Chapter 55: Finding the Treasure

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Chapter 55: Finding the Treasure

Seeing Wei Sanpao's expression, the boss's words seemed a little strange. "Brother, although this jade carving doesn't look very impressive, it's actually of the best quality among the fakes!"

He continued, "Forget about the rest—just the size alone will definitely satisfy you!"

Upon hearing this, Wei Sanpao couldn't help but pull the corner of his mouth.

This boss sure had a unique way of handling things. Such a big treasure, yet it was being used as a stool, sitting right under his backside. It was certainly an odd sight!

But of course, Wei Sanpao didn't say anything. The antique business was all about having a keen eye. If you found a bargain, it could turn a bicycle into a motorcycle. If you made a mistake, though, you could lose everything.

He had a good thing in his hands but couldn't recognize its true value. Who could he blame for that?

Wei Sanpao examined the jade carving closely. Just as the boss had said, it was quite large—tall enough to reach a person's knee. The piece was carved with pavilions and towers, leaning against mountains and rivers. It looked very grand.

However, there was one issue: the jade didn't look very good, and its quality was even worse than those imitations sold on the street.

Had Wei Sanpao not already received the tip-off about this jade being valuable, he likely would have dismissed it as a poor-quality imitation.

"Boss, your jade is big, but the quality really leaves much to be desired..." Wei Sanpao said, his voice cautious.

Hearing this, the stall owner sighed helplessly. "Brother, this is why I've kept it in the box. This jade doesn't look great, so I never expected anyone to buy it!"

Seeing Wei Sanpao hesitate, the boss suggested, "How about this: I have a lot of similar pieces in the back. Why don't I show them to you?"

Wei Sanpao did indeed want to take this jade and show it to Li Yi, to prove that he had found something valuable. But thinking back to Li Yi's repeated instructions, he immediately dropped the idea.

Wei Sanpao thought for a moment, then said, "Don't bother. I'll call my elder brother first. He'll come and take a look. If he likes it, we'll seal the deal, alright?"

The boss smiled and nodded. "That works, brother. I'll wait here for you!"

Without wasting any more time, Wei Sanpao got up and left the stall.

Once he turned the corner, Wei Sanpao sighed in relief and quickened his pace, heading towards the west gate.

Before leaving the hotel, Li Yi had instructed him to enter the antique market from the west gate and not to go too deep into the market. If he found anything, he should just head straight to him.

There were two foreigners with him, so it should be easy to find them.

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Meanwhile, Li Yi was listening to a stall owner brag about a piece of blue and white porcelain with Henry and his companions.

"This porcelain is from the best batch ever made at the official kiln! The glaze alone is flawless," the owner said, trying to impress them.

Li Yi couldn't help but roll his eyes. He was too lazy to expose the man's exaggeration. Judging by the craftsmanship of the vase, it couldn't have been produced by the official kiln. It likely came from a small workshop nearby.

And the audacity of this stall owner—asking for 3,000 yuan for it! Who would be foolish enough to pay that much for a high-end imitation that could only serve as a decoration?

However, Henry seemed to be listening with great interest!

It was incredibly convenient for Henry to have a qualified translator like Li Yi by his side.

"Li, is what he's saying true? Is this vase really a treasure? Could it be a good birthday gift?" Henry asked eagerly.

Li Yi sighed in response. "Henry, I hope my answer won't disappoint you... You could buy this exact vase for just one dollar in any nearby mall. With 3,000 yuan, you could buy the entire stock of vases at that store!"

Henry let out a long sigh at the news. "Let's go, Li. My heart just can't take this anymore!"

Li Yi tried to comfort him. "Don't be discouraged. Antiques are all about fate. It's like looking for a girlfriend. If the right one's out there, you'll find it eventually!"

"Besides, isn't the fun part about browsing in the market? Otherwise, what's the point?"

Hearing this, Henry's mood lifted. "Li, you're right. Let's keep looking for our 'girlfriend'!"

Just as Li Yi was about to respond, Wei Sanpao's voice reached him from behind. "Brother Yi, you're actually here! It took me a while, but I found you!"

Li Yi turned around to see Wei Sanpao standing excitedly behind him, his face full of anticipation.

Li Yi instantly guessed that the little guy had found something valuable!

"Found it?" Li Yi asked, a grin spreading across his face.

"Yes, I found it!" Wei Sanpao answered, his excitement obvious.

"Are you sure? You're certain it's the one?"

Wei Sanpao confirmed, "I'm sure! It's exactly what you described, Brother Yi. But you still need to come over and verify it for yourself."

"Alright, let me just say goodbye to Henry, and we'll head over!"

Li Yi then turned to Henry and said, "Henry, something urgent just came up, so I can't stay here with you. But I'll surprise you! All you need to do now is go back to the hotel and wait for my news."

Henry smiled brightly and nodded. "No problem, my friend! But make sure you return before dinner. Johnson and I want to treat you to a meal!"

Li Yi smiled and agreed, then waved to Henry before pulling Wei Sanpao away.

As they left, Johnson looked at Henry and said, "Looks like your friend went to help you find a birthday gift!"

Henry smiled and replied, "Then I should thank him!"

"But do you really trust him that much?" Johnson asked, raising an eyebrow.

Without waiting for Henry to answer, Johnson frowned and added, "I don't think he's a trustworthy person. His clothes don't even look like they're from Birmingham. I think you've been deceived by him!"

Henry, however, simply shrugged and said, "Jensen, your academic record may be better than mine, but when it comes to reading people, you have a lot to learn from me."

"What do you mean?"

"Obviously, I don't completely trust Li Yi either. But you have to understand, he's valuable to us."

Henry continued, "Whether he's really from Birmingham or not doesn't matter to us. As long as he helps me find the right birthday gift, that's enough!"

"What if he's deceiving you?" Johnson asked.

Henry chuckled. "If he's trying to deceive me, he's good at it! But I've seen enough to trust him."

"Well, good luck!" Johnson said with a smile.

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