Watching the two of them argue, I took the inkstone from Boss Feng's hand. "Eighty thousand it is, let's not spoil the good relations."
Finishing, before either of them could react, I placed my briefcase on a nearby table and took out eight bundles of cash.
To be honest, my hands trembled as I handled the money.
Still, I suppressed my nervousness.
When Boss Feng saw the money on the table, his eyes widened.
Hong Yunpeng was about to say something, but I shot him a glare, and he quickly shut up.
"Brother Xiang, a man of his word!" Boss Feng exclaimed.
In the antique business, it's like this: when you're examining something, if you accidentally break someone else's item, even if it's only worth a hundred yuan, you have to pay a thousand if they demand it.
"Boss Feng, please count the money and see if it's the correct amount," I said.
Boss Feng smiled and replied, "Yes, yes, yes. Please sit down first, I'll count it right away."
After sitting down, I picked up the inkstone with the chipped corner and examined it, sighing and shaking my head in dismay.
"Brother Xiang, I truly haven't swindled you this time. The inkstone you broke is definitely a good item, several people were extremely fond of it," Boss Feng said, comforting me while counting the money.
From his eyes, I knew he was well aware that it was a fake.
"I originally intended to give it as a gift to a friend, but ended up buying a defective product. Who am I supposed to complain to?" I said with a wry smile.
After counting the money, Boss Feng placed it behind the counter, poured us some tea, and sat down. "The first time I saw Brother Xiang, I felt you were extraordinary. A prominent forehead, a straight nose – clearly a face of wealth."
I couldn't help but laugh and cry. "Boss Feng, are you skilled in physiognomy?"
"I know a little," Boss Feng replied. "Since Brother Xiang accidentally broke my inkstone today, it's a form of destiny. How about this, Brother Xiang, you pick another one, and I'll give you a discount."
"What kind of discount?" I asked.
"That depends on which one Brother Xiang fancies?"
I casually pointed to the inkstone attributed to Li Gonglin. "Although its condition isn't great, it's still considered high-class. How much is that one?"
"Brother Xiang truly has a good eye. That's from the Song Dynasty," Boss Feng said.
Hearing him state the precise dynasty, my heart skipped a beat. I wondered if he knew it was Li Gonglin's inkstone.
He then stood up, retrieved the inkstone, and pointed to the seal script inscription. "You see, this is seal script, and the brushstrokes show a distinct Song Dynasty style."
"Oh?" I asked, feigning surprise. "How does Boss Feng know?"
"Don't just think I only deal in inkstones. I'm also very fond of calligraphy and painting, especially from the Song Dynasty," Boss Feng said proudly. "The more you see, the more you can discern some things."
I nodded. "Boss Feng is indeed an expert."
"Expert is too strong a word. I'd say I'm better than some and worse than others."
That statement struck me as odd. Was he subtly implying I was ignorant?
"So, how much is this one?" I asked.
"Originally, I was selling this for fifty thousand. But since Brother Xiang likes it, I'll give you a fifty percent discount. You can have it for twenty-five thousand."
"Twenty-five thousand?" I said with a bitter smile, deliberately opening my briefcase for him to see. "I only brought a hundred thousand with me today... I already gave Boss Feng eighty thousand, so I only have twenty thousand left. It seems this item is not meant for me."
Boss Feng looked conflicted for a moment, then said, "Twenty thousand it is! Let's consider it making a friend!"
Hearing that, I couldn't have been happier, but I knew I had to play my part. At such a crucial moment, composure was key.
"Brother Hong, what do you think?" I asked, looking at Hong Yunpeng.
"Twenty thousand for this thing?" Hong Yunpeng said dismissively. "I wouldn't take it even if you paid me five thousand."
"Boss Hong, that's not fair. This item is quite good."
"You say every item in your shop is good, yet I haven't seen you strike it rich," Hong Yunpeng retorted.
Boss Feng wasn't embarrassed and chuckled. "Everyone seeks different things. I'm content with modest prosperity. Too much money can be a burden."
Hong Yunpeng was amused to the point of laughter. He drained his teacup in one gulp and fell silent.
"Alright then, twenty thousand it is. It wouldn't be a wasted trip," I said.
Boss Feng grinned, giving me a thumbs-up. "As expected, Brother Xiang is truly straightforward! Just as the ancient Hegemon King Xiang Yu broke his cauldrons and sank his ships, today we have Brother Xiang Fei with his discerning eye. The Xiang family truly are remarkable individuals!"
Hearing his flattery, I felt like laughing.
If Boss Feng knew that I had essentially played a trick on him, he'd likely be furious.
But that's the nature of antiques. If you lack the skill, and good items are sold as junk, it's simply a lack of expertise. There's no one to blame for that.
It's the same as Hong Yunpeng buying a fake for fifty thousand. Even if he knew it was fake, he couldn't very well smash Boss Feng's shop.
I took the money out of my bag and handed it over. Boss Feng's smile was wide enough to split his face. He even insisted on finding a delicate wooden box to store the inkstone. As for the broken one, he offered to repair it for me free of charge.
Since my objective had been achieved, I had no intention of lingering. So, I said, "No need to trouble yourself. I'll just use some superglue to fix this and keep it as a decoration at home."
Boss Feng gave me a thumbs-up. "Using superglue on antiques, Brother Xiang is truly the first. I've learned something today!"
"Then we'll be going now, Boss Feng," I said with a smile.
"Certainly. I'll contact you two again if I get any more good items," Boss Feng said, escorting us to the door.
After getting into the Santana, Hong Yunpeng seemed to have guessed my intentions and couldn't help but ask, "Xiao Fei, tell me the truth. Was that twenty-thousand-yuan inkstone real?"
I nodded with a smile.
He was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter. "I knew it! You spent eighty thousand yuan without batting an eye, and I was completely bewildered. Later, when you said you wanted to buy that inkstone for twenty thousand, I started to suspect something."
He then licked his lips. "How much is that thing worth?"
I replied, "I can't say for sure, but based on the market prices I researched recently, it should sell easily for five to sixty thousand."
Hearing this, Hong Yunpeng almost jumped out of his seat. "Five to sixty thousand?!"
I nodded.
"Is that inkstone really that valuable?"
I said, "This is an inkstone used by Li Gonglin. What do you think?"
"Who is Li Gonglin?" Hong Yunpeng asked, looking confused.
I shook my head with a helpless smile. "Brother Hong, you should read more books when you have the time."
"Don't keep me in suspense, hurry up and tell me who Li Gonglin is!" Hong Yunpeng asked impatiently.
I had no choice but to give him a brief explanation of the famous painter's life.