As the elder spoke, the shop owner felt a pang of heartache and quickly chased after him. The old farmer had other vases besides the blue and white porcelain bowl, and they were likely genuine antiques. If he could find them, he would make a fortune.
Lu Fan and Lin Ke'er walked along the antique street, feeling curious about the antique shop owner's frantic behavior.
Before long, the shop owner found the old farmer again. "Old man, do you still have those vases?"
"Yes!" the elder replied, eating his steamed bun. "I sold one porcelain bowl for three thousand yuan. These few vases are probably worth over ten thousand!"
"Isn't that price gouging?" the shop owner's face turned grim. "I'll offer five thousand for these vases, what do you say, old sir?"
"You wouldn't even spare three hundred yuan more before. Did the sun rise in the west today?" the old farmer asked, feigning surprise, then chuckled, "I won't sell them for less than ten thousand."
The shop owner reluctantly nodded, "Ten thousand it is. I'll take all these vases."
The old farmer was straightforward and sold the vases immediately. In truth, he knew that the real ancestral item was the blue and white porcelain bowl. As for the vases, he had bought them years ago for a few dozen yuan; they were worthless. He figured the shop owner was being so generous because Lu Fan had bought the blue and white porcelain bowl.
After the transaction, the old farmer hurried away, unwilling to linger. The vases were fake, and if the owner discovered it, he would likely demand a refund on the spot.
The shop owner, beaming with joy, held the vases as if he had earned millions.
He met Lu Fan and said with a smile, "Young man, your item could be worth a million, and mine might be worth several million!"
"That's not necessarily true!" Lu Fan chuckled and shook his head. "Boss, your thought process is quite clever. If these vases were truly valuable, why would I have specifically taken a liking to the blue and white porcelain bowl?"
The owner was taken aback for a moment, then seemed to realize something. "Are you saying these vases are fake?"
"Of course, they're fake. The color and patterns on these vases are all wrong; how could they be genuine? Boss, you're from the antique trade too, can't you even see this?" Lu Fan shook his head.
The owner came to his senses and quickly examined them again. He indeed found many flaws, and his face gradually darkened. "That damned country bumpkin! He actually tricked me!"
"It takes two to tango, and that's a rule in the antique world," Lu Fan said with a smile. "As the saying goes, learn from your mistakes. You can't be so reckless in the future!"
The shop owner slumped to the ground, looking utterly dejected. His family had been in the antique business for generations, but it had declined under his watch, adding to his despair.
The old farmer, carrying his snakeskin bag, quickly arrived at the bus stop. After getting on the bus, he let out a long sigh, muttering to himself, "City life is too complicated; I want to go back to the countryside!"
Looking at the despondent shop owner, Lin Ke'er felt a pang of pity. "This owner is quite pitiful to have been swindled."
"Don't look at him being pitiful now; he's quite adept at swindling others," Lu Fan said frankly. "This is just karma."
"Brother Lu Fan, you know so much!"
Lin Ke'er's face lit up with joy. She tightly held Lu Fan's arm, seeming to relish the contact. For some reason, whenever she was close to Lu Fan, she felt an inexplicable urge.
Lu Fan's face flushed. He had the Extreme Yang physique, and Lin Ke'er had the Extreme Yin physique. If these two constitutions were together, something might happen, which he was desperately trying to control.
A few days later, Lu Fan took Lin Ke'er out again. This time, they were attending Mr. Bai's birthday celebration, and he brought the small blue and white porcelain bowl with him.
The Seven Stars Hotel was located on a bustling street in Qingzhou, always vibrant and filled with guests.
Today, the Seven Stars Hotel was even more crowded. Most guests arrived in luxury cars. Outside the hotel, a large banner proclaimed birthday wishes.
As Lu Fan and Lin Ke'er alighted from their taxi, they headed inside, only to be stopped by several security guards. "The Seven Stars Hotel has been fully booked today; unauthorized entry is not permitted!"
Lin Ke'er, somewhat timid, retreated to Lu Fan's side. She had never seen such a grand hotel before and felt a touch of inferiority.
"I'm here to attend Mr. Bai's birthday celebration," Lu Fan stated. "You can check my name at the front desk."
"We can only allow entry with an invitation," the security guards said directly. They glanced at Lu Fan with a hint of disdain. Lu Fan and Lin Ke'er were dressed ordinarily, and the Bai family held a prestigious position in Qingzhou. It was unlikely they would have friends like these.
Just then, a Maserati sped over. Before it could even stop, the security guards opened the barrier and greeted it with utmost respect.
"They don't have an invitation either, why can they go in?" Lin Ke'er asked in surprise.
"They're driving a Maserati!" the security guard replied with a smile. "If you could drive one, you wouldn't need an invitation either."
Lin Ke'er was a bit indignant and didn't know how to respond.
Lu Fan made a phone call, and shortly after, a woman descended from the Seven Stars Hotel. "I'm so sorry, Mr. Lu, to have kept you waiting!"
"Manager!" the security guards bowed subserviently, exchanging glances. This was the manager of the Seven Stars Hotel, a person of high status with considerable authority. She had personally come down to greet them.
"How do you do your job? Why did you block Mr. Lu outside?" the female manager scolded. "If Miss Bai finds out, not only will you lose your jobs, but I'll be fired too!"
The security guards immediately lowered their heads, daring not to resist. They were filled with regret, as they all had families to support. Losing their jobs would be a devastating blow.
"Has Bai Xue not arrived yet?" Lu Fan asked softly.
"Miss Bai has already set out and will be arriving at the Seven Stars Hotel shortly. She asked me to personally receive you, calling you a distinguished guest," the female manager fawned. "Mr. Lu, please follow me."
With that, the female manager led the way, showing no hint of negligence.
Lu Fan and Lin Ke'er followed behind, appearing quite distinguished. Even those driving Maseratis had to walk to the main hall themselves, while Lu Fan and Lin Ke'er had a dedicated escort, a clear difference in treatment.
"My goodness, that scared me to death!" one security guard exclaimed. "Are people this low-key nowadays? Sitting in a taxi when they have such status?"
"Who's to say otherwise! Luckily, we didn't do anything outrageous, or not only would we have lost our jobs, but our lives might have been in danger too," another security guard said with a wry smile. "From now on, we really can't judge people by their appearance; who knows when we might offend someone we shouldn't."
The security guards exchanged glances. They had been working as security for some time and understood the ways of the world. It was precisely because Lu Fan's attire was too ordinary that they had been careless.
Lin Ke'er followed Lu Fan directly into the banquet hall, feeling as if she had entered a palace. It looked majestic and imposing, adorned with numerous decorations that filled her with dreams.
"Mr. Lu, this way please!" the female manager complimented. "This is the lounge!"