Qi Yun and Shi Feng both stayed silent, quietly sipping their tea.

After a while, Boss Bi looked up with a smile on his face.

"Qi, my brother, you really have an eye for these things. The jade piece you cut out is of quite good quality. Though there are some minor flaws, they're not significant. The flaws don't overshadow the jade's beauty."

Qi Yun responded with a humble smile, slightly bowing: "Boss Bi, you're too kind. I just got lucky."

Shi Feng joined in with a laugh: "Hey, next time you have to take me to pick out a couple of stones, let me get some of your good luck.

You know, I never expected you to not only have a knack for antiques but also be an expert in selecting raw stones."

Qi Yun waved his hand with a smile: "Don't tease me. I'm just like a blind cat stumbling upon a dead rat, occasionally getting lucky. If I really had that skill, I'd be rich by now."

"Haha, Qi, my brother, you're too modest. Raw stones aren't just about luck."

"Exactly, we're all friends here, no need to be so reserved."

The group laughed heartily and then got down to business.

Boss Bi picked up his teacup, took a sip, and then directly asked: "Qi, my brother, what price do you have in mind for this jade piece?"

Qi Yun pondered for a moment, but didn't quote a price directly, instead he said with a smile: "I really don't know much about this. Why not have Boss Bi open a price instead?"

Boss Bi raised his eyebrows, looking at Qi Yun with interest, evidently not quite believing that Qi Yun was entirely ignorant of the price.

After a moment of thought, Boss Bi cleared his throat and said: "Since you trust me so much, I'll be frank with you.

This jade piece, from its quality and color, is quite top-notch. Although there are a few minor flaws, the overall quality is clear.

Based on current market conditions, if made into three bracelets, it could typically sell for around a hundred and fifty thousand."

"We're friends, and it's our first collaboration. I'll give you a sincere price, ninety-eight thousand, how does that sound?"

Ninety-eight thousand—the price was only two thousand different from what the system had valued it at, showing the sincerity in Boss Bi's offer.

Moreover, although this jade, once crafted into products, could be valued at a hundred and fifty thousand, considering costs for crafting, selling time, and clientele, ninety-eight thousand was indeed a reasonable price.

Thus, Qi Yun nodded with a smile and agreed: "Alright, since we're all friends, I trust Boss Bi, let's go with your price, ninety-eight thousand!"

Boss Bi, seeing Qi Yun agree so readily, nodded with satisfaction, saying with a smile: "Qi, my brother, you're truly straightforward! The deal is settled then; I'll arrange for someone to transfer the funds to you."

Saying this, Boss Bi took out his phone. After exchanging contact information, Qi Yun sent over his bank account details.

Not long after, his phone received a notification about the transaction.

After completing the deal, Boss Bi got up to leave: "Sorry, gentlemen, in the morning, I have an important client coming to the shop to custom-make two pieces of jewelry. I won't stay long today, let's find another chance to gather next time."

Shi Feng knew how busy he was; Boss Bi's jewelry business was quite prestigious in the city, with several counters in high-end malls. His presence today was purely out of goodwill based on their past friendship.

Therefore, he didn't insist on asking Boss Bi to stay and, along with Qi Yun, escorted him to the door.

As they parted, Boss Bi shook hands with Qi Yun once more, smiling as he said: "Qi, my brother, if you have more items like this to sell in the future, feel free to contact me directly. I'll ensure the price is to your liking."

Qi Yun replied with a smile: "Certainly, Boss Bi, I'll need your guidance in the future as well."

"Of course, of course."

"..."

Seeing Boss Bi off, the two returned to sit inside their shop.

Shi Feng refilled Qi Yun's tea, speaking seriously: "Brother, you're truly a hidden gem.

Honestly, my daughter is turning eighteen next month. I plan to personally choose a stone to make her a pendant. Could I ask for your advice on it?"

Given what Shi Feng had said, Qi Yun felt he couldn't easily dismiss the request, regardless of whether it was genuine or not.

But when it comes to raw stones, he really was clueless...

After a bit of thought, he responded seriously: "Alright, but the jade stalls currently don't have good materials. I'll check them out in the coming days, and let you know if anything catches my eye."

This way, he didn't make any definitive promises. If the system didn't provide any jade intel soon, he'd have to apologize to Shi Feng.

"Haha, with your assurance, I feel relieved."

The two chatted casually once more. Qi Yun was just about to invite Shi Feng to an auction when Shi Feng preemptively said: "By the way, there's an auction this morning. Are you available? If not, why don't we go check it out together?"

Qi Yun chuckled inwardly and nodded immediately: "Sure, I'd love to go and learn something."

"Great, we still have some time, let's sit for a while before we go." Shi Feng said as he handed his phone over. "Help me take a look at this painting, 'The Remaining Fragrance of Chu Ze' by Zhang Boju."

"If the price is right, I'm thinking of buying it. There's a client looking to collect a couple of paintings."

Qi Yun moved closer and saw the painting for the auction displayed on the screen.

Shi Feng enlarged the picture, showing birds in various poses: some perched on branches, others ready to take flight, with exquisitely detailed feathers.

It seemed quite nice, but to a non-expert like Qi Yun, it didn't look very different from a cheap poster.

However, due to previous transactions, Qi Yun's reputation as an antique expert was deeply ingrained in Shi Feng's mind.

Even though Qi Yun consistently denied it and repeatedly emphasized that he was just a junk collector... Shi Feng seemed not to believe it...

"Honestly, this is beyond me. I won't comment, to avoid misleading you."

Saying this, Qi Yun minimized the painting and scrolled down, stopping at an item called 'Sweet White Glaze Engraved Dragon Pattern Bowl—Qing Dynasty Replica'.

"What do you think of this Sweet White Glaze Engraved Dragon Pattern Bowl, Boss Shi?"

Shi Feng squinted slightly, studied it carefully, and said: "I looked into this yesterday. The bowl's shape is fairly regular, and the glaze has a warm feel, with a bit of that sweet white glaze aura.

The craftsmanship, flow of lines, and the intricacy of the embossed patterns are all in line with Ming Dynasty imperial kilns, though I couldn't inspect it closely behind the glass.

However, all items in auctions are appraised by professionals beforehand. Since they identified it as a Qing Dynasty replica, it should be accurate."

"If it were from the Ming Dynasty, this bowl's value would be in the seven figures, but as a Qing Dynasty replica, I think it's valued under a hundred thousand."

Qi Yun silently nodded after Shi Feng's analysis, feeling a tinge of doubt.

He trusted the system intelligence, which had never been wrong, more than auction house appraisers.

But why would Ming Dynasty imperial kiln items be mistaken as Qing Dynasty replicas after professional appraisal?

Surely, the auction house wouldn't make such a major mistake, right?

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