"These paintings aren't even made on the cheapest rice paper. They're made on coarse, poorly made straw paper. If they were really collected from a wealthy family, how could they be so shoddy!"
Hearing Xu Qingqing's incisive query, a flicker of guilt flashed across the shopkeeper's face. He started to be unreasonable.
"Back in ancient times, they didn't have such good paper as we do now. Having some straw paper was already quite good. If you don't want to buy, just get out of the way. Don't try to ruin my reputation."
Hearing the shopkeeper shifting the blame, Xu Qingqing felt utterly speechless.
"Not all ancient people were fools. If you wanted to paint well, you had to use good rice paper."
"Moreover, for ancient paintings to be well - preserved and still retain their colors to this day, they simply couldn't have been painted on anything but top - quality rice paper!"
Xu Qingqing's persistence made passers - by stop and look.
The shopkeeper was afraid that his reputation would be ruined and he wouldn't be able to sell his goods. He frowned.
"What on earth do you want? Are you going to buy or not? If you're not buying, why do you interfere in other people's business!"
"Who said I'm not buying? Ten yuan for one painting. If you sell, I'll take it. If not, I'll keep bargaining."
Xu Qingqing stretched out her hand, and a ten - yuan bill lay quietly in her palm.
The shopkeeper snatched it up, randomly grabbed a painting and stuffed it into Xu Qingqing's arms, eager to get rid of her.
"Get out, get out! Stay away from my stall. Don't tell anyone you bought it for ten yuan!"
Having bought the fake painting she wanted, Xu Qingqing grinned, tucked the painting under her arm, and left silently.
After getting into the car, Xu Qingqing unfurled the painting the shopkeeper had stuffed into her arms. It depicted a burly hunter fighting a tiger.
The painting was of poor quality, and the colors were smudged. But since it was just for fooling her uncle, Xu Qingqing didn't mind.
"A good painting should have a high - sounding name. I'll call you 'Liu Guang Fights the Tiger'."
Xu Qingqing murmured as she named the painting. Then she immediately started the car and was going to send the painting "Liu Guang Fights the Tiger" to her uncle's house.
Her uncle had only spent 100 yuan hiring a locksmith and got a seemingly good painting to give to a rich merchant he wanted to curry favor with. The merchant promised to take her uncle into business with him in the future.
Her uncle was sitting happily in front of the tea table, sipping wine and crossing his legs.
"Now I'm finally going to make it big. Once we have money, we'll surely live better than Xu Yan's family."
Her uncle happily downed the wine in his cup in one gulp, as if he could already see his wonderful future.
Seeing Xu Qingqing walking in with a painting in her hand, her uncle was stunned for a moment. He thought she was here to ask for the painting.
Her uncle nervously put down the wine cup in his hand and looked at Xu Qingqing nervously, looking like a guilty person.
"Xu Qingqing, why are you here!"
"Uncle, are you drinking in the daytime?"
Xu Qingqing waved her hand to disperse the smell of alcohol on her uncle. She frowned slightly and smiled.
"Is there some good news?"
"What good news could I have? It's the same as before."
Her uncle smiled awkwardly. Seeing that Xu Qingqing's expression was normal, he stepped aside to let her in.
He also tentatively asked, "Xu Qingqing, did your father send you here?"
"Yes."
Xu Qingqing readily admitted. Seeing the obvious panic on her uncle's face, Xu Qingqing smiled to reassure him.
"Uncle, don't worry. I'm not here for 'Bird Bell and Slim Bamboo'. I want you to take me to make money!"
Hearing this, her uncle looked at Xu Qingqing suspiciously.
Xu Qingqing was married to the richest man, Lu Chuanbai. Did she still need him to take her to make money?
"Xu Qingqing, stop joking. You don't need me to take you to make money. It should be me who gets to benefit from you!"
Her uncle chuckled. He always felt that there was more to Xu Qingqing's innocent smile than met the eye.
"Just tell me what you want. I still have things to do and need to go out."
Seeing that her uncle was too guilty to look her in the eye, the smile on Xu Qingqing's lips deepened. She directly took out the painting she had bought for ten yuan and handed it to her uncle.
"Uncle, I'm serious."
Xu Qingqing's tone was very sincere. "I know you may think I'm lying to you, but I'm married to the richest man!"
"If I don't make more money, I feel like I'm not on the same level as him. So I want to develop some side businesses."
"I heard from Dad that you have a good way to make money, so I want you to take me along."
After saying that, Xu Qingqing handed the painting to her uncle and smiled as she unfurled it.
"The name of this painting is 'Liu Guang Fights the Tiger'. It was painted by the ancient master Song Yi. I hope you can help me pass it on to the rich merchant you mentioned."
Hearing that Xu Qingqing simply wanted to invest, the smile on her uncle's face immediately bloomed brightly, like an old chrysanthemum.
"Okay. I'll take you along just because you're my niece."
Saying that, her uncle took "Liu Guang Fights the Tiger" from Xu Qingqing's hand. Feeling the rough texture of the painting, he sighed in his heart that this must be the paper used in ancient times, so rough.
Her uncle led Xu Qingqing into the living room and warmly invited her to sit down. "Sit down."
"Okay." Xu Qingqing nodded, arranged her long dress and sat on the sofa. She curiously asked her uncle.
"Uncle, what kind of business does the rich merchant you mentioned do? Can we really get rich?"
"Of course we can!"
Her uncle nodded confidently. "He's in the same line of work as you, but he's an antique dealer who travels from place to place.
"He once bought a Qing - dynasty vase from a farmer for five yuan and made his fortune from there. He has since developed multiple side businesses."
Hearing that the merchant her uncle mentioned had swindled a Qing - dynasty vase for just five yuan, Xu Qingqing couldn't help but silently criticize in her heart.
This merchant was really too greedy!
"Boss Huang is going to salvage a sunken ship at sea this time. It's said that the sunken ship is full of ancient treasures that were being transported abroad. They can be sold for a lot of money!"
Hearing this, Xu Qingqing's treasure - hunting radar immediately went up. She stared directly at her uncle.
If this news was true, she must tell Wang Lide. The cultural relics in the sunken ship needed to be taken seriously.
"How did Boss Huang know about this sunken ship?"
Xu Qingqing continued to ask quietly.
"Because Boss Huang's grandfather's father once transported goods on this ship. There are relevant records in Boss Huang's family.
"He just didn't have the capital to invest in the early days, so he never salvaged it."
"So Boss Huang has quite a background."
Xu Qingqing smiled and made a request. "Uncle, can you take me to the birthday party? I also want to see the world!"
Her uncle completely believed what Xu Qingqing said. He clicked his tongue slightly. "You're more sensible than your father. I'll take you then."