Chapter 13

Zhao Xueyi said with a grin, "Then it's settled. You can't go back on your word later."

"That's for sure. Don't you trust Old Zhu's reputation?"

After saying that, Zhu Dafu turned to Chu Chen and said, "Xiao Chen, do me a favor. Five hundred thousand, and let me have this Zigang plaque. How about it?"

When Chu Chen heard five hundred thousand, he froze. He had known the jade plaque was valuable, but he had never expected it to be worth this much. Not only had it made up for his previous losses, it had even earned him one hundred thousand! He had originally planned to work hard for several more years before buying a house, but now he suddenly had enough money for one. It felt like a dream.

When Zhu Dafu saw that Chu Chen had not answered, he immediately grew anxious. "Xiao Chen, do you think Uncle Fu's offer is too low? We can discuss the price."

Hearing that, Chu Chen hurriedly said, "No, no. I was just surprised that this Zigang plaque was worth so much."

Upon hearing Chu Chen's explanation, Zhu Dafu wiped away a bead of sweat and said, "A Zigang plaque this exquisite, with such good jade, is definitely worth five hundred thousand. Uncle Fu actually got a bargain. If it went to auction, this jade plaque would certainly fetch more than that."

Chu Chen smiled and waved his hand. "Five hundred thousand is already more than enough. There are no guarantees when it comes to auctions."

"Ha, so you agree to sell it to me?" Zhu Dafu asked happily.

"What's there to disagree about?"

After all, it was a full five hundred thousand. Even if he could get more at an auction, there would also be commissions, taxes, and all sorts of miscellaneous expenses. It was hard to say how much extra money he would make, but there would definitely be a lot more trouble. Chu Chen still felt safer keeping the five hundred thousand in his pocket.

Zhu Dafu beamed. "Great! Then let's sign an agreement now."

Uncle Wu chuckled from the side. "Old Zhu, have you even looked at the time? Do you think the bank is still open?"

After hearing Uncle Wu, Zhao Xueyi laughed as well.

Zhu Dafu said awkwardly, "Oh, right. Then we can only deal with it tomorrow." After saying that, he glanced reluctantly at the Zigang plaque.

Seeing this, Chu Chen said, "Since you like it so much, Uncle Fu, you can take the Zigang plaque home today."

Zhu Dafu was stunned. Then he immediately brightened up. "Really? Xiao Chen, you trust me that much?"

Chu Chen smiled. "What is there not to trust? We've known each other for so many years. How could I not trust you, Uncle Fu?"

"Since you've put it that way, Uncle Fu won't stand on ceremony. But we should still leave a written acknowledgment. Otherwise, it wouldn't be proper."

After saying that, Zhu Dafu found a piece of paper and wrote out a receipt, which he handed to Chu Chen. Then he cheerfully picked up the Zigang plaque and began caressing it tenderly. He looked as though the thing in his hands were his own wife.

Everyone shared a knowing smile at Zhu Dafu's expression. It also reminded Chu Chen of how he had acted when he first obtained that piece of Tang Sancai. He and Uncle Fu looked remarkably alike at that moment.

Uncle Wu pointed at the gold bars on the table. "Xiao Chen, what are you planning to do with these two gold bars?"

Chu Chen picked up the gold bars and examined them. "These two gold bars are quite exquisite. I plan to keep them as souvenirs."

Seeing this, Zhao Xueyi yawned from the side. "All right, it's getting late. Let's call it a night."

Everyone looked at the time. It was already past eleven, and after traveling all day, they were exhausted. They all said their farewells.

Before leaving, Uncle Wu said to Chu Chen, "I'll keep this Buddha statue with me for now. I'm planning to take it to Old Liu for a look. After all, it's a form of wealth left behind by our ancestors. We'll see whether this craft can be recreated."

"Sure, no problem."

After agreeing, Chu Chen said ingratiatingly, "Uncle Wu, when can you take me to pay my respects to Old Liu? I really admire him."

Uncle Wu laughed heartily. "Sure. I'll sound out Old Liu this time. But if you want to meet him, you'll have to pass his test first!"

Chu Chen exclaimed in surprise, "What? There's a test just to meet Old Liu? Is it difficult?"

"You think meeting Old Liu is that easy?" Uncle Wu said. "As for whether it's difficult, that depends on Old Liu's mood. He sets the questions himself, though they should remain within the field of antique appraisal."

Seeing Chu Chen's relieved expression, Uncle Wu shook his head. He thought, Would questions set by Old Liu really be that easy? Still, it's good for young people to be tested a little. It's better than suffering a real loss.

But if he had known that Chu Chen possessed a supernatural ability, perhaps he would not have thought that way.

After Chu Chen returned home, he took out the gold bars and examined them from every angle. He could not contain his joy. He had never imagined that he would obtain money so easily. In his excitement, he repeatedly kissed his left hand.

After taking a shower, Chu Chen leaped onto the bed. The softness and comfort of the Simmons mattress made him let out a satisfied groan. The fatigue from a full day of rushing around instantly eased considerably.

