The Way In

Gu Ming followed the hand, only to look up and realize it was someone she knew. "Zhou Tao?"

"Gu Ming?" Zhou Tao turned at the sound of his name, surprised to see the school's recent gossip girl.

"Aren't you supposed to be celebrating with the others?" Gu Ming recalled Zhou Tao's boast about treating everyone to drinks.

Given how wild Zhou Tao and his friends had been the night before, it was hard to imagine him showing up here so early. She'd witnessed their crazy partying firsthand.

Zhou Tao chuckled, a small dimple showing on his cheek. "Today's 'Ghost Market.' I've been pretty lucky recently, so I couldn't miss it. But what about you? You were asking about the place yesterday, and here you are today."

"I just thought I'd try my luck," Gu Ming said with an awkward laugh.

Zhou Tao didn't press her further. Instead, he raised the incense burner he'd picked up. "Is this what you're after too?"

"No, just wanted to take a look," Gu Ming replied. Since Zhou Tao had already grabbed it, there was no point in trying to take it from him.

Zhou Tao squinted at the incense burner, inspecting it carefully before setting it down on the stall. "It's your first time here, so go ahead and have a look."

Gu Ming didn't hesitate. After thanking him, she reached out her left hand to take the incense burner. The moment her left hand touched it, she immediately knew it wasn't an antique. She didn't waste time; after pretending to inspect it for a moment, she placed it back on the stall.

"What do you think?" Zhou Tao asked, watching her.

"Not much," Gu Ming replied, standing up. "If there's nothing else, I'll go check out other stalls."

"Wait!" Zhou Tao, who had lost interest in the incense burner, quickly came up beside her, lowering his voice. "Are you short on cash?"

Gu Ming looked at him warily before replying honestly, "Yes."

It wasn't a secret that her grandfather, Gu Ning, was in the hospital. Zhou Tao had probably heard and guessed that she was in need of money, so it wasn't surprising.

Zhou Tao's opinion of Gu Ming improved slightly at her straightforward admission. It seemed that not all the rumors about her were true.

"Since we're classmates, how about a little deal?" Zhou Tao led her aside, speaking in a lowered voice.

"What kind of deal?" Gu Ming asked, suspicious.

Zhou Tao had a reputation for frequenting the Panjiayuan market, and she thought maybe he knew some insider information that others didn't. It would save her time if she could skip the usual trial-and-error and take a shortcut.

Zhou Tao seemed to have made up his mind. "I'll take you to a place with lots of items, but whether they're real or not, you'll have to decide. The stall owner usually won't show good stuff to strangers. But if you find something valuable..."

"Don't worry, I won't forget your help." Gu Ming understood his meaning immediately.

She might be new to these markets, but she understood well that Zhou Tao's offer wasn't unusual. Not everyone had the connections to access such items. Being able to identify valuable things was one thing, but without the right connections, even the best judgment wouldn't be enough.

Having gotten her confirmation, Zhou Tao didn't waste any time and led her through the crowd.

Although Gu Ming and Zhou Tao weren't that close, there was a reason why he was offering to help her today. Everyone knew her high academic standing and natural talent, which had caught the attention of their professors. Zhou Tao thought of her as someone capable and had seen her correctly identify items in the past. He had long wanted to get her help, but there hadn't been a chance until now. He knew how useful it could be to introduce someone competent to find good pieces.

For Zhou Tao, introducing someone with skill meant they'd be able to pick valuable items themselves. If Gu Ming found something good, it would be a win-win—he'd help her, gain her favor, and get something out of it too.

They walked through the market in silence, with Zhou Tao occasionally glancing at Gu Ming, probably hoping she would show some more insight into the situation.

After about a three-minute walk, they arrived at an inconspicuous stall. An old man, somewhat shabby in appearance, was enthusiastically explaining the contents of a large wooden box to two unremarkable middle-aged men.

Gu Ming took a quick glance but didn't see anything that immediately caught her attention.

Zhou Tao didn't rush to approach the stall, waiting until the two men finished buying something from the box and hurriedly walked away. Then he stepped up to the stall and greeted the old man, "Wang Geda, still conning people, huh?"

The old man, Wang Geda, immediately recognized Zhou Tao, and his previously cheerful face dropped. "Go away, go away. I'm not conning anyone. Those two were the ones trying to trick me! Just because they speak fluent Chinese doesn't mean I can't tell where they're really from. I'm a true patriot!"

"Enough with the act," Zhou Tao said, shaking his head. "Show us something good, don't be stingy. I brought a new face today."

Wang Geda glanced at Gu Ming, grumbled a bit, and then pulled out a large sack from under the table. "Just got these, fresh off the press!"

Zhou Tao inspected the sack quickly, then pushed it aside, unimpressed. "You really think I'll be fooled by this? We've known each other for years—don't try to play me like this."

"Alright, alright," Wang Geda said with a grin. "You've got sharp eyes." He pulled out another identical sack and handed it over to Zhou Tao. "You win, take a look at these."

Zhou Tao nodded, signaling Gu Ming to come closer. Together, they crouched beside the stall.

The stall became busier as more people came by to look at the goods. Wang Geda started chatting excitedly with them, but when he noticed Gu Ming and Zhou Tao examining the sack, he paid little attention to them.

"Take a good look at what's inside," Zhou Tao said, his voice low.

Gu Ming nodded, and they both continued inspecting the items.

Gu Ming was noticeably quicker than Zhou Tao. Instead of examining everything meticulously like he did with his magnifying glass, she casually picked up and put down items, seemingly as if she were a novice, making decisions based on whether they seemed appealing. The flashlight in her hand was only used sporadically, mostly to avoid drawing attention.

Despite her earlier excitement, Gu Ming's hope was beginning to fade as she didn't find anything that sparked her interest. The sack was filled with a jumble of items, and after checking nearly everything with her left hand, she found nothing that heated up.

She noticed that many of the items were very well-made fakes. Without professional knowledge, many buyers would easily be tricked.

Looking around, she saw Zhou Tao holding a small bowl, which she had already examined. It was a fake.

"Is there anything else?" Gu Ming asked, tossing the sack aside and addressing Wang Geda.

Wang Geda, surprised by her directness, looked her over before kicking another sack toward her. "Take a look yourself."

Gu Ming nodded her thanks and moved slightly to the side. She noticed a few rectangular objects that seemed to be makeshift seats, probably used by Wang Geda for sitting. Without thinking, she grabbed one to sit on, as her legs had gone numb from squatting for so long.

The moment her left hand touched the object, it instantly radiated an intense heat, like she had accidentally touched a piece of porcelain that had been heated on a flame.

This object... was an antique, and it didn't seem to be just any old antique!