Chapter 138: The Unfair Boss in the Antique Market
Chapter 138: The Unfair Boss in the Antique Market
Yang Mi ran over and hugged Tang Chen tightly, with a sob in her voice. “I’m so glad you’re okay, so glad you’re okay. You almost scared me to death.”
Heaven knew how worried she had been the moment she heard the car explode. Her heart had leaped into her throat. Thankfully, the Extravagant Battle Car had stopped quite considerately right then. So, she rushed straight to Tang Chen right away.
Tang Chen patted her back. He gently kissed her soft, red lips and said with a smile, “Don’t worry. Your husband won’t die. As for the person who wanted to kill me, he has already gone to hell.”
Yang Mi glanced at the grim scene not far away and turned her head away, unable to bear the sight. “Tang Chen, won’t all this trouble cause problems for you? Shouldn’t we call the Police?”
Tang Chen waved it off casually. “It’s fine, no need. Trouble has never been far from me. Even if the Police come looking, I’m not afraid. Enough about that, let’s hurry to Jiangnan Village.” As he said this, he put his arm around Yang Mi’s waist and steered her towards the Extravagant Battle Car.
Although Yang Mi felt uneasy inside, she didn’t say anything. She obediently followed Tang Chen as they left.
Jiangnan Village was called a village, but it was really just a small market. The reason its antique market was so famous was entirely due to its great location. It was because an ancient tomb had once been unearthed in Jiangnan Village.
In recent years, with the crazy popularity of Tomb Raider Chronicles, a tomb-raiding craze had swept the nation. So, the moment news spread that an ancient tomb was unearthed here, businesses immediately smelled opportunity. They set up an antique market here, boasting that the stuff sold here was mostly genuinely ancient.
But you know how antique markets are – seventy percent fake, thirty percent real. Why else would people call it “treasure gambling”? It’s all luck-based. Those who know a little might save some money and pick a good find among the junk. But if you run into a total newbie? Well, you’re just waiting for these unfair sellers to cheat you out of every penny you own.
Tang Chen parked the Extravagant Battle Car in a parking area and then took Yang Mi