Chapter 19

"What kind of junk is this? You can have it back!"

A young man beside Director Chen hurled something at Song Jianshe.

Sharp-eyed, Song Jianshe recognized the Amber Snuff Bottle he had sold. He scrambled to catch it and only breathed a sigh of relief when he saw it was undamaged. "Wait, Director, Lianchao, what's going on?"

Chen Lianchao sneered. "Go on, keep pretending. My dad has a good temper, but I don't. This thing's a fake. You swindled my dad out of 350 yuan with it. Give us back the money and the industrial coupons!"

What?

Three hundred and fifty yuan?

The Courtyard Chief nearly dropped his pipe.

Three hundred and fifty yuan was a fortune.

Plenty of people earned about that much in a year, but their wages had to feed an entire family. Few households in the Compound Courtyard had 350 yuan on hand. Having 200 to spare already meant they were doing well.

"Song Jianshe, you made 350 yuan?"

Grandpa Sun's jaw nearly hit the ground.

"What do you mean, he made it? He has to give it back to us!"

Veins stood out on Chen Lianchao's forehead as he clenched his fists.

He was Director Chen's son, born late in life and thoroughly spoiled. Song Jianshe knew what he was like, but he had always known how to stay on his good side and had never faced his temper firsthand.

Now that Chen Lianchao was furious with him, he finally understood what a powder keg the man was.

"Song Jianshe, my son's words are harsh, but you were the one who acted dishonestly first."

Director Chen's voice carried a trace of anger. "This snuff bottle is fake. You sold it to me for 350 yuan. If I wanted to pursue the matter, you'd already be at the police station. For old times' sake, return my money and I'll return the bottle. Then we'll call it even."

Song Jianshe could barely make sense of it, but the words "police station" sent cold sweat down his back.

He had been taken there once before. No one had beaten him, but the place was full of all sorts, and the experience had badly shaken him.

"Director, please don't be angry. Let's go inside and talk. There might be some misunderstanding."

"Misunderstanding? What misunderstanding?" Chen Lianchao shoved Song Jianshe impatiently. "Give us our money back. After that, call it a misunderstanding if you like. We don't want this thing."

"No, Director..."

At a loss, Song Jianshe looked pleadingly at Director Chen. "How could it be fake? You said yourself it was a rare, valuable piece!"

"That was when I thought it was amber."

Director Chen's face darkened. "My son accidentally dropped it in water tonight, and the color came off. Feel it yourself!"

The color came off?

Song Jianshe hurriedly looked down at the snuff bottle. Lights were on in the neighboring homes, and by their glow he could clearly see a faint reddish-yellow stain on his palm.

"Well? See it now? What else have you got to say?"

Chen Lianchao spat on the ground. "And my dad trusted you! He was even planning to arrange housing for you. All along, you were taking him for a fool! Pay up. Now!"

"No, that's not..."

Song Jianshe looked utterly bewildered. "How can it be fake?"

Gu Jinshui folded his arms with a wicked grin. "The antiques trade is full of fakes. I thought you knew how to judge antiques. How did you miss that?"

Song Jianshe jerked his head up to look at Gu Jinshui.

The moment he saw the smile on Gu Jinshui's face, it clicked.

"You! You set me up!"

"Hey, don't go making wild accusations. What's selling someone else a fake got to do with me? When you made money, I had no part in it. Now that it's gone wrong, suddenly it's my fault? Come on, everyone, is that fair?"

Gu Jinshui put on an aggrieved look as he addressed the crowd.

None of them knew the full story. Gu Jinshui sounded reasonable, so they nodded along.

"Exactly. What does Jin Shui have to do with Song Jianshe buying a fake? You can't blame him."

"That's low of Jianshe. He's accusing an innocent man."

Even Auntie Sun, who had been so warm toward him earlier, began to mutter. "Jianshe, what's going on? Jin Shui has nothing to do with this. You're the one who needs to explain yourself."

Song Jianshe nearly exploded with anger.

How could Gu Jinshui have nothing to do with it?

Gu Jinshui had spotted that snuff bottle first. Gu Jinshui had bid against him, driving him to pay such a high price for it.

And now the snuff bottle was a fake! He couldn't let that stand!

Chapter 22: The Twenty-Second Day of Being Overheard

Song Jianshe felt wronged through and through.

Now he understood what it meant to suffer in silence.

But Chen Lianchao was still tugging at his sleeve and demanding his money back, while everyone watched. Song Jianshe had no choice but to say, "Lianchao, I'll get your money right now. But I really didn't mean to cheat your family. I didn't know this thing was fake."

"Oh, you didn't know it was fake? Do you know what it's made of?"

Chen Lianchao's voice dripped with sarcasm.

"What's it made of?" Song Jianshe asked, baffled.

Chen Lianchao gave a cold laugh. "The damn thing's made of plastic. Whoever carved it did a convincing job with the Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea, then dyed it. My dad trusted you, so he didn't look closely. If I hadn't noticed the color coming off, we'd have been stuck with the loss."

Plastic?

Song Jianshe's head rang.

He studied the snuff bottle in his hand and pressed a fingernail into it. The material gave slightly. That was exactly how plastic felt.

His face went white, and sweat ran down his cheeks.

"Pay up!"

Chen Lianchao could tell Song Jianshe probably hadn't known, but he didn't care. He hauled him inside to get the money.

"What are you doing? Once the sale was done, it was no longer my son's problem. It's your own fault you didn't look properly."

Seeing that Song Jianshe was about to hand over the money, Huang Xirong rushed forward and shoved Chen Lianchao away.

Chen Lianchao hadn't expected her to push him. He landed hard on his backside and grimaced in pain.

