[[[CP|W:210|H:140|A:C]]]“Spending a few hundred to smooth over a potential conflict—that’s a good thing, isn’t it?” The old man turned the wenwan walnuts in his hand, a smile playing in his eyes. “If, however, this young man feels he has been put at a disadvantage, then as a local of Shudu, I would certainly offer you some compensation.”

“Grandpa, why on earth would you compensate us?” Yu Feibai asked, puzzled.

“It’s simply because I’m worried you’ll leave Shudu with a poor impression, and if you spread the word, your friends and relatives might develop prejudices against the city too,” the old man sighed softly. “When a person gets old, they hate hearing people speak ill of their hometown.”

“Grandpa, look at you, we aren't that shallow,” Yu Feibai responded.

The old man’s sigh carried the weight of civic concern, suggesting he was a man of high moral standing. Yu Feibai relaxed, smiling. “There’s no place on earth that is absolutely perfect. Every city has its share of rotten apples. We aren’t fools; we won't generalize from a few.”

“It’s good that you think that way.” The old man looked greatly relieved, adding, “Still, I can’t let you suffer a loss. How about this: this bracelet was purchased by the young man for five hundred yuan. I will buy it back from you for the same price.”

At this, Wang Guan chuckled softly. “Grandpa, we can’t accept your five hundred yuan…”

“Exactly,” Yu Feibai chimed in, quickly nodding. “How can we let you, an elder, take responsibility for their misdeeds?”

“This is only right; please don’t refuse,” the old man said, his smile warm and his demeanor exceptionally friendly. He reached toward his pocket, preparing to pull out the money.

“Grandpa, don’t!” Yu Feibai hurriedly tried to stop him.

Wang Guan, standing beside him, feigned seriousness. “Indeed. Five hundred yuan isn’t nearly enough. It should be at least fifty thousand.”

In an instant, both Yu Feibai and the old man froze.

Simultaneously, Wang Guan, still smiling, carefully picked up the utterly unremarkable bracelet. The fifteen gray beads looked very loose in texture and felt light, resembling ordinary firewood. That was why Brother Liu and the thin young man earlier thought Wang Guan had paid five hundred yuan for it just to hand them money.

However, Wang Guan felt incredibly fortunate. At the final moment, he had used his special ability to scan everything in the briefcase, ensuring he hadn't overlooked this good item. Even now, Wang Guan admired his own quick thinking, managing to play along with the situation and subtly secure the bracelet without anyone noticing.

“Be honest now,” Wang Guan said, slowly admiring the bracelet with a knowing half-smile. “Grandpa, weren’t you hoping to play the mantis stalking the cicada, only to be surprised by the oriole behind?”

“Haha, you actually saw through me, young man!” The old man paused, then burst into laughter. He had indeed harbored a small hope of snagging a bargain. He hadn't expected Wang Guan to be so perceptive.

“This bracelet is something valuable?”

At this point, if Yu Feibai still didn’t understand, he wouldn't just be honest; he’d be genuinely obtuse.

“No way! Let me see it quickly,” Yu Feibai cried out, practically snatching the bracelet and examining it closely, slowly studying it.

“Young man, you have sharp eyes,” the old man said, making himself comfortable by sitting down. “I thought I might pick up a small bargain, but it turns out I ran into an expert.”

“I wouldn’t call myself an expert,” Wang Guan waved his hand with a smile. “I just have a little insight. Besides, I had some doubts myself, but seeing you aiming for this item immediately put my mind at ease.”

“Oh, so perhaps I was too eager,” the old man conceded. With open generosity, he showed no sign of dejection, instead chuckling at himself. “This is just my nature; I haven’t managed to change it in decades. Even now that I’m old, I can’t stand to see a good thing go. When I spot a treasure, I get overly anxious and can’t keep my composure.”

“It’s not that you lack composure, Grandpa; it’s that your eyes are like torches. You spotted that this bracelet was a treasure from a great distance,” Wang Guan said with a smile, perhaps flattering him slightly, but mostly speaking the truth. After all, without his special ability, even viewing it up close, neither he nor Yu Feibai could have detected anything unusual.

The old man felt pleased by the compliment. He spun the wenwan walnuts rapidly in his hand, beaming. “After playing with wood for decades, if I couldn't recognize a treasure like this, then I truly am visually impaired.”

Wang Guan observed quietly, noticing that the old man also wore wooden bead strands on his wrist and around his neck. The wrist beads were round, lustrous, and exuded a faint violet hue—likely Zitan wood. As for the long necklace, comprising over a hundred pale yellow beads with pure coloring, it was probably made of Huanghuali wood.

Guessing, Wang Guan focused his attention and saw that the wenwan walnuts in the old man’s hand, the purplish bracelet on his wrist, and the long string of beads around his neck were all emitting a layer of silvery-white precious light.

With this evidence, Wang Guan was certain that the items the old man carried were not only genuine Zitan and Huanghuali but also antiques of considerable age.

“I can’t see anything special about this bracelet,” Yu Feibai frowned at this point. “It doesn’t have the weight of Zitan, nor the fine grain of Huanghuali, and it certainly isn’t as hard as Shenchang wood. Moreover, it lacks the fine texture of Boxwood… To me, it just looks like an ordinary wooden bead bracelet.”

“Is that so?” The old man knitted his brows and suddenly smiled at Wang Guan. “Young man, how do you see it?”

“I just knew it was a good thing,” Wang Guan paused, then smiled. “As for what makes it good, since you are here, Grandpa, I shall defer to your guidance.”

“Sly dog,” the old man chided with a laugh. He gently opened his palm, and Yu Feibai quickly handed over the bracelet.

Holding the bracelet, the old man toyed with it seriously for a moment, then observed it repeatedly before nodding softly. “Yes, I didn't misjudge it. It’s genuine without a doubt.” As he spoke, the old man looked up, his interest piqued. “Young man, if you can’t tell me what makes this bracelet special, why don’t you just let me have it?”

“Fine,” Wang Guan agreed readily, then added with a hint of mischief, “However, Grandpa, you are clearly a man of refined taste; discussing money with you is too vulgar. How about an exchange? I’ll trade this bracelet for the string of beads you’re wearing. One for one. Fair, isn’t it?”

“Fair?” The old man was amused despite himself, shaking his head. “Young man, you are too cunning. Your Agarwood bracelet is just common stuff; it can’t possibly compare to my high-grade Zitan beads.”

“Agarwood bracelet!” Wang Guan’s smile widened. He had finally extracted the details of the bracelet from the old man’s mouth.

However, he was also slightly puzzled. Logically, Agarwood should emit a distinct fragrance, so why did this bracelet have absolutely no scent?

“Grandpa, if you say it’s an Agarwood bracelet, then why can’t I smell any fragrance?” Yu Feibai, being more impatient, blurted out the question.

................................ Thanks to readers "Kaixuan Luoba," "Maoshi Tanglang," and "Tian Yu Hualing" for their tips. Sigh, is everyone stopping reading because the 21st is approaching? No change in collections or recommendations. Votes! Votes! If anyone has any to spare at this crucial time, please give me a few. C