Chapter 008: Orphans of the Imperial Capital

Stop messing around, if you lose again, your grandchildren's houses and cars will all be forfeited to me

I will say it again, I graduated with a degree in education.

Wang Jian leaned against the door of a garage, gazing at the unclear stars in the sky, eating a steamed bun with pickled vegetables in his hand, his mind blank. The several dozen yuan he had brought with him had long been spent, and now, apart from his set of carpentry tools, the only valuable item he possessed was an old mobile phone he had salvaged from a garbage heap during his university days, which was still about sixty percent functional. The Nokia had a blue screen, and no matter from what angle it was viewed, it seemed completely out of place in this era.

Wang Jian merely responded with a simple "mm" before diving into the chair, which was as luxurious as one could imagine, carefully examining the break and the material on top.

Half an hour later... The old man flipped the table and then completely realized that playing these games with Wang Jian was simply a form of self-torture, losing seventeen rounds in total, with ten of those being a complete defeat, having not played a single card.

Before he could speak, the old man hurriedly asked, "What? Is it unrepairable?"

Thus, he simply stood up, sighed, covered it with the cloth again, and turned to look at the old man

The old man was like a child who had found something cheap, not even bothering with the chess pieces, dragging Wang Jian upstairs, completely unlike someone in their seventies or eighties, moving with surprising agility.

Wang Jian was immediately filled with trepidation

Old man, losing is losing, there is no need to curse at others

It is just a grandmaster chair, left to me by my father, with a broken leg

However, after speaking, the old man raised his head and looked at Wang Jian: "I just saw that you can also do carpentry?"

I see, that sounds quite unfortunate. There aren't many teachers like you who eat steamed buns and live in a garage

The old man spat out a mouthful of beer and then looked at Wang Jian strangely: "Inheriting Chinese craftsmanship and techniques?"

Upon hearing Wang Jian's professional remarks, the old man immediately brightened up and responded repeatedly. Moreover, before leaving, he even gifted Wang Jian a set of bedding. Wang Jian was not at all polite; he picked up the bedding and turned to leave.

The private garage behind him, which is now Wang Jian's home, contains only a salvaged table and a bed made from a sofa he transformed from a pile of trash

After Wang Jian went downstairs, his first task was to dig for earthworms. Initially, he was digging alone, but as he continued, several children from the neighborhood joined him. After about an hour, Wang Jian had collected over one hundred earthworms. He then placed these earthworms in a small bucket and ran back to the old man's house to get a bottle of strong liquor, and thus he soaked the earthworms in it.

Finally, the old man led Wang Jian up to the attic, lifted a layer of canvas, revealing an extremely precious armchair made of agarwood. Wang Jian's eyes immediately lit up.

No way! Hurry up! I refuse to believe that I can't even beat you, a little brat who hasn't even grown all his hair yet!

The old man's home is located just above Wang Jian's garage; it is a duplex. The elderly couple lives in nearly 200 square meters. If converted to money, given the location, the decoration, and the area, it would definitely not be less than four to five million. Moreover, and more importantly, the old man seems to be a collector, with various antiques displayed throughout the house. According to Wang Jian's discerning eye, although he does not have many genuine items, the few authentic pieces he possesses are already worth a fortune.

After finishing all his tasks, Wang Jian let out a long sigh of relief. He took a shower in the public restroom of the community, comfortably lay back in his small garage, smoked a cigarette, and waited to properly handle that super treasure, which might never appear again, the next day

Wang Jian shook his head and swayed his tail while humming a little tune: "I have already given you half of the world."

Wang Jian did not give a clear answer: "It's too troublesome, and I don't have the materials right now. Come back tomorrow, and let your son buy you some rosin, flour, eggs, as well as gypsum powder and bone meal. The bone meal should be made from beef bones and dog bones - I will take care of the rest."

However, the more this is the case, the greater the pressure Wang Jian feels, because the weight of this material is too heavy, and conventional bonding methods are certainly inadequate. Moreover, in order to match this material and texture, a considerable amount of effort is required

It depends on the extent of the damage

The old man replied irritably: "What nonsense!"

In the end, hard work pays off for those who are diligent. Wang Jian finally met a retired professor during their twenty-seventh encounter, an esteemed intellectual enjoying a state pension. He agreed to let Wang Jian pay the rent gradually, but the condition was that Wang Jian would accompany him for chess games whenever he had free time, and occasionally recite traditional storytelling for him.

However, you are quite principled, refusing to come to my place for a meal; at this rate, your steamed bun could fly all the way to Nansha Island

I told you, if this is a gamble, then even the house belongs to me.

Eileen Chang once said: Life is a magnificent fur coat, infested with lice

So what kind of job are you looking for? It is not difficult for artisans to find work

As he walked, he said, "If you can really fix it, this job might just have a chance of being secured."

Young man, I knew you had an eye for quality. Hurry up, come with me

You may proceed with the repairs; it does not matter if they are unsuccessful. I have already hired several people, including a few masters, and none have succeeded. If you can fix it, I am willing to pay any amount.

Wang Jian thought for a moment: "Teacher"

Wang Jian naturally agreed with pleasure. As for the storytelling, Wang Jian was not afraid at all; after all, the old man only cared about whether anyone was speaking to him, not about what was being said.

The old carpenter once said that agarwood is undoubtedly a rare object, whether in ancient times or today. Not to mention that it is nearly extinct now, even in ancient times, it was something only the wealthy or imperial families could possess. Today, Wang Jian has seen this grand master's chair. Although the pattern on it is merely a common cloud-dragon design, the dragon depicted is a five-clawed golden dragon, which is something only emperors could have. The historical value of this alone is remarkable, not to mention that it is made of agarwood.

