Wu Ke's Tuition

Although this double-eared vase looked like a genuine and exquisite piece, Chu Chen meticulously examined it, starting with its base. On the bottom, the six characters "Made in the Great Qing Dynasty Qianlong period" were inscribed in a precise and powerful vermilion seal script, clearly indicating the characteristics of an imperial kiln.

Next, he inspected the clay body. It was fine and clean. Given that the clay quality in the later Qianlong period tended to become rougher, this double-eared vase appeared to be a work from the early to mid-Qianlong period.

The clay is the body, the glaze is the clothing. After examining the clay, it was time to look at the glaze. The glaze on this double-eared vase was firm, smooth as fat and jade, and flawless. It could be considered a masterpiece among glazed vases.

Finally, Chu Chen examined the overall shape and decorative patterns. In six words: dignified and grand, regular and exquisite, magnificent in style, meticulously crafted, naturally patinated, and in perfect condition. Judging from these aspects, this should be a finely crafted piece from the early Qianlong period, possessing significant collection value.

When appraising antiques before purchasing, the worst thing to do is to appear overly excited. The seller is watching your reaction to set their price. If you reveal your fondness for an item, the price will undoubtedly skyrocket.

After carefully appraising the double-eared vase, Chu Chen's expression remained as calm as ever, betraying none of the astonishment he felt inside. He put away his gloves and magnifying glass and said to Mr. Wang unhurriedly:

"Mr. Wang, I am quite fond of this double-eared vase of yours. I just don't know how much you're asking for it."

This tone undoubtedly gave Mr. Wang the impression that if he quoted too high a price, the deal might fall through. He pondered for a moment before saying:

"Mr. Chu, if I weren't in urgent need of money, I would never part with this double-eared vase. I'll give you a fair price: five hundred and fifty thousand. What do you say?"

Chu Chen thought to himself, It's good that you're in a hurry. If you weren't, how could I negotiate the price? He then smiled faintly and said:

"Mr. Wang, do you know that at the spring auctions this year, a similar double-eared vase was sold? Do you know the final price it fetched?"

He paused before continuing, "Six hundred and sixty thousand! Think about it, you still have to pay commission and personal income tax for going to an auction, and it only sold for six hundred and sixty thousand. Moreover, going to an auction takes time. What do you say?"

"This..."

Upon hearing this, Mr. Wang was somewhat flustered. He didn't doubt Chu Chen's words, as lying about such matters would ruin his reputation. A hint of worry appeared on his face, and fine beads of sweat broke out on his forehead, revealing his anxiety and concern.

Mr. Wang considered for a long time. Perhaps he was truly in urgent need of money, or perhaps there were other circumstances. He gritted his teeth and said to Chu Chen:

"Mr. Chu, five hundred thousand. If you want it, we'll transact immediately. I need to leave right away. If not, I'll find someone else."

Chu Chen thought, This Mr. Wang is probably not very familiar with antiques. Otherwise, he would know that the price of antiques can fluctuate significantly even within a few months. For a double-eared vase in this condition, the possibility of it not exceeding six hundred and sixty thousand at auction is extremely slim.

Chu Chen did not agree immediately. Doing so might cause Mr. Wang to change his mind. After a moment's thought, he smiled and agreed:

"Since you're in such a hurry, Mr. Wang, I'll buy it. We can sign the agreement now."

Hearing Chu Chen agree, Mr. Wang breathed a sigh of relief. They then drew up a simple agreement, with Uncle Wu serving as the witness. After the agreement was signed, they went to the bank to transfer the money and then parted ways.

After seeing Mr. Wang leave in a hurry, Uncle Wu happily patted Chu Chen on the shoulder and said:

"Well done! You've got a knack for business now. At current market prices, you wouldn't be able to get such a beautiful rouge red without at least six hundred thousand. You've made a good profit this time."

Chu Chen shook his head and said, "Uncle Wu, it's also because Mr. Wang was too eager to sell. Otherwise, this amount wouldn't have been enough. Besides, I don't plan to make money on this double-eared vase."

"Oh! Honestly, I haven't asked who you were doing this favor for, nor where you got fifty thousand. I know you just paid rent and bought a computer recently. The money from your previous lucky find wouldn't be enough for fifty thousand, would it?"

Hearing Uncle Wu mention this, Chu Chen felt a little embarrassed. He hadn't told Uncle Wu about his recent experiences. So, they walked and talked. When they returned to Uncle Wu's shop, Chu Chen briefly explained what had happened over the past two days to Uncle Wu.

After listening, Uncle Wu's expression was quite remarkable. He hadn't expected Chu Chen's experiences in just a few days to be so incredible. In just a few days, a millionaire was born so easily, making Uncle Wu feel as if the world had changed. After digesting the astonishing news, he jokingly said to Chu Chen:

"Xiao Chen, you didn't even tell me about such good fortune. Were you afraid I'd ask you for money?"

