Chapter 1: Chen Hai and Su Qian

This could certainly just be a story, at which point someone questioned with dissatisfaction:

The second type of person is what is referred to as "Er Ye," who is the most common type of dealer in the antique market. They set up stalls or shops in the antique market, directly selling either genuine or counterfeit antiquities such as bronze wares, jade artifacts, and porcelain to collectors and treasure hunters

Su Qian was taken aback, casting a slightly puzzled glance at Chen Hai, as if she did not understand why he posed such a question

Su Qian tucked her hair behind her ear and leaned forward to look into the alley

Even though the hidden pain from that year has not dissipated, and even though Chen Hai cannot deny the deadly temptation brought by Su Qian, he still does not want to become a stepping stone ruthlessly used by women

This posture elongated Su Qian's slender waist, creating an extremely alluring curve in contrast to her full and rounded hips

Gu Fatty also helplessly shrugged his shoulders, pointing to the middle-aged man in a dark gray jacket standing under the tree, and said: "This Mr. Zhou is worried that three to five people won't be able to finish his goods, and they are eager to get rid of them, so he arranged for three more groups of people. As for where the goods are, I am not sure either"

The foundation work at this construction site has now been completed, and therefore, no information about the ancient tomb has leaked out at all

Su Qian is an exceptionally beautiful and captivating woman. In addition to her exquisite and flawless features and her fair and charming face, her figure is also remarkably outstanding

This is one of the few remaining old stone alleys in the city, with old residential buildings on both sides. The walls are mottled, and the plaster is severely peeling. The cobblestones, having endured over a hundred years and countless footsteps, are smooth and glimmer with a dim sheen. At the foot of the walls along the street, moss, weeds, and the delicate petals of wildflowers grow sparsely.

Chen Hai would never trust Gu Pangzi unreservedly just because they have known each other for four or five years. After all, it was only Gu Pangzi who had previously had direct contact with the other party, and he only managed to bring back a few photos of old goods.

Over time, Chen Hai and his relationship became quite close

Chen Hai withdrew his gaze from Su Qian's waist and hips, noticing the earlobes revealed beneath her flowing hair, which were as pure as jade, with fine blue veins clearly visible. He took a deep breath, suppressing the restlessness within, and joked, "Are you trying to seduce me like this?"

Can this truly erase the hidden pain he has carried in his heart for all these years

Anyone with a fortune of thirty to fifty million yuan would not allow a stranger to lead them by the nose, as who knows what intentions the other party may have

Chen Hai picked up his phone from the dashboard, dialed Gu Panzai's mobile number, but the music played for a while without connecting.

"I have brought two items over; you can take a look first before deciding whether to take a glance at them," said the middle-aged man in a muffled voice.

Gu Fatty can be strictly categorized as a second type of person, but he made his fortune early. He owns an antique shop named Xiyan Studio in the Caocangmen Antique Market, where he trades in calligraphy, paintings, and bronze wares, having already accumulated a fortune of several tens of millions.

They are all people from the same circle, and Chen Hai has encountered most of them. He knows that he is the one with the shallowest background among this group, far inferior even to Su Qian.

He would not regard Su Qian as a simple woman who is vain and superficial, nor would he speculate that Su Qian was intentionally or unintentionally trying to seduce him, perhaps in an attempt to use him to rid herself of Gu Pangzi

In his youth, Chen Hai, in his impetuousness, once pursued Su Qian. However, Su Qian's shrewdness and rationality surpassed her beauty; she was acutely aware of her desires and could be described as pragmatic. She maintained an ambiguous friendship with Chen Hai, yet before long, she became the lover of the antique dealer, Gu Pangzi.

Gu Pangzi is well-known for his lechery within the circle, having long maintained two wives and two concubines, while also engaging in extramarital affairs.

At that moment, the phone rang. Chen Hai picked it up and saw that it was a call from Gu Pangzi.

Su Qian followed Gu Pangzi not only because of his wealth but primarily due to the resources he possessed in the antique circle. After all, Gu Pangzi's several tens of millions in assets are not considered a significant amount in Nanjing, and given Su Qian's qualifications, she could easily find a wealthy second-generation heir with billions to marry into a respectable family.

At the end of a narrow alley, there is an inconspicuous courtyard. The old wooden door has nearly all its paint peeled off, leaving traces stained by rainwater and the passage of time. The smooth threshold stone has been worn down a notch.

