I Become The Richest Man With A monthly Salary of Twenty Thousand Yuan-Chapter 527 - 433: Solution_2

"You—you don’t have to say another word! I believe you, I believe everything! Just stop doing your fortune-telling on me!"

"There, that’s settled then," Xia Liang said with a smile. "But it’s quite normal. Most girls are curious about this sort of thing."

"You... you said you wanted to go have fun in the city, right? We’re in the city now, so where do you want to go?" Fang Youxue hurriedly changed the subject.

"I don’t have a preference. We can look around anywhere. Is there a place you want to go?" Xia Liang asked.

"Me?" Fang Youxue was stunned for a moment, not expecting Xia Liang to ask. But she quickly thought of something, and the corners of her mouth lifted into a slight smile. "Actually, there is a place I’ve been wanting to go. I was planning to head there this afternoon!" After a pause, she added, "So, what are we waiting for? Let’s go!"

「Half an hour later.」

「Qingyun City Antique Street.」

"Is this the place you were talking about?"

Looking at the dazzling array of antiques on the street, Xia Liang felt nothing at all. Naturally, this was his destination as well; he had just been teasing her earlier.

Fang Youxue immediately nodded. "Yes, this is it. You don’t dislike antiques, do you, Mister Xia?"

She had been fascinated by antiques since she was a child and loved collecting various historical relics. After returning to the country, she frequented the antique streets in various cities. In her view, each of these relics carried a trace of history, making them extraordinarily significant. Although she often bought fakes due to her poor judgment, her passion for antiques only grew stronger.

She could easily spend several hours in a single antique shop. For those who weren’t interested in relics and antiques or couldn’t appreciate them, browsing such shops was incredibly tedious, and it was hard for anyone to stick with it.

"I didn’t realize you were interested in antiques. Let’s go. As it happens, I’d like to browse as well."

Looking at the countless antiques lining both sides of the street, Xia Liang felt a flicker of interest and walked right in. He could perceive the trajectory of an item’s fate. To him, the authenticity of any antique was obvious at a glance; no forgery could deceive his eyes.

"Ah, okay, wait for me!" After a moment of surprise, Fang Youxue hurried to catch up with Xia Liang.

I was the one who chose this place, so how does it seem like this Xia Liang is more interested than I am?

"Mister Xia, you... you like antiques too?" Fang Youxue asked, puzzled.

"Like them? Of course, I do. Every antique holds so many stories. Come on, where should we start?"

Seeing Xia Liang so excited, Fang Youxue nodded in agreement. "Let’s go this way. There’s an antique shop I visit often."

Fang Youxue pointed to a shop not far away.

Xia Liang nodded. "Then lead the way."

"Oh my, if it isn’t Miss Fang! Welcome, welcome!"

The two had barely stepped through the door of the antique shop when the owner walked out from the inner hall, beaming. Spotting Xia Liang beside Fang Youxue, the owner gave him a quick up-and-down glance before speaking warmly.

"This must be a friend of Miss Fang’s, right? My name is Luo Bupan."

"I’m Xia Liang," he said, shaking the man’s hand.

"Young Master Xia has an extraordinary bearing. I can tell you’re no ordinary person. That watch on your wrist, it’s a Rolex, isn’t it? If I’m not mistaken, it’s worth at least ten Yuan, right?"

Taking a closer look at the watch on Xia Liang’s wrist, Luo Bupan clicked his tongue. After so many years in the antique business, if he hadn’t perfected anything else, at least his eye for value was sharp. In his opinion, only two types of people entered antique shops: those who could afford to buy and those who couldn’t. As long as they could afford it, he would be exceptionally enthusiastic.

"Boss Luo, you certainly have a good eye," Xia Liang chuckled, returning the compliment.

Nearby, Fang Youxue’s eyes showed a hint of surprise when she heard that Xia Liang’s watch was worth over ten Yuan. She had also recognized that his watch was special but hadn’t imagined it would be so expensive.

