It was as if a pillow arrived just as one was feeling sleepy.
Just as he was thinking about how to make money, Lü Yunxu brought good news.
"What time?" Li Chonglou asked.
"Eight o'clock. I'll pick you up at the hospital," Lü Yunxu's voice was cheerful.
She knew Li Chonglou was short on cash. The 300,000 he received from Old Qin was barely enough for the surgery.
The follow-up costs were like a bottomless pit.
Given Li Chonglou's personality, he wouldn't easily accept gifts. She dared not offer money to show her favor, lest she displease him.
Coincidentally, her father's business partner's son was hosting a private appraisal event. He had heard about the sweet white glaze and invited her to invite Li Chonglou to attend.
Taking this opportunity to offer him some compensation for his efforts was perfectly reasonable.
"Alright, see you tonight."
After hanging up the phone, while no customers were visiting, Li Chonglou took out the sheepskin scroll.
"Meditative stillness, the poisonous dragon retreats."
"My heart is clear, heaven rewards diligence..."
The opening lines seemed to be the experience and insights of predecessors on cultivation.
Li Chonglou understood them at a glance.
Having gone through various changes, his heart was already firm and persistent, subtly aligning with the ways of heaven.
After the opening, it detailed martial arts cultivation methods, vastly different from the popular martial arts in the present era.
It emphasized using stillness to initiate movement, and that extreme stillness gives birth to movement.
It involved using specific postures combined with intention, performing various high-speed breathing techniques to vibrate the internal organs and achieve the goal of strengthening the body.
It didn't require extensive physical activity.
One only needed to relax the body to the extreme.
However, while it sounded simple, it was difficult to execute. The hardest thing for a person was to abandon distracting thoughts and desires; if the heart tensed, the body would inevitably follow.
In such a state, the concept of "extreme stillness giving birth to movement" would cease to exist.
"Relaxation, easy to say, hard to do," Li Chonglou noted down the entire text, a bitter expression flashing in his eyes.
His mother was still in the hospital. Even with Old Huang personally overseeing the surgery, there was no guarantee of no risk.
An unperturbed demeanor was for those not involved.
With worries in his heart, how could he achieve a calm mind?
Only after the surgery was successful could his heart truly find peace.
He would practice slowly, as he hadn't expected to achieve divine powers in three days.
He put the sheepskin scroll back into the Luban box and locked it in the safe.
His phone rang. Jiang Yuxin sent a WeChat message: "I've decided on the divorce. Please reconsider. You can name your conditions."
Jiang Yuxin was clearly feeling the pressure, likely due to Deng Zhiru's repeated insistence.
"Let's talk after my mother's surgery," Li Chonglou replied after a moment of thought.
Immediately after, an exaggerated and boisterous voice sounded from the doorway: "This king has specially requested leave to inspect your premises... Hurry and welcome your esteemed presence!"
Wu Hao, carrying his laptop bag, swaggered into the shop.
He surveyed the antique decor and the various treasures behind the counter, his eyes gleaming. "Not bad, Lou Zi. You're truly hiding your talents and fame, a great recluse within the bustling city, tsk tsk..."
Spending days cooped up in steel and concrete office buildings, with dozens of people each in a small cubicle, was no different from being imprisoned.
In contrast, Li Chonglou was free and unrestrained, with an expansive horizon.
He genuinely admired it.
"Envious?"
Li Chonglou smiled and gestured, "Why not quit your job and work with me?"
His original intention for yesterday's class reunion was to discuss business. However, due to Wang Jingwu's disruption, he ended up becoming the center of attention.
"If I quit, I'll starve. Will you support me?" Wu Hao rolled his eyes.
"I'll support you."
Li Chonglou poured a cup of tea and went straight to the point: "Live streaming is very popular these past two years. I'm planning to do live stream antique appraisals."
"After a rough look at a few platforms, relying on others is not a long-term solution."
"You've been in the internet industry for a few years, haven't you? How about assembling your own team and developing a live streaming software platform?"
Upon hearing the serious matter, Wu Hao's smile gradually faded, and his expression turned strange. "Lou Zi, you've changed so much. It's like you're a different person."
"Yesterday I thought you were just putting on a cool facade, but are you still doing it? Are you serious?"
"Do you have any idea how much money it takes to build your own live streaming platform?"
"Tens of millions, even hundreds of millions, my friend!"
He was indeed a professional, hitting every crucial point.
After Wu Hao finished speaking, Li Chonglou asked, "You don't need to worry about the money or promotion. Just tell me if it's feasible."
This matter was of great importance.
