Chapter Forty-Five: Journey to the Capital for the Appraisal

“By the way, what happened with the livestream? Why did it end two hours early?”

A hint of confusion flickered across Chen Churan’s delicate features.

Cheng Ziqiu rubbed his temples, exhaustion etched on his face as he recounted the events of the livestream to Chen Churan.

“What? He invited you to appraise antiques at his home?”

Chen Churan’s eyes widened in shock, her impeccable makeup unable to mask her astonishment.

“What’s Zhao Qiankun up to? What valuable things could he possibly have at home?”

Cheng Ziqiu massaged his brow, his tone laced with sarcasm.

“His antiques are probably fake, no doubt about it. That guy has likely fallen into the ‘Heaven’s Trap.’”

“Heaven’s Trap?”

Chen Churan looked puzzled.

“It’s a term for a common pitfall in the antique collecting world. Simply put, it’s when you become so obsessed that you start believing forgeries are genuine.”

Seeing Chen Churan’s continued bewilderment, Cheng Ziqiu elaborated:

“Zhao Qiankun was probably deceived, paid a hefty sum for fakes, and is convinced of their authenticity.”

Understanding dawned on Chen Churan, her brows knitting together slightly.

“So that’s it! He invited you over to help verify his treasures, to prove they’re real?”

Cheng Ziqiu scoffed.

“Most likely. He probably wants me to hype up his items during the livestream, to inflate their value.”

“But since he’s coming to me, I don’t mind playing along for a while.”

Chen Churan’s worry deepened.

“Ziqiu, what’s your plan? What if he…”

Cheng Ziqiu waved her off, cutting her short.

“Relax, I’m well prepared. I can counter whatever he throws at me. What, am I supposed to be afraid of him?”

He stood, stretching leisurely.

“Alright, I’ll head back and get ready. Tomorrow, I’ll meet this Mr. Zhao.”

Chen Churan still looked uneasy, worry shadowing her refined features.

“Ziqiu, maybe I should go with you? I’m afraid that…”

Cheng Ziqiu came over, lightly patting her shoulder, a teasing glint in his voice.

“Afraid I’ll get sold off to some remote mountain village by Zhao Qiankun? Don’t worry, I’m a master appraiser with unique skills. I’m not so easily fooled.”

He winked, flashing a roguish smile.

“Besides, with you around, I’m afraid you’d feel sorry for him and stop me from exposing the truth.”

Chen Churan laughed, shooting him a mock glare.

“What nonsense! I’m just worried about you…”

“I know, I know.”

---

Cheng Ziqiu interrupted her, his tone turning serious.

“Don’t worry, I won’t let myself get taken advantage of. Besides, his little tricks won’t escape my notice.”

Only then did Chen Churan relax, nodding slightly.

“Be careful, then.”

“As you command, my beautiful boss.”

Cheng Ziqiu grinned mischievously, saluted playfully, and left the office.

…

The next day.

Cheng Ziqiu sat on the plane, headphones on, listening to a comedic dialogue.

Next to him, a young woman was engrossed in a mobile game, occasionally letting out excited squeals.

Glancing over, Cheng Ziqiu saw she was playing a game called “Eliminate.”

He silently scoffed:

“What’s so fun about this game? I’d rather listen to Guo Degang’s comedy.”

The plane flew steadily above rolling clouds.

Cheng Ziqiu stared out the window, his thoughts drifting.

He wasn’t sure if Zhao Qiankun would trust him in the capital.

If Zhao refused, it would be a wasted trip.

But if Zhao dared to put on airs in front of him, Cheng Ziqiu was determined to show him the harsh reality of the world.

“Sir, would you like chicken rice or beef noodles for your meal?”

The sweet voice of the flight attendant broke his reverie.

Cheng Ziqiu looked at the impeccably made-up attendant and smiled charmingly.

“Beef noodles, please. Thank you.”

The attendant blushed slightly, handing over the meal and sneaking a few more glances before leaving.

Cheng Ziqiu chuckled inwardly; this face of his was quite useful.

Back in the day, it was by this face and his silver tongue that he had swindled—er, earned—money from countless wealthy women.

He opened the box; the aroma of instant noodles wafted up.

He frowned.

The scent was identical to old pickled cabbage beef noodles!

Picking up a strand with his fork, he examined it carefully.

Indeed, the shape, color, and thickness matched perfectly.

“Damn, even airplane meals are playing brand swaps now?”

Cheng Ziqiu grumbled silently.

---

But hunger won over, and he finished the noodles swiftly.

After the meal, the plane began its descent.

Cheng Ziqiu removed his headphones and rubbed his ears.

The girl beside him was still passionately playing “Eliminate,” the game’s incessant “biubiubiu” sound effects giving him a headache.

If she were to travel back in time, she’d probably outdo all the kids playing slingshots.

…

The plane began its final approach.

Cheng Ziqiu gazed down at the increasingly clear cityscape and couldn’t help but snark:

“The capital city truly lives up to its status beneath the emperor’s feet. Even the smog here is more impressive than anywhere else.”

He covered his mouth and coughed a few times, feeling a tickle in his throat.

Upon exiting the airport, he took a deep breath before immediately clutching his nose.

“Ahem, ahem… I take back what I said. This air quality is seriously something else!”

He cursed inwardly:

“In my past life, I looted countless tombs, faced all sorts of toxic miasma and poison gases. Who would’ve thought this time around, I'd be choked by smog?”

Coughing, he hailed a taxi.

The driver was a middle-aged man with a full beard, looking friendly.

“Where to, young man?”

“Longquan Villa.”

The driver raised his eyebrows, studying Cheng Ziqiu through the rearview mirror.

“Longquan Villa? That’s a wealthy neighborhood! Land there’s beyond precious—it’s like paving the ground with gold bricks! I heard houses there go for hundreds of millions. Tsk, tsk, the world of the rich is something we can’t understand.”

Cheng Ziqiu’s lips twitched involuntarily.

Hundreds of millions?

Zhao Qiankun was even wealthier than he’d imagined!

“That expensive? My goodness!”

“Absolutely!”

The driver warmed up and began to talk animatedly.

“A little while ago, I drove a passenger dressed plain as a commoner, said he was just looking around the neighborhood. Thought he was just there for the spectacle.”

“But when we arrived, the guy swiped his card and bought a villa on the spot! Didn’t even bat an eye! I was stunned—rich folks sure know how to keep it low-key!”

Cheng Ziqiu nodded in agreement.

“Truly low-key, hiding their wealth in plain sight.”