"If I didn’t even have this eye for things after all this time, I might as well get out of the business," Luo Bupan said with a tut and a smile. "So, what are you two looking for today? Feel free to look around."

Before Luo Bupan had even finished speaking, Fang Youxue had already started browsing, her eyes wide with excitement as she took in the countless antiques around her.

"Then I’ll take a look around too."

As soon as the words left his mouth, Xia Liang pinched his fingers together, beginning his inspection of the antiques in the room.

Even he was a bit surprised after scanning the items in the shop. He turned to the owner standing nearby and said, "Boss Luo, your shop has quite a few nice things."

"Of course! This is the shop I come to all the time. How could my judgment be wrong?" Fang Youxue said proudly before Luo Bupan could even reply.

Luo Bupan smiled and asked, "It seems Young Master Xia also knows a thing or two about antiques."

"I’ve dabbled a bit. I can just tell the real from the fake, that’s all."

Just tell the real from the fake? Hearing this, Luo Bupan sneered inwardly. From ancient times to the present, the techniques for creating counterfeit antiques had evolved countless times. Even today’s top antique appraisers wouldn’t dare claim they could perfectly distinguish every genuine article from a fake. And this kid said it so casually; he probably didn’t know a thing. In his eyes, Xia Liang, like Fang Youxue, was surely just some young master from a prominent family. He liked antiques but had no real eye for them—a fat sheep ripe for fleecing.

"How many antiques have you bought here?" Xia Liang asked, turning to Fang Youxue as he looked at a counterfeit that was almost indistinguishable from the real thing.

"Almost ten, I think. Most of them are in my room," Fang Youxue said, counting on her fingers.

"That many? Do you have pictures? Can I see them?"

"Of course!"

The moment antiques were mentioned, Fang Youxue’s excitement flared. She pulled out her phone, opened her photo gallery, and began pointing to the items one by one.

"This is Wu Daozi’s ’Twin Trees Painting,’ this is a Han Dynasty Jingde Porcelain, this is..."

As Fang Youxue went through the photos one by one, Xia Liang’s expression slowly grew cold. Fang Youxue had no idea, but Xia Liang could tell at a glance. Every single item in the photos was a fake.

"And there’s this jade pendant I always carry with me. That’s all of them." Fang Youxue handed the jade pendant to Xia Liang as well.

"How much did you spend on all of these items?" Xia Liang asked casually.

"In total... probably around four or five Yuan," Fang Youxue replied, nodding earnestly.

"Four or five Yuan?" Xia Liang’s brow furrowed slightly. All these things together were worth one-tenth of a currency unit at most. This Luo Bupan had inflated the price forty to fifty times. That’s no way to do business.

Just then, Luo Bupan emerged from the inner hall holding a new Tang Sancai piece and approached the two of them.

"Miss Fang, take a look. This is the Tang Sancai you wanted last time. I spent half a month and had to pull some strings to finally find it. I’ve been keeping it just for you."

"Thank you so much, Uncle Luo."

Fang Youxue excitedly took the Tang Sancai and began examining it in her hands. Xia Liang merely glanced at it before speaking in a cool tone.

"Boss Luo, even when fleecing a sheep, you shouldn’t just target one. That’s no way to do business."

Being stared at by Xia Liang, Luo Bupan suddenly felt a chill run down his spine, and his expression grew tense. He hadn’t believed Xia Liang’s claim that he could tell real antiques from fakes. After all, Xia Liang was so young, so he hadn’t considered that possibility.

"I don’t understand what you mean, Mister Xia," Luo Bupan inquired.

Fang Youxue also looked at Xia Liang, confused.

At this, Xia Liang fixed his gaze on Luo Bupan and stated plainly, "I’m saying that the items you sell are all fakes."

The moment he spoke, the entire antique shop fell silent, so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Luo Bupan was stunned for a second, then let out a couple of laughs. Despite the panic rising in his chest, he forced himself to remain composed on the surface.