to run the shop alone.

That way, he wouldn’t have to worry about anything and wouldn’t need to explain the sources of the antiques.

However, the antiques business isn’t just about buying; it’s also about selling.

Xiao Fan could find good deals and use the repair value to restore antiques, but he lacked the channels to sell them.

On the other hand, Zheng Dagang, who had been running a stall in the antiques market for over ten years, was well-known in Luochuan’s antiques industry. He was straightforward, loyal, and had a wide network of contacts.

If Zheng Dagang joined the shop, Xiao Fan wouldn’t have to worry about sales. While he couldn’t guarantee selling every item, it would definitely be faster than if Xiao Fan did it alone.

"Open a shop? Let’s talk about it on video."

Zheng Dagang sent a few words and initiated a video call.

"Xiao Fan, why do you want to open a shop?"

Zheng Dagang’s bald head appeared on the screen, "Brother, you know I hate sitting in a shop. Otherwise, I would have agreed to Uncle Jing’s offer long ago."

Zheng Dagang was the type who couldn’t stand being idle.

He could chat and joke with others in the market, but he couldn’t stand sitting in a shop.

"Brother Gang, Uncle Jing said he wants to take me as a disciple. If I keep running a stall, it would be embarrassing for him."

Xiao Fan found a reason.

"Wow, that’s great."

Zheng Dagang was surprised, then laughed, "Uncle Jing tried to teach me before, but I never learned. Xiao Fan, you can definitely do it."

Zheng Dagang was a unique one in his family. His parents were highly educated, but he hated studying.

Later, he started running a stall in the antiques market. His father thought it was a good idea and asked Uncle Jing to take care of him.

But Zheng Dagang was a lost cause. He preferred running a stall in the market to learning antique appraisal from Uncle Jing.

So, even now, Uncle Jing still looked at Zheng Dagang with disapproval, and Zheng Dagang avoided him.

However, Zheng Dagang admired Xiao Fan’s learning ability. When Xiao Fan first came to the antiques market as a high school graduate, he knew nothing.

In just two or three years, Xiao Fan’s business skills had surpassed Zheng Dagang’s. Many items that Zheng Dagang couldn’t understand, Xiao Fan could explain in detail.

"Brother Gang, I found a channel to sell antiques."

Xiao Fan said, "But you know, I don’t have a strong foundation in Luochuan, and I’m not good at sales. If we work together, I’ll handle the acquisitions, and you’ll handle the sales. What do you think?"

"Isn’t this the same as our magical artifact business? Why do we need to open a shop?"

Zheng Dagang was fundamentally opposed to opening a shop.

He said he was only thirty and didn’t want to sit in a shop like an old man, waiting to die.

"Brother Gang, we’re selling antiques, not your fake magical artifacts, which rely on deception."

Xiao Fan laughed bitterly, "Brother Gang, do you think it’s appropriate to sell antiques worth tens of thousands or more at a street stall?"

"You’re right, no one would trust street stall goods."

Zheng Dagang nodded in agreement.

"If we want to send our items to auction, wouldn’t it be easier to negotiate with the auction house under the name of an antiques shop?" Xiao Fan continued.

"Definitely, the commission would be much lower."

Zheng Dagang, who had been in the antiques market for many years, had also done big deals.

About seven or eight years ago, Zheng Dagang heard that a cellar in an old house in Luochuan had some items.

He found two friends, and they bought everything from the old house for 300,000 yuan, each contributing 100,000 yuan.

They bought a set of old rosewood furniture, a painting from the Republican era, a jar of Yuan Dynasty silver dollars, and some other miscellaneous items.

The old rosewood furniture and the silver dollars sold for 120,000 yuan in total, and Zheng Dagang thought they would lose money on this deal.

But to his surprise, the Republican-era painting contained three fan paintings.

Zheng Dagang, who had been in the antiques market for several years, knew that hidden paintings were usually valuable.

He didn’t dare to ask Uncle Jing for an appraisal, so the three of them went to an auction house in Beijing.

The auction house gave a good appraisal, identifying the three fan paintings as works by Lu Zhi, a Ming Dynasty Wu School painter.

The three of them had no other way to liquidate the items, so they entrusted the auction house to sell them in the autumn auction and signed a contract.

The contract stated that the commission would be 15% of the auction proceeds, and the auction house’s promotional expenses would be another 10%.

This added up to 25%, and the three fan paintings sold for 3.2 million yuan, with the auction house taking 800,000 yuan.

After deducting the auction taxes, each of the three received about 700,000 yuan, less than the auction house.

When Uncle Jing found out, he scolded Zheng Dagang.

Zheng Dagang then learned that if they had used a company’s name to entrust the auction, the commission would have been around 5%.

Even with taxes and promotional expenses, the total cost to the auction house would have been around 10%.

If they had entrusted Uncle Jing, the cost would have been even lower, and the auction house would have taken advantage of individual sellers who didn’t know better.

Zheng Dagang, having learned from his mistake, didn’t have the luck to find more deals and didn’t deal with auction houses again.