I just got divorced, and a rich and beautiful woman dragged me to get a marriage certificate.

"Simple? Easy?"

Qin Shouye shook his head, his tone becoming serious: "It's easier said than done!"

"99.999% of the antiques sold here are fakes or counterfeits!"

"Trying to find a bargain in a place like this is like searching for treasure in a garbage dump; it really tests your eyesight!"

"If your eyesight isn't good enough, you'll end up being fooled!"

"Today, Mr. Chen was able to spot the genuine article at a glance among so many fakes!"

"And to get it for two hundred dollars, that takes real skill. Try it on someone else!"

"Of a hundred people who come, ninety-nine will be fooled!"

Zhou Yuanshan wholeheartedly agreed: "In the antique business, it's three parts discernment and seven parts luck."

"But when it comes to discernment, if you don't have it, you simply don't. You can't fake it, and luck won't help."

Chen Mo wrapped the bowl up again and carried it in his hand:

"Let's go, let's find a place to deal with this thing and see if it's really real."

"Mr. Qin, do you know any reliable places around here?"

"Sihaitang!"

Without hesitation, Qin Shouye replied, "That's run by an old acquaintance of mine; he's been in the antique business in Da'an for over thirty years!"

"He has a good eye, a good reputation, and won't cheat you. I usually go to his place!"

Chen Mo nodded: "Let's listen to Elder Qin and go to Sihaitang!"

"become!"

The group followed Qin Shouye to Sihaitang.

Along the way, there were all kinds of stalls, and Chen Mo walked and looked around, looking for his target.

As they approached Sihaitang, Chen Mo suddenly stopped and looked at a roadside stall, his gaze falling on a Buddha statue.

The Buddha statue was small, only about the height of a palm, made of bronze, and its surface was covered with green rust.

It looked dusty and unremarkable, casually placed in a corner by the stall owner, mixed in with a pile of scrap metal.

Everyone stopped. Following his gaze, they saw the Buddha statue.

Qin Shouye asked curiously, "Mr. Chen, have you made a discovery?"

Chen Mo nodded, walked over, picked up the Buddha statue, and examined it closely.

The owner was a young man in his thirties. Seeing someone pick up something, he immediately came over:

"The boss has a good eye!"

"This Buddha statue is a genuine Ming Dynasty bronze Buddha. Look at the patina and the rust; it would take four or five hundred years to develop such a patina."

"I acquired it from the countryside; the family said it was passed down from their ancestors..."

Same rhetoric.

Same taste.

Qin Shouye leaned over for a look, then immediately shook his head:

"Mr. Chen, isn't this Buddha statue just an ordinary modern craft item?"

"Look at this casting technique, the facial features, the lines of the clothing—it's all so stiff, it has absolutely no Ming Dynasty charm!"

"The rust looks unnatural, like it was created by biting with acid; it's clearly not an antique!"

"Old Qin is right!"

Zhou Yuanshan nodded in agreement: "This thing looks fake at first glance; the imitation is too crude."

"Dr. Chen, you're not thinking of buying this, are you?"

Chen Mo didn't offer any further explanation, but looked up and asked the shop owner, "Boss, how much is this Buddha statue?"

The boss originally intended to ask for an exorbitant price, but after hearing what Qin Shouye and Zhou Yuanshan said, he knew that these two were knowledgeable and not easily fooled.

His eyes darted around, and he held up five fingers: "Five hundred!"

Chen Mo didn't haggle; he took out his phone, scanned the vendor's QR code, and paid 500 yuan.

Then he put the Buddha statue in his pocket and stood up.

Qin Shouye and Zhou Yuanshan exchanged a glance. Although they were puzzled, they did not stop them.

Chen Mo has his reasons for doing things, which these old men may not understand, but they can trust him.

After walking a distance from that stall, Qin Shouye finally couldn't resist and asked curiously:

"Mr. Chen, why did you buy that Buddha statue?"

