Chapter 14 The gap between people is too big
"Really?" Yu Xin was stunned, completely taken in by his words.
She still felt like she genuinely didn't believe him.
"Really." Xu Yang nodded seriously.
"Alright, then you go. I'd like to see if your hunch is accurate or not," Yu Xin said.
"Mhm, I'll come back with a big find," Xu Yang said.
After chatting for a while, they both got up.
While eating breakfast at an outside diner, Xu Yang said, "Wife, how about we go shopping tonight and buy some things?"
He wanted to buy some clothes for Yu Xin.
Since he'd been with Yu Xin, he hadn't given her anything.
The last time he went shopping with Yu Xin, she was the one who bought him several outfits.
This time, Xu Yang decided to buy Yu Xin several outfits.
"Sounds good!" Yu Xin was naturally overjoyed.
There wasn't a girl who didn't like shopping.
Especially shopping with the man she loved, it made her even happier.
After breakfast, the two went to work.
After parting ways with Yu Xin, Xu Yang's phone rang. He took out his phone, saw who it was, and immediately answered, "Mom."
The caller was Xu Yang's mother, Jiang Qiuping.
"Son, how are things going with your matter?" Jiang Qiuping asked.
"Mom, what matter are you asking about?" Xu Yangasked.
"Don't play dumb with me. Last time, you asked me to mail you the household register, saying you were going to propose to your girlfriend. How did that go?" Jiang Qiuping asked.
She and Xu Yang's father knew that Xu Yang was going to propose to his girlfriend.
The elderly couple was eagerly awaiting Xu Yang's good news.
But several days had passed, and Xu Yang hadn't called home.
Jiang Qiuping couldn't hold back any longer and called to inquire.
"Mom, Yulu and I broke up," Xu Yang said.
"What? Broke up? Didn't you already propose? Why did you break up?" Jiang Qiuping asked a barrage of four questions.
"Mom, Yulu said I couldn't give her the life she wanted, so we broke up," Xu Yang said.
"Sigh..." After a long silence, Jiang Qiuping finally let out a sigh. "Son, it's all your father's and my fault for not being successful enough to help you."
Her son was still young, with infinite possibilities in the future.
Clearly, his girlfriend breaking up with him was because of his family's financial situation.
"Mom, how can you blame yourselves? I can earn money on my own. Although Yulu and I broke up, don't worry, you already have a daughter-in-law," Xu Yang said.
"What do you mean?" Jiang Qiuping was confused. "You broke up with your girlfriend, so where would I get a daughter-in-law?"
"Mom, although Yulu and I broke up, Yu Xin, Yulu's sister, and I got our marriage certificate," Xu Yang said with a smile.
"What did you say?" Jiang Qiuping was shocked.
Jiang Qiuping had heard her son mention that Zhao Yuluhad a twin sister.
What was going on?
Her son broke up with his girlfriend, and then got together with his girlfriend's sister?
And they even got their marriage certificate?
Not only was she shocked, but even the passengers on the subway were shocked.
"Holy crap, this guy broke up with his girlfriend and then hooked up with his girlfriend's sister?"
"Damn, my mind is in a mess. I've only seen this kind of plot in novels, never in real life."
"Novels are inspired by life. We just hadn't encountered it before, but now we have."
"This guy, his luck is too good."
"Tsk tsk, a pair of sisters, that's what many men dream of."
"Why don't good things like this happen to me?"
"Go home and dream tonight, maybe it will."
"I don't even want a pair of sisters, I just want a girlfriend."
"He gets to enjoy a pair of sisters, and I don't even have a girlfriend. The gap between people is too big."
The male passengers looked at Xu Yang with eyes full of envy, jealousy, and hatred.
The female passengers looked at Xu Yang with curious expressions, wondering what was so special about this handsome guy that he could win the hearts of both sisters; the elder sister broke up with him, and the younger sister stepped in.
But no matter how they looked, besides being somewhat handsome and sunny, they couldn't see anything particularly special.
The clothes he wore were from common brands, not luxury goods, indicating he wasn't a rich second-generation.
They just couldn't figure it out.
"Mom, you didn't hear? Yulu and I broke up, and later I realized Yu Xin was the one who could accompany me for life, so I got our marriage certificate with her. I'll find a time to bring her back to meet you both," Xu Yang said.
"Good, good. Since you've decided and already got your marriage certificate, your father and I have nothing to say, except for one thing: you must treat her well."
"Since you've got your marriage certificate, it's like you've started a family. You must learn to be thrifty and manage the household well, and live a good life with her, understand?"
As she spoke, Jiang Qiuping began to give her instructions.
"Mom, I know. Dad should be with you, right? I have to go to work, so I won't talk to Dad. Just tell him about this," Xu Yang said.
"Good, good. You don't need to tell him, I'll tell him. You go to work properly, I'm hanging up," Jiang Qiuping said.
She hung up the phone.
"What's going on? Why is it breaking up and getting a marriage certificate?"
Xu Yang's father, Xu Deming, was indeed beside Jiang Qiuping.
However, he hadn't heard clearly and didn't understand what was happening.
"Our son said he broke up with his girlfriend, and then got together with his girlfriend's twin sister, and even got their marriage certificate," Jiang Qiuping said with a beaming smile.
No matter what, her son's major life event finally had a resolution.
They, as a couple, wouldn't have to worry so much anymore.
"..." Xu Deming was stunned, his mind a bit jumbled, and he didn't know what to say... After work in the evening.
Xu Yang and Yu Xin met, found a restaurant for dinner, and then went shopping.
Xu Yang took Yu Xin to a Chanel boutique.
"Husband, are we going to buy clothes here?" Yu Xinlooked at the prices and was a bit intimidated.
Although she was from Jiangcheng, her family's financial situation was just average.
Her father ran a small restaurant and raised her alone.
From a young age, she knew her father worked very hard.
She never compared herself to others and always asked her father to buy inexpensive clothes.
Even after she started working and had a salary, she was very frugal.
When buying clothes, bags, and cosmetics, she always chose affordable brands.
To be honest, it was her first time in a luxury store.
"We're going to get richer and richer, so let's wear something nicer. I transferred some money from my futures account today, so let's buy some expensive clothes today," Xu Yang said with a smile.
