Chapter 009: Hidden Mysteries, Extremely Valuable
Lin Lang replied, "It seems Fortune Goddess is favoring me. It's hard not to get rich by finding a good deal!"
"A Lang, are these old, worn-out lacquer wine cups really worth a lot?"
"As for whether these seemingly old lacquer wine cups are valuable, we'll know once we get to Treasure Pavilion Antique Pawnshop for an appraisal, Keqing."
Gu Keqing smiled and replied, "Okay!"
AI Generated Gu Keqing's Back View
Immediately after, Lin Lang once again led Gu Keqing through the antique market, making their way to Treasure Pavilion Antique Pawnshop.
Motorcycle Goddess Zhou Mengyao's motorcycle was still parked outside the Zhenbao Pavilion, indicating that Lin Lang's high school classmate was still inside the Zhenbao Pavilion and had not left.
Lin Lang and Gu Keqing entered the Zhenbao Pavilion for the second time.
Master of Appraisal A Cheng greeted them warmly, "Hello, Mr. Lin!"
"Mr. Lin just left not long ago and has returned. Is there something you need?"
Lin Lang smiled and replied, "Don't worry, I haven't gone back on my word about pawning the great virtue circulating treasure coins. Instead, I've brought a pair of exquisite antiques to pawn at your establishment again."
Master of Appraisal A Cheng smiled and said, "Mr. Lin, please come in quickly!"
"This time, I wouldn't dare neglect such an esteemed guest. Let's go directly to the VIP room, where we can appraise and estimate the value while enjoying tea."
Lin Lang replied with a single word, "Good!"
"Please!" Master of Appraisal A Cheng respectfully led the way.
Lin Lang and Gu Keqing took their seats in the VIP room. A beautiful female tea artist from Zhenbao Pavilion, dressed in Hanfu and wearing a hair clasp, began to perform a tea ceremony, brewing and pouring tea for Lin Lang and Gu Keqing. The VIP treatment was much more upscale.
Lin Lang picked up the fragrant tea beside him and took a small sip. Instantly, the fresh aroma and sweetness entered his mouth, filling his oral cavity with the scent of tea, slowly spreading, and a refreshing sensation permeated his entire body.
"Good tea!"
Gu Keqing took a shallow sip of the clear tea and replied indifferently, "I still prefer coffee. A Lang, do you even understand the tea ceremony?"
Lin Lang replied, "I'm not particularly talented, but I know a little about everything."
"Haha…"
Gu Keqing raised an eyebrow and smiled, testing him, "Then A Lang, tell me, what kind of tea is the female tea artist brewing?"
Ding! All-Purpose Entry Prompt System message: West Lake Longjing Tea.
After receiving the system prompt, Lin Lang pretended to be profound and replied, "West Lake Longjing Tea."
Gu Keqing looked at the female tea artist dressed in Hanfu.
The female tea artist smiled and replied, "Mr. Lin is right. The tea we provide in Zhenbao Pavilion's VIP room is indeed excellent West Lake Longjing Tea."
Gu Keqing shrugged after hearing this and said, "Alright! A Lang, you really showed off!"
AI Generated Gu Keqing Beautiful Picture
Master of Appraisal A Cheng tentatively asked, "Mr. Lin, what kind of precious antique are you planning to pawn this time?"
Lin Lang, mysteriously, gently placed a pair of seemingly worn-out lacquer wine cups on the appraisal table.
Master of Appraisal A Cheng picked up one of the lacquer wine cups, first examining it with his naked eye from every angle, then using a magnifying glass to meticulously inspect the details of the lacquer wine cup.
"Mr. Lin, it seems this pair of lacquer wine cups of yours aren't particularly valuable antiques!"
"These lacquer wine cups are in very poor condition, and they are plain lacquer cups without carvings, nor are they carved red lacquerware. They look more like old folk items from the late Qing Dynasty or early Republic of China, and their value is extremely low!"
"Lacquer wine cups in such poor condition, even if they are old items from the late Qing Dynasty or early Republic of China, our Zhenbao Pavilion does not accept them."
Gu Keqing looked at Lin Lang after hearing this, and whispered awkwardly, "A Lang, could it be that you've made a mistake this time?"
Lin Lang, however, laughed and said, "This pair of lacquer wine cups of mine is a genuine treasure! It's okay if you don't recognize its value. Go invite your boss over. Uncle Zhou is a Master of Appraisal and will definitely recognize its worth better than you."
Master of Appraisal A Cheng said with some difficulty, "Mr. Lin, I don't think that's necessary, is it?!"
