My Ares Son-in-Law

Jiang Youwei stood up with a smile, nodded slightly to everyone, his expression gentle yet composed. He then walked slowly to the long table, his gaze falling on the several collectibles displayed on it.

The items on the table are gifts from the guests who came to offer their congratulations today.

Zhang Ziren specially selected a few representative items and asked Jiang Youwei to comment and appraise them on the spot. This not only gave Jiang Youwei face, but also took the opportunity to showcase the class of Renhetang.

It's worth mentioning that these items weren't brought by the classmates who gave him red envelopes and necklaces before, but by Zhang Ziren's friends in the antique circle. They are in relatively high condition and are of higher value.

Jiang Youwei picked up the first item in his collection, an exquisitely framed calligraphy and painting. He glanced at it briefly, his fingertips lightly brushing across the scroll, and said calmly:

"This calligraphy and painting is a late Qing Dynasty imitation, imitating the style of a famous Qing Dynasty artist. The brushwork is a bit stiff, and the ink is not rich enough. It is not very valuable, probably only a few thousand yuan. It is suitable for everyday display and has no collectible value."

The colleague who gave the gift instantly turned pale, his smile froze, and he stood awkwardly to the side without saying anything... Jiang Youwei's appraisal skills were widely recognized in the provincial capital, so he naturally dared not question them.

Next, Jiang Youwei picked up the second item in his collection, a small and exquisite jade carving depicting a soaring eagle, lifelike in its form.

He examined it carefully for a while, then ran his fingertips along the patterns on the jade carving. His expression gradually became serious. After a moment, he slowly spoke:

"This jade carving is an authentic piece from the mid-Qing Dynasty. The jade is warm and delicate, the carving is exquisite, and the lines are smooth, perfectly showcasing the spirit of the eagle."

It's a decent piece, with a market value of around 200,000 yuan, and it has some potential for appreciation in value.

The colleague who gave the gift immediately beamed with joy, and quickly stepped forward to express his gratitude: "Thank you, Teacher Jiang! Thank you, Teacher Jiang! It's wonderful to have your approval!"

Jiang Youwei nodded slightly, indicating that he didn't need to be polite, and then picked up the third item... it was the blue and white porcelain pen holder that Xiao Chen had given to Zhang Ziren.

Zhang Ziren quickly stepped forward, a smile on his face, and deliberately softened his tone, saying, "Teacher Jiang, this item is a congratulatory gift from my old classmate Zhou Keying and her boyfriend Xiao Chen for their business opening. Could you please take a look and tell me how much it's worth?"

As he said this, his gaze drifted intentionally or unintentionally towards Xiao Chen and Zhou Keying, a complex expression flashing in his eyes...

He both hoped the pen holder was worth something so as not to embarrass Xiao Chen and Zhou Keying, and was also secretly curious about what kind of gift Xiao Chen, this seemingly ordinary young man, could give.

Upon seeing this, the people around immediately began to whisper among themselves, and the noise grew louder and louder, their tone full of mockery and sarcasm.

"Is this the gift from Zhou Keying's unemployed boyfriend? It looks dusty and tattered."

"That's right. I heard he's a gigolo who doesn't even have a proper job. What good things could he possibly give? It's probably just some knock-off he picked up at a street stall. Just wait and see how he makes a fool of himself."

"Zhou Keying is such a waste. She's so beautiful and has such good qualities. She could have chosen any man, but she had to choose such a good-for-nothing."

"Exactly! Giving such a cheap pen holder as a gift to an opening ceremony? It's utterly disgraceful!" Zhou Keying stood in the crowd, listening to these harsh comments. Her face paled slightly, her fingers gripping the hem of her clothes tightly, her heart filled with regret and embarrassment…

If she had known, she shouldn't have asked Xiao Chen to send her that antique pen holder. A simple red envelope would have been better than being pointed at and ridiculed like this!
Jiang Xuanxuan, standing beside her, noticed her embarrassment and quickly comforted her in a low voice, "Keying, don't pay attention to them. They're just a bunch of gossips. What do they know? Xiao Chen must have given you something good. Don't worry."

However, Zhou Keying's worries did not lessen at all. She subconsciously looked at Xiao Chen, only to find that Xiao Chen's expression remained calm, and there was even a faint smile on his lips.

He seemed completely unaffected by the mockery and gossip around him, his composure reassuring yet unsettling.

On the other side, Jiang Youwei picked up the blue and white porcelain pen holder, glanced at it briefly with a calm expression, but the next second, his expression suddenly hardened, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, and then he became extremely serious.

He carefully held the pen holder up to his eyes, examining it repeatedly, not missing a single detail, before taking out a magnifying glass from his pocket.

He carefully examined the glaze, the blue-and-white color, and the base of the brush holder, his brows furrowing slightly, his expression focused and serious.

The once noisy hall instantly fell silent. Everyone held their breath, their eyes fixed on Jiang Youwei and the pen holder in his hand, waiting for him to give his final assessment. Some were expectant, some were mocking, and some were curious.

Jiang Lanting stood behind her father, a smug smile always on her lips, her eyes full of gloating...

She could already imagine how embarrassed Zhou Keying and Xiao Chen would be when her father said, "This is a fake, it's worthless." At that time, everyone would see Xiao Chen's true colors as a good-for-nothing!

Time passed by, each second feeling exceptionally long, and the hall was so quiet that you could hear everyone breathing.

Finally, Jiang Youwei put down the magnifying glass, slowly raised his head, and his face was no longer calm. Instead, he had an incredulous look on his face, and his eyes were full of shock and joy.

"This pen holder..." He paused, took a deep breath as if to calm his excited emotions, and then slowly spoke, his voice trembling slightly.

"This pen holder is a blue and white porcelain from the transitional period between the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, and it is a fine example of folk kiln porcelain!"
Look at the painting—so delicate and fluid, the figures so lifelike; the glaze—so lustrous and glossy, with an exceptionally fine texture; and the cobalt blue—so rich, vibrant, and layered. It's a rare gem from the Chongzhen to Shunzhi periods!

The moment the words left his mouth, the entire room erupted in uproar!
"What? A genuine piece from the late Ming or early Qing dynasty? And a fine example from a folk kiln?"

"Impossible, right? How could that unemployed bum afford to give away genuine antiques?"

Zhang Ziren was completely stunned. He stood there, staring blankly at the pen holder in Jiang Youwei's hand, unable to utter a word for a long time...

He never expected that the gift Xiao Chen gave him would actually be a genuine antique!
Jiang Lanting's smug smile froze instantly. His lips twitched a few times, and his eyes were filled with disbelief, as if he had heard something out of the blue...

How could this be? How could that good-for-nothing who lives off a woman afford to give away such an expensive antique? Father must have misjudged!
Those who had just been mocking Xiao Chen and waiting to see him fail were now gaping, speechless with shock. Their mockery was instantly replaced by disbelief; they couldn't utter a single word. (End of Chapter)