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墨書 Inktalez
The next day, I deliberately made Aunt Wang wait an hour before picking up Lin Jiaojiao. I wanted to see how she would prepare for this sudden "interest."
An hour later, Lin Jiaojiao walked into the living room accompanied by Aunt Wang. She was wearing a simple yet elegant qipao, her hair styled in a simple bun, looking gentle and graceful, truly resembling a refined young lady well-versed in antiques.
I set down my teacup and looked her up and down, a meaningful smile curling at the corners of my mouth. "Jiaojiao, your outfit today is quite nice, very classical."
"Thank you for the compliment, Aunt," Lin Jiaojiao replied with a slight smile as she gracefully took a seat across from me.
I noticed that although she appeared calm on the surface, her hand holding the teacup trembled slightly, and her gaze flickered, clearly indicating that she was hiding something.
"Let's go; it's time to head out," I said without revealing anything, simply smiling as I stood up and walked toward the door.
On the way, I intentionally slowed my pace to walk alongside Lin Jiaojiao, engaging in casual conversation that revolved around antiques. I found that although Lin Jiaojiao had done her homework and memorized quite a bit about antiques,
I secretly scoffed while maintaining a composed demeanor, continuing to "teach" her patiently.
Throughout the journey, Lin Jiaojiao remained tense, struggling to respond to my various questions. She realized that Zhang Qian's knowledge of antiques far exceeded her expectations; many points she had memorized were quickly identified by Zhang Qian as incorrect or flawed. This made Lin Jiaojiao feel unprecedented pressure, and she began to doubt whether Zhang Qian had already sensed something.
Upon arriving at Treasure Pavilion, I led Lin Jiaojiao straight to the VIP room on the second floor. Inside the room, exquisite tea snacks and fruits were already arranged on a rosewood coffee table.
I invited Lin Jiaojiao to sit down while Aunt Wang immediately brewed a pot of fine Longjing tea. I picked up my teacup, lightly inhaling the aroma of the tea before casually asking, "Jiaojiao, I remember you mentioned before that you are interested in Song Dynasty Porcelain, right?"
"Ah... yes, yes," Lin Jiaojiao stammered for a moment, her eyes flickering as my sudden question caught her off guard. She lifted her teacup and took a small sip to cover her nervousness while trying to recall the knowledge she had crammed last night.
I observed Lin Jiaojiao's reaction closely and became more convinced that her previously stated interest was merely a facade to please Jiangcheng.
"I recently acquired a few pieces of Ru Kiln porcelain; I'm curious if you'd like to appreciate them?" I set down my teacup and looked at her with a half-smile.
Lin Jiaojiao's heart sank; Ru Kiln porcelain is renowned as the crown jewel among the five famous kilns of the Song Dynasty and is extremely precious. She had only skimmed through some pictures last night and hadn't delved deeply into it at all.
She forced a smile. "Of course, I'd love to see them."
I waved my hand to signal Aunt Wang to open the brocade box I brought. Inside lay a sky-blue Ru Kiln small dish, its glaze warm like jade and its shape delicate and exquisite.
I picked up the small dish and presented it to Lin Jiaojiao. "What do you think of this piece?"
Lin Jiaojiao nervously took the small dish and examined it carefully. She could feel Zhang Qian's gaze lingering on her, as if scrutinizing every subtle expression on her face.
"This... this piece of porcelain... the color is very beautiful..." Lin Jiaojiao racked her brain but couldn't find the right words to describe it. She felt her palms sweating and her heart racing.
I observed Lin Jiaojiao's flustered state, set down my teacup, and let out a light laugh. The sound echoed clearly in the quiet room, making Lin Jiaojiao even more uneasy.
"Beautiful color?" I raised an eyebrow, my tone laced with a hint of mockery. "Jiaojiao, Ru Kiln porcelain isn't just about the color; take a closer look at the glaze, the crackle, and this..."
I deliberately emphasized the word "crackle," watching Lin Jiaojiao's reaction. Sure enough, upon hearing "crackle," her eyes flickered noticeably, and her fingers tightened around the small dish.
"I... I..." Lin Jiaojiao stammered, unable to articulate her thoughts. She looked around for help but found that apart from me and Aunt Wang, there was no one else in the room.
I noted her reaction with amusement; it seemed that Lin Jiaojiao's understanding of antiques was merely superficial.
"What's wrong? Can't say anything?" I set down my teacup, leaned slightly forward, and fixed a sharp gaze on Lin Jiaojiao. "I remember you said before that you had extensive knowledge of Song Dynasty Porcelain and wanted to have a good discussion with me. Why is it that now you can't even string together a few decent sentences?"
Though my tone was calm, the pressure in my words made Lin Jiaojiao feel breathless. Her face turned pale, beads of sweat forming on her forehead, yet she didn't dare to wipe them away, sitting stiffly like a child who had done something wrong.
"Auntie, I... I..." Lin Jiaojiao opened her mouth to explain but found herself at a loss for words.
Seeing her in such distress didn't bring me any pleasure; rather, I felt a twinge of sympathy. After all, she was just a young girl trying to navigate her way in high society while wearing a mask and living cautiously.
"Alright, Jiaojiao, don't be nervous." I softened my tone and gently patted the back of her hand. "I just wanted to tease you; you don't need to take it to heart."
Lin Jiaojiao looked up at me with disbelief. She couldn't understand why Zhang Qian had been so aggressive one moment and suddenly so amiable the next.
"Really? Auntie, you... you don't blame me?" Lin Jiaojiao asked cautiously.
I smiled and shook my head. "How could I blame you? You're only looking out for A-Cheng; I can understand that."
I paused before continuing, "Actually, I don't know much about antiques either; I just look at them casually when I'm bored."
I stood up and walked over to the Antique Display Shelf, casually picking up a jade carving and saying lightly, "These things are just for looking at; there's no need to take them too seriously."
Lin Jiaojiao watched my back with a complex expression. She couldn't comprehend what Zhang Qian was really up to or why her attitude had changed so suddenly.
I turned around and met Lin Jiaojiao's puzzled gaze, giving a slight smile. "Alright, it's getting late. Let's go downstairs to eat."
I was the first to step out of the room, and Lin Jiaojiao paused for a moment before quickly following me.
Lin Jiaojiao hurried to my side, carefully supporting me with a flattering smile on her face. "Auntie, please take your time and watch your step."
I calmly withdrew my hand and replied lightly, "I'm not old enough to the point where I can't walk."
Lin Jiaojiao's smile froze for a moment but quickly returned to normal. It seemed she didn't catch my underlying meaning and continued on her own. "Auntie, you're joking. I'm just worried about you..."
"Worried about what?" I stopped in my tracks, turned around, and looked at her with a half-smile.
Lin Jiaojiao's gaze flickered slightly; she bit her lip and said softly, "It's nothing. I'm just worried that you... are overworking yourself."
"Overworking myself?" I repeated her words with a hint of sarcasm in my tone. "What do I have to worry about besides eating, drinking, and having fun every day?"
Lin Jiaojiao's face turned pale. She opened her mouth to explain but didn't know what to say.
Seeing her flustered expression, I couldn't help but sneer inwardly. Lin Jiaojiao really couldn't keep her composure; I had only tested her a few times, and she had already revealed her true colors.
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