The first category of individuals is the source of antiques and old goods, controlling the supply chain, often having direct connections with tomb raiders or counterfeit antique makers, or they themselves are part of tomb raiding or counterfeiting groups

Chen Hai did not fear Gu Pangzi, nor would he cherish the worthless "friendship" between himself and Gu Pangzi. He simply felt that keeping it a secret from Gu Pangzi while having an affair with Su Qian was an ultimate physical pleasure, but beyond that, what else could there be

If you continue like this, I might really eat you up

Su Qian turned her head and glanced at Chen Hai, provokingly saying, "Why don't you make a move?"

If he casually mentions a corner, do we all have to follow him there

Su Qian followed Gu Pangzi, which greatly angered Chen Hai. However, he did not distance himself from Gu Pangzi; instead, he stepped into the antique market. Utilizing his professional knowledge and his ability to charm others with his eloquence and demeanor, he engaged in the buying and selling of both genuine and counterfeit antiques. Additionally, leveraging his profound expertise in calligraphy and painting, he made subtle alterations to fakes, amassing a considerable fortune over the past two years

"Why must he be the one to take charge? Can't I handle this deal myself?" Su Qianshui's big, watery eyes fixed on Chen Hai's face as she playfully asked, her tone resembling that of a couple teasing each other.

After the car door opened, Chen Hai saw Su Qian's long and firm legs wrapped in denim jeans, and her full and rounded hips seemed as if they were about to burst out of the jeans. He couldn't help but swallow and felt an impulse to reach out and give them a squeeze

Chen Hai continued to smile nonchalantly and said: "What, you came over in advance after leaving Gu the Fatty behind, are you worried that Gu the Fatty will let you down? I mean, you two have seen each other naked in bed, isn't it exhausting to be so guarded?"

Such individuals pose a significant risk, and therefore their movements are secretive. They typically do not appear publicly in the antique market, yet they are major players within the antique community, referred to by insiders as "the Elder"

At the entrance of the alley on Chen Hai's side, Su Qian sat in the passenger seat, and being somewhat nearsighted, her body naturally leaned over, almost pressing against Chen Hai.

Such alleys were once inconspicuous, but as urban dwellers grow weary of the steel and concrete skyscrapers, they begin to appreciate the elegance and charm of these old streets. Although it is not a holiday, there are still quite a few men and women wandering in the alley, which cannot be described as a secluded place with few visitors.

The largest antique market in Nanjing is located at Caichangmen, yet the antique community extends beyond just a few antique markets in the city, primarily consisting of two types of individuals

Chen Haicai would not concern himself with Su Qian and Gu Pangzi each having their own ulterior motives, but he also did not think deeper into it. He no longer lingered on that topic and lightly pinched Su Qian's waist, making a great effort to suppress the impulse to embrace her slender figure. He leaned back against the chair, yet he did not notice the fleeting sorrow in Su Qian's eyes.

Su Qian was wearing a black lace undershirt, with a somewhat low neckline. As she leaned her arm against the edge of the car window to speak with Chen Hai, her full and tender bosom pushed against the window, revealing a glimpse of her deep cleavage. The flesh-colored, jade-like curves were so enticing

Chen Hai is anxious about the transaction that will take place in half an hour

"I am in the alley behind you; you and Su Qian should park the car and come over," said Gu Pangzi on the other end of the phone.

Chen Hai and Su Qian are together, and Gu Pangzi does not care, or rather, his thoughts are not focused on this matter at this time

The other party stated that this batch of old goods was excavated from a tunnel construction site in another province. Since the work was carried out at night, the construction team responsible for the project transferred this batch of old goods and then filled in the relatively small area of the site.

Chen Hai ignored Su Qian's flirtatious remarks, turned his head to take a glance, and not seeing Gu Panzai's figure, he opened the car door for Su Qian to get in: "Where is Gu Panzai?"

Chen Hai thought to himself that Gu Pangzi might be on his way. He had specifically arrived half an hour early to drive around the neighborhood, so that if anything seemed amiss, he could notice it in advance

"Do you also want to take on this order yourself?" Chen Hai asked

In this profession, if one has the opportunity to deceive someone into securing a lifetime of comfort and ease, they would even sell out their own parents.

