Xiao Fan: ( ^ω^ )
After a moment of silence, Xiao Fan's lips curved into a mysterious smile, thinking to himself: Isn't this a stroke of luck? Accidentally a perfect match for my expertise!
Seeing Xiao Fan remain silent, Zhao Teng felt a tinge of disappointment. He sighed helplessly, "Alas, it's probably too difficult after all. There's a buyer willing to pay 26,666 chinese yuan just for that five-millimeter micro-carving… What a pity, we won't be able to make this money."
"Haha, Fatty, you have so little faith in me?" Xiao Fan laughed confidently, "You have the buyer's contact, right? He just wants a true micro-carving, doesn't he? Maybe five millimeters is indeed a bit too large. I can make a micro-carving as small as one millimeter. Ask the buyer if he's interested? My only concern is that if it's too intricate, they might not be able to see it clearly and refuse to accept it."
For the tiny people in the ecological box, creating large sculptures might be challenging, but making detailed micro-carvings was a piece of cake, wasn't it?
Zhao Teng gaped at Xiao Fan, his eyes filled with surprise. He had thought Xiao Fan was just boasting, but seeing his confident and assured demeanor, joy surged in his heart.
"Ah! I knew you could do it! I'll contact the buyer right now!" Zhao Teng beamed, unable to hide his excitement as he eagerly picked up his phone to call the buyer.
Upon hearing about the possibility of a one-millimeter micro-carving, the buyer's voice became noticeably excited. Clearly, he was even more interested in a one-millimeter piece!
Zhao Teng's eyes sparkled, and he gave Xiao Fan a chubby thumbs up to indicate they had a good chance. Then, using his excellent negotiation skills, he began to discuss the price with the buyer.
"Dear customer, you really got a bargain with those previous micro-carvings, only 6666 yuan. In Beiqing City, even if you scour through Panjiayuan, you won't find a second piece with such exquisite craftsmanship…"
"And let's not forget, a one-millimeter micro-carving – aside from us, you probably won't find anyone else who can take such an order."
"The craftsmanship is absolutely guaranteed, please rest assured, alright, okay, okay, okay." Zhao Teng ended the call full of confidence.
Xiao Fan, sitting quietly next to him, sipped tea, watching Zhao Teng's excited performance, like an actor passionately engaged in a thrilling tug-of-war. Finally, amidst a series of "okay, okay, okays," Zhao Teng's face broke into a satisfied smile, clearly very pleased with the deal.
Xiao Fan: (￣∇￣)
As Xiao Fan sipped his tea, a cunning smile appeared on his face, waiting for Zhao Teng to speak.
"Ha ha ha, it's a deal! The buyer said if the one-millimeter piece can match half the quality of the previous one-centimeter pieces, he's willing to pay 168,888 yuan..." Zhao Teng said excitedly.
"Pfft..." Xiao Fan, before he could respond, spat out his tea in shock at the figure, "What? That much? Are you sure you heard it right? 168,888 yuan?"
"Yes! Exactly! More than 160,000! With your Fatty here, how could I let my good son suffer a loss?" Zhao Teng said, quite proud upon seeing Xiao Fan's astonished expression.
Xiao Fan stared at Zhao Teng in disbelief, the figure of 160,000 yuan echoing in his mind, his eyes filled with shock and incredulity, "Can micro-carvings really be this valuable?"
Zhao Teng chuckled and shook his head, as if imparting a lesson in business to Xiao Fan, "Hahaha, that's what you don't understand. Some things might seem trivial to the general public, but to certain individuals, they're worth a fortune. Like jade stones – ordinary people may see them as just rocks, but to collectors, they are priceless treasures."
"The buyer this time is an enthusiast in the field of micro-carvings! And since it's a special custom order, naturally, the price is high." Zhao Teng spoke with animated enthusiasm, as if the 160,000 yuan was actually a bargain for the buyer.
Xiao Fan shook his head with a wry smile, marveling at the incomprehensible world of the wealthy, "Alright, alright, so what does he want to be custom-made?"
"A statue of Guanyin Bodhisattva."
"Ah? Willing to pay 160,000 for a Guanyin statue?"
"He he, you don't know what he wants to do with it," Zhao Teng said mysteriously, his eyes twinkling with an indescribable gleam, "Have you ever heard of 'The Pearl Grotto Heaven'?"