Chu Chen turned over and lay on his back with his hands behind his head, thinking about his plans for the future. The first thing he thought of was how he should spend the five hundred thousand. Should he buy a house first, just as he had previously planned? But he dismissed that idea almost immediately.

Now that he had a supernatural ability, did he still need to worry about not making money? Thinking about how easily he had earned five hundred thousand that day, would a million, ten million, or even one hundred million really be far away?

Instead of spending four or five hundred thousand on a small two-bedroom apartment, he might as well wait a while and buy a larger house. Perhaps by then, he would even be able to afford a villa. He might even be able to buy the courtyard house of his dreams. Of course, courtyard houses often cost tens or even hundreds of millions, so whether he would be willing to buy one then was another matter.

Turning back to the matter of his supernatural ability, Chu Chen thought about its problems again. The ability was good in every respect, except that he could only absorb that kind of energy three times a day. It was truly inconvenient. Although one should know contentment, shouldn't one still look forward to the future?

And what exactly was that energy? Why was there none in the gold bars? Could the gold bars be fake? That should be impossible. Uncle Wu and the others could not possibly lack even that much discernment. Perhaps there was some crucial detail he had overlooked.

Besides, that energy should be beneficial to his body. It had not only improved his memory, but had also helped his boxing break through. He also felt that his body had grown much stronger. The energy seemed to be a universal remedy. Since that was the case, he would call it spiritual energy.

He wondered what changes would occur in his body if he continued absorbing spiritual energy. Would the number of times he could use his supernatural ability increase after reaching a certain point? Just thinking about it filled him with anticipation.

As he continued thinking, Chu Chen grew sleepy and gradually drifted into dreamland.

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The next day, after finishing breakfast, Chu Chen encountered his landlady, Aunt Zhang, on his way home.

Aunt Zhang pulled Chu Chen aside and said, "Xiao Chen, I heard you made a bad appraisal last time?"

Chu Chen was stunned at first, then said, "Auntie, I didn't expect you to get news so quickly. Oh, are you worried that I don't have the money to sign the contract?"

"How could that be?"

Aunt Zhang put on a solemn expression, but then turned around and asked, "So there won't be any problem with signing the contract on Friday, right?"

Chu Chen said helplessly, "Of course not. If you're worried, we can sign it this afternoon."

Aunt Zhang beamed. "I could doubt anyone, but how could I doubt Xiao Chen? Still, since you've put it that way, wouldn't refusing now mean rejecting your good intentions?"

After hearing that, Chu Chen was caught between laughter and tears. Aunt Zhang really lived up to her reputation as someone with a tendency toward stinginess. But then he thought of something else, so he said to Aunt Zhang:

"All right, we'll sign a new contract this afternoon. But there's one more thing I'd like to trouble you with."

Aunt Zhang immediately grew wary. "What is it? If it's about the rent, we've already agreed on everything. You can't change your mind again."

Seeing her reaction, Chu Chen felt as though a flock of crows had flown across his forehead. He said with a bitter smile, "Auntie, do I look like that kind of person? I just wanted to ask if you could help me get broadband installed. Don't worry, I'll cover the installation and material costs, and I'll pay for a full year of service in advance."

Aunt Zhang thought about it. This was a good deal. Even if Chu Chen stopped renting the place in the future, the broadband would remain, and she could use it simply by renewing the subscription. Yes, this was worth doing. She slapped her thigh and said:

"Hey, I thought it was something serious. That's easy. We'll sign the contract this afternoon and go take care of it right away."

Afterward, Chu Chen and Aunt Zhang agreed on a place to sign the contract that afternoon, then went their separate ways.

After returning home, Chu Chen called Uncle Wu and asked him to inquire about a computer. Since he was going to install broadband, he needed a computer as well. But computers were extremely expensive these days, often costing over ten thousand yuan, and he knew nothing about them. Without someone he knew to help, he might be cheated by a dishonest merchant, end up with a computer that only looked good, and waste his money.

When it reached nine o'clock, Chu Chen brought the Tang Sancai fragment with him and prepared to head to Zhu Dafu's shop.

Zhu Dafu's Yuebao Pavilion was much larger than Uncle Wu's shop. The first floor alone was more than twice as large, and there was also a second floor, which naturally contained the more valuable antiques.

Yuebao Pavilion also did not deal exclusively in porcelain like Uncle Wu's shop. As long as an antique was good, Yuebao Pavilion would buy it. Of course, it had a particular focus: Zhu Dafu's favorite, jade. It was precisely because Zhu Dafu loved jade so much that he had shown such an expression the day before.

Inside the shop, two large glass display counters stood directly ahead and to the left. They held all kinds of exquisite jade ornaments, bracelets, and similar items. Several young men and women were discussing jade with the sales clerks across the counters.

On the right, near the entrance, stood a corner-shaped reception counter that also served as the cashier. At the far right, there was a wooden staircase leading to the second floor.

The remaining space held several antique display cabinets arranged in an orderly fashion, each displaying all kinds of exquisite antiques. Chu Chen also saw several middle-aged men and elderly people slowly examining them. A sales clerk stood nearby as well, ready to serve them whenever they needed assistance.