On weekends, the antique market had slightly more foot traffic than usual.
But most people simply walked into the shop, looked around for a moment, and left. For the most part, they were just wandering and enjoying the sights.
A few would ask a couple of questions about antiques that caught their interest, but they rarely went as far as asking about the price.
And as for anyone who actually bought something to take home, after two full days, there was not even one.
Rong Mo was accustomed to this.
Cen Sui occasionally sighed about how difficult the antique business really was, but most of her attention remained on her study materials.
Whenever she encountered a question she did not understand, she would simply ask Lu Wenbo on her phone.
Many times, Cen Sui felt that time inside the antique shop was frozen.
Because day after day, almost nothing happened, and her life remained largely unchanged.
After the two weekend days passed, she attended her classes at school when she had them, and when she did not, she came to Treasure Pavilion to sit, read, and review.
In the past few days, Chen Yu had not appeared at school, nor had he attended any classes.
Day after day, more than ten days passed. Su’an City had no overcast skies or rain. Almost every day could be described as peaceful and serene.
Cen Sui’s studying had already settled into a steady rhythm, and there was new progress in the appraisal of the Chai ware fragment.
*
Before closing time, while checking the shop’s security system, Rong Mo said to Cen Sui, “The arrangements with Japan have been settled. Tomorrow I will go over with the expert team. I might return quickly, or I might stay a few more days. The shop will be in your hands.”
Cen Sui sat by the desk, packing up her review materials neatly into her bag. “I have no problem with that. Go without worrying. I’ll make sure your little shop is taken care of. When the appraisal results come out, you must tell me right away.”
After finishing the security check, Rong Mo came over again and reminded her, “First, do not imitate unscrupulous merchants by tricking people into buying things. Second, do not accept items casually. It does not matter whether the shop makes sales or not. Your studies are what matter most.”
Cen Sui took a deep breath and muttered while looking at him, “You are even more long-winded than my dad.”
Rong Mo was momentarily speechless and exasperated, then slowly nodded and said nothing more.
If he kept talking, she would probably start comparing him to her grandfather.
After tidying up everything in the shop, Rong Mo took the keys and locked the door. Then he said, “I’m going on a business trip tomorrow. Tonight I’ll treat you to dinner. What do you want to eat?”
Cen Sui did not stand on ceremony with him. After thinking for a moment, she said, “I want beef hotpot. I haven’t had hotpot in a long time.”
Rong Mo was not particular about food, so he naturally went along with her.
After locking the shop, he took her to a beef hotpot restaurant. They sat down, ordered dishes, chatted, and mixed their dipping sauces.
After working half the day, both of them were already hungry. While they were focused on eating hotpot, the conversation between Cen Sui and Rong Mo was scattered and casual.
Only after she was mostly full did she slow her pace, putting a little more attention into talking.
After finishing a piece of freshly cooked beef shank, she set down her chopsticks and took a sip of juice.
Once the heat in her throat eased a little, she set down the glass and looked at Rong Mo. “By the way, I keep forgetting to ask. What expert team did you find? This has taken so long, they’ve combed through ancient texts and tested materials, and now you even have to go to Japan. How come you haven’t asked me for money?”
Rong Mo thought to himself that she had finally remembered the matter of the appraisal fees.
However, he did not bring up money. Instead, he asked her, “Zhao Mingyuan. Have you ever heard that name?”
Cen Sui searched her memory and lifted her juice to her lips, shaking her head at him. “No, never heard of him.”
Whether in her previous life or in the half-month she had lived again in this life, she had never heard the name.
Rong Mo studied her seriously, confirming that she truly had never been involved in the antique circle and had no passion for collecting.
In Su’an City’s collecting circles, there was not a single person who did not know the name Zhao Mingyuan.
He took a sip of water and gave her an explanation. “He was my university professor, a professor in the archaeology department at Su’an University, and the president of the Su’an City Antiquities Appraisal Association. He was very excited when he saw the porcelain fragment. The expert team was gathered by him, and he is the one leading the appraisal.”
Cen Sui listened carefully and looked at Rong Mo. “Sounds impressive.”
Then she asked the part she cared about more. “In that case… how much will the appraisal cost? Is it going to be very expensive?”
Seeing that her attention always landed more on money, Rong Mo looked at her and smiled. “Professor Zhao never mentioned it. We’ll talk about it after the appraisal. He took the initiative to accept this appraisal not for the fee but for the Chai ware.”
Cen Sui understood the special attachment these people had toward antiques.
Those jars and vases were just numbers linked to money in her eyes, but for archaeologists and researchers, they represented something much more, something on a far higher level.
She did not have that level of awareness and did not want to force herself to develop it, so she did not argue about abstract ideals with Rong Mo.
She simply asked what someone at her level ought to ask. Looking at him, she asked softly, “If the final appraisal shows that it really is Chai ware, would you actually buy it?”
Rong Mo nodded without hesitation. “Yes, but only if you are willing to sell.”
