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Lin Yanzhou didn't rush to answer. He calmly took the royal white jade pendant from his jacket pocket and gently pushed it towards Hu Dahai across the rosewood table. The rule of antiques is that objects should not be handled by others.

There was no brocade box, no velvet cloth, no packaging whatsoever. A piece of jade lay bare on the table.

Hu Dahai's gaze fell on the jade, and the teacup he was holding paused in mid-air.

After a couple of seconds, he gently placed the teacup back on the table without moving. He glanced at it for about three seconds, then reached out his right hand and gently brushed his fingertips across the jade-like surface—the movement wasn't "touching," but "probing," as if afraid of disturbing something.

He gently brushed the jade ring on his thumb against the jade surface, the two shimmering lights reflecting each other. The entire elegant room was so quiet that the faint crackling sound of burning sandalwood could be heard.

Hu Dahai's fingertips slowly traced the dragon carving, pausing briefly at the five claws. His expression shifted from relaxed to focused, then from focused to solemn; his brow furrowed, and the relaxation in his cheeks faded.

He straightened up, shifting his gaze from the jade to Lin Yanzhou's face. This time, his expression was completely different—the previous disdain and indifference were gone, replaced by the caution and solemnity of an expert facing a top-tier piece of jade.

"This jade..." He paused, his voice lower than before, "Where did you get it?"

"It's a family heirloom."

"Inherited from ancestors?" Hu Dahai repeated, his tone devoid of doubt, only a deep sense of confirmation.

"It's an heirloom." Lin Yanzhou met his gaze without flinching. In truth, he was a little timid, but years of experience told him that even if he wet his pants, he couldn't show any fear on his face at this moment. "It has never been sold on the market, there is no record of its registration, and there is no history of its sale."

Hu Dahai stared at him for a full five seconds. Then he stood up and gestured for him to leave.

"They said it from inside."

He only said three words, but it's rare to see someone on this street take the initiative to invite another person into the secret room.

Lin Yanzhou got up with him.

Hu Dahai walked to the bookshelf on the left side of the main hall, raised his hand and pressed on the spine of the third row of books—there was an old edition of the county gazetteer there, the spine of which was cracked—the bookshelf slid silently to both sides, revealing a heavy iron door. The door panel was cast from a single piece of steel plate, with a layer of bronze paint on the surface, blending in with the surrounding wooden decoration, and could not be noticed at all without close inspection.

Hu Dahai turned the handle on the iron gate and stepped aside, saying, "Please come in."

The air in the enclosed room was drier and quieter than in the foyer. The walls were covered with dark velvet, blocking out any possible moisture and sound. In the center was a large mahogany workbench, its surface polished to an extremely smooth finish and covered with a layer of black velvet. Three professional lamps were mounted on adjustable arms, their shades made of matte black metal. When turned on, the light emitted was warm and focused on the tabletop without any diffuse reflection.

The display cases around the room, separated by glass, quietly showcase several items from Hu Dahai's private collection. The first case on the left contains a Shang and Zhou dynasty bronze square zun (wine vessel), its entire surface covered in varying shades of green rust, exuding a coldness permeated by time. Next to the zun is a yellowed handscroll, the inscription at the beginning of which is still faintly discernible. The case on the right contains a bronze tiger tally, its body clearly marked with green rust, the cracks revealing a profound sense of age. Further inside, a case displays a blue-and-white plum vase, its glaze lustrous like solidified cream, decorated with a single, slanted plum blossom, the brushstrokes simple yet possessing a refined elegance.

Each piece is extraordinary. Each one sits there quietly, exuding an understated elegance even through the glass.

Hu Dahai placed the jade pendant in the center of the black velvet cloth, turned on three table lamps, and focused the light onto the jade surface. He took out a high-powered magnifying glass, bent down, and carefully examined every line on the jade surface for nearly five minutes.

During those five minutes, the room was so quiet that the faint hum of the electrical current from the lights could be heard.

Hu Dahai straightened up, put the magnifying glass back on the table, turned the jade pendant on the velvet cloth to a different angle, and glanced at the back. Then he let out a long breath, leaned back in his chair, took out a cigarette from his pocket, lit it, took a puff, and then spoke.

"A five-clawed dragon," he said, his voice much deeper than before. "Five-clawed dragon designs were forbidden for commoners; their status was reserved for princes and above. The jade is top-grade Hetian mutton-fat jade, with exceptional oiliness, density, and translucency. The carving is the long-lost 'hairline carving' technique, with each dragon scale clearly defined, the claws full of tension, and the dragon's head majestic yet understated... This isn't a regular piece from the Imperial Workshops; it's very likely a unique item worn by an emperor of a certain dynasty, but I can't identify which dynasty. My knowledge is already quite good, but this..."

