Sun Yilang and the others quickly stepped forward upon seeing Ye Fan returning with heavy steps.
"Brother Ye, did that Mr. Cao give you a hard time? If there's any trouble, I'll kill him for you." Jiang Zhitao said angrily, his eyes flashing with rage.
Ye Fan stopped him, "This matter doesn't concern you; it's my private affair." Knowing Jiang Zhitao's personality, he might actually try to deal with Mr. Cao with his bodyguards. For now, even though Ye Fan hadn't decided whether to join the Ghost Market, he was very certain of its purpose. The order of the antique market must not be disrupted.
Seeing Ye Fan's cold expression and gloomy gaze, Jiang Zhitao, who was about to say something, swallowed his words. Suppressing his deep emotions, Ye Fan looked up at Jiang Zhitao and Doctor Hao.
"By the way, what are you two doing here? Do you also want to buy antiques?" Given their personalities, it was highly unlikely they would come here to search for treasures. If they had the time, they would have gone out to enjoy themselves. Such treasure hunting had never been their concern.
Doctor Hao stroked his beard and chuckled. "It was I who asked this rascal to come. I heard someone in the Ghost Market was selling Buddha Immortal Grass, which is needed for a prescription I've been formulating. I came to try my luck, but unfortunately, I've searched the place twice and haven't seen any trace of it." Doctor Hao looked dejected. His prescription was almost complete, only lacking this one ingredient, and the Buddha Immortal Grass was notoriously elusive.
Knowing Doctor Hao's opportunistic nature, Ye Fan smiled and shook his head. He was an amateur when it came to medicinal herbs. "I can't help you with that, but who is the patient that requires your esteemed presence?" For Doctor Hao to be so diligent, the patient's status must be incredibly high, at least higher than Lin Yue, the City Lord of Jiang City.
Doctor Hao, however, smiled and shook his head. "Brother Ye, as doctors, we have rules about not revealing patients' privacy. Therefore, I must apologize, but I cannot answer you." Knowing the old man's stubborn nature, if he didn't want to say anything, he wouldn't utter a word even if you killed him. So, Ye Fan didn't ask further.
"What are your plans now? Continue searching or leave?" Although he didn't find any treasures this time at the Ghost Market, Ye Fan had gained a lot and wanted to go back and process it. Jiang Zhitao looked at Doctor Hao, who sighed, "Since we haven't found it, staying here is futile. It's better to go back and get some rest." With that, the group left the Ghost Market dejectedly.
...
That night, Ye Fan tossed and turned, the words Mr. Cao had spoken constantly swirling in his mind. Who was the mastermind behind the Ghost Market? If he wanted to find him, it meant this person was familiar with him, and their relationship was extremely close. But in his past life as a tomb keeper, Ye Fan hadn't had many friends. Who could it be? After thinking for half the night with no results, Ye Fan reluctantly forced himself to sleep.
The next morning, he was awakened by a call from Sun Yilang. "Mr. Ye, the Liu family is here, at Bogu Studio, and they're insisting on seeing you." Sun Yilang said urgently.
"I'll be there immediately," Ye Fan replied, then got up, tidied himself, and headed straight for Bogu Studio.
In Bogu Studio at this moment, Liu Piaoxu sat quietly, drinking tea. She hadn't even glanced at the items in Bogu Studio. With her status and experience, she naturally disdained these objects. When tranquil, she was like ripples on a calm lake in spring; when she moved, it was like autumn wind sweeping through fallen leaves. These words were most fitting to describe Liu Piaoxu.
As Ye Fan strode into Bogu Studio, he saw Liu Piaoxu's serene appearance and quickly walked towards her, his voice preceding him. "Miss Liu, are you here to collect a debt? To seek me out so early in the morning?" Sitting opposite Liu Piaoxu, Ye Fan crossed his legs and asked with a smile.
Liu Piaoxu slowly put down her teacup and smiled charmingly. Her smile seemed to make a hundred flowers wither and was stunningly beautiful. Liu Piaoxu's beauty was undeniable, especially her noble and elegant demeanor, which perhaps even Shen Tianyin couldn't match.
"Mr. Ye jokes. Piaoxu is here today to invite Mr. Ye to join my Liu family and serve as our appraisal consultant." As she spoke, she presented a contract detailing the conditions offered by the Liu family. Ye Fan merely glanced at it. The Liu family had offered him extremely generous and tempting terms. Money was no longer important; the contract even stated that the Liu family would allow Ye Fan to take away any three ancient artifacts each year. One must realize that for a giant like the Liu family, they handled countless antiques each year, and invaluable treasures were numerous. The freedom to select three items meant what? Even Ye Fan's heart quickened a few beats.
"How about it? Are you satisfied with the conditions offered by my Liu family, Mr. Ye?" Liu Piaoxu asked, smiling at Ye Fan. Ye Fan slowly pushed the contract aside, leaned back on the sofa, and his gaze fell on Liu Piaoxu's face. His gaze was hot and fiery, as if he wanted to see through Liu Piaoxu. Ye Fan's unrestrained stare at a woman was undoubtedly extremely rude. Yet, Liu Piaoxu simply smiled, "If Mr. Ye has any thoughts, feel free to express them, and my Liu family will do our best to satisfy Mr. Ye." This woman was too calculating and her disposition was tenacious. If it were someone else, facing Ye Fan's blatant provocation, they would have likely become furious. But she could accept it with a smile and even handle it with ease. Even with his two lifetimes of experience, Ye Fan couldn't help but admire her.
Hearing Liu Piaoxu's words, Ye Fan's gaze did not retract in the slightest. A playful smile curved his lips. "If I were to ask if Miss Liu would agree to become my woman, would Miss Liu agree?" The remark instantly stunned Liu Piaoxu, and a flush rose to her cheeks. Behind her, the older man she had met yesterday stepped forward abruptly, looking coldly at Ye Fan.
"You dare insult the young lady, you're courting death." Saying this, he threw a punch towards Ye Fan. Liu Piaoxu wanted to stop him, but it was too late. She frowned, her expression darkening. She knew that if Ye Fan were harmed, their plan to bring him into the Liu family would completely fail. But just as the man's fist was about to touch Ye Fan, Ye Fan suddenly leaned back, and at the same time, kicked out with both feet.
"Bang, bang." His feet forcefully landed on the man's abdomen, driving him back two steps, and his punch missed its target. "The Liu family is also a prominent clan. How can you not even educate a minor properly? Miss Liu, this isn't your instruction, is it?" Ye Fan straightened himself and asked Liu Piaoxu, his gaze fixed.
Seeing that Ye Fan was unharmed, Liu Piaoxu finally let out a sigh of relief. "Mr. Ye jokes. Piaoxu sincerely wants to invite Mr. Ye to join, so why would I let someone attack you?" As she spoke, she turned to the man, her face grim and her gaze cold. "Liu Zhong, aren't you going to retreat?"