I work as a security guard at a cemetery, and I overhear the dead chatting about getting rich quick.

The next morning, Lin Ye was woken up by his alarm clock.

When he opened his eyes, his mind was still a little numb.

He really did patrol that round at 3 a.m. last night.

It's not because I've become bolder.

The main reason was that Lin Ye had already listened to so many comments from the underworld residents in the first half of the night, and if he didn't go out for a walk in the second half, he was afraid that he would appear too unprofessional on the surveillance cameras.

However, no new clues emerged in the latter half of the night.

Old Li got tired of scolding his grandson, Old Zhou got tired of scolding his son, and Boss Wei and Principal Chen argued for a long time about whether "paper-mache drivers belong to the service industry".

By the end, Lin Ye had only one thought in his mind.

The dead are so idle.

After handing over his shift in the morning, he went back to his dormitory and dozed off for three hours.

I didn't sleep very soundly.

In his dream, Old Zhou was chasing him, clutching a snuff bottle and shouting, "Two packs of cigarettes! A lighter!"

After waking up, Lin Ye sat on the edge of the bed for half a minute before remembering that he was supposed to go to Nanqiao Secondhand Market today.

He washed his face and stared at himself in the mirror for a few seconds.

The dark circles under my eyes are still there.

But it's different from the previous two days.

The haggard look I had the other day was a result of being broke.

Today is the day of excitement before making a fortune.

Lin Ye opened his notebook and looked again at the clues he had written down last night.

Nanqiao Secondhand Market.

Enter from the west entrance, third row.

It's near the toilet.

The fat boss.

Melon seed eyes.

Fake amber.

The young man is not deceived.

Two Hongtashan cigarettes, and a lighter.

Snuff bottle, agate, with clever coloring.

Someone offered 20,000.

Every line of text is very simple.

It's as simple as a travel guide.

Lin Ye changed into clean clothes.

He has experience now.

Going to the scrap yard can leave you covered in dust and dirt.

When visiting a flea market, the goods shouldn't be too clean, nor too worn out.

Too clean, like an untrained lamb.

It's too dilapidated; the owner can't be bothered with it.

Ideally, it would be someone who seems to have some money, but not much, and has some interests, but not deep ones.

Simply put, it's like a young person who wants to buy some old things for their elders but doesn't know much about them.

Lin Ye adjusted his expression in front of the mirror.

Don't get too excited.

Don't be too cunning.

Be natural.

You should be a little filial.

He tried to put on a smile that said, "My grandfather likes old things."

After watching for two seconds, he got goosebumps.

Forget it.

Acting skills are something you can't force.

He slung his bag over his shoulder and greeted Uncle Zhao.

Uncle Zhao was wiping cups in the security booth when he looked up at him.

"Going to verify science again?"

Lin Ye paused in his steps.

"Let's switch subjects today."

Uncle Zhao asked, "What subject?"

Lin Ye thought for a moment.

"Value assessment of privately owned secondhand items".

Uncle Zhao stared at him for a few seconds.

"Did you sign up for some weird classes outside of school?"

Lin Ye was serious.

"Social University."

Uncle Zhao waved his hand.

"Go ahead, don't be late. You have to work the night shift."

Lin Ye nodded and went out.

Nanqiao Secondhand Market is located at the junction of the old city and the new city.

Take the bus to Nanqiao Station, get off and walk for seven or eight minutes, and you will see a narrow street.

An old sign hangs at the street corner.

Nanqiao Folk Customs and Secondhand Goods Market.

There was also a line of smaller print at the bottom of the sign.

We operate with integrity and treat all customers fairly, young and old.

Lin Ye stood at the street corner, looking at those eight characters, and felt inexplicably wary.

He now has a bit of a phobia about the phrase "honesty and integrity."

As Lao Zhou mentioned last night, that fat boss always has those four words on his lips, specifically targeting those who don't know anything about the business.

The more someone emphasizes that they don't lie, the more skilled they usually are at their craft.

The Nanqiao secondhand market was more bustling than Lin Ye had imagined.

The stalls on both sides were side by side, with old cloths spread on the ground and various items displayed on them.