"You withdrew money? How much did you withdraw?" Yu Xin asked.
"You don't need to worry about that. What you need to worry about is what you like," Xu Yang didn't tell Yu Xinthe exact amount.
"Husband, if you make money, it's better to save it for buying a house," Yu Xin still prioritized buying a house.
In her opinion, spending so much money on luxury goods was really unnecessary.
"It's okay. As long as you give me a little time, we'll be able to buy a house with cash. Trust your husband, okay?" Xu Yang said.
"Mhm, mhm, of course, I trust you, husband." Yu Xinnodded repeatedly.
"Alright, then you can choose clothes, shoes, and bags," Xu Yang said.
Next, it was time for shopping.
Although Yu Xin liked many clothes, shoes, and bags, she only chose a six-thousand-yuan dress and then didn't want to choose anymore.
Xu Yang then helped Yu Xin choose. In total, he picked out three outfits, two pairs of shoes, and two bags.
At checkout, the total cost was three hundred and twenty thousand yuan.
Chapter 15: Take a walk
"Hubby, you bought me so many clothes; you have to buy some for yourself too, or I don't want them," Zhao Yuxinsaid.
"Alright, I'll buy some too." Xu Yang hadn't originally intended to buy anything, only wanting to buy for his wife.
But since Zhao Yuxin said so, Xu Yang had no objections.
Walking out of the Chanel boutique, Zhao Yuxinimmediately pulled Xu Yang into the Armani store next door.
They swept through the store, buying three outfits and two pairs of shoes.
Xu Yang didn't need a bag, but his clothes were even more expensive than Zhao Yuxin's, totaling 450,000.
They walked out of the Armani boutique.
Xu Yang said, "Wifey, let's go buy a watch, a couple's watch."
Zhao Yuxin's eyes lit up: "Okay!"
This was something she liked.
Buying a couple's watch, wearing it every day, and thinking of her husband whenever she saw the watch, as if he were right beside her.
The two went to a nearby Cartier boutique.
"Welcome to Cartier." As soon as they walked in, a young female sales associate greeted them, "Oh, Xu Yang, Yu Xin, it's you two."
"Xueqian, it's you."
Xu Yang and Zhao Yuxin smiled when they saw the sales associate.
This sales associate was their university classmate, He Xueqian.
They hadn't expected to run into He Xueqian here.
Truth be told, their relationship with He Xueqian was quite good.
But after graduation, they were all busy with work and hadn't kept in touch much, so they didn't know what He Xueqian was doing.
They hadn't expected He Xueqian to be working as a sales associate here.
"What are you two here to buy? I'll introduce it to you."
Since Liang Yongqiang had already revealed Xu Yang and Zhao Yuxin's relationship in the group chat, He Xueqianwasn't surprised to see them walk in hand-in-hand.
"We want to buy watches. Do you have couple's watches?" Xu Yang asked.
"Yes, follow me." Since they were good friends from school, He Xueqian spoke more casually.
Of course, she still paid attention to the basic issues that needed to be considered when serving customers.
He Xueqian led them to the watch section.
The watches here varied in price, from high to low.
There were some for a few thousand or tens of thousands, and also some for hundreds of thousands or even millions.
"We have three styles of couple's watches. Take a look, these are the three. This one is..." He Xueqian explained in detail.
Of the three couple's watches, one was 28,000, one was 380,000, and one was 1,800,000.
Each watch had a different theme, and Xu Yang thought the 1,800,000 one was the best.
But Zhao Yuxin wouldn't let him buy it, thinking it was too extravagant, and that the 28,000 one would be fine.
28,000 for two watches was acceptable.
For couple's watches, the price wasn't as important as the sentiment behind them.
Xu Yang naturally couldn't agree to buy such a cheap one.
He didn't care for himself. He had to buy something good for his wife.
His wife wore clothes worth tens of thousands, carried bags worth tens of thousands, wore shoes worth tens of thousands, so the watch she wore should also be worth tens of thousands, right?
Finally, the two compromised and chose the 380,000 one.
"Xueqian, we'll choose this 380,000 one," Xu Yang said.
"Xu Yang, have you struck it rich?" He Xueqian asked curiously.
She had thought Xu Yang and Zhao Yuxin would choose the 28,000 one.
After all, she knew a bit about their family backgrounds.
And she also understood their personalities.
The two were definitely not the kind of people who would live beyond their means or need expensive luxury items to satisfy their vanity.
Also, Xu Yang was carrying Chanel and Armani bags.
Clearly, the two had just visited two luxury boutiques and made substantial purchases.
What was going on? Had they really struck it rich?
"Hehe, I've made some money recently." Xu Yang didn't go into specifics; now wasn't the time to do so.
"It seems you really have struck it rich." He Xueqian didn't press for details and quickly started packing the watches.
She would also get a good commission from this sale.
After payment, He Xueqian walked Xu Yang and Zhao Yuxin to the door and said, "We haven't seen each other in a long time. I'll be going back to my hometown in a while, and it might be hard to meet again once I'm back. How about I treat you two to a meal another day, and we can catch up?"
"Sounds good." Xu Yang and Zhao Yuxin naturally had no problem with that.
As for why He Xueqian was going back to her hometown, they didn't ask, planning to inquire during dinner.
"You don't mind if I post about your shopping in the group chat, do you?" He Xueqian was eager to share.
But for something like this, it was better to ask to avoid upsetting them.
"It's fine, post it if you want." Xu Yang didn't mind.
"That's great! The group chat will be lively tonight," He Xueqian said with a smile.
After seeing them off, He Xueqian went back to work.
She got off work at ten o'clock. He Xueqian immediately sent a message in the class group chat.
He Xueqian: Classmates, I work at the Cartier boutique, guess who I ran into today?
Classmate A: Who?
He Xueqian: I ran into Xu Yang and Yu Xin. Guess what they bought at the boutique?
Classmate A: They're together now, so they probably went to buy necklaces or something.
Classmate B: I guess so too. It's not unreasonable for Xu Yang to give Zhao Yuxin a necklace since they're together.
He Xueqian: Not necklaces, but couple's watches! Couple's watches worth 380,000!
Classmate A: Holy cow, really?