"It's just a regular modern craft item. Five hundred yuan is too much; you could get one for fifty yuan!"

Zhou Yuanshan nodded in agreement: "Yes, Dr. Chen, we admire your skill in picking up that bowl you missed earlier."

"But we really don't understand this Buddha statue!"

Chen Mo looked at the Buddha statue, a smile playing on his lips:

"The two gentlemen are right. This Buddha statue is indeed a modern craft item, and a very crude imitation at that. It's not worth much!"

"But... there's more to this Buddha statue than meets the eye; it holds unexpected treasures!"

"Is there more to it than meets the eye?"

Qin Shouye's eyes widened, and he leaned closer. "Is there something hidden inside the Buddha statue?"

Zhou Yuanshan also became interested: "Dr. Chen, are you saying that this Buddha statue isn't solid, but hollow inside?"

Chen Mo nodded: "Gentlemen, you'll find out when we get to Sihaitang!"

The crowd stared at the dusty bronze Buddha statue, both surprised and puzzled. Was it real? What could be hidden inside?

……

Sihaitang is located deep in the alley. A dark brown wooden plaque hangs above the door, with the three gilded characters "Sihaitang" engraved on it.

The brushstrokes are vigorous, and there is a small seal at the end that reads "Guangxu Renyin Year," which means it has a history of more than a hundred years.

Two stone lions stand on either side of the entrance. They are not large, but the carving is exquisite. They are standing on embroidered balls under their paws and look adorable.

Chen Mo and his group entered Sihaitang. A man in his sixties, who was not tall and slightly overweight, was sitting in a chair.

He was wearing a dark gray Chinese-style jacket, his hair was gray but neatly combed, he had a smile on his face, and his eyes were bright. He looked like a shrewd person.

Behind the counter stood a young woman, about twenty-five or twenty-six years old, wearing a moon-white cheongsam, her hair tied up, revealing a section of her fair neck.

Her features aren't exactly stunning, but they're very pleasing to the eye, with a gentle, graceful quality reminiscent of the water towns of Jiangnan.

The woman, standing behind the counter, looked up when she heard the noise and paused for a moment, slightly startled.

"Old Qin! Old Zhou!"

The man had already stood up, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and smiled:

"What brings you two here? What rare guests! Please come in, please come in!"

Qin Shouye smiled and cupped his hands in greeting: "Old Zhao, long time no see! Your Sihaitang is thriving!"

"Oh, not at all, thanks to you two, I'm able to make a living!"

Boss Zhao stepped aside to let the guests pass by, his gaze sweeping over everyone before finally settling on Chen Mo, where he paused for a moment.

A young woman also came out and bowed slightly: "Hello, Grandpa Qin, hello, Grandpa Zhou."

"Okay, okay!"

Zhou Yuanshan nodded with a smile, "Xiaoyu has become even more beautiful. Do you have a boyfriend? Grandpa will introduce you to one?"

Zhao Xiaoyu blushed slightly, then lowered her head and smiled, "Grandpa Zhou is joking!"

"Old Zhou, stop teasing her, this girl is shy!" Boss Zhao said with a smile.

The interior of Sihaitang is much more spacious than the storefront, with three rooms combined together, and the display shelves are filled with various porcelain, jade, and bronze artifacts.

Several calligraphy and paintings hang on the wall, and in the corner there is a half-person-high wooden Guanyin statue, with exquisite craftsmanship and lifelike appearance.

The air was filled with the scent of sandalwood, mixed with the aroma of old wood and aged paper, giving it the feel of a time-honored brand.

Boss Zhao invited everyone to sit down on the mahogany chairs, and Zhao Xiaoyu went to make tea.

"Old Zhao, we're here with Mr. Chen today."

Qin Shouye pointed at Chen Mo: "He has two things here that he would like you to take a look at."

Boss Zhao's gaze fell on Chen Mo, and he looked him up and down, secretly surprised and suspicious.