Chapter Sixty-Five: Meeting Mr. Wang Again

This morning, Old Su was no longer late. It seemed he was making up for yesterday’s mistake, arriving half an hour early. Yet his early arrival made little difference, for the boss, Zhu Senlin, had not come. The three workers who showed up soon fell into lively discussion about last night's events. Neither Old Su nor Su Xiu had attended; only Zhu Senlin and Zhang Qiang, along with two others, went. They tried calling Zhang Can, but his phone was unreachable. They ended up drunk at the nightclub, and it was Zhang Qiang who took Zhu Senlin home.

Perhaps the drinking was too much for him. Since Zhang Can returned from his hometown, Old Zhu had been arriving early every day, lingering in the shop with Zhang Can from morning until closing, never venturing elsewhere. Such behavior was unprecedented.

At nine o’clock, Su Xiu arrived, just as punctual as ever. She never gave Old Zhu a minute of free labor; when the clock struck, she left without hesitation. There was no doubt she was suited for finance, precise in every calculation.

After an hour in the shop, around ten, Zhang Can found an excuse to leave. Old Su naturally paid no mind; in this shop, aside from Zhu Senlin, Zhang Can was the highest authority. Zhu Senlin had long since stated that Zhang Can could act freely, unbound by work hours.

Driving the BMW Five gifted by Old Zhu, Zhang Can first went to a restaurant for a quick meal, then headed to the seaside amusement park. By then, it was nearly eleven; the sun was almost at its zenith—perfect for swimming, with enough light beneath the waves.

He parked in the amusement park lot, took his card, and went to the changing room to swap for swim trunks. He placed the water-repelling pearl in his mouth, then strode boldly toward the shore. Thousands played along the shallow beach, families with children.

Zhang Can glanced upward—the sky was cloudless, sunlight fierce. Yet he felt none of the usual burning sensation. This, he anticipated. With the water-repelling pearl in his mouth, a gentle warmth seemed to circulate through him. As the warmth coursed, his skin felt immune to the sun’s harshness. In the bathtub, he felt no water pressure; now he wondered how much pressure he could withstand, how deep he could dive. That was his purpose in coming to the sea.

Stepping into the water, no one noticed that the sea remained half a centimeter from his skin. Such a subtle gap was difficult to discern. He walked five or six meters; the water reached his chest. Beside him, a girl of about ten swam with a colorful float.

He smiled and made a silly face at her, then with a soft splash, submerged himself.

The little girl stared at the spot where he dived, waiting. When Zhang Can failed to resurface for some time, she glanced around anxiously and hurried back toward shore.

Underwater, Zhang Can swam forward a few meters. At three or four meters deep, he felt not the slightest discomfort, as if in a bathtub—utterly relaxed. In the ocean, his skin seemed to breathe freely, drawing oxygen from the water.

Excitement surged within him. Spreading his arms, he swam like a fish, diving another dozen meters. He glanced upward—the depth was about ten meters, his body unchanged, light still filtering through the water. With the sun nearly overhead, the seabed was bright.

He dared not move too quickly, carefully probing deeper. His skin continued its effortless breathing. Swimming farther, he saw countless fish darting around him. Some, wary, fled when he approached; others lingered, only moving away when he reached out to touch them.

Looking back toward shore, he could still see the distant beach, the legs of those wading and the clamor of voices, reassuring him he remained in this world, unafraid. After swimming another forty or fifty meters, the depth here exceeded a hundred meters; Zhang Can estimated he had reached fifty or sixty meters below. At such depths, all external sound and influence faded. Silence reigned. The deeper water dimmed the light, coral and marine life below stirred both curiosity and fear.

Never before had he dived so deep. For anyone, venturing into the unknown breeds fear; Zhang Can was no exception. Yet physically, he felt nothing amiss—his heartbeat steady, normal. He was both thrilled and apprehensive, worried that a monster might suddenly appear—a shark, or some unknown ocean predator.

He dared not go deeper. After some thought, he turned back; he had no desire for extreme tests or reckless adventure. He only needed to confirm the water-repelling pearl’s effects.

Swimming back to shore took ten minutes. He had spent over forty minutes submerged, most of it at considerable depth, and all without equipment. Surely no one else in the world could match this feat, though Zhang Can knew he was cheating, so it couldn’t count.

