Chen Fan stopped and asked, "Dr. Zheng, do you need something?"
Zheng Hairong walked up to Chen Fan with a smile, "Director Chen, I heard about last night's surgery. Your surgical skills are truly beyond my reach!"
Chen Fan smiled indifferently, "It's what I should do as a doctor."
Then he shook the toothbrush and towel in his hand, "Dr. Zheng, is there anything else? I'm going to eat. You know, I just woke up."
Zheng Hairong quickly leaned in and whispered to Chen Fan, "Director Chen, I heard you also have research in antiques?"
"Just a superficial understanding."
"Director Chen is too modest. I heard that you helped Director Qin find a priceless antique at a bargain price."
Zheng Hairong looked around again, then whispered, "Director Chen, on my way to work this morning, I met two old men who dug up some things from the ground. In antique terms, they want you to appraise them."
Chen Fan suddenly understood and nodded.
After all, it was the first time Zheng Hairong asked him for a favor, so Chen Fan couldn't refuse.
The two went to Zheng Hairong's office. Zheng Hairong first poured Chen Fan a glass of water, then took out a plastic bag containing several items wrapped in newspaper.
Zheng Hairong excitedly opened one, "Director Chen, what do you think of this? It was just dug out of the ground, and I saw it with my own eyes! How much do you think it's worth?"
However, as soon as Chen Fan saw what Zheng Hairong had wrapped in newspaper, his eyelids twitched uncontrollably.
"This is called a 'chao pai,' isn't it?" Chen Fan asked.
"Yes, yes, yes, that's what the old man said. And it's from the Shang and Zhou dynasties. He said it's worth at least a few million, but I don't think that's accurate, so I wanted to ask you to appraise its value." Zheng Hairong said with a smile.
Chen Fan didn't answer directly, but pointed to the other items wrapped in newspaper inside the plastic bag, "If I'm not mistaken, there's also a cup, two figurines, and a bowl. And the bottom of the bowl has 'Qianlong Imperial Made' written on it, right?"
Hearing Chen Fan's words, Zheng Hairong's eyes widened. He gave Chen Fan a thumbs-up, "Director Chen, you are truly an expert! You knew what was inside without even opening them! You've truly opened my eyes. You said it was just a superficial understanding, you're too modest!"
Chen Fan blushed at Zheng Hairong's praise and coughed a few times, "Cough, cough, cough!"
"Dr. Zheng, haven't you ever heard of the 'construction site five-piece set'?"
Zheng Hairong was stunned, "Construction site five-piece set? What does that mean?"
He was busy at the hospital every day and naturally wouldn't pay attention to such things.
Chen Fan explained, "The construction site five-piece set is what I just mentioned. Those old men will dig a hole, bury these things, and then dig them out in front of you, giving you the illusion of having unearthed a treasure."
"Clatter!"
The 'chao pai' in Zheng Hairong's hand fell onto the table, his face filled with disbelief.
"Director Chen, you, you mean I, I was scammed?!"
Chen Fan nodded and pointed at the 'chao pai' on the table, "This thing is not from the Shang and Zhou dynasties at all. It should be from 'last week'! And it's made of resin. How could there be resin in the Shang and Zhou dynasties?"
"May I ask, Dr. Zheng, how much did you spend on this?"
Chen Fan looked at Zheng Hairong curiously.
Zheng Hairong's face was extremely unsightly. He held up five fingers.
"Five hundred?" Chen Fan breathed a sigh of relief, "That's not too much. Although you lost money, consider it a lesson learned. The antique world is too complex, and it's not that easy to find bargains."
Zheng Hairong remained silent, shaking his head blankly.
Chen Fan was surprised, "You didn't spend five thousand, did you? Then I advise you to call the police immediately. This thing is only worth twenty or thirty yuan each. That old man was really ruthless to cheat you out of five thousand!"
Zheng Hairong still said nothing, but tears were already welling up in his eyes, "It wasn't five thousand."
Chen Fan frowned slightly, picked up his teacup, and took a sip of water, asking, "Then how much?"
"Fifty thousand!" Zheng Hairong said, looking like he had stepped in dog excrement.
"Pfft!"
Hearing the amount Zheng Hairong mentioned, Chen Fan couldn't help but spit out a mouthful of water, and it even splashed onto Zheng Hairong's face.
"I'm sorry, Dr. Zheng, I really couldn't help it." Chen Fan quickly grabbed some tissues from the table and wiped Zheng Hairong's face.
Zheng Hairong was on the verge of tears and didn't even bother with the water on his face, "Director Chen, is what you just said true? Is this thing really only worth twenty yuan?"
Chen Fan never expected that Zheng Hairong, a highly educated surgical expert, would be scammed out of fifty thousand yuan!
He could only respond helplessly, "Dr. Zheng, twenty yuan is the normal market price for this thing. If we consider the cost price, it's probably only around three to five yuan."
Zheng Hairong clutched his chest, feeling a sharp pain in his heart.
That was fifty thousand yuan, which was not a small sum for him!
"Dr. Zheng, why don't you go to the police during lunch? Or try to find that old man?" Chen Fan suggested.
Zheng Hairong had a bitter expression and slumped into a chair, "How can I find him? I paid him in cash at the time, and that old man left even earlier than me. He also told me not to tell anyone. That place was a construction site, and there wasn't even any surveillance!"
He knew better than anyone that he could only consider himself unlucky.
Chen Fan helplessly patted Zheng Hairong on the shoulder, comforted him a few words, and then prepared to leave.
"Director Chen." Seeing Chen Fan about to leave, Zheng Hairong quickly called out to him.
"Dr. Zheng, is there anything else?" Chen Fan asked.
Zheng Hairong handed the plastic bag to Chen Fan, "Director Chen, please throw this away for me. It's upsetting to look at!"
Chen Fan was speechless and could only nod, then left Zheng Hairong's clinic.
He figured Zheng Hairong wouldn't be out of his funk for a few days, after all, fifty thousand yuan was not a small sum.
"What are you carrying?" Qin Shuran had also finished washing up and brought Chen Fan some food. Seeing Chen Fan walking out of Zheng Hairong's clinic with something, she asked curiously.
Chen Fan recounted what had just happened.
Qin Shuran couldn't help but burst out laughing, "No way, Dr. Zheng looks so shrewd, and he was scammed out of fifty thousand?!"
Chen Fan nodded, then returned to his clinic and casually placed the plastic bag on the table.
"What was Dr. Zheng's expression just now? Was it very dramatic?" Qin Shuran kept asking.
Chen Fan glanced outside and saw no one, then whispered, "Keep your voice down. If the other people in the hospital find out, how will Dr. Zheng be able to face anyone in the future."