A string of agarwood bracelets can sell for at least 400,000

Young man, I have come to seek revenge

After he left, the old man trembled as he dialed his son's number, repeating Wang Jian's words in a commanding tone, and finally instructed him to bring his uncle along tomorrow

What materials?

The old man raised his white eyebrows and said, "You need to add another zero"

Wang Jian wore a smug smile, leaning against the wall, cheerfully drinking beer and eating peanuts, his mood exceptionally bright. After waiting for nearly ten minutes, the old man's temper had subsided, and only then did Wang Jian slowly put away the playing cards, rearrange the chess pieces, and glance at the old man

Sure, if you want to buy any furniture in the future, I can give you a 20% discount

About half an hour had passed when the old man suddenly slammed the chessboard to the ground, angrily took a swig of beer, and exclaimed, "This is unplayable!"

Wang Jian raised his tone slightly and asked, "What does it mean?"

Change it up

Wang Jian's goal is very clear: it is to assist those elderly individuals living alone. They may not be particularly concerned about money; rather, they seek companionship on a spiritual level. Furthermore, Wang Jian does not intend to evade rent; he simply wishes to provide them with a few months of respite.

However, the old man quickly recovered, smiling as he pulled out a deck of playing cards from his pocket, and his gaze towards Wang Jian became rather malicious.

Moreover, he did not take into account the urban villages or those inexpensive alleys and lanes, as the residents there generally do not have much better lives. On the contrary, it is in these neighborhoods, where properties can easily cost hundreds of thousands to millions, that one might encounter wealthy individuals who regard money as worthless.

Will you come back or not

Wang Jian paused for a long time before slowly saying: "That fire burned at least 20 million."

Wang Jian's ability to find a place to live is indeed quite legendary, especially considering that this is a high-end community. Even the garage's monthly rent would certainly not be less than 300, according to the * map * book. Given the little money Wang Jian has, unless he sells a kidney, this space of less than 10 square meters is definitely beyond his reach.

The old man glanced around with his eyes, then slapped his forehead, looking at Wang Jian with bright, sparkling eyes: "Can you repair furniture?"

In the midst of conversation, the chessboard had already erupted with activity. Although the old man was nearly eighty, he was still full of vigor, claiming the title of the chess king of the community. Not a single elderly person in the entire neighborhood could defeat him. However, today he found himself humiliated by that young rascal Wang Jian, leaving him feeling as if something was stuck in his heart. After dinner, disregarding the owner's advice, he insisted on challenging Wang Jian to a match of three hundred rounds.

The villages within the city, the sewage ditches beneath the neon lights, and the children playing beside the ditches all render this renowned metropolis somewhat hypocritical and affected

I have a younger brother who is currently the director of the education bureau. When we divided the family property, we each got one chair. At that time, he played a trick and gave me the defective one. I didn't hold it against him, but he has never been able to get over it and has avoided me all these years. Later, his house caught fire, and his chair was burned. I was prepared to give him mine. As people grow older, material possessions seem to matter less.

Do not speak so confidently; you, a stinky chess box, have won against me? Not a chance

It is unclear whether it is because the items are very valuable or for some other reason, but the old man, while speaking, actually looked around before leaning close to Wang Jian's ear and whispering: "Agarwood"

The hard point is hungry

Upon hearing these two words, Wang Jian's heart suddenly skipped a beat: "Your ancestors must have been emperors... using that as a chair?"

Cities, in fact, possess a certain vitality; regardless of how grand a metropolis may be, when night falls, it inevitably reveals a heartbreaking weariness. The elderly who walk unsteadily, the intoxicated with their dazed expressions, and the bewildered men and women all contribute to a stark contrast between the city at night and its daytime persona

I tell you, if I cannot win against you today, I will live my life like a dog.

Wang Jian discovered that the wood of this agarwood was very uniform, and its density was quite high. Weighing it in his hand, he estimated that this chair alone weighed at least 100 pounds. Moreover, the carvings and lacquer finish were exceptionally fine and smooth, showcasing a distinct Ming Dynasty style. The fragrance was strong and refreshing. Unlike typical agarwood, which is often porous and uneven, Wang Jian could almost conclude that this could undoubtedly be considered the best piece of agarwood in the world. Even if it had a leg broken off, its value would still be beyond Wang Jian's imagination.

However, Wang Jian's intelligence lies in this aspect. He has been here for two days, and during this time, he has not rushed to find a job. Instead, he has been searching for rental advertisements around various upscale residential areas, visiting them one by one. If the landlord shows signs of disdain, he turns and leaves; if the gaze is friendly, he continues the conversation.

Just as Wang Jian's eyes were becoming hazy and he was preparing to sleep, the landlord, an old man, slowly appeared before him, holding his chessboard and two small stools. His face bore a fierce expression, reminiscent of someone who would not relent until he had achieved his goal, yet he looked remarkably like a child.

The grandeur of the imperial capital is self-evident. Everywhere exudes an atmosphere of an international metropolis, with towering buildings resembling sturdy tombstones, and the bustling crowds akin to marching ant colonies, orderly yet hollow and numb

Wang Jian shrugged indifferently, looked up at the stars, and smiled faintly: "It will get better."

That being said, Wang Jian still smiled cheerfully as he assumed a ready stance. After rolling up his sleeves, he took the small stool and beckoned to the old man across from him with a finger. The old man naturally reached into his pocket and handed Wang Jian a bottle of bottled beer, along with a small bag of fried peanuts.

The old man's complexion was extremely poor, and his defiant demeanor resembled that of a kindergarten bully who had just lost a fight, which was utterly incongruous with his age.