Wang Guan had set a personal goal: when he retired at sixty, he would emulate Old Qian, enjoying life leisurely day by day to compensate for the current hustle and bustle of his arduous efforts.

“You’re back…”

At this moment, Old Qian looked up and smiled faintly, “A short trip out, and you must have gained quite a bit.”

“Didn’t Fei Bai tell you when he got back?” Wang Guan asked with a smile. Knowing Yu Fei Bai’s personality, it was guaranteed that if he’d seen something, no matter if it belonged to him or not, there would be no shortage of bragging.

“Don’t even mention it. He was back for two days, busy with whatever, and then rushed off again,” Old Qian chuckled. “He’s learned to keep people in suspense now. He only said you acquired some truly extraordinary treasures but wouldn't divulge any specific details.”

“Haha, it’s a wonder he could hold back,” Wang Guan laughed. He wasn’t in a hurry to produce the items; instead, he first introduced Qiao Yu. “This is a classmate of Bei Ye and mine, visiting Beijing with us.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Old Qian,” Qiao Yu offered his greeting at the appropriate moment.

“Good, welcome to my home. Please, don’t be shy; make yourself comfortable and have some Huangshan Maofeng tea to wash away the weariness of your journey.”

The tea was fragrant, wonderfully warm upon entering the mouth, yet surprisingly refreshing and cooling. Of course, the tea was merely an accompaniment. Though Old Qian was unhurried, Wang Guan promptly presented the fruits of his labor from Shanghai.

First, naturally, was the Heiding teacup—a pure, deep black that reflected a brilliant sheen. Especially captivating were the polychromatic yao bian (iridescent spots) within the cup, exquisitely beautiful, magnificent, and magical.

Seeing this, Old Qian stopped drinking his tea entirely and immediately picked up the cup to examine it, his eyes alight with joy. “Fei Bai was right; this is truly an exceptional treasure. Heiding ware is rare enough, let alone a Heiding teacup exhibiting yao bian. To call this a peerless gem is no exaggeration.”

“Hehe, my current ambition is to collect the other varieties of Ding ware in my lifetime—like white Ding, pink Ding, and purple Ding—to assemble a complete kiln sequence,” Wang Guan chuckled. “Is that considered an extravagant aspiration?”

“To ask for more after gaining an inch of ground—that is only human nature.”

Old Qian smiled gently. “Having goals is a fine thing. Strive to achieve them. Regardless of the final outcome, the accumulation of experience during the process is a reward in itself. However, your goal won’t be easy to realize. Ding ware porcelains are scarce to begin with, not to mention pink and purple Ding, which are as exceedingly rare as the black variety—they must be encountered by pure chance.”

“I feel the same way,” Wang Guan conceded. “But I’m not rushing. I’ll take it slow; if fate allows, I will eventually come across them.”

“That’s precisely the mindset needed,” Old Qian praised. “It’s often the case with such things: the more you search frantically, the less you find. But when you stop dwelling on them, you might stumble upon a discovery. That is what we call following destiny!”

After admiring it for a while, Old Qian carefully set the teacup down and asked with a smile, “Are there any other good things? Don’t keep them hidden; bring them out quickly so I can appreciate them.”

“Nothing much, just a few thumb rings. Since there are quite a few, I won’t display them all; I’ll pick one for you to examine,” Wang Guan said with a smile. As he spoke, he subtly extended his hand, and a yellow jade thumb ring suddenly adorned his right thumb, emitting pulses of crystalline luster under the sunlight.

“Yellow jade?”

Old Qian narrowed his eyes, guessing tentatively. After all, the market was flooded with stones of various yellow hues. Although these had been certified by national institutions as gemstones, to some purists, a stone was just a stone; no matter how beautiful the color, it couldn't alter its fundamental nature, and thus they dismissed it.

However, Old Qian understood that if Yu Fei Bai, a man with such discerning eyes, called it an extraordinary treasure, then the jade ring in Wang Guan’s hand must be extraordinary. Naturally, he speculated that it was a rare variety of yellow jade.

“Old Qian’s insight remains as sharp as ever,” Wang Guan smiled, handing the ring over.

“It truly is yellow jade…” Old Qian took the ring, briefly assessing its texture and observing the warm, translucent gleam, immediately confirming his suspicion.

“Bai Jun Tu (A Hundred Horses Painting)!”

Then Old Qian noticed the carving etched onto the ring’s surface. His reaction wasn't as sluggish as Yu Fei Bai’s; the moment he saw the carving, he instantly recognized the provenance of the jade ring, his face immediately shifting to an expression of mingled surprise and delight. “Zhigang jade—is it real?”

“If you say it is, then it is; if you say it isn't, then it isn't,” Wang Guan replied with a hint of satisfaction in his tone.

“Feigning modesty after getting a bargain,” Old Qian mock-scolded, focusing even more intently on his observation. After a moment, he discovered the faint Zhigang hallmark within the ring’s aperture. Comparing this with the ring's form and the technique of the carving, he confirmed it was an object from the mid-Ming Dynasty.

Taken together, it was conclusive: this jade thumb ring was absolutely the work of Lu Zhigang.

“Truly worthy of the master carver; his handiwork is indeed extraordinary,” Old Qian murmured.

After examining it closely for a long time, Old Qian finally looked up and smiled, “Such a fine piece—didn’t Fei Bai try to lay claim to it?”

