You Have Science, I Have Martial Arts-Chapter 682 - 299: So You’re Trying to Fool Me Now, Huh? (Part 2)

"You really have an eye for this, madam!"

The middle-aged shop owner had a keen eye for people. He quickly discerned that Ye Qingzhou and Xu Yuebing were either wealthy or of high status. After complimenting Xu Yuebing, he launched into an elaborate tale of a tragic love story associated with the vase.

Emotionally expressive and narratively seamless, the middle-aged owner seemed to embody a street storyteller, bringing tears to the eyes of his listeners.

Finally, he quoted a sky-high price: "Two million, just two million, and this unparalleled treasure can be yours."

Xu Yuebing was somewhat tempted by his pitch but looked towards Ye Qingzhou, clearly seeking his opinion.

Ye Qingzhou ignored the middle-aged owner's tragic love story. No matter how much he embellished it, it couldn't rival the insight of the Celestial Eye.

Once the Celestial Eye opened, it illuminated the ten directions.

On the yangcai hollow revolving heart vase before him, Ye Qingzhou saw little trace of time's imprint, much like tree rings mark trees; everything in the world bears the marks of time.

"It's a very beautiful piece of craftsmanship, but it's not an antique."

Ye Qingzhou wasn't short of the two million now, and neither was Xu Yuebing short of that money, but spending money could be avoided if it meant being taken for a fool.

"Customer, don't speak recklessly if you don't understand!"

The middle-aged owner was immediately agitated.

In the antiques business, not doing business wasn't the problem; after all, you might not open the store for three years, but one deal can feed you for three years.

But ruining one's reputation meant doom.

Seeing the deal wasn't happening, the middle-aged owner furiously threatened, "Are you here to ruin my business? Let me tell you, all the items I sell are authentic! If you don't know about antiques, don't talk nonsense; do you believe I'll sue you for slander?"

"Heh~"

Ye Qingzhou let out a cold laugh, "You have the nerve to sell fakes and say I'm wrong?"

Though he didn't understand antiques, Ye Qingzhou knew human nature well. In the circle of cultural artifacts, counterfeiting was rampant, yet this time, the shop owner tried to deceive him.

He looked around, scanning every corner of the shop, and said disdainfully, "In this store of yours, there's not a single authentic piece, clearly an illegal establishment."

"You!"

The middle-aged owner was almost driven mad with anger. These recent years had already been tough economically, and with Ye Qingzhou causing a scene, the shop might not have any business for years.

Being able to run an antique store on Hollywood Road, he clearly wasn't any kind-hearted man.

But before he could act against Ye Qingzhou, Xu Pingfang walked in: "What's going on here?"

She had taken a phone call and just stepped away for a moment, only to hear the commotion coming from the antique shop.

"Mrs. Lin!"

Recognizing Xu Pingfang, the middle-aged owner's heart skipped a beat. He immediately realized Ye Qingzhou and Xu Yuebing weren't just ordinary wealthy mainland tourists.

The minor under-the-table forces he had were a joke compared to a powerful family like the Lin family.

"Misunderstanding, it's all a misunderstanding."

In the end, the middle-aged owner hastily apologized and even gave Xu Yuebing the vase for free, just hoping Ye Qingzhou would drop the matter.

Though the yangcai hollow revolving heart vase was a replica, it was so meticulously crafted that if sold as an artwork, it wouldn't be worth cutting the price down by two hundred thousand but still worth forty or fifty thousand.

As they left, Xu Yuebing happily hugged the vase.

For her, the vase's monetary value wasn't important; what mattered was that she really liked it and that it was a gift from Ye Qingzhou.

Even though Ye Qingzhou didn't spend a single penny.

On the way back, Xu Yuebing was quite curious, "Aren't you not familiar with antiques? How did you know this vase was a fake?"

"Because I can see the traces of time."

Ye Qingzhou truthfully replied.

His Xiangshu Thinking had already advanced to the Mastery Realm, allowing him to perceive 'Phenomenon,' meaning the various traces things leave over long periods.