Copper coins.

Jade pendant.

Old watch.

Wooden box.

Pipe.

Porcelain bowl.

Bracelet.

Old camera.

There were also some things in the forest that I couldn't name at all.

Some things look old.

Some things are just pretending to be old.

The stall owners sat on small stools, their expressions calm, as if any one of the rusty copper pieces and peeling wooden boxes at their feet could reveal the secrets of several dynasties.

As soon as Lin Ye walked in, he heard someone shouting next to him.

"Young man, what are you looking at? These are some things that were taken from the old house; feel free to handle them if you like."

Lin Ye didn't dare to take action.

He was afraid that if he touched it, the other party would say that the item had recognized its owner.

A few steps further, an old man wearing sunglasses was arguing with the stall owner, holding a porcelain bowl.

"Is this bowl really from the Song Dynasty?"

The stall owner patted his chest.

"Old Bao".

The old man asked, "How can you prove it?"

The stall owner said, "Look at this glaze."

The old man asked again, "I don't understand."

The stall owner paused for a moment.

"Then you should trust me."

Lin Ye walked past, his feelings complicated.

The barriers to entry in this industry are really flexible.

You can understand it by looking at the glaze.

If you don't understand, just trust the boss.

He didn't rush to find the fat boss.

In a flea market, you can't just walk in and ask where a certain stall is, like you would when looking for laundry detergent in a supermarket.

Being too explicit makes it easier for others to see that you have a goal.

He first walked slowly inwards along the west entrance.

The first row mainly contains coins and small jade items.

The second row contains porcelain, wooden boxes, and miscellaneous items.

The third row is further inside, near a public restroom.

When Lin Ye got close, his pace naturally slowed down.

A faint smell of disinfectant wafted in the air.

very good.

This shows that the location provided by Lao Zhou is basically reliable.

It's near the toilet.

This feature, though unsightly, is very practical.

There are seven or eight stalls in the third row.

Lin Ye looked from left to right.

The first stall owner was as thin as a bamboo pole, with very large eyes.

exclude.

The second one was an old woman, who was using a palm-leaf fan to swat away flies.

exclude.

The third middle-aged man wore glasses and had nothing around his neck.

exclude.

The fourth stall owner is fat.

Lin Ye's gaze paused for a moment.

The man was in his forties, with a round face and a round belly. He sat on a small stool with a cigarette between his fingers.

Her eyes are indeed small.

It's small and very recognizable.

She also had a string of yellowish-brown beads hanging around her neck, which at first glance looked like amber.

A small sign stood next to the stall.

The young man is not deceived.

Lin Ye's heart skipped a beat.

found it.

He didn't go over immediately.

He first picked up an old pocket watch from a nearby stall and looked at it.

The stall owner enthusiastically introduced the watch, saying it was an old item from the Republic of China era, which had come from a wealthy family.

Lin Ye asked if they could leave.

The stall owner said no.

Lin Ye then asked why it was called a watch if it couldn't be walked.

The stall owner's gaze immediately turned cold.

Lin Ye quickly put it down.

He then went around to the other side and looked at several wooden boxes, an old brass lock, and a small brass bell whose purpose he didn't know.

His biggest takeaway from the trip was that everything in the flea market had a story.

Whether the story is true or not depends on the stall owner's mood that day.

Lin Ye circled around for a while before finally squatting down in front of the fat boss's stall.

He didn't look at the snuff bottle first.

Instead, he picked up an old cigarette box.

"Boss, how much is this?"

The fat boss raised his eyelids to look at him.

Those eyes are indeed small.

Old Zhou's voice automatically popped into Lin Ye's mind.

Like melon seeds.

The fat boss exhaled a puff of smoke.

"You like cigarette paraphernalia?"

Lin Ye smiled.

"My grandpa's birthday is coming up soon, he's a long-time smoker. I'd like to find some old things for him, they don't necessarily have to be expensive, it's mainly about the memories."

He had been thinking about this sentence the whole way on the bus.

grandfather.

Celebrating a birthday.

A long-time smoker.

remember.

