The old man pondered for a moment, then looked up at Ye Fan, "I won't make it difficult for you. This Buddha statue, for thirty thousand, will be yours. If it's less than thirty thousand, I'll report you to the Antique Association."
The old man's attitude was quite stern.
"Thirty thousand?"
Ye Fan smiled, "No problem. Just as you said, we'll sign the sales contract immediately."
Ye Fan agreed without the slightest hesitation, causing Shen Tianyin and Old Ji to frown.
"Ye Fan..."
"Brother Ye, this..."
They both spoke at the same time, but Ye Fan raised his hand to stop them.
"So straightforward. This is the kind of person who does great things."
The old man was full of joy.
This item was indeed his family heirloom, but for generations, no one had figured out how valuable it was. This time, he was just trying his luck.
His previous assertiveness towards Old Ji was all an act.
He never expected that the young man who suddenly appeared would be so generous and actually give him thirty thousand.
Seeing Ye Fan's firm attitude, Shen Tianyin, though confused, could only helplessly ask the shop assistant to bring the agreement.
After signing his name and pressing his handprint alongside the old man, Shen Tianyin directly transferred the money to the elder. The deal was done.
Ye Fan also let out a sigh of relief, a smile on his face.
"Young man, this item is yours. But I'm very confused. The elder Ji just said it was a fake, and he didn't seem to be lying. I also had several appraisers look at it before, and they all said it was a fake. Why did you still buy it?"
Since the deal was settled and the money was in his hands, the old man finally asked his doubts.
Old Ji and Shen Tianyin also looked at Ye Fan. Although they trusted Ye Fan, they were equally curious about what made the Buddha statue so precious.
Ye Fan smiled, "Since this Buddha statue is your family heirloom, it naturally has its value. However, this value is not something that appraisers can see."
As he spoke, Ye Fan picked up the Buddha statue and placed it on the appraisal table nearby.
Then, he picked up a hammer from the side.
"Ah."
"What are you doing?"
Seeing Ye Fan swing the hammer and smash it down towards the Buddha statue, the old man and the onlookers all cried out in surprise.
Only Old Ji and Shen Tianyin exchanged glances, seeing surprise in each other's eyes.
It seemed they had struck a bargain this time, and the treasure was hidden within the Buddha statue.
"Crack."
The Buddha statue shattered with a sound, revealing countless fragments of paintings.
Ye Fan picked up tweezers and moved aside a few larger fragments. Beneath them lay a pearl.
This pearl was pure white, and its surface surprisingly exuded a lustrous sheen.
Putting on gloves, Ye Fan took out the pearl.
He shone it under the light and smiled, "A Dragon Eye Pearl from the East Sea, the finest type of pearl. Moreover, this Dragon Eye Pearl is a fully developed pearl, with excellent moisture, luster, and roundness. At the current market price for this type of Dragon Eye Pearl, it's ten thousand yuan per gram. This Dragon Eye Pearl is at least three hundred grams, making its value at least three million."
Handing the Dragon Eye Pearl to Shen Tianyin, Ye Fan's smile deepened.
Dragon Eye Pearls were not common in the market nowadays.
Because of their excellent benefits for the lungs and beauty, many people would buy them at a high price.
Upon hearing Ye Fan's words, the old man was stunned. In the next moment, his body convulsed a few times, and he fell to the ground with a thud.
Seeing this, Shen Tianyin quickly asked someone to help him up.
"How could this happen? I'm not reconciled!"
The old man slowly woke up, suddenly stood up, and glared at Ye Fan, saying angrily.
But Ye Fan shook the sales agreement in his hand, "Our Tianyin Pavilion never bullies customers, nor do we fear anyone. Therefore, this transaction was voluntary, and everyone present has witnessed it. If you dare to cause any more trouble, I'll call the police."
Ye Fan's expression gradually turned grim as he spoke without any politeness.
Dealing with someone like this requires striking at their lifeline and giving them no opportunity to quibble.
Gritting his teeth and glaring fiercely at Ye Fan, he was eventually pulled away angrily.
An item worth three million sold for thirty thousand. It was natural for him to be upset.
"A ten-fold price difference. It's understandable that the old man is angry."
Watching the old man's retreating back, Shen Tianyin sighed.
Turning to Shen Tianyin, Ye Fan looked surprised, "Why do you think that? It's true that this Buddha statue contained this pearl, but if one couldn't see it, it was just a high-quality imitation. Old Ji's previous offer of two thousand was fair. The reason it went from two thousand to three million is because I identified it as a treasure, so the old man didn't lose out."
The antique appraisal business was like this. The truly valuable things were never the objects themselves, but the eyes of the appraiser.
Even if a treasure was placed here, if no one could recognize it as a treasure, it would only be worth the price of cabbage.
Old Ji nodded, then stroked his beard with a smile.
"Brother Ye, I'm afraid in this world today, only you possess such discerning eyes. I am truly impressed from the bottom of my heart."
Completely convinced by Ye Fan's divine skills, Old Ji said with emotion.
Shen Tianyin, standing beside them, was beaming with joy and handed the Dragon Eye Pearl to an assistant to put away.
Then she smiled, "Regardless, we've made a fortune today. I'll treat you to lunch."
As the boss of Tianyin Pavilion, Shen Tianyin was becoming increasingly suited for her position.
...
In a high-end restaurant not far from the antique street, the three of them specifically chose a corner where they could chat easily.
The three of them ate and talked.
"I heard that you've been targeting the Liu family these past few days, and the Liu family is very annoyed. They've threatened to deal with you."
Looking at Ye Fan, Shen Tianyin said with concern.
Engaged in the antique business, she naturally knew how formidable the Liu family was, and that the Dark Alliance was not something they could provoke.
Old Ji nodded heavily, "This Liu family has existed in Jiangcheng for over two hundred years. They are deeply entrenched and have connections with most circles in Jiangcheng. Especially the eldest young master Liu Yuan. Despite his young age, his abilities are already terrifying.
He can easily identify which painting is genuine and which is a fake among a hundred famous paintings.
Even I am ashamed of such skill."
Old Ji's words stunned Ye Fan. He was talking about Liu Yuan? That good-for-nothing who only knew how to scheme and play dirty tricks? He actually had such skills? It felt like he wasn't talking about the same person.
"Old Ji, although the Liu family has some strength, they are ultimately confined to Jiangcheng. Perhaps in Jiangcheng, they can do as they please, but they cannot cover the sky with one hand. The sky in Jiangcheng has been too calm for too long. It's time for a change."
Looking out the window, Ye Fan's gaze gradually deepened.