To pursue profit at any cost would violate Wang Guan’s fundamental principles; he disdained such action.

Furthermore, even if Wang Guan could take advantage of the situation now, there is no such thing as a completely sealed wall in this world. Once the matter leaked, his character and reputation would be utterly ruined.

In the world of collecting, credibility reigns supreme. No one deals with a person lacking integrity. To destroy one's reputation for a small gain is surely a loss that outweighs the benefit.

Thus, after weighing the pros and cons, Wang Guan decided to tell the truth.

Gently unrolling the painting, Wang Guan smiled, "I was so focused on the artwork just now that I neglected the quality of the paper. A careless oversight."

"The paper quality!"

Yu Feibai startled, quickly reaching out to touch the paper of the ink bamboo scroll. A moment later, he too showed a hint of surprise, "Oh, you’re right. The quality of this paper seems quite good."

The portly middle-aged man beside them, seeing a potential turn in events, rushed forward with his last shred of hope, "Young man, you mean to say this painting is an authentic work?"

"The painting is certainly genuine. As for whose genuine work it is, that's harder to say." Wang Guan lowered his gaze for a moment before chuckling softly, "I observe that the paper of this painting shows no signs of artificial aging. It can be confirmed that this is an ancient piece."

"An ancient painting is good enough, an ancient painting is good enough." The portly man was overcome with mixed joy and relief. As long as it wasn't a modern forgery, he could at least recoup some of his initial investment.

"Little brother, are you certain?"

At this point, Old Yang asked softly, a hint of doubt in his tone. He suspected Wang Guan might be offering a kind lie, as switching from declaring it a fake to calling it authentic so swiftly naturally created some suspicion.

Simultaneously, the portly middle-aged man also reacted, his face full of hesitation, "Young man, if it’s truly real, it’s real. If it were a fake, you wouldn't need to comfort me like this..."

"Hey, I'm telling the truth. Why don't you believe me?"

After voicing a mild complaint, Wang Guan said with a jest, "Uncle, why don’t you just let me have the item? I’ll pay for it; surely you’d believe me then."

Instantly, the others looked on with suspicion, unsure if Wang Guan was joking or being entirely serious.

Old Yang frowned slightly and stated solemnly, "Young man, some words cannot be spoken carelessly; they might be taken as fact."

"Exactly, young man."

The portly man managed a strained smile, "I might just take you seriously."

"Don't worry, gentlemen. I am not one to speak nonsense," Wang Guan said, feeling a bit helpless yet amused. "How about this, Uncle, name your price right now. I want this piece."

"This..." The portly man hesitated. Even now, he couldn't discern whether Wang Guan's action stemmed from recognizing the ink bamboo scroll as something valuable or was merely a momentary burst of chivalry.

If it was just a passing whim, the solution would be simpler: unload the item quickly and transfer the risk. Yet, the portly man feared the possibility that this ink bamboo scroll might actually be a rare treasure, in which case he would suffer a great loss.

As the portly man dithered, Old Yang and Yu Feibai remained silent.

This was the unspoken rule: when buyer and seller are conducting a transaction, outside interference must be avoided. After all, antique trading is a matter of mutual agreement and cannot tolerate a third party intruding. While it was acceptable if the buyer had someone verify the item's authenticity, any unsolicited comment from a stranger was a breach of etiquette that could lead to collective ostracization within the circle.

Sensing the portly man’s burgeoning interest but continued indecision, Wang Guan decided to add a little more fuel to the fire, saying with a smile, "Uncle, discussing money on our first meeting is indeed a bit damaging to camaraderie. How about this instead: I’ll trade you for my Agarwood bracelet? Bartering—each of us gets what we need—that feels fair and reasonable."

At this point, Wang Guan felt entirely justified. He had already made it clear that this was an authentic ancient painting. As for the painting's ultimate value, that was up to the discerning eyes of both parties. Since ancient times, the collecting trade has operated this way: whoever possesses the keener eye gains the advantage, and there is nothing to complain about.

"The Agarwood bracelet."

The portly man couldn't make up his mind for a moment. He picked up the bracelet lying nearby and began turning it over in his hands. After a moment, he too looked puzzled, "This is agarwood? Why is there no scent?"

"Alas, why do people nowadays rely solely on scent to appraise agarwood?" Old Yang shook his head with a sigh, extending his hand. "You need to smell it, right? Hand the item over. Oh, and the lighter too..."

The portly man quickly handed over the agarwood bracelet along with the lighter from his pocket to Old Yang.

"Young man, you don’t mind if I perform a small test, do you?" Old Yang smiled. "Rest assured, I won't damage the beads of the agarwood bracelet."

"Not a problem, please, do as you wish," Wang Guan replied readily.

Thud!

Old Yang nodded lightly, ignited the lighter, and then swiftly rotated the agarwood bracelet above the flame, gently toasting it. Because the bracelet was held at a slight distance from the flame, the integrity of the beads themselves was not compromised.

After a short while, Old Yang released his grip, extinguished the lighter, and handed the slightly warm agarwood bracelet back to the portly man, smiling, "Xiao Yu, smell it now."

In fact, there was no need to smell it again. As the agarwood bracelet warmed, a faint, almost ethereal fragrance had already permeated the air—exceptionally lingering and richly fragrant.

"Old Yang, I trust you completely." The portly man laughed, taking the bracelet and handling it with delight, clearly reluctant to let go. At the very least, he was certain this item was genuine.

Seeing this, Wang Guan did not press the matter, instead enjoying his tea with a contented smile.

"Young man, I’ll trade with you."

A moment later, the portly man slapped the table, "But you must promise not to go back on your word afterward."

"The exchange has been made; what is there to regret?" Wang Guan picked up the ink bamboo scroll and smiled, "If Uncle is still concerned, we can draw up a formal note and have Old Yang serve as the witness. That should settle it, shouldn't it?"

"That would be for the best..."

The portly man nodded tentatively, though inwardly, he was eager for it. He had finally reasoned it out: even if the ink bamboo scroll was genuine, without inscriptions or seals, who could truly say whose work it was.

What does it matter if it's an ancient painting? Not all ancient paintings are valuable. Even paintings by the famous Tang Bohu, if they aren't top-tier works, only fetch a few tens of thousands of yuan apiece.

Now, trading an ancient painting of unknown provenance for an agarwood bracelet—on reflection, he was the one making the better deal.

Harboring this feeling of having gained the upper hand, the portly man quickly drafted two copies of the agreement. They both affixed their signatures, and after having Old Yang and Yu Feibai sign as witnesses, everything was finalized.

"Young man, thank you." The portly man beamed, utterly pleased.

"You’re welcome."

Yet, Wang Guan on the other side was equally relaxed and beaming.

Everyone was satisfied—a truly win-win exchange. ............................ Thanks to the reader "de" for the tip. Barring unforeseen circumstances, there will be a major feature next week. Please offer your support—collections and recommendations are appreciated. C