Classmate B: Did Xu Yang strike it rich? Or did Zhao Yuxin?
Classmate C: What's going on? When did Xu Yang and Zhao Yuxin become so extravagant?
Classmate D: It must be Xu Yang who struck it rich. Given Xu Yang's personality, even if Zhao Yuxin struck it rich, Xu Yang wouldn't accept such an expensive gift from her.
Classmate E: They've already registered their marriage, so it's the same no matter who struck it rich.
Classmate F: 380,000, oh my goodness, I don't know how many years I'd have to work to earn that.
Classmate G: Hiss... Could Xu Yang be a hidden rich second generation?
Classmate H: Holy cow, don't scare me! Xu Yang and Zhao Yuxin being together already makes people envious, jealous, and hateful. If Xu Yang is also a hidden rich second generation, then we might as well not live.
Classmate K: @Xu Yang @Zhao Yuxin, come out and show yourselves!
He Xueqian: It should be Xu Yang who made money. When they came to buy watches, Xu Yang was also carrying big and small bags from Chanel and Armani. Based on that amount, it must be at least several hundred thousand!
Classmate A: Hiss... What exactly is going on?
Classmate B: Could Xu Yang really be a hidden rich second generation?
Classmate C: Don't talk nonsense, that's impossible. I went to Xu Yang's house to play when we were sophomores. Xu Yang isn't a rich second generation; his family is just an ordinary family.
Classmate D: Your 'ordinary family' wouldn't happen to be like Shenzhen Ma's 'ordinary family,' would it?
Classmate E: Hahaha, ever since Shenzhen Ma said that, no one dares to say their family is ordinary anymore.
Classmate F: The two most sensational pieces of news recently are both about Xu Yang and Zhao Yuxin. I'm looking forward to future news.
Classmate G: Xu Yang is simply a winner in life. He has a wife, and now he has money too.
Classmate K: Yes, I'm so envious!
Classmate L: Back to the original question, how did Xu Yang get so much money?
Classmate H: @Xu Yang, come out and show yourself!
Chapter 16 Ancestral Treasure
Xu Yang and Zhao Yuxin finished their business and lay on the bed, enjoying each other's company.
After a while, Zhao Yuxin picked up her phone and saw that the class group chat was in an uproar.
"Hubby, Xueqian posted about our shopping in the group," Zhao Yuxin said, holding her phone in front of Xu Yang.
"Let her post it," Xu Yang shook his head with a smile, unconcerned.
Besides, he had already given his permission.
He had set the group chat notifications to do not disturb.
Unless he was @-mentioned, Xu Yang wouldn't check it every day.
"Someone @-mentioned you, asking if you got rich? Do you want to say something?" Zhao Yuxin chuckled.
"Let me see first..." Xu Yang looked at it on Zhao Yuxin's phone, then picked up his own phone to type a message.
Xu Yang: I recently made some money investing in futures, so I went shopping with my wife. No need to make a fuss.
Classmate A: Holy crap, you say that and your teeth don't hurt?
Classmate B: Money made from investing in futures, huh? I thought you were a hidden rich second-generation.
Classmate C: I thought your family was just an ordinary family like Shenzhen Ma's.
Classmate D: Xueqian said you two bought a watch for 380,000 and clothes worth at least several hundred thousand. Did you really make that much from investing in futures?
Classmate E: The best performing futures recently is Gold Futures. It's been hitting the daily limit for the past two days. Did you buy Gold Futures?
Xu Yang: Yes, I bought Gold Futures. I was lucky; it hit the daily limit the day after I bought it. With money, of course, I have to treat my wife well.
Classmate A: My god, your luck isn't just good, it's defying the heavens!
Classmate B: Hitting the daily limit the day after buying it, that luck is indeed heaven-defying.
Classmate C: I originally held Gold Futures, but I sold them just before they hit the daily limit the next day. I regret it so much.
Classmate D: I bought in today. I wonder if it will continue to rise.
Classmate C: I don't dare to buy again. I'm afraid the fluctuations will kill me.
Classmate F: @Xu Yang, how much did you invest to earn enough to buy a 380,000 watch and hundreds of thousands worth of clothes?
Classmate G: If the profit is that much, it means a considerable investment. Xu Yang, you can't have that much money, can you? Even if your family has money, your parents wouldn't give you that much.
Xu Yang: I have a good wife and a good father-in-law. My father-in-law gave my wife two million to prepare for a down payment on a house. My wife and I discussed it and decided to invest in futures first. My family doesn't have that much money, only one million. Together, three million, all invested.
He claimed the one million rewarded by the system came from his family.
Anyway, no one knew about it, so it didn't matter what he said.
Classmate A: Holy crap, three million, all in? Aren't you afraid of getting liquidated?
Classmate B: @Xu Yang, your courage is truly unparalleled.
Classmate C: @Xu Yang, you've already made five million now!
Classmate D: You really found a good wife.
Classmate E: By the way, wasn't Zhao Yuxin afraid you'd lose the money?
Xu Yang: One of the standards of a good wife is to trust her husband. Zhao Yuxin trusts that I won't lose money.
Classmate A: A virtuous wife at home leads to a prosperous family!
Classmate B: I'm speechless. I didn't expect Zhao Yuxin to trust you so much.
Classmate C: @Xu Yang, you've turned your life around with just this wave of Gold Futures investment.
Classmate D: Yeah, he made several million in one go.
Classmate E: Why didn't I think of investing in futures?
Classmate C: Wuwuwu, I invested, but then I sold it. I regret it so much.
Classmate F: Don't regret it. You don't have the fate to earn this money; you can't blame anyone else.
Classmate G: The main thing is, you didn't find a good wife.
Classmate H: Exactly, that's the key. Like Xu Yang, finding a good wife like Zhao Yuxin, he has everything.
Classmate K: Time to sleep, time to work even harder tomorrow, strive to be like Xu Yang, find a good wife, and achieve a turnaround in life.
Xu Yang looked at the messages, then stopped posting. He put down his phone and hugged Zhao Yuxin to sleep.
In a blink of an eye, it was Saturday.
Waking up in the morning, Xu Yang heard the system's prompt in his mind.
Ding! The host has acquired the Appraisal Master skill!
