"Yes, maintaining good public order requires the efforts of the police officers."
Zhuang Rui suppressed a laugh and said in a serious tone, pretending not to see Officer Miao's threatening look.
Although Miao Feifei often ate at this hotel, the restaurant and the guest room department were separate, so she didn't worry that anyone would recognize her.
After the elevator reached the eighteenth floor, Squid stepped out first. Although he pretended to be proud and upright, Zhuang Rui saw it as a guilty conscience.
"Teacher Zhuang, this is it..."
The squid arrived at the door of room number 1808, rang the doorbell, and after about a minute, the door was opened a crack. Seeing that there were only three people outside, the person then unlatched the chain lock and let the three in.
"They're quite willing to spend money, huh? This is the presidential suite..."
As Miao Feifei went in, she muttered something under her breath.
"Brother Zhuang, it's been so long! I've missed you terribly."
As soon as Zhuang Rui entered the room, he saw a familiar face. Fatty Jin, with his massive body swaying, came over and hugged Zhuang Rui. He was a regular customer and hadn't gone around in circles like Zhuang Rui had; he had already been there for over twenty minutes.
"Teacher Jin, if you find any good items later, please recommend them to me."
Zhuang Rui greeted Fatty Jin while looking at the presidential suite.
They were in the living room of the suite, which was quite large, about forty or fifty square meters. In the middle of the living room was a dining table about three or four meters long, which was probably temporarily moved from the adjacent dining room. Around the dining table was a row of sofas, where four or five people were already seated, drinking tea. However, apart from Fatty Jin, there was no one Zhuang Rui knew.
In addition, there were four or five sturdy young men standing in the hall. Two of them were guarding the door that should be the bedroom. Zhuang Rui knew that the room inside should be where the antiques were kept. Although the location was different, it was very similar to the antique black market he had participated in in Tibet.
"Professor Zhuang, please have a seat and some tea. Our auction will begin in five minutes..."
Upon arriving at this place, Squid stopped talking about academic exchanges and invited Zhuang Rui and the others to sit on the sofa.
"What's going on? It's just selling antiques, why did you lead us on such a long detour?"
Just as Zhuang Rui sat down, a commotion arose at the door. It was likely that this person, like Zhuang Rui, was also a first-timer and was enjoying the early morning car ride.
Chapter 351 Famous Young Master of the Capital
"Young Master Yang, please calm down. This is for safety's sake, isn't it? Come, please sit down and rest. The auction is about to begin..."
The person who spoke next was probably playing a role similar to that of the squid. As he spoke, a very young-looking man walked in from the doorway.
Behind the man was a girl, who was probably not very old, but very tall, about 1.75 meters, wearing a tight leather outfit, and with a figure even more voluptuous than Miao Feifei.
Because her clothes were too tight, a deep V-shaped cleavage was squeezed out of the girl's chest, and her hips swayed exaggeratedly as she walked, exuding a seductive aura. In comparison, Miao Feifei, who should be a bit older, seemed somewhat naive.
"Damn it, all the good meat has been eaten by pigs!"
When the squid saw the woman, a glint of light immediately appeared in its small eyes. It's likely he won't be spending the Mid-Autumn Festival with his parents this year; he'll probably be sneaking off to a bar in Houhai to be the male lead in an open-air lovemaking session.
"Hey, as expected of a famous young master in Beijing, all the women he brings are celebrities..."
When a squid looks at a woman, it always looks at her buttocks first, then her waist, and then upwards. When it saw the woman's face, it couldn't help but mutter something under its breath.
"Squid, who is that woman?"
The auction hadn't started yet, and the guests attending the auction were all familiar with each other, chatting amongst themselves. The organizers' "staff" were also quite relaxed. When they heard that Squid knew the woman, two men in black suits surrounded Squid.
"Old Niu, you don't recognize this woman? She's a really popular model lately. Apparently, someone's got her in some movie too, she's incredibly famous. Hey, I bet that Young Master Yang is the one who paid for her..."
Squid lowered his voice and whispered to his buddies, but Zhuang Rui was very close to him and heard everything clearly. He couldn't help but feel curious. There were supposed to be some famous young masters in Beijing? He had never heard of them before.
"This auction is getting less and less classy, inviting just anyone, buddy. There's a fair share of black markets in Beijing and Tianjin; I'll take you to check out some other ones sometime..."
