"Sigh, that young man really got scammed—eight thousand yuan for such worthless junk!"
"Who wouldn't say so? If it weren't for that old man, he'd have been cheated out of another two thousand."
"That old man? Ha, didn't you realize they're working together?"
"Working together? Impossible! Didn't he help the young man bargain down two thousand?"
"Why not? Do you think people these days are saints like Lei Feng? They give up two thousand but still pocket eight thousand in profit!"
...
The murmurs of the crowd weren't far from the truth. The three were indeed accomplices.
Monkey Boy was in charge of extortion, the "Big Brother" handled intimidation, and the old man played the mediator.
What seemed like a series of coincidences was actually a meticulously planned trap, each step interlocked, leaving no room for escape.
"Ah, Brother Chen, let's just admit our bad luck. Don't argue with them anymore. Eight thousand isn't too much," Boss Wu said, now freed from Big Brother's grip. He noticed Chen Yi's dark expression and his readiness to act, and quickly intervened to prevent trouble.
There's a time and place for everything. If things escalated and they ended up at the police station, a ten-day detention could ruin everything.
Even though Boss Wu had some connections and could probably get Chen Yi out, it would still be a hassle—and the money spent on smoothing things over might not be any less than eight thousand.
"Brother Wu, hold on. We can't let this slide so easily," Chen Yi said, stopping Boss Wu from pulling out his wallet. He turned to Monkey Boy and declared, "Eight thousand is fine, but I want to pick one more item."
"You've got to be kidding me! You've already picked one and now you want another?" Monkey Boy snapped, his irritation evident.
"Young man, you should learn to be content. Don't be too greedy," the old man chimed in, his tone displeased. Chen Yi's insistence was clearly a slap in the face for him.
"Let me choose one more, and I'll pay. Otherwise, no one gets to leave happy!" Chen Yi's tone turned sharp, his temper flaring.
Monkey Boy was both annoyed and disdainful. He had taken Chen Yi for an easy mark, a naive fool eager for a bargain, but now he seemed like a desperate gambler, red-faced and stubborn, determined to turn his luck around.
One had to admit, Chen Yi's acting was impeccable.
He truly looked the part of a reckless fool, his neck stiff, teeth clenched, and face flushed—just like a gambler who had lost everything but still wanted to make a comeback.
"Ah, youth!" Boss Wu sighed inwardly as he watched Chen Yi. He had thought Chen Yi had truly found a hidden treasure, which was why he hadn't intervened earlier. But now it was clear Chen Yi had been duped.
Getting duped wasn't the worst thing—it was a lesson to remember. The real danger was an inability to accept the loss, which only led to more trouble.
"Fine, pick one more," Monkey Boy said, suppressing his irritation.
Chen Yi circled Monkey Boy's stall, scanning the items for a while before finally selecting a bracelet near the bronze gourd.
Monkey Boy's wares weren't entirely worthless; there were a few genuine Qing Dynasty items among them. But Chen Yi wasn't interested in those.
The bracelet he chose was nothing more than a string of beads held together by a dirty, greasy cord, its original color long obscured. The beads themselves were covered in a layer of grime.
Chen Yi picked up the bracelet and was about to wipe it clean when Monkey Boy snatched it from his hands.
"Not this one!"
"Why not? We had an agreement!"
"An agreement? I said you could pick one more, but I didn't say you could have whatever you wanted. What if you picked my five-thousand-yuan Ming Dynasty inkstone? Would I just hand it over?" Monkey Boy sneered.
"Hey, I've got my eye on this one. Are you giving it to me or not? If not, we'll let the police sort it out!" Chen Yi retorted, resorting to shamelessness.
It was clear to him that Monkey Boy wasn't refusing because the bracelet was particularly valuable. If it were, it wouldn't have been left in such a filthy state. No, Monkey Boy was simply angling to drive up the price.
"Young man, this bracelet is called… uh, 'Dragon Holding Pearl.' It's an antique. I can't just give it away!" Monkey Boy began spinning a tale, laying the groundwork for his exorbitant pricing.
What "Dragon Holding Pearl"? It was nothing more than a piece of junk he'd found while cleaning out an old house. On a whim, he had decided to bring it along to see if he could con someone into buying it.
Anyone who bought it would be an absolute fool.
To Monkey Boy, Chen Yi was just that—a fool. Of the three worst items at his stall (including the broken "Qianlong imperial kiln"), Chen Yi had managed to choose all of them.
"So, what's your offer?" Chen Yi asked, feigning anticipation.
"Two thousand. Add that to the eight thousand, and you can take all three items for ten thousand," Monkey Boy said.
"Two thousand? That's outrageous! You've already scammed me out of eight thousand. Do you think I'm a complete idiot?" Chen Yi shot back, his voice tinged with feigned anger.