Instantly, countless appraisal knowledge flooded into Xu Yang's mind, making him an Appraisal Master.
Xu Yang's eyes lit up.
Today, he was originally going to the Antique Street to hunt for overlooked treasures.
With this Appraisal Master skill, he could not only find Wu Daozi's hundred beasts painting based on the information provided by the system.
He could also wander around the Antique Street, using his Appraisal Master skill to see if he could find any other overlooked treasures.
"Hubby, I'm off to work. I wish you good luck finding a big treasure at the Antique Street this afternoon."
After breakfast, Zhao Yuxin kissed Xu Yang goodbye and went to work.
Xu Yang rested at home. At two in the afternoon, he left and took a taxi to the Antique Street.
At this time, at the Baibao Pavilion antique shop on Antique Street.
A middle-aged man, along with a young man and woman, were drinking tea in the shop.
The middle-aged man was Gao Chengwen, the owner of Baibao Pavilion. The young man and woman were Zhao Yulu and Chen Guanglei.
Zhao Yulu and Chen Guanglei came here after lunch.
Upon arriving, they came straight to Baibao Pavilion and hadn't yet explored the Antique Street.
The weather was too hot now, so they decided to drink some tea in the shop first.
After all, treasure hunting wasn't a rush; it mainly relied on keen eyesight.
"Uncle, how's business lately?" Chen Guanglei asked.
"It's alright," Gao Chengwen said with a smile.
If he said it was 'alright,' it meant it was quite good.
In their line of business, an item bought for a hundred yuan could be sold for one or two thousand, or even ten or a hundred thousand.
Although there weren't many customers usually, as long as someone came to buy something, the profit margins were several, tens, or even hundreds of times.
After a few minutes of chatting, a young man of about twenty-seven or twenty-eight walked in.
"Boss, I have a painting. Do you buy them here?"
The young man was dressed simply, carrying a backpack, looking somewhat travel-worn.
"Yes, we do. Bring it out and let me see," Gao Chengwenstood up to greet the customer.
"Yulu, let's also take a look and learn something," Chen Guanglei said, getting up.
To buy a painting, one would surely have to give an appraisal, comment on it, and then offer a price. This was a good learning opportunity.
"Okay," Zhao Yulu followed suit.
"Boss, please take a look. This is my family's ancestral treasure."
The young man took a scroll out of his backpack, clearly a painting.
Gao Chengwen chuckled upon hearing this, shaking his head, "My young friend, everyone who comes to sell something here says it's their family's ancestral treasure, but I haven't come across a single genuine one. Some even bring a broken bowl and claim it's an ancestral treasure."
Hearing this, Chen Guanglei and Zhao Yulu also laughed.
They didn't speak; it wasn't appropriate for them to interject at that moment.
The young man said, "Boss, this really is my family's ancestral treasure. If I weren't in urgent need of money, I wouldn't even take it out to sell."
Chapter 17 Buy it and hang it on the wall to enjoy
"Alright, alright, if you say so, then it is."
Gao Chengwen smiled and shook his head, not arguing with the young man. He took the scroll and unrolled it on a nearby table.
"Wu Daozi's hundred beasts painting?" Gao Chengwen's gaze sharpened.
"Boss, how is it? This is real, right?" the young man asked expectantly.
"It's not real. This painting is blurry. Wu Daozi's paintings, whether they are figure paintings, landscape paintings, or animal paintings, are all very clear. This painting appears very blurry, clearly a fake," Gao Chengwen stated his appraisal.
"A fake? That's impossible, isn't it? This is my family's ancestral treasure," the young man said.
"Young man, don't talk about ancestral treasures anymore. I just said, everyone who comes to my shop to sell things claims it's an ancestral treasure. They bring a broken bowl and call it a family heirloom," Gao Chengwen said, shaking his head with a smile.
"Boss, then how much can you give for this painting?" the young man asked.
"Although this painting is blurry, the brushwork is very good, which shows that the imitator's skill is really high. I won't cheat you; I'll give you five thousand yuan," Gao Chengwen said.
He said he wouldn't cheat him, but in fact, this painting only had the flaw of being a bit blurry; everything else was truly impeccable.
If sold, it could fetch at least fifty thousand yuan. If he encountered a gullible person or someone who genuinely liked Wu Daozi's paintings but couldn't get a genuine one, it might even sell for a hundred thousand or several hundred thousand.
After all, there are only so many genuine works, and not everyone can buy them. Being able to buy a good fake is also not bad.
"Boss, can you add a bit more? If I weren't in urgent need of money, I wouldn't have brought it out to sell," the young man said hesitantly.
Five thousand yuan didn't meet his expectations.
"Young man, why don't you name a price? I'll see if it works. If it does, I'll take it. If not, you can try somewhere else," Gao Chengwen said.
"Fifty thousand yuan," the young man offered a price.
"Young man, you're asking for too much. How about this: I'll concede a step and give you ten thousand yuan. If you want to sell, I'll take it. If not, then forget it," Gao Chengwen said.
This painting was genuinely good, which was why he offered such a high price.
The young man hesitated, wondering whether to agree.
At this moment, a voice rang out in everyone's ears.
"Fifty thousand yuan, I'll take this painting."
Everyone looked towards the sound and saw a young man in his early twenties walk in.
Zhao Yulu and Chen Guanglei were both surprised to see the newcomer.
"Xu Yang, what are you doing here?" Zhao Yulu asked.
The person who arrived was Xu Yang.
He took a taxi, and due to traffic, he rushed and finally made it; the painting hadn't been sold yet.
As he walked in, he saw the painting on the table, which was Wu Daozi's hundred beasts painting.
Clearly, this young man of twenty-seven or twenty-eight was Guo Shan.
If he hadn't arrived, Guo Shan would definitely have sold it to the boss for ten thousand yuan.
It would be much harder for him to buy it from the boss.
Buying it from Guo Shan would be a bit easier.
If he offered fifty thousand, meeting Guo Shan's request, the other party should sell it to him.
As for whether the boss would compete with him, he probably wouldn't.
After all, the boss couldn't tell that the painting was real and thought it was fake; otherwise, he wouldn't have sold it for fifty thousand yuan.
"I had nothing to do, so I came here to look around. I think this painting is good, so I'm going to buy it to hang on the wall and admire," Xu Yang casually made up an excuse.
