Under the comfort of the two, Professor Liu's expression gradually eased, though his mood remained subdued. This was perfectly understandable; to believe one had obtained a rare treasure only to discover it was a complete fake upon verification was enough to sour anyone's disposition.

"Actually, there is one more way we can test it."

Wang Guan paused in thought and kindly reminded him, "Didn't you say the resin glows at night? You could draw the curtains, turn off the lights, and see if anything happens then."

"That's a good idea," Yu Feibai nodded in agreement.

At that moment, everyone looked toward Professor Liu. This was, after all, the simplest verification method. Of course, considering the difference in environment between day and night, there might be a slight margin of error. That’s why Professor Liu first tried the second method—checking if the resin would dissolve in the ink—but the result had greatly disappointed him.

Still, Professor Liu was now in a state of 'treating a dead horse as if it were alive.' After a moment of hesitation, he ultimately followed Wang Guan’s suggestion: he turned off the lights, closed the door, and pulled the curtains to examine the resin in the box.

However, no matter how hard Professor Liu looked, the resin in the box showed no change. In fact, due to the darkness of the room, he could barely make out the outline of the box. As for any fluorescence, there was simply no hope.

In an instant, Professor Liu gave up. He swept open the curtains, and the study was instantly flooded with bright, vibrant daylight, which stood in stark contrast to his own dim spirits.

Seeing this, Wang Guan seemed to feel a touch of guilt. He suddenly pulled out his checkbook, scribbled a few figures, wrote a check for three hundred thousand, and handed it directly to Professor Liu.

"This is..."

Professor Liu looked down, utterly astonished. "What is the meaning of this?"

"It means nothing in particular. I just feel that even if this resin isn't the fluorescent material you mentioned, it might still be something else relatively rare, so I’d like to buy it for further study." Wang Guan smiled, leading the others to mistakenly believe he was offering Professor Liu indirect compensation.

Professor Liu believed this too and naturally began to refuse. "No, no, no. We agreed on a fair transaction. No one can go back on their word just because they lost out."

"It’s a fair transaction for me to buy it now," Wang Guan said with a brilliant smile, adding casually, "If you feel too obliged, perhaps you could gift me an item from your collection instead."

"Hmm?"

Just then, not only did Yu Feibai look thoughtful, but Professor Liu also realized the underlying motive. He suddenly laughed. "I wondered why you’d suddenly write such a large check. So, the traveler’s heart is not set on the wine. Tell me, which of my items have caught your eye?"

A great gift must imply a request. This was common practice in the antiquarian trade. Professor Liu immediately perceived that Wang Guan's main intention behind the check was probably not the resin itself, but one of his personal collection pieces.

Professor Liu was not averse to this; on the contrary, he felt a degree of pleasure. If Wang Guan wanted to buy something, it meant his collection truly held good items. Only treasures would prompt someone to go to such lengths to acquire them; no one would spare a second glance at junk.

"I won't hide it from you..."

At this point, Wang Guan walked toward the display shelf, pointed at a celadon-blue brush washer, and asked with a smile, "I’ve taken a fancy to this piece. Professor Liu, would you be willing to part with it?"

"No, absolutely not!" Professor Liu’s head shook like a rattle drum. "This is a Kangxi imitation of Jun ware, my lifelong treasure. I cannot let it go."

"Oh."

Wang Guan sighed in disappointment but quickly shifted his focus. "Then how about this bamboo brush holder? Surely that should be acceptable?"

"That is even less possible."

Professor Liu shook his head firmly. "This is a masterpiece by the Qing Dynasty bamboo carving master Wu Zhifan, a prime example of shallow relief carving with raised lines on a flat ground. I searched for over a decade before I was fortunate enough to acquire one. How could I bear to part with it?"

"Indeed, if I were in your shoes, I probably wouldn't part with it either. Then I won't make things difficult for you, Professor Liu."

As he spoke, Wang Guan pointed again, his face wreathed in smiles. "But one shouldn't refuse a third time. I've set my sights on this paperweight. Professor Liu shouldn't refuse this one, right?"

"You want Wu Changshuo’s paperweight? You might as well kill me now."

Professor Liu rejected it without hesitation, his face filled with astonishment. "Your eye is truly sharp. You aimed for the three most precious items in my collection right from the start."

"You flatter me," Wang Guan chuckled, then feigned a slight distress. "This won't do, that won't do... Professor Liu, you are being a bit too stingy, aren't you?"

"That’s right," Yu Feibai naturally chimed in to support him. "They are just a few trinkets. To be unwilling to part with them shows a rather narrow-minded disposition."

"You two are speaking from a position of comfort," Professor Liu shook his head. However, his gaze drifted over the check sitting on the table, causing him to hesitate slightly. Finally, he walked over to the shelf, drew an imaginary line down the middle of the display, and stated resolutely, "You cannot touch anything in front of this line. As for everything behind it, you may pick whatever you like."

