Chapter Thirty-Nine: Zircon

Zhang Can glanced around, then said to Xie Yong, “Little brother, could you bring me a basin of water? Make it a big one, and fill it up!”

Xie Yong already admired Zhang Can. Young people are simple-minded and impulsive, and Zhang Can’s expert knowledge of appraisal had left him awestruck. In this household, Grandma was the supreme authority, the Empress Dowager; neither the eldest nor second uncle nor his own father dared defy her. Yet, at this moment, Zhang Can had subdued them all—uncles, father, and even the Empress Dowager herself. They hadn’t voiced it, but Xie Yong could feel it.

“Alright, I’ll get it right away!” Without another word, Xie Yong jumped up and dashed to the kitchen. Soon, he returned, panting, with a large basin filled with water, though he struggled and spilled quite a bit along the way. After setting it down in the living room, he hurried back for a smaller basin to top it off.

Zhang Can chuckled, “That’s plenty, more than enough!”

The whole family, including the old lady, had no idea why he needed such a big basin of water, and all eyes were on him.

“Grandma, everyone knows the basic fact: wood, whether wet or dry, doesn’t sink in water, right?” Zhang Can picked up the wooden tray as he spoke, placing it in the basin. “But this rosewood is unique. Its structure is exceptionally dense—the most remarkable among woods. Rosewood is the only timber with density greater than water, so if it's genuine, it’ll sink. Among all known woods, this is the most reliable test for verifying authenticity.”

Zhou Nan suddenly understood, nodding, “Oh, so you needed all this water to see if the tray would sink!”

Zhang Can nodded slightly, released the tray, and let it fall into the water. The basin was about thirty centimeters deep, while the tray was only half a centimeter thick, with raised edges about two centimeters high—more than sufficient to submerge it.

Under everyone’s gaze, the tray landed on the water’s surface. Ordinarily, a tray shaped like this would float, much like a boat, even if made of iron. But this tray merely rocked briefly, tipped, and then plunged headfirst into the basin, sinking straight to the bottom like a stone, coming to rest without any pause.

“It really sank! It really sank!”

Xie Yong cried out excitedly, looking at Zhang Can with open admiration. Zhou Nan bit her lip to keep from laughing; bringing Zhang Can along had truly made her proud. As for Xie Yong, he was usually unruly and fearless, but now his expression toward Zhang Can was one of utter awe. Clearly, every force meets its match!

The old lady finally broke into a smile, repeating, “Remarkable, remarkable! Young man, my husband loved these things in his lifetime. If he were still here, he’d surely like you. This tray has been here for years, and nobody has ever identified it—not even a few experts. My husband never told me its exact value, only that it was his most precious treasure and that it was rosewood!”

Seeing the old lady speak so warmly, the Xie family began murmuring among themselves, clearly viewing Zhang Can in a new light.

The old lady beckoned Zhang Can, “Come, come, sit down. You’re a guest here, and I apologize for my earlier rudeness. You don’t hold it against this old woman, do you?”

“Not at all. You’ve let me see so many antiques and treasures—I should be thanking you!” Zhang Can’s words were sincere. In his profession, glimpsing rare artifacts was always thrilling; seeing such wonders was as exciting as spotting a beautiful woman—everyone enjoys it, but few desire to possess her.

Xie Jiacheng sat by the sofa, observing Zhang Can, who appeared calm and composed, as if nothing could shake him. Suddenly, Xie Jiacheng felt uneasy. Zhang Can seemed truly skilled; if his own watch turned out to be fake, he’d have no recourse, and the family would know he’d wasted over seventy thousand yuan.

Zhang Can noticed Xie Jiacheng’s hesitation and didn’t push him. There was no need for provocation. If it came to a bet, Zhang Can would win—nothing escaped his discerning eyes.

Since Xie Jiacheng didn’t ask him to open the watch, Zhang Can had no intention of doing so. Opening it at home would be troublesome.

The atmosphere quieted.

It was Xie Yong, ever straightforward, who blurted out, “Dad, why don’t you open your watch? Come on, I want to see Brother Zhang take it apart…” He sighed, “Brother Zhang is so cool!”

