50s: Starting with a storage ring

Chapter 317 Treasures Possess Spirits
Lieutenant Milan straightened his uniform, turned to face Sun Zhiwei, and saluted: "Mr. James, thank you for your help."

Sun Zhiwei smiled and nodded, watching the lieutenant open the door and leave.

When he turned around, he saw Belinda looking disgusted as she took the bronze lion out of the box again and casually threw the wooden box into the trash can next to the counter.

Sun Zhiwei rushed over in a panic, picked up the wooden box from the trash can, and carefully used his suit jacket to wipe the stains off the box.

After confirming that the box was not damaged, he said to Belinda with a heavy heart, "Next time, please wait until I come back before dealing with the items, okay?"

"Boss, why are you so treasuring this empty wooden box? I've already taken the contents out." As he spoke, he chuckled and held up the bronze lion in his hand.

Sun Zhiwei didn't even glance at the bronze lion, but stared at the wooden box and said, "Little girl, you still need to study, otherwise you won't recognize the treasure right in front of you."

When it comes to learning, Belinda perks up: "Boss, then teach me! I learn things very quickly."

"Okay, then I'll teach you something new. Do you know what the most expensive piece of wood in the world is?"

"What is it?"

“This is it, agarwood,” Sun Zhiwei said, holding up the wooden box in his hands.

"Agarwood is a specific tree species that produces resin due to disease, and it takes decades or even hundreds of years of natural changes to finally form."

"It is extremely rare, and its formation process requires specific natural conditions and a long period of time. It can be said that every piece of agarwood is a gift from nature."

Belinda looked over curiously: "Is this valuable? How much is it worth?"

Sun Zhiwei smiled smugly and didn't reply.

The piece of agarwood in his hand is a rare and precious item, and no one knows who made it into a box.

Judging from the box's antique design, he guessed it came from the Old Summer Palace (Yuanmingyuan), and might even have been the box the Empress Dowager used to store her jewelry.

The lieutenant's grandfather didn't understand its value, but luckily he brought it back to the United States and gave it to his grandson as an ordinary box containing a bronze lion.

This box, after more than half a century and crossing the Pacific Ocean, finally returned to Sun Zhiwei's hands amidst the vast sea of ​​people.

"This treasure has a spirit!" Sun Zhiwei exclaimed sincerely, clutching the three-and-a-half-pound box of agarwood tightly.

"But...but..." Belinda stammered, pointing to the door.

Through the transparent glass window, one could also see the lieutenant's upright figure, now refreshed and sturdy, in the distance.

"Belinda, the acquisition agreement has been signed and the money has been paid. What do you want to say?" Sun Zhiwei asked in a sinister tone.

Belinda, however, didn't notice Sun Zhiwei's sinister expression. Instead, she asked nervously, "Won't this be a bad thing?"

It seems this child has a very simple and honest personality, which is great; they'd make a good friend.

"In fact, Lieutenant Milan does not lack the money to get out of trouble; what he lacks is the courage and perseverance to do so."

"What do you think of what I just said to the lieutenant?"

“That’s good. The lieutenant has picked himself up again. I think he’ll be out of trouble soon.”

“That’s right. So, Belinda, what does this box mean to Lieutenant Milan?”

"Huh?" Belinda thought for a moment before saying, "It's probably just an ordinary wooden box, right?"

“Yes, what is very valuable to me is worthless to him and you. You just threw it in the trash.”

Belinda blushed as she recalled her earlier actions: "I'm sorry, boss."

"No need to apologize. I just want you to understand that the value of this box varies from person to person."

“Even if the lieutenant knew the box was valuable, he would have preferred to exchange what we just said.” “My words, though seemingly simple, contained wisdom and philosophy about life. His influence on Lieutenant Milan was far greater than a few thousand dollars.”

"And what makes it valuable?"

"Knowledge." This time, Belinda knew to answer first.

“That’s right.” Sun Zhiwei waved his hand, confirming Belinda’s answer.

"Because I have knowledge that you don't have. Therefore, a worthless box has become a valuable box."

“The knowledge is mine.” Sun Zhiwei pointed to his head.

“I used my knowledge to find a gem in the sand. This is my discovery, the value of my knowledge, so I have no guilt about it.”

Belinda seemed to be convinced by Sun Zhiwei's sophistry. As a top student, she also believed that knowledge changes destiny.

She is on this path of change, and she feels that she will be like Boss in the future, using knowledge to gain wealth and give her mother a good life.

Seeing Belinda become absorbed in her own world as she thought about things, Sun Zhiwei stopped paying attention to her and instead took the box to a corner.

When he came out, the box in his hand had already been put into his spatial storage.

Actually, the box isn't that valuable now. But it's a rare item, and buying it for a few hundred dollars, plus half a bronze lion, means he definitely made a profit.

Just like the traditional courtyard houses in Beijing, by the time they become valuable, Sun Zhiwei will be old.

Getting old is fine, but a grandfather collecting things and his grandson selling them—that's what collecting is all about.

Keep it; it would be a great idea to exchange it for a villa within the Third Ring Road for our unborn grandchildren in the future.

After seeing Lieutenant Milan off, they received two more ordinary guests in the afternoon.

Sun Zhiwei appraised the items for the customer, and Belinda then sold two more appraisal certificates.

After deducting the $800 spent at the lieutenant's place, the store made over a thousand dollars.

Belinda was even happier than Sun Zhiwei when she saw cash in the vault before leaving get off work each day.

That's how she felt the shop could stay open and wouldn't lose her next week's salary.

In winter, it gets dark very quickly; the sun sets around 5 p.m. By then, you can almost see the sunset.

After tidying up the shop, the two went their separate ways home.

On his way back, Sun Zhiwei was still thinking about hiring people for the store.

It's been almost a month, and he still hasn't been able to hire a night shift worker.

But as the shop's reputation grew, he became increasingly worried about its safety.

Actually, the simplest thing to do is to have someone from your family come over. An ordinary agent might do that, but doesn't he have many secrets?

Helpless, they could only continue to wait and see if a suitable person would come forward to apply.

After returning home, he called an unknown number, which rang twice before being disconnected.

After waiting for one minute, he called a second time, this time it only rang once before he hung up.

This was a one-time contact number he had agreed upon with Deputy Director Han, used only to schedule meetings.

(End of this chapter)