He clearly remembered that three years later, a treasure from the Qin Dynasty would appear on the most famous appraisal platform at that time.
It was a fourteen-sided die named "Shibōqióng."
This die was the only clue to finding that Qin Dynasty treasure which would change his fate.
He clearly recalled the appraiser's words.
"Only get it appraised by the biggest and most professional platform."
His senior sister had also died in a tomb while chasing this clue.
Twenty years later, the treasure itself would appear, and be collected by the National Museum, but its origin would remain unknown.
It was only then that he was invited to appraise it, leading to his rebirth.
Compared to the treasure itself, he cared more about changing his senior sister's fate.
Only by making the appraisal platform the strongest in the country within three years could he intercept the clue, follow the trail, and turn the tide.
Suddenly, he felt he understood his master's words about him being a variable.
Only he could change the trajectory of fate.
Saving his mother, Jiang Yuxin, Lü Chenggong, and Xu Qianqian, would inevitably include his master and senior sister.
"You're really my brother..." Wu Hao raised an eyebrow, a look of helpless resignation on his face. "Even if I ignore the money issue."
"Building a team still requires money. Without hundreds of thousands, you can't even get a rudimentary prototype of the software."
"If I come, I'll be the project manager, right? How much are you planning to pay me?"
"My current monthly salary is eight thousand. We're brothers, but we need to be clear about business. You need to double it, so I can afford to get married soon."
"Your salary is ten thousand, and I'll give you 5% in technical shares," Li Chonglou said with a chuckle. "We can add more later if it's not enough."
"Brother, you're my real brother, you're not tricking me, are you?" Wu Hao's eyes lit up, and he excitedly hugged Li Chonglou.
"If I trick you, do I get paid? Hurry up and come up with a plan, and then register a company with you as the legal representative."
Li Chonglou pushed Wu Hao away with a look of disdain. "First, help me get a live stream appraisal account verified..."
"How come I feel like you're setting a trap for me?" Wu Hao grumbled in confusion. "Aren't you going to make me the legal representative and then get loans to screw me over?"
"Stop talking nonsense and hurry up!" Li Chonglou glared at him.
He had been in prison in his previous life and became disconnected from society.
In the decades that followed, he had devoted himself to antiques.
Moreover, technological products like these changed at an extremely rapid pace. In another ten years, even the basic forms would be different.
Human brains would be directly connected to computers.
Therefore, he had basically forgotten the fundamental computer knowledge of this era.
Otherwise, why would he have to wait for Wu Hao to arrive before starting the live stream?
However, Li Chonglou learned quickly. After a session of instruction, he was already capable of starting a live stream himself, which was sufficient.
After his mother's surgery, he needed to help Lü Yunxu with the sweet white glaze issue, and then he could patiently wait for his live streaming software to be released.
With these matters settled, while no one was around, he discussed the company's organization and registration name with Wu Hao.
After work, they would leave Donglin together.
Returning to the hospital, his mother's condition was still stable.
Her surgery was scheduled for the day after tomorrow, and Huang Qishan, not deterred by the effort, kept coming to inquire.
Li Chonglou saw this and understood that it was all thanks to Lü Yunxu. Connections and relationships were of paramount importance in society.
"Mom, once I become successful and powerful, I'll let you enjoy a comfortable old age!" Li Chonglou's eyes were as firm as iron.
At half-past seven in the evening, Lü Yunxu had already arrived downstairs.
To prevent his mother from becoming suspicious again, he didn't dare let her come upstairs, and headed directly to the parking lot.
Lü Yunxu was wearing a champagne-gold evening gown with delicate makeup that evening, looking like a dazzling star, incredibly radiant.
Even at night, she attracted many envious glances.
Upon seeing Li Chonglou, she took a suit from the trunk of the Aston Martin DB5. "Try it on to see if it fits."
"I don't like wearing suits, they're too restrictive. I'll just wear this," Li Chonglou said, putting it back.
Lü Yunxu didn't insist further.
Indeed, with Li Chonglou's abilities, he no longer needed to rely on his attire.
Half an hour later, the two arrived at the Qin Yun Manor, located next to the suburban golf club.
Several luxury cars were already parked in front of the villa, the least expensive starting at a million yuan.
A young man in a suit and tie, with a hint of arrogance and ferocity in his brows, stood at the entrance to greet guests.
Upon seeing Lü Yunxu and Li Chonglou, he walked over with a smile.
"I am Tang Xiuzhu, Yunxu's childhood sweetheart. Welcome to my humble abode." As the man spoke, he sized up Li Chonglou, a flicker of hostility flashing in his eyes.