Chapter 5: The First Bucket of Gold

After circling around the store with Zou Yue'e, I pointed out a few decent items to him. However, genuine items come with genuine prices, and Zou Yue'e found them too expensive, so she didn't buy anything. In the end, she called over Boss Sun: "My nephew has found a piece of jade; please take a look at it for him."

You can ask my mother; she should be clear about it. I simply passed the question on to her.

I have stored many memories in Liulichang. Back then, there was a white marble bridge here, and my father often brought me to fly kites. A few of us children would frequently slide down the sloped stone steps in front of Rongbaozhai. Over time, our little feet wore two smooth marks into the steps. However, a few years ago, during the renovation of Liulichang, the stone bridge was dismantled, and even the traces on the stone steps in front of the shops disappeared without a trace. I am a nostalgic person and always feel that the current Liulichang lacks the charm it once had.

Thank you for your trouble. The rain has lessened significantly, so the two of us did not use an umbrella

But I do not know the relationship between my mother and Zou Yue'e, so I dare not tell her directly. What if my mother does not get along with her? Wouldn't that be doing a good deed that turns into a bad one?

Compared to older establishments like Yidege and Rongbaozhai, Xiaomenlian falls short significantly

"Where could it be?" Boss Sun laughed and said, "Well, I still haven't finished the tea leaves I bought last time; business isn't good, and there are no customers."

After getting into the taxi, Zou Yue'e walked alongside me and said, "I have a client over here. If you want to sell something, you can ask him; perhaps you can raise the price a bit."

Zou Yue'e, however, crossed her arms and glanced at Boss Sun, taking a small sip of tea: "Twenty thousand."

Walking along Liulichang Street, Zou Yue'e clicked her high heels with a brisk pace, smiling as she patted me on the shoulder: "It's getting late, I have a dinner engagement tonight, so I will head back first. Well, tomorrow I will take a stroll in Panjiayuan and casually buy a small trinket to give him."

"No need to be polite, it should be me troubling you instead." Zou Yue'e's enchanting eyes glanced around, "The environment here is really nice. By the way, my mother has come to Beijing to see me, but my current place is too small, and the rent, which is paid every three months, is about to expire. Do you know if there are any rental places nearby?"

Boss Sun, I hope you have been well

To become the manager of the sales department, one must undoubtedly possess strong interpersonal skills

Zou Yue'e took me to a shop named "Tengyuan Pavilion" located deeper in Xiliulichang.

"Look at what you said, I can fool anyone but not you, can I?" Boss Sun pointed to the exhibition booth on the east side: "These are all good things, feel free to take a look."

As soon as I heard, I handed the jade tablet to him.

I estimated that sixteen thousand is already quite a lot, and I nodded subtly to Zou Yue'e. This was the secret signal we had agreed upon before coming here

I am not familiar with other places, but the east room of my family's courtyard house, the house of Aunt Liu, is currently vacant

Zou Yue'e casually crossed her legs and said, "It seems you haven't placed an order with our company for some time; I thought you had forgotten about me."

I let out a sound and said, "Could you please not tell my mom about what happened at the antique market yesterday? Just say we ran into each other by chance. Ahem, I'm afraid my parents will worry." Not to mention my parents, even now, recalling what happened yesterday still sends a shiver down my spine. Eight hundred thousand! I almost ended up in serious debt!

"No problem." Boss Sun examined it in his hand, weighed it a bit, and said, "Ming and Qing style, genuine old craftsmanship, not bad, it's a fine piece indeed"

Not only did I not help her, but I also took advantage of her situation to sell the jade pendant at a good price, which makes me feel quite guilty. "How about I go with you tomorrow?"

Tengyuan Pavilion operates a diverse range of projects, including jade and stone artifacts, as well as calligraphy, painting, and porcelain

Boss Sun said: "I can't really say much about this; it depends on how much you want to sell it for."

Zou Yue'e cast a dismissive glance and said, "Boss Sun, we have known each other for a long time. Give me a reasonable price, and if it’s suitable, I will transfer this jade pendant to you. If it’s not suitable, you must help us find a suitable buyer from Liuli Factory. Anyway, I’m here to take up your time today, so you figure it out."

Before leaving, Zou Yue'e unexpectedly exchanged phone numbers with me

house

However, although Liulichang is well-known, its popularity is actually lower than that of other antique markets in Beijing

Boss Sun chuckled wryly: "Well, I’m afraid of you, aren’t I? To speak frankly, the jade pendant is indeed a fine item, but the only regret is that the jade material is not of the best quality. Well, you can check out https://m.hetushu.com for a good deal at Liulichang; a Ming or Qing dynasty pendant can sell for as much as 15,000. " He pondered for a moment, "Well, 16,000 is the highest price I can offer."

Boss Sun gestured for the two of us to sit on the rattan chair in the corner. As he bent down to take a seat, his gaze inadvertently swept over Manager Zou's ample backside. Being a man myself, I noticed Boss Sun's subtle, inconspicuous action.

He is indeed a great filial son, well, I understand now

"You should be modest; this opening is enough for you to eat for three years. Is this still considered a failing business?" Seeing his gaze turn towards me, Zou Yue'e placed her left hand on my shoulder, "This is my nephew. Don't be fooled by his young age; he is an expert among experts. I came here today specifically to have my nephew help pick out some items, so don't try to fool us."

Because most people who dabble in antiques have a certain mentality of seeking bargains, the shopkeepers in Liulichang are all industry authorities. This means that on this street, spending a large sum of money does not guarantee that you will acquire genuine items, while objects purchased at low prices are certainly of inferior quality. They will not give you the opportunity to find a bargain.

"Oh, isn't this Manager Zou?" Boss Sun, who was around thirty years old, came out from behind the glass display case. "What brings you here? Please, have a seat. Xiao Na, brew a pot of Tieguanyin tea."

Eighteen thousand, that's almost equivalent to my mother's annual salary

Liulichang in Beijing is likely a place known to all. It offers a wide array of cultural relics appraisal, ancient books, and stone carvings and paintings. My home is not far from Liulichang; to the west is Hepingmen, and by following Nanjinhu Street for a few hundred meters, one can see that quaint, ancient street.

Uh, when did I become your nephew

No need, it's not easy for you to have a summer vacation, so enjoy it well

Holding two heavy stacks of paper bills, I swallowed hard, feeling at a loss for words, unsure of what emotions I was experiencing

I will ask Sister Cui about it when I go to work tomorrow

"Oh dear, this item wouldn't fetch twenty thousand at an auction. You have to let me make a little profit, right? Seventeen thousand, I can't go any higher." After some bargaining, Boss Sun reluctantly conceded: "... Fine, fine, eighteen thousand, eighteen thousand. Sigh, when the old man finds out, he'll scold me again. Young man, please wait a moment, I'll have Xiao Na bring you the money."

"How much do you think it is worth?" asked Zou Yue'e