He straightened and, not taking advantage of her lack of expertise, spoke very honestly. “If it truly is Chai ware, the entire collecting world will be shaken, not only domestically but worldwide. As long as this porcelain fragment appears at an auction, people will fight desperately to get it. After the bidding starts, who knows what the final price will be.”
Cen Sui understood. What Rong Mo meant was that the fragment could very well fetch far more than just a few tens of millions.
She could take the fragment to an auction house, attract more bidders, and earn even more.
A string of numbers ran through her mind, and her fingers unconsciously pinched together.
Thinking about the thrill of becoming rich overnight felt so exciting she could fly. She would never have to worry about money for the rest of her life.
But the moment she looked at Rong Mo again, all the glittering golden numbers in her mind vanished instantly.
After studying him for a moment, she asked softly, “If I sold it to you, how much could you give me?”
Rong Mo did not waste time with empty talk about value, nor did he use morals or sentiment to pressure her. He simply said, “Twenty million.”
Cen Sui pinched her fingers again and then quickly took a sip of juice. Her eyes widened slightly. Twenty million was indeed a large amount.
A mouthful of juice cooled her throat and lungs, and her thoughts suddenly jumped. She looked at Rong Mo with curiosity and asked, “Twenty million is not twenty thousand. You are a small shop owner, a very small shop owner who has not sold a single antique in half a month. Can you even afford it?”
Rong Mo was momentarily stunned by her sudden question, then let out a small laugh because of the way she emphasized “small shop owner.”
He looked at Cen Sui and said in an even, composed tone, “I can barely afford it.”
Cen Sui grew even more curious. She looked at him and asked, “What does your family do? Are you rich? Or from some powerful wealthy clan?”
Rong Mo remained unhurried. “I am just an ordinary antique dealer. My parents are also ordinary antique traders. Our family only has that one little shop. What young master from an elite wealthy family would come out to open a small antique shop just to make a living? If I cannot produce twenty million, isn’t Professor Zhao still there? If the fragment is placed in a museum, the state will contribute funds.”
After listening, Cen Sui nodded and muttered, “I thought you were some rich young master from a powerful family, bored and opening an antique shop to experience life.” In an instant, her mind filled in an entire drama about a wealthy clan.
After muttering, she caught the key point in Rong Mo’s words and looked at him. “Placed in a museum?”
Rong Mo nodded. “Chai ware is a national treasure level item. A museum is the best home for it. It is a part of the country’s history.”
Following his words, Cen Sui thought it through. If it went to an auction house, bidders would surely come from all over the world.
According to the rules, the highest bidder wins. In the end, the piece might not end up in the hands of someone they would want. It might even be bought by a foreigner. Then Chinese experts would have to go through tremendous difficulty just to catch a glimpse of it.
Just like how troublesome it had been for them to see Japan’s Blue Lily Vase this time.
Thinking about that, Cen Sui looked at Rong Mo. “Hearing you say it like that, I feel embarrassed to sell it to anyone else.”
Rong Mo gave a small smile. “The item is yours. The decision is in your hands. Don’t feel burdened. Just do what you think is right.”
Cen Sui stared at him, seeing no hint of insincerity in his words.
She grew a little more thoughtful, but she did not give an answer immediately. She only said, “Let’s wait for the appraisal results first.”
With that, the topic of Chai ware was set aside.
Rong Mo and Cen Sui sat at the table and casually chatted about other things, ate what remained, finished everything clean, then finally stood up and left the hotpot restaurant.
Rong Mo drove Cen Sui to the entrance of her villa community. When she reached out to unbuckle her seatbelt, he said, “I’ll go straight to the airport tomorrow morning, so I won’t stop by the shop. If anything happens at the shop, just contact me on WeChat.”
Cen Sui nodded at him. “Don’t worry.”
After speaking, she turned to get out of the car, but suddenly remembered something. She paused for a moment, then turned back with a smile and said to Rong Mo, “You’re going to Japan, right? Then bring something back for me.”
Bringing back a few items on a business trip was no big deal, so Rong Mo simply turned his head toward her and said, “Send me a list of what you want.”
Cen Sui looked very satisfied and smiled again. “Thank you, Boss.”
Rong Mo assumed she meant one or two small things.
However, when he finished showering that night and sat on the sofa to check his phone, he found that Cen Sui had sent him a very long message.
The screen could not even fit it all at once. The list took up the length of two full screens.
Rong Mo read the entire thing carefully. Everything on it was either skincare or makeup.
After reading, he lowered his gaze and pressed his fingers to the bridge of his nose. This was not bringing back a few things. This was… going to restock inventory.
While he was still pressing his fingers to his brow, the phone vibrated again.
He opened his eyes and saw that Cen Sui had sent him a sticker of a little girl shyly smiling sweetly.
Then the same line followed: 【Thank you, Boss】
Looking at the message, the corners of Rong Mo’s lips lifted ever so slightly without him noticing.
A faint and unfamiliar feeling stirred inside him. He tapped the screen and replied: 【Go to sleep early】
Cen Sui: 【Good night.gif】
Cen Sui: 【I’ll wait for you to come back】
Rong Mo: 【Good night】
Rong Mo: 【See you when I return】