Wang Guan was speechless. He had never encountered anyone who, upon buying something, would complain that the price was too low and insist on paying more. Did the way the second generation thinks truly differ so fundamentally from ordinary people?

"Don't look at me like that. That guy is a nouveau riche, he has too much money and nowhere to spend it."

Unable to bear Wang Guan's gaze, Yu Feibai offered a wry smile. "To put it colloquially, he's so rich he only has money left. So don't be polite with him; charge him exactly what it's worth."

"Alright, we'll do as he wishes," Wang Guan said, shaking his head as he opened the car door and stepped out. Since someone was actively bringing money to his doorstep, there was no reason to refuse. In Yu Feibai's words, it was practically robbing the rich to help the poor.

At Jigu Zhai, Gao Dequan had already returned earlier and was organizing contracts at the counter. Noticing the peculiar atmosphere between Wang Guan and Yu Feibai as they approached, he couldn't help but ask, "What happened? Did the negotiation not go well?"

"It went perfectly," Wang Guan replied with a smile. "Two million seven hundred thousand. I'm very satisfied."

"Mm, as long as you're satisfied, the price is also appropriate," Gao Dequan nodded, not surprised at all. In his mind, the celadon bowl was worth exactly that amount, perhaps even a few hundred thousand more and still be acceptable.

"Uncle De, you don't know," Yu Feibai sighed in exasperation. "Originally, Wang Guan only asked for two million. I don't know if Tang Qinghua's brain got waterlogged, but he insisted on raising the price to two million seven hundred thousand."

"What!"

Gao Dequan was also startled. He glanced at Wang Guan, his expression momentarily complex. But he quickly composed himself and chuckled lightly. "Little Tang has always been quite... generous. He probably knows the market rate for the celadon bowl and didn't want to take advantage of Wang Guan."

"Forget it. One's willing to be hit, the other's willing to take it; why should I worry?" Yu Feibai shook his head and huffed. "Uncle De, are the contracts ready? Let's sign quickly so I can immediately rush back to Sijiucheng to fleece the big spenders."

"Yes, the transfer agreements are here, in triplicate. One copy for each of you, and I'll keep one as a witness," Gao Dequan said, handing the contracts to the two men.

Yu Feibai flipped through casually and signed immediately.

Wang Guan, however, dared not be so careless. He picked up the agreement and carefully perused it. The contract was quite simple, just one sheet of paper with a few hundred words.

It merely stipulated the object being transferred and the amount between Party A and Party B, concluding upon their signatures. It didn't even include an appraisal certificate for the celadon bowl.

This was standard practice in antique shops. Unlike other goods, which might come with an invoice and a penalty of ten times the value for counterfeits, antiques had no such courtesies. Even if one misjudged an item and bought a fake, they could only accept it and could not hold the seller accountable.

It was like Jigu Zhai: the porcelain displayed in the main area were all numbered reproductions. The genuine antiques were stored separately and only brought out when a transaction was imminent.

Finding no issues with the agreement, Wang Guan also picked up his pen, filled in the amount for his item, and wrote his name. Soon, all three copies of the agreement bore signatures.

Wang Guan noted that Yu Feibai's name was signed on the document, but he didn't say anything. Regardless of who officially bought it, as long as the money arrived, it was fine.

After signing the agreements, Yu Feibai was equally direct. "Give me an account number, and I'll transfer the money to you immediately."

Normally, Wang Guan couldn't recall a long string of numbers like an account number or bank card details. However, being meticulous by nature, he had saved the number in his phone's notes.

Wang Guan pulled out his phone and recited the number. Shortly after—perhaps five or six minutes—he received a text message from the bank.

Upon seeing the string of zeros on his phone, Wang Guan felt momentarily dazzled. His head buzzed, exploding with a dull roar, and he felt dizzy, almost passing out.

Although they had discussed two million and three million earlier, those figures had been abstract numbers. Wang Guan hadn't felt anything significant. But now, with the staggering sum of two million seven hundred thousand wired into his bank account—

At this moment, Wang Guan felt as if he were dreaming, hazy and unreal. Vaguely, he thought he heard someone speaking by his ear, but he didn't fully wake up, merely murmuring a vague acknowledgment.

It took quite some time before Wang Guan fully regained his senses. Focusing his vision, he saw Gao Dequan sitting opposite him, smiling benignly, while Yu Feibai had already left with the celadon bowl.

Wang Guan's face immediately flushed with embarrassment.

"Are you back to normal? Do you feel like you've been struck by a mountain of gold?"

Gao Dequan wore a kindly smile, tinged with a touch of nostalgic reflection. "When I earned my first fortune in this trade, I had a similar uncontrollable urge. I nearly shouted out loud in the street and was almost taken for a madman."

"Heh heh..." Wang Guan let out a light laugh, and his mood gradually settled.

"Have you come to your senses now? As someone who's been through it, are you willing to listen to an old man ramble for a moment?" Gao Dequan chuckled.

"Please advise me, Manager Gao," Wang Guan said quickly. "You are vastly experienced; your guidance would be timely."

"You've essentially struck it rich overnight," Gao Dequan nodded, his expression turning more serious. "So, have you thought about the path you want to take from here?"

"Uh..."

Wang Guan blinked, then shook his head. "I haven't thought that far ahead."

"Now is the time to think about it," Gao Dequan smiled. "Are you planning to just eat and wait for death? I don't mean to discourage you, but commodity prices in this society change every few years; money depreciates. Two or three million in your hands isn't an enormous amount, and it probably won't last you many years."

"Then what does Manager Gao suggest?" Wang Guan probed cautiously. He naturally understood the principle of 'sitting around and eating away one's fortune,' but he wasn't sure what Gao Dequan was leading up to.

"You are still young. Do you intend to waste your prime years?" Gao Dequan asked earnestly.

"Of course not," Wang Guan shook his head. "What advice does Manager Gao have?"

"It's not really advice, but I feel you have a certain talent in antiques," Gao Dequan said with a smile. "You could develop this area further. After studying for ten or twenty years, there might just be a place for you in the collecting world."

"Thank you for your guidance, Manager Gao," Wang Guan said sincerely, though his heart was not as calm as his outward expression suggested.

What Gao Dequan suggested was precisely what he intended to do. Previously, he lacked the financial means; now that he had the means, coupled with his special abilities, how could he not pursue it deeply?

"However, the antique trade is extremely deep water. I've been wading through it for over a decade or two, and I wouldn't dare claim to have fully grasped it," Gao Dequan paused, then shifted his tone with a slight smile. "I can tell you are still quite green in this area. You simply got lucky this time and found a massive bargain. But can you guarantee that you'll find such a huge score every time?"

"Of course not..." Wang Guan replied, feeling somewhat contrary to his true convictions, vaguely grasping the drift of Gao Dequan's meaning.

"It's a very good sign that you remain this clear-headed after a sudden windfall," Gao Dequan said with satisfaction. "Actually, what I wanted to ask is, do you wish to stay at Jigu Zhai and learn the antique collection trade from me in the future?"

...................... New book, please follow, requesting collection, recommendations, and support. Thank you.