After graduating from the Archaeology graduate program at Northeast University, Chen Hai was admitted to the Municipal Cultural Relics Bureau, where Su Qian was already working at that time

Chen Hai also did not understand why the other party chose such a place for the meeting and transaction

Chen Hai felt a sinking sensation in his heart as he looked at Gu Pangzi and asked, "Why are there so many people? Where can I view the goods?"

Turning off Jinghai Avenue, Chen Hai parked his well-used Volvo sedan outside the alley. Looking into the alley from the entrance, it was about seven to eight meters wide, shrouded in dim light and shadow beneath the dense leaves of two rows of sycamore trees

In his early years, Gu Pangzi was also an employee of the Municipal Bureau of Cultural Relics. After making a fortune by trafficking in antiques, he opted for early retirement; however, he did not sever his ties with the Bureau. Whenever he had any uncertain old items in hand, he would seek assistance from his former colleagues at the Bureau for authentication

Seeing the other party's pretentiousness, not to mention Chen Hai and Su Qian, most people are discouraged and ready to leave

A glimpse of waist flesh is subtly revealed, slightly overflowing against the backdrop of the black lace base shirt, white and tender as if it could be broken with a touch

It was not yet the appointed time. Chen Hai took out the flattened cigarette box from his back pocket. The few remaining cigarettes inside were almost broken. He cursed his luck under his breath, straightened one cigarette, and fumbled around on his body for a long time before finally finding a lighter. After lighting the cigarette, he took two hard puffs, and his thoughts began to settle a little. It seemed as if the faint unease in his heart had been expelled along with the curling smoke.

What are you thinking about? Surely, you are not thinking of me, are you?

Chen Hai's family background is the shallowest, so his attitude is indifferent; he just stands by to observe how the others, including Fatty, make their choices. He also ponders what this unremarkable middle-aged man could possibly bring out that would convince so many seasoned veterans to willingly take this risk.

The middle-aged man is rather unremarkable, standing at around 1.7 meters tall, appearing somewhat thin. He wears glasses with heavily worn frames and thick lenses, indicating a high degree of myopia. His jacket seems to be stained with quite a bit of mud and dust, making him look like a technician who has just come from a construction site

Selling antiquities excavated from tombs is not something that law-abiding citizens would engage in, and the entire affair may very well be a trap set by others for them to fall into

In the yard, there are two lush loquat trees, and the light is dim. More than ten people are already waiting in the yard, their expressions somewhat hesitant, likely not expecting the other party to contact so many buyers at once

In the past two years, he has not lacked women around him, and he is no longer as innocent as he once was. Meanwhile, Su Qian has also provided him with numerous opportunities, both overtly and covertly, but he has not taken action against Su Qian

Chen Hai and Su Qian got out of the car and walked back for more than 100 meters, when they saw Gu Pangzi Gu Jingzhou poking half of his plump body out from a yard deep in the alley. His chubby round face and triangular eyes showed a hint of vigilance and unease as he waved for them to come in

Chen Hai laughed heartily, concealing the embarrassment within his heart.

Chen Haigang had just thrown his phone onto the dashboard when a wave of fragrant aroma wafted in through the car window. Su Qian had approached from behind at some point and was now leaning over the window to speak to him

Gu Fatty mentioned that the other party had a batch of ancient tomb relics excavated from a tunnel construction site that they were eager to sell. If they could successfully complete this deal, they would not have to worry about food and clothing for the rest of their lives. However, Chen Hai was also well aware of the risks hidden behind this matter

Although Chen Hai has a modest reputation in this industry, he would never dare to boast that he has never made a mistake in judgment

Su Qian's eyes flashed with a hint of panic at having her secret exposed, but she quickly regained her composure. With a beautiful smile that resembled a blooming flower, she threw a smile at Chen Hai, not making any deliberate effort to distance herself from him. Her red lips seemed to gently whisper in Chen Hai's ear: "Gu Fatty doesn't even know where he has died, on which vixen's bed. I can't reach him by phone, so I came over out of boredom to see if I could catch him in the act of cheating on someone."

Su Qian followed Gu Pangzi, but she was not content with receiving two to three thousand yuan in "household expenses" from him each month. Soon, she began engaging in the business of reselling antiques. With Gu Pangzi backing her, Su Qian became even bolder and more erratic in her ventures. The wealth she accumulated over the past two years was definitely several times that of Chen Hai, and perhaps in just a few years, she would leave Gu Pangzi behind.