A Small Profit

"How about it? Do you want this seal? Let me tell you, this thing was passed down from my ancestors. If it weren't for wanting to have some extra money for my granddaughter's college tuition, I really wouldn't want to sell it. When my father passed it down to me, he told me it was quite precious. Don't try to fool me!" the old man said with certainty at the end.

"Yes!" Chu Chen replied firmly. "Sir, then give me a fair price, so you don't have to go back and forth. It's hot out, after all."

"I don't know much about antiques, but it's a family heirloom. My father was even a scholar in the past, and he said it was a good thing. Sir, how about you offer twelve thousand? What do you think?"

However, after stating the price, the old man glanced at the seal again. Perhaps feeling that the seal's appearance was indeed not great, and seeing Chu Chen deep in thought, he quickly changed his tune. "How about ten thousand? I won't sell it for any less."

When Chu Chen heard the price, he was secretly delighted. The seal was exquisitely carved, made of good material, and in perfect condition. It could easily sell for seventy to eighty thousand yuan just like this.

Moreover, calling it a seal isn't entirely accurate, as there's no inscription on the bottom. This means the seal is still a blank, which can add considerable value. If he finds the right buyer, he could sell it for a good price.

So, Chu Chen pretended to think for a moment longer before nodding in agreement. "Alright, ten thousand. It's a deal. But sir, do you have a box to put it in?"

The old man said somewhat awkwardly, "I'm truly sorry about that. Originally, this thing was in a brocade box, but during that period, it was buried underground along with the box. When it was dug up later, the box had rotted away. I usually wrap it in a piece of red cloth, but I thought the red cloth looked unsightly, so I just used some newspaper."

So that's how it was. Chu Chen understood why the seal blank looked a bit dull at first glance. It had been re-buried. The blank was originally made using the oil-rubbing technique, and with its time in the earth, it was no wonder the people in the shop earlier thought it was a modern imitation.

Afterward, Chu Chen drew up a simple written agreement. They exchanged money for goods, and the deal was done.

Chu Chen and his companions had spent over ten thousand yuan on dinner yesterday, and they were short on cash today. So, he went to the bank this morning and withdrew fifty thousand. Before he even received the goods, he spent another ten thousand. He thought to himself, money really doesn't last. But out with the old, in with the new; he wished it would always be this way.

The place where he was to pick up the goods was not far from here. Chu Chen arrived after only a few steps.

It was an antique shop with a very small entrance, and its location was quite inconspicuous. Furthermore, it had no name, so normally, very few people would notice it. However, this antique shop primarily dealt in wholesale, so the owner wasn't too concerned.

The interior of the shop was not as small as the exterior; it was about forty square meters. The shop had air conditioning, and as he walked in, a cool breeze washed over him, instantly dispelling the summer heat.

Speaking of air conditioning, Chu Chen had some grievances. The place he was currently renting didn't have air conditioning. It was fine in winter with the heating, but in summer, he could only rely on a fan, which made him dizzy.

When he wanted to ask Aunt Zhang to install an air conditioner, she said, "What's a young man afraid of a little heat? Back in the day, we got by without air conditioning." While her words were true, now that air conditioning existed, why should they suffer through the heat?

Chu Chen originally wanted to install an air conditioner himself, but then he thought better of it. If he bought a new house, he wouldn't move an old air conditioner, and then Aunt Zhang would get the benefit. Fortunately, his internal martial arts practice had achieved some success, so the summer heat affected him less, and he had managed to get by these past few years.

The shop owner was named Chen Dewang, who was sixty-five years old. Chu Chen called him Old Chen. At this moment, Old Chen was reclining on a lounge chair, drinking tea and reading a book, looking quite at ease.

"Good morning, Old Chen. I'm bothering you again today."

"Oh, it's Xiao Chen. Are you here to pick up goods today?" Chen Dewang asked.

Before Chu Chen could nod, Chen Dewang saw the item wrapped in newspaper in his hand and asked curiously, "Eh, Xiao Chen, what good thing are you holding?"

Chu Chen smiled and gently placed the seal blank on the table. Without saying much, he invited Chen Dewang to examine it himself.

After a while, having observed it carefully, Chen Dewang placed the seal blank back on the table and exclaimed:

"Not bad. It's a Ming Dynasty green jade ancient dragon-knob seal blank. A genuine piece from the period. Where did you get it?"

Chu Chen then recounted the entire story. After listening, Chen Dewang happily said to him:

"Alright, Xiao Chen, your eyesight is good. The shop you mentioned should be Old Zhang's. But Old Zhang is out of town sourcing goods right now, and his son is minding the shop. This kid is usually irresponsible. If Old Zhang finds out about this when he returns, he'll be furious. By the way, what are your plans for this seal blank?"

