Upon hearing Wang Guan's proposal, Bei Ye immediately shook her head and refused without thinking. Having just finished studying the project files, she was well aware of its immense scale, involving the movement of hundreds of millions in funds alone.

With such a colossal amount of capital and a massive undertaking, Bei Ye didn't believe she could manage it well, nor did she even know where to begin. The consequences of any misstep leading to the project's failure were things she dared not even imagine.

"Whether you can or not, you only find out by trying."

At this moment, Wang Guan said softly, "Actually, even if you hadn't said anything, I know that for some time now, the you I’ve been seeing hasn't been the real you... Forget the sentimental talk. Just tell me honestly: do you want me to support you for a lifetime, or are you planning to find something to occupy yourself with?"

"This..."

Bei Ye hesitated for a moment before turning the question back to him, "Why are you suddenly bringing this up? I wasn't prepared for this at all."

"These kinds of things—where does one need preparation for them?"

Wang Guan found it somewhat amusing and couldn't help but smile wryly, then his expression turned serious as he sobered his tone. "I know that because of me, you’ve had to force yourself to study antique knowledge. But you also need to realize that some things require a certain aptitude. That's how I am; I have absolutely no talent for business matters."

Shrugging his shoulders, Wang Guan then chuckled, "But you're different. You already have a foundation; with just a little more honing, your future prospects are limitless..."

"That sounds awfully familiar," Bei Ye rolled her eyes. "That's exactly what Old Qian lectures you with."

"More or less, more or less."

Wang Guan laughed heartily. "As long as you understand my meaning, that’s what matters. So, have you given it any thought? Do you want to be a sweet, clinging canary, or a formidable business titan?"

"Don't rush me; I need to think about it..." Bei Ye furrowed her delicate brows, falling into deep contemplation.

"Then take your time to consider it. I'm going to find Old Qian to discuss something."

Hesitation itself was an answer. Wang Guan gave a slight smile and then strolled leisurely toward the exit.

The night was deep, yet Old Qian had not retired, still seated in the living room, reading and sipping tea. Seeing Wang Guan approach, he made a slight gesture with his hand, as if he had known he was coming all along.

"How did it go?"

Setting his book down, Old Qian looked up and asked, "What did you decide?"

"If this were half an hour ago, I would have decided to abandon that project. At most, I would spend money to buy the temple grounds and gift them to Master Banshan, as compensation for taking the Jiaowei Zither from him." Wang Guan explained, "The truth is, I genuinely couldn't make sense of those files. I wouldn't dare to venture rashly into something I don't understand."

"Hmm, that's a sound assessment. Sometimes, being conservative isn't a bad thing."

Old Qian nodded. "I anticipated that with your steady temperament, you wouldn't rush into things carelessly. But I'm curious—it's been more than half an hour now, so what is your decision?"

"I'll take over the project."

Wang Guan stated frankly, "I will continue the investment to see the construction through, and then manage the resort center diligently. If everything goes smoothly, the resort center should be very profitable, and in another ten years or so, the land value around the center should multiply more than tenfold, making me incredibly wealthy."

"Why?" Old Qian asked. "Why the sudden change of heart?"

"Because of Bei Ye." Wang Guan's eyes held a gentle warmth, and the smile on his face became notably softer. "I don't understand commercial operations, but she sees right through them. Moreover, after being idle for a month or two, she's getting restless and wants something to do. Since this opportunity has presented itself, I’ll let her manage it."

If others had heard this, their first reaction would likely be that Wang Guan was unreliable, completely out of his mind, handing over such a significant matter to someone with little experience—it was practically inviting self-destruction.

Yet, Old Qian heard it and showed no particular reaction, merely asking, "Taking over that project requires a significant sum of money. How do you plan to source the funds?"

Wang Guan pondered for a moment, then let out a soft sigh. "What is the phone number of that person who requires the Famille Rose Mahjong Set as the crown jewel of his collection?"

"What? You're willing to part with it?" Old Qian looked somewhat surprised. "I thought you would borrow from me."

"Money borrowed doesn't sit easy," Wang Guan sighed. "Besides, that's just the way of the world: to gain, one must sacrifice. To obtain something, there must always be a price to pay."

"Excellent."

At that moment, Old Qian broke into a wide smile, clearly delighted. "I thought it would take you much longer to realize this, but you've already grasped a key principle."

"In our line of work, especially for those completely devoted to collecting, the biggest pitfall is being unwilling to part with things. It’s perfectly normal to cherish fine items you possess and refuse all offers to purchase them. However, to become a truly great collector, one needs not only discerning eyes and meticulous caution but also an understanding of the art of trade-offs."

