The next day, Xiang Wan put on makeup and wore ethnic attire, looking as beautiful as an eighteen-year-old girl.
Walking down the street holding her hand, Lu Mingzhe felt genuinely proud.
"I suddenly understand why there were so many foolish emperors in ancient times."
Xiang Wan smiled at him as he spoke.
"If I were the emperor, possessing so much land, and you happened to like it here, how could I resist gifting it to you? Wanwan, you fit in so perfectly here."
He wanted to buy a house here so Xiang Wan could visit whenever she pleased.
She was truly adorable when she was carefree.
Xiang Wan couldn't help but laugh at his grand pronouncements.
"Perhaps you were an emperor in your past life. This is the imperial garden you bestowed upon me, and we are revisiting old grounds."
Her eyes sparkled. She clearly liked him so much and was so happy when they were together, yet she still wanted to push him away.
Lu Mingzhe truly wanted to punish her for her "selfless sacrifice."
"Are you trying to kill me with that sweet smile? Give me a kiss before you go!"
They strolled along the street, browsing from one shop to another. Many sold jade crafts. He knew there wouldn't be any genuine treasures, just overpriced trinkets, but he saw it as a form of entertainment.
Xiang Wan, however, was captivated.
She was particularly drawn to a piece, entirely emerald green, which was claimed to be jade. Her admiration was unmistakable.
It was a small ornamental piece shaped like a cucumber, with a golden toad carved at the tail. It was a cohesive piece, intricately crafted and lifelike.
Not only was the design appealing, but the meaning was also auspicious: "guagua laicai" (croaking brings wealth).
Lu Mingzhe asked the shopkeeper the price, but Xiang Wan said she wouldn't buy it. "I just find it interesting, only looking."
The shopkeeper began his sales pitch.
"Miss has excellent taste. This is a new arrival in our store, purely hand-carved by a jade carving master. The material is pure in color, the craftsmanship is superb, truly rare."
"And the price isn't high, suitable for young people like yourselves. If you like it, just take it."
Seeing her rare interest in something, Lu Mingzhe asked the shopkeeper again, "How much?"
The shopkeeper replied, "This is pure jade raw material imported from Nepal, designed by a jade carving master, and purely hand-carved..."
"Stop the flattery. Just tell me the price."
"Sixty-eight thousand eight hundred. You're from out of town, aren't you? Seeing as you've come from afar to support our tourism industry, and you are such a handsome couple, let's just be friends. Six thousand six hundred, a fixed price, and you can take it. How about that?"
Sixty-six thousand?
More expensive than a designer handbag. What nerve!
Xiang Wan pulled Lu Mingzhe away. "I have no more than five thousand yuan in my card, and I still need money for food back home. Let's go, let's go."
Sixty-six thousand yuan was nothing to Lu Mingzhe. As long as Xiang Wan liked it, he would spend sixty million.
However, willingness aside, being willing to be ripped off was another matter entirely.
Pulled by her, he didn't leave and exposed the shopkeeper.
"Do you think we're fools? Inflating the price to this extent."
"If you truly like my merchandise, but you scare customers away like this, your business won't last long, shopkeeper."
The shopkeeper felt he had indeed exaggerated a bit, not expecting these two seemingly wealthy young people to be so tight-fisted.
"Let's talk it over. What price were you thinking of? I didn't say I couldn't negotiate."
Lu Mingzhe thought of a reasonable price in his mind and was about to speak when Xiang Wan playfully slapped his mouth.
"I already told you my entire fortune is no more than 5,000 yuan. We still need to buy plane tickets back and have living expenses for rent. What will we eat if we buy this?"
"We can't afford it anyway. Let's not waste the shopkeeper's time. Let's go."
She forcefully pulled Lu Mingzhe outward. Seeing the duck about to fly away, the shopkeeper quickly stood up.
"Don't rush off, young lady, young lady. Let's talk properly. As long as you sincerely like it, I can give you a bigger discount."
She ignored him and continued walking.
"Fifty thousand, is fifty thousand okay?"
Still walking.
"Forty thousand! Don't go, oh my, twenty thousand!"
"Eight thousand! Five thousand!"
Xiang Wan pulled Lu Mingzhe, walking out, and whispered to him as they went.
"The most I can offer is 300 yuan. If you agree, we'll buy it. If not, forget it. No price increases."
"I'm leaving first. You stay and negotiate with him."
Lu Mingzhe pretended to open her hand and stood his ground.
"How about this, shopkeeper. Seeing your sincerity to sell, I'll befriend you too. 200 yuan, alright? Wrap it up directly."
The shopkeeper almost spat blood.
"An item worth over 80,000 yuan, and you want me to sell it for 200?"
"No? Then forget it. We're just having fun, not expecting it to appreciate or make us rich. Your item is good, and if the price truly cannot be lowered, I won't force it."
He turned to leave, and the shopkeeper, anxious, chased after him.
"Wait, wait, how about this, eight hundred. It really can't be any less. Consider it for good luck, a rock-bottom price, selling it to you for 800 yuan."
Lu Mingzhe: "But I don't have 800 yuan, only 200."
In the end, the deal was made for 200 yuan, and Lu Mingzhe handed the item to Xiang Wan.
"You really have some skills. You bought an item worth over 80,000 yuan for 200. I can brag about this for the rest of my life."
"How did you figure out his item was fake?"
Xiang Wan replied, "Don't you think about what I do for a living? The clothing wholesale market. A place like a mud pit, where I'm most skilled at these tricks."
"When I was bored after work, I used to work part-time as a plant. I know all of the shopkeeper's sales tactics by heart. Giving him 200 yuan was practically pitying him."
Lu Mingzhe liked her even more.
"The more I get to know you, the more treasures I discover within you, and the more I like you. Wanwan, why are you so adorable?"
Xiang Wan didn't respond to his words.
"I think Grandma will definitely like this. Even if she doesn't, it's a nice little ornament to keep at home, with good meaning. Today's outing was worth it."
Lu Mingzhe looked at her, who was incredibly cute.
"200 yuan is enough to send you away? Satisfied? Don't you want to browse anymore?"
"I don't want to browse anymore. It's all just food and drink, and the scenery is pretty much the same. Let's call Niannian back home. I suddenly miss her."
Lu Mingzhe wasn't interested in the gaudy snacks either. His heart bloomed with joy.
Since you don't want to browse anymore, let's go back and do something suitable for doing at home.
As soon as they returned, Xiang Wan realized she had been tricked.
It wasn't about calling Niannian back home. This man was clearly planning something else.
"You're over 30 years old, how do you have so much energy? Aren't you afraid of death?"
Lu Mingzhe's actions didn't stop.
"I haven't used it for a whole year, of course I'm energetic. Besides, you know my capabilities."
"But we're going to see Erhai Lake tomorrow, and you'll be driving long distance..."
"If you really pity me, how about you do what you did last night?"
"Lu Mingzhe, can you have a shred of decency?"
"No, I'm not afraid of being laughed at. However, if you continue like this and the neighbors hear, I can't be held responsible for the consequences."