Zakari turned around and looked at Leo. “What?”
Leo picked up a piece of broken porcelain from the ground and smiled. “The people you brought broke two antiques in the store. One is worth sixty thousand, and the other two hundred thousand, totaling two hundred sixty thousand dollars. How can you leave without paying?”
The anger in Zakari’s eyes flared up again, and his right hand clenched into a tight fist.
Leo’s face remained calm and composed, smiling at Zakari with a hint of friendliness.
Seeing Master Quentin standing beside Leo, Zakari finally unclenched his fist.
“I don’t have that much money on me right now,” Zakari said softly.
“You can use a card,” Leo offered with a smile.
“I didn’t bring my card today.”
“Then write an IOU. Arlene, bring the pen and paper.”
Taking the paper and pen handed over by Arlene, Zakari’s hand trembled slightly as he held the pen.
Two hundred sixty thousand dollars. Damn it, with the current economic downturn, a year’s net profit is only two or three hundred thousand dollars, and now it’s all because of two broken porcelain pieces…
Zakari wanted to throw down the pen and leave, but with Master Quentin present, he probably wouldn’t make it out of the antique shop.
Even though he had brought many people with him, they were no match for Master Quentin.
Even if he could escape, provoking the Wing Chun Martial Arts Studio would make it difficult for him to maintain his position in this area.
Quickly writing an IOU, Zakari handed it to Leo.
Leo took it, glanced at it, and nodded in satisfaction. “I heard them call you Zakari, right? Zakari, you’re straightforward and bold. Before you leave, please have your men clean up the broken porcelain pieces on the ground.”
Zakari kicked the “culprit” and shouted angrily, “Didn’t you hear? Clean it up and let’s go!”
Leaving those words behind, Zakari led his remaining men out in disgrace.
“Boss, where’s the broom?” one of his subordinates asked timidly.
Even Zakari had suffered a loss; he could only act submissively.
Zakari walked out onto the street dejectedly when a young man appeared in front of him.
“Zakari, what’s wrong? Why do you look so down?”
The speaker was none other than Ethan Dan, who had been secretly monitoring Spirit Moon Antiques.
Zakari had dealt with Ethan Dan a few times before. Although they weren’t very familiar, they weren’t strangers either. Hearing his question, Zakari glanced at him and replied, “It’s nothing. What are you doing here?”
“I’m planning to visit Spirit Moon Antiques. I used to run that antique shop before it fell into my cousin’s hands,” Ethan Dan said with a displeased expression.
This expression didn’t escape Zakari’s notice. His mind raced as he maintained a calm facade. “I just went to Spirit Moon Antiques for some business.”
Seeing Zakari’s expression and hearing his words, Ethan’s thoughts began to churn. “Zakari, it’s been a long time since we last met. Since we’ve run into each other today, we must have a drink!”
Zakari initially wanted to refuse because he was in a bad mood today.
However, on second thought, he realized this matter couldn’t be left unresolved. Since Ethan used to run that antique shop, perhaps he could find a breakthrough through him.
With both harboring their own thoughts, they quickly agreed and walked together toward the parking lot.
Master Quentin didn’t stay long at the antique shop. After having a cup of tea, he bid farewell and left.
“Leo, you’ve helped us again. Thank you,” Arlene said to Leo.
Leo waved his hand. “It’s nothing. Don’t mention it.”
“Boss, I’ve finished cleaning up. Can I go now?” The subordinate put away the broom and dustpan and stood aside submissively.
Leo waved his hand. “Get lost.”
The subordinate let out a long sigh of relief and ran outside.
“Leo, can you accompany me to the antique market? I want to find some paintings and calligraphy,” Arlene asked.
Leo nodded. “Sure.”
On their way to the antique market, Leo learned that Arlene’s purpose for seeking paintings and calligraphy was to participate in the “Ghost Scholar Exhibition.”
The so-called “Ghost Scholar Exhibition” was actually an exhibition where various antique shops displayed their antiques for evaluation. Winning an award would provide significant advertising benefits for the antique shop.
Additionally, this exhibition was tied to an upcoming movie focused on paintings and calligraphy.
The movie was called “Ghost Scholar,” starring Charles.
Arlene was a die-hard fan of Charles. Hearing his name from her mouth, Leo also decided to participate in this Ghost Scholar Exhibition.
They wandered around the antique market and stopped outside a shop.
Outside the shop was a small stall with many ink wash landscape paintings casually displayed on it.
Although these landscape paintings looked old and rustic, even someone who knew nothing about antiques could tell they were fakes.
The reason was simple: who would casually display valuable items outside?
To Arlene, everything on the stall was trash, so she only glanced at it before preparing to enter the shop.
Unexpectedly, Leo stood motionless in front of the stall as if he had suddenly turned to stone.
Arlene took a few steps back and followed his gaze, almost spitting out her drink in surprise.
He was staring intently at an unfolded painting on the stall with great interest.
Leo’s gaze was fixed on a very amusing painting.
The painting depicted a cartoon tiger squatting under a tree with its mouth wide open and a large word “Roar” drawn bigger than the tiger’s head.
In the lower left corner were the words: Tiger’s Roar in the Forest, Dominating the World.
This painting was purely comical, which explained Arlene’s puzzled expression.
“Hey, don’t tell me you want to buy this painting?” Arlene couldn’t help but ask.
To her surprise, Leo nodded. “In my opinion, this painting has vigorous brushwork. Though somewhat exaggerated, it retains its charm and is quite interesting-a rare good painting.”
Hearing this, Arlene was momentarily stunned, thinking she had misheard.
The shop owner had already come out and heard Leo’s evaluation. His eyes lit up with greed.
Originally, he had thrown this painting on the stall just to make up numbers or because its humor might attract someone willing to spend a hundred bucks for a laugh. He never considered it a genuine antique.
If he did treat it as an antique, he’d be laughed at by his peers.
Unexpectedly, today he encountered a super novice. Since Leo had walked into his trap willingly, he couldn’t miss this opportunity to fleece him properly.
“Young man, you have a good eye. Many people think it’s fake because it’s so exaggerated and cartoonish.”