Putting the four words together makes it sound like filial piety.

It's also a good place to get ripped off.

The fat boss did indeed become interested.

"Then take a look, I have quite a few old cigarette paraphernalia here."

He reached out and touched the items on the stall.

Old cigarette box.

Copper cigarette holder.

lighter.

Pipe.

There are also a few small bottles and jars.

Lin Ye's eyes almost disappeared into the corner.

But he held back.

Don't rush.

He first picked up an old cigarette box.

"This looks quite vintage."

The fat boss said, "Old man."

Lin Ye asked, "What era?"

The fat boss glanced at him.

"It's been around for a long time."

Lin Ye fell silent.

That's a sneaky answer; it's like saying nothing at all.

He then picked up a copper cigarette holder.

"What about this one?"

The fat boss said, "He's an old man too."

Lin Ye nodded.

It seems that the items on this stall are of all ages.

He pretended to be carefully selecting items, looking at them one by one.

The finger slowly moved to the corner of the stall.

There were several lighters, a brass cigarette holder, and a small snuff bottle lying there.

The teapot has a warm, lustrous color with a natural reddish-brown pattern.

Lin Ye didn't understand agate.

They also don't understand the art of coloring.

But the moment he saw that thing, his heart skipped a beat.

too small.

If it weren't for Lao Zhou's harsh scolding last night, it might have remained huddled in this pile of junk, waiting for the next clueless person to take it away as a freebie.

Lin Ye did not pick it up immediately.

He first picked up an old lighter next to him.

"Is this still usable?"

The chubby boss said, "It looks nice displayed."

Lin Ye pressed the button twice, but it didn't light.

They're really only good for display.

He smiled, and then, as if casually, picked up the snuff bottle.

It felt a bit cold to the touch.

It's not heavy, but it feels heavier than it looks.

The patterns on the teapot are very soft under the sunlight, unlike anything painted on by hand.

Lin Ye felt even more anxious.

He showed a look of confusion on his face.

"Is this little bottle also a smoking accessory?"

The fat boss glanced at it.

"snuff bottle."

"snuff?"

"It's something the older generation used to play; not many people understand it now."

The fat boss spoke very casually.

It's so casually placed that it seems like it's just a small decorative item.

Lin Ye turned the snuff bottle around and deliberately frowned.

"My grandfather probably won't need this, right?"

The fat boss smiled.

"Even if you don't use it, you can still display it. It's an old item; you buy it for the feel of it."

Lin Ye had heard this phrase far too many times today.

Many items in flea markets are not necessarily useful.

But they all have a taste.

Sometimes it's the flavor of history.

Sometimes it has a deceptive quality.

Lin Ye put the snuff bottle back in its place and then picked up another old snuffbox.

"How much for this pile?"

The fat boss narrowed his eyes.

Which items do you want?

Lin Ye pointed to the cigarette case, the copper mouthpiece, and the lighter, then pretended to hesitate as he glanced at the snuff bottle.

"These are for a small cabinet for my grandfather."

The fat boss rummaged through the items and put them together.

"This pile, 1200."

Lin Ye almost laughed out of anger.

Old Zhou's son traded it for two packs of Hongtashan cigarettes and a lighter.

When it came to him, he asked for 1,200.

The flea market is indeed a magical place.

The same thing can be worthless one second and become a source of nostalgia the next.

Lin Ye didn't rush to bargain.

He first showed a hint of embarrassment.

"Boss, I'm just buying a birthday present, 1200 is a bit expensive."

The fat boss had a cigarette dangling from his lips.

"You're complaining about the price for your grandfather's birthday?"

Lin Ye thought to himself, "Good grief, they're starting with moral blackmail right off the bat."

But his smile was very honest.

"The main problem is that I just graduated and have a limited budget. If my grandfather knew that I spent 1,200 yuan on a bunch of useless things, he might immediately remove me from the family genealogy."

The fat boss chuckled at his words.

"Then how much will you say?"

Lin Ye looked at the pile of things.

He knew he couldn't cut too hard.

Being too ruthless indicates he doesn't genuinely want to buy.

We can't just cut the snuff bottle.