Xu Yuebing's eyes lit up upon hearing this, "So if you go to appraise antiques, wouldn't it be a sure-win no-lose deal?"

Ye Qingzhou lightly tapped her delicate little head, "I've already become a Martial Arts Grandmaster, why would I go make money in such a painstaking way, isn't it beneath me?"

"Just try it; it seems like it would be fun."

Xu Yuebing held her forehead but didn't give up on this idea. People naturally love treasure hunting and gaining advantages, and the joy of acquiring things effortlessly is irresistibly alluring.

Xu Pingfang looked at the two playfully bantering and said from the passenger seat, "Tomorrow evening, there's a Sotheby's auction. If you're interested, you can check it out."

The Lin family, being a prominent family in Xiangjiang, could easily secure a few entry tickets.

Xu Yuebing, who hadn't participated much in auctions in the mainland, was clearly interested, and Ye Qingzhou also wanted to see if he could find anything he'd fancy at the auction.

After all, he didn't need to participate in the Celestial Sword Cup preliminary round and had plenty of time to enjoy life.

The next day, the Sotheby's Xiangjiang Treasure Auction proceeded as scheduled.

Early in the morning, Ye Qingzhou got out of bed.

After washing up and having breakfast in the hotel restaurant, he didn't go out but returned to his room, lying on the bed and searching for something on his phone.

Xu Yuebing knocked on the door and entered, asking, "What are you busy with?"

"Busy seeking help from netizens."

"Even you need help? What trouble have you encountered?"

Curiously, she moved closer, her charming face almost touching Ye Qingzhou's temple.

Ye Qingzhou replied, "First time attending an auction, trying to figure out how to look like I'm very familiar with it."

On the browser, Ye Qingzhou kept searching for answers to his question.

And upon seeing the wacky answers from netizens, Xu Yuebing burst into laughter, shaking with laughter.

The web was full of quirky, amusing responses, truly tickling one's funny bone.

"Wear a suit, and style your hair like an adult."

"Go with a Gatling gun, be spirited, don't lose your status!"

"The original poster is attending a Sotheby's auction? Need a female companion?"

"Wait, are you a guy?"

"How dare you assume my gender? Can't I cross-dress as a woman!"

These quirky answers were evidently not of any practical use.

Ultimately, Ye Qingzhou decided to drop the idol burden and just go with the flow.

As a grandmaster, who would dare question if I was a country bumpkin?

After putting down his phone, he checked the time. There were still over ten hours until nightfall, so he decided to stay at the hotel for the day and not go anywhere.

At five thirty in the afternoon.

Ye Qingzhou, holding the invitation, arrived at Xiangjiang Grand Hotel.

As soon as he walked into the hotel, Sotheby's staff approached him.

"Hello sir, are you here for the auction?"

Ye Qingzhou took out his and Xu Yuebing's invitation: "Yes."

The staff took the invitation, opened it, and had a look.

"So it's Mr. Ye and Ms. Xu, please follow me."

Ye Qingzhou glanced around and noticed many people had already arrived.

From the invitations in their hands, it was clear they were also invited Xiangjiang elite or dignitaries from the mainland.

These people were men and women of various ages; seeing the staff leading Ye Qingzhou in, they all speculated who this handsome young man could be, albeit unfamiliar.

Entering Hall No. 4, the seats were already set up.

He made a quick count; there must be over a hundred chairs here.

Following the staff, he arrived at the door of a room.

The staff opened the door and said, "Mr. Ye, our manager said this is your resting place. Please take a seat; the auction will begin shortly. If you need anything, feel free to press the bell to notify me. I wish you an enjoyable experience."

Seeing the staff leave, Ye Qingzhou closed the door and sat on the sofa in the room.

Inside, the room was equipped with minimal furnishings: just a sofa, a table, and a television. The decor was upscale, but there was strikingly little in the room.

The television was on, displaying the scene in Hall No. 3 on its screen.

He glanced at the upper left corner and realized it was a live broadcast.

This auction, Sotheby's had set up a live stream specifically on the short video platform.

There were already over 300,000 viewers in the livestream, with numbers still climbing.