An Honest Expert, Worth Eight Figures

When Lin Yu had fully extracted the lacquer tray and was about to place it on the counter, Shen Buyao suddenly raised her voice and exclaimed:

"Don't put it down! Wait for me—just a minute!"

Without giving Lin Yu time to react, Shen Buyao dashed out from behind the counter like a gust of wind.

Lin Yu couldn’t help but feel a surge of pride.

Judging by the antique expert’s reaction, the item in his hands was undoubtedly worth a fortune.

After rushing off, Shen Buyao hurried into the restroom and meticulously washed her hands.

She wiped and shook them dry, ensuring not a single drop of moisture remained.

When she returned, she was wearing a pair of thin, translucent white gloves.

She spread a soft leather mat on the counter and took a step back.

Only after maintaining a careful distance did she address Lin Yu:

"College boy, go ahead and place what you’ve brought on here."

Lin Yu: "…"

Now that was professionalism and precision!

Even though the lacquer tray was right beside the leather mat, Shen Buyao wouldn’t touch it herself—instead, she insisted the owner place it down.

Clearly, this was an unspoken rule in their line of work when appraising treasures.

The moment someone handled an artifact, they assumed direct responsibility for it.

If anything went wrong, getting blamed was inevitable.

Lin Yu admired Shen Buyao’s professional attitude.

He carefully placed the lacquer tray onto the leather mat himself.

Only after confirming it was positioned correctly did Shen Buyao begin her inspection, running her fingers over it with painstaking attention.

At the same time, she muttered under her breath with evident excitement:

"The carving is exquisite—the grape motifs are crisp and clear!"

"The luster is radiant, the layering distinct, and the overall dimensionality is flawless!"

"The lacquer is thick, the colors pure, and the glaze layers are perfectly preserved—this is exceptionally rare!"

"The vertical layering technique, the seamless integration of components… this is nothing short of a treasure!"

"…"

Shen Buyao examined every inch, searching for any flaw that might expose the tray as a counterfeit.

After all, how could an ordinary college student possess such an astonishing artifact?

But…

There were no flaws to be found!

[Ding!]

[Masterful performance! The host possesses a rare and priceless treasure, leaving the elder of the Tian Gong Pavilion utterly astounded!]

[Reward: 20 Spirit Stones.]

To avoid any misjudgment, Shen Buyao inspected it three times over.

Only after confirming its authenticity beyond doubt did she straighten up with utmost seriousness.

She looked at Lin Yu and said:

"College boy, do you have any idea how valuable this treasure of yours is?"

Lin Yu shook his head:

"That’s exactly why I brought it here—for you to take a look, Sister Buyao."

A gleam flashed in Shen Buyao’s eyes:

"Oh, you don’t know? Well, that makes things easier."

Lin Yu: "…"

That line sounded way too familiar!

Could a boomerang even come back this fast?

"Sister Buyao, the way you’re talking…"

"Are you planning to swindle me like some clueless sucker?"

Shen Buyao removed her white gloves with an air of solemnity and replied in a mildly reproachful tone:

"College boy, mind your words."

"In other matters, I might joke around or stretch the truth."

"But when it comes to antiques, I would never—ever—utter a single falsehood."

"Please don’t question my professional ethics!"

Her commanding presence made Lin Yu inexplicably uneasy.

Had he misjudged her? Did Sister Buyao truly hold antiques in such absurdly high regard?

Meanwhile, outside the window by the stall,

a middle-aged man shone a flashlight into the shop and called out:

"Boss Buyao, got new stock in?"

"What’s the story with the box in the second row?"

Shen Buyao lifted a corner of the leather mat, shielding the lacquer tray on the counter from view.

Glancing at the item illuminated by the man’s flashlight, she replied:

"Single-panel Dalbergia wood—thirty-five thousand!"

The middle-aged man chuckled: "I’m serious about buying—can you knock the price down a bit?"

Shen Buyao: "Cut the nonsense. Make me an offer."

The man hesitated: "How about two hundred?"

Shen Buyao clenched her fist: "Damn it, I told you to take a cut, not chop off its legs… Cash or online transfer?"

The man sighed: "Fine, I overshot again!"

Lin Yu, listening to their exchange: "…"

Sister Buyao’s professional ethics were truly stellar, huh?

Once the transaction was complete and the money collected,

Shen Buyao shut the window to prevent further interruptions.

Turning back,

she noticed Lin Yu’s complicated, half-amused expression.

Quickly, she explained:

"Hey, college boy, cut your sister some slack."

"It’s just business—sometimes the prices are a little inflated."

Lin Yu: "???"

A little?

Thirty-five thousand slashed to two hundred?

Why not just say three million and be done with it?

Pure con artist!

Given Lin Yu’s current level of rapport with Shen Buyao,

if she tried pulling any shady moves, he’d rather let the item rot in his hands than sell it.

To his surprise,

Shen Buyao continued earnestly:

"College boy, what you’ve brought is undoubtedly genuine—an open-and-shut case."

"But it’s so unbelievable that I had to triple-check."

"Its proper name is: ‘Carved Red Lacquer Grape Motif Begonia-Form Tray.’"

"To put its value into perspective…"

"Before you brought this in, I’d seen two similar lacquer trays."

"One is housed in a museum—a Ming Dynasty Xuande-marked grape-motif oval tray, different in shape from yours."

"The other was auctioned in Nan City two months ago—a Yongle-era oval tray."

"The final hammer price? Six hundred ninety-six thousand!"

Lin Yu: "!!!"

If Shen Buyao had cited prices in the tens or even hundreds of thousands, Lin Yu would’ve remained skeptical.

But she quoted a figure in the millions—down to the exact digit.

Instantly, her credibility skyrocketed.

What Shen Buyao said next further cemented her appraisal.

"College boy, that oval tray was sold through legitimate auction channels."

"It’s no under-the-table deal—you can look up the sale records online. It even made the news."

"Now, let’s focus on your piece…"

"First, it’s not from the Ming Dynasty—it’s Yuan!"

"Second, oval trays are common, but begonia-form ones are exceedingly rare."

"In summary,"

"your ‘Yuan Dynasty Carved Red Lacquer Grape Motif Begonia-Form Tray’ surpasses both of the ones I mentioned in both craftsmanship and condition."

"I won’t lie to you—if this went to a legitimate auction, it would easily fetch… eight figures."

Shen Buyao laid out the facts plainly.

After speaking,

she pushed the tray back toward Lin Yu, unfolding the leather to signal its return.

Stunned yet exhilarated,

Lin Yu mustered his prepared script and began:

"Sister Buyao, I had no idea this was so valuable. It’s actually from my family’s—"

He barely got two sentences in before Shen Buyao cut him off:

"Stop! Not another word!"

"College boy, I don’t need to know its origins. That’s an old rule here in Ghost Market Street."

Hiss.

Professionals really were on another level.

How was this rule old?

This rule was perfect!