In the apartment,
Zhao Meilin is wondering where to start. She only have 8,000 yuan left after paying the rent and buying a few decent clothes and other necessities for herself from the money she got from Madam Li.
Even if she has various recipes of varous cusines and wines, she can't take them out without proper planning and money; which she certainly doesn't have at the moment.
She can sell the vegetables and fruits from the space but it also can't be considered as a long term plan and the income will also be very low. Sighing, Zhao Meilin thought for moment and decides to go for a run to clear her mind.
Changing her clothes and shoes, Zhao Meilin leaves the apartment.
Running down the lane, Zhao Meilin go to an ATM and cash out 1,000 yuan from her card.
While running, Zhao Meilin notice a antique street. A little curious, she enters the street and starts to wander aroud.
The street pulsed with the quiet rhythm of routine; mostly filled with middle or old aged people and several sellers organizing their stalls. Even if there are any young people, they are following older generation.
Zhao Meilin's arrival stirred a ripple—curious glances flicked her way, some lingering a moment too long—but the tide quickly smoothed over. No one approached. No one questioned.
She preferred it that way.
Invisibility, she'd learned, was a kind of armor. Let them dismiss her as another passerby. Let them underestimate. It was easier to move when no one was watching too closely.
As Zhao Meilin is aimlessly wandering around the street, she suddenly stops at one of the stall; not because she liked something but because she notice a stange white colored aura around a beaded braclet covered in dirt.
Zhao Meilin is shocked by the sight infront of her.
'what is this aura? Am I the only one who can see it?' Zhao Meilin can't help but ask herself.
Upon noticing the girl unfront of the stall, the owner asks, "Girl, do you like anything here. You can tell me. I will give you a correct price."
Zhao Meilin is not stupid. She saw the hint of greed that flashed in the owner's girl upon seeing her and thinking of her as a naive little girl.
"How much is this?" Zhao Meilin ask pointing at a random item in the stall.
"Girl you have a good eye. This is Ru Kiln cup from Song Dynasty and was crafted in northern Taiwan. It cost just 100,000 yuan. It has been passed down as a heirloom in my famiy from generation to generation but due to a family emergency, my family is willy to take it out to sell." The stall owner keeps on bragging trying to sell it.
"How about this one?" Zhao Meilin ask pointing it another random item.
"This is a porcelain plate from..." the stall owner continues to brag.
"And this..."
"What about this one...."
Zhao Meilin continues to ask pointing at random items in the stall.
"Enough! Girl do you even want to buy something or are you just trying pass time and a fool out of me." exclaims the owner now fed up of Zhao Meilin's continous act.
"Its not that I don't want to buy. Its just that all of these things are completely out of my budget.... Ok how about this? How much is it?" ask Zhao Meilin finally pointing at the beaded braclet covered in the strange white colored aura.
"This.....It actually belongs to my sister and she like it alot as well but due to our family situation, she is willing to sell it off. It will cost 100 yuan." the stall owner replies.
"Are you trying to fool me just because I am young and don't understand such things. I am telling you I am no fool. 100 yuan for this dirty braclet. No ways. 20 yuan." Zhao Meilin bargins.
It's not that she can't offord 100 yuan but this stall owner is clearly trying to take advantage of her due to young look. Furthermore, she hates being taken advantage of the most.
"What! 20 yuan. Why don't take it free in such case. The least I can it is for 90 yuan" the stall owner still tries to keep the price high.
"No. 25 yuan..."
70 yuan..."
"40 yuan..."
50 yuan. This the last price I will offer. If you want to buy, then fine. Or else, leave." exclaims the stall owner in a final tone.
Realising that she won't be able to lower the price any further, Zhao Meilin shows a hesitation on her face and grit her teeth and agrres, "Ok. 50 yuan it is."
After paying and taking the braclet, Zhao Meilin moves towards the appraisal house at the very end of the street.
Behind, the stall owner is also very happy. He had initially bought that braclet for 2 yuan but is still able to sell it for 50 yuan making a huge profit.
Arriving at the appraisal house, there is already someone in there to identify antiques. Bystanders stood around. Someone are here just for fun, while some are here for the results. If there was a real one, they would bid, afterall, it is make quite a huge profit later if sild through proper means.
Those appraisers are all experienced, and the appraisal center had its own rules. If it was a fake one, they would not charge for it. If it was a real one, then you need to pay for the service. If the antique was sold on-site, the service price would be higher.
The rules are quite acceptable.
Zhao Meilin walks to the table of appraisal. There is a appraiser in the middle of identification. It is a delicate snuff bottle, and looked quite authentic as well but she didn't see any aura arround it and have a feeling that it is most likely a fake.
"It's fake." It only took the appraiser around 10 minutes to have the result.
"What? It's fake?" A male voice sounded in shock among the crowd. The man wore an astonished face, "How is this possible! How could it be fake!"
"Are you doubting me and my capabilities?" The appraiser wasn't happy to be questioned like this infront of others. If his appraisal is proven to incorrect, on one will trust him again and bring their treasures to him for appraisal.
"No, no, I did'nt mean that. It's just that it's an heirloom from my grandpa to my father and to me. I can't believe it's fake."
The rest of the people in the center also show their sympathy.
"Bro, even if it's an heirloom, it could be fake."
"True!"
"Probably your grandfather has made a mistake. It's quite normal."
Others echoed.
The man is not much happy as well and swiftly leave the appraisal house with his antique. Initially, he believed that it must be a real antique, and wanted to sell it to make alot of money, but unfortunately to his surprise, it is fake.
Finally it is Zhao Meilin's turn.
"Hello, Can you please identify this braclet for me?" Zhao Meilin politely asks the appraiser.
"Is she serious?" a woman scoffed, eyeing the dusty bracelet in Zhao Meilin's hand. "That thing looks like it came out of a thrift bin." "She probably thinks it's some ancient treasure. Poor girl—delusion's cheap."
Laughter followed, brittle and smug. Zhao Meilin doesn't flinch. Her gaze sweeps past them, calm and unreadable.
We'll see, she thought.
"Looks like a child's craft project," the appriaser mutters. Still, he begins to clean it, dabbing at the dirt with a napkin.
Then he pauses.
Beneath the dust, a delicate swirl of white and indigo emerged—cool, fluid, unmistakably porcelain. The crowd leaned in.
"Wait... is that china?" someone whispered.
The appraiser frowned, now fully engaged. He clean more carefully, revealing a pattern of plum blossoms etched into the glaze. The bracelet shimmers faintly under the light, its surface smooth but uneven—like it had once been part of something larger.
"It's porcelain, yes," he said slowly. "That to from the Song Dynasty, probably a fragment from a ceremonial vase."
Gasps echoed.
"Song Dynasty? That's still ancient!" "But... why would someone make a bracelet out of a broken vase?"
he appraiser nods. "Likely salvaged after damage. Repurposed into jewelry during the early Republic era—around the 1920s. Not uncommon in rural areas where artisans reused fragments of heirlooms."
"So it's real?" someone ask.
"It's authentic," he confirms. "Not priceless, but rare. The craftsmanship is delicate, and the porcelain's origin adds value."
"Where did you buy it from girl?" the appraiser asks, feeling really curious.
"Oh, I bought it from a stall outside." Zhao Meilin truthfully replies.