"Watch your mouth, kid," Big Brother interjected, stepping forward. He placed a massive hand on Chen Yi's shoulder, his grip like a vice. "Either pay the ten thousand and take the items, or hand over eight thousand and leave empty-handed."
"You… what are you trying to do?" Chen Yi struggled but couldn't budge an inch. His face turned pale as he stammered, "One thousand! I'll pay one thousand more!"
"Fine, one thousand it is," Monkey Boy said, signaling Big Brother to release Chen Yi.
"Brother Chen, let me pay. They're targeting me, after all," Boss Wu said, showing a bit of loyalty. He pulled out his wallet, ready to settle the bill.
Chen Yi's expression softened slightly, but he stopped Boss Wu with a raised hand. "I'll pay. These items are my choice."
Ignoring Boss Wu's objections, Chen Yi pulled out nine thousand yuan from his pocket, counted it carefully, and handed it to Monkey Boy.
Monkey Boy was overjoyed. He double-checked the money before handing over the grimy bracelet.
"Brother, we're square now. No take-backs. Everyone here can vouch for it—once the deal is done, there's no going back!" Monkey Boy hurriedly pocketed the money, fearing Chen Yi might change his mind.
"Exactly. Anyone who goes back on their word is no better than a scoundrel!" Chen Yi said, his face unexpectedly cheerful.
Monkey Boy couldn't help but feel uneasy at Chen Yi's demeanor. Had the kid actually stumbled upon a treasure?
But when he glanced at the bracelet and gourd in Chen Yi's hands, he dismissed the thought. Those items were worthless. If they turned out to be valuable, he'd quit his trade and start collecting scrap metal instead.
The onlookers, seeing the matter finally resolved, shook their heads and sighed.
"Monkey Boy is truly despicable, bleeding people dry without a shred of conscience. Isn't he afraid of karma?"
"That young man got played. Bargain hunting isn't that easy. The vendors here at Medicine King Temple aren't amateurs. Even the fakes are sold at premium prices. Thinking you can outsmart them is like trying to pluck feathers from a steel rooster!"
"Well, he has only himself to blame. Greed always comes at a price. He just threw away another thousand yuan for nothing."
"Exactly. He's too young and inexperienced."
Their comments all revolved around how badly Chen Yi had lost and how much Monkey Boy had gained.
"Excuse me, young man, please wait!"
Just as Chen Yi and Boss Wu were about to leave, a voice called out to them.
The speaker was a middle-aged man with a square face, a scruffy beard, and unkempt hair. Despite his disheveled appearance, his sharp gaze commanded respect.
Chen Yi stopped in his tracks, his eyes narrowing slightly.
He sensed something familiar emanating from the man—a faint trace of Dragon Sha.
It wasn't as overwhelming as the Dragon Sha he had encountered before, but it was unmistakably present.
"What do you want? I've already been scammed enough today. If you're here to sell me something, save it!" Chen Yi said, his expression shifting from surprise to that of a disgruntled, naive youth.
The man hesitated for a moment, then smiled wryly. Who would have thought that someone like Zhao Xuantan would one day be mistaken for a mere peddler?
"You misunderstand, young man. I'm not here to sell you anything," Zhao Xuantan said, shaking his head. "I'm actually interested in the items you're holding. Would you be willing to part with them?"
"Hmm?"
The crowd, initially dispersing, stopped in their tracks once again.
Why would this man want to buy such obvious junk? Was he out of his mind?
"You want to buy them?" Chen Yi asked, eyeing Zhao Xuantan suspiciously. He then glanced at Monkey Boy and his accomplices, who were barely concealing their glee. "How much are you offering?"
"I don't believe in taking advantage of others. Since you spent nine thousand, I'll add a little extra and make it an even ten thousand. How about that?"
"Ten thousand?"
Chen Yi chuckled coldly. "You say you're not taking advantage, but you've practically stolen the deal."
He firmly declared, "Not for sale!"
"Oh?" Zhao Xuantan raised an eyebrow but quickly regained his composure. "Then what price would you consider?"
Boss Wu opened his mouth to speak but wisely chose to remain silent. Whatever Chen Yi was planning, it was best not to interfere.
Chen Yi's next words nearly made Boss Wu faint.
"Add two more zeroes, and then we'll talk."
The crowd collectively gasped, cursing Chen Yi for his audacity.
"Two zeroes?"
"How much is that?"
"You idiot, ten thousand with two more zeroes is a million!"
"D*mn, this kid is even greedier than Monkey Boy!"
Monkey Boy and Big Brother gaped in disbelief, while the old man trembled, his face pale. All three stared at Chen Yi as if he had lost his mind.
"If he manages to sell it for that price, I'll take his surname!" Monkey Boy muttered.