"Tell me slowly, what happened?" Li Zhonglou asked, his heart stirred.
The pancake stall owner sighed, "Ever since you left last time, I've treasured that plate like a priceless artifact."
"But it's better to be safe than sorry, as they say."
"Do you remember that junk collector from last time?"
Hearing this, Li Zhonglou's eyebrows twitched slightly, and his heart sank, "I remember. He hasn't left yet?"
Zeng Qiang!
That artifact smuggler who disguised himself as a junk collector. He had scared Zeng Qiang away last time, telling him to get out of Qin Zhou, yet he dared to linger.
If the Shi Qiang plate fell into his hands, it would be a huge problem.
At that time, to prevent Zeng Qiang from getting the Shi Qiang plate, Li Zhonglou had deliberately exposed its value and pointed out his illegal activities.
On one hand, he wanted the owner to be cautious, and on the other, he wanted to scare Zeng Qiang away.
Now, it seemed his plan was too naive.
How could an artifact dealer not covet such a national treasure?
However, at that time, the situation was precarious, and he didn't have the mental capacity to deal with this matter further.
"Of course not," the owner quickly shook his head. "I remember what you said. You said selling it was illegal."
"I'm truly afraid of earning money but not being able to spend it."
This statement immediately put Li Zhonglou's heart at ease.
As long as it wasn't sold, everything was manageable.
However, the owner then changed the subject, complaining, "Although I haven't dared to sell it, that person has been pestering me incessantly, like a ghost."
"He even followed my youngest son home from school."
"He knocks on my door every few days at night. Calling the police is useless."
"If I had known, I would have just used it as a pot. Why would there be so much trouble…"
The owner sighed, filled with regret.
When Li Zhonglou told him the plate was a treasure, he had been ecstatic.
He thought that even if he couldn't sell it, keeping it as an heirloom would be prestigious.
After all, it was passed down from his ancestors, and the country wouldn't confiscate it if he didn't donate it.
But he never expected that this plate would bring him so much trouble.
He was just an ordinary person, how could he endure such constant threats that felt like thorns in his back and a lump in his throat?
Even if that junk collector didn't lay a hand on him, what if he kidnapped his youngest son to threaten him one day?
One could never be too careful with people's intentions. Many would do bad things for treasure.
"Innocent people are blamed for possessing treasures," Li Zhonglou nodded. "What can I do to help you?"
So that was the situation. No wonder the owner looked haggard with dark circles under his eyes.
Who could sleep well if they were constantly being targeted?
But this was reality.
In this world, it was always about matching virtue with talent. Without matching virtue, misfortune would surely follow.
This was even more true for wealth.
A nouveau riche who won a huge lottery would most likely squander all their money within a few years, even ending up in debt.
The pancake stall owner was just an ordinary person, and being targeted by an artifact smuggler like Zeng Qiang was indeed a big problem.
"Drive that junk collector away. He couldn't do anything to you last time, and he certainly won't this time," the owner said hopefully.
Li Zhonglou remained silent.
This situation was getting interesting. Last time, Zeng Qiang was frustrated because he had a desire, wanting to obtain the Shi Qiang plate.
But Li Zhonglou was indifferent; being without desire made one strong.
His purpose in returning this time was also for the Shi Qiang plate, which coincided with Zeng Qiang's objective.
On the way, he had been thinking about how to persuade the owner to transfer the plate.
Unexpectedly, this incident occurred.
Zeng Qiang was truly sending charcoal in the snow.
"Is it not possible?" the owner asked nervously when Li Zhonglou didn't speak.
"He's after your Shi Qiang plate. The only way to make him leave is one possibility," Li Zhonglou said noncommittally. "Unless the Shi Qiang plate is no longer in your possession, what else can be done to him?"
"He hasn't hit you or verbally abused you. Ostensibly, he's just a junk collector."
"To arrest him, you need evidence."
These words were not meant to be alarmist.
Li Zhonglou disdained to do so. Threatening the stall owner with Zeng Qiang was something he wouldn't do.
The reality was just like that.
Li Zhonglou knew he was an artifact smuggler, similar in nature to Li Hanlong, but in a different domain.
After all, ordinary artifact smugglers were not involved in other illegal forces.
Someone like Li Hanlong was already part of a criminal organization.
"Then... do you mean that if I donate the plate, he won't bother me anymore?" the owner reacted quickly, understanding immediately.
He had been thinking about this over the past few days when he couldn't sleep, filled with anxiety.
One shouldn't covet wealth that doesn't belong to them, nor possess treasures that are not meant to be theirs.
Because of a Shi Qiang plate, his previously peaceful life had been shattered.
His elder son had been admitted to university, and his younger son was still in primary school.
At this critical juncture, how could he bear it if anything happened?
This hot potato, which couldn't be exchanged for money and attracted unwanted attention when kept, caused him extreme distress.
Therefore, he had long wanted to donate the plate.
"Actually, I came to see you this time for this very reason," Li Zhonglou stated directly. "Under what conditions can the Shi Qiang plate be transferred to me?"
There was no need to hide anything from the owner; this was not a bargain hunt.
The value of the Shi Qiang plate was immeasurable by money.
Besides, it wasn't him who would be paying; it was Zeng Wang.
"I... I don't know. You can name your price," the owner said, stunned, then reacted.
He clearly remembered Li Zhonglou saying that selling it was illegal.
