Old Feng chuckled, his eyes remarkably clear and calm, showing no sign of impulsiveness. "Though I'm old, my mind is still sharp. I can easily distinguish genuine sincerity from hollow pretense."

"Of course I know the Water-Dotted Peach Blossom Cup is valuable. But what I know even better is that if I were gone someday, that cup would surely end up at an auction." Old Feng sighed softly. "My children, while reasonably filial, I’m also clear that they would never cherish and treasure this cup the way I do."

At this, Old Feng gave a self-deprecating laugh. "It’s true that the elderly can sometimes be a bit muddled. But I can also see that Brother Wang Guan is not the sort of person whose inside doesn't match his outside; I find him incredibly compatible."

"Moreover, you were willing to trade your jade fish, worth millions, for my inner-painted snuff bottles. So, what’s the issue with me using this cup to trade for your jade fish?" Old Feng stated gravely, his expression serious and resolute, with not a shred of wavering intent.

"This..." Wang Guan hesitated.

To say he wasn't tempted by the Water-Dotted Peach Blossom Cup would be disingenuous and hypocritical. Yet, he was unwilling to simply accept something from Old Feng so easily, which left him feeling awkward.

"Young friend, since Brother Feng insists so strongly, you shouldn't refuse,"

At this moment, Old Ren chuckled lightly. "Besides, putting other factors aside, trading a surviving piece of Qing Dynasty jade for a cup that isn't even forty years old—beautiful jade nurtures a person; perhaps it could even extend his life a few years. Brother Feng isn't losing out; in fact, he’s profiting."

"Brother Ren speaks a great truth," Old Feng laughed heartily, entirely agreeing.

"Wang Guan, just agree to it," Yu Feibai also persuaded, his eyes darting around, indicating he had another idea brewing.

"Fine..."

Under everyone's encouragement, Wang Guan finally nodded.

He handed the jade fish to Old Feng and received the Water-Dotted Peach Blossom Cup in return. It turned out to be a situation where everyone was satisfied.

After the exchange, everyone felt a renewed sense of closeness. The group then returned to the living room, savoring tea while admiring the glistening jade fish and the Water-Dotted Peach Blossom Cup, marveling at them together.

If the jade fish represented the pinnacle of ancient jade carving, then the Water-Dotted Peach Blossom Cup was the crowning achievement born from the painstaking efforts of ceramic masters during that specific era. Both objects were rare artistic treasures.

They admired and handled the items carefully, losing track of time. Before they knew it, evening had fallen. It was only when the housekeeper called them for dinner that they suddenly snapped back to reality, exchanging knowing smiles.

At Old Feng's invitation, everyone moved towards the dining room next to the kitchen.

However, it was only then that they noticed someone was missing.

"Where is Ding Yang?" Old Feng asked in surprise.

Old Ren, expressionless, casually replied, "He had something to attend to and left earlier."

Old Feng frowned slightly; he hadn't noticed when Ding Yang departed. This meant Ding Yang had left without saying goodbye, which was quite impolite. Nevertheless, being seasoned with age, Old Feng didn't press the issue, letting it go with a smile and making no further mention of Ding Yang.

The dinner table was naturally filled with toasts and conversation. However, given their advanced age, Old Ren and Old Feng limited their drinking for health reasons. As for Qi Qingguo, he had to drive later, so he only sipped lightly.

Thus, everyone drank mainly to foster the atmosphere. Dinner concluded with the hosts perfectly satisfied, yet no one got drunk. Shortly after, following a brief relaxation in the living room, Qi Qingguo, Wang Guan, and Yu Feibai bid farewell to Old Feng.

After a warm parting, agreeing to meet again soon, the three departed. As for Old Ren, having not seen Old Feng for a long time, he decided to stay the night, planning to emulate the ancients with a long, candlelit conversation.

Watching Wang Guan’s car disappear around the corner, Old Ren and Old Feng leaned on each other as they slowly returned to the living room.

Just then, Old Ren, with his sharp eyes, noticed a clean cup overturned on the coffee table, appearing to be pressing down a piece of paper underneath it.

Old Ren immediately lifted the inverted cup and picked up the paper. He froze for a moment before smiling and handing it over to Old Feng.

"What is it?"

Old Feng took the paper, glanced at it, and was similarly taken aback.

"A check for one million."

Old Ren chuckled softly. "The name is Yu Feibai, but I suspect Wang Guan arranged it. He’s truly thoughtful."

"This kid, pulling a stunt like that before leaving," Old Feng chided lightly, then suddenly laughed. "But I’m not one to be outdone. I imagine he’s discovered what I gave him by now."

"Heh heh, I owe thanks to myself for distracting him. Otherwise, you wouldn't have succeeded," Old Ren remarked. "Speaking of which, you two are quite peculiar. Most people want to gain an advantage and refuse to lose out, but you two are the exact opposite—you’d rather lose than take an advantage."

"He is a good boy," Old Feng said with great delight, adding intentionally or not, "Much better than your apprentice, Ding Yang."

"Mmm..." Old Ren nodded quietly, saying no more.

Meanwhile, driven by Qi Qingguo, Wang Guan and Yu Feibai had arrived at the hotel where they were staying.

The day had been exhausting, involving constant travel for everyone—Qi Qingguo, Wang Guan, and Yu Feibai. So, after a casual greeting, they parted ways.