“How could he not want it? If he hadn't been occupied elsewhere, he certainly would have snatched it,” Wang Guan laughed.

After a brief, convivial exchange, Old Qian examined the piece for a moment longer before pressing on, “It seems there are more treasures? Bring them all out and let me have a good look.”

“There’s really nothing else, just some beads. Since there are quite a few, it’s awkward to lay them all out, so I’ll select just one for your appraisal.”

As he spoke, Wang Guan placed a cup holding half a glass of clear water in front of Old Qian, then smiled knowingly, “Old Qian, what do you make of this bead?”

“Where is the bead?” Old Qian naturally paused, momentarily confused.

“I already gave it to you. Didn't you see it?”

Wang Guan feigned surprise and then turned to the others. “You all must have seen it, right?”

At this, Bei Ye and Qiao Yu, standing nearby, both displayed mischievous smiles and nodded cooperatively. Qiao Yu’s eyes even shone with fascination. “Such a beautiful bead, truly stunning…”

“Is that so?” Old Qian mused thoughtfully. Suddenly, he reached into the cup of clear water and flicked it lightly; a perfectly round bead, emitting a pearly white-blue glow, was easily caught between his fingers.

“Old Qian, your reaction was so fast,” Wang Guan praised sincerely. Most people would have assumed he was playing a trick and wouldn't have considered that something was actually hidden in the water.

“No need for flattery; I only suspected something when I saw you appear to drop something into the water,” Old Qian explained, a fresh wave of astonishment entering his eyes as he examined the bead. He then gently returned the bead to the cup. The moment it touched the clear water, it seemed to dissolve and vanish instantly.

“Mermaid’s Tear!”

Old Qian considered for a moment and, as expected, also linked it to these legendary precious pearls.

“Yes,” Wang Guan nodded, smiling. “We thought the same thing. We feel this bead is likely the marvelous Jiao Zhu mentioned in ancient texts.”

“Precisely, it must be the Jiao Zhu,” Old Qian exclaimed with some awe. “This kind of thing has been extinct for nearly a thousand years. I never expected you to find one. Where did you discover it?”

“Inside the fossilized shell of a giant clam,” Wang Guan explained slowly, briefly sharing his grand ambition to cultivate the Jiao Zhu.

Having learned the whole story, Old Qian nodded slightly. “Indeed, the world is vast and full of wonders. Experts previously theorized that the so-called Jiao Zhu must be a product of a certain type of marine mussel, and that this mussel had gone extinct, causing the pearls to be lost to history.”

“It seems they were only half right. Perhaps the formation of the Jiao Zhu requires not just the mussel itself, but also the mussel dying of old age, and then, under specific environmental conditions, gradually transforming an ordinary pearl into a Jiao Zhu.”

Old Qian speculated, then smiled, “Of course, regardless, your idea to have it analyzed is correct; perhaps you might achieve some results. Do you know any people who could help? Shall I introduce you to a few?”

“That would be best,” Wang Guan agreed readily.

“But you must consider this carefully: genuine research will certainly damage the bead’s structure,” Old Qian cautioned, as the Jiao Zhu was too precious to be destroyed so casually.

“Old Qian, you don’t need to worry. He has over a hundred of these Jiao Zhu on hand; destroying one won’t break his heart,” Qiao Yu interjected, pouting slightly, a trace of resentment in her tone. She deeply resented Wang Guan’s decision to have the pearls analyzed rather than sell them to her.

“Oh, right…”

Hearing Qiao Yu’s remark, Wang Guan seemed to recall something. He then retrieved a scroll from a nearby travel bag and said with a smile, “Old Qian, I acquired a painting, but I’m uncertain of its origin. Could you lend me your expert eye?”

This painting was, in fact, the one gifted by Old Tao. Wang Guan had finally reached an agreement with Qiao Yu, trading the Jiao Zhu for the painting. However, it was less an exchange and more a concession, as he had simply tired of Qiao Yu’s persistent nagging.

“What painting?” Old Qian asked, now curious in turn. “With your level of connoisseurship, you can’t place it?”

“Old Qian, you know better than anyone how difficult it is to appraise calligraphy and painting. No matter how skilled I am, there is a limit; it’s perfectly normal that I can’t identify it,” Wang Guan explained, stating a fact rather than feigning modesty.

Old Qian nodded in agreement as he watched Wang Guan unroll the scroll and begin his careful examination.

At first glance, Old Qian frowned almost imperceptibly. The paper of the scroll seemed too new; even though it was twenty years old, strands of white could still be discerned among the yellowing fibers, indicating the scroll was not ancient.

However, Old Qian did not let this initial impression lead to a negative judgment and continued his study. When he finally made out the figures within the painting, his brow immediately smoothed out.

What truly defines a great piece of art?

Perhaps everyone has a different answer, but the most basic criterion is whether it aligns with one's own aesthetic sense. Just like the three treasures before, they were pleasing to the eye after only a brief glance. Now, seeing this painting, Old Qian felt the same sensation.

“What exquisite brushwork…” After one look, Old Qian couldn't help but praise it. “The lines possess both restraint and vigor, the colors vibrant and rich—it must be the work of a master hand.”

“Old Qian, you are absolutely right; I feel the same way,” Wang Guan smiled and nodded. “Furthermore, I constantly have the feeling I’ve seen this painting somewhere before, but I can’t recall where; there’s no specific memory attached.”

“Hmm?” Old Qian narrowed his eyes in focus, then suddenly stood up…