Chapter 54: The Genuine Article

The golden-inlaid jade Guanyin that Zhang Wei had purchased had already been placed in an exquisite wooden box. This was a uniform gift from Chenxiang Residence, intended to make it easier for customers to carry their purchases. The box was a rich brown, with a peony motif carved into the lid—quite a fine piece of craftsmanship in its own right.

Zhang Wei took the box from the attendant, set it on the wooden table, and opened it himself. He made a polite gesture and said, “This Guanyin statue is the collectible I bought. I’d appreciate your help in authenticating it, Master Qian.”

Master Qian nodded at Zhang Wei, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

Seeing how young Zhang Wei was, Master Qian doubted he could have bought a genuine piece. After all, the antiques business relies on years of accumulated experience and keen eyes—neither of which a young man barely in his twenties could possess.

Yet, as a professional appraiser, Master Qian would never let subjective bias taint his judgment. He carefully took the golden-inlaid jade Guanyin from the box, set it upright on the table, and began to examine every detail of the statue with meticulous attention.

“Remarkable,” he said. “Setting aside whether this golden-inlaid jade Guanyin is genuine, the craftsmanship and condition are certainly impressive.”

“Indeed! To survive the ten years of turmoil and still remain so intact is truly rare,” someone chimed in.

“But precisely because it’s so well-preserved, I suspect it’s unlikely to be genuine. It’s more probably a recent replica,” another remarked.

The surrounding customers, seeing the flawless condition of the Guanyin, voiced their opinions. Because the statue showed not the slightest trace of damage, many found it incredible and suspected it was a reproduction.

Hearing their guesses, Zhang Wei’s heart sank. Though he could discern Manager Wang’s intentions—and it was because Wang believed the statue genuine that Zhang Wei had spent a fortune to buy it—Wang’s conviction did not guarantee authenticity. The seller might have deceived Wang, or Wang’s chosen appraiser might have erred.

As Zhang Wei’s heart fluttered with anxiety, Master Qian stood up, exhaled deeply, turned to Zhang Wei, and asked, “Mr. Zhang, did you purchase only this one collectible?”

“Yes, is there a problem, Master Qian?” Zhang Wei was startled by the question, inwardly bitterly amused: “I’m not some wealthy magnate like Fatty Zhou; buying this single piece already cost me everything. If this turns out to be a fake, I’ll never touch antiques again.”

Zhang Wei wasn’t the only one puzzled; others had no idea what Master Qian meant, nor had they yet learned whether the Guanyin was genuine. But with Master Qian’s reputation, none dared inquire directly, so they waited quietly for his verdict.

“Master Qian, is this golden-inlaid jade Guanyin genuine?” Fatty Zhou couldn’t help but ask.

Zhang Wei had come with Fatty Zhou, and after Zhou and his wife had bought fakes in succession, if Zhang Wei too had purchased a counterfeit, their entire group would have lost everything—not only their money, but their dignity as well. If, however, Zhang Wei’s Guanyin was authentic, as the one who brought him, Fatty Zhou would share in the honor and avoid ridicule.

“Mr. Zhang has sharp eyes. This golden-inlaid jade Guanyin is not only genuine, but also boasts exquisite craftsmanship and immaculate preservation. Its future value is immense—it is a rare collectible indeed,” Master Qian said, full of praise.

“Ah, so it’s real! That’s quite unexpected.”

“Yes, Mr. Zhang is so young, doesn’t look like someone in the trade, and yet his first purchase is genuine.”

“Master Qian, since you’ve identified it as authentic, why not tell us about the provenance of this Guanyin? Let us novices expand our knowledge.”

At Master Qian’s declaration, everyone was both surprised and envious; their gazes toward Zhang Wei became more respectful, and they eagerly pressed for information about the statue.

Even Master Qian was astonished; otherwise, he wouldn’t have asked Zhang Wei if he’d bought any other antiques. If Zhang Wei had acquired several and only one happened to be genuine, it would not have caused so much surprise. But Zhang Wei had bought only this single piece, and it was authentic. Relying purely on luck seemed improbable—antiques are not a game of chance.

“Brother, you really have something special. Didn’t expect you’d snag a genuine item right out of the gate. I must admit, I’m outclassed!” Fatty Zhou said, happy for Zhang Wei but also somewhat embarrassed.

