The shop owner, however, lacked Wang Guan's discerning eye, or perhaps was too focused on making a sale, failing to notice the change in Yu Feibai's expression. Instead, he vigorously promoted the item: "This white jade mountain piece is genuine Hetian jade, weighing over two hundred grams. As they say, Hetian jade, Yangzhou craftsmanship. And look at the carving—it’s the meticulous work of an authentic Yangzhou jade master..."

"The piece is fine," Yu Feibai said.

Slowly setting down the white jade mountain, Yu Feibai waved a dismissive hand. "Pity it's new. I thought it might be antique jade."

Having established familiarity, Wang Guan could easily tell Yu Feibai was just being polite, clearly unimpressed with the item. But the shop owner didn't know that and certainly wasn't ready to give up.

"My young friend, you are mistaken there," the owner declared, adopting a confidential tone. "Most people think new jade is inferior to old jade. But I can tell you honestly, that's a flawed concept. Do you know that in recent years, not just in my antique shop, but throughout the entire jade market, antique jade simply doesn't sell as well as new jade?"

"Oh, that's strange," Wang Guan remarked.

Sensing the owner was speaking truthfully, Wang Guan was somewhat surprised and asked with curiosity, "What is the reason for that?"

Having someone engage like this—like a straight man in a crosstalk routine—naturally encouraged the owner to continue cheerfully. "Although I hate to air my own industry's dirty laundry, it's the truth, and I don't mind you two knowing. Nowadays, everyone knows that counterfeits are rampant. Even we shopkeepers dare not guarantee that the antique jade in our stores is one hundred percent genuine."

"The quantity of true antique jade is inherently small, making it highly cherished by collectors—they rarely sell. Furthermore, due to the flood of fakes, many people are afraid to collect. Moreover, under current national laws and regulations, items like antique jade and bronze ware are considered excavated cultural relics and are not permitted for public auction."

The owner spoke fluently. "Look around my shop; it's not that I don't have any antique jade, but the quantity is very small. They are all pieces passed down through families or those that have returned from overseas. Therefore, antique jade transactions are currently dominated by small-scale, private dealings, which naturally cannot compare to the sheer volume of new jade."

"Furthermore, genuine antique jade, constrained by its era, often suffers from poor condition or is incomplete. Even many Ming and Qing dynasty jades feature inferior material and carving. It's rare to find a piece that is complete in preservation and excellent in quality. But the price for a truly fine antique can easily run into the hundreds of thousands or millions; the average person truly cannot afford it."

The owner smiled. "But new jade is different. There are relatively fewer fakes, and they feature excellent craftsmanship with superior material, often carved by nationally recognized master artisans. In terms of both condition and technique, over ninety percent of new pieces surpass antique jade, and the price is affordable and reasonable, so they naturally sell better."

"What's more, jade ore is a non-renewable resource. Mined year after year, there will come a day when it runs out. Buying new jade not only offers immediate aesthetic enjoyment but also greater potential for appreciation. You can even treat it as heirloom jade, passing it down through generations until, one day, it truly becomes antique jade itself."

It had to be admitted that the owner’s speech was highly persuasive. Had it been someone else, they might well have been convinced and tempted to buy this white jade mountain.

Unfortunately, Wang Guan listened with great interest but remained unmoved. As for Yu Feibai, for whatever reason, he was even less interested and didn't spare the white jade mountain another glance.

Noticing this, the owner was utterly perplexed. Why did this tactic, which had always worked flawlessly before, fail so miserably today?

Wang Guan, being kind-hearted, felt the owner had gone to great trouble to educate him. If he left without buying anything, it would feel wrong.

So, Wang Guan smiled and spoke up. "Boss, the items are indeed fine. However, we are here to buy a gift for an elder, and he specifically requested antique jade. There's nothing we can do about that. Didn't you just say you have antique jade here? Where are they?"

"This way..." The owner showed some disappointment, but business was business. He led the two men to the antique jade counter.

Wang Guan looked and saw the owner hadn't lied. Compared to the dazzling array of jade ware throughout the shop, the counter held only about a hundred antique pieces—truly a small selection.

Moreover, the condition of these antique pieces was far from ideal. Some were simply old, others were chipped or damaged, and a few were covered in an unattractive layer of dust, looking dull and lifeless. In comparison, it was easy to see why many preferred buying new jade over these antiques.

"Antique jade needs years of handling to regain its luster," the owner, still not giving up, tried to persuade them. "New jade is different; it already has a polished sheen, and after a few years of handling, it will become even more brilliant."

"The old man just likes this kind of thing; it can't be helped," Wang Guan replied vaguely while studying the antiques below.

Among the nearly one hundred pieces, most were small trinkets: bracelets, pendants, small display pieces, none very large, and many showing damage. After a moment's inspection, Wang Guan spotted one piece among the antiques that seemed relatively intact—a thumb-sized jade fish. He pointed casually and asked, "Boss, how much for this jade fish?"

"This many..." The owner paused, then held up three fingers.

Why do sellers so rarely state the price directly? There is actually a subtle trick involved. Sometimes, a shop owner might encounter an exceedingly wealthy patron, or someone who genuinely loves an item and might offer a price higher than the owner had anticipated.

For instance, the owner intended to ask thirty thousand yuan, but if Wang Guan guessed wrong and thought it was three hundred thousand, even if Wang Guan found the price too high, they could start the haggling process from a high anchor point and work their way down.

The act of holding up fingers without stating the actual price is the owner testing the customer's psychological bottom line. At the very least, by starting at such a high potential range, any final agreed-upon price would certainly exceed thirty thousand yuan.

However, Wang Guan was experienced enough to avoid such a common trap. Seeing the three fingers, he decided to play along smoothly and laughed, "Boss, you are very honest. Alright then, three thousand yuan it is."

"My young friend, are you trying to insult me?"

Hearing this, the owner knew Wang Guan hadn't taken the bait, so he stated his position clearly. "I said thirty thousand. This jade fish is antique, the condition is very good, and the carving is meticulous..."

"Enough, Boss, stop talking nonsense," Yu Feibai interrupted.

At this point, Yu Feibai glanced over and sneered, "Meticulous carving? This thing only shows the outline of a fish; not even scales have been carved. If you couldn't clearly see the head and tail, who would even know it's a jade fish? And look at the patina... oh, there's no patina at all. That means this piece certainly isn't very old; it might be from the Republic of China era."

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