He couldn't possibly say that this painting was a genuine work, worth fifty million yuan, could he?
"Do you even understand painting, you punk? To buy it and hang it on the wall to admire?" Chen Guangleisneered.
When he saw Xu Yang, he felt very displeased.
This guy had even played with the twin sisters.
This was something even he, a second-generation rich kid, couldn't do.
This was just a poor boy from a small county, yet he had such good fortune; it truly made people super annoyed.
"If I don't understand painting, does that mean I can't buy paintings?" Xu Yang squinted at Chen Guanglei, meeting him head-on.
"Guanglei, do you two know each other?" Gao Chengwenasked.
"I've seen him, but we're not close," Chen Guanglei said.
At this point, Gao Chengwen basically understood their relationship.
They merely knew each other; they couldn't even be considered friends.
And from Chen Guanglei's attitude, it was clear that his relationship with Xu Yang wasn't good.
Thinking of this, Gao Chengwen said, "Young man, you don't understand painting. I advise you not to buy things haphazardly, or you'll have nowhere to cry."
Xu Yang said, "I just think this painting is worth fifty thousand yuan; there's no problem with buying it haphazardly. You're the boss here, right? Fifty thousand yuan, do you want to buy it? If not, I'll buy it."
Guo Shan asked, "Brother, are you really willing to spend fifty thousand yuan to buy my painting?"
If he could really sell it for fifty thousand yuan, he would make a huge profit.
He had found it at a street stall, spending only five hundred yuan.
Just now, he had offered fifty thousand yuan.
He hadn't really expected the boss to agree.
He thought they would haggle back and forth, and if he could sell it for around thirty thousand, it would be quite good.
Now, with Xu Yang willing to pay fifty thousand yuan for the painting, it was even better.
Xu Yang nodded and said, "Really, I think your painting is genuinely good and completely worth this price."
Guo Shan smiled and said, "That's great, then I'll sell this painting to you."
Gao Chengwen's eyes flickered uncertainly.
To be honest, he even suspected whether Xu Yang was Guo Shan's accomplice.
Were the two of them putting on an act to deceive him?
Such things had happened before.
He had been fooled once and lost tens of thousands of yuan.
Xu Yang said to Gao Chengwen, "Boss, this is your shop. I know it's a bit rude for me to come in and snatch it, but in these matters, the highest bidder wins, don't you agree?"
Hearing this, Gao Chengwen became even more suspicious that Xu Yang and Guo Shan were putting on an act.
This painting was just a fake, and fifty thousand yuan was truly too high.
Perhaps he wouldn't lose money, but without good luck, he wouldn't earn much.
Thinking of this, Gao Chengwen said, "If you want to buy it, then buy it. I don't want it."
Chen Guanglei sneered, "Do you think this painting is real and my uncle couldn't tell, so you found a big bargain?"
Xu Yang glanced at Chen Guanglei: "I don't think so. I already said just now that I think this painting is good, and I'm buying it to hang on the wall and admire."
He had just found out that the owner of this shop was Chen Guanglei's uncle.
Of course, that wasn't what he cared about; he only cared about whether he could buy the painting.
Chen Guanglei sneered again, "Stop pretending, you punk. I think you just want to find a bargain. You should also consider if you have the ability. My uncle has already appraised it; it's a fake. You want to find a bargain? Just wait to lose money."
It was very difficult for individuals to sell such fakes.
Only antique shops had a greater chance of encountering people willing to buy them.
Fifty thousand yuan, he was definitely going to lose money.
Zhao Yulu said coldly, "Xu Yang, I admit you have good luck and made some money investing in futures, but thinking you can also find bargains in the antique business is too naive."
Chapter 18 Chairman Tang
Xu Yang said, "You can say whatever you want."
He had to acknowledge the two of them.
Anyway, it was enough for him to know what was going on.
Actually, using his Appraisal Master knowledge, he immediately saw why the boss had thought this painting was a fake.
Everything else was fine; it all looked like an authentic work, except that it appeared a bit blurry.
This was because there was a very thin, hard-to-detect film on the painting.
Anyone who wasn't an Appraisal Master wouldn't be able to spot it.
The antique shop owner hadn't reached that level yet and hadn't noticed it.
Chen Guanglei pouted, "We called it, didn't we? Nothing to say now, huh?"
Xu Yang ignored Chen Guanglei and said to Guo Shan, "Brother, since the owner of this shop doesn't want your painting, I'll buy it for fifty thousand yuan."
This was a painting worth fifty million yuan, and buying it for fifty thousand yuan seemed very unfair to Guo Shan.
But that's just how this business was; it could only be said that Guo Shan wasn't fated to get that money.
Xu Yang actually wanted to give Guo Shan more, giving him hundreds of thousands or even a million would have been fine.
But if he gave it now, it would inevitably arouse suspicion from others.
Moreover, Guo Shan would think the painting was very valuable and definitely wouldn't sell it to him.
Guo Shan immediately said, "Okay, thank you, brother."
Xu Yang being able to buy his painting for fifty thousand yuan made him overjoyed, while secretly cursing Xu Yangas an idiot, but on the surface, he pretended to be grateful.
Xu Yang said, "Alright, let's add each other on WeChat, and I'll transfer the money to you."
Guo Shan said, "No problem."
The two added each other on WeChat, and Xu Yangdirectly transferred fifty thousand yuan to Guo Shan.
"Brother, thank you! You're really a good person. I still have a family heirloom, a painting by Tang Bohu, at home. Do you want to buy it to hang on your wall and admire? If you do, I can go back and get it for you right away," Guo Shan said with a chuckle.
"No need. I just thought this painting was nice; having this one is enough," Xu Yang said, waving his hand.
"Okay, if you want anything, you can contact me. I can get it for you too. Goodbye," Guo Shan said with a smile, then turned and left.
"He actually spent fifty thousand yuan on a painting like that? What an idiot!" Chen Guanglei sneered.
"Isn't it a bit inappropriate for you to use such foul language?" Xu Yang frowned.
"What's inappropriate about it? You are an idiot, and I'm just stating a fact," Chen Guanglei said with a disdainful curl of his lip.
"I just thought you two might be performing a double act."
