On the other side, Eleanor was also worried about this problem.
"Red, do you think… Grandpa will really believe it? I feel like he's very smart and wouldn't be easily fooled."
After all, the coincidences from today seemed a bit too planned, even to himself.
Celine didn't answer directly. Instead, she said, "Third brother, pretend you don't notice and quietly glance back. Make your movements natural."
Following her advice, Eleanor looked back casually.
In the darkness, a sneaky figure was following them.
"Second uncle… He's following us?" Eleanor was surprised.
"Heh!" Celine smiled casually.
"Grandpa Yu has lived a long life and is very suspicious. Today, I purposely showed so many 'flaws,' like the gold bracelet... If he doesn't doubt, that would be strange."
"The more he suspects, the more he will send Second Uncle to check if it's real."
"But,"
Celine's tone changed, her eyes shining with excitement.
"Because he's following us, our plan can truly begin."
"From now on, everything we do will be real."
Eleanor immediately understood her sister's meaning.
The earlier setup was bait, and now came the real move!
Soon, Celine and Eleanor arrived at Professor Old Man Li's home.
It was clear from the fresh atmosphere that a dinner had just finished. The study was brightly lit, filled with the smell of tea.
Besides Old Man Li, seven or eight elegant middle-aged men and women were present. Judging by their dress, they were wealthy and important people in the antique circle.
When they saw Celine and Eleanor enter, Old Man Li warmly greeted them.
"Ah, Celine, Eleanor, you're here!"
"The mountain road was tough, come have some tea and refresh yourself."
The guests also cast curious glances at them.
Celine took the tea cup from Old Man Li with both hands and thanked him, but didn't bring it to her lips.
She turned her gaze to Eleanor: "Third brother, bring out the items."
Eleanor nodded and carefully placed the heavy wooden box he had been holding in his arms onto the center of the study floor.
With a "click," the box lid opened.
Then he took out two long objects wrapped in thick cloth from his backpack and gently put them next to the box.
As the lid opened and the two long objects appeared, the previously relaxed laughter suddenly stopped.
The room instantly fell silent, quiet enough to hear a pin drop.
Everyone's eyes were fixed tightly on the items in the box and the cloth-wrapped objects beside it.
Inside the box were pieces of ancient bronze vessels, jade artifacts, and pottery.
There were also some strange items none had seen before, all clearly from the early Qin period.
The two long objects, now slowly unwrapped, were two ancient bronze swords, simple in design and glowing with a faint blue light.
"This… this is…"
The closest man, wearing gold-rimmed glasses and a refined look, stepped forward first.
Everyone couldn't hold back anymore and crowded around.
They moved very carefully, their eyes full of shock and disbelief, reaching out with gloves or through silk to gently touch those ancient items that had gone through thousands of years.
Celine and Eleanor exchanged a glance, then quietly stepped aside, leaving the space completely to the excited collectors and experts.
Time seemed to freeze.
After about five minutes, the heavy silence was broken.
"Oh my God… this… this bronze jue, the patterns, the patina… it's definitely authentic! And in such good condition!"
"And this jade bi! Look at this coloration, the carving… I've only seen descriptions like this in ancient books. I never thought I'd see the real thing!"
"These two swords… wow, they're preserved so well! This is a miracle! They crossed thousands of years!"
Praise and exclamations rose one after another, every face filled with excitement and disbelief.
There was no doubt about the authenticity of these items. Their exquisite detail and state of preservation even exceeded everyone's expectations.
Some shapes and patterns only existed in the most obscure ancient texts, never found in excavations before. Now, they were right in front of them, alive and real!
After a short time of admiring and exclaiming, the atmosphere quickly became lively.
"Professor Li, I want this one! Please give me a price!"
"Old Wang, don't fight! I have my eye on that pottery figurine! Miss Celine, how much for this one?"
"That short sword! I must have that short sword!"
The place instantly turned into a small auction.
These experts and wealthy businessmen, usually calm and gentle, now acted like they had been injected with adrenaline, all bidding fiercely.
Celine kept smiling the whole time. The prices were set fairly by Old Man Li.
Within just half an hour, most items in the boxes and the two bronze swords had been sold.
