The Feng Shui Treasure Appraiser

9: Chapter 9 Big DealHan Jingyang waited for over three minutes before his phone finally rang.

It was indeed Zhou Yucheng’s number.

However, he resisted the urge to answer, simply staring at the phone as it vibrated on the table and let out a loud ring.

He didn’t pick up until the ringing stopped.

He used to give me the cold shoulder; now, I’m beyond his reach.

The saying was a bit cliché, but the logic behind it was rock solid.

In secular society, dealing with people requires finesse, especially in business—one can’t be too straightforward.

Honest people are the easiest to cheat in business. Operating with integrity is an outcome, not a process; no matter how honest a businessman is, the process of dealing with others is bound to be full of mutual deception.

There are no exceptions.

...

Inside Zhou Yucheng’s villa.

Zhou Yucheng, dressed neatly, was pacing back and forth in the living room like an ant on a hot pan, looking anxious. The pleasant ringback tone sounded more irritating than noise to his ears.

”Why isn’t he answering?”

Zhou Yucheng checked the phone number and dialed again.

After more than thirty seconds, the call connected: ”Professor Zhou, is something the matter?”

Zhou Yucheng quickly composed his expression and said cordially, ”Little Han, is that Bronze Standing Statue of the Old God of Longevity still there?”

”It is.”

”Come over quickly, a buyer is interested.”

”Professor Zhou, it’s so late. Let’s do it tomorrow.”

”The buyer is in a great hurry.”

”Even if they’re in a hurry, it won’t work. I have a date. Making money isn’t as important as a date, wouldn’t you agree?”

Zhou Yucheng was so angry he nearly exploded, but his tone remained even gentler: ”A date is indeed important, but you can’t just ignore serious business, can you? Little Han, let me tell you, the buyer’s identity is very special. If you can really close this deal, you won’t just make money, you’ll also make a name for yourself. It’s like a live advertisement. In the future, just taking jobs from that circle will earn you a fortune.”

Han Jingyang, of course, knew this.

He had even guessed what circle Zhou Yucheng was referring to.

What else could it be?

Only that circle would require Zhou Yucheng to be so secretive.

If it were the business or academic circle, Zhou Yucheng could have spoken quite openly.

Although he wasn’t very willing to get too deeply involved with people from that circle, he also knew Zhou Yucheng was telling the truth; if this deal went through, there would be many benefits.

However, he still said hesitantly, ”Professor Zhou, I know which circle you’re talking about, so I’m sorry. I’d rather earn a bit less than be dragged into some inexplicable whirlpool. The water in that circle is too deep.”

After saying that, he hung up the phone.

Han Jingyang let out a long breath.

Since the customer Zhou Yucheng introduced was from that circle, this business deal definitely wouldn’t get away.

Appropriately raising his own value would only benefit him.

On the contrary, if he scurried over the moment Zhou Yucheng called, it would only make Zhou Yucheng and the actual buyer look down on him.

As a charlatan, he had to maintain the air of one.

No, he wasn’t a charlatan.

He was a Feng Shui Master, a metaphysical expert with genuine skills.

Since this was his first time taking a job suited to his expertise, he had to establish his persona first.

So, he let Zhou Yucheng call and message him over and over again.

It wasn’t until nine o’clock in the evening that he picked up Zhou Yucheng’s call once more, his tone very displeased: ”Professor Zhou, I said I’m not interested. Don’t harass me anymore. Otherwise, I’ll delete you as cleanly as you deleted my number.”

”Little Han, Little Han, don’t be in a hurry. Listen to me. First, the patient is just an ordinary old lady. Second, it doesn’t involve any grudges within that circle. It’s just that the old lady had a cerebral hemorrhage and is paralyzed. Her condition is a bit serious, and the experts from the Capital can’t make it for a while...”

”Meaning you’re treating a dead horse as if it were alive, and you don’t actually believe in my methods at all, right? Then I’m sorry, I definitely won’t go.”

Zhou Yucheng felt like dying, but he had to continue pleading: ”Little Han, this is all my fault for not explaining things clearly. Really, if you want to blame someone, blame me. As long as you agree to make this trip, I’ll apologize to you afterward and give you a late Qing Dynasty Gilt Bronze Maitreya Buddha Statue as a travel fee—”

Hearing this, Han Jingyang hung up the phone again.

This was only the second round of the tug-of-war.

One had to go back and forth at least three times to test the other party’s true price ceiling.

Therefore, he silenced his phone and opened his computer to search for various bosses in Quancheng.

Quancheng was a provincial Capital and one of several relatively special cities; the rank of both big and small bosses there was quite high.

Counting the provincial-level bosses stationed in Quancheng and the top-ranking officials of various departments, the number was quite significant.

He spent over half an hour barely memorizing a portion of them.

...

While Han Jingyang was memorizing the names and faces of the Quancheng bosses, Zhou Yucheng received another call: ”Professor Zhou, when will you arrive?”

”I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. That student has something to do and is rushing back. I’ll hurry him again.”

”Old Zhou, let’s not beat around the bush. The guy is just playing hard to get—it’s the most common trick in the book. But my mother is in critical condition, and I don’t have the patience to play the ’Three Visits to the Hut’ routine with him. Give me his number; I’ll talk to him myself.”

Zhou Yucheng swallowed hard. If he really gave out Han Jingyang’s phone number, wouldn’t he, the middleman, become redundant?

His goal was to offer a favor because he needed something from the other party; otherwise, he wouldn’t be speaking so humbly to a young man like Han Jingyang.

So, after hesitating for half a second, Zhou Yucheng said in a low voice, ”I can handle him.”

”I’ll give you another half hour. In half an hour, you’d better bring him to the hospital.”

”Alright—”

Zhou Yucheng hung up the phone. Thinking of Han Jingyang’s Counselor, Zhou Yuanyuan, he pondered for a moment and then dialed the number of the Dean of Shanda University’s School of History and Culture.

...

Han Jingyang didn’t know that Zhou Yucheng had actually gone so far as to plead with the Dean of the school.

But after receiving another call from his Counselor, Zhou Yuanyuan, he knew the timing was ripe.

If the timing wasn’t ripe, it would have been impossible for Zhou Yucheng to seek help from a lowly Counselor like Zhou Yuanyuan a second time.

Therefore, after rejecting Zhou Yuanyuan’s call, he sent back a message: ”Sister Yuanyuan, don’t get involved in this. No matter what the man named Zhou says, just push it all onto me.”

Zhou Yuanyuan also quickly replied with a message: ”The Dean of the school contacted me, implying I should help if I can. He mentioned that Zhou Yucheng has a wide network in Quancheng and is quite wealthy. Of course, I won’t get involved in the specifics, so don’t worry about me; use your own judgment.”

The Dean?

Han Jingyang raised an eyebrow.

It seemed the man named Zhou was more than just a little anxious; he had even brought out the Dean of the school.

Shanda University held high rank, and the Dean of a school not only had a high status himself but also possessed considerable prestige and connections within the education system.

Without offering a significant favor, it would be impossible to move the Dean of their school.

Realizing this, Han Jingyang picked up Zhou Yucheng’s call for the third time: ”Professor Zhou, is such a small matter worth making such a big fuss over? You even brought out our Dean. Putting this kind of pressure on me makes things very difficult.”

Zhou Yucheng quickly apologized: ”Little Han, I was wrong before, but this matter is truly urgent. The old lady’s condition in the hospital is getting worse. If we don’t act now, there won’t be another chance. I beg of you, go to the hospital and take a look. If you can save her, then save her; if not, you can just turn around and leave. I’ll cover all expenses. Name your price, and I’ll pay double!”