C6 Wooden Lump

Stepping out of Qin Baozha's shop, Lin Hao felt like a completely different person. With an extra five hundred thousand from Qin Sisi padding his account, even his walk had a new swagger to it.

Despite accepting Ouyang Derong's invitation, he was well aware that silence and wealth were the ultimate power moves. The more capable you are, the more perilous your position in this world.

So, he left nothing but a phone number behind, keeping the rest of his information to himself.

As he meandered through the bustling alleyways of Antique Street, lost in thought, Lin Hao's foot struck something hard. The pain snapped him back to reality, and he crouched down, cradling his foot, howling in agony.

"Hey, kid, are your eyes just for decoration? Watch where you're walking! If you damaged my goods, I doubt you could cover the cost," a voice chided.

The stall owner rushed over to retrieve the wooden stake that had tripped Lin Hao.

Lin Hao shot the man a sullen look, grumbling to himself. Was this Antique Street or a flea market? They were peddling this piece of junk like it was some kind of precious artifact, as if it were a priceless root carving.

But upon closer inspection, Lin Hao inhaled sharply.

Feigning composure, he crouched by the stall and asked with a grin, "Boss, how much for this chunk of wood? It'd make a decent stool to take home!"

The stall owner, a man in his forties with a sharp face and a hint of slyness, retorted, "Don't talk rubbish if you're clueless. This is genuine rosewood root stock!"

"If you're serious about buying, I'll give you a flat rate—two hundred thousand!"

"Two hundred thousand?" Lin Hao's eyes bulged. "Are you out of your mind?"

The stall owner clicked his tongue. "Rosewood is as scarce as gold. If you make bracelets out of this, they'll fetch a pretty penny. You could easily turn this block into forty or fifty bracelets."

The man spoke with conviction, but Lin Hao wasn't some naive bystander to be fooled.

"Heh, you're comparing it to gold, calling it rosewood. But this is just rosewood, not the highly sought-after 'yellow rosewood.' They might look similar, but they're worlds apart in value!"

"If this were genuine Huanghuali wood, I'd be getting a steal at two hundred thousand. But it's just common rosewood, with indistinct grain and signs of decay from poor preservation!"

"If I'm not mistaken, you picked this up from the village, right? You probably paid a few hundred yuan at most. Trying to flip it for a thousandfold profit is a bit excessive, don't you think?"

Lin Hao's blunt assessment left the stall owner struggling to save face.

With an awkward chuckle, he asked, "So, what's your offer? How much do you think it's worth?"

Lin Hao held up his right hand, displaying five fingers.

"Fifty thousand?" the stall owner gasped in disbelief.

Lin Hao shook his head.

"Five... five thousand?" the stall owner ventured, uncertain.

"Five hundred," Lin Hao declared firmly.

"You..." The stall owner was visibly upset, glaring at Lin Hao. "You're just here to cause trouble. If you're not buying, then step aside!"

"Come on, it's all part of doing business. I say five hundred, and you don't want to counter with a higher offer?" Lin Hao said with a smile.

"I don't have time for this!" The stall owner began to shoo him away.

What a joke! He had indeed spent three hundred yuan to acquire the wood in the countryside, but wasn't the effort of transporting and handling it worth something?

Selling it for five hundred yuan, only making a two hundred yuan profit, would leave him feeling choked up.

"Suit yourself!"

Lin Hao shrugged nonchalantly, feigning a move to walk away.

The stall owner, not wanting to lose a sale, quickly stepped forward and grabbed Lin Hao's wrist.

"You're a young man; why the rush?" the stall owner chided. "One thousand yuan, and the wood is yours!"

"I can see you've got a good eye, able to spot quality instantly. But surely, I deserve to make a little for my troubles, right?"

The stall owner was savvy, feeling a bit cornered, yet he wasn't about to let his pride cost him a sale.

Two hundred yuan wouldn't compensate for his efforts, but throw in an extra five hundred, and he'd be happy to strike a deal.

Lin Hao grinned and replied, "Alright, I understand it's tough running a stall at your age. One thousand yuan it is—I'll take it!"

Lin Hao pulled out his phone mid-sentence and swiftly scanned a QR code to settle the bill.

As he walked away with the wooden lump in his arms, the vendor's face broke into a satisfied smile. For him, today wasn't a loss; he'd made a tidy sum of several hundred yuan.

But for Lin Hao, he'd acquired a rare gem!

Qin Sisi stepped out of the shop just in time to see Lin Hao leaving with the odd piece of wood. She was visibly confused.

"Hey, didn't you say you were in a rush? You were too busy to stay for dinner, and now you're picking up something like that?" she inquired.

Lin Hao turned back with a grin. "Cut the chatter. Know any good woodcarvers?"

"What for?" Qin Sisi squinted at him suspiciously.

Somehow, Lin Hao always piqued her curiosity. He seemed shrouded in mystery, and every inadvertent glimpse into his world only deepened her surprise and desire to delve further.

"I'm going to carve something," Lin Hao replied, tapping the wooden stump.

Qin Sisi rolled her eyes. "You must be bored. What's so special about a piece of rotten wood? If you're into that, my grandpa's shop is full of finished pieces. I could sneak one out for you, no problem."

Lin Hao could only offer an embarrassed smile in response.

Eventually, Qin Sisi relented and dialed a number.

The voice of Qin Chuyang soon filled the other end. "Girl, where have you been? You disappeared without a peep!"

"Just needed some air, couldn't really talk with everyone else," Qin Sisi explained. "Grandpa, do you know any skilled woodcarvers?"

"Oh, your Uncle Lee is a master carver. Remember, I told you to visit him a while back? You..."

"Wait, do you need something carved?"

That's when it clicked for Qin Sisi.

She remembered her family friend, Uncle Lee, who had returned from Dian City with weakened legs. Lately, he'd been unable to move at all, confined to a wheelchair.

Her grandfather had asked her to pay him a visit, but it had slipped her mind until now.

Uncle Lee might not be hailed as the preeminent master of wood carving, but his craftsmanship is unparalleled. It's fair to say that any piece created by his hands is a rare treasure.

"I've got some free time now. I'm going to check on him!"

Qin Sisi came to a decision and swiftly ended the call.

"Come on, I'm bored out of my mind. I'll show you what's out there!" Qin Sisi glanced at Lin Hao, disregarding the usual formalities of gender and without waiting for his consent, she impulsively grabbed Lin Hao's hand and dashed outside.

Before long, Lin Hao found himself in Qin Sisi's Maserati, zipping through the city streets like a bolt of lightning.