C3 Little Test of Strength

As everyone was engrossed with the Dragon Scale Dagger, Lin Hao's unexpected outburst caught them all off guard.

Qin Sisi jolted, her actions momentarily ceasing.

She turned to Lin Hao, her expression one of bewilderment, "What's the matter?"

Suddenly, all eyes were on Lin Hao.

He offered an awkward smile and ventured, "There seems to be an issue with this item..."

At his words, the mood shifted, faces turning grim.

Qin Chuyang, visibly upset, lashed out, "Ridiculous! I've handled countless treasures and never once erred. How dare a greenhorn like you question my expertise?"

Lin Hao was at a loss.

He even began to regret his impulsive remark. Sticking his nose where it didn't belong could spell trouble for him.

The room erupted into whispers and murmurs.

"Ah, the folly of youth—too bold for their own good, saying anything that comes to mind!"

"Indeed! With Elder Qin's esteemed reputation in the world of antiques, could his assessments ever be flawed?"

"Son, watch your tongue. Careless words can lead to disaster!"

"…"

Qin Sisi herself was frowning, trying to understand Lin Hao's outburst.

Lin Hao sighed, the surrounding chatter adding to his frustration.

"I never claimed it was a fake. I'm just questioning whether the price is fair," Lin Hao drawled.

The crowd, ready to respond, suddenly fell silent.

Qin Chuyang, face reddening, fought to keep his composure and asked with a forced chuckle, "And what price would you deem appropriate?"

Lin Hao held up two fingers, "Two thousand."

Qin Chuyang paused, then nodded with a smile, "Twenty million does seem fair."

"But as they say, true desire cannot be measured in gold. The seller's firm at thirty million, not budging an inch, so..."

"Elder Qin, I think there's been a misunderstanding!" Lin Hao cut in, "I meant two thousand dollars, not twenty million!"

What!?

Everyone's eyes simultaneously widened in disbelief, instinctively thinking they had misheard.

"This is preposterous!" Qin Chuyang could no longer contain himself. With a flick of his sleeve, he bellowed, "Do you take this renowned, legendary treasure for some street-side trinket?"

Qin Sisi was also in a flurry, stealthily tugging at Lin Hao's sleeve, seemingly pleading for him to hold his tongue.

"No, it doesn't even qualify as an art piece."

A collective gasp chilled the air as all eyes fixated on the man who seemed determined to shock them.

Qin Chuyang's anger turned to mocking laughter. "Hahaha... Since you're so adamant, enlighten us with your reasoning!"

Qin Sisi, increasingly anxious, whispered urgently, "Stop talking, please. If Grandfather loses his temper, it won't end well."

The crowd of onlookers joined in with their own indignant outbursts.

"Who do you think you are? Not only delivering a slap in the face but going for a full swing?"

"What nonsense is this? Two thousand yuan? Bring me a handful, and I'll pay you tenfold for each!"

"The youth today, truly, can't speak pearls of wisdom!"

"..."

At that moment, Lin Hao also sensed his misstep; his words had painted him into a corner, leaving no room to backtrack.

After a brief hesitation, he proposed, "What if I appraise everything here? If my estimates are within ten percent of the actual value, then you can judge the truth of my earlier statement."

Qin Chuyang paused, then chuckled, "Heh, now that's an interesting proposition."

"Very well, be my guest!"

Qin Chuyang stepped aside, clearing a path for Lin Hao.

The shop was home to no fewer than eighty treasures.

Visitors seeking their fortunes often couldn't fathom the true worth, wary of paying too much or offering too little.

But Lin Hao's bold move had inadvertently done them a favor, stirring anticipation and delight.

Taking a deep breath, Lin Hao advanced.

He stopped before the shelves, gesturing to a double-eared vase. "This is a double-eared vase from the Qianlong era. The rim is chipped, and there are repairs on the body. Its value is roughly around three million yuan."

"This piece likely originated from the imperial court. Its style and lines are of high quality, but it bears marks of damage. The value is around 1.5 million, with a possible fluctuation of no more than 200,000."

"What about mine? What do you think of mine?" A collector eagerly approached Lin Hao.

Lin Hao gave it a quick look and chuckled, "Ah, this string of prayer beads is quite nice. It appears to be a relic from a revered monk of the Yongzheng era!"

"Worthless!"

He paused briefly, then, before the man could respond, added, "Personally, I'd toss it far away or donate it to a temple."

"You..." The collector was taken aback and retorted angrily, "That's absurd!"

"I paid a hefty sum for these beads, and you're telling me they're worthless?"

"Keep talking. If you don't clarify things today, I won't let this slide!"

This collector clearly had a short fuse, and his boldness in Qin Chuyang's shop suggested he wasn't someone to be taken lightly.

Lin Hao casually extended his right hand.

"What for?" the collector snapped.

"Tsk, you're not catching on," Lin Hao replied with an eye roll. "I agreed to appraise the antiques in this shop, not the beads around your neck. Without an appraisal fee, do you expect me to offer my services for free?"

"You, you..."

Fuming, the collector took deep breaths, trying to contain his rage, and then pulled out a stack of hundred-dollar bills from his bag, slapping them on the table. "There, your appraisal fee!"

The bystanders were stunned.

Who was this guy? Even now, he insisted on an appraisal fee. He clearly had no idea of his own limits.

Ignoring their stares, Lin Hao picked up the cash, flipped through it, and grinned. "Well, it seems this line of work isn't too bad. The money does come easy!"

His comment caused Qin Chuyang to turn red with embarrassment, while Qin Sisi was torn between concern and the urge to laugh.

"Cut the crap!" the collector barked in irritation.

Lin Hao gave a nonchalant shrug and gestured towards the strand of Buddhist beads around the man's neck. "It's common knowledge that these are also known as prayer beads, and typically, one must be a devout Buddhist for over a decade to earn the right to wear them. So, these usually come from the hands of an enlightened monk."

"There are either forty-nine or one hundred and eight beads in a strand. Your one hundred and eight-bead necklace is crafted from agarwood, and that central bead, the southern red agate, is larger than my thumb—its value is, of course, quite substantial."

At this, the collector's face beamed with smug satisfaction.

"But..."

"But what?" The collector snapped out of his reverie, pressing for an answer.

Everyone leaned in, their anticipation palpable. Lin Hao had successfully piqued their interest, and even Qin Chuyang was silent, intently awaiting Lin Hao's next words.

"Hehe, but there's something not quite right about the provenance of your beads—they even seem a bit ominous," Lin Hao remarked with a sly grin.