Little Sizi came to my house and became the family's darling, and Li Shimin got anxious.

Sitting in the reception room was an elderly man who looked to be almost seventy years old. His hair was gray, but he was in good spirits. He was wearing a dark gray cotton-linen jacket with a Chinese knot button, and he was holding a string of wooden beads in his hand, resting with his eyes closed.

If Li Yinxun hadn't noticed his hand moving, she would have definitely thought he was asleep.

"Miss Li, please have a seat."

After the master chef finished speaking, he left. Soon after, a young girl brought in a pot of tea and some pastries and snacks, placed them quietly on the tea table, and then quietly left.

Li Yinxun sat down with the little princess.

As soon as the little princess sat down, her eyes were glued to the pastries on the tea table. The delicate little snacks were arranged neatly, including mung bean cake, osmanthus cake, and water chestnut cake. Each piece was small and exquisite, with an enticing color.

The little princess secretly swallowed, watching longingly, her little hands resting on her knees, obediently not reaching out to take it.

Li Yinxun saw this and handed her a piece of osmanthus cake.

"Take what you want, but don't overeat, understand?" The pastries were meant to be eaten, and she didn't care if others thought she was uncultured.

"I understand."

The little princess happily took it and ate it in small bites, her eyes crinkling with satisfaction.

Old Master Lu opened his eyes at this moment. His gaze first fell on the little princess. Looking at her delicate and beautiful face, he chuckled.

"This little girl is so beautiful, like she stepped out of a painting, so cute."

Li Yinxun lowered his head and said to the little princess, "Sizi, say thank you to Grandpa."

The little princess, with a pastry still in her mouth, spoke indistinctly.

"Thank you, Grandpa."

Old Lu laughed even more heartily, glanced at her again, and then turned to Li Yinxun.

"Miss Li, could I take a look at the pearl?"

Li Yinxun took the small box out of her bag, placed it on the tea table, and pushed it over.

The box is made of huanghuali wood, with lotus scroll patterns carved on the surface. The carving is exquisite and smooth. Although it looks simple, it has a quiet and ancient feel.

Old Lu did not open the box immediately. Instead, he picked it up, examined it in his palm, and gently stroked the texture of the box with his fingertips, his gaze slightly narrowed.

A moment later, he took out a small flashlight and a magnifying glass from his pocket and began to examine the box carefully.

While examining the box, she said, "This box is quite remarkable. It's made of huanghuali wood, and the carving is typical of the Tang Dynasty style. The carving technique for the lotus scroll is something modern craftsmen couldn't replicate. Miss Li, would you like to sell this box?"

Li Yinxun blinked; she was indeed an expert, seeing through the trick at a glance.

She had no idea that the box was made of huanghuali wood.

"If the price is right, we can sell them together."

Old Lu nodded, and then slowly opened the box.

Twelve pearls lay quietly on the brocade lining, each one full and round, with a lustrous sheen, shimmering softly under the light.

Old Lu picked one up, weighed it in his palm, then examined it closely under a magnifying glass, turning it over and over to look at it, his mouth never stopping.

"Miss Li, where did these pearls come from?"

Li Yinxun didn't answer but asked a question instead.

"Elder Lu, doesn't Juzhen Pavilion not inquire about the source of goods?"

Upon hearing this, Old Lu looked up at her, smiled, and didn't ask any further questions. Instead, he lowered his head and continued to examine the pearls in his hand.

He examined each one slowly and carefully, occasionally shining a flashlight on it and then turning it under the light to observe its luster and transparency.

He watched for a full fifteen minutes before putting down his flashlight and magnifying glass, leaning back in his chair, looking at Li Yinxun, and slowly speaking.

"Miss Li, to tell you the truth, of these twelve pearls, three are North Sea pearls and the other nine are South Sea pearls."

He picked up the largest one and placed it in front of Li Yinxun.

"There are three pearls, the color of beeswax, with a luminous sheen, a tactile feel, and a slightly oval shape. Upon closer inspection, one can see fine growth lines, as thin as hair. These are rare wild northern pearls, the likes of which are extremely rare, and of exceptional quality, about the size of a longan."

He picked up another, slightly smaller one. "These are South Sea pearls. They're not bad, but they're not as precious as North Sea pearls. South Sea pearls come from the southern seas and are produced in greater quantities than North Sea pearls. You can still occasionally see them on the market, but wild North Sea pearls are almost extinct now."

Li Yinxun pretended to be stupid and spread her hands with an innocent expression.

"I don't know anything about North Pearls or South Pearls, or whether they're wild or not. All I know is that these are all picked up on the beach."

Old Lu looked at her, a slight smile playing on his lips, but didn't expose her.

Li Yinxun continued, speaking casually.

"I just felt that 10,000 yuan a piece on the market wasn't good enough for them, so I came to Juzhen Pavilion to take a look. If I don't like them at Juzhen Pavilion, I'll take them to have some jewelry made for myself, or I can take them home as family heirlooms."

Old Lu laughed heartily, and his gaze towards her held a newfound appreciation.

This girl was subtly hinting at him, implying that this item would sell easily, and if Juzhen Pavilion didn't offer a good price, the customer would simply turn around and leave.

He didn't beat around the bush and went straight to the price.

"Three pearls from the North, of excellent quality, the size of longan, Juzhen Pavilion can offer eight million for each."

"Nine South Sea pearls, though not as large as North Sea pearls, are of excellent quality, and each one can fetch three million."

"As for that box, it's made of huanghuali wood carved in the Tang Dynasty, with exquisite craftsmanship. I can offer eight million for it."

He looked at Li Yinxun, "What do you think of this price, Miss Li?"

Three North Sea pearls cost 24 million, nine South Sea pearls cost 27 million, and the box cost 8 million, totaling a whopping 59 million.

Li Yinxun was deeply shocked, but remained outwardly calm, only smiling.

"Juzhen Pavilion has a good reputation, I trust this price, and I also trust that Mr. Lu wouldn't lie to me, so I sold them all."

Old Master Lu nodded slightly, a satisfied smile on his face.

He turned and gave an order, and soon the old craftsman brought over the relevant documents and a black card.

He opened a black card on the spot using Li Yinxun's ID card, handed the documents to her, and wrote and talked at the same time.

"Ms. Li, as an ordinary person, it's bound to attract attention if such a large sum of money is deposited into your account all at once, and the bank will also increase its scrutiny. It would be much more reasonable if it were registered under the Lu family's name."

"You don't need to worry. This card is yours and has no financial connection with the Lu family. It's just a nominal connection. Our Lu family ancestors also had extraordinary encounters, which led to the Lu Group we have today. That's why we're willing to do you a favor."

Li Yinxun looked at him, extremely surprised.

She could sense Mr. Lu's sincerity. This was not just polite talk, nor was it business flattery; rather, it was the kindness of an experienced person towards a younger generation.

It is no simple matter for an elderly person you have never met before to extend such a helping hand on your first meeting.

But she didn't show it on her face. She simply signed the document carefully and then solemnly thanked Mr. Lu.

"Thank you, Professor Lu."

Old Lu waved his hand and smiled kindly.

"No need to be so polite. Just remember Juzhen Pavilion if you have any good stuff in the future."