Opening with a question about Dog Treasure, these Antique Street shop owners particularly liked customers who came with a buying purpose because such individuals were more likely to make a purchase.
The value of Dog Treasure was considerable, and indeed, the shop owner had some, though not on display. The owner stood up, wearing a smile, and asked, “Young man, how much do you want?”
“Just a small piece is enough.”
“Please wait a moment.”
The owner turned and walked into the inner door of the shop. In no time, he returned with a delicate small wooden box.
Placing the wooden box on the counter and opening it, he pushed it towards Leo, saying, “Here is the Dog Treasure you want.”
The Dog Treasure inside the wooden box was only the size of a thumbnail. Leo did not take it out to inspect but calmly asked, “How much?”
The owner extended five fingers.
“Five thousand?” Leo pretended not to understand and quoted a price.
The owner’s expression tightened, “Young man, don’t joke around.”
Leo took out the Dog Treasure from the box and carefully examined it while analyzing, “Boss, this Dog Treasure is too small, and the condition is not good. At most, it’s worth ten thousand.”
This statement displeased the owner. He took the Dog Treasure from Leo’s hand and placed it back in the wooden box, expressing dissatisfaction, “What kind of joke is this? Where can you find a ten-thousand-dollars Dog Treasure? I suggest you look elsewhere.”
Leo was not short of money, but he disliked the owner’s sky-high pricing. In fact, a Dog Treasure could easily fetch a price of twenty or thirty thousand.
As Leo was about to make a counteroffer, a young man rushed in.
“Boss, I’ve brought the item you wanted. Take a look and see if you can exchange it for your Dog Treasure.”
The young man pulled out a palm-sized Bronze Little Crane, looking anxious and expectant as he gazed at the plump-faced shop owner. Eventually, his eyes landed on the wooden box in the owner’s hand.
Taking the Bronze Little Crane from the young man, the owner carefully examined it, scrutinizing every detail and even using a magnifying glass, appearing quite professional.
After a while, under the young man’s anxious and hopeful gaze, the owner returned the Bronze Little Crane to him, shaking his head, “I’m sorry. This Bronze Little Crane is not authentic as you claimed. At most, it’s worth a few thousand dollars, so I cannot exchange it with you.”
Leo stood silently on the side; he knew the shop owner was telling lies. Owners of antique shops like these could lie without batting an eye, convincing you that the fake was real and the real was fake. The tricks and secrets were endless.
Upon hearing the owner’s words, the young man became anxious, saying, “Please, boss, take another look. This thing is our family heirloom. You promised me a couple of days ago. I’m still counting on using the Dog Treasure to save my grandfather.”
At this moment, Leo lightly tapped the table, boldly proclaiming, “Boss, pack up the Dog Treasure for me. I’ll take it for fifty thousand! Deal!”
This statement caught the owner off guard, and he looked at Leo with a complicated expression.
“What’s the matter, boss? Don’t tell me you’re having second thoughts?” Leo’s voice was loud, attracting the attention of many passersby.
In this line of business, reputation was crucial. Without it, the shop would likely have to close its doors.
The owner awkwardly smiled, “Young man, would you like to pay by card or in cash?”
“Card!” Leo took out his bank card and slapped it on the counter.
Leo chose to purchase the Dog Treasure even if he might get cheated by the owner because he noticed the young man next to him was eagerly interested in the Dog Treasure. It wasn’t Leo’s intention to snatch something someone else coveted, but rather, it was because of the Bronze Little Crane the young man held.
Leo had secretly probed it earlier and found a slight Spiritual Power fluctuation in the Bronze Little Crane, which piqued Leo’s interest.
As Leo had expected, the young man’s gaze was fixed on the wooden box in Leo’s hand. He looked eager to speak but hesitated.
Leo knew what he wanted to say and directly addressed him, “Buddy, how about I exchange my Dog Treasure for your Bronze Little Crane?”
“Really!?” The young man was excited and quickly handed over the Bronze Little Crane.
After the exchange, the young man held the small wooden box with joy, repeatedly muttering, “Grandpa is saved, grandpa is saved…”
Dog Treasure was an extremely precious healing medicine. The young man’s urgency suggested that his grandfather was unwell, and that was why he was in such a hurry.
After expressing his thanks to Leo repeatedly, the young man left. This made Leo feel a bit awkward inside because, in reality, the Bronze Little Crane was far more valuable than that Dog Treasure.
Leo smiled at the shop owner and then turned away. At this moment, the owner regretted deeply, cursing himself for being foolish and greedy. He had intended to extort more money from the young man, but now it had flown away.
The Bronze Little Crane was indeed authentic, conservatively estimated to be worth around a hundred thousand. The Dog Treasure, which the owner bought for fifteen thousand, was sold for fifty thousand, earning him thirty-five thousand. However, compared to the Bronze Little Crane worth a hundred thousand, the owner felt uneasy.
Unexpectedly, that little guy turned out to be knowledgeable. What a disaster!
Walking back into the alley, Leo’s mood improved. The Bronze Little Crane had a faint Spiritual Power fluctuation, indicating it was some kind of magic tool. With it, he wouldn’t need the Dog Treasure.
Since he was already there, Leo didn’t rush back. He continued to browse, hoping to come across some more good finds.
Not far ahead, the crowd was getting lively. A group of people was gathered, seemingly watching something.
“I want a refund! This thing of yours is fake, boss! Give me back my money!” an angry middle-aged woman’s voice echoed.
In front of the woman was a middle-aged man selling goods in the alley, short and chubby with narrow eyes.
Facing the furious woman, the short man appeared indifferent and declared loudly, “I’m telling you, ma’am, this jade bracelet is absolutely genuine. My reputation as Lino is well-known in the old alley. How could I deceive you?”
“The rule on Antique Street is to pay for the item and take it away. Once you leave, there’s no responsibility. You came to me over three hours after buying this bracelet. I can’t guarantee it’s the same one I sold to you. Returning it is impossible now.”
“You… unscrupulous merchant! This jade bracelet was fake from the beginning. I had it appraised, and it’s just a imitation, not worth more than two thousand. Yet, you sold it to me for twenty thousand! Today, I will expose the true face of this deceitful merchant to everyone!” The middle-aged woman seemed determined.
“I support you! You must fight against such unscrupulous merchants!” said a young person.
“I think you should give it up. You’ve been deceived. The rule in the antique business is like this, whether you’re scavenging or making a find, you have to recognize it.” This was the viewpoint of an older person.
Amidst the discussions of the crowd, the chubby shop owner stood with folded arms, displaying an air of defiance as if to say, “What can you do to me?”