C3 The Jade Pendant of the Last Emperor

"Ah?" The boss was momentarily taken aback, his smile still plastered on his face, but inwardly he was cursing up a storm. "Now, hold on, little brother. That's not how we talk. I'm a man of quick decisions myself. Tell you what, I'll knock off another two hundred for you, how's that?"

"Two hundred?" Xiao Nan hesitated but quickly gestured towards another large jade carving in the pile of pendants, countering, "I'll raise you five hundred if you throw in that jade lion too."

"That's not going to work." The boss was reluctant since the jade lion was pricier than the previous one. Noticing Xiao Nan scanning the pile of pendants, he quickly came up with a new offer. "Alright, you add five hundred, and you can pick out any one of these pendants as a token of our new friendship."

Success!

The old bait-and-switch tactic never failed!

Xiao Nan was thrilled but kept his cool, feigning indecision. "Fine, I'll pick one."

His eyes roved over the assortment of odd stones until they settled on a milky white Hetian jade pendant. "I'll take this one."

He casually handed the pendant to the boss and said, "I'll pay with WeChat."

After paying the boss three thousand three hundred yuan and seeing the transaction confirmed, the boss lost interest in Xiao Nan and turned back to his other customers.

Xiao Nan didn't linger after paying. His mind was already racing with plans on how to sell the jade pendant. The system had already bought his novice gift pack; now, it was up to him to find his own buyers.

He hadn't gotten far when a woman suddenly appeared at his side, stopping him in his tracks. "Let me see your jade pendant."

Her voice was as refreshing as a babbling brook, and a scent so delightful filled Xiao Nan's nostrils that he instinctively turned to look.

"Hmm?" He was surprised to see a girl slightly older than himself. She was stunningly beautiful, with delicate features and fair skin, like a goddess stepped right out of an ancient painting. There was an inexplicable quality about her that made Xiao Nan involuntarily take a second glance.

"This jade pendant appears to be made of Hetian jade. If it truly is, I'm willing to offer a handsome sum for it."

The woman offered Xiao Nan a smile that blossomed like a field of flowers.

"Isn't that Miss Ai Xiaohan of the Ai family?"

"Has Miss Ai come to Antique Street to hunt for treasures again?"

"She's known for her generosity. Could this young man have struck gold, catching the eye of Miss Ai?"

A chorus of voices rose around him. Xiao Nan felt the urge to slip away, but one glance at the unfolding scene told him escape was not an option.

From behind the woman, two men in black and an elder stepped forward, effectively blocking his path.

Was this an attempt at a forced sale?

Though the woman's approach suggested she was a willing buyer, Xiao Nan bristled at the presumption. He managed to keep his composure, asking coolly, "What's your offer?"

He knew the jade pendant's true worth was 150,000 yuan. If her offer fell short, he simply wouldn't sell.

What Xiao Nan didn't realize was that Ai Xiaohan had been watching him for quite some time.

Despite his casual demeanor, Ai Xiaohan's discerning eye detected his purposefulness.

She had been tracking Xiao Nan's movements, growing increasingly astonished by what she observed.

The Antique Market was a bustling maze where the unwary could easily be taken advantage of. Mistakes were common, and genuine finds were rare.

Yet, there were those who thrived here, using their genuine skills to buy low and sell high, profiting from the margins.

Such individuals were rare.

But Ai Xiaohan's scrutiny led her to believe Xiao Nan belonged to this elite group.

His vigilant gaze only solidified her conviction, and her lips curved into a smile of appreciation.

"This is Hetian jade, an exceptionally fine variety of soft jade. It's seed material, and its surface is exceptionally smooth, but..."

Ai Xiaohan paused, then handed the jade pendant to the old man behind her: "Uncle De, I'm uncertain about this piece. Could you please take a closer look?"

"Yes," Uncle De affirmed with a nod, pulling out a magnifying glass to take a closer look.

The onlookers, eager for a spectacle, buzzed with excitement at the sight of their earnest examination. Clearly, they suspected a significant find was at hand.

"Old Li, you've missed the mark today! Someone's snagged a bargain from under your nose!"