Xie Jiacheng was so annoyed he wanted to smack his son. He’d hoped to let the matter drop, but now his son brought it up and insisted on opening the watch. If it was ruined, that was seventy-eight thousand yuan gone!

Zhou Nan giggled, “Uncle, I told you my friend is an expert, but you didn’t believe me. So, do you still want to bet?”

“Fine, let’s do it!”

Xie Jiacheng’s face reddened as he pushed the watch toward Zhang Can, neck stiff with determination to have it inspected.

Zhang Can didn’t take it, saying calmly, “Mr. Xie, I suggest you bring your watch and the receipt to the authorized store for inspection. I have my own methods of appraisal—though I can’t disclose them, I can assure you this watch is not genuine inside.”

Zhang Can’s words were kind enough, and the Xie family understood he wasn’t here to disrupt things. Pressed by the old lady, he’d shown his skills, astonishing them all.

The old lady looked from Zhang Can to Zhou Nan, her face full of smiles. Zhou Nan blushed and complained, “Grandma, what are you thinking?”

“How do you know what I’m thinking?” the old lady replied, her eyes still sizing up Zhang Can.

Zhou Nan knew exactly what was on her grandmother’s mind, but she decided not to explain—any clarification would only complicate matters.

In the end, Xie Jiacheng didn’t open the watch, trusting Zhang Can almost entirely and opting to take it to the store for inspection.

Though the watch remained unopened, the women each removed their jewelry from their necks and hands for Zhang Can to appraise.

Zhang Can was happy to oblige. First, Zhou Nan’s eldest aunt handed him a platinum-engraved ring for examination.

This posed no difficulty. A glance with his discerning eye revealed everything.

“Auntie, your ring is genuine platinum—what we call pure platinum. Based on its weight and purity, the base price is about three thousand yuan. With processing and additional costs, the retail price is usually two to three times that. So, in the marketplace, your ring would be estimated at around eight thousand yuan.”

Zhang Can gave his estimate, watching her reaction. Zhou Nan’s eldest aunt was momentarily stunned, then said, “Your estimate is spot on—I paid eight thousand eight hundred for it, but the base value was only three thousand. Isn't that excessive?”

Her indignation made it clear Zhang Can was accurate. Her frustration wasn’t with him, but with the merchants. If the markup were only ten to twenty percent, it wouldn’t feel like a scam, but this was nearly six thousand extra, which felt outrageous.

The wives of the second and third uncles—Zhou Nan’s second and third aunts—also started removing their jewelry from their heads, necks, and wrists.

Second aunt handed Zhang Can a gold ring and a pair of gold earrings, smiling as she did.

Zhang Can examined the ring and earrings, using his discerning eye, then said, “Auntie, both the ring and earrings are real. However, the ring is eighteen-karat gold, about seventy-five percent pure. The exact value depends on weight, but eighteen-karat gold isn’t highly valuable. Your earrings are twenty-two-karat gold, slightly more valuable due to higher purity.”

From the jewelry and conversation, Zhang Can sensed that among the three sisters-in-law, only the second—owner of the gold ring and earrings—had a more rustic aura, which matched her choice of jewelry.

Zhang Can appraised several items, all with accurate and professional estimates.

Zhou Nan’s youngest aunt was last to present her jewelry. Her necklace and earrings were platinum, but what she handed over was a large diamond ring, her pride and joy, a gift from her son, with a receipt for sixty-eight thousand yuan.

Zhang Can examined the ring, smiling. It was well maintained, with a platinum band and a sizeable diamond sparkling under the lights.

Zhou Nan’s youngest aunt waited, her expression triumphant, “Zhang, how is this diamond ring?”

Among the jewelry from the three sisters-in-law, hers was the most valuable, and indeed her husband—Xie Jiacheng, the third son—earned the most, followed by the eldest, and least by the second.

Zhang Can stroked his chin, pondering, somewhat hesitant. But seeing her eager gaze, he decided to speak, “Auntie, this ring isn’t a high-end product. The band is pure platinum, but the stone isn’t a natural diamond, nor even a synthetic diamond. It’s a zircon.”

Zhou Nan’s youngest aunt was startled, “What’s a zircon? Is it higher grade than a diamond?”

Zhang Can could only smile wryly, considering how best to explain.