The stall owner looked up, gave an embarrassed smile, and said, "Little brother, I'm really sorry. I only got this chest this morning and haven't had time to clean it up. If you want it, I can clean it for you right now. I guarantee it'll be spotless."
"All right, all right!" Chu Chen waved his hand. "I was worried you'd wash all the patina off the chest."
Patina was indeed extremely important when it came to antiques, so it was perfectly normal for a customer to have such concerns. The stall owner did not think much of it. Quick-witted as he was, he immediately understood Chu Chen's intentions and chuckled. "Since that's the case, I'll give you a discount. How about eight hundred? This is genuine rosewood furniture, after all."
Chu Chen shook his head repeatedly. "Too expensive. Though this is rosewood, the quality is really ordinary. Besides, look how small this chest is. I can offer two hundred at most!"
"Little brother, this is a small business. Two hundred wouldn't even cover my costs..."
Playing poor was antique peddlers' ultimate trick when doing business. But Chu Chen had seen that trick too many times and basically ignored it. Thus, while the stall owner haggled with Chu Chen, he cursed Chu Chen inwardly for being stingy. If Chu Chen had not wanted to avoid trouble, he would have had to fight this peddler for another "three hundred rounds" before reaching an agreement.
After paying, Chu Chen carried the chest and left with Yuan Hongjian. They had not gone far when they saw the middle-aged man who had argued with the young man earlier walking toward them. Chu Chen and Yuan Hongjian could not help marveling at the man's boldness. He was not even afraid that the young man might