Chapter Twelve: The Invitation Banquet
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Chen Churan felt as if she were dreaming.
Twenty thousand yuan had bought her a battered incense burner and an even more battered-looking wooden box.
And inside it lay a Tang-dynasty Hetian jade pebble?
The return on investment was more thrilling than robbing a bank!
Chen Churan cautiously reached out, wanting to touch the priceless treasure, yet afraid that her clumsy hands might damage it.
“How much… how much could this be worth?”
Her voice trembled as she stared eagerly at Cheng Ziqiu.
Cheng Ziqiu coughed twice, affecting an air of profound mystery, then waved two fingers before her.
“At the very least, this much.”
“Two million?”
Chen Churan sucked in a sharp breath.
“Twenty million.”
The corners of Cheng Ziqiu’s mouth lifted slightly as he added:
“That’s only the starting price.”
Chen Churan felt her heart pounding wildly.
Twenty million!
If someone had once told her, “Give me ten thousand yuan, and in five minutes I’ll turn it into twenty million,” she would have thought the person was insane. Slapping him across the face would have been the least she could do.
But now…
She gazed at Cheng Ziqiu, her eyes sparkling with stars of admiration.
He was practically the God of Wealth reborn!
How could this man be so incredible?
“Master Cheng, you truly have an eye for hidden treasures!”
In her excitement, Chen Churan grabbed Cheng Ziqiu’s hand and shook it vigorously.
“You’re my idol from now on!”
The shaking made Cheng Ziqiu a little dizzy. He quickly pulled his hand free and waved it dismissively, pretending to remain calm.
“Keep a low profile. It was nothing special—just basic expertise.”
Inside, however, he was grinning from ear to ear.
Heh. This was only the beginning.
There were plenty more treasures waiting for her to see!
Chen Churan’s face flushed with excitement. She pulled out her phone and prepared to transfer money to Cheng Ziqiu.
“Master Cheng, please don’t think five thousand yuan is too little!”
As she operated the phone, she explained:
“It’s really nothing. I’ll be counting on your guidance in the future! If you think this amount isn’t enough, I’ll be too embarrassed to trouble you again next time!”
Seeing how eager she was to give him everything she had, Cheng Ziqiu secretly laughed.
This girl knew how to play the game!
On the surface, however, he put on an embarrassed show of refusal.
“Oh, Boss Chen, how could I accept this? It was only a small favor…”
“Master Cheng, don’t be so polite!”
Chen Churan interrupted him and held up the transfer confirmation for him to see.
“If you refuse again, you’re looking down on me, Chen Churan!”
Cheng Ziqiu accepted the money after a show of reluctance.
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To be honest, the original owner of this body had been so poor that his pockets were cleaner than his face. Cheng Ziqiu had been worrying about where to find the capital to get started.
This fifty thousand yuan had arrived at exactly the right time!
“If Boss Chen comes across any similar treasures in the future, be sure to come to me,” Cheng Ziqiu promised, thumping his chest.
“As long as it’s an antique, there’s nothing I, Cheng Ziqiu, can’t see through!”
Chen Churan smiled so broadly that her eyes narrowed into slits.
“Then it’s settled. I’ll be troubling you from now on, Master Cheng!”
Cheng Ziqiu began calculating inwardly. With this first pot of gold, he could finally make a grand start.
“Master Cheng, tomorrow is my father’s sixtieth birthday. Would you do me the honor of coming along and joining in the celebration?” Chen Churan asked, gazing at him expectantly.
Cheng Ziqiu stroked his chin and pretended to deliberate.
“Well… wouldn’t that be inappropriate? I’ve never been fond of lively gatherings.”
A birthday banquet?
That meant plenty of rich food and fine dishes.
He might even be able to pocket a little extra money!
“Oh, Master Cheng, please don’t be so modest! You played such an important role in finding this jade pendant. You’re practically one of the people giving it to him, and my father will certainly want to meet a man of your abilities!”
Chen Churan continued persuading him.
Cheng Ziqiu put on an affected sigh.
“Since Boss Chen is showing me such warm hospitality, I’d be rude to refuse.”
“Then it’s settled!”