"Now I'm sure you're not. You really are an idiot, conned out of fifty thousand yuan!"
"What that person said before leaving clearly indicated his identity: he's a hawker who resells antiques."
"Luckily, I didn't bid higher, or I would have been the one losing money."
Gao Chengwen shook his head.
"Is that so? He's a hawker who resells antiques?" Xu Yangwas stunned.
Recalling what Guo Shan had just said, it did seem to be the case.
He said that if Xu Yang wanted anything, he could contact him, and the other party could get it.
This indeed sounded like an antique dealer.
"It's confirmed," Gao Chengwen nodded. "Young man, you probably wanted to find a bargain, but finding a bargain isn't that easy. If it were that easy, everyone would be rich, and I wouldn't need to open a shop here."
Chen Guanglei sneered, "If you can find a bargain, then I'm the King of Bargains."
Zhao Yulu also said, "Xu Yang, you're becoming more and more unrealistic. If you keep this up, the money you made in the futures market will be squandered sooner or later."
Xu Yang ignored what Zhao Yulu and Chen Guanglei said, thinking about Gao Chengwen's words.
Could that person really be an antique dealer?
Originally, he had been thinking of giving the other party some compensation after a while, perhaps hundreds of thousands or a million.
After all, this painting was worth fifty million yuan.
But if he was an antique dealer, then there was no need to give it.
Just then, another young man, about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, walked in.
"Boss Gao, someone in your shop just spent fifty thousand yuan on a fake Wu Daozi painting?"
The young man was a relative of the owner of an antique shop diagonally opposite on Antique Street. He occasionally visited and was quite familiar with Gao Chengwen.
"Yes, this is the person who bought it," Gao Chengwenpointed to Xu Yang.
"Damn, buddy, you actually spent fifty thousand yuan on that guy's painting? He bought it from a street stall for a thousand yuan. You got fleeced."
The young man looked at Xu Yang, his gaze filled with sympathy.
"Xu Yang, did you hear that? Do you know you're an idiot now?" Chen Guanglei mocked.
"Xu Yang, I'm really worried about my sister. Following someone like you, she definitely won't be happy," Zhao Yulu said.
Xu Yang looked at the group of people but said nothing.
Only he knew that this painting was authentic.
There was no need to explain to these people; even if he did, they wouldn't believe him.
He would take the painting back, find a time, find an authoritative appraisal expert to authenticate it, and then sell the painting.
As long as it was genuine, he wouldn't have to worry about finding a buyer.
Perhaps he could even find an auction house and let others bid on it.
It might even fetch a price higher than fifty million yuan.
Many items, when they go to auction houses, will have a higher price than normal transactions.
Just as Xu Yang was about to put away the painting, a voice rang out.
"Wait!"
The voice came from the doorway.
Xu Yang turned his head and saw a middle-aged man in his forties or fifties walking in.
"Chairman Tang, why have you come? Your visit to my shop truly honors us."
When Gao Chengwen saw the middle-aged man, he immediately went to greet him with a smile on his face.
The person who arrived was Tang Zhengqi, the Vice President of the Jiangcheng Antique Association and a famous antique appraiser.
Many people, when unsure about an item, liked to seek his appraisal.
"Boss Gao, I'll talk to you later. I want to look at this painting first." Tang Zhengqi said a few words to Gao Chengwen, then came over to Xu Yang, stared at the painting for a while, and then turned to Xu Yang and said, "Little brother, is this the painting you bought?"
"Yes," Xu Yang nodded.
"Boss Gao, did you sell this to him?" Tang Zhengqi asked Gao Chengwen again.
"No, it was someone just now..." Gao Chengwenexplained the situation.
He also mentioned what the young man had just said.
"This guy is an idiot. He spent fifty thousand yuan on a painting that someone bought from a street stall for a few hundred yuan," Chen Guanglei didn't miss any opportunity to strike at Xu Yang.
Ever since Xu Yang appeared here, he didn't know how many times he had called him an idiot.
Anyway, he just couldn't stand Xu Yang; whenever he saw Xu Yang, he thought of Xu Yang having had the twin sisters, and he just felt annoyed.
Tang Zhengqi looked at Chen Guanglei, then at Gao Chengwen, and then at the young man, before slowly saying, "If he is an idiot, then perhaps there are no smart people in this world."
Everyone was stunned.
Gao Chengwen quickly asked, "Chairman Tang, what do you mean?"
Tang Zhengqi pointed to the painting still on the table that hadn't been put away: "This painting is authentic."
Chapter 19: Identifying Paintings
What?!
Everyone except Xu Yang was greatly shocked.
How could this be?
Gao Chengwen had appraised it as a fake.
The young man bought it from a street stall for five hundred yuan.
How did it become an authentic masterpiece?
"Chairman Tang Zhengqi, did you perhaps make a mistake? How could this be genuine? While I'm not as skilled as you in appraising antiques, I can still tell with this painting. The image is very blurry; it's clearly a fake."
Gao Chengwen was unwilling to believe it was genuine.
Moreover, his reasoning was very sound.
How could a genuine work be so blurry?
It wasn't as if he hadn't seen a genuine work by Wu Daozibefore.
Just last year, a shop on the Antique Street received an authentic painting by Wu Daozi.
That image was extremely clear.
Compared to this one, there was a world of difference.
"I didn't make a mistake," Tang Zhengqi said. "Boss Gao, your shop has been open for over ten years, and yet you couldn't recognize such a treasure delivered right to your doorstep. It only goes to show that your skills are lacking."
Gao Chengwen took a deep breath and said, "Chairman Tang, is this really a genuine piece?"
He found it somewhat hard to accept; if it was genuine, then this time he had suffered a huge loss.
A painting by Wu Daozi is worth at least tens of millions.
"Am I lying?" Tang Zhengqi shot Gao Chengwen a sidelong glance.
"No," Gao Chengwen quickly shook his head. "Chairman Tang, I truly couldn't discern it. Please enlighten me."
If he didn't understand why he couldn't recognize it, he wouldn't be content.
Tang Zhengqi looked at Xu Yang, a slight smile on his face: "Young man, I know you must be aware of the reason for this painting's blurriness. Why don't you explain it to us?"