He surfaced, drew a breath, feeling utterly at ease. Turning, he saw the same little girl floating on her colorful ring, staring at him in awe. Zhang Can made a silly face again.

She asked, “Uncle, how could you stay underwater so long? I kept looking for you, but never saw you until you came up just now.”

Wiping water from his mouth, Zhang Can discreetly spat out the pearl, holding it in his palm. He smiled, “No, I was practicing diving. I swam far away, over there!” He pointed ahead, where crowds swam, making it impossible to distinguish anyone.

The girl eyed him suspiciously. He smiled again and headed for the shore.

The girl stared, noticing that sunlight on his back revealed not a single drop of water—how could he have just emerged from the sea, looking as dry as if he’d never entered?

Zhang Can didn’t linger at the amusement park. He retrieved his car and drove straight to Old Shi’s Studio. On the way, he received a call from Old Zhu, urging him back to the shop. Zhang Can thought it convenient, as he was nearby, and arrived within minutes.

Entering the shop, Zhu Senlin stood up with a grin. “Brother, guess who’s here?”

Zhang Can had already noticed Mr. Wang Qian, beaming as he sat across from Zhu Senlin, the two chatting over tea. Zhang Can walked up with a smile. “What brings you here, Mr. Wang?”

Mr. Wang replied, “Nothing special. I happened to come to Jin City. A friend said there were things worth seeing, so I stopped by to visit you.” Though Wang Qian spoke of “you all,” his gaze was fixed on Zhang Can.

Zhu Senlin understood that Wang Qian’s words were mere politeness. In truth, he was there for Zhang Can. His discerning eye had recognized Zhang Can’s extraordinary talent at their first meeting. Zhu Senlin, meanwhile, had hesitated for years, nearly letting Zhang Can slip away. If that had happened, he would have lost the millions in cash already secured.

Zhu Senlin knew Wang Qian was a man of influence and mystery. The largest antique shops in Jin City had powerful connections, yet none dared offend him; his status was self-evident.

Zhang Can smiled, “Mr. Wang, are we going to the mountain again, like last time?”

Wang Qian laughed and shook his head, “No, it’s a friend’s home this time. Let’s go together tonight. If Old Zhu is uneasy, he can come as well—perhaps we’ll find another treasure!”

Zhu Senlin brightened instantly. He knew the place Wang Qian meant, though he himself lacked the standing to go. Such places weren’t open to just anyone, so Wang Qian’s invitation delighted him.

A thought struck Zhang Can. He glanced at Old Su, whose eager expression betrayed his anticipation. Zhang Can said to Wang Qian, “Mr. Wang, let Old Su from our shop join us. His experience and skill are unmatched; with him, we’ll be more confident. After all, who doesn’t want to make money?”

If Old Zhu or Old Su himself had asked, Wang Qian might not have agreed. But Zhang Can held immeasurable weight in his mind.

“Alright, one more makes no difference!” Wang Qian consented readily. “It’s like adding a seat at the table—just another pair of chopsticks.”

Old Su was instantly excited. He had felt overshadowed by Zhang Can lately, unable to deny it. Each time Zhang Can acquired some rare treasure, it had passed under their scrutiny. It wasn’t Old Su’s fault he couldn’t spot or win them; no amount of resentment could change that.

Before Zhang Can obtained any item, Old Su had always seen it first; never had Zhang Can snatched anything from him, so there was no rivalry.

Wang Qian checked his watch. “Let’s get ready. It’s half past two—set out at four!”

Zhu Senlin, all smiles, prepared his checkbook and laptop. At the places Wang Qian took them, one could never bring too much money. Once Zhang Can found something worthwhile, Zhu Senlin would buy it as directed. Yet so far, Zhang Can had always acquired treasures at extremely low prices, never costing Zhu Senlin dearly—except for those four golden nanmu logs from Zhang Can’s hometown, which still brought in over a million profit. That was a deal made specifically to let Zhang Can earn more.

Zhang Can felt confident. He was not a true collector; once something’s value was widely recognized, it could never be easily or cheaply acquired. What he sought was to use his black-and-white vision to perceive what others missed, enabling him to buy treasures at low prices.

He turned to Old Su with a cheerful grin. “Old Su, be prepared, bring plenty of funds. If you pick up a real bargain, you could strike it rich in an instant!”