He peered through the smoke: "I judge that this jade pendant is of extremely high royal quality, most likely used in investiture or abdication ceremonies. There are probably no more than three in existence. Yours..."

He flicked the ash into the copper ashtray beside him, gently pushed the jade back in front of Lin Yanzhou, and said with an extremely serious expression, "Young man, tell me again, where did this jade come from?"

"It's a family tradition," Lin Yanzhou said. "I can cooperate with you through all the formal filing procedures and sign all liability waivers."

Hu Dahai stared at him for a few seconds, then leaned back in his chair and suddenly chuckled. It wasn't a polite laugh; it was the kind of relaxed and pleasant chuckle that comes after years of not having encountered anything substantial.

"Okay." He stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray. "I won't ask any more questions."

He stood up and walked to the safe in the corner of the secret room. It was made entirely of dark steel, with copper-plated corners. The keypad was a mechanical knob, and it included an iris scanner and fingerprint recognition area. The three locks opened sequentially—keypad, iris scan, fingerprint—and after the innermost lock popped open, Hu Dahai took out a separate encrypted mobile phone and dialed a number.

"Old Liu, allocate nine million to the special treasury immediately."

After hanging up the phone, he turned to Lin Yanzhou: "For similar unique pieces on the market, the starting price at auction houses is between six and eight hundred, and the final price depends on the bidding. I'm not going through the auction, which saves on commissions and processing time. A fixed price of nine million, transfer the money now, and it will arrive in five minutes."

Lin Yanzhou was shocked. "Holy crap, this is valuable! I only estimated it to be around a million." He realized that ancient artifacts were truly worth a fortune. He decided to bring back more in the future. Without showing any joy, he said without hesitation, "Deal."

Lin Yanzhou, with trembling hands, pulled his bank card from his pocket and handed it to Hu Dahai.

Hu Dahai picked up the encrypted phone and operated it a few times. In less than three minutes, Lin Yanzhou's phone beeped with a notification that the full nine million had been deposited into his account, with the note "Compliant payment for the acquisition of ancestral heirlooms".

Hu Dahai put away his phone and reached out to shake hands with Lin Yanzhou. His palms were rough, his knuckles were large, and the calluses on his fingertips from years of playing with jade scraped against Lin Yanzhou's tiger's mouth with a steady and restrained force.

"Brother, you've really opened my eyes today," he said, his tone much more relaxed than before. "My business principles are simple: genuine goods at fair prices, and clean transactions. This item of yours is a rare find. If you ever have good stuff, don't bother looking elsewhere; the doors of the Qingzhuan Guild Hall will always be open to you." He paused, a rare hint of personal camaraderie in his voice: "In the southern part of the city, if you encounter any trouble in the future, just mention my name. Whether you're in the legitimate or criminal world, there will always be someone who gives you face. And let me tell you something else: I work for a big shot in the north. I don't care if you're a tomb raider, or if it's an heirloom, whether you steal or rob, as long as it's good stuff, I'll offer no price limit."

Just before he was leaving, Hu Dahai called him back and took a black business card from the lower shelf of the display shelf: "This is for you. No more than ten people in Nancheng know this number. This is my private line number. You might need it in the future."

Lin Yanzhou took the business card, glanced at the impressive number, smiled, and nodded. "Thanks."

Emerging from the secret room, crossing the corridor again, and passing through the vermilion wooden door, Lin Yanzhou realized he had been inside for nearly an hour when the sunlight shone on his face.

Haozi was squatting under an old sycamore tree across the street, smoking. When he saw Haozi come out, Haozi quickly stood up to greet him, with three or four cigarette butts already piled up at his feet.

"Why did it take so long? I thought something had happened to you, and I was about to call the police." He looked Lin Yanzhou up and down. "Didn't that old man Hu Dahai give you a hard time?"

"I gave it to him." Lin Yanzhou patted his pocket. "I kept it later."

"Received it?" Haozi was taken aback. "Received what?"

"I've accepted the jade."

"How many did you sell?"

Nine million.

Haozi stood there stunned for a full two seconds, his mouth agape, then he gasped, "Nine million? Holy crap!" His voice rose, then he quickly lowered it again, "Where did you get this kind of treasure?"

Lin Yanzhou smiled but didn't explain. The two walked along the old street. It was almost lunchtime. The old buildings on both sides showed a warm, aged color under the sunlight. The street stalls and restaurants were starting to get lively, and the aroma of steaming food wafted over on the breeze.

Lin Yanzhou glanced down at the text message on his phone indicating the arrival of the nine million yuan; the number was clearly displayed on the screen. He locked the screen, put his phone back in his pocket, and walked at a leisurely pace. "Haozi, how about we go to that fancy restaurant from when we were kids for a simple meal?"