Xiao Fan frowned slightly, muttering this unfamiliar and strange term, "The Pearl Grotto Heaven?"
"Exactly!" Zhao Teng's eyes revealed a hint of excitement, "Initially, I also thought this micro-carving business was quite ordinary, not worth so much money. But after some private inquiries, I discovered there's a significant story behind this…"
Xiao Fan's curiosity was piqued, urging, "Keep going, Fatty."
Zhao Teng paused for effect, capturing Xiao Fan's full attention before continuing, "The Pearl Grotto Heaven is actually a process where a jade or jadeite bead is hollowed out, and a micro-carved Buddha statue, like the Guanyin Bodhisattva the buyer wants, is embedded inside. Then, using a special technique, the bead is sealed, leaving only a tiny hole. Once the The Pearl Grotto Heaven is completed, peering through this hole, it's as if one can see a deity comfortably seated in a deep, mysterious paradise, like a wondrous passage connecting the celestial realm with the mortal world. For those who believe in these things, it's nothing less than a treasure of inestimable value." Zhao Teng spoke with vibrant enthusiasm, as if he too was captivated by the magic of this artifact.
Zhao Teng took a sip of tea, his expression serious as he added, "A perfect The Pearl Grotto Heaven can fetch a high market price, easily selling for over a million yuan. Unfortunately, we neither have the technology to create The Pearl Grotto Heaven nor the market for it. We can only work on these micro-carvings. However, although this is the first step in creating The Pearl Grotto Heaven, it's also the most crucial one!"
Hearing Zhao Teng's explanation, Xiao Fan now fully understood, but he couldn't help feeling a bit skeptical. Could this The Pearl Grotto Heaven really be as magical as it sounded?
Suddenly, Xiao Fan felt an unusual sensation stirring within him.
"The Pearl Grotto Heaven? A Tang Dynasty within a box…" He shivered involuntarily. The mystique described by Zhao Teng eerily mirrored the mysterious ecological box he possessed. Was this a mere coincidence, or did these enigmatic objects truly possess incredible powers?
"What about the box...?" Zhao Teng, sipping his tea, asked curiously, not quite catching Xiao Fan's mutterings.
"Ah? Nothing, it's nothing," Xiao Fan quickly refocused, changing the subject, "Well, regardless of how much it sells for, we should be content with our earnings and not be too greedy."
Zhao Teng nodded in agreement, though his business instincts soon took over, "Right, not too greedy, but we should still seek profit. No, I have to negotiate the price with him again." Saying this, he prepared to pick up his phone to continue haggling.
"Fine, whatever you can negotiate, we'll split it fifty-fifty," Xiao Fan said nonchalantly.
Zhao Teng's eyes lit up with surprise, "Really? A fifty-fifty split? That's a lot of money!"
Given how much money the carving could fetch, Zhao Teng's efforts were indispensable. Adhering to their previously agreed nine-to-one profit share would be unfair to Zhao Teng.
"Certainly, the final amount depends on your negotiation skills. I'm full now, time to get back to work." Xiao Fan patted his belly, ready to leave.
"Alright then! Fan Dad, I'm all fired up for this deal! You just relax!" Zhao Teng's spirits soared upon hearing about the fifty-fifty split.
Xiao Fan left the restaurant alone and took a taxi home. On the way, his mind kept circling back to the concept of The Pearl Grotto Heaven. If all this was real, could he use a similar method to create a pathway to Shule Town in the ecological box?
While he was pondering, several messages and files popped up on his phone. Opening the files, he found a design of the Guanyin Bodhisattva carving and a photo of Zhao Teng making a victory sign, along with a message.
"Deal sealed. The buyer added another 20,000 yuan, a lump sum of 188,888 yuan. You take 100,000, I'll take the smaller share, and the buyer has paid a 100,000 yuan deposit."
Then, a transfer notification for 100,000 yuan appeared.
However, Xiao Fan hesitated for a while and made an unexpected decision.
He opened the transfer and chose to refund it!
"?????" Zhao Teng sent a string of question marks.
Xiao Fan simply replied with a sentence that instantly silenced Zhao Teng.
"Brother, you take this money, but do me a favor. Try to find out how The Pearl Grotto Heaven is made!"
Xiao Fan: (￣ー￣)