The Spectators

Qiao Qingtai chuckled when he heard that. "Old Zhu, your item is indeed quite good, but it's the old gentleman's ninetieth birthday, after all. It's hard to say whether some people might use this occasion to compete with their treasures. If you see something more suitable, I think you should still switch to it!"

Zhu Dafu laughed. "Compete with treasures? Someone did that at the old gentleman's eightieth birthday. As a result, one guest gave him a painting by Tang Bohu that turned out to be a forgery and thoroughly embarrassed himself in front of his peers. After he went home, he nearly didn't have the face to meet anyone again. After that, the old gentleman made it clear: gifts were welcome, but competing with treasures was not."

"There was actually something like that?" Qiao Qingtai was somewhat surprised. He quickly asked, "Old Zhu, who was the one who misjudged it?"

Zhu Dafu glanced at him with a smile. "Do you think I'd tell you?"

Qiao Qingtai gave an embarrassed smile. He knew that asking such a question was somewhat taboo, so he didn't press further.

"Regardless, I still have to find a more special birthday gift. If it's too ordinary, it'll be rather embarrassing even if we aren't competing with treasures!"

Zhu Dafu said, "I say, Old Qiao, don't be so deliberate about it. We're all getting on in years. What's the point of competing for superiority? Just buy something that represents your feelings and give it to the old gentleman. That'll be enough."

Qiao Qingtai said with a smile, "Don't worry. I won't get hung up on it..."

The three of them then began choosing items they liked from one stall after another.

To be precise, the Chaotian Palace Market mainly dealt in miscellaneous antiques. Therefore, among the