Old Qian spoke eloquently. "I know many people, and I’ve seen quite a few who are obsessed with collecting. To acquire something they desire, scrimping and saving is the least of it; sometimes they even risk financial ruin. I find this behavior utterly misguided. The most important thing in collecting is to operate within your means and never undertake anything beyond your capacity."

"Of course, that's a common mistake for ordinary people when collecting. Generally, experts rarely overestimate themselves like that."

After a pause, Old Qian continued, "But experts have a significant flaw too: once they acquire a good piece, they treat it like an heirloom, enshrined and untouchable, refusing every buyer who comes calling. Naturally, this is understandable and not a major issue."

"The problem arises when some people choose to starve while sitting on a mountain of gold."

At this point, Old Qian smiled subtly. "Their pantries might be empty, and they have many fine items in hand, yet they refuse to trade them for cash, preferring to beg with a golden bowl. Such people lack flexibility and fail to grasp the importance of priorities. They might enjoy temporary glory, but never expect to become great collectors."

Wang Guan knew the type of person Old Qian was describing included himself, and feeling a bit awkward, he quickly steered the conversation. "Then, Old Qian, what do you think are the fundamental qualities of a great collector?"

"Just one word: Huo (Life/Vitality)," Old Qian explained with a smile. "The Huo of living, the necessity of survival, something that keeps you alive. It can also be understood as the flow of capital, like ceaselessly running water."

"In any case, you must remember that collecting is not the entirety of life; life itself is the main melody. You must master the relationship between the two to avoid imbalance."

Old Qian offered earnest instruction, and Wang Guan nodded repeatedly, feeling a measure of understanding. After all, beyond collecting, there was family, love, and friendship; these were aspects he could not afford to neglect.

Not long after, Wang Guan returned to the room and saw Bei Ye still deep in troubled thought. He smiled and said, "Are you still wrestling with it?"

"How could I not be conflicted?" Bei Ye complained. "Even if I have the ability, I need time to accumulate experience. You're suddenly pushing me up so high; what if I fall?"

"It’s fine; I will catch you."

Wang Guan said with a laugh, "As a newly minted nouveau riche, I can tell you responsibly: I'm not short on cash. What's a few hundred million? If it's lost, it's lost—consider it a donation back to society."

"That’s easy for you to say," Bei Ye shot him a wry look. "Who was it crying poverty just the other day?"

"Don't you know that those who cry poverty are usually pretending to be poor? The truly poor only pretend to be rich," Wang Guan said cheerfully. Bei Ye rolled her eyes again but had to admit it was the truth, perfectly aligning with reality.

"Stop overthinking it. This matter hasn't even crystallized yet; maybe they won't agree to transfer the project. It might all be us hoping against hope." As he spoke, Wang Guan waved a hand. "It's late now; get some rest."

The night passed without incident. The next morning, Wang Guan drove his car to the front of a magnificent office building.

This was a governmental agency. After Wang Guan parked and reported his name, he was immediately greeted with warm hospitality and ushered into an elegantly furnished office where he engaged in a friendly consultation with a high-ranking official who exuded authority.

The consultation process need not be detailed, but after mutual compromises, both parties were generally satisfied.

Wang Guan secured substantial benefits, and the official felt that upon the successful completion of this matter, his position might see a promotion. Both had gained something; it could be called a win-win situation.

Of course, even though an agreement had been reached, the necessary procedures were not simple.

Since it involved the flow of vast sums of money, the agency still needed to seek instruction and report to higher-ranking leaders before receiving final approval to transfer the funds to Wang Guan.

This process of approval would take at least three to five days. Things couldn't be rushed, so Wang Guan politely declined the official’s invitation to dinner and drove away under his farewell.

On the way, Wang Guan frowned, calculating in his mind: "Even selling the ceramic mahjong set, the money still won't be enough. Do I really need to make a trip to Macau? Or should I call Feibai to ask if he’s found Wang Zhibao’s treasure yet..."

While he was pondering, Wang Guan was slowly driving past a street when suddenly, a deafening barrage of firecrackers erupted—biji-pala—startling him so much that he almost lost control of the steering wheel.

"Who is being so inconsiderate? And shouldn't setting off fireworks be prohibited in the Capital? Aren't they afraid of being reported?"

Wang Guan was slightly annoyed and frowned as he looked over. He saw a long string of firecrackers being set off in front of a shop in one section of the alley. A large crowd had gathered around the shop, seemingly celebrating something.

"A grand opening? A wedding? Or celebrating a junior becoming the top scorer on the Gaokao?" Wang Guan mused but didn't pay much attention to it. He certainly wasn't so bored as to get out of the car to argue with people over such a trivial matter.

However, just as Wang Guan was about to drive away, he suddenly spotted the figure of Jia Qin within the crowd... RS