Chapter Ninety-Five: Senior Sister Gureyi

The business next door was flourishing. Old Song stood at the entrance, and it seemed he had hired a young man to help him look after the stall. Upon seeing Qin Jing, he hurried over to introduce, "This is my nephew, Song Cheng. My own children are good for nothing, but this nephew of mine occasionally follows me to learn about antiques."

Song Cheng quickly rose to greet Qin Jing, though in truth he was even older than Qin Jing. He wore a troubled expression, clearly reluctant to address Qin Jing as "uncle."

Qin Jing paid no mind and pulled Old Song aside to ask, "Did the blue-and-white porcelain plate get auctioned off?"

Old Song smiled broadly. "Brother Qin, I know you want it. Honestly, I would like to leave it for you, but I know you can't compete with one particular person. That's why I put it up for auction. Try bidding later—if you win it fair and square, that person won't blame either of us."

"Who is it?"

Qin Jing was bewildered. Why did Old Song have to make selling something so complicated?

A hearty laugh echoed from inside, followed by a woman in a cheongsam approaching the door. She glanced at Qin Jing with a faint expression and said, "Master Wang invites you inside."

The sight of her made Qin Jing's eyebrows twitch fiercely. She was his fellow disciple, Gu Ruyi. Currently, she enjoyed some fame as an up-and-coming actress, though that was relative in the entertainment industry. At the art school, Gu Ruyi was truly formidable—a paragon and the face of the institution. Titles like "campus beauty" were outdated for her; she'd long since outgrown such labels.

Qin Jing had met Gu Ruyi a few times before. Despite her passionate roles on screen, her temperament was icy. Although they were nominally senior and junior apprentices, she'd barely spoken to him. But seeing Gu Ruyi now, Qin Jing instantly understood whom Old Song had referred to.

He walked in with a wide smile. Spotting the elderly man seated inside, Qin Jing offered a sincere grin and strode over, saying, "Master, what brings you here?"

Wang Yikun, father of Wang Shouren, had once helped Qin Jing in a time of trouble. Having taught Qin Jing in the past, Qin Jing always regarded him as a true mentor.

"It's been a while! I hear your business is doing well—I'm pleased for you."

Despite appearing only forty or fifty, Wang Yikun's hair was already half white, though his vigor was undiminished. He pulled Qin Jing to sit beside him and struck up a conversation.

Gu Ruyi sat quietly at the back, making Qin Jing uneasy. This senior was far too sharp; her aura as a transcendent was impossible to suppress, and right now she was staring at him intently, making Qin Jing feel deeply uncomfortable.

"Master, I didn't know you liked blue-and-white porcelain. Had I known, I would have brought the plate to you earlier—no need for Old Song to auction it now," Qin Jing said with a smile. If Wang Yikun truly wanted it, he certainly wouldn't compete.

"It's not for me. Ruyi has been working with a film crew lately and wants to use the piece as a reference to create high-quality props. She's put a lot of effort into it, so I thought I'd help her and accompany her here."

Upon hearing this, Qin Jing turned to see Gu Ruyi still watching him, and pretending not to care, he smiled and asked, "Senior Gu, that's very thoughtful. May I ask which crew you're working with?"

Wang Yikun, knowing his prized disciple's temperament, feared that Gu Ruyi might look down on Qin Jing and so cheerfully explained, "It's a historical drama. Ruyi is finally on the right track. If you ask me, this genre really hones an actor's craft..."

He rambled at length. Gu Ruyi's previous fame mostly came from modern idol dramas, which Wang Yikun considered beneath her talent, hence his current remarks.

But Qin Jing knew that even historical dramas nowadays followed the idol formula: logic was irrelevant so long as the leads were attractive and there was enough romance to secure ratings.

He didn't expose this, though. While he had no particular fondness for Gu Ruyi, they bore no animosity, and it wasn't his place to meddle.

By now, several people had entered the room. Old Song stepped forward to deliver some formal remarks before bringing out the blue-and-white porcelain plate.

"Gentlemen, the starting price for this plate is one million. Since this isn't an official auction, everyone is free to bid. The highest offer wins."

With Old Song's announcement, a man clearly dressed as a business owner raised his hand. "One point five million."

Thus, the auction officially began. Qin Jing was in no rush—the plate was valued at 6.8 million in GDP, so the price had not yet reached its upper limit. Instead, he was focused on a man to his left—a middle-aged fellow who had just used gu techniques against Yuan Shen Shen.

The man seemed to sense Qin Jing's gaze and looked directly at him. Upon recognizing Qin Jing, he grimaced and forced an ugly smile, baring his teeth in a feigned grin.

Qin Jing frowned slightly and withdrew his gaze. He had little patience for transcendent beings who targeted ordinary people.

"Do you know Ma Tong?"

Gu Ruyi's voice came from beside him. Qin Jing glanced back; Gu Ruyi cast a fleeting look at the middle-aged man—clearly "Ma Tong" referred to him.

"I don't know him. Something just happened earlier; the man is rather odd."

After the recent events, Qin Jing didn't mind revealing his identity as a transcendent. In fact, seeing Gu Ruyi was one as well, he felt inclined to make her acquaintance.

However...

"Oh, stay away from him. He's not someone you can afford to provoke," Gu Ruyi said offhandedly and then turned her face away, falling silent.

This senior's well-intentioned warning was not unwelcome, but her manner made it hard to accept. Qin Jing chuckled inwardly, realizing she regarded him as a mere ordinary person, and so he refrained from speaking further.

Old Song's auction was a modest affair, featuring only a single item. Yet everyone present was an acquaintance—almost all were neighborhood folk—so the atmosphere was congenial. When the price reached three million, Ma Tong placed a bid. Qin Jing overheard others discussing him and thus gleaned some information.

Ma Tong had originally been a local thug, but over the past year he had suddenly prospered, rumored to have backed a powerful figure. He managed a street in Erdaozi Lane and grew increasingly arrogant.

"Three point three million. Captain Ma, I want that plate," Gu Ruyi suddenly declared beside Qin Jing. Her purpose here was precisely that blue-and-white porcelain plate, and she deliberately radiated her transcendent aura to intimidate Ma Tong.