"After all, I've been an appraiser for eight years. I'm confident I wouldn't misjudge such an ordinary pair of lacquer wine cups, so there's no need to bother our boss."
Lin Lang said, "It seems your appraisal skills aren't deep enough, even after eight years of learning the trade!"
"Mr. Lin, why do you say that?" Master of Appraisal A Cheng laughed awkwardly.
"My next action isn't to embarrass you; it's just to broaden your horizons." As Lin Lang spoke, his right hand picked up the tea knife from the tea table.
Master of Appraisal A Cheng wiped away cold sweat and weakly said, "Mr. Lin, your method of broadening my horizons is quite unique. What do you mean by suddenly picking up a tea knife?"
Lin Lang smiled and replied, "I'm not going to hurt you, so what are you afraid of?"
Master of Appraisal A Cheng sweat profusely and said, "Mr. Lin is joking."
Gu Keqing secretly tugged at Lin Lang's sleeve and whispered, "A Lang, what are you trying to do by picking up that tea knife?"
Lin Lang replied mysteriously, "The moment to witness a miracle has arrived!"
Lin Lang, holding the tea knife, carefully scraped off the old red lacquer from the lacquer wine cup with the blade, until the oil paper layer inside was revealed. Lin Lang, like unwinding a silkworm cocoon, very cautiously poked through the oil paper with the tea knife.
Immediately after, Lin Lang peeled back the perfectly wrapped oil paper layer, little by little, revealing a precious and rare Tang Dynasty rhinoceros horn cup, which stunned everyone in the VIP room.
The female tea artist dressed in Hanfu was dumbfounded and exclaimed, "I've worked at Zhenbao Pavilion for so long, and I've never heard of such a strange thing as a rhinoceros horn cup being disguised and hidden inside a lacquer wine cup."
Gu Keqing blinked her butterfly-like large eyes, so shocked that she stood up from the sofa, and said in disbelief, "This is simply incredible!"
"I racked my brain and couldn't imagine that a seemingly cheap, old lacquer wine cup would conceal a priceless rhinoceros horn cup."
"A Lang, this time, you've truly made me see you in a new light!"
Under the light, Lin Lang looked at the Tang Dynasty rhinoceros horn cup in his hand and praised, "This rhinoceros horn cup has a firm, yellowish, fine, and moist bone texture, with an amber color that is slightly translucent. It was carved using a round carving method, and its luster is moist and radiant, like congealed fat. Its condition is perfect; it's simply too beautiful!"
Master of Appraisal A Cheng, who had just been humiliated, exclaimed in shock, "Amazing!"
"Mr. Lin, you truly have excellent eyesight!"
"Even a rhinoceros horn cup so perfectly disguised and hidden within a lacquer wine cup was discovered by Mr. Lin. I am utterly impressed by Mr. Lin!"
"Convinced!"
"Truly convinced!"
"I've been an apprentice appraiser for eight years, and today, thanks to Mr. Lin, I've had my eyes opened twice. I've truly gained knowledge."
Lin Lang said faintly, "Alright, less flattery."
Master of Appraisal A Cheng bowed and said, "I'm very sorry, Mr. Lin!"
"I was quite rude just now. I hope Mr. Lin, being a magnanimous person, will forgive my lack of skill and my inexperience, and overlook my mistreatment of an esteemed guest."
"I will go invite the boss over now to personally appraise and estimate the value for Mr. Lin!"
"Go!" Lin Lang crossed his legs and leisurely drank his tea.
"Mr. Lin, please wait a moment, I'll be right back!"
After Master of Appraisal A Cheng exited the VIP room, he wiped away cold sweat, thinking, "It seems the eldest young lady's high school classmate is no ordinary person!"
With that thought, Master of Appraisal A Cheng hurried up to the third floor and knocked on the boss's office door.
"Knock knock knock…"
Zhou Zhongdang, who was writing calligraphy in his office, wielded his brush with sweeping strokes, his writing flowing like dragons and snakes, elegantly practicing calligraphy, exuding the artistic temperament of a Master of Appraisal and a great collector.
The cool and sweet Motorcycle Goddess Zhou Mengyao was standing by, grinding ink for her father. Upon hearing the knock, she replied, "Come in!"
"Creak…"
The shop assistant pushed the door open and entered the boss's office, respectfully saying, "I apologize for disturbing your leisure, General Manager Zhou. Mr. Lin, the eldest young lady's high school classmate, has come to our Zhenbao Pavilion again."
Zhou Zhongdang stopped writing upon hearing this and frowned, "Could it be that Lin Lang regrets pawning the great virtue circulating treasure ancestral coin?"