"Son!" Director Chen hurried over and helped him up. Seeing the cold sweat on his son's face, he was furious. He turned a cold gaze on Song Jianshe. "Fine. If you won't return the money, we'll ask the Public Security officers to settle this!"

"Don't, Director. I'll return it right now."

Song Jianshe had hoped his mother might make enough of a scene for them to keep the money. But Director Chen's cold expression made him abandon that idea, and he hurriedly counted it out.

They had already spent over ten yuan of the 350. He had to dip into the family savings to make up the difference.

Every note he handed over hurt.

Chen Lianchao took the money and counted it twice in front of everyone. Then he said, "Three more yuan!"

"I've given you the full amount."

Song Jianshe grew anxious.

Chen Lianchao spat. "That's for my hospital visit. Your mother shoved me, and I took a nasty fall. For all I know, I've broken a bone."

"Son, let it go. We won't argue over that."

Director Chen waved a hand to stop him. Then he gave Song Jianshe a long look. "Song Jianshe, learn a little more before you sell antiques to people. I'm letting this go today for your father's sake. If it had been anyone else, they might have broken your legs."

"Director, I..."

Director Chen's stare chilled Song Jianshe. He wanted to explain, but Director Chen had no interest in listening. Once he had his money back, he left with his son.

As soon as they were gone, Huang Xirong burst into tears and collapsed onto the ground, slapping her thigh. "That was our money. Our money..."

The neighbors pointed and whispered.

Some said, "Losing 350 yuan must hurt Auntie Huang."

Others said, "Serves them right. They sold someone a fake. Didn't you hear the director? It was made of plastic. You'd get next to nothing for it as scrap, and he sold it for 350 yuan. He's lucky they didn't beat him."

The crowd's opinion had turned in a flash.

Just moments ago, everyone had envied Song Jianshe's knack for making money. They had even thought about sending their children or grandchildren to learn a little from him and earn some extra cash for the family.

Now that they had seen people come after him for their money, they thought better of it.

Making money was all well and good, but if you bought a fake, you could lose everything.

The Courtyard Chief reminded Song Jianshe, "Jianshe, where did you buy it, and how much did you pay? Hurry and get your money back from the seller."

There was a reason people said an elder at home was a treasure.

The Courtyard Chief's words snapped Song Jianshe out of his daze.

That was right. He had paid 250 yuan for the thing. If he couldn't get that money back, he would be out 250 yuan.

Song Jianshe started toward the gate, then stopped after a few steps.

"Why aren't you going?"

The Courtyard Chief looked puzzled.

Song Jianshe gave a bitter smile. "It's late, sir. The place will be closed. I'll definitely go tomorrow!"

The Courtyard Chief nodded. He asked no more questions and told everyone to disperse.

Gu Jinshui sauntered back inside with his family. He knew Song Jianshe was probably glaring at his back.

Let him glare. It wasn't going to hurt him.

"Brother, you were behind this, weren't you?"

Gu Yinxing was overjoyed. She even ingratiatingly put some egg in Gu Jinshui's bowl.

Gu Jinshui didn't so much as look up. "Don't talk nonsense. Your brother's a good man. Why would he scheme against anyone? Song Jianshe simply couldn't tell what he was looking at and bought the wrong thing."

Gu Yinxing chuckled. "You don't have to play dumb with us. I know it was you."

He Chunlian tapped her on the head with her chopsticks. "If you know, keep it to yourself. Enjoy it quietly, and don't go blabbing outside."

"Ow!"

Gu Yinxing covered her head. "I know how to behave, Mom. Have you got something against me lately?"

"I've always had something against you."

He Chunlian wasn't moved. "Hurry up and eat. You've got the night shift, don't you? Finish your food and get a little sleep."

Gu Yinxing pouted, but thinking of the looks on the Song family's faces, she couldn't help grinning to herself.

He Chunlian looked at her daughter and sighed inwardly.

Every feeling Gu Yinxing had showed right on her face.

Then He Chunlian looked at her son. He was calmly coaxing his daughter to eat some egg as if nothing had happened. One child had too many schemes, the other not a scheming bone in her body. If only they could share some of what they had.

"Jianshe, we have to get that money back!"

In the East Wing Room, Huang Xirong had cried and cursed for a while. When no one paid her any mind, she lost interest. She wiped her tears and said to Song Jianshe, "If we lose that much money, we'll be scraping by for the rest of the year."

That 250 yuan made up the bulk of the Song Family's savings.

Song Jianshe nodded gravely.

At first light the next morning, Gu Jinshui was still lying on the heated bed when he heard a bicycle moving outside.

He got up and opened the window a crack. Song Jianshe was heading out.

Gu Jinshui grinned.

Liang Ying woke to the sound of his laughter. She brushed back her hair and asked, "What's so funny?"

"Song Jianshe next door has gone to get his money back."

Humming a tune, Gu Jinshui shut the window and slipped back under the covers to hold his wife.

"Can he get it back?"

Liang Ying sounded doubtful.

She had never traded antiques herself, but she had grown up watching her father and had seen plenty of business dealings. When someone bought a fake, they rarely got their money back.

Song Jianshe had returned the money because Director Chen was his superior and an acquaintance. He had nowhere to hide.

"Of course not."

Gu Jinshui smacked his lips, thoroughly pleased. "The man who sold it to him was dressed in rags. His padded jacket was covered in patches, and his shoes had holes in them. After making that much money, a man that poor must have run off somewhere. Why would he wait around for Song Jianshe to show up?"

"Do you know him?" Liang Ying asked curiously.

Gu Jinshui shook his head. "Never met him. It was just a coincidence. A while back, I overheard that Song Jianshe wanted to buy a snuff bottle. Then I happened to go..."