Fatty Jin looked down on the people in the room. He was now a well-established collector with a long lineage and high standards. He looked down on these people who had made their fortunes by starting businesses and then turned to collecting antiques. Antiques were about cultural heritage, but in the hands of these people, they had simply become investment products that could appreciate in value.
"Sure, I'll be staying in Beijing for a while this time. When I have some free time, you'll have to take me to the Palace Museum, right?"
The Palace Museum Zhuang Rui was referring to wasn't the kind of physical exhibits you could see just by paying for a ticket; he could afford that. He was talking about the Palace Museum's artifact storage facilities. Jin Pangzi, an expert in the appraisal and restoration of ancient calligraphy and paintings, certainly had the authority to give a tour of the Palace Museum's collection to a couple of people. Besides, Zhuang Rui was also a director of the Jade Association, which was a semi-official position.
"No problem, call me when you're free, and I'll take you in to have a look. We need to organize everything in the warehouse soon. Summer's over, and things will get damp. If they're not properly stored, some items will get damaged..."
Calligraphy and paintings are the most difficult collectibles to preserve. Not only are they susceptible to insect and rodent damage, but time is their greatest enemy. Furthermore, dust in the air absorbs harmful gases and suspends in the air, eventually settling on the painting and eroding it. In winter, calligraphy and paintings need to be heated, and in summer, they need to be cooled. There are many things to consider.
Of the enormous annual maintenance costs for antiques at the Palace Museum, calligraphy and paintings account for a significant portion.
"Excuse me, could you two please tell me what you were filming today?"
Just as Zhuang Rui and Fatty Jin were having a pleasant conversation, someone suddenly interrupted from the side, and then they caught a whiff of a fragrant scent. Looking up, they saw that it was Young Master Yang with his celebrity companion, who had come over.
Yang Bo was feeling a bit down today. He had often heard people talk about how many amazing items were in the black market for antiques, and how prestigious it was to be invited there. His mother, who ran a restaurant, had recently been trying to cultivate a relationship with a big shot who had taken a liking to antiques. So Yang Bo volunteered and used his connections to get himself invited to the black market.
Yang Bo is only in his early twenties, a time when he's eager to show off. Naturally, he wanted to bring his girlfriend, whom he'd recently started dating, to the antique black market to flaunt his newfound fame. But after driving around Beijing all morning, he found himself completely ignored. Even the organizers of the black market were leering at their female companions, with no one paying him any attention.
Although the children of wealthy families nowadays do value education—Yang Bo went abroad after finishing junior high school—young people's habits can't be changed overnight. He always wanted to attract attention. Everyone in the room was over forty. Yang Bo observed his surroundings for a while and found that Zhuang Rui was the youngest, suggesting they might have some common topics, so he joined them.
More importantly, Yang Bo was attracted to Miao Feifei. As the saying goes, wild flowers are more fragrant than garden flowers. Although Miao Feifei wasn't as glamorous as the celebrity Zhang beside him, her delicate and fragile temperament made Yang Bo feel a pang of pity for her. Moreover, after observing her for a while, he realized that the man beside her didn't seem to value her much. He hadn't said a word to her in ages.
If Zhuang Rui knew what Yang Bo was thinking, he would definitely laugh his head off. This person looks weak, but that doesn't mean he's harmless. Officer Miao is gentle on the outside but tough on the inside, and he always believes that truth comes from fists and kicks. If he knew that Yang Bo wanted to touch this thorny rose, he would definitely give his full support and then hide on the sidelines to watch the show.
"The items up for auction are usually not fixed; you'll only find out once the auction starts. Just wait patiently, buddy."
Young Master Yang was quite polite in his speech. Although Fatty Jin couldn't tell that this little brat knew anything about antiques, he still managed to reply.
Zhuang Rui remained silent. He was here today to find bargains on Taobao and to help Miao Feifei check if there were any stolen bronze artifacts, not to make friends.
In the black market, strangers are often suspicious of each other. Only a newbie like Yang Bo would take the initiative to strike up a conversation. Among the people who mingle in the antique world of Beijing, who doesn't know Fatty Jin? This guy is obviously a newcomer to this business. Zhuang Rui even suspects that his role today is similar to Fatty Ma in the grassland black market, except that this guy definitely doesn't have Fatty Ma's ability to play dumb and take advantage of others.
