For a night, nothing eventful transpired. The next morning, Wang Guan woke exceptionally early. After washing up, he ate breakfast downstairs, changed into a formal set of clothes, and then took a car to his destination.

Not long after, Wang Guan arrived at the location the old man had indicated. It was a shopfront decorated in a profoundly antique style. A large signboard hung prominently above the entrance, featuring the three characters for "Ji Gu Zhai" () written in a bold, sweeping script. The calligraphy was vigorous and powerful, possessing a distinct, evocative freedom that immediately suggested the hand of a master artist.

However, Wang Guan also noticed that the location of this Ji Gu Zhai seemed somewhat remote, far removed from the bustling main streets. Under normal circumstances, few people would likely pay it any attention.

Consequently, the establishment appeared rather quiet and detached.

Yet, Wang Guan knew well the old saying in the antiques trade: "Three years without a sale, but one sale feeds you for three years." Truly fine antiquities would find a buyer regardless of the climate, meaning he couldn't be fooled by this air of desolation.

“Is anyone here?”

The main door of Ji Gu Zhai was already open, but Wang Guan still voiced his inquiry. It was not merely a matter of politeness but also a signal to anyone inside of his arrival, allowing both parties a moment to adjust.

“Please come in!”

After a slight pause, a deep voice drifted from within the shop.

Wang Guan hesitated no longer and pushed the door open, stepping inside. The first thing that met his gaze was a dazzling display of porcelain.

Vases, jars, cups, plates, and bowls of every conceivable shape and style were arranged meticulously on row upon row of shelves. Illuminated by the incandescent lights, they emitted a jewel-like sheen, exquisitely beautiful.

For a moment, Wang Guan felt his vision swim from the sheer volume.

However, he quickly composed himself, shifting his focus until he spotted a middle-aged man in a muted, dark-gray suit observing him from behind the counter.

Wang Guan immediately walked over, offering a smile, and got straight to the point, testing the waters: “Hello, are you perhaps hiring staff here?”

“Were you introduced by Elder Qian?”

The middle-aged man paused momentarily, then seemed to recall something, nodding faintly. “That’s right. We are looking to hire.”

“That’s wonderful,” Wang Guan seized the opportunity, smiling as he pressed on. “May I ask what criteria your esteemed shop uses for hiring employees? Perhaps I am suitable. Please grant me a chance.”

The middle-aged man offered no corresponding smile, merely assessing Wang Guan with a scrutinizing gaze before stating plainly, “Since Elder Qian made the introduction, you will naturally be given an opportunity.”

“However, whether you can seize that opportunity will depend entirely on your own ability.”

As he spoke, the man reached into a drawer beneath the counter and retrieved several porcelain bowls, placing them sequentially on the counter’s surface, motioning for Wang Guan to begin. “Tell me, which of these five bowls is the finest?”

Wang Guan blinked, then glanced at the exquisite ceramics displayed throughout the shop, his understanding dawning instantly. It explained why Elder Qian had asked him yesterday if he understood antiques; this was clearly the required test. It was highly probable that one of these five bowls was a genuine antique.

‘Looks like I’ll have to find another job,’ Wang Guan sighed inwardly. He was well-versed in theory; he knew a great deal about antiques. But lacking practical experience, he suspected judging them would be incredibly difficult.

Of course, facing the situation head-on, Wang Guan would not simply give up. He decided to hold onto a sliver of hope and test his luck. Even if he failed, at least he would have tried, leaving minimal regret. After all, some things, once acted upon, retain a possibility of success; those left undone guarantee failure.

Various thoughts flashed through his mind, the entire process taking perhaps only the blink of an eye. Wang Guan gathered his focus and began to study the five bowls intently.

The bowls were not large, slightly smaller than standard eating bowls, and their clay bodies appeared thin and light, suggesting minimal weight.

Moreover, in Wang Guan’s eyes, these five bowls were identical in every respect: size, shape, glaze color, and even the patterns adorning them—there seemed to be no discernible difference.

Since visual inspection alone yielded no answers, Wang Guan directly asked, “May I handle them?”

“Yes.”

The middle-aged man nodded coolly, sat down, picked up a newspaper, and began reading, entirely ignoring Wang Guan.

Seeing this posture, a bitter smile touched the corner of Wang Guan’s lips. He understood clearly that the man held him in low regard, offering this chance merely out of deference to Elder Qian. The opportunity was granted, but it came with an assessment, and if he failed, he couldn't blame anyone else.

Still, Wang Guan was used to it; that was simply how society functioned. If you possessed capability, people naturally looked up to you; if you lacked it, being snubbed was entirely normal.

In another setting, Wang Guan might have felt a surge of defiance, eager to prove himself. But concerning antiques, he lacked genuine confidence.

‘Might as well treat this like seeking a miracle cure for a dying horse,’ Wang Guan thought to himself with a low sigh. He gently picked up the first bowl, turned it over in his hand, positioning the base facing upward. The bottom was completely blank; there was no maker’s mark.

No basic identifying mark—this truly was an intentional difficulty. Wang Guan shook his head slightly, raised the bowl, and scrutinized it closely under the light. The glaze was bright, and the porcelain body seemed crystal clear, like a piece of fine jade.

An ordinary person seeing such new luster would immediately assume it couldn't be an antique. However, Wang Guan knew perfectly well that many ancient ceramics had survived to the present day in pristine condition with excellent character. One could not judge authenticity purely by apparent age.

After observing for a long time, Wang Guan still had no definitive answer. He set the bowl down and picked up the second one, continuing his examination. After a short while, he felt the second bowl was no different from the first.

Moments later, he picked up the third bowl, studying it with complete concentration, yet again gaining no insight.

At this point, Wang Guan finally gave up all hope.

‘Guess I’ll have to rely on a pure guess.’

Feeling somewhat dejected, Wang Guan reached for the fourth bowl.

Just then, a peculiar sensation traveled up through his palm. Wang Guan was startled to realize that a faint current of energy was surging within his body, rapidly swirling before entering his eyes.

“Hiss…”

Instantly, Wang Guan felt a numbness spread across his eyes, as if coated in dust, accompanied by a slight stinging and ache that forced him to close them reflexively. A few tears involuntarily pricked at the corners of his eyes.

Fortunately, this discomfort passed as quickly as it arrived.

Wang Guan blinked and felt a cool clarity return to his eyes, as if everything was restored. He instinctively opened them and was suddenly struck by a soft, white luminescence entering his vision.

The source of this white light was the porcelain bowl held in his hand. Wang Guan could see clearly that this glow was not a reflection from the overhead incandescent bulbs; it was emanating from the bowl itself.

The sensation was as if the bowl were a light-emitting body, similar to the sun, radiating energy outward. This sudden change stunned Wang Guan completely. His thoughts froze, and he stood motionless, cradling the glowing ceramic bowl.

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