Given his status, Qi Qingguo’s accommodation was certainly handled by dedicated staff; after waving goodbye to the other two, he drove on. Wang Guan and Yu Feibai, yawning, entered the hotel and headed to their reserved room.

"Ugh, I’m exhausted."

As soon as he entered the room, Yu Feibai, like a bird returning to its nest, threw himself onto the spring mattress with arms outstretched.

"It was tiring today, but it was quite interesting," Wang Guan said, clutching the brocade box in his hands, clearly delighted.

"Of course you’re happy. Not only did you meet two highly influential elders, but you also brought back the Water-Dotted Peach Blossom Cup completely intact," Yu Feibai said, pulling himself up from the bed, not without a hint of jealousy. "That’s not fair. That one million was my money, so I should get half of the cup."

"No need to rush; I’ll transfer the money back to you tomorrow," Wang Guan laughed. He had no choice; all his money was tied up in his card, and he hadn't arranged for any cashier's checks. Thus, he had to rely on Yu Feibai’s assistance.

"I don't want the money, I just want the cup,"

However, Yu Feibai seemed ready to push his luck, clinging to the idea. He even pleaded, "I’ll give you another million. Just give the cup to me."

"That won't do,"

Wang Guan refused instantly, without thinking. "This is a token of Old Feng's heartfelt generosity; I must carefully collect and preserve it."

"Preserve it? How will you preserve it?" Yu Feibai pouted. "Lock it in a bank vault?"

"That does seem to be an issue," Wang Guan frowned, seriously considering whether he should buy a house. Otherwise, keeping his collected items somewhere else didn't feel right.

Seeing Wang Guan lost in thought, Yu Feibai curiously asked, "What are you thinking about?"

"Buying a property," Wang Guan admitted frankly. "I'm debating whether to buy land in my hometown and build from scratch, or just purchase an existing building in the Porcelain Capital."

"Building yourself takes too much time; just buy something ready-made," Yu Feibai suggested. "Near Old Qian’s place, there’s a development area; quite a few villas are for sale there."

"Really?" Wang Guan’s eyes lit up. He had been to Old Qian's house and knew the environment there was excellent—quiet, elegant, a fine place for settling down and maintaining health.

"Of course it's true," Yu Feibai replied. "When I first arrived in the Porcelain Capital a couple of years ago, I even considered buying a villa there. Unfortunately, I was quite strapped for cash back then and couldn't afford it at all."

"How much do they cost?" Wang Guan inquired.

Yu Feibai tried hard to recall, listing them off. "Ordinary ones are around ten million plus. The better ones are forty to fifty million. The most expensive, the most luxurious and comfortable ones, are only one or two hundred million."

"Cough..."

Wang Guan choked, slapping his chest hard.

"What's wrong?" Yu Feibai was utterly bewildered.

"Nothing,"

Wang Guan waved his hand, smiling wryly. "I just suddenly realized I’m still a pauper."

"Tsk," Yu Feibai understood and scoffed. "If you’re a pauper, then what does that make me, a beggar? Besides, even if those villas are a bit pricey, you can clearly afford one."

"How could I possibly afford one?"

Wang Guan sighed. "Once I pay you back that million, I’ll only have six figures left in my account."

"No way," Yu Feibai exclaimed in shock. "I remember your celadon bowl sold for two million seven hundred thousand, and that box of ancient ink sold for one million five hundred thousand..."

"The money from the celadon bowl went entirely to my family," Wang Guan explained. "Right now, I only have the funds from selling the ancient ink. After paying you back a million, I’ll only have a few hundred thousand left."

"You gave your money to your family?" Yu Feibai froze, suddenly feeling a pang of shame. Compared to him, who was still spending his family's money, it seemed rather embarrassing.

"Yeah, as soon as I got home, my financial control was revoked."

Wang Guan smiled, sensing Yu Feibai’s discomfort, and quickly changed the subject. "The government has been regulating housing prices these past two years; are those unscrupulous real estate developers still daring to quote such high prices?"

"Regulation applies mainly to regular housing. Villas and similar properties are considered high-end goods; their prices will only rise, not easily fall," Yu Feibai shook his head. "Besides, some things aren't up to the developers to decide; anyone who recklessly disrupts the market trend won't last long in this industry."

"I understand,"

Wang Guan vaguely grasped the reality, smiling bitterly. "It seems real estate, just like antique collecting, has very deep, murky waters."

"That’s exactly it,"

Yu Feibai said with a smile. "But when you say you can’t afford a villa, you're underestimating yourself. If you casually brought out any one of your collected treasures, someone would surely be willing to trade a villa for it—it's just that you're reluctant to part with them."

"Alright then,"

Wang Guan surprisingly nodded, chuckling lightly. "Would exchanging the Water-Dotted Peach Blossom Cup work?"

"Dream on," Yu Feibai shot back unceremoniously. "One cup is far too little. Unless you collected an entire set—pitchers, cups, bowls, plates, saucers, spoons—all complete, that might be possible."

"I’d like to collect a set,"

Wang Guan sighed too. "But unfortunately, a complete set of porcelain has over a hundred pieces. Even the simplest spoon costs fifty thousand to one hundred thousand each. A full set, converted to cash, would certainly exceed one hundred million. If I had that much money, I’d just buy a villa directly; why waste time collecting?" (To be continued) RQ