"Hehe, are you saying that this thing is a fake?"
Lin Yi looked at Sun Zhi's disdainful expression and couldn't help but curl his lips upward, feeling a bit sorry for the shop that hired such a person.
Although the cup he took out did seem a bit new, it came from a reliable source, so how could it be fake?
"Hehe, even a rookie in this field could tell at a glance that yours is a fake. To put it simply, this is a typical 'obvious fake.' Not to mention that it looks newly made, but just the fact that it's imitating Yuan dynasty blue and white porcelain is enough."
At this point, Sun Zhi deliberately paused for a moment. Seeing everyone around focusing their attention on him, he cleared his throat and continued in a knowledgeable tone:
"Yuan dynasty blue and white, you know what that is, right? Never mind, you probably don't even know how many dynasties there are in blue and white porcelain.
If I'm not mistaken, this is imitating a Yuan dynasty blue and white chrysanthemum pattern stem cup. However, whether intentionally or not, the original chrysanthemum pattern was changed to a peony style, which looks a bit out of place.
That Yuan dynasty blue and white chrysanthemum pattern stem cup fetched a high price of 2.71 million in an auction in 2009! With that price, I could buy myself a Porsche Cayenne!
Moreover, Yuan dynasty blue and white porcelain is always valued but rarely seen in the market. Let's put it this way, even for a place as reputable as our Xuanrui Studio, obtaining a piece of Yuan dynasty blue and white would make it the pride of the shop!"
Seeing the people around him nodding in agreement, Sun Zhi was secretly delighted.
This was exactly what he wanted to see. It's not about stepping on Lin Yi, this kid, since he's in the same generation as his parents, stooping to his level would be beneath him.
The main desire was to show off his profound knowledge in front of so many people, as well as his own staff, so Sun Zhi spoke in a tone as if educating the younger generation.
After finishing his monologue, Sun Zhi looked up at Lin Yi with a "you have a lot to learn" expression, but the disdainful look on Lin Yi's face left him momentarily stunned.
Listening to Sun Zhi, Lin Yi had a look of undisguised contempt, thinking how pretentious this guy was.
However, he wasn't in a hurry to leave. How could he walk away after someone showed off like that? At the very least, he had to strike back.
Besides, the main reason he came to Antique City was to sell his item, and if Sun Zhi deemed it a fake, it wouldn't be easy to sell today since people would just assume Xuanrui Studio deemed it a counterfeit.
"What is it? Not convinced yet? Fine, fine, Xiao Wu, go get Master Wang so the youngster can give up."
The reason for summoning the appraiser was partly because Sun Zhi had exhausted his own knowledge and couldn't continue bluffing.
Also, having the appraiser come by would prove his insights, a win-win situation that Sun Zhi understood well, which was why he'd climbed to his current position.
However, after speaking, he saw Lin Yi shake his head disdainfully, and Sun Zhi's temper flared up. This kid didn't know when to bow to superiors; looking displeased at his rank was truly infuriating.
"Hehe, young people these days are so stubborn, never giving up until they hit a wall. I'm not trying to pick a fight with you, Lin family kid, but if this thing is real, I'll eat it in front of everyone."
Hearing this, Lin Yi finally spoke up:
"No need to eat it, 'Uncle Sun.' After all, you don't have those teeth. How about this, if my item is genuine, you eat your Cayenne. If it's fake, I'll smash it and eat it."
Lin Yi was fed up with this guy's repeated mockery, but out of respect for his mother, he refrained from cursing aloud.
"Oh, I don't know where you get your confidence, but let's get real, eating isn't feasible. If this thing is real, I'll smash my Cayenne in front of everyone. If it's a fake, then you work free for me for a week starting today!"
On the surface, it didn't seem like he was trying to take advantage.
To the onlookers, it seemed more like an elder trying to teach a lesson to the younger generation.
After all, working for free for a week doesn't carry much impact; on the contrary, he might learn something.
However, Lin Yi knew this guy was sneaky. Working for a week means missing the college entrance exams, right?
Still, trusting in his source, Lin Yi agreed without hesitation.
"Alright, it's a deal. Everyone here is a witness. Later, please don't go back on your word, President Sun. After all, if you don't keep your word, how can you show your face here again?"
Spurred by Lin Yi's words, Sun Zhi patted his chest and said whoever reneges is a bastard!
At that moment, a saleswoman in a cheongsam led an elderly man in traditional Chinese attire over.
Seeing the elderly man, everyone around nodded and greeted him. The old man was quite famous in the antique world, rarely making mistakes in appraisals.
"Elder Wang, sorry to trouble you. My younger relative brought what he claims is a Yuan dynasty blue and white piece; could you kindly take a look?"
With the arrival of the elder, the once proud Sun Zhi dropped his superiority.
Though he was the general manager here, he knew his worth to Xuanrui Studio was less than half of the elder's.
The elder's eyes lit up at the mention of 'Yuan dynasty blue and white,' eagerly looking towards Lin Yi in the crowd, and he spoke with some urgency:
"Young man, do you really have a Yuan dynasty blue and white? Quickly, let me see it."
Seeing the elder's eagerness, Lin Yi smiled and passed the porcelain cup to him.
The elder hurriedly waved his hand and pointed to the nearby table and chairs:
"No, no, porcelain should not be handled by hand. Just place it on the table."
Hearing the elder's words, Lin Yi smiled and complied, casually placing the cup on the table in the lounge area.
The elder hurriedly followed, taking out a pair of white gloves from his pocket, wearing them, and then fetching a small magnifying glass before carefully picking up the cup from the table.
[To be continued...]