When Uncle Wu mentioned borrowing money, Chu Chen remembered that it was almost time for the holidays in the UK again, which meant Wu Ke's tuition for the next semester would soon be due. This was always a source of great worry for Uncle Wu.

Although the antique business seemed to be quite profitable, business was often unstable. Sometimes they earned a lot, sometimes very little. Otherwise, there wouldn't be the saying "one good sale can last for half a year." Although Uncle Wu had been running an antique shop for nearly twenty years and had earned a considerable amount, Wu Ke's tuition and living expenses were also very high.

Uncle Wu's savings over the years had been almost entirely spent on Wu Ke. Although she worked part-time abroad, it was merely a drop in the bucket. Moreover, Uncle Wu didn't really want Wu Ke to work, always emphasizing her studies. He told her that if she finished her studies early and returned home, she would save far more money than she could earn by working.

Wu Ke also realized that if she skipped a grade, she could save at least over two hundred thousand. That was a lot of money, and it was unclear how much harder she would have to work to earn it through part-time jobs, not to mention the impact on her studies.

So, she devoted all her energy to her studies. She was already smart, and although skipping a grade was challenging, she could manage with hard work. Last year, she finally achieved this goal. Originally, her bachelor's and master's degrees were a five-year program, but she would now complete her studies by next year.

Even so, the tuition for this final year was still a bit tight for Uncle Wu. He might have to find a way to borrow money.

Thinking of this, Chu Chen felt ashamed. Uncle Wu had always treated him so well, and yet he hadn't thought of helping him when he needed it. This was truly inexcusable. He defended himself with some shame:

"Not at all. I've just been too busy these past few days and didn't have time to come to your place, Uncle Wu. It's hard to explain such things over the phone. Uncle Wu, please don't trouble yourself. I'll handle Xiao Ke's tuition. I have so much money right now, and I don't need it immediately."

Hearing Chu Chen say this, Uncle Wu said with some relief, "It's good that I didn't dote on you in vain over the years. But how can I accept your money? Besides, you're at the age to get married and start a family. Shouldn't you be considering buying a house in Beijing?"

"Uncle Wu, I'm only twenty-one, okay? I'm not at the age to get married and start a family. Besides, even if I wanted to buy a house, I wouldn't need over a million. I'm not planning to buy a siheyuan. And with my current funds, I couldn't afford a siheyuan anyway. Alright, Uncle Wu, stop talking. Xiao Ke's tuition will be my responsibility. If you say another word, I'll get angry!"

Hearing Chu Chen's resolute tone and seeing his determined expression, Uncle Wu had no choice but to agree. He said jokingly, "Alright, I'll agree. But Uncle Wu has no money to pay you back. You can ask Xiao Ke later. If she can't repay you, she can mortgage herself to you."

Chu Chen's face fell when he heard Uncle Wu say this. "Uncle Wu, please spare me. Consider this money as my support for Xiao Ke's studies. Don't ask her to repay it."

In reality, having the money secured also relieved Uncle Wu's mind. Although he had sold some antiques, he wouldn't need to borrow much money. However, despite appearing generous to Chu Chen, he was very concerned about his reputation in front of others. Whether it was him or his family borrowing money, he would find it difficult to swallow his pride.

Feeling unburdened, Uncle Wu now understood what it meant to be carefree. Seeing Chu Chen's glum expression made him want to laugh, but his affection for Chu Chen grew, and he genuinely wished Chu Chen could be his son-in-law. However, such matters couldn't be forced; it depended on the feelings of the two individuals.

Afterward, Uncle Wu looked at the double-eared vase on the table and turned to Chu Chen, saying, "You said earlier that Manager Zhao asked you to find this double-eared vase? Aren't you afraid your Uncle Zhao will resent you for stealing his business?"

Chu Chen chuckled and said, "Uncle Zhao can't blame me for this, can he? Besides, I think Manager Zhao is using this opportunity to test me. In the future, I should be replacing Old Dong's position. Tasks like this favor-finding will likely still be managed by Uncle Zhao, as he has far more channels than I do."

He then raised another question: "By the way, Uncle Wu, do you know why Manager Zhao is so displeased with Old Dong?"

"I know a little about that."

Uncle Wu frowned and replied, "It's rumored that Old Dong has joined a newly opened auction house and has been hard to find lately, often disappearing. I suppose Zhao is annoyed because Old Dong refused his requests for help several times. Only the two of them know the specific details."

He then added with a smile, "This is also a good thing for you. Being by his side in the future will broaden your horizons, and you must diligently accumulate knowledge. Otherwise, you'll be completely clueless during appraisals, and you'll lose face completely."

"Whether you add to the price of this double-eared vase or not is irrelevant. Manager Zhao won't let you suffer a loss. You should make your own judgment based on the specific situation."