Xu Yang shook his head, saying, "I don't really understand; I just thought this painting was beautiful."
He didn't admit it and couldn't be bothered to explain anything.
Tang Zhengqi seemed to understand Xu Yang's meaning and thought even more highly of him.
If it were any other young person, being asked such a question would likely lead them to excitedly show off.
Xu Yang was so composed; such young people were truly rare.
Tang Zhengqi smiled and said, "Little brother, let me introduce myself first. My name is Tang Zhengqi, and I am the Vice President of the Jiangcheng Antique Association. May I ask your name?"
"Xu Yang," Xu Yang stated his name.
Tang Zhengqi said, "Little Brother Xu, then you don't mind if I explain a bit, do you?"
Although Xu Yang possessed the Appraisal Master skill, this was his first encounter with antiques.
This Tang Zhengqi was the Vice President of the Antique Association, so he might as well listen and treat it as a learning experience.
Thinking this, Xu Yang said, "I don't mind, please go ahead."
Tang Zhengqi smiled slightly, glanced at Gao Chengwen, and then said, "Boss Gao, you were right just now. The other parts of this painting are fine; it just looks very blurry, not at all like a genuine work."
Gao Chengwen nodded repeatedly: "Yes, yes, that point alone can prove it's not genuine."
Tang Zhengqi smiled and said, "But this point was caused artificially."
Gao Chengwen was stunned: "Artificially caused?"
Tang Zhengqi nodded and said, "Yes, artificially caused. Someone applied a layer of transparent coating to the surface of this painting, which caused the blurriness of the image."
"What?!" Gao Chengwen exclaimed in shock, "How is that possible? If this transparent coating is applied to a painting, wouldn't the painting be ruined? And I didn't notice any traces of application either."
Tang Zhengqi explained, "It's very difficult to notice. If I hadn't recently read an ancient book, I wouldn't have discovered it. This kind of coating existed in the Song Dynasty. When applied to the surface of a painting, it forms a thin film, which also protects the painting. However, it leaves a faint fishy smell. Ordinary people who don't know these things would find it very difficult to detect."
Gao Chengwen said, "Chairman Tang, how can we prove that this coating was applied? Just by the smell?"
He leaned close to the painting, sniffed, and indeed detected a faint fishy smell.
Tang Zhengqi smiled and said, "That's one point. As I just mentioned, this type of coating, when applied to the surface of a painting, forms a thin film. All you need to do is make a small incision and peel it right off."
He looked at Xu Yang: "Little Brother Xu, I am very happy to see Wu Daozi's hundred beasts painting. May I verify it on the spot by peeling off this film?"
For him to do this would be equivalent to him personally appraising this hundred beasts painting, which would certainly give him bragging rights for a while.
Xu Yang nodded and said, "You may."
It didn't matter who peeled it off.
Xu Yang wasn't in the antique business; he didn't care about these things, only about money.
As long as the painting wasn't damaged and didn't affect his ability to sell it, that was fine.
Since the other party was the Vice President of the Antique Association, he shouldn't resort to any petty tricks to ruin his painting.
"Thank you," Tang Zhengqi said gratefully. He had Gao Chengwen bring a small knife and carefully made a scratch on the edge of the painting's surface.
Then, with a pull, he peeled off a thin film.
The entire painting felt different; it was blurry moments ago, but now it was extremely clear.
Tang Zhengqi said, "Boss Gao, do you see it?"
Gao Chengwen murmured, "It really is genuine. I missed out on a genuine masterpiece."
He was filled with regret, wondering why he hadn't competed with Xu Yang.
If he had competed with Xu Yang, he might have been able to acquire it.
One must know that Wu Daozi's paintings are all worth tens of millions.
Even if Xu Yang realized this painting was real, he probably didn't have that much money to buy it.
Looking at Xu Yang's clothes, they were very ordinary, and his demeanor was that of an average person.
If he had competed, he would surely have had the upper hand.
What a pity, such a work had just passed him by.
No, it wasn't just passed by.
Instead, someone had brought it right into his hands, and he had pushed it away.
Thinking this, Gao Chengwen wished he could slap himself twice.
"Chairman Tang, if this painting is genuine, how much is it worth?" Zhao Yulu couldn't help but ask.
She was most concerned about money.
"At least tens of millions," Tang Zhengqi said calmly.
Tens of millions?
Zhao Yulu was instantly dumbfounded.
So, Xu Yang spent fifty thousand yuan and earned tens of millions?
This left her with a complicated feeling.
She was currently borrowing money everywhere to invest in stocks.
Even if she managed to get one or two million and made money, it wouldn't exceed ten million at most.
But Xu Yang already had tens of millions.
"Even if it's genuine, it can't be worth that much, can it?"
Even Chen Guanglei, this second-generation rich kid, was somewhat stunned.
Tens of millions, even he couldn't easily produce that amount.
He just idled away his days in his father's company, earning tens of thousands in salary each month.
His monthly living expenses also came from his father, which was five hundred thousand.
As for buying other large items, such as cars or houses, he had to ask his father again.
However, Xu Yang, the person he looked down on and ridiculed in every way, had suddenly earned tens of millions.
Subconsciously, he blurted out that sentence.
This also showed his lack of understanding of the value of Wu Daozi's paintings.
Although he had learned some antique knowledge and had a certain understanding of the antique market, he truly didn't know how much Wu Daozi's paintings were worth.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have said that, embarrassing himself in front of a professional like Tang Zhengqi, and also in front of Zhao Yulu.
Chapter 20 You've Lost a Lot
Tang Zhengqi merely glanced at Chen Guanglei, ignoring him, and instead said to Xu Yang, "Little Brother Xu, I intend to buy this painting from you. Are you willing to sell it?"
Xu Yang's heart stirred.
If someone was willing to buy, he would certainly sell it.
However, it also depended on the price the other party offered.
If the price offered reached fifty million, he would sell it.
If it didn't reach fifty million, he wouldn't sell it.
After all, this was the price given by the system.
It was the bottom line, and it absolutely could not be broken.
Thinking of this, Xu Yang said, "Of course I'll sell it, as long as you offer a suitable price."
Tang Zhengqi thought for a moment and said, "Little Brother Xu, if you sell this painting to me now, I can offer fifty million."