As it turned out, Professor Liu had a system for displaying his collection, much like a fruit vendor at a stall: the most dazzling, highest-quality items were placed at the front, while the relatively inferior pieces—copies or forgeries—were relegated to the back.

"Professor Liu, that division you made is quite ruthless," Wang Guan said, his eyes flashing as he shook his head. "If you divide them like that, you might as well just give me that large-bellied flower vase."

"Heh heh, if you want it, I certainly won't object," Professor Liu laughed happily. That vase was a fake he had bought when he first entered the business. He had kept it all these years, not only as a memento but primarily because it was unsellable. If Wang Guan wanted the piece, he would hand it over with both hands, without hesitation.

"Forget it, I don't want to be the sucker," Wang Guan sighed, suddenly turning back to wave. "Feibai, don't just stand there looking silly. Come over and help me look. Since we've entered the treasure mountain, we can’t leave empty-handed. We must take something back."

"Coming," Yu Feibai walked over, muttering under his breath, "The good stuff is all upfront. What's worth looking at in the corner?"

"That's not entirely true," Professor Liu immediately countered. He casually picked up an item to illustrate. "Look, this is a Ming Dynasty ink box, made of camphor wood and carved with auspicious patterns. It has great ornamental value."

"Additionally, there's this Qing Dynasty blue-and-white water dropper. Although it’s from the Daoguang period, the quality is still quite good... Oh, and this is a Song Dynasty brush... a Tang Dynasty brush rest; even though it's stone, it looks pretty nice..."

Professor Liu listed them one by one, then picked up a tarnished ancient sword. As he lifted it, reddish-yellow rust flakes began to rain down from the blade.

Seeing this, even Professor Liu felt a bit embarrassed, so he set the sword down, intending to introduce something else. However, in that brief moment, Yu Feibai’s eyes lit up. He glanced quickly at Wang Guan, saw a slight, almost imperceptible nod, and immediately lowered his head to conceal the surging emotions of surprise and joy.

"Professor Liu,"

After steadying his nerves, Yu Feibai put on an expression of interest and asked with feigned curiosity, "This... broken sword, what's its history? It looks somewhat familiar... Oh yes, I think I saw something similar when we visited the Terracotta Army."

"Similar, yes, but fundamentally different," Professor Liu said with a chuckle at that moment. "You saw Qin swords at the Terracotta Army, but this is a Han sword."

"Really?" Yu Feibai sounded skeptical. "You can't just fool people. I've seen Han swords—both eight-edged and six-edged ones—and this one seems a bit different."

"Why would I lie to you?" Professor Liu said earnestly. "Didn't I mention before that I am a descendant of the Han Imperial family? There might not be direct proof, but this Han sword, along with the box containing the luan resin, has been passed down through generations of my ancestors. It serves as indirect evidence, perhaps. After all, luan resin was exclusive to the Han Dynasty court; anyone who obtained it by chance likely wouldn't have the formula."

In an instant, Wang Guan and Yu Feibai exchanged a covert glance, their smiles tinged with a knowing meaning.

"It sounds plausible," Yu Feibai blinked, casually taking the Han sword and shaking off the rust flakes while smiling. "According to you, was this sword also a court treasure in the Han Dynasty?"

"That... is hard to say. It's not impossible," Professor Liu hedged. Seeing the sword in its current state, even with his thick skin, he couldn't conscience claiming it was a legendary treasure.

Yu Feibai let out a small scoff, then carefully swung the Han sword, imitating a magnificent general. After a moment, he stopped and suddenly said, "Wang Guan, let’s take this Han sword."

"What?" Wang Guan looked surprised. "You want the sword?"

"Yes," Yu Feibai said, grinning broadly. "Actually, this sword isn't bad, especially since ancient sword collecting has been warming up over the past couple of years. This Han sword might look humble, but the quality seems good. If we buy it now and hold onto it for a few more years, it might appreciate in value."

"Is that so?" Wang Guan looked hesitant. "What you say has some merit, but I think the blue-and-white water dropper is better."

"Trust me on this," Yu Feibai asserted decisively. "Taking this Han sword is definitely not a loss. Professor Liu, don't you agree?"

"Ah... Yes!" Professor Liu blinked, then recovering, immediately laughed. "The Han sword is indeed better. It's nearly two thousand years old, yet shows no signs of corrosion. Its quality must be extraordinary and certainly worth collecting."

"Professor Liu, I suspect that in your heart, this sword is worth less than the blue-and-white water dropper, which is why you recommended it to me," Wang Guan pierced through Professor Liu's little scheme with one sentence. Then, while the professor was momentarily embarrassed, Wang Guan shook his head and sighed. "Fine, whatever you say. But remember, you owe me another favor."

"Damn, I think you owe me," Yu Feibai expressed strong disdain.

"It doesn't matter, it amounts to the same thing." Wang Guan smiled faintly, deciding on the Han Dynasty sword. Professor Liu chuckled inwardly with delight, certainly not refusing. Afterwards, everyone returned to the living room for a short rest and some tea before Wang Guan and his party took their leave... (To be continued.)