Too obvious.

He thought for a moment and said, "Five hundred."

The fat boss's smile vanished.

"Young man, this isn't a junkyard."

Lin Ye thought to himself, "You didn't have this attitude when Old Zhou's son came."

But I can't say that.

He couldn't explain why he knew it once he said it.

Lin Ye had no choice but to put the cigarette pack down.

"Then I'll take another look."

He got up as if to leave.

The fat boss didn't stop him immediately.

Lin Ye's heart skipped a beat.

broken.

Wasn't this going too far?

He had just taken a step when the fat boss spoke up from behind.

"return."

Lin Ye slowly turned around.

The fat boss had a cigarette between his fingers, and his eyes were even narrower.

"You really want it?"

Lin Ye nodded.

"I really want to buy something for my grandpa."

The fat boss snorted.

"Eight hundred, take it."

Lin Ye breathed a sigh of relief.

eight hundred.

It's much more expensive than the two cartons of cigarettes that Old Zhou's son owns.

But if Lao Zhou wasn't exaggerating, someone once offered 20,000 for this thing, so 800 wouldn't be a problem.

He did not agree immediately.

He pretended to hesitate for a few seconds.

"Could you make it less? I still need to buy a cake."

The fat boss simply pulled the items back.

"Then go buy a cake."

Lin Ye quickly reached out and pressed down on the pile of cigarettes.

"Okay, eight hundred it is."

The fat boss glanced at him and smiled.

"Filial piety."

Lin Ye also laughed.

"Of course."

He silently added a sentence in his mind.

I hope Lao Zhou thinks so too.

Lin Ye's fingers were very steady when scanning the QR code to pay.

After all, we just experienced the change from 80 to 6800 yesterday.

Now that he's spent 800, he doesn't feel as much pain anymore.

Of course, it still hurts.

It's just that the pain is more hopeful.

The fat boss found a plastic bag and stuffed the cigarette case, copper cigarette holder, lighter, and snuff bottle into it all at once.

Lin Ye's palms tightened slightly when he took the bag.

It cannot be shown.

He glanced down at the bag and asked casually, "Boss, where did you get all this stuff?"

The fat boss looked at him warily.

"What's wrong?"

Lin Ye smiled.

"I'm just asking so I can brag to my grandpa when I get back that these are all old items."

The fat boss exhaled a puff of smoke.

"The items in the secondhand market come from all over the world. Some people are moving, some are clearing out their stock, and some are left behind by their elderly relatives."

That's as good as saying nothing at all.

Lin Ye nodded and didn't ask any further questions.

He carried the bag and slowly walked towards the street corner.

He didn't stop until he left the fat boss's stall and turned behind a stall selling used books.

My heart started racing.

found it.

The snuff bottle was in the bag.

Lin Ye looked down at the black plastic bag and suddenly had the illusion that he was carrying a bag of blind boxes.

It might be money.

It could also be a lesson learned.

He did not immediately go to find a buyer.

Yesterday's stamp album incident taught him a lesson.

Getting the goods is only the first step.

The real questions are how to sell, to whom to sell, and how much to sell.

You can also buy stamps at stamp shops.

He knew absolutely nothing about snuff bottles.

If you take it directly to other stalls in the flea market to ask for prices, the fat shopkeeper might find out right away.

If he randomly goes to an antique shop and they offer him three thousand, he might even have to thank them.

Lin Ye stood on the street and opened his phone to search.

Local antique appraisal.

Free treasure appraisal.

Auction house charity appraisal.

After searching for a few minutes, he saw a message.

Jiahe Auction House is holding a weekend charity appraisal event.

Open today.

The location is not too far from Nanqiao Secondhand Market.

Lin Ye stared at those words, his eyes gradually brightening.

Auction house.

It sounds more legitimate than the flea market.

At least they wouldn't write "honest and fair dealing" on a small sign.

He put his phone away, tightened his grip on the bag, and walked towards the bus stop.

As I walked out of the secondhand market, the portly shopkeeper was still calling out to customers behind me.

"Take your time looking; they're all old stuff, no deception whatsoever!"