Li Yang and the others drank tea for a while, praising Lou Dong's character, when Xiao Liu arrived with people pushing a small cart.
Soon, dozens of Lou Dong's treasured antiques, rarely offered for sale, were presented before them.
Xiao Liu smiled and said, "Young Master Li, as the boss mentioned earlier, please feel free to choose one. Don't be shy."
"Then I shall not refuse." Li Yang's eyes scanned the dozens of items and immediately lit up. Lou Dong truly lived up to his reputation as a master of metal and stone. Not a single treasure he collected had a market value less than a million.
While a million might sound far from an imperial green jade, it was important to remember that a large-scale gambling stone field might not produce an imperial green even once a year. Even high-quality glass jade and ice jade were rare. This showed that antiques worth a million were not easily obtainable.
As for the Twelve Zodiac Paintings, they were unique in the vast world. If one didn't have the destiny, and it wasn't meant to be theirs, it would remain so, even in ten lifetimes of dreams.
Otherwise, how could they be worth hundreds of millions?
Li Yang picked up a small pair of Wumu couplets and smiled, "I'll take this one. 'Dawn bids farewell to the colorful clouds of Baidi, a thousand miles of Jiangling in a single day's return.' Li Taibai's poem is grand and magnificent, and Zhao Mengfu's calligraphy is not ordinary. The two complement each other. Hanging it in my small shop will also boost its popularity."
"Alright, Young Master Li. I'll have someone pack it for you and deliver it to your shop tomorrow morning," Xiao Liu said with a smile.
Li Yang shook his head, "No need for such trouble. Just help me wrap it up, and I'll take it with me now. I drove here, so it's very convenient."
"Alright."
"Then I'll choose this one." Fang Xiaoqing looked at Li Yang and also chose something made of Wumu, another pair of couplets, also with Li Taibai's poetry.
"'Heaven bestows on me talents, each must find its use; scattering a thousand pieces of gold, they return to me anew.'"
"Brother Li, do you think I'm a piece of material?"
"Miss Li is intelligent and lovely. If she were a piece of material, she would undoubtedly be a piece of fine jade." Li Yang was at a loss for words. What was with this woman? Had she truly fallen for him, determined to have him?
She even chose matching items. Anyone with eyes could see what Fang Xiaoqing's intentions were.
Zhao Chen was already winking and chuckling at him, "Not bad, Brother Li. For a young lady like Miss Fang to be so forward, she's already put aside a lot of her reserve. Don't you go cutting the red threads of fate that matchmaker has tied yourself."
"Stop your nonsense and choose yours," Li Yang glared at him.
Although he could sense that Fang Xiaoqing indeed had some affection for him, it absolutely hadn't escalated to love at first sight.
There were likely other intentions behind this woman's actions.
Zhao Chen chuckled, "Metal and stone, metal and stone. It's either gold or jade. You two chose such plain items. I won't be like you. I want something made of gold."
"Is this golden stele inscription acceptable?"
"Of course. However, Mr. Zhao, this is not pure gold. It's gilt inscription, written by a famous calligrapher of the Qing Dynasty, of Cao Jian's 'Ode to the Luo River Goddess' from the Cao Wei period," Xiao Liu explained with a smile.
Zhao Chen asked curiously, "Not pure gold? Then what's underneath?"
"Bronze."
"Damn, how stingy!"
"Would Mr. Zhao like to choose something else?" Xiao Liu asked.
Zhao Chen shook his head, "No, no. Whether I choose well or poorly is my fate. One should accept their destiny. If it's not pure gold, then so be it. I'll take this one."
"I don't need you to deliver it either. Just wrap it up. I also drove here."
"Alright. May I ask if Miss Fang also drove here?" Xiao Liu nodded and looked at Fang Xiaoqing.
Fang Xiaoqing, however, looked at Li Yang with watery eyes and said, "Brother Li, my sedan is too small. Can you help me?"
"Pretty please~"
"Can you please stop acting cute?" Li Yang took a deep breath. This woman had two ways of acting cute: one was when an ugly woman acted cute, which was terrifying.
The other was when a beautiful woman, especially a pure-looking beauty, acted cute, which could make one's bones go soft and unbearable.
"Then, pretty please?"
"No," Li Yang said, carrying the Wumu couplets and walking out.
Fang Xiaoqing was stunned for a moment, not expecting him to be able to refuse her even after she had acted like this. "Brother Li~"
"Even calling me 'Dad' won't work."
"Daddy Li."
"Damn it, stop fooling around."
Li Yang almost stumbled. Wasn't this woman different when they first met?
What had caused her to act this way towards him?
Could it be that my personal charm was too attractive to girls?
Shaking his head secretly, he quickened his pace.
Seeing this, Fang Xiaoqing stomped her foot and said angrily, "Hmph, just you wait. Now you're indifferent to me, but when you fall for me, it'll be a 'chasing wife crematorium.' Let's see how I torment you!"
A while later, after everything was loaded into the cars, Li Yang said, "Zhao Chen, see you tomorrow. Miss Fang, be careful on the road."
"No, Brother Li, it's so late, aren't you going to escort me home?" Fang Xiaoqing quickly said, "What if I encounter a scoundrel on the road and they try to rob me of my virtue, and I have no one to rely on? Oh, wait for me!"
Before she could finish speaking, Li Yang stepped on the accelerator and sped away.
Until he understood why this woman was acting this way towards him, he felt it was best to maintain a certain distance. "Miss Fang, remember to call the police if you encounter any difficulties!"
"How hateful!" Fang Xiaoqing angrily punched the car door, making a "bang" sound.
Zhao Chen was startled. Good heavens, she looked like a pure and cute soft girl, and her delicate hands were small and fine, but her punch had so much force.
Goodness, he really couldn't tell.
The words of comfort he had been about to offer Fang Xiaoqing were immediately swallowed back, for fear of displeasing her and receiving a punch himself.
He knew very well that he was definitely not as durable as a car.
"Goodbye, Miss Fang."
"Oh, I'm so sorry, Mr. Zhao. I'm usually not like this, and I don't have much strength," Fang Xiaoqing said娇滴滴 (sweetly and coquettishly) upon hearing his voice.
I believe you, my foot!
Zhao Chen chuckled a few times and then drove away immediately.
"Boss, Young Master Li and the others have left." After putting the items back in their places, Xiao Liu walked up to Lou Dong to report.
Lou Dong asked, "What did they choose?"
"Young Master Li and Miss Fang chose a pair of Wumu couplets, and Mr. Zhao purely liked gold but lacked foresight and chose a gilt bronze stele inscription," Xiao Liu reported truthfully, handing him the list.
Lou Dong's eyes flickered a few times, and he slowly said, "Good kid, not only is his intuition exceptionally extraordinary, but he also knows the market conditions for antiques like the back of his hand."
"Among so many items, he chose the one with the lowest market value. To call it a coincidence, the probability is too low."
"Boss, what do you mean?"
"Send him an invitation to attend the Treasure Gathering Basin Conference this year."