Jeers were lobbed from a distance at the vendor.

"Nonsense! When have I ever missed anything?" retorted the stall owner, visibly irked.

Minutes ticked by as Uncle De scrutinized the item, beads of sweat forming on his brow.

Xiao Nan felt a pang of anxiety watching him. Had the two really stumbled upon something?

If they insisted on buying it, what would he do? Call the police?

"This jade pendant was once worn by Puyi. The intricate carving suggests it's the handiwork of a master from the royal court."

Inscribed on it, a line of delicate script: 'To my beloved wife.'

"It likely belonged to Puyi's fifth and final wife, Li Shuxian."

Relief washed over Uncle De's face as he mopped his brow, a smile breaking through. "Miss, the old gentleman has a penchant for jade pendants. This isn't just any Hetian jade; it's adorned with a masterful dragon and phoenix carving. Coupled with Puyi's legacy, its value is immense. The old gentleman will surely be overjoyed."

"To think I'd encounter such a gem just by coming to Wenxuan Road."

Ai Xiaohan was elated, gingerly holding the pendant, her reluctance to part with it unmistakable.

"The last emperor's jade pendant?"

Xiao Nan, now adept at appraising treasures, hadn't paid the pendant much attention despite the system's prompt.

Perceiving Ai Xiaohan's possessive demeanor, he feared she might try to claim it. "Miss, have you finished looking? May I have my jade pendant back?"

"I'll offer two hundred and eighty thousand."

Ai Xiaohan's gaze was unwavering as she locked eyes with Xiao Nan, her voice as soft as a whisper.

"What?"

Xiao Nan's brow furrowed, not out of displeasure, but sheer astonishment.

After all, the system itself had only appraised it at one hundred and fifty thousand! Why would someone offer two hundred and eighty thousand to buy it?

"Still not enough for you?" Ai Xiaohan was no stranger to last-minute price hikes. Her smile vanished as she spoke icily, "Three hundred thousand. Not a penny more. Keep in mind, your jade pendant's true value is likely just around a hundred thousand or so."

"Agreed," Xiao Nan replied without hesitation.

What a laugh! That was double the original estimate!

For someone as cash-strapped as Xiao Nan, three hundred thousand was an astronomical sum!

"Alright then, Uncle De, transfer the funds to him and get his phone number."

Ai Xiaohan flashed Xiao Nan a smile before turning on her heel and walking away, leaving a trail of her perfume in the air.

Xiao Nan was still processing the moment when Uncle De completed the transaction. Clapping Xiao Nan on the shoulder, he grinned, "Kid, you've got a keen eye and some real talent. Keep it up. You'll have plenty more chances to interact with our Miss Ai."

With that, Uncle De pocketed Xiao Nan's phone number and departed.

Simultaneously, a system alert chimed in Xiao Nan's ears:

"Host has successfully sold a Forgotten Jade Pendant for three hundred thousand yuan, earning three hundred thousand experience points!"

"Current system level: 2. Experience needed to level up: 700,000."

Xiao Nan was over the moon. The system had valued the jade pendant at a mere one hundred and fifty thousand yuan, but thanks to Ai Xiaohan's unexpected bidding, not only did he sell it for three hundred thousand, but he also scored the same amount in experience points!

As he reveled in his good fortune, Xiao Nan noticed the crowd's eyes on him.

Realizing the danger of drawing too much attention after his windfall, he quickly made his exit through the throng.

Once the trio had left, the onlookers finally grasped what had transpired, and the place erupted into a frenzy.

"What just happened? Did I see that right?"

"A jade pendant that came with a three-thousand-yuan jade lion just sold for three hundred thousand?"

"Oh my goodness, this isn't just finding a bargain—it's like picking up cash off the ground!" The onlookers buzzed with excitement, nearly losing their minds over the spectacle.

The vendor from before could only stand there, dumbfounded, a tumult of emotions churning inside him. Regret? Resentment?

It was too late for any of that.

Glancing at the remaining heap of jade pendants, the vendor hastily opened his cloth bag, eyes blazing with a crazed intensity, and began to frantically pack them away.