To take my father as a master?"
Upon hearing the words of the portly man, Sun Chao couldn't help but scrutinize him closely. He was well aware that his father had been deeply hurt in the past when it came to accepting disciples. For many years, he had not only refrained from taking on a disciple but had also rarely offered guidance to younger individuals.
"Xiao Chao, don't listen to him; I certainly haven't agreed..." Sun Lianda, witnessing the portly man's shameless demeanor, felt both amused and exasperated. However, concerned about his own reputation, he was resolute in not yielding to the portly man's insistence.
"Ah, so it's a case of one-sided enthusiasm?" Sun Chao chuckled, patting the portly man's shoulder. "Young brother, work hard; who knows, perhaps my father will change his mind and accept you as a disciple someday..."
To be honest, Sun Chao actually hoped his father would take on a disciple. His father was reluctant to hire a caregiver, and given his own busy work schedule, he often found it challenging to attend to his father's health.
The incident where Sun Lianda fell while going to the bathroom in the middle of the night was not serious at first, but as he tried to stand up, he slipped again, resulting in a fractured leg. If he had had a disciple by his side, such an unfortunate event could have been avoided.
"You brat, stop trying to join the commotion..." Sun Lianda shot an irritated glance at his son and said, "Return that item to Xiao Fang immediately. What, is it so difficult to take it off your wrist?"
"Come on, Dad, am I that kind of person?"
Sun Chao felt a flush rise to his cheeks at his father's words. However, he was indeed reluctant to part with the rare old agarwood bracelet. After a brief pause, he turned his gaze to Fang Yi and said, "Xiao Fang, would you consider parting with this bracelet? We can negotiate a price..."
In the world of antiques, the emphasis is on elegance, and one must not speak too vulgarly. Thus, rather than asking Fang Yi if he was willing to sell, Sun Chao chose the more refined terms "parting" and "transferring." Those who barged into a shop and loudly demanded prices were often either tourists or inexperienced novices.
Seeing his son's interest in the agarwood beads also captured Sun Lianda's attention. Truth be told, he had also noticed this old artifact earlier but hadn't had the chance to speak up before his son did.
"I'm sorry, Brother Sun, but this is a relic from my master. No amount of money will persuade me to sell it!"
Although Fang Yi had grown up in the mountains, his emotional and intellectual intelligence was exceptionally high. When Sun Chao recounted the story from abroad, Fang Yi sensed his interest in the bracelet.
However, the bond of gratitude towards his master was paramount. With his master now deceased, Fang Yi was left with only a few belongings to remember him by. He would never trade these precious items for money. If he truly found himself unable to survive in society, he could always take out his Taoist credentials from the box and seek a temple to serve, continuing his path as a Taoist priest.
Of course, Fang Yi would not take such a route unless absolutely necessary, for he had made a grand vow at his master's passing: to one day restore the Shangqing Palace. He believed that if he continued as a Taoist priest in a profession with no financial prospects, he might never fulfill that aspiration.
"Young brother, I see you and your friends are new to Jinling, aren't you?" Sun Chao, unfazed by Fang Yi's outright refusal, smiled and said, "How about you hear my offer first and then decide whether you're willing to part with it?"
"Brother Sun, I grew up in the mountains and lack experience. I know you have a fondness for this bracelet..."
Fang Yi sighed, propping himself up slightly on the hospital bed, and spoke earnestly, "But this bracelet symbolizes my master's kindness. Every time I wear it, I think of him. Therefore, no matter the price, I cannot sell it..."
"This..."
Faced with Fang Yi's resolute stance, Sun Chao found himself at a loss for words. The ancients spoke of the reverence for heaven, ancestors, and teachers; the respect for one's master was a value deeply ingrained in tradition. Fang Yi's reasoning left Sun Chao speechless.
"Ah, Fang Yi, why are you so stubborn? It's just a string of beads!"
Fang Yi's refusal prompted the portly man to grow anxious. However, before he could finish his thought, he noticed Fang Yi's piercing gaze, causing his voice to drop. "I'm not suggesting you sell it; I merely wanted to inquire about the price. If it's truly a treasure, we should keep it safe..."
Having known Fang Yi for many years, the portly man understood that while Fang Yi had a gentle demeanor, he possessed a strong will. That one glance had conveyed everything; if he continued to pressure Fang Yi to sell the bracelet, he might truly provoke a rift between them.
Moreover, deep down, the portly man felt a twinge of fear towards Fang Yi. Among the three brothers, there was a secret known only to him and San Pao: Fang Yi had taken a life.
When the portly man was twelve, he and San Pao had ventured into the mountains to visit Fang Yi. Fang Yi had led them into a stream in a canyon to catch giant salamanders, a protected species outside but a favored delicacy for Fang Yi in the mountains.
