Hearing this, the others did not think much of it, but Zhou Wenping, who understood the market, shook his head slightly. If the jade cicada had been richly suffused with blood stain, it might have been worth forty or fifty thousand by market standards. However, judging from its condition, its "quality" might not be very good, in which case twenty or thirty thousand would already be about right.
By the appraisal of his special ability, fifty thousand would have been a huge bargain. However, only Chu Chen knew that value, and he could not possibly say so. Judging by the market, he certainly would not accept such a price. Thus, he shook his head and said to Ma An:
"Uncle Ma, your price is a little outrageous. If there were enough red coloration, it might be worth forty or fifty thousand, but look at its condition. Do you think there will be much red? What if it looks even worse after being cleaned? Wouldn't I lose money? I'll offer a fair price—fifteen thousand. What do you think?"
Ma An thought for a moment and said, "Perhaps it'll look better once the dirt is brushed off? Besides, you're from the capital, so you're not short of this little bit of money. Offering fifteen thousand right away is a bit ruthless, isn't it? How about thirty thousand?"
"Uncle Ma, my money doesn't come for free either. Eighteen thousand?" Chu Chen said indifferently.
Ma An pondered for a long while, then gritted his teeth and put on an aggrieved expression. "How about this? We'll each take one step back. Twenty-four thousand. If you want it, take it."
Twenty-four thousand was about right by normal standards, so Chu Chen nodded and agreed. Ma An was also quite satisfied with the price. Once the deal