Qingzhou City's antiques market was right near the museum. After leaving the museum, Su Yi and the others planned to browse around.
Following behind them were not only Qin Lin, but also Yang Zhengcheng and his group.
"Elder Yang, you don't actually believe this greenhorn can translate the writing on that stone tablet, do you?"
The staff beside Yang Zhengcheng all thought he had become obsessed.
Experience and learning were usually tied to age. How old could Su Yi possibly be? He might still be a student. Could he understand something that even old scholars like them couldn't decipher?
Yang Zhengcheng pondered for a moment, then frowned. "I don't! But... I want to!"
What a complicated feeling that was.
He was merely clinging to that tiny sliver of hope.
If this young man really could understand the writing on the stone tablet, and even if everything he had said was true, perhaps the entire history of Huaxia would be rewritten.
Su Yi didn't even glance at Yang Zhengcheng, simply walking on his way.
The bustle of the big city was different from that of the past. Crowds milled around him, and Su Yi looked this way and that, finding everything novel.
Yu Huiyin glanced behind her and said quietly, "Su Yi, Mr. Yang is still following us. Your attitude isn't very nice. After all, you're a student at Qingzhou University, and he's its former president."
"He isn't the president now," Su Yi said indifferently.
"..." Yu Huiyin realized that talking to this fellow would probably anger her to death.
At the very least, she couldn't see the slightest respect for his elders in Su Yi.
He was giving him no face whatsoever!
Qin Lin was still following behind, refusing to leave. Hearing Su Yi's words, he couldn't help saying, "How did someone like you get into Qingzhou University?"
Su Yi glanced back at Qin Lin and said, "Yu Guoan got me into the university."
Qin Lin froze on the spot, looking at Su Yi, then at Yu Huiyin.
Yu Guoan had gotten Su Yi into the university?
And Su Yi had actually called him by his full name, calling her grandfather by name right in front of Yu Huiyin.
It was like the way people of the same generation addressed one another.
One could even say that, from his tone, Su Yi didn't seem to think much of Yu Guoan.
That tone was simply too arrogant!
Qin Lin found it hard to believe that Yu Huiyin could get along peacefully with someone like this.
Yu Huiyin gave Su Yi a long, searching look before finally saying through gritted teeth, "Su Yi, could you show a little respect when you mention my grandfather?"
Su Yi glanced at Yu Huiyin and smiled without a word.
Show respect when he mentioned Yu Guoan?
If Yu Guoan were here and Su Yi spoke to him too politely, he would probably be so frightened that he dropped to his knees on the spot.
"Forget it. Do whatever you like." Yu Huiyin truly couldn't understand why her grandfather valued Su Yi so highly. When she went home that evening, she would definitely get to the bottom of it.
Su Yi's gaze swept over some of the goods on the roadside stalls. "The things here are quite nicely made."
"They certainly are. At least seventy percent of everything on this antiques street is fake. Even if something is genuine, there's a very good chance it'll be switched during the transaction," Yu Huiyin warned him. "As long as you don't try to get a bargain, you won't get burned. Plenty of people here like to dress up as farmers. They look simple and honest, but their bellies are actually full of dirty tricks."
"You sound like you know a lot about it," Su Yi said with a smile.
Yu Huiyin gave him an annoyed look, then forced a smile. "Yes! I'm just telling you. It's not like you're going to buy anything anyway!"
That smile quickly vanished. Yu Huiyin was still quite displeased with Su Yi's attitude, acting as though he were so far above everyone else.
Su Yi didn't get into a temper with her. Instead, he crouched in front of a stall displaying an assortment of bronze and jade pieces, a dazzling array that was quite lovely.
Yu Huiyin could only stop as well. She wanted to see what tricks Su Yi could pull. At a glance, she could tell that everything at this stall was a modern handicraft.
Most importantly, Su Yi didn't have a single cent on him.
"How much for this jade bowl?" Su Yi asked, looking at a crystal-clear jade bowl.
The vendor looked at Su Yi, then at Yu Huiyin and the others behind him, and smiled. "Young man, this is a jade bowl from the Qianlong period. Look at its luster, its condition, these poems carved on it..."
"Three hundred. Will you sell it?" Su Yi cut him off.
"Are... are you here to cause trouble?" The smile instantly froze on the vendor's face. Before he had even named a price, Su Yi had countered with three hundred. How was he supposed to work with that?
Su Yi stared at him without saying anything, a hint of amusement in his eyes.
Su Yi's stare made the vendor's scalp prickle, as though this young man had seen through every little secret in his heart.
"Fine, it's yours." The vendor let out a heavy breath. This was just a colored-glass handicraft that cost thirty-odd yuan, only good for fooling clueless newbies.
At three hundred, he could still make a small profit. At least he had today's stall fee covered.
Su Yi turned his head, and Yu Huiyin turned her face away. Surely this fellow wasn't about to shamelessly ask her to lend him money again?
"If you really need money, take the card yourself," Yu Huiyin said.
He wouldn't accept the card she offered, yet he wanted to borrow money from her to buy things. What was that supposed to be?
Su Yi ignored Yu Huiyin entirely. Instead, he pointed at Yang Zhengcheng, who was following behind him, then beckoned with his finger.
Yang Zhengcheng stared at Su Yi, then pointed at himself, his face full of confusion.
How many years had it been? How many years had it been since anyone had beckoned to him so arrogantly?
Su Yi nodded at Yang Zhengcheng, indicating that he was indeed calling him.
"This... Elder Yang, isn't this brat far too arrogant?"
"I really want to go over there and give that brat a beating!"
"I've never seen such a rude brat!"
The group behind Yang Zhengcheng were so angry that they rubbed their fists and palms together. They had never encountered a young man like Su Yi.
"Come with me." Yang Zhengcheng held out a hand to calm them down, then slowly walked over to Su Yi.
Su Yi stood up and said, "Buy something for me, and I'll teach you one character. How about it? I won't take you as my disciple."
I won't take you as my disciple?
Yang Zhengcheng was speechless for a long moment. He made it sound as though Yang Zhengcheng desperately wanted to become his disciple.
"Do you really understand the characters on the stone tablet?" Yang Zhengcheng still refused to give up. What if? What if Su Yi really did understand the characters on the stone tablet?
Su Yi started walking away. It was only a bowl. He just thought it looked rather nice; he didn't care whether he got it or not.
"All right! As long as you really can teach me the characters on the stone tablet, buy whatever you want." Yang Zhengcheng also wanted to know whether Su Yi really recognized the characters on the stone tablet. He had already memorized how those mysterious characters were written. In a moment, he would write them out individually for Su Yi to identify.