Previously, the portly man had accompanied Fang Yi to catch salamanders without much thought, but everything changed when they arrived at the canyon and witnessed a shocking scene.
From a distance, they heard a woman's cries for help. Upon reaching the canyon, they saw a man in his thirties tearing at a young woman's clothing, her upper garments already in tatters as she screamed for rescue.
What infuriated Fang Yi and the others was that upon seeing them, the man continued his assault, picking up a rock and striking the woman on the head, rendering her unconscious.
Children raised in the wild often had fierce temperaments, and upon witnessing this, the three brothers could no longer hold back and rushed to confront the man. However, to their shock, he pulled out a dagger and slashed San Pao's arm.
Being merely children of around ten years old, the sight of blood made San Pao and the portly man hesitate. But Fang Yi charged forward; without any visible effort, he disarmed the man and plunged the dagger into his abdomen.
As Fang Yi withdrew the dagger, blood mixed with the man's intestines spilled forth, and he collapsed to the ground, leaving the portly man and San Pao pale with fear, momentarily frozen in place.
With intestines spilling out, survival was nearly impossible. In just a few minutes, the man ceased to breathe. Fang Yi, however, remained unfazed, his demeanor unchanged, as if he had simply hunted a wild boar in the mountains.
After the man died, Fang Yi instructed San Pao to guard the unconscious woman while he called for the portly man to help drag the body to a secluded part of the canyon stream. According to Fang Yi, by midnight, the man would be reduced to nothing but bones by the wild animals that came to drink.
Once they had dealt with the man, the three boys carried the unconscious woman back to the temple. On the way, Fang Yi advised them to say the man had fled, and both the portly man and San Pao, still reeling from the fact that Fang Yi had killed, readily agreed.
Upon reaching the temple, it was unclear what Fang Yi had said to the old Taoist priest, but after reviving and treating the woman's wounds, the old priest sent her down the mountain, and no one ever pursued the matter further.
The coldness Fang Yi displayed that day left a lasting impression on the portly man and San Pao, who refrained from returning to the mountains for a whole year. It was only after that year that they gathered their courage to visit the temple and ask Fang Yi why he had killed the man.
Fang Yi's response surprised them greatly; his ruthless action stemmed from the teachings of the old priest. The old priest had lost his entire family to bandits during the Boxer Rebellion, and he had watched helplessly as his mother and sister suffered humiliation before their deaths.
The old priest had repeatedly told Fang Yi that those who harm women deserve to be punished without mercy.
The Taoist philosophy emphasizes harmony with nature, and with the belief that "Heaven and Earth are indifferent, treating all living beings as mere fodder," Fang Yi, raised in the mountains, did not regard taking a life as a significant matter. As he thrust the dagger into the man's abdomen, he was still reflecting on his master's teachings.
Understanding Fang Yi's mindset, the portly man and San Pao realized that the cheerful and easily bullied Fang Yi also possessed a chilling side.
Thus, while the portly man and San Pao no longer distanced themselves from Fang Yi, they harbored a subtle fear of him, which explained why a mere glance from Fang Yi could command the portly man's obedience.
...
"If you wish to inquire, feel free..."
Fang Yi shook his head but did not oppose the idea. He could see that Sun Chao genuinely cherished the bracelet, and having already declined once, it would be somewhat unkind to persist in his refusal.
"Brother Sun, just how much is this bracelet worth?" The portly man, seeing Fang Yi silent, cheerfully remarked, "When I entered the room, I overheard something about three hundred thousand or five hundred thousand. Surely they weren't referring to this bracelet?"
"Indeed, this bracelet is valued at that amount..." Sun Chao sighed, a wry smile on his face. He would gladly pay three to five hundred thousand, or even double that, but it was futile if the owner refused to sell. No matter how much money he had, he could not acquire the beads from Fang Yi.
"This... this dark, unremarkable object can fetch three to five hundred thousand?"
Sun Chao's words left the portly man and San Pao utterly dumbfounded. As newcomers to society, they found even thirty to fifty thousand to be astronomical sums. To think a string of beads could be worth so much was akin to a windfall of gold.
When you encounter something you truly desire, it could be worth three to five hundred thousand or even more..."
Observing the astonished expressions on the faces of the two young men, Sun Chao could only manage a wry smile. Over the years, he had amassed a considerable collection of exquisite prayer beads, yet none of his treasures could rival the exceptional agarwood beads before him in terms of material, quality, or lineage.
"Three... three to five hundred thousand?" The portly man stared blankly at Fang Yi and said, "Brother Yi, are you really not considering this? With that kind of money, we could do anything in the city..."
