Qiao Qingtai found it rather strange after hearing what Han Yu Song had said. Although he had not visited Xiazhou many times, he still knew what kind of reputation Han Yu Song had in business. Under normal circumstances, even when it came to rare antiques, Han Yu Song's prices were quite fair. Thus, he immediately assumed that Han Yu Song was doing this because of him.
"Little Han, you're not doing this because you want to look after me, are you?"
Han Yu Song chuckled awkwardly and said, "No. Mainly because this couplet was given to me by a friend to settle a debt. It cost me quite a bit, so the price I quoted was a little higher too."
Qiao Qingtai was curious when he heard that. He asked, "Little Han, you've always seemed quite careful with money. How could someone owe you money and still be unable to pay you back?"
Han Yu Song gave a bitter smile. "I suppose I was just hit by a bolt from the blue..."
As it turned out, Han Yu Song had a close friend named Xu Fan. He was also an antique dealer, running a small antique shop in another antique market in Xiazhou.
Because Xu Fan had limited funds and connections, he would sometimes take goods from Han Yu Song on consignment.
"Taking goods on consignment" referred to an antique dealer taking an item from another antique dealer without paying for it upfront. That was called "taking goods on consignment."
The rule was that once the price had been agreed upon, the item could only be sold for more, never less. There had to be a guaranteed minimum price, and one's word had to be honored. The price was higher than that of an outright purchase. Generally, the dealer taking