Chapter 11 Bargaining

This street had indeed seen its share of treasures, but just as many had been deceived here. Some had even spent a fortune only to end up bankrupt. It all came down to individual discernment and luck.

Zhong Niangyao crouched there, picking through items, but it was unclear if anything had caught her eye.

The vendor wasn't in a hurry and didn't pressure her, just kept calling out while occasionally glancing in Zhong Niangyao's direction.

After a long while, Zhong Niangyao finally chose an ancient-looking landscape painting, even though it was slightly damaged.

Holding the painting, she looked at the vendor and asked, "Boss, how much is this painting?"

The vendor sized up Zhong Niangyao and then responded with a smile, "Young lady, you really have a good eye! This is the genuine 'Distant Mountain Pine Forest Map' by the famous Qi Baishi! Look at this painting—"

"Stop!" Zhong Niangyao interrupted the vendor's lengthy explanation and said, "Boss, there's no need for such grandiose talk here. We both know whether this is real or fake; there's no need to go on about it. I'm only willing to buy this painting because I like it; just tell me the price."

"US$ 5,000." The vendor stated the price. "Young lady, even though it's not real, it was copied by Wang Shushi, his closest disciple, and it's nearly indistinguishable from an original. I'm really taking a loss here, but I'm willing to sell it to you for US$ 5,000!"

Zhong Niangyao nodded, then put the painting back down. "If that's the case, I don't want it."

As she turned to leave, the vendor panicked and shouted, "Wait, don't go yet!"

Seeing Zhong Niangyao about to leave, the vendor quickly added, "Young lady, we can discuss this! If you find my price unacceptable, feel free to make a counteroffer! Bargaining is part of business; give and take is what makes it last."

Zhong Niangyao stopped, looked at the painting, and bluntly said, "Five hundred yuan!"

"Young lady, isn't that a bit too harsh?" the vendor gasped, his face filled with despair. "You've reduced the price to just one percent of what I asked; how can that work? At this rate, I'll suffer a huge loss."

"Then I won't trouble you further, sir," Zhong Niangyao nodded. "I won't buy it then, so you won't have to take a loss."

"No, no!"

Hearing this, the vendor became desperate and quickly said, "Young lady, I can see you really want this painting. Let's both make a compromise. How about US$ 500? Just US$ 500 and the painting is yours."

"One thousand yuan," Zhong Niangyao put up a finger, speaking decisively. "If that works, I'll take it. If not, then forget it."

"US$ 300," the vendor continued. "Young lady, take it for US$ 300."

"Then, forget it," Zhong Niangyao spread her hands nonchalantly. "I'm looking at it now and feel like I might not even like it so much anymore."

"Young lady, US$ 270."

Unable to read Zhong Niangyao's intentions, the vendor bit his lip and continued, "Young lady, one thousand yuan really won't cut it; I wouldn't even cover my costs! How about this, two thousand yuan. I'll sell the painting to you for two thousand yuan."

After thinking for a moment, Zhong Niangyao finally said, "One thousand eight hundred, and—"

She casually glanced over and pointed to a few Copper Coins at the corner. "Those coins as well, you need to include them. I've been collecting these coins lately."

The vendor looked at the nearly black Copper Coins, nodding in agreement, "Alright, then one thousand eight hundred yuan it is. Take the coins if you want them!"

Zhong Niangyao nodded and after scanning and paying through her phone, she picked up the painting and casually collected the coins, then left the stall.

After Zhong Niangyao had left, the vendor looked at the payment information on his phone, completely relieved, all smiles.

He had only spent US$ 300 to acquire that painting from a villager in the countryside; it couldn't possibly be a genuine piece. Of course, he had it authenticated before selling it.

Even including the cost of authentication, he had made over a thousand yuan from this deal. That was quite the profit.

As for those nearly black Copper Coins, he didn't care about them at all. He had found them near a temple in the countryside; they were most likely used by the temple priests for fortune-telling.

This deal had indeed brought him a good sum of money! If he had a few more transactions like this, he would be making a huge profit.

But it was also because the young lady was easy to deceive. If it had been one of those old foxes, they certainly wouldn't have spent nearly two thousand yuan on a fake.

This young lady really was a naive spender with too much money!