If he named a price, and Li Zhonglou later accused him, wouldn't he end up in jail?
By letting Li Zhonglou name the price, it would absolve him of responsibility.
If the price was too low, he could simply refuse and find other ways to earn more.
"How about this? I'll draft a donation agreement, and I'll include the terms for you," Li Zhonglou said. "Furthermore, I'll take care of driving that junk collector away for you."
"So you can live without worry from now on."
Seeing the joy flashing in the owner's eyes, Li Zhonglou walked back to his car and took out paper and a pen.
He drafted a donation agreement.
No mention of money was made in it.
He also drafted a separate gift contract, which was related to the money.
He had already discussed the amount with Zeng Wang over the phone: ten million.
Ten million was not a significant amount for Zeng Wang, but it was an astronomical sum for a pancake stall owner.
In fact, Li Zhonglou could have offered more, but he knew that the owner's current low-profile state could only handle this much.
Any more would be detrimental to his fortune.
Money wasn't always a good thing. Ten million was enough for him to enjoy the rest of his life comfortably.
But a hundred million might cost his entire family their lives.
Knowing when to stop was the wisdom of the ancients, emphasizing moderation.
After finishing the two agreements, he returned to the pancake stall and showed them to the owner for review.
The owner stared, dumbfounded and overwhelmed.
His lips trembled, "This... this much?"
Last time, Zeng Qiang had offered the value of three apartments. In Qin Zhou, three apartments were worth about three million.
Li Zhonglou had given him three times that amount, and his excitement was understandable.
It was evident that he was trying hard to control and conceal his excitement, but in the face of such a huge sum, he couldn't help but reveal his emotions.
"Yes, the donor is a private museum owner. If it's okay, sign this one first, and the money will arrive soon," Li Zhonglou reassured him.
The owner, struggling to control his trembling hands, finally took the pen after a few dozen seconds.
He signed his name on the gift agreement and wrote down his bank card number.
Zhao Xiaogang.
In less than ten minutes, he received the transfer notification.
With a full ten million in his account, the owner sat on the stool, speechless for a long time.
Li Zhonglou didn't rush him; he wasn't afraid of the owner taking the money and reneging on the deal.
This fellow was a greedy coward.
If he had been even slightly bolder, the Shi Qiang plate would have been sold long ago, especially since Zeng Qiang had been following him every few days.
If he truly absconded with the money, he was sure Zeng Qiang would find a way to bring him back.
In this era, with surveillance everywhere, where could he possibly run?
"Let's go... this isn't a place to talk. I'll take you back to my place." After a few minutes of processing the information, the owner closed his stall.
He slyly pulled Li Zhonglou towards his three-wheeled vehicle.
"Get in my car. It's faster," Li Zhonglou told him to wait there, then went to get his car and pick up the owner.
The two drove straight to the apartment building where he lived.
Just as they reached the entrance of the complex, Li Zhonglou slammed on the brakes.
His eyes fixed on a middle-aged man in tattered clothes, wearing a mask, standing next to the garbage can at the entrance.
Yet, Li Zhonglou recognized him instantly as Zeng Qiang.
"He... he's here..." the owner also saw him.
At the same time, Zeng Qiang seemed to notice someone watching him and glanced towards Li Zhonglou's car.
Their eyes met, a silent tension, yet sparks of electricity seemed to crackle between them.
Seeing the owner in Li Zhonglou's car, Zeng Qiang's pupils contracted sharply.
He threw down the bottle of mineral water in his hand and tried to turn and flee.
After all, Li Zhonglou's warning last time was not to be taken lightly.
For the sake of the Shi Qiang plate and to save face, he had chosen to ignore Li Zhonglou, but that didn't mean he wasn't afraid of him.
Although he didn't know how Li Zhonglou had obtained evidence of his crimes, the fact that he could speak of them indicated he knew him inside out.
If he didn't run, was he waiting to be arrested?
Unfortunately, his movements were far from as fast as Li Zhonglou's.
As soon as the car door opened, Li Zhonglou took three steps and then two more, directly blocking Zeng Qiang's path.
He said faintly, "We meet again."
"Do you remember what I told you last time? If you don't leave Qin Zhou, and I see you again, I'll personally send you to prison."
"It seems you've taken my words as mere wind."
Zeng Qiang lowered his head, his eyes filled with resentment, but he dared not meet Li Zhonglou's gaze again.
He tried to pretend he hadn't heard.
But no matter which direction he tried to slip away from, Li Zhonglou blocked him firmly.
He was forced to face him directly.
"It's better to forgive than to seek revenge. Young man, what grievance do I have with you that you must target me like this?" Zeng Qiang finally raised his head, his eyes filled with malice and deep hatred.
Ever since he saw Li Zhonglou, he had been constantly on edge.
Even his past secrets had been exposed.
He had been living in constant fear, not knowing who he had offended.
Now, he could no longer suppress it. Since he couldn't escape, he might as well settle the score!
For days, to monitor the pancake stall owner, he had set up a network of informants in the neighborhood. Could he really be afraid of a reckless young man?
"I have no grievance with you, but you are an artifact smuggler, and I am an antique collector. We are natural adversaries," Li Zhonglou said with a faint smile. "I've already given you a chance, but you didn't cherish it."
"From now on, whatever you have to say, go and tell the police yourself."
Upon hearing this, fierce glints erupted in Zeng Qiang's eyes, "Don't push me!"