Chapter 2: Selling Goods

Dragging my suitcases into the market through the North Gate, the first thing I saw was the large tented area. Wow, it just so happened to be Saturday, and the place was packed with people—saying it was overcrowded wouldn't even be an exaggeration.

There were all kinds of things—Bodhi seeds, amber, turquoise, porcelain, miscellaneous antiques, jade, jewelry, bronze artifacts, weapons, stone carvings, calligraphy, and embroidery. It was truly a visual feast that left me wide-eyed and dazzled.

Of course, most of it was fake. Only a few genuine items were scattered among the stalls in the tent area.

I thought to myself, "Everything here is fake, but my stuff is the real deal. It should sell quickly since I've collected it myself, and it's truly antique!"

Seeing an empty stall in one of the tents, I decided to set up my display.

"Hey, what are you doing?" A bald stall owner stopped me.

"I'm setting up a stall," I said.

"A stall? Is this your space? You can't just set up like that. Go, go, get lost, kid," he said.

I gritted my teeth and replied, "I'm setting up a stall. Is this your space? I'll pay you, how much do you want?"

The bald man's eyes flickered, and he smiled, "One hundred yuan. Pay one hundred and you can set up."

"What?! One hundred yuan?"

"Yeah, that's the price. If you don't want to pay, then get out of here and don't block my business."

I had less than one hundred yuan left in my pocket, but after some haggling, I reluctantly paid him ninety yuan.

Now, I was left with only three yuan.

The bald man took the money, grinning all the while.

Just as I was setting up my stall, the market's loudspeakers blared.

"Attention all customers and vendors, the Panjiayuan Antique Market is closing now. Please gather your belongings and leave the market in an orderly manner. We wish you a pleasant shopping experience and prosperous business."

As soon as the announcement came on, all the other stall owners began packing up.

I stood there in a daze. I hadn't even started selling yet...

I angrily turned to the bald man and said, "Give me my money back. The market is closing, and I haven't even started selling!"

The bald man spat on the ground, sneered, and said, "What do you mean you haven't set up? You've already set up your stall! No refunds, kid!"

I was furious, my eyes turning red. I grabbed his arm, demanding my money back.

"Get lost, you little brat!" He kicked me hard in the stomach.

At 16, I was no match for him, and the pain made me double over.

The other vendors were packing up, and the bald man left as well.

It was the dead of winter. While Beijing isn't as cold as Mohe, it was still freezing at night.

The market security guard walked by with a large dog and urged me to pack up quickly, warning me that I'd be fined if I stayed any longer.

The days were short and the nights long. By the time I dragged my suitcases out of the market, it was already dark. I was cold, hungry, and had only three yuan left.

I sat on a bench for about half an hour, and then I heard about an internet café west of Huawi Bridge, about two kilometers away.

I dragged my suitcases there, but when I asked at the café, the cheapest machine was ten yuan per hour, which I couldn't afford.

My hopes of staying at the internet café were dashed.

It was freezing outside, and I couldn't take it anymore. I dragged my suitcases into an ATM self-service bank. People came in to withdraw money, glancing at me with strange looks.

The floor was cold, and I couldn't sleep. So I put on the hood of my coat and curled up in the corner.

A few hours later, someone tapped me on the shoulder.

I looked up and saw a middle-aged woman holding a small white dog. She was likely from a nearby neighborhood.

"Young man, why are you sleeping here in this cold weather?"

"I just bought two sesame flatbreads, and they're still warm. If you don't mind, you can have them," she said as she shook her head, leaving the plastic bag on top of a red fire extinguisher box.

After she left, I was so hungry that I couldn't resist. I grabbed the plastic bag.

The flatbreads were sesame-covered, dry, and crispy, and they tasted amazing.

As I ate, tears started to well up in my eyes.

"Am I really going to give up like this?"

"If I go back, people will look down on us even more."

"No, I won't give up," I kept telling myself, "Xiang Yunfeng, you will become a rich man one day."

At 8 a.m., I returned to Panjiayuan. Since I didn't have enough money to pay for a stall, I dragged my suitcases around the market, offering to show anyone interested in porcelain my pieces, telling them they were real antiques and offering reasonable prices.

Then, the market loudspeakers blared again.

"Attention all visitors, please be cautious of illegal vendors following you. Keep your belongings safe to avoid being scammed."

As soon as the announcement played, people's expressions changed when they saw me. They quickly ran off.

I asked several people, but they all thought I was a scammer, a shady vendor.

Desperate, I entered an antique shop and asked the shopkeeper if they were interested in buying porcelain.

The shopkeeper nonchalantly replied, "What's this? Let's see it."

I eagerly opened the suitcase.

"Hmm, these items aren't great, but they're all old. How much are you asking for these two blue-and-white vases?" The shopkeeper pointed to a pair of late Qing dynasty vases.

I swallowed nervously and said, "They're late Qing dynasty. Can you offer... eight hundred for the pair?"

"What?! Eight hundred?!" The shopkeeper's eyes widened. "I'll give you a hundred for them. Take it or leave it."

"...A hundred for the pair?" My heart sank.

I had traveled over two thousand kilometers, endured the cold and hunger, and paid one hundred yuan for them!

And now, they were only worth one yuan?

I was furious, my face turning red. Without saying a word, I started packing up my things.

Seeing me about to leave, the shopkeeper quickly added, "Hey, don't go. If it's really that bad, I can give you an extra twenty. How about a hundred and seventy?"

I held my anger in check, though I felt insulted by his offer.

"Keep your twenty to yourself!"

When people are angry, they don't listen to reason, and young people often get even angrier. I didn't care anymore and stormed out of the shop with my suitcase.

I hadn't given up. I thought about setting up outside the market, but as I stepped out, I saw the city inspectors seizing goods. Several street vendors had their fake items confiscated.

Scared, I quickly abandoned that idea.

But fate had other plans for me.

Just when I was about to give up, I met an old man. He said, "Young man, Panjiayuan gets crowded on weekends, and the stalls are expensive. You should try Baoguosi Temple. I heard the stalls there don't charge any fees."

Hearing this good news, I was filled with hope and excitement. I grabbed my suitcase and rushed to Baoguosi Temple, which was my last chance.