My Ares Son-in-Law

In their arms, they tightly held various brocade boxes or sandalwood chests, and they looked so cautious, as if they contained rare treasures.

Xiao Chen stood in the team, listening to the conversation between the two old men beside him.

One of the old men wearing reading glasses turned slightly to the side, lowered his voice, and said mysteriously: "I heard that the priceless Song Dynasty porcelain sold at the Sotheby's auction last month came from here..."

Although his voice was low, it was clearly heard by Xiao Chen in this noisy environment.

Before the old man could finish his words, the carved wooden door suddenly creaked open slowly, making a dull and long sound, as if the years were whispering.

Two waiters in dark blue gowns walked out with steady steps, carrying red silk wooden trays.

In the wooden plate, a bronze goblet lay quietly on it. Under the sunlight, it was glowing with a faint green rust color. The rust color seemed to be the sedimentation of history, telling of its former glory and vicissitudes.

The crowd instantly became excited, standing on tiptoe and stretching their necks to catch a glimpse of the bronze goblet. The scene was like a group of hungry birds fighting for food.

Xiao Chen followed the crowd and slowly stepped over the heavy threshold.

As soon as he entered the door, a scent mixed with sandalwood and old wood hit him in the face. The scent was rich and unique, as if it had a magical power that traveled through time and space, instantly pulling him back to ancient times.

The store was dimly lit. More than thirty sheepskin lanterns were hung between the carved wooden beams. The soft light spread all around, illuminating the bronze tripods and jade ornaments displayed on the walls.

Those bronze tripods and vessels have simple shapes and exquisite patterns, as if they are telling the ancient etiquette and culture.

Those jade ornaments are warm, delicate, crystal clear, and exude a mysterious and charming luster.

Xiao Chen's attention was quickly attracted to the drawing table in the center.

There hangs a huge landscape painting of two meters in size, framed with bright yellow brocade. The bright yellow brocade has bright colors and soft texture, as if it is a symbol of royal family.

There were nine pigeon blood rubies embedded around it, which emitted an enchanting red light under the reflection of light and shadow. The red light seemed to be the soul hidden in the painting, attracting his attention.

He had an idea and just as he took two steps closer, two bodyguards in black immediately appeared from the darkness.

They had tall postures and stern faces, and their eyes behind their sunglasses were as sharp as hawks, fixed tightly on Xiao Chen, as if they would subdue him immediately if he made the slightest movement.

"How dare you come here when you're dressed so poorly?" Just then, a coquettish female voice came from the second floor.

The sound was crisp and sharp, like a sharp blade, cutting through the originally quiet atmosphere in the store.

Xiao Chen looked up and saw a young girl leaning behind the carved railing.

She was wearing a light-colored Chanel suit, which was well-tailored and made of exquisite fabric, highlighting her nobility and elegance.

The platinum bag chain swayed gently with her movements, making a crisp sound, as if showing off its expensiveness.

The emerald earrings on the earlobes are rich in color, crystal clear and worth a lot of money.

The girl walked down the stairs in high heels with an elegant yet arrogant pace. The diamond at the corner of her eye flashed a cold light, as if she was looking down at Xiao Chen, the "uninvited guest".

"This is Tang Yin's Endless Landscape of Streams and Mountains, which my father bought at a Christie's auction. It's priced at 380 million. Do you think you can afford to look at it?"

The corners of her mouth slightly raised, revealing a disdainful smile, her eyes full of contempt. Xiao Chen subconsciously lowered his head, his eyes fell on his washed-out coat, with a few barely noticeable signs of wear and tear on the corners.

He smiled bitterly in his heart. This outfit really seemed out of place in this quaint and luxurious antique shop.

He was just about to turn around and leave without further entanglement with this spoiled girl, but he didn't expect the girl to suddenly stretch out her arm and block his way.

The Cartier diamond ring on her slender fingertips flashed dazzlingly under the dim light. As her arm moved, the diamond ring brushed against Xiao Chen's shoulder lightly, bringing a hint of coolness.

The girl raised her chin, her posture like a proud swan, revealing her slender and elegant neck, her eyes full of disdain and provocation: "Wait! What did you mean by shaking your head just now? Could it be that you think this painting is not good enough?"

She raised her voice, and it echoed in the quiet store.

"Do you know how many experts from the Palace Museum have written appraisal reports for this painting?" She folded her hands in front of her chest, with a slight smile on her lips, with a kind of condescending arrogance.

"Those are the top authorities in the industry. How could their appraisals be false? Moreover, even the director of the Oriental Department of the British Museum came to appreciate it and he was full of praise for this painting. You are a nobody. What qualifications do you have to point fingers here?"

Xiao Chen was not intimidated by her aura. His eyes were still fixed on the texture of the rocks in the painting.

As a famous painter in the Ming Dynasty, Tang Yin was a master in the use of the "axe-chopped texture" technique. His brushstrokes were vigorous and powerful, like knife-cutting or axe-cutting, which perfectly displayed the hardness and steepness of the rocks.

However, the brushstrokes in this painting are soft and weak, lacking the momentum and charm of Tang Yin's works.

He had an idea and bent his fingers, tapping lightly on the picture frame a few times. The crisp sound was particularly clear in the quiet store.

"Moreover, the density of the warp and weft of this silk is clearly that of modern machine-made silk." Xiao Chen's voice was not loud, but it was like dropping a huge rock into a calm lake, instantly causing a thousand waves.

The originally quiet atmosphere in the store suddenly became dead silent, as if time had frozen at this moment.

The old clerk who was wiping a Ming Dynasty blue and white plum vase suddenly trembled and almost let the precious plum vase slip out of his hand. He widened his eyes in horror and looked at Xiao Chen, as if he had seen something incredible.

The collectors in the queue seemed to be attracted by something and gathered around, surrounding Xiao Chen and the girl.

Someone quickly raised his cell phone and started recording, trying to capture this scene that could cause a huge uproar.

Some people were whispering to each other, their eyes full of confusion and curiosity.

Behind the counter, an old man who had been resting with his eyes closed suddenly opened his eyes.

His eyes were cloudy, but they revealed a chilling coldness, as if he could see through people's hearts.

He stared at Xiao Chen closely, his expression changing from gloomy to bright, as if he was thinking about something.

"How outrageous!" The girl was completely enraged by Xiao Chen's words. Her face turned red like an angry lioness.

She grabbed a celadon teacup on the table and threw it to the ground.

There was a "pop" sound, and porcelain pieces flew everywhere, some of which even splashed at Xiao Chen's feet. (End of this chapter)