As the saying goes, wine emboldens the timid, and money inflates the pride of the impoverished. Upon hearing that such an unassuming string of beads could fetch such a staggering sum, the portly man's trepidation towards Fang Yi dissipated, and he wished he could sell the beads on Fang Yi's behalf.
"Indeed, Xiao Fang, you should truly contemplate this..."
Seeing the portly man advocating for him, Sun Chao felt a flicker of hope ignite within him. He then proposed, "You two must be new to the city, right? How about this: if you are willing to part with the beads, I can offer you a 120-square-meter apartment in the city center along with fifty thousand in cash. What do you think, Xiao Fang?"
The price Sun Chao offered was exceedingly generous. In the year 2000, housing in the heart of Jinling cost around two to three thousand per square meter, making a 120-square-meter apartment worth three to four hundred thousand. Coupled with fifty thousand in cash, the value of the beads would be nearly a million.
"A house and fifty thousand?"
This time, even San Pao couldn't contain himself. Although his family had moved to Jinling, their home was outside the city walls, and their total living space for six people was barely over eighty square meters. This situation was precisely why San Pao preferred to return to the countryside rather than squeeze in with his family.
"Brother Sun, I really can't sell..."
The mere inability to afford transportation had already made Fang Yi acutely aware of the advantages of wealth. However, he held firm to his principles: he could earn money through his own efforts, but he would never trade his master's legacy for it.
"A gentleman does not take away what others cherish; I must apologize for my presumption..."
Upon hearing Fang Yi's words, Sun Chao chuckled self-deprecatingly. He produced a business card along with the agarwood beads from his wrist and handed them to Fang Yi, saying, "Xiao Fang, if you find yourself in need of money in the future, you can always turn to your Brother Sun for assistance. Just pledge the beads to me, and I'll keep them for a while..."
Sun Chao could see that the young men before him appeared to be newcomers to the city, undoubtedly facing financial constraints. He spoke these words out of concern that Fang Yi might later feel compelled to part with the beads in times of difficulty, leaving him with regrets.
"Thank you, Brother Sun..." Fang Yi accepted the business card, noticing it bore only Sun Chao's name and a phone number. Having never made a phone call in his life, he couldn't help but examine it a few extra times.
"That number is my mobile; I'm available twenty-four hours a day, so feel free to call me anytime..."
Sun Chao explained, noting that he typically carried two types of business cards—one for business associates, adorned with various titles but only the studio's phone number, and the personal card he offered to Fang Yi, reserved for close friends.
"Haha, Sun Chao, you know that wealth is not omnipotent, right?" Seeing that his son had failed to persuade Fang Yi, Sun Lianda let out a hearty laugh, his gaze towards Fang Yi radiating fondness and admiration.
Sun Lianda, embodying old-fashioned values, placed great importance on loyalty, filial piety, and righteousness. Fang Yi's refusal to part with his master's belongings struck him as an admirable quality. After all, faced with the allure of nearly a million, it was rare for someone, especially a young man in his twenties, to maintain such integrity.
"Dad, I never claimed that money is all-powerful..." Sun Chao, now calmer, pointed to the meal he had brought, saying, "Dad, hurry up and eat; there's bone soup simmering at home. I'll bring some over tonight..."
"Yes, bring extra for Xiao Fang as well..." Sun Lianda found himself increasingly fond of Fang Yi. If only he knew more about Fang Yi's background and whether he had an interest in antiques, he might have entertained the notion of taking him on as a disciple.
"Alright, I'll whip up a couple of dishes later!" Sun Chao nodded with a smile. Fang Yi's reluctance to part with the agarwood beads did not mean he would never sell them; building a good relationship with him could only benefit them in the future.
"Thank you, Old Sun..." In light of the elder's kindness, Fang Yi did not decline. Whenever herbalists came to stay at the temple, the old Taoist would always prepare meals for them, which Fang Yi regarded as nothing out of the ordinary.
"Here, Xiao Fang, I don't eat meat, so you can have these ribs..." Old Sun glanced at Fang Yi's meal and said, "The stir-fried dishes from outside are too greasy; they're not good for your health. Though you're young, you should still eat less of it..."
"You're right, Old Sun; I'm used to simple fare..." Fang Yi nodded in agreement. In the mountains, he rarely consumed oil, and after coming down, he found the two meals he had eaten quite unaccustomed, especially the fast food the portly man had brought back, which always tasted a bit off to him.
"The lunch was too rushed; I'll buy a salted duck for dinner. I guarantee you'll love it..." After glancing at Old Sun's meal and then at his own scrambled eggs with tomatoes and shredded potatoes, the portly man felt a twinge of embarrassment.
"No need; just stir-fry some greens and cook a fish..." Fang Yi shook his head. He often recalled his master's words: what runs on land is not as good as what flies in the sky, and what flies is not as nutritious as what swims in water. Overall, fish offered the highest nutritional value.