"What! That much!"
Before Xu Yang could speak, Chen Guanglei exclaimed.
Damn it, this Xu Yang's luck was too good.
He bought a painting for fifty thousand and then sold it for fifty million.
That was a thousandfold profit.
And it all happened in less than half an hour.
Zhao Yulu's expression also changed drastically, and the way she looked at Xu Yang shifted.
Xu Yang had directly become a multi-millionaire.
If she were still Xu Yang's girlfriend, given how much he loved her, this fifty million would essentially be hers.
Buying cars, houses, luxury clothes, handbags, and so on, would all be within reach.
She wouldn't need to borrow money everywhere for investments.
Gao Chengwen and the young man, however, showed no surprise.
They both knew that Wu Daozi's paintings were indeed worth that much.
Gao Chengwen regretted it even more.
There was once a genuine work by Wu Daozi right in front of him, for only fifty thousand, and he didn't buy it... Thinking of this, Gao Chengwen felt a wave of dizziness and nearly collapsed to the ground.
The young man looked at Xu Yang with eyes full of envy, jealousy, and hatred.
Tang Zhengqi continued, "Little Brother Xu, I am not only the Vice President of the Antique Association but also a shareholder in an auction house. If this painting of yours were put up for auction, it might not just fetch fifty million; it could go for about ten million more. Of course, it's also possible it could be less than fifty million, depending on whether anyone bids when the time comes. However, that possibility is very small, because as long as the auction house puts out word about a genuine Wu Daozi, it will definitely attract many antique experts to bid."
Xu Yang thought for a moment and said, "When does your auction house hold auctions?"
He only wanted money now; if it took too long, he wasn't interested.
Tang Zhengqi said, "The fifteenth of next month."
Xu Yang shook his head and said, "That's too long. Just give me fifty million now."
Anyway, it had already reached the fifty million the system mentioned, so he could sell it.
As for waiting until next month, he didn't want to wait that long.
He just wanted to make quick money now.
With this fifty million, he could buy a car and a house.
Anyway, he had the system, so he would have plenty of opportunities to make money in the future.
There was no need to wait so long for that extra ten million.
Zhao Yulu couldn't help but say, "Xu Yang, are you stupid? If you wait until the fifteenth of next month, you could earn an extra ten million. Can't you just wait?"
Waiting one month to earn ten million, what a great opportunity to make money.
She dreamed of such an opportunity.
Even with the stock information for Blackstone Technology that Chen Guanglei provided, with the amount of money she could borrow, she couldn't make that much.
Xu Yang said, "I don't want to wait. It's better to have the money in hand."
Zhao Yulu was about to speak again when Chen Guangleiinterjected, "Yulu, ignore him. His vision is just that short-sighted. This is a poor person's mindset, only looking at the present, not the long term. Someone like that, even if he has money now, will quickly lose it all."
He wanted to step on Xu Yang like this; it made him happy.
Zhao Yulu agreed, "That's right, even with money, if he still has this poor person's mindset, he'll end up a pauper again!"
Xu Yang ignored the two of them and said to Tang Zhengqi, "Can you pay now?"
"Of course." Tang Zhengqi nodded, asked Xu Yang for a bank card number, and directly transferred fifty million to Xu Yang using his phone.
Seeing the money arrive, Xu Yang's face broke into a smile.
He could buy a car and a house now.
He would go with his wife tomorrow to buy them, first a car, then a house.
Chen Guanglei pouted, "What an idiot, not knowing how to make money!"
He said that, but in his heart, he was incredibly jealous.
Xu Yang glanced at Chen Guanglei and retorted, "Is it any of your business? If you're so capable, why don't you earn fifty million and show me?"
Originally, he really couldn't be bothered with Chen Guanglei.
But this guy kept calling him an idiot.
Earlier, when no one could identify the painting as genuine, it was one thing.
But now that it had been identified, and he had already earned fifty million, this guy was still saying such things, and Xu Yang could no longer tolerate it.
"You!" Chen Guanglei's face flushed red, but he couldn't retort.
He really didn't have the ability to stumble upon a treasure and earn fifty million.
Then, he snorted coldly, "You just got lucky, like a blind cat catching a dead mouse!"
Xu Yang shot back, "Even if I'm a blind cat catching a dead mouse, do you even get to catch anything? You don't even have the chance to!"
Chen Guanglei's face turned ashen with anger, speechless.
The situation really wasn't in his favor.
The other person had genuinely stumbled upon a huge treasure and earned fifty million.
No matter what he said, with such a retort, he would always be at a disadvantage.
At this moment, Tang Zhengqi put away the painting, exchanged phone numbers with Xu Yang, and then said, "Little Brother Xu, if you have any other antiques in the future, you can find me. If you want to bid on something at an auction, or if you have something you want to put up for auction, you can also find me, and I'll give you a discount."
Xu Yang said, "Alright, thank you, Chairman Tang."
"Boss Gao, let's go." Tang Zhengqi greeted Gao Chengwen and then left.
Xu Yang looked at the crowd, also preparing to leave.
Just then, Guo Shan, who had sold the painting earlier, ran in and mockingly said to Xu Yang, "Brother, still here? How do you feel about that painting I sold you? Do you feel like you made a huge profit?"
Normally, he wouldn't come over to mock him.
But today he was happy, and he felt that there wouldn't be a second chance to make money from Xu Yang.
Coming over to mock him a bit, to satisfy his inner needs, wasn't bad either.
However, after he spoke, he noticed that everyone was looking at him strangely.
He touched the back of his head, even looked back, and then asked blankly, "What's wrong? Why are you all looking at me like that?"
The young man said, "Guo Shan, you got screwed over big time. That painting you just sold him is real!"
"What!" Guo Shan's face changed. "Impossible, how could it be real? I bought that for five hundred yuan from a street stall, and didn't the boss appraise it? He said it was a fake, how could it be real?"
He really didn't want to believe it. If it was real, he would have lost a fortune.
Wu Daozi was the Sage of Painting.
Even though he was completely clueless in this field.
He still understood the basic market value; a genuine work by such a painter would definitely be worth tens of millions.
The young man gloated, "Heh heh, that painting was bought for fifty million. Do you think it's real or not?"