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墨書 Inktalez
I still couldn't understand what illness I had. The sharp pain in my chest had disappeared, and the dizziness in my head was gone as well; everything seemed to have returned to normal.
However, the shadow from last night left a deep impression on me, and I was unsure whether the pills he gave me were poisonous. My life, both tangible and intangible, felt entangled with someone else's. If I were to suddenly die one day, it wouldn't surprise me at all. Strange thoughts bubbled up in my mind.
"Stop staring; the female doctor has already left."
Fat Ma's words snapped me back to reality. My face flushed, and I coughed lightly a few times to cover my embarrassment.
After saying a few words, the Mud Man fell silent and stood quietly beside me.
Days passed by just like that, and I was discharged from the hospital as scheduled. During my stay, I flipped through my medical records, but it simply stated "cause of illness unknown" in bold letters.
I took a deep breath and exhaled the stale air. The pungent smell of disinfectant had vanished without a trace, replaced by an expansive blue sky.
Fat Ma treated us to a nice meal in Beijing. Seeing that I was no longer in serious condition, my grandfather didn't want to linger in Beijing any longer. So in the afternoon, I saw him off at the train station. I was supposed to return with him, but the female doctor told me I needed to come back for a check-up in a few days.
After leaving the station, we climbed the Great Wall. When we returned to the hotel, Beijing was illuminated by countless lights. The next day at dawn, Fat Ma said he would take us to a good place. Mud Man and I didn't decline and followed Fat Ma to a bustling market.
"This is Panjiayuan," Fat Ma said, crossing his arms over his chest.
Panjiayuan is famous in our line of work; it's known as one of the largest antique markets where many collectors come to hunt for treasures. However, businesspeople are always more astute than customers.
Not long after we started walking, we were called out to: "Gentlemen, please wait!"
A middle-aged man dressed in a traditional coat waved us over to stop.
"What can we do for you?" Fat Ma asked.
The middle-aged man smiled ingratiatingly. "Just looking at you gentlemen, it's clear you're not ordinary people." After saying this, his playful expression shifted into one of mystery as he beckoned Fat Ma to lean closer.
Fat Ma leaned in closer, and the middle-aged man whispered something in his ear. Fat Ma's expression shifted slightly.
"Fresh finds?"
"Sir, we can't speak too loudly."
Both I and the clay figure heard him, surprised to encounter someone in the know. The mention of freshly unearthed items piqued my interest. A glint of cunning flashed in the middle-aged man's eyes as he noticed our curiosity.
"Gentlemen, follow me..."
"You’re not going to tend to your stall?" I kindly reminded him.
The middle-aged man dismissed my words and led us into an antique shop, similar to what Fat Ma did in Changsha.
"Shopkeeper," the middle-aged man called out. Without a sound, an elderly man in his fifties or sixties emerged from inside.
"What are you shouting about in broad daylight?"
"We have distinguished guests."
The old man adjusted his glasses, glanced at us, then put them back on. He coughed a few times, and the middle-aged man took the hint and stepped aside.
"Are you gentlemen just passing through or looking to trade?"
Fat Ma immediately recognized that we were dealing with someone knowledgeable and replied, "We’re both passing through and looking to trade."
The old man laughed heartily. "Please come in." He pulled aside a black curtain, allowing us entry. Once we passed through that curtain, it was time for frank discussions; whether it was a donkey or a horse, it would have to be shown off.
We entered a room.
The old man called over the shop assistants to prepare tea for the three of us, and during this time, he disappeared from sight. After a moment, he reappeared in the room, holding a delicate wooden box. He first ushered the assistants out.
"I won't beat around the bush," he said, placing the wooden box on the table, immediately capturing our attention.
Fat Ma reached out to touch the box but was swatted away by the old man, a flash of anger crossing Fat Ma's face. The old man, however, maintained his calm demeanor and smiled, "Don't rush."
Fat Ma reluctantly withdrew his hand. "What do you mean?"
"Whether the business succeeds or not, it all has to stay under wraps."
We understood his meaning. "No problem," Fat Ma replied decisively. Only then did the old man open the wooden box, revealing a piece of exquisite porcelain that still had traces of dirt on it. To an untrained eye, it looked like it had just been unearthed. But those in the know didn’t care about its age; they only distinguished between fakes and genuine items.
"Why is there still mud on it?" Fat Ma asked, his tone slightly dissatisfied.
"It’s just been dug up; I haven't had time to clean it yet."
Fat Ma reached out and picked up the porcelain, squinting at it. "The light is too dim."
The old man handed Fat Ma a flashlight, and as the light illuminated the porcelain, Fat Ma examined it closely. "Old Sun, come take a look."
I leaned in to observe the piece. Aside from some stains, if one overlooked them, the porcelain seemed to be in remarkably good condition.
But it was fake. I exchanged a glance with Fat Ma, who immediately understood. "This doesn't look like genuine porcelain; it seems more like something artificially aged."
At this point, the old man's expression changed slightly, but he still forced a smile. "Since you gentlemen don’t recognize quality, I have nothing more to say."
I chuckled softly.
Fat Ma no longer held back. "I've seen plenty of genuine pieces; just recently I handled a few." At this point, even a fool would realize they were dealing with an expert.
The old man wiped his sweat with a square handkerchief. "So you are the ones panning for gold. I must admit, my eyes are not as sharp as they used to be." With that, he took back the porcelain.
We didn’t say anything and were about to leave when the old man called out to us, "Please, stay a moment. Have a seat."
Fat Ma joked, "Is there something good you haven't shown us yet?" The old man chuckled awkwardly a few times, then called over his assistant to clear away the tea and replace it with a new cup. When the tea was served, a fragrant aroma wafted through the air.
"This is Biluochun from last year. Please give it a try."
Fat Ma picked up the teacup, blew on it lightly, and downed it in one go. He then proudly showed the empty cup to the old man. "Now, speak."
The old man's expression turned slightly awkward but quickly adjusted. "I have some Zhuang Business opportunities. I wonder if you are interested?"
"No," Fat Ma replied directly. Neither I nor the clay figure said a word.
However, the old man did not panic; instead, he continued, "The site is already prepared. If you are willing to go down and take a look yourselves, how about a fifty-fifty split?"
Fat Ma's cunning eyes darted around like wheels. "No way. Shopkeeper, you should know that going down is no different from going into battle; it's a matter of risking your life."
The old man winced at the thought of losing profit but held back his discomfort. "How about sixty-forty? If you still disagree, then I will have to seek someone else."
Since we returned from Xing'an Ridge last time, we hadn't gone down again. To be honest, we were itching for it. It felt like someone who doesn’t particularly like fish but still enjoys catching them.
Both the clay figure and I were those kinds of people; we weren’t very interested in so-called Mingqi, while Fat Ma was quite the opposite. In a way, he acted as our financial manager.
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