"Alright, I'll find a restaurant this afternoon to stew the soft-shelled turtles we brought..." The portly man nodded; the two soft-shelled turtles he had initially planned to sell now seemed quite useful.
"Hmm? Young brother, are those wild soft-shelled turtles?" Upon hearing the portly man's words, Sun Chao inquired.
"Absolutely wild; they were caught from the reservoir..." the portly man replied.
"Then don't bother looking for someone to cook them; just bring them to me. I'll stew them for dinner..." Sun Chao chuckled, saying, "I've been wanting to buy a wild soft-shelled turtle for my father to nourish him, but I haven't come across any. Where are your turtles? Let me see..."
"Here they are..." The portly man retrieved a bamboo basket from the corner, which contained the two turtles he had caught yesterday.
"Wow, these soft-shelled turtles are quite sizable..."
Not only was Sun Chao a painter, but he was also a gourmet. Just by looking at the turtles' skirts, he could tell they were indeed wild, and his eyes instantly lit up. "One for stew and one for braising; you all should eat here in the ward tonight and sample my culinary skills..."
"That sounds wonderful..." Although the portly man felt somewhat reluctant, he nodded in agreement, considering that those two turtles were worth two to three thousand yuan. Yet, thinking of Fang Yi's injury, he refrained from voicing any objections.
"Here's three thousand yuan for you; consider it my purchase of the turtles..." Just as the portly man was mentally calculating, Sun Chao pulled out a stack of cash from his pocket and placed it directly on Fang Yi's bedside.
"Brother Sun, this isn't necessary..." Before Fang Yi could speak, the portly man began to decline, yet his hands swiftly tucked the stack of cash into his own pocket.
"You rascal, can't you at least pretend to be a bit more reserved?" Sun Chao laughed, pointing at the portly man. Looking at his innocent demeanor, Sun Chao found it hard to feel angry; genuine scoundrels often seemed far more endearing than hypocrites.
"Golden Pond? Is that a pond made of gold?" The portly man feigned ignorance, looking bewildered.
"Hahaha..." The portly man's words sent Sun Chao into a fit of laughter, nearly causing Sun Lianda to spit out the mouthful of soup he had just taken.
After their father finished eating, Sun Chao tidied up his things, picked up the bamboo basket, and left. Meanwhile, after lying down for several hours, Fang Yi found the numbness in his body had significantly subsided, and he could now support himself with both hands. However, he still required assistance to walk.
"Fang Yi, San Pao and I need to discuss something with you..." After helping Fang Yi to the restroom and returning to the ward, the portly man's expression grew serious.
"Mm? What is it?" Fang Yi was momentarily taken aback by the change in tone.
"It's about our future work..."
The portly man began, "While we were out buying food, San Pao and I discussed that instead of working for others in Jinling, it might be better to start a small business. This way, we would have more freedom and wouldn't have to rely on anyone's whims. Plus, we could learn a great deal along the way. What do you think?"
"Engaging in the antique trade?" As soon as the portly man finished speaking, Fang Yi realized he wasn't merely joking; he was genuinely interested in pursuing this path.
"Exactly! There are methods for doing business on both large and small scales. Although we only have twenty thousand... no, twenty-three thousand yuan to start, we could sell some inexpensive items at a stall. If the three of us are willing to work hard, we should be able to make a living, right?"
Though the portly man had never been involved in the antique business, he had frequently seen street vendors at various tourist spots. He firmly believed that none of the items sold at those stalls were genuine; success depended solely on one's ability to persuade buyers.
While it was unrealistic to expect the portly man to learn how to authenticate antiques, he was confident in his ability to charm and persuade people. As the saying goes, there's endless joy in competing with others. With this realization, the portly man was determined to pursue this line of work.
"Hmm? Little Fatty, your words carry some weight. In the antique trade, one must guard against the temptation of striking it rich overnight through sheer luck..."
Before Fang Yi could respond, Sun Lianda interjected. Surprisingly, while he had previously held a low opinion of the portly man, this statement had altered his perspective somewhat.
Having lived for over half a century, Sun Lianda had encountered many city dwellers who, with just a hundred yuan, aspired to conduct million-yuan businesses, their ambitions far exceeding their capabilities. In the end, these high-minded individuals rarely achieved wealth and often remained mediocre.
Conversely, those from rural backgrounds tended to approach their endeavors with diligence and humility, and after more than a decade of hard work in the city, their accomplishments often surpassed those of their urban counterparts.
In front of him, this little portly man, though sometimes overly dramatic in speech, exhibited a grounded mindset that Sun Lianda regarded as a fundamental quality necessary for achieving success.