Chapter 79: What It Means to Strike It Rich!

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As for antiques, only a few care about the cultural heritage behind them; most people are rather worldly, eager above all to know their true age, so as to determine their worth.

"Sui Yi just mentioned it as well—this jade cicada is exquisitely and smoothly carved, yet the technique is flat-bladed, which appears complex. Such craftsmanship wouldn't be found in the Warring States or Western Zhou periods, which favored bold and simple styles. Only in the Southern and Northern Dynasties did jade cicadas still follow Han traditions, and due to the chaos of war, jade became scarce, so most cicadas were carved from steatite or with flat blades. The details became more realistic, and compared to the Han dynasty, they looked more lifelike. I believe this cicada is from the Han dynasty, though whether Eastern or Western Han, I can't be sure," Old Han said, modestly accepting the tea his granddaughter had respectfully handed him, and taking a sip.

The others listened with relish, and when he finished, they applauded in unison.

Indeed, age brings wisdom.

Old Han had a solid reputation in the Jiangnan district.

"So, this jade cicada is from the Han dynasty?" Zhang Guangbiao stroked his chin and muttered.

Han jade was famed for its lustrous white quality; the material of this cicada seemed to match that standard...

"From the Han dynasty? Sui Yi, you're truly remarkable! Ha, those people must be regretting their choices now."

Su Ziyi, enlightened by his grandfather's explanation, recounted the earlier events, which stirred Old Tang and the others to anger at the crooked dealings in the antique street, yet also made them sigh at the twists of fate.

After describing what had happened, Su Ziyi asked curiously, "Grandpa, if you and the others say this cicada in Sui Yi's hands is genuine, what would its price be?"

It was certainly genuine, or Old Tang and the others wouldn't be so excited.

Though they worked in this field, finding treasures was still extremely difficult—counterfeits were everywhere nowadays.

"Han dynasty jade cicadas... not too rare, but not plentiful either, and most are now housed in museums. If we speak of their value as collectibles, it's considerable," Old Han mused, using what he'd seen over the years as his benchmark.

"Two years ago—though I forget the exact month—a jade cicada was auctioned in Hanzhong City, quite similar to Sui Yi's, and fetched 2.6 million. Now, I'd estimate it's worth at least 3 million."

The recent boom in collecting, paired with inflation and currency devaluation, means jumping from 2.6 to 3 million is a conservative estimate.

The crowd gasped—a tiny jade cicada was worth 3 million?

It was almost like striking gold overnight!

Zhang Guangbiao felt a twinge of envy, sourly remarking, "Now that's what I call getting filthy rich—it's like picking up money off the street!"

The world of collecting is treacherous; unless your assets run into the tens of millions, you can't play, and who knows how many billionaires have been ruined by it. Yet, some do get rich overnight.

Like now—Sui Yi made every wealthy person here feel a bite of envy.

So after all these years of striving, their millions couldn't match the young girl's lucky find?

Did she really just spend twenty yuan for this?

My god!

More lucrative than a Wall Street financial crash!

"Sui Yi, you've just taught us old folks a lesson in bargain hunting. You spotted this jade cicada—not through deep expertise, but through careful observation and sharp wit. We older men have fixed ways of thinking, less nimble than you young people," Old Tang shook his head, handing the cicada back to Sui Yi, but she gently pushed it back to him.

"Give it to Old Tang," she said.

"What?" Old Tang was taken aback.

"You love this kind of ornament most of all. It was a lucky find, after all, and you helped me out before. Consider this my gesture of gratitude," Sui Yi spoke with sincerity, not joking in the slightest, and her earnestness had a curious effect.

A disciple giving something to her master wasn't unusual, but...

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But this was a jade cicada worth three million. Many believed that, if it was indeed genuine, it would fetch at least that at auction.

Three million—just given away?

Even as a favor, that was remarkably generous!

Old Tang knew Sui Yi wasn't one for empty gestures; if she said she'd give it, she meant it. Tell me, would your own son or daughter give you something so valuable? Would they? Would they!

Old Han and Yu Quan exchanged envious glances, making Old Tang feel a warm glow inside. After thinking for a moment, he put away the jade cicada, surprising Old Han and Yu Quan.

So, the old man actually took it?

"I'll accept it, but later I'll have someone bring you the property transfer papers so we can complete the handover..." Old Tang's words hinted at something, and Sui Yi immediately understood—was he planning to give her a villa worth five million?