"My name is Yang Bo. May I ask how you gentlemen and this young lady are addressed?"
Yang Bo extended his hand to Zhuang Rui. Although he intended to shake hands with Miao Feifei first, he noticed that Zhuang Rui's clothes, though dark-colored and somewhat understated, were still expensive brand-name items, thanks to Yang Bo's discerning eye. Although he didn't know Zhuang Rui's net worth, wealthy people generally respect those who are richer than them, so Yang Bo behaved very appropriately.
Little did Yang Bo know that Zhuang Rui had been scolded by Ouyang Jun so much, and felt that being labeled a teacher made him want to buy a few brand-name clothes to save face. In any other situation, he would definitely be wearing mass-market items.
"My surname is Zhuang. This is Teacher Jin, a renowned figure in the calligraphy and painting circles of Beijing. Um, you don't need to pay attention to that young lady; she's just here for fun."
As the saying goes, one shouldn't hit a smiling face. Seeing that the young man was quite polite, Zhuang Rui extended his hand and shook hands with him. As for Miao Feifei, it was better not to introduce her, lest that young lady cause some trouble.
"Why does this young lady look so familiar? Is her surname Zhao?"
Yang Bo's purpose in joining in the fun was to get to know Miao Feifei, so he naturally wouldn't give up easily. He used a very old-fashioned but very practical method.
"My surname is Miao, we've never met before."
Miao Feifei was quite obedient to Zhuang Rui today, only observing and not saying anything after arriving. However, since others had already changed her surname, shouldn't she at least correct them?
"These antiques are really just that—they're valuable if someone's interested, but if nobody wants them, they're less than trash. They're not even worth as much as jade or gemstones, Xiaoqi, don't you think?"
Seeing that not only Zhuang Rui and Fatty Jin ignored him, but even the girl was ignoring him, Yang Bo couldn't help but show off. He noticed that although Miao Feifei's clothes fit well, they weren't from any brand, and she wasn't wearing any jewelry. He deliberately said the words above in an attempt to attract Miao Feifei's attention.
“Yes, Brother Yang, what’s the point of looking at those antiques that can’t be used or touched? This necklace you bought for me, it cost 400,000 yuan, right? It’s much more valuable than those broken porcelain and tiles.”
When Zhang Qi saw that Yang Bo had brought up the topic of her, she quickly straightened her chest, revealing the platinum-set jade pendant. However, because the front was so large, half of the pendant was still sandwiched between her two mounds of soft white flesh.
"Pfft, cough cough..."
As Zhang Qi spoke, Zhuang Rui, who was drinking tea, suddenly coughed violently, attracting the attention of everyone in the presidential suite.
"What a spineless fellow! Never seen a woman before?"
Miao Feifei brought her mouth close to Zhuang Rui's ear and said with dissatisfaction, while her small hand secretly found Zhuang Rui's soft flesh on his waist and pinched it hard, making Zhuang Rui wince in pain.
"Cough...cough cough, no, the jade on that woman's pendant isn't grade A, it's not worth 400,000..."
Out of heartache, Zhuang Rui couldn't help but reveal the reason for his cough.
Chapter 352 Black Market Auction (1)
When jade is raw, it is classified by type, clarity, and texture, such as glass type, ice type, bean type, etc. However, after being carved into jewelry, it is often called grade A, grade B, and grade C.
Jadeite Grade A refers to naturally formed jadeite that has not undergone any human intervention, physical or chemical methods to damage its internal structure or introduce or remove any substances. Industry insiders often refer to jadeite of the old mine type or above as Grade A. Simply put, Grade A jadeite refers to natural jadeite that has not undergone any chemical processing other than carving.
Jadeite B-grade refers to jadeite that was originally of poor quality in terms of texture, color, and clarity. This is achieved by soaking it in strong acid or alkali to improve its texture, color, and clarity. At the same time, the original rock structure of the jadeite is also damaged, and some substances are injected or removed. Such jadeite is called jadeite B-grade.
To conceal damaged structures and increase the strength of jadeite, B-grade jadeite is often filled with organic or inorganic glue. Some unscrupulous merchants often sell well-treated B-grade jadeite as A-grade jadeite, which is generally difficult for ordinary consumers to distinguish.
As for C-grade jadeite, the texture is jadeite, but the color is fake... It is artificially dyed, colored, or altered. There is often a saying in the market about "B+C grade" jadeite. Such jewelry is jadeite that has been injected with resin and dyed, and its value is extremely low.
