Chapter 12: Auction House Invitation Letter
Xu Youyou felt a strange calm settle over her after hearing the little yellow-haired man's declaration.
She didn't know how he got his hands on that Doucai Cup, but something about it seemed off. Its origin didn't feel ordinary.
"Ding! You've received ¥40 via WeChat!"
With the confirmation tone, the deal was sealed. The yellow-haired man left dejectedly, muttering under his breath, "So unlucky... Next time, I'll aim higher..."
Xu Youyou casually dropped both Doucai Cups into her bag. Then, looking disinterested, she stood up and prepared to leave.
Seeing his big-spending customer about to go, Triangle Eye grew anxious. "Beauty, take a look at a few more things! I really do have some treasures here!"
Xu Youyou shook her head. "I can't carry more. Maybe next time."
She left in a hurry.
Triangle Eye watched her disappearing figure, puzzled. "Why did she run off so quickly? If I didn't know better, I'd think she picked up some priceless treasure."
The vendor at the next stall laughed. "Maybe she really did. Maybe there was something valuable on your stall, and she's afraid you'll realize it."
Both men burst out laughing. They knew better. Everyone who worked stalls on Antique Street shared an unspoken truth: there were no real antiques on the stalls. Almost everything was a modern reproduction. It was all just a hustle for gullible buyers.
—
After getting back in the car, Xu Youyou immediately urged her driver, Xu Fang, to get moving.
Xu Fang glanced at her in the mirror, a bit puzzled by her urgency. Still, she said nothing. It was best not to ask too many questions when working for the boss.
They merged smoothly onto the main road, and Xu Youyou looked back several times, relaxing only after she confirmed they weren't being followed.
"Boss, are we heading to Tangchen Yipin now?" Xu Fang asked.
Xu Youyou nodded, but just then her phone buzzed with a message. It was from Ouyang Ouyang: the team was assembled, and if she was in a hurry, they could start filming as soon as tomorrow.
Xu Youyou thought for a moment. The photographers would need time to familiarize themselves with the equipment anyway.
She told Xu Fang, "After dropping me off at Tangchen Yipin, help deliver some equipment to the university town. Then you can take the rest of the day off."
Xu Fang's eyes lit up with delight. Working with Xu Youyou was a dream. In the past, she had to drive a full day just to make ends meet. But Xu Youyou was different—odd, maybe, but not difficult. Some days, she wouldn't call at all. Even when she needed driving, it wasn't nonstop. The job was a lot easier than others she'd had.
"Thank you, Boss," she said sincerely.
—
Back at her apartment in Tangchen Yipin, Xu Youyou finally unpacked the filming equipment the system had rewarded her. It took several trips to get the large cartons out of the car.
When she was finally alone in her room, Xu Youyou took the two Doucai Cups out of her bag and placed them on the table.
At a glance, they looked identical—but with a closer inspection, subtle differences became apparent.
The one from the little yellow-haired man was smoother. The painted peonies, hens, and chicks were lively and elegant—the chicks seemed full of cheer.
In contrast, the one from Triangle Eye looked dull and uninspired.
Xu Youyou turned on her computer and searched for "Doucai Cup."
Very quickly, she found what she was looking for: the same style of cup that Triangle Eye had mentioned. It had once sold for an astonishing 280 million yuan at a 2015 auction.
Xu Youyou stared at the image—it looked exactly like the cup sitting in front of her.
Her breathing quickened.
[Congratulations to the host. You have successfully completed the bargain-hunting task. Reward: One Auction House Invitation Letter.]
Xu Youyou blinked at the system notification. A question mark formed in her mind.
She completed the task, but instead of getting money or spending less... she got an invitation letter? What was the system planning now?