Chen Churan smiled like a flower in bloom, revealing two adorable little canine teeth.
“Tomorrow at noon, twelve o’clock, the Peony Hall on the third floor of the Crystal Palace Hotel. Don’t be late, Master Cheng!”
As she spoke, she sent the address to Cheng Ziqiu.
Cheng Ziqiu glanced at the address on his phone and let out a loud whistle.
“The Crystal Palace Hotel! Boss Chen, you’re doing pretty well for yourself. You must have made quite a bit of money. And here I thought you were starting a business—turns out you were just out experiencing life? You’re trying to work ordinary people like us to death!”
He deliberately exaggerated his words, his tone teasing.
But the smile on Chen Churan’s face collapsed at once, and her eyes dimmed.
“Master Cheng is joking…”
She forced out a smile.
Reading her expression, Cheng Ziqiu began pondering.
It seemed this beautiful businesswoman did not have a very harmonious relationship with her family.
This birthday banquet was probably a trap.
Tsk, tsk. Family intrigue among the wealthy—just imagining it was exciting!
Chen Churan took a gold-stamped invitation from her bag and handed it to Cheng Ziqiu, lightly tapping its dark-red cover with her slender fingers.
“Master Cheng, just show them this tomorrow to get in. Don’t lose it.”
Cheng Ziqiu accepted the invitation. It felt heavy in his hand and carried a faint sandalwood fragrance.
He flipped through it theatrically and clicked his tongue in admiration.
“Wow, even the invitation is this elaborate. Your father must have quite an impressive background.”
Chen Churan managed a weak smile.
“My father just likes this kind of empty show…”
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“I understand, I understand. Older people care about saving face.”
Cheng Ziqiu flashed a grin.
Chen Churan started the car, and they drove the rest of the way in silence.
The atmosphere inside the car was so oppressive it was difficult to breathe. Cheng Ziqiu could even hear Chen Churan quietly sniffing.
He glanced at her and saw that her eyes were rimmed with red, as though she were on the verge of tears.
Well, it looked like her family had truly given her a hard time.
Before long, the car stopped outside Cheng Ziqiu’s shabby rented room.
He pushed open the door and turned back to Chen Churan.
“See you tomorrow, Boss Chen.”
Chen Churan sniffed and forced out a faint smile.
“See you tomorrow, Master Cheng.”
Cheng Ziqiu watched the taillights of her car disappear into the night, then let out a loud whistle.
This fifty thousand yuan had come at the perfect moment. He could finally spruce up this miserable little place.
…
The next day, Cheng Ziqiu got up especially early.
It was not every day he had a chance to eat and drink for free. Of course he had to dress up a little.
Humming a tune, he took a shower, then used a hair dryer of uncertain vintage—one the landlady had given him—to style his hair.
After that, still humming, Cheng Ziqiu dug through his dust-covered wardrobe and pulled out a pair of socks with holes in them. He pondered whether to wear the one torn on the left or the one torn on the right.
In the end, he decided not to wear either.
The suit trousers were long enough that nobody would see his feet anyway!
Finally, Cheng Ziqiu turned before the mirror, admiring himself from every angle.
The cheap suit somehow gave him an air of effortless charm.
It had cost him two hundred yuan to rent!
That was an entire week’s worth of instant noodles!
“Dress a man in fine clothes and saddle a horse well. The ancients certainly weren’t lying!”
Cheng Ziqiu stroked his chin smugly, feeling devastatingly handsome.
“With my bearing, it’s a real shame I’m not a celebrity!”
Downstairs, the landlady—a still-charming woman who was well past her prime—was leaning against the doorway, cracking sunflower seeds.
When she saw Cheng Ziqiu dressed like that, she could not help bursting into laughter.
“Well, Little Cheng, are you off to a blind date? You’re dressed up like a proper gentleman!”
Cheng Ziqiu raised an eyebrow and produced what he considered an utterly irresistible smile.
“I’m going to a birthday banquet. Want to come along, Boss Lady? I’ll take you places!”
The landlady rolled her eyes and spat out a sunflower-seed shell.
“Less nonsense! Remember to pay your rent on time!”
Cheng Ziqiu waved dismissively and strode away with a flourish.
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