Celine looked at her phone, watching the money keep coming in. Her smile deepened — a full pot, indeed.
At the same time, outside the wall of Old Man Li's courtyard, in a hidden corner,
Uncle Yu clung to the cold wall like a gecko, not daring to breathe.
The technical terms from the study, like "patina" and "coloration," didn't matter to him.
What mattered were the clear numbers that hit his mind like heavy hammers!
"…five hundred thousand!"
"…this one can't be bought for less than eight hundred thousand!"
"…one million two hundred thousand!"
"…I'll pay three million for that sword!"
"…five million! I want that jade set!"
One big number after another bombarded Uncle Yu's greedy mind.
He felt like his heart would jump out of his throat, his blood seemed frozen, and even breathing became difficult.
Eight million… thirty to forty million…
So it was true… everything that girl said!!
No!
Even more than she said!
The huge shock and joy swept through Uncle Yu's mind like a fierce storm.
Actually, it wasn't only Uncle Yu Dongshun outside the wall who was stunned by those astronomical numbers.
Eleanor inside the courtyard felt her legs float, and her whole body felt lighter.
Last time, the sudden addition of eight million at home was just a cold string of numbers in Xiaobai's phone account.
Although he was overjoyed, the feeling was distant, like looking through fog—not very real.
Later, when Xiaobai transferred money to him—pocket money plus the car purchase money—it added up to about seven or eight hundred thousand.
He was excited when he got the money, but after buying a decent car and going through the remaining cash, it was just so-so.
It could never compare to tonight—feeling the direct and suffocating impact of money.
Right now, hearing those huge amounts, normally only heard in the news,
"Five hundred thousand," "Eight hundred thousand," "One million two hundred thousand," "Three million," "Five million"...
They easily came from the mouths of those elegant wealthy businessmen, each number hitting him like a heavy hammer on his chest!
It was so different!
This feeling... it was like a dream!
His heart pounded wildly, almost breaking out of his chest, bursting from his throat!
Compared to Red's shock, Celine's face was much calmer.
Not because she was calm inside—after all, who could stay calm seeing that string of new zeros on the phone?
It was just that, over this period, whether it was "importing goods" from another dimension, reselling, transferring money to her brothers, or handling Emperor Qin's medical bills...
Large sums of money flowed in and out like water, making her numb, just a little bit, to the pure growth of numbers.
Of course, this numbness was relative.
When she quietly calculated tonight's total income, the huge figure still made her heartbeat quicken silently.
Good, the capital for revenge had grown a lot again!
On the way back to the village, the night was deep and only sparse insects chirped along with the footsteps.
Celine had already calmed down.
Fingertips swiped across the phone screen, staring at the long string of dazzling numbers, Celine thought about a lot.
This huge fortune can't just lie asleep in the account!
Relying on "picking up bargains" through space gaps, trading some antiques or supplies from another dimension to get money, is not a long-term plan.
This time's huge income felt like a strong shot of encouragement, but even more like a clear signal.
It's time to really settle down and use this starting capital to leverage a bigger future, to build a real "business" of her own!
Revenge is important, but the family's stability is the strongest support in her new life.
Her older brothers are all grown now; it's time to seriously think about settling down and starting families.
But to "settle down and start a family," first, you need a "home."
The old house at home holds too many memories, but it's too old and cramped. The brothers and their mother all squeeze in together, barely enough space to turn around, let alone each of them marrying and having kids in the future.
Only when hearts are settled can the family be stable!
Once this idea came up, it grew wildly like weeds.
No!
She must get each brother a proper house!
Thinking this, Celine turned her head and looked at Eleanor, who was still floating in a daze.
"Third brother!"
Her clear voice sounded especially loud in the quiet night.
"Isn't there a new housing estate in our county? What was it called... 'Royal View Garden' or something? I heard people in the village mention it before, they said it's all villas with yards?"
But Eleanor, beside her, still stared blankly, a silly smile still on his lips, his steps light as if walking on clouds.
He didn't even hear what his little sister was saying; his soul was clearly still drifting in that storm of money!
Celine watched her third brother's "scholar passes the exam" kind of look and shook her head helplessly.
Looks like her question just sank into the sea.