"Old Tang, your villa is worth over five million. Giving it to me would be quite the exchange," Sui Yi said with a smile.

She couldn't possibly accept.

"If you won't take it, then I can't accept the jade cicada..." Old Tang calmly played with the cicada in his hand, acting as if he wouldn't take it.

The others rolled their eyes, especially Zhang Guangbiao, who exclaimed, "Hey, if you two don't want it, give it to me!"

Go away! Get lost!

Old Tang shot him a glare, while Sui Yi remembered she'd just earned 2.8 million from a piece of jade, plus her original hundred thousand, making nearly four million now.

"How about this, Old Tang—I give you another two million, and you transfer the villa to me," Sui Yi didn't want to haggle publicly; it was meant to be a gesture of respect, and making it too transactional would spoil it. Since Old Tang didn't want the cicada, she'd repay him another way in the future.

Some people thought Sui Yi was just an ordinary girl who suddenly struck it rich, but upon hearing her casually talk about two million, five million as if they were nothing, her composure left them dumbfounded.

She was calm and steady in a way that made people feel helpless.

Old Tang didn't argue further, nodded, and agreed, "It's settled then!"

He'd bought the villa for three million years ago, and real estate had soared since. He didn't live there or sell it, so it was just sitting idle. Now, exchanging it for the cicada, which would appreciate, and two million cash, he was thoroughly satisfied.

Hey, this was a gift from his own disciple—how many of you can claim the same?

Old Tang boasted, while the others looked on enviously.

Several businessmen approached, warmly offering Sui Yi their business cards.

They'd heard about her at the Yunlong Club and thought Old Tang's disciple was just lucky, but today, within a few hours, she'd made nearly 5.8 million. It was like a dream!

Was it luck?

If it happened three times, maybe she was truly blessed by heaven. Those in business wanted to borrow her luck, and besides, except for the jade gamble, her other successes were recognized by Old Han and the others as genuine ability. This girl had boundless potential!

So...

She must be befriended.

Sui Yi didn't refuse, handling herself gracefully as she chatted briefly and accepted their cards.

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These would surely come in handy someday.

It seemed the deputy director of the education bureau's card might be of use.

Sui Yi smiled faintly and nodded to the portly middle-aged man who was chatting with her, astonishing him.

Was it because his card looked particularly nice? Or his name sounded special?

But from now on, she had the beginnings of a network in Nanxun and even the wider Jiangnan region.

To Su Ziyi, all this was simply another dazzling facet of Sui Yi; he'd always considered her extraordinary, especially with his grandfather's high praise, so he wasn't overly surprised.

But for Li Jingyan, who was meeting Sui Yi for the first time in days, it was like a dream.

A dream he'd often had, filled with both fear and hope.

The girl who should never have been stranded in the shallows—was she finally ready to soar?

But what about him?

Li Jingyan lowered his head and rose from his seat, about to leave, when someone called him back.

At that moment, Sui Yi glanced at the clock on the wall and apologized to those still eager to chat, "Sorry, everyone, it's time..."

Time for what?

The group was briefly puzzled, but then Sui Yi turned to Su Ziyi and said, "We have exams this afternoon. You all have the same schedule, right?"

"Ah, yes! We have exams—I almost forgot. And we haven't eaten yet!"

It wasn't just Su Ziyi who realized he'd spent the whole morning with Sui Yi and now had only half an hour until the exam; even the others had forgotten about lunch.

But nothing was as striking as Sui Yi mentioning her exam.

"Wow, I forgot Sui Yi is still a student!"

"Exams? This afternoon? Damn, my son is in ninth grade and told me the teacher was sick so he had the afternoon off! I can't believe it!"

No matter how much the crowd lamented and cursed, Old Han wouldn't let the two young people skip lunch before their exam, especially since it was just a mock test.

"Eat first, then go! It's only an exam—what's there to fear?"

He never worried about his grandson, nor about Sui Yi. It's just an exam; what does a degree matter?

Old Tang and the others cared even less. "Come, let's eat first."

"Who cares about the exam!"

"Here, today I'll pay, Sui Yi—you must do me the honor! If need be, these old men can call your principal..."

"No need for you to pay—Sui Yi made a big profit today, let her treat us!"

A crowd of people headed out together...

Li Jingyan joined them—after all, he'd saved Sui Yi, and Old Tang insisted on including him, his relentless persuasion overwhelming the half-wild youth.

(To be continued. If you enjoyed this work, you're welcome to support it with votes at Qidian. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.reading.)