On the day of the "visiting" event, I sat in the side hall, sampling the Laobanzhang tea that Hong Yunpeng had acquired.
I had to admit, the title "King of Tea" was well-deserved.
Anyone who drinks tea knows the saying: red wine is judged by its chateau, while Pu'er is all about its origin.
Due to differences in geographical environments, Pu'er tea leaves have varying tastes.
And this Laobanzhang is the crème de la crème among Pu'er. Most Laobanzhang tea trees are hundreds of years old.
The amount of Laobanzhang spring tea produced each season is pitifully small.
Laobanzhang possesses a unique "Banzhang flavor," a fragrance as rich and sweet as honey. Even after the leaves are removed, any vessel that has contained Laobanzhang tea will still carry that aroma.
I took a sip of this top-tier tea and couldn't help but exclaim that you truly get what you pay for.
Hong Yunpeng had spent over fifty thousand yuan to acquire this Laobanzhang.
Of course, this money came from the shop's funds.
"Xiao Fei, why are you still sitting here? People will be arriving soon," Hong Yunpeng said, rushing in.
I beckoned him over. "Brother Hong, come here."
After he approached, I poured him a cup of tea. "Try this."
Hong Yunpeng took a sip. "This tea is truly fragrant. No wonder it's so expensive."
I drained my cup in one go and stood up. "I wonder if this gift will bring any returns."
Hong Yunpeng chuckled. "There will surely be returns. Mr. Zhou will introduce business to us next year."
"That would be best. It wouldn't be worth it if we give the gift and get nothing in return," I shrugged.
After a brief chat, Hong Yunpeng and I went to the entrance. Soon, Zhou Yongxiang and his party arrived.
They were all men over fifty. After exchanging pleasantries, we invited them to the inner hall for a tour.
While Hong Yunpeng accompanied the others, I stayed by Zhou Yongxiang's side.
"Shopkeeper Xiang, it's been a while. Are you keeping well?" Zhou Yongxiang asked me with a smile.
"Thanks to your good wishes, I'm doing very well," I replied with a smile.
"Has it been almost a year since we last met?" Zhou Yongxiang inquired.
I nodded. "You have an excellent memory. It will be a full year in a few days."
"In our line of work, everything else might falter, but our memory must not. Don't you agree?"
I nodded in agreement. "Yes."
Upon entering the inner hall, Zhou Yongxiang surveyed the antiques within. He then stopped before a counter, gazing at a bone flute. "If I'm not mistaken, this is a bone flute, isn't it?"
"You are truly remarkable, sir. You identified it at a glance," I said.
He chuckled. "I used to be quite fond of collecting bone flutes. Your flute is in excellent condition. How much did you acquire it for?"
I held up three fingers. "This much."
He stroked his white beard. "That price is not unreasonable."
Then, he changed the subject. "I find this bone flute to be in excellent condition. How about you sell it to me?"
I was taken aback. I hadn't expected Zhou Yongxiang to be interested in the bone flute.
"I'll add another hundred thousand to your acquisition price," he stated before I could even think.
The bone flute was already considered expensive at three hundred thousand yuan. Now, with an additional hundred thousand, it far exceeded my expectations.
Logically, I should have been delighted. Yet, for some reason, a sense of doubt arose within me.
If it were anyone else asking to buy this bone flute for four hundred thousand yuan, I would have sold it without a second thought.
But who was Zhou Yongxiang? He was a seasoned expert in the antique circle of Guangling.
Having appraised artifacts for so many years, coupled with running his own underground auction house, could anything he fancied be ordinary?
Curiosity piqued, I asked, "Why is Old Master Zhou so interested in this bone flute?"
He smiled. "It's a personal obsession, you could say. I collect many musical instruments, and I have all sorts of flutes. I once owned a bone flute, but unfortunately, I gave it away. To see one here today has stirred my heart."
He paused. "Shopkeeper Xiang, surely you won't deny an old man his wish?"
After a moment's thought, I invited Zhou Yongxiang to the side hall.
We sat facing each other. Besides us, his attendant stood in the room.
The attendant seemed indifferent to everything, standing by like a block of wood.
"Old Master Zhou, please have some tea," I said, deliberately avoiding the topic of the bone flute.
However, Zhou Yongxiang seemed a bit impatient. Although his expression revealed nothing, his words conveyed his determination to acquire the bone flute.
"If Shopkeeper Xiang feels my offer is too low, feel free to name your price."
I smiled. "How about this, if Old Master Zhou truly desires the flute, what do you say to this price?"
I held up one finger.
He smiled, seemingly unfazed by my offer. "One million, then. I'll take the flute."
This time, I was even more astonished!
He was willing to spend a million yuan on that bone flute?
What was going on?
I had only made a tentative offer, and he had agreed without hesitation…
My eyes darted, and I stared at his eyes expressionlessly before uttering a sentence that surprised even myself: "Not one million, but ten million."
Honestly, I was quite surprised when those words left my mouth.
Perhaps it was my overwhelming desire to know why he was so interested in that bone flute.
Zhou Yongxiang's expression finally changed. He stiffened: "Are you sure you're not joking?"
Having already spoken, I could only nod with feigned resolve.
He frowned. "Shopkeeper Xiang, do you happen to know the flute's true value?"
His question confirmed my suspicions.
I feigned composure and smiled. "Of course, otherwise, I wouldn't dare to name such a price."
Zhou Yongxiang looked at me for a long time without speaking. As the minutes ticked by, I began to feel uneasy under his gaze.
After about three minutes, he sighed. "One point two million at most. No more."
I remained silent, wanting to see what else he would say.
"I didn't expect you to also know about that flute..."
He trailed off, appearing unwilling to continue.
I couldn't help but ask, "What is so special about that flute?"
The moment I asked, I berated myself for being foolish.
Didn't that just reveal that I actually knew nothing about the flute's mystery?
Dealing with such old foxes, one wrong step and you're caught.
Seeing his smile, I realized he had deliberately spoken only half the sentence to test me, and I had fallen into his trap.
"Truly a hero among youths. Shopkeeper Xiang, at such a young age, you already possess the ability to read people's minds," Zhou Yongxiang said with a smile.
His words, rather than easing my embarrassment, made me wish I could sink through the floor.
Dealing with old men, even eight hundred clever tricks aren't enough!