In addition, there are so-called "D-grade" jadeite on the market, which is not jadeite at all, but "jadeite" made of other types of jade or substances. It is genuine fake jadeite... including jadeite fakes, jade stones that are similar to jadeite, etc.
Although the term "D-grade jadeite" is not used in the identification standards, the term "D-grade jadeite" will continue to be used by businesses and consumers for a considerable period of time. After all, piracy and counterfeiting are practices that have been passed down in China for thousands of years and will never disappear.
Although the woman was well-endowed, and although Zhuang Rui was a novice when it came to women, he was still a novice who had watched Japanese adult videos, so he wasn't scared off.
However, when Zhuang Rui habitually used his spiritual energy to examine the jade pendant, he discovered that the quality of the heart-shaped jade was quite ordinary, and all the traces of resin injection inside were revealed under his spiritual energy examination.
The jade pendant's grade could barely reach the level of icy jade, but its price was that of old mine glass jade, which is why Zhuang Rui was so surprised that he choked on the water he had just drunk. Of course, that was also related to the two bright red spots on her chest that he had inadvertently... absolutely inadvertently seen.
"Not a genuine product? Brother Zhuang, it came with a certificate of authenticity when I bought it, so it couldn't possibly not be a genuine product. Besides, I bought it from a large jewelry store. You were standing so far away, could it be that you didn't see it clearly?"
Zhuang Rui spoke a bit loudly just now. Not only Yang Bo and the others next to him, but also those who were chatting a dozen meters away were drawn to Zhuang Rui's words.
Beijing is a very complex place. Although Yang Bo is young, he is not willing to offend people easily, and his words are relatively tactful. However, anyone can hear the doubt he has about Zhuang Rui in his words.
"Certificate of Appraisal?"
Zhuang Rui was rather speechless. He still had more than a dozen blank appraisal certificates left at home. Those big jewelers were often directors of the jade association, so it wasn't a difficult thing for them to get appraisal certificates from jade appraisal centers. Besides, these appraisal centers also needed funding to maintain themselves.
"Brother Zhuang is a jade appraisal expert and a director of the Jade Association. Young man, if he says your item isn't Grade A, then it's most likely not. You'd better have someone take a look..."
Before Zhuang Rui could speak, Fatty Jin stood up for him. People believe in fate, and Fatty Jin felt a connection with Zhuang Rui. So even though he didn't understand how Zhuang Rui could know it wasn't a fake without even looking closely, Fatty Jin still spoke up to defend Zhuang Rui.
Jin Pangzi's words drew everyone's attention to Zhuang Rui. They hadn't expected that this young man, who didn't look very old, was actually a jade appraisal expert. They didn't know Zhuang Rui, but most of them had heard of Jin Pangzi's reputation and believed him.
"Xiao Qi, take the jade down and let Brother Zhuang take a look!"
Yang Bo, like a sulking child, insisted on distinguishing between the real and the fake. What men care about most is face. In public, being told that the item he bought was fake is a loss that Young Master Yang cannot afford.
Upon hearing this, Zhang Qi took the pendant off his neck. However, when he raised his hands to take it off, he squeezed his chest even tighter and pulled, but he still couldn't get the pendant out of the mountain valley. The men in the room swallowed hard.
"Here you go!"
After finally managing to retrieve the pendant, Zhang Qi handed it to Zhuang Rui. If it weren't for the occasion, Zhang Mingxing would have already lost his temper when someone said that the item he was wearing was fake.
"You don't need to show me the item. Give it to Mr. Yang. Generally, imitations of Grade A jadeite are made by injecting resin. However, the transparency and luster of these injected substances cannot compare with natural jadeite. Mr. Yang, take a look at this piece of jadeite and see if the color is consistent. That will tell you whether it's real or fake..."
Zhuang Rui did not take the pendant, but instead gestured for Zhang Qi to give it to Yang Bo. He had already regretted it when he said that the item was not a genuine product. As the saying goes, even snakes and rats have their ways. By pointing out the item, he had unintentionally offended someone. But since things had come to this point, he could only try to determine whether it was real or fake.
After saying this, Zhuang Rui casually handed Yang Bo a small high-powered magnifying glass, asking him to observe carefully.
"Damn it. It really is fake. Holy crap, I'm going to smash that store up later..."