"One million, that’s a bit steep." Wang Guan chimed in from the side, adding his two cents: "This thing is just a replica, albeit a good one, but it’s not worth that price."

"Right, right, not worth that price," Xing Qiu nodded repeatedly.

Xiao Duan didn't find Wang Guan's interjection strange; on the contrary, he considered it perfectly normal. After all, he was currently naming an exorbitant price, so he naturally needed Wang Guan to mediate and prevent scaring the buyer away completely.

Of course, when it was time to defend his position, Xiao Duan still had to speak up: "My item is excellent, the imitation is incredibly lifelike, absolutely the work of a master craftsman…"

"Too expensive, far too expensive."

Xing Qiu couldn't muster any strong counterarguments. After muttering a couple of times, he naturally looked toward Wang Guan again. This gesture of seeking help only solidified Xiao Duan’s belief that Wang Guan was in control of everything, which naturally pleased him greatly.

At the opportune moment, Wang Guan smiled and reminded them, "If you think it's expensive, you can always bargain. Tell him what price you feel is appropriate, and give him an offer in return. That’s how business works; through back and forth, mutual compromise leads to a win-win."

Hearing this, Xing Qiu blinked, considered it seriously for a moment, and then spoke up, "Two hundred thousand!"

"Huh?"

Xiao Duan knew that one million was a ridiculous opening gambit and he certainly wouldn't get his asking price. However, the larger the initial asking price, the higher the final selling price would likely be. But two hundred thousand was a price he certainly wouldn't accept. He immediately shook his head: "The price is too low; that’s almost what I paid for inventory."

"However, out of respect for Mr. Wang, I can perhaps take one step back."

As he spoke, a struggle flickered across Xiao Duan’s face. Then, as if making a firm decision, he gritted his teeth and declared, "Nine hundred thousand!"

"Then I can add a bit too—two hundred and fifty thousand!" Xing Qiu said with a smile. With the initial offers exchanged, the two formally entered their respective roles, launching into a verbal sparring match—nitpicking, arguing their points vehemently.

However, Xing Qiu’s mentality was better; after all, the money wasn't his own, making him appear more confident, and his momentum was superior. In contrast, Xiao Duan was somewhat prone to anxiety over potential losses, knowing that any money earned would have to be redistributed. If the final transaction price was lower, the amount he received would be smaller, necessitating meticulous calculation.

For a time, the two sides reached an impasse, neither accepting the other's offer, showing signs that the negotiation might collapse.

"Alright, alright…"

At this point, sensing the tension had reached its peak, Wang Guan immediately laughed, "Let’s talk this through calmly. Even if the deal falls through, goodwill remains; no need to get so heated."

"It's his lack of sincerity," Xing Qiu, still somewhat engrossed, couldn't help but complain under Wang Guan's soothing words: "His asking price is too vicious; he clearly intends to fleece me."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Duan swallowed back the rebuttal he was about to make, his gaze flickering with uncertainty, worried that Xing Qiu might have discovered something about the situation.

"You can’t put it that way," Wang Guan chuckled lightly. "This is the current trend in the antiques market; after all, collecting is hugely popular now, and good items don't come cheap. Of course, the item is indeed a bit expensive. Mr. Duan, be honest now, can the price truly not be lowered?"

"This… how much does Mr. Wang think is appropriate?"

Hearing this, Xiao Duan gradually regained his composure. After a slight hesitation, he chose to yield. After all, the premise for splitting the money was selling the item first; otherwise, it was all just wishful thinking.

"Fifty thousand," Wang Guan smiled. "Mr. Duan, if you earn a little less now, perhaps there will be opportunities for future cooperation. A steady stream is the key to longevity, after all."

"...Fine." Xiao Duan nodded hesitantly, emphasizing, "This is all because of Mr. Wang’s presence…"

"That sounds much better."

Since Wang Guan himself had named the price, Xing Qiu had no reason to object. He decisively stated, "What's the account number? I’ll transfer the money to you right away."

As he spoke, Xing Qiu took out his phone and began operating it.

If Xiao Duan were familiar with Wang Guan, he might have recognized whose phone that was. Unfortunately, his mind was currently buzzing with excitement, leaving him little attention for anything else, so he quickly recited his bank account details.

"Just a moment…"

The mobile banking screen was already displayed. Xing Qiu awkwardly transferred the money to Xiao Duan and was about to close the application when his eyes accidentally swept over the account balance. Instantly, his eyes narrowed instinctively; he was nearly blinded by the string of long digits.

"A hallucination, it must be a hallucination."

Xing Qiu blinked hard and opened his eyes again. The numbers hadn't changed; they were still incredibly long, seemingly nine digits.

Just as Xing Qiu began to doubt his sanity, Xiao Duan received the confirmation text message from the bank. He wasn't seeing things; after carefully counting every single zero, his face broke into a wide, ecstatic grin.

"Mr. Xing is indeed decisive."

At that moment, Xiao Duan’s joy was apparent. "The money has arrived; the item is yours. I have other things to attend to, so I’ll take my leave now. Let's hope we can cooperate again in the future."

The plan had succeeded, so he needed to withdraw quickly to avoid any unforeseen complications. After giving Wang Guan a meaningful look, Xiao Duan downed the rest of his coffee in one gulp and stood up to leave.