Seeing him say this, Chu Chen replied, "I was planning to find a suitable opportunity to sell it. Since you like it, Old Chen, I'll let you have it."

"Okay, how about twelve thousand?" Chen Dewang said. Seeing Chu Chen hesitate, he added, "What, do you think it's too little?"

Chu Chen quickly shook his head. "No, no, I just don't think it's worth that much?"

Chen Dewang laughed. "Alright, it's settled then. Do you really think I'd lose money on you?"

Chu Chen listened and chuckled foolishly while scratching his head. Afterward, they quickly signed a transfer agreement, and Chen Dewang wrote out a check for twelve thousand yuan and handed it to him.

Chu Chen had previously asked others about how to identify a check's authenticity. At first glance, he could tell it was a genuine check. After receiving it, he asked curiously, "Old Chen, when did you start using checks?"

Chen Dewang said somewhat proudly, "As a citizen of China in the new century, of course, I have to keep up with the times. Unlike your Uncle Wu and Old Zhu, who are stuck in the past. Your Uncle Wu is better; he even learns some computer skills. But Old Zhu is truly an antique."

Chu Chen couldn't say anything about such matters and could only nod and agree with a foolish smile.

Chen Dewang waved his hand. "Alright, you don't need to keep me company, old man. Go inside and pick out the goods you need."

Most of the items in Chen Dewang's shop were modern replicas, and their prices were a bit higher than elsewhere. However, one good thing was that they were all well-made replicas, especially some of the very exquisite ones, which was precisely what Chu Chen was looking for.

As mentioned earlier, Chu Chen was quite principled in his business dealings. Although he wouldn't tell people if something was an antique when he picked it up from stalls, the items he sold were all in good condition, with no deformed or shoddy pieces, or outright fakes.

Chu Chen always believed that since a customer bought something from him, even if it had no historical value, it should have some artistic merit. This was also a form of respect for the customer. This could be considered his simple philosophy, or perhaps his bottom line as a person.

People often say that good deeds go unrewarded, but this might not be entirely true in the business world. As the saying goes, harmony brings wealth. Although Chu Chen might not earn as much per item as others, over time, he gained more old customers and repeat buyers, and in the end, he earned more than others.

After rummaging through many items, Chu Chen had already selected most of his targets. Influenced by Uncle Wu, he used to focus on porcelain business. Therefore, most of the goods he picked up this time were various exquisite newly made porcelain pieces. The rest were jade ware and bronze ware.

As for calligraphy and painting, Chu Chen didn't source them here. Instead, he went to a familiar acquaintance in the southern city to get his stock. After all, everyone has their specialty. Although Chen Dewang had calligraphy and painting, he either couldn't afford them or they didn't catch his eye.

"Eh!"

Suddenly, Chu Chen was attracted by a piece of jade ware. It was a jade pendant carved from black and white jade.

Black and white jade is essentially black jade on a white jade base, also known as blue-and-white jade in the market.

Blue-and-white jade refers to black specks appearing in white jade or off-white jade, whether in cloud-like patterns or streaks of black. All can be called blue-and-white jade. If the black (gray) and white are clearly distinct, it is what people call black and white jade.

At first glance, this jade pendant appeared dull and not very lustrous, giving a muted impression. However, upon closer inspection, its extraordinary nature could be discerned. Without hesitation, he picked it up. As soon as it was in his hand, his special ability began to stir. There was no doubt that this was an old piece of jade.

Chu Chen put aside other issues for the moment and held up the jade pendant to examine it closely.

This jade pendant was a circular openwork pendant, decorated with cloud scroll patterns as a frame. Inside the frame was an openwork carving of two chi dragons playing with a pearl. The overall lines were smooth, and the carving was powerful, indicating a certain level of skill.

Overall, this should be a jade pendant carved in the mid-Qing Dynasty or late mid-Qing Dynasty. The reason Chu Chen couldn't pinpoint the exact period was that he wasn't as proficient in jade ware as he was in porcelain. After using his special ability, he confirmed that this jade pendant was a mid-Qing Dynasty openwork chi dragon pattern pendant.

As for why this jade pendant looked somewhat muted, it was likely due to not being worn for a long time. If worn for a while, it would present a different appearance. However, Chu Chen was still somewhat puzzled as to why Old Chen would place this jade pendant among the replicas. With his discerning eye, it shouldn't be the case.

Unable to figure it out for a moment, Chu Chen set the issue aside. There was a strange phenomenon that was currently capturing his attention.

The feeling of being drawn to the jade pendant earlier was quite bewildering. Moreover, this wasn't the first time he had felt this way today. Just a moment ago, when he discovered the seal blank, he had experienced a similar sensation. At the time, he hadn't paid much attention, thinking it was a coincidence. Now, it seemed there was definitely something he hadn't discovered.