With a sudden clarity, Shen Qiang understood why the two biggest antique dealers in the market, Elegant Taste and Ancient Moon Pavilion, valued Treasure House so much.

Commercial real estate is all about prime locations.

The so-called "prime corners" refer to the main intersections of major traffic routes. Treasure House was situated exactly at such a junction. To the left of the store was the east entrance of the antique market and the road leading to the flea market, while directly in front was the main entrance of the antique market. Therefore, everyone coming from the city, whether heading to the flea market or the antique market, would pass by the storefront.

Not only that, but because of its corner placement.

The store's display window area was also twice the size of an ordinary shop.

Such a unique geographical position guaranteed the most customer traffic for any shop located there. As long as the owner wasn't a fool, making money would certainly be no issue.

Normally, such a shop would never be up for transfer.

That's why the owners of Ancient Moon Pavilion and Elegant Taste were so keen on it—it was nothing surprising.

But the key issue here was that, while the shop's location was advantageous, the asking price was considerably high.

Normally, a property in the antique market would cost around ten million to twenty million.

Given this shop's unique location, thirty million would definitely attract a crowd of buyers.

However, including the shop's goods, they were asking for one hundred and seventy million, which was an extra eighty million on top of the shop's value itself.

And what does eighty million represent?

In a county town, it could build two shopping centers.

Even in the suburban areas of Provincial City, it would be enough to open a decent shopping mall.

Such a glaring discrepancy of nearly a hundred million was enough to deter many.

The fundamental reason why Ancient Moon Pavilion, Elegant Taste, Sun Kaiping, and Boss Ma still did not want to give up was that they were comparing their "eye power," betting that Treasure House still contained valuable antiques.

If the value of those antiques was confirmed to be over fifty million, then they would undoubtedly decide to buy the shop immediately.

After all, by that calculation, the antiques would be considered as stock. As long as they had the shop, they could always sell them off sooner or later.

And to find a shop like this on the already scarce Antique Street was something truly hard to come by.

"Fake." By the round table, an elderly man looking somewhat fatigued set down the bronze mirror in his hand.

Sun Kaiping also put down the porcelain vase he was holding and sighed, "This is also fake."

Another appraiser set down a pen holder and said, "The patina is very fresh; it's not an old item at all."

Hearing the three appraisers, everyone present looked quite disappointed.

Just then, Sun Kaiping spotted Shen Qiang arriving and immediately stood up, saying, "Little brother, you're here. Come and help your brother assess this."

As soon as Sun Kaiping spoke,

everyone's eyes immediately focused on Shen Qiang.

"Oh, isn't this little Shen who charges a hundred thousand for appraising a single antique? Ha, Old Sun, inviting him over isn't cheap." The owner of Treasure House chuckled with a smile.

The owner of Ancient Moon Pavilion glanced over with his eyes and laughed at the shelves full against the wall, "A simple estimate, there are at least two hundred antiques over there. A hundred thousand each, that's over twenty million in appraisal fees."

"I guess Old Sun wouldn't break the rules, and call people over without intending to pay, right?"

Upon hearing this, Sun Kaiping became embarrassed.

The appraisal fees of Shen Qiang were no secret in the antique market; almost everyone knew. And now, the owners of Ancient Moon Pavilion and Treasure House were clearly using this appraisal fee to instigate a strain between Shen Qiang and Sun Kaiping.

The logic was simple.

If Shen Qiang was to help Sun Kaiping, with over two hundred antiques, the appraisal fees would be over twenty million. If Sun Kaiping were to pay, the amount would undoubtedly be exorbitant, and the deal might not even proceed.

If Sun Kaiping indicated he wouldn't pay, it would make him appear quite unprincipled.

If Shen Qiang felt dissatisfied about this, and either left or didn't put in his best effort, the competitive edge would naturally plummet.

Thus, at this moment, Shen Qiang had to make a statement.

"I have this bad habit, I recognize people not principles. Old brother Sun has been good to me, I won't charge him. But for you, Ancient Moon Pavilion and Treasure House, if you ever need Shen Qiang's help, rest assured, not a penny less for the appraisal fee."

Upon hearing Shen Qiang's tit-for-tat response,

The owner of Treasure House burst into laughter, "Really, the fearless calf is afraid of no tigers. Little Shen's joke is too funny. We at Treasure House have plenty of appraisers, each with decades of experience. If you want to be an apprentice, I could actually consider offering you a spot."

The owner of Ancient Moon Pavilion similarly laughed, "Speaking of which, we at Ancient Moon Pavilion happen to need a boy to serve tea and water to the master craftsmen. Little Shen, you might want to consider that."

Upon hearing this, Sun Kaiping became furious, raising his eyebrows coldly, "I didn't expect the mouths of you two bosses to be sharper than your eyes. Why don't you two team up and perform comedy, making me laugh, then casually throw you a few hundred."

"What did you say, Mr. Sun?" Behind the crow-like boss, a burly middle-aged man, about forty, stepped toward Sun Kaiping.

Mr. Ma immediately stood up, "Oh, are you blind? It's not your place to swagger around as long as I'm here."

The man paused and was about to speak.

Just then, the owner of Treasure House laughed, "Be quiet, all of you. I'm very busy and don't have time to chat idly with you. Continue, don't delay everyone's time."

Hearing this, the eldest son of the owner of Ancient Moon Pavilion, the future owner of Ancient Moon Pavilion, smiled silently, only scoffing at Shen Qiang with a disdainful look from deep within.

At that moment, an appraiser seated at the round table said with a smile, "The boss is right, I really am very busy, definitely no time to train apprentices, especially one who dares to charge a hundred thousand for a single antique appraisal."

Another appraiser sitting next to him chuckled and said, "Yes, no skill but good at shouting prices. If he dares to ask for a hundred thousand for appraising an antique, my apprentice would boldly ask for three hundred thousand."

Hearing these words that blatantly mocked Shen Qiang, the expressions of Sun Kaiping and Mr. Ma immediately darkened.

But the owner of Treasure House and Ancient Moon Pavilion, as well as those following them, burst out laughing.

"His specialty isn't appraisal, but bluffing."

"Yes, very clever. He knows no one would hire him even cheaply, so he might as well shout a high price and seem impressive."

"Hahaha, daring to play master on the street of antiques without decades of experience is ridiculously funny."

And almost at the same time they laughed, Shen Qiang, with eyebrows lifted, said indifferently, "Excuse me for being blunt, but to me, all the appraisers from your Treasure House and Ancient Moon Pavilion are trash."

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