"Safe travels. Let's have a meal together sometime…" Wang Guan naturally rose to see him out. As he reached the doorway, he handed Xiao Duan the account number for Shiyi Pavilion, reminding him not to forget his share.

"Brother, rest assured, I’ll transfer the money immediately." Xiao Duan smiled brightly, feeling in no way like the fool who sold the goods and was now helping count the money for the buyer.

Wang Guan smiled and nodded, waving Xiao Duan goodbye before returning to his seat in the café.

After sitting down, he noticed Xing Qiu was still in a daze. Wang Guan casually waved his hand in front of him, asking curiously, "What's wrong? It's over, are you still in character?"

"What character?" Xing Qiu handed the phone back to Wang Guan, then exclaimed in astonishment, "I never knew you were a super rich second generation."

Wang Guan smiled, having no intention of explaining. Instead, he picked up the Ode to the Red Cliff long scroll, inspected it briefly, nodded with satisfaction, and then called out, "Let's go…"

"Where to?" Xing Qiu was still somewhat bewildered. Fortunately, he had only seen a string of numbers; no matter how shocked he was, there was a limit, so he slowly began to regulate his emotions.

"Your place."

Under Elder Qian's tutelage, Wang Guan had long understood that progress came through frequent communication; cloistered study only led to stagnation. Having acquired the treasure, he naturally wanted to examine it closely. Moreover, with Elder Tian there, it was a perfect opportunity for joint appreciation.

While driving back to Xing Qiu’s house, Wang Guan suddenly received a call from Cao Xiang, reporting that an unexpected sum of money had just been deposited into the Shiyi Pavilion account.

"Was it two hundred and fifty thousand? If so, yes, that was me sending it. We can discuss the details later… How is the shop? As long as business is good…" After chatting for a few minutes, Wang Guan smoothly ended the communication, only to find Xing Qiu staring at him with a strange expression. He laughed, "What now?"

"Nothing, I just suddenly realized that a grass-eating rabbit has transformed into a meat-eating dinosaur. It’s naturally a bit shocking." Xing Qiu sighed. "And he has the nerve to call himself a junior accountant; his tone clearly belongs to a major boss."

"I’m just the bookkeeper; I rarely get involved in the shop's daily affairs, so calling me an accountant is fine," Wang Guan explained.

"You’re the boss. When you speak, people run errands; what more do you need to do?" Xing Qiu said with envy. "In any case, you’re a big tycoon, much better off than us common folk."

"That might be true if someone else said it, but you shouldn't be complaining," Wang Guan countered. "You’ve only been out of university for two or three years, yet you’ve become the powerful department manager of a catering group with hundreds of starred restaurants spread across the E and Xiang provinces. And the group’s top executive is surnamed Xing—don’t tell me you two aren't related."

"Heh heh…" Xing Qiu gave an embarrassed laugh and quickly changed the subject: "Speaking of which, since you knew that man was a fraud, why go to such lengths to buy that item? Is there something peculiar about the object itself?"

"There's nothing peculiar about the item, but that person is purely blind; he has eyes but fails to recognize jade inlaid with gold," Wang Guan said, his face beaming. "So, to prevent such a pearl from being cast aside, I had to buy it myself."

"You don't call that buying, do you?" Xing Qiu glanced at him. "You went around in circles, played the man until he was dizzy, and ended up buying the thing for only two hundred and fifty thousand. Wouldn't you call that snagging a bargain?"

"Close enough," Wang Guan answered vaguely with a smile; it wasn't just a bargain, but a colossal one.

"Still not telling the truth," Xing Qiu shook his head and focused on driving. Before long, they were back at his home.

After getting out of the car, Wang Guan noticed several vehicles parked near the garage and laughed, "Looks like you have guests."

"Probably people from the Calligraphers and Painters Association," Xing Qiu said casually. "Since the Su Zi Cultural Festival is tomorrow, they might be here to discuss the arrangements."

Wang Guan nodded lightly, expressing his understanding. He followed Xing Qiu inside, but upon entering the living room, he suddenly felt that the atmosphere was slightly off.

Indeed, there were many guests at the Xing residence, including the members of the Calligraphers and Painters Association he had seen yesterday. However, there were also other individuals seated opposite them, forming two distinct groups, each occupying one side of the living room, making the division stark. Vaguely, it seemed as if strands of sparks were weaving and colliding in the air, thick with hostility.

Affected by the atmosphere, Wang Guan and Xing Qiu halted awkwardly at the entrance to the hall.

"What's going on…"

Wang Guan nudged Xing Qiu quietly and whispered, "It looks like things aren't right."

"Nothing much, just the Huangzhou Calligraphers and Painters Association people are here," Xing Qiu glanced over, clearly understanding the situation, and explained softly. "Old Ji, the president of the Huangzhou Calligraphers and Painters Association, doesn't see eye-to-eye with my grandfather, so he must have brought people over to… Wait!"

"What now?" Wang Guan was entirely confused.

"There’s a beautiful woman," Xing Qiu’s eyes registered a mixed expression of surprise and delight. "Exactly my type…"

"Ugh!"

Wang Guan felt sweat break out on his forehead. What was happening? The topic jumped too fast.

Despite his inner monologue, Wang Guan followed his gaze and saw that, indeed, a beautiful woman was seated in a prominent spot within the ranks of the Huangzhou Calligraphers and Painters Association…