Fatty Zhou had come brimming with confidence, fully prepared and equipped, projecting the air of a professional appraiser. He had even earnestly explained bronze authentication to Zhang Wei, only to discover that all five bronzes he bought were fakes.

Meanwhile, the ever-modest Zhang Wei quietly purchased a single collectible, reluctant to have Master Qian appraise it, and only did so at Manager Wang’s suggestion. Unexpectedly, it turned out to be a highly valuable genuine article.

“Fatty Zhou, you overpraise me. I was just lucky, nothing more,” Zhang Wei replied modestly.

He couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief. Moments before, not knowing whether the Guanyin was real or fake, his heart had been lodged in his throat. He almost regretted the impulsive decision to spend three hundred thousand on it.

After all, Zhang Wei had worked hard to earn his one million yuan. If he had wasted thirty percent of it on a fake, he’d have lost sleep for days. Fortunately, the Guanyin was genuine, so not only had he not squandered his money, he might even make a handsome profit.

“Master Qian, if this golden-inlaid jade Guanyin were sold, how much would it fetch?” Liu Yurou approached the table, touched the statue, and asked curiously.

In truth, not only Liu Yurou but Zhang Wei and all the onlookers wanted to know the Guanyin’s value. But to ask directly seemed gauche, so they had restrained themselves.

“Hehe, this golden-inlaid jade Guanyin is an artifact from the Qing Dynasty. Though not ancient, its pristine condition, exquisite workmanship, and superb appearance ensure its value will only rise. As for its current market price, it should be around one million yuan,” Master Qian replied with a smile.

Hearing this, Manager Wang felt a pang of regret. The Guanyin was worth even more than they had estimated; had they known it could sell for a million, they would have listed it at at least three hundred and fifty thousand.

“What? It could sell for a million? That means you could pocket seven hundred thousand just by reselling it!” Liu Yurou walked over to Zhang Wei, pinched him hard on the arm, and said, a little jealous, “You’re too lucky! You didn’t even want to come, and now you’ve got all the benefits.”

“Ouch... That was too much! My arm’s turning purple. I earned this myself, I owe you nothing,” Zhang Wei grumbled, rolling up his sleeve and seeing the bruises.

“You’re pretending to be my boyfriend; isn’t it normal for me to pinch you? It makes us look closer, doesn’t it?” Liu Yurou retorted softly.

“Does that mean if I put my arm around your waist or touch your bottom, it would make us seem even closer? And I wouldn’t need your permission either?” Zhang Wei looked mischievously at her slender waist and rounded hips.

“If you dare lay a finger on me, I’ll smash your Guanyin!” Liu Yurou glared at him, threatening.

“Forget it, I won’t bother with you.” Zhang Wei took her threat seriously, shed his frivolous manner, and deliberately stepped back to keep his distance.

After all, the Guanyin was worth a million yuan—over half of Zhang Wei’s assets. If it were destroyed over a petty quarrel, he’d be furious.

“Mr. Zhang, would you consider transferring this golden-inlaid jade Guanyin to me? I’m willing to pay a million yuan for it right now,” Yue Ming, who had been admiring the statue for some time, finally spoke up.

“Mr. Zhang, I’d also like to purchase it. How about one million and ten thousand yuan?” Another customer, a Buddhist, was drawn by the statue’s pristine appearance and its value for both display and collection, and couldn’t help but compete.

“Such a fine item, we’d rather keep it ourselves! Not for sale!” Before Zhang Wei could respond, Fatty Zhou waved his fan-sized hand and interjected.

“Fatty Zhou, this Guanyin isn’t yours; the owner hasn’t said anything yet. Why are you acting so hasty?” Yue Ming said, clearly annoyed.

“Yes, Mr. Zhang, I sincerely wish to buy your Guanyin. Please consider it,” the other customer pressed.

“Sorry, gentlemen, but this golden-inlaid jade Guanyin was originally picked out for me by Director Zhou. Since he says it’s not for sale, I won’t be considering any offers,” Zhang Wei replied, a sly glint in his eye, his hand resting on Fatty Zhou’s shoulder, feigning gratitude.

Next chapter will be released in ten minutes!