Chapter Ten: A Trip to the Antique Market

The golden, opulent restaurant sign shimmered in the night. Chen Churan skillfully steered her Porsche into a parking spot, her movements fluid and practiced.

"This place, 'Immortal Food Pavilion,' has pretty good food. I hope it suits your taste," Chen Churan said, removing her sunglasses. Her beautiful eyes shone even brighter under the streetlights.

Cheng Ziqiu followed her out of the car, clicking his tongue in silent astonishment. This place looked outrageously expensive!

"Good evening, both of you. Do you have a reservation?" a waiter in a crisp suit asked politely.

Chen Churan smiled slightly, revealing charming dimples. "My name is Chen."

The waiter immediately adopted an even more respectful expression. "Ms. Chen, your private room is ready. Please, follow me."

Cheng Ziqiu sighed inwardly; the world of the wealthy was truly different. He followed silently behind Chen Churan, walking through the grand, luxurious lobby to a room decorated with elegant taste.

Once they were seated, Chen Churan handed the menu to Cheng Ziqiu. "Order whatever you'd like."

Cheng Ziqiu took the menu and flipped through it, pretending to look it over. The pages were filled with English that made him dizzy. Who could understand this stuff? It wasn't nearly as practical as a bowl of Lanzhou hand-pulled noodles.

He gave a dry cough, pushed the menu back to Chen Churan, and said with feigned nonchalance, "Ms. Chen, you are the connoisseur. You should do the ordering. I'm not very familiar with Western cuisine and I’d hate to order the wrong thing and waste good food."

Chen Churan took the menu back, hiding a light laugh behind her hand. "Master Cheng, you are too modest. But since you say so, I shall not refuse."

Her slender fingers tapped lightly on the menu as she selected several signature dishes before asking, "Master Cheng, is there anything you avoid eating?"

Cheng Ziqiu shook his head. "No, as long as it fills me up." He muttered to himself that the portions here probably wouldn't even be enough to get stuck between his teeth.

After ordering, Chen Churan closed the menu and handed it to the waiter, who bowed and departed. The light from the crystal chandelier spilled onto the table, casting a cold gleam on the silver cutlery. As the exquisite dishes were served one by one, Cheng Ziqiu found the food tasteless.

"Master Cheng, try this foie gras. It's excellent." Chen Churan elegantly sliced a small piece and placed it on his plate.

Cheng Ziqiu prodded the soft, pink foie gras with his fork. A strange, gamey smell wafted into his nose, and he nearly gagged. In his previous life, he had spent his days digging in the dirt for food; he had never touched such things.

"Mmm, not bad, it melts in the mouth," Cheng Ziqiu lied, steeling himself as he shoved the foie gras into his mouth.

Chen Churan didn't call him out. She simply smiled and began chatting about other topics. "Master Cheng, you seem to be quite knowledgeable about ancient jade as well?"

Cheng Ziqiu chuckled inwardly. Is this woman trying to test me? In his past life, he had raided no fewer than eight hundred tombs filled with burial jade! Whether it was mutton-fat white jade or chicken-blood red jade, he had seen them all—he had even touched them with his own hands.

"I know a thing or two," he said, waving his hand with feigned humility.

"Oh? Then, Master Cheng, could you explain how to distinguish real ancient jade from fake?" Chen Churan pressed, a glint of craftiness in her eyes.

Cheng Ziqiu cleared his throat and began sharing his "professional experience" from his past life. "Well, for ancient jade, first you look at the patina, second the mineral encrustation, and third the carving technique..."

"The patina is like the clothes the jade wears. The older it is, the thicker and more lustrous the 'clothing.' And the mineral encrustation is the jade's 'birthmark.' Different environments cause different color changes in the jade, much like how a person's skin darkens when exposed to the sun."

As he spoke, Cheng Ziqiu picked up the wine glass on the table and swirled it against the light. "This wine is like the encrustation; the longer it ages, the deeper the color and the more valuable it becomes."

He spoke on and on, leaving Chen Churan stunned. She had only intended to ask a few casual questions to gauge his depth, never expecting this young man to actually possess such genuine skill. Her gaze toward him shifted from initial suspicion to genuine appreciation.

"Master Cheng, I never expected that someone as young as you could be so knowledgeable and talented," she remarked with sincere admiration.

Cheng Ziqiu felt immensely proud. He wanted to shout to the heavens and tell the world that he was once a legendary Tomb Raider! Of course, he could only think that to himself. If he actually said it out loud, he’d likely be dragged away as a madman.

After they had finished their meal, Chen Churan finally revealed the purpose of their meeting. "Master Cheng, to be honest, I invited you to dinner today not just to express my gratitude, but also to ask for a favor."

Cheng Ziqiu thought to himself: *Here it comes, the main event.* He waved his hand, pretending not to care. "Ms. Chen, just say the word. As long as it's within my power, I'll be happy to help."

Chen Churan smiled, her eyes dancing. "It’s my father’s seventieth birthday next month, and I want to give him a special gift. I was hoping you could help me take a look and go to the antique market together to pick out a treasure."

Cheng Ziqiu’s eyes lit up immediately. The antique market? That was his old stomping ground! In his past life, he had spent his time wandering those very places. What treasure hadn't he seen? What scams hadn't he encountered? This Ms. Chen had certainly found the right person!

"A piece of cake!" Cheng Ziqiu slammed his hand on the table, nearly knocking over the wine glass. "Ms. Chen, rest assured, leave it to me! I guarantee I'll help you pick a treasure that will satisfy your father and make you look great!"

Seeing his enthusiasm, Chen Churan felt relieved. "Then I'll leave it to you, Master Cheng. How about we meet at the Mingyang Road antique market at nine tomorrow morning?"

"No problem!" Cheng Ziqiu agreed instantly.

...

The next day, Cheng Ziqiu arrived at the Mingyang Road antique market on time and spotted Chen Churan immediately. Good grief, the way she was dressed today... how should he put it? It was blinding! A Chanel suit paired with a Hermès bag—she looked like a walking ATM!

Cheng Ziqiu smirked: *This outfit is the hallmark of a total sucker!*

"Ms. Chen, good morning!" he greeted her cheerfully.

Chen Churan smiled when she saw him. "Master Cheng, you're here! Thank you for your help today."

"Ms. Chen, that outfit of yours..." Cheng Ziqiu looked her up and down and clicked his tongue. "If I didn't know better, I’d think you were here for a fashion show. Are you afraid people won't know you have money in your pocket? In the antique market, the wealthier you look, the easier you are to fleece."

Chen Churan paused, then laughed sheepishly. "Master Cheng, you're teasing me. I don't know the business, so I thought I should dress professionally to show my sincerity."

"The sincerity is there, but I'm afraid it's so thick that people will mistake you for a fool," Cheng Ziqiu said, half-joking and half-serious. "What's your budget for today? Keep a number in mind so I know how to guide you."

"Around one million," Chen Churan said, holding up a finger tipped with bright red nail polish.

A glint of sharp focus crossed Cheng Ziqiu's eyes. One million? With a budget like that, there was plenty of room to maneuver!

"One million? Perfect, that's more than enough!" Cheng Ziqiu promised, patting his chest. "Don't you worry, Ms. Chen, I guarantee I'll find you a treasure with a market value of over two million!"

The two walked side by side into the antique market. The dazzling array of antiques and calligraphy left Chen Churan feeling overwhelmed.

"Master Cheng, what do you think of this jade Buddha?" Chen Churan asked, pointing excitedly at a white jade Buddha statue on a stall.