Mistaking My Sister-In-Law for My Wife After Getting Drunk! - Chapter 32

Chapter 32: Meeting Tang Zhengqi Again

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

“I only have a rough direction; it’s hard to say,” Xu Yang said.

“Alright, go ahead and prepare your resignation letter. I’ll approve it, and you can go through the resignation process. Just make sure to handle the handover properly,” the supervisor said.

“Understood.” Xu Yang left the supervisor’s office and returned to his workstation. He wrote his resignation letter, got it signed by the supervisor, and completed the handover tasks.

After more than an hour of busyness, Xu Yang finally finished his day. He bid farewell to his colleagues, picked up his belongings, and left the company.

“From today onwards, I’m free!” Xu Yang exclaimed.

As Xu Yang walked out of the company’s entrance, he looked up at the sky. He felt that the weather today was particularly good. The sunlight was bright, and the air was fresh.

Instead of going straight home, Xu Yang took a stroll outside. Having just bought a car, he was eager to take it for a spin. At noon, he had lunch outside and then rested in his car for a while.

At 2:30 PM, Xu Yang arrived at a teahouse. He had messaged Tang Zhengqi the previous night and arranged to meet him at the teahouse. The meeting time was set for 3:00 PM and Xu Yang arrived half an hour early.

Entering a private room, a tea master immediately came in to prepare tea. Xu Yang wasn’t well-versed in tea. However, he assumed that someone like Tang Zhengqi, who was a connoisseur of antiques and collectibles, would appreciate and understand tea. So, he chose this place. It was also an opportunity for him to learn.

It was Xu Yang’s first time in such a place, and he found it quite pleasant. The environment was serene, making it an excellent spot for tea.

At 2:50 p.m., Tang Zhengqi arrived.

“Xu Yang, my apologies for making you wait. I got caught in traffic, so I’m a bit late,” Tang Zhengqi apologized.

“Mr. Tang, I just arrived not long ago. Our meeting was scheduled for 3:00 PM, so you’re not late at all. We can skip the formality,” said Xu Yang as he stood up to greet Tang Zhengqi.

They both took their seats.

“I wasn’t sure what type of tea you like, so I ordered a random one, Mount Wuyi’s Premium Da Hong Pao. I hope you like it. If not, we can change it to something you prefer,” Xu Yang said.

“Mount Wuyi’s Premium Da Hong Pao? This is one of the best teas here. If I were to say I don’t like it, I’m afraid many people would accuse me of not knowing good tea,” Tang Zhengqi chuckled.

From his words, it was evident that Tang Zhengqi had been to this place before and was quite familiar with it. Otherwise, he wouldn’t know that Mount Wuyi’s Premium Da Hong Pao was one of the best teas here.

“As long as you like it,” Xu Yang replied.

They sipped their tea and chatted for a while. As the conversation flowed, they became more comfortable with each other, almost like brothers.

Getting to the point, Xu Yang took a small box from his bag and placed it in front of Tang Zhengqi.

“Mr. Tang, this is an item I found at a flea market on Antique Street that afternoon. Take a look,” Xu Yang said.

“Alright,” Tang Zhengqi nodded, put down his tea cup, and opened the box. Inside, he saw a blood-red jade thumb ring, and his eyes lit up. He took out a handkerchief and carefully picked up the thumb ring from the box, examining it closely.

“Tsk tsk, Xu Yang, it seems you’ve stumbled upon a treasure once again,” Tang Zhengqi couldn’t help but praise.

“Really?” Xu Yang asked. “Mr. Tang, please share your thoughts. My knowledge in this area is limited.”

Tang Zhengqi glanced at Xu Yang and shook his head. He said, “Xu Yang, you’re being too modest. If I’m not mistaken, you probably know more about this item than I do. Perhaps even more than what I know.”

“Mr. Tang, you’re an industry veteran. I can’t compare to you; I only have surface-level knowledge,” Xu Yang said.

“Xu Yang, you’re being humble again. Tell me, how did you find this?” Tang Zheng Qi asked.

Xu Yang said half-truthfully,” This thing was knocked out from the bottom of a vase. When I saw the vase, I felt that its bottom was very thick and it was different from other vases. It seemed out of place. I thought that there might be something in it, so I bought it. When I went home and broke it, I found this thing. ”

“Xu Yang, your observation skills are truly remarkable,” Tang Zhengqi glanced at Xu Yang meaningfully and said.

In fact, Tang Zhengqi still had something to say. He believed that perhaps Xu Yang did not think that the bottom of the vase was thick, so he bought the vase. Instead, he had discovered something else.

If that were the case, Xu Yang would be too terrifying from Tang Zhengqi’s point of view. Since Xu Yang did not mention it, Tang Zhengqi did not ask further. At his age, Tang Zhengqi knew what to ask and what not to ask. Especially in the antique industry, asking too many questions was very ill-mannered.

“Luck also played a part.” Xu Yang smiled and said.

“Alright, let’s talk about this jade thumb ring. If my guess is correct, this should be a thumb ring once worn by Emperor Taizong of Tang. There’s a legend that this was a gift from Empress Wu Zetian to Emperor Taizong, but it’s not recorded in official historical records, only in unofficial accounts. Now, with this jade thumb ring coming to light, it serves as proof of its existence. This small thumb ring not only has collectible value but also archaeological and historical significance. It’s worth much more than your last discovery, the Hundred of Beasts painting by Wu Daozi.” Tang Zhengqi said with his eyes fixed on the thumb ring.

“By your estimation, what’s its approximate value?” Xu Yang asked.

“At least 70 million,” Tang Zhengqi replied, “Xu Yang, if you’re not in a hurry for money, I suggest you put it up for auction at our auction house. Once it goes to auction, I’m confident it’ll fetch over 100 million.”

Xu Yang nodded, “That’s exactly what I had in mind, putting it up for auction at your auction house.”

Tang Zhengqi seemed excited, “Fantastic! This jade thumb ring will undoubtedly create a sensation in the antique world at next month’s auction.”

That was beneficial for the auction house. It not only increased their revenue but also boosted the auction house’s reputation. Tang Zhengqi then explained the auction house’s procedures to Xu Yang. When someone brought an item to the auction house, they charged a 5% commission fee based on the final sale price. However, as a shareholder, Xu Yang would receive a 2% discount, meaning he’d only pay a 3% commission fee.

Xu Yang had no objections; he was willing to follow the rules. When Tang Zhengqi offered a discount, he would take it too.

Although 2% might seem little, it was still significant. If the jade thumb ring’s final sale price reached 100 million, 2% would be 2 million.

Tang Zhengqi made a call to the auction house to inform them and arranged for the contract to be brought over. Xu Yang signed the contract.

With the contract signed, Tang Zhengqi personally took the jade thumb ring to the auction house for safekeeping.

It was an item worth over a hundred million yuan, and it was the highlight of next month’s auction. There could be no room for error.

Xu Yang checked the time; it was almost time to pick up Zhao Yuxin from work. After the tea session, he found the bill astonishing—it amounted to 8,000 yuan.

Having money now allowed Xu Yang to experience such places, but without it, he might never have had the chance to enjoy tea in such a refined environment.