Chapter 115: Blind Luck

Although it was never revealed whom the ghost messenger had been speaking with or what happened afterward, Zhang Qinglin came to understand one thing: the fear in a person’s heart is always greater than the danger itself.

Once they reached the hotel, Cheng Che took a hot shower first. When he came out and saw that the rain had stopped, he insisted on going out to find a restaurant and have a proper meal. The three of them tidied themselves up, called Wan Qing, and left the hotel.

They found a restaurant along the road. Fortunately, it was not very crowded. All four of them had several cuts on their faces, and Chi Tan still had gauze stuck to his forehead, so they attracted more than a few strange looks. They chose a secluded table and ordered several dishes.

“Old Zhang, take out that jade hu and let me have another look,” Cheng Che said. He seemed extremely interested in the jade hu. He poured a cup of tea and set it in front of Zhang Qinglin, then winked at him.

Cheng Che had loved antiques, calligraphy, and paintings since he was young. He had even spent some time studying them and once planned to open an antiques shop in Panjiayuan, but when his grandfather found out, he refused to let him do it under any circumstances.

The reason Old Master Cheng had opposed it so firmly was that Cheng Che’s grandfather had once run an antiques shop himself. On the day before the old man’s sixtieth birthday, someone bought a piece of porcelain from his shop. Less than two minutes after leaving, the customer returned with another person and the porcelain in hand, claiming that it was a fake. A crowd soon gathered to watch. In the end, the old man refunded the money and became so enraged that he fell ill.

What angered him was not the customer, but the fact that he had purchased a counterfeit—one he had acquired from an acquaintance, no less. He never recovered from his fury and died only a few days later.

Before his death, the old man had said, “Being capable of running a business does not mean you understand collecting. Being able to recognize talent does not mean you can identify a genuine artifact. Always remember this: whatever you do in the future, you must exercise caution.”

Zhang Qinglin placed the jade hu in Cheng Che’s hands. Just then, a waiter approached with a pot of tea and four teacups.

As Zhang Qinglin took the teapot from the waiter, he happened to catch sight of a familiar figure at the cashier’s counter by the entrance. There was no mistaking him—it was Wu Guanggen. Wu Guanggen stood at the counter speaking with the restaurant owner. A moment later, he turned around and swept his gaze across the room, lit a cigarette, and walked out.

“What is it?” Wan Qing asked when she noticed that something was wrong with Zhang Qinglin’s expression. She glanced toward the entrance.

After the waiter had left, Zhang Qinglin told them that he had just seen Wu Guanggen walk out through the door and did not know whether the man had noticed them.

“Wu Guanggen? Wasn’t he in Hebei?”

“He’s here? Could he have been following us the whole way? That’s impossible,” Cheng Che said, looking up at the sound of his name.

When Chi Tan returned from the restroom, he saw that all three of them wore tense expressions. The moment he sat down, Cheng Che asked him solemnly, “Chi Tan, did you run into anyone when you went out just now?”

“No. Why?” Chi Tan said, lifting the tea from the table and taking a sip.

“By the way, we have news from Hebei,” Wan Qing said.

“Have they found Xiao An?” Zhang Qinglin asked urgently. He was most concerned about Wu Chengan’s situation.

The only news from Hebei was that the Wu woman had been seen near Handan. They had not yet determined her exact location.

After finishing their meal, Zhang Qinglin and the others left the restaurant and began walking back. As they passed through the alley closest to the hotel, they saw several people standing in a line beneath the only lightbulb burning in the middle of the passage, blocking the way.

They advanced slowly. Beneath the dim yellow light, Wu Guanggen stood there looking full of energy, and Zhang Qinglin immediately knew that they had been waiting for them.

Wu Guanggen stepped forward, revealing his unpleasant face. He split his lips into a grin and said, “Well, what a coincidence! It’s been a long time, gentlemen. Hahaha.”

At the sound of Wu Guanggen’s cold laughter, Chi Tan hunched his neck and immediately slipped behind Zhang Qinglin.

Zhang Qinglin patted him on the shoulder and looked past Wu Guanggen at the men behind him. Every one of them wore a vicious expression in his eyes. It seemed they had come looking for a fight.

Zhang Qinglin studied Wu Guanggen for a long while, unable to figure out what the man was really after.

“This isn’t the black-mining district. Aren’t you afraid of being arrested for blocking people in the street and causing trouble?” Zhang Qinglin asked calmly.

Cheng Che widened his eyes and shouted at Wu Guanggen as well. “What exactly are you trying to do?”

“Brother, there’s no need to be so tense. It’s not as though I intend to do anything to you,” Wu Guanggen said in an even tone.

“If there’s nothing else, we’ll be leaving,” Wan Qing said coldly, looking at Wu Guanggen. She had never met him before, but people who were so duplicitous were best avoided.

“Wait. I only want to do business with you. As for what happened before, we can let bygones be bygones. I’ve heard that you have a jade hu from the Shang dynasty.”

Zhang Qinglin froze. How could Wu Guanggen know that he was carrying a Shang dynasty jade hu?

“What jade hu? We don’t know anything about that,” Cheng Che said.

Wu Guanggen clasped his hands behind his back and paced two steps. “You don’t know? Don’t try to fool me. I know the jade hu is on him. In truth, this deal would be highly advantageous for you. You stand to make money, so why refuse?”

“A deal? Surely you’re joking, Master Wu,” Zhang Qinglin asked, puzzled.

“Someone wants to pay for that jade hu. Five million!” Wu Guanggen said, holding up five fingers.

Zhang Qinglin thought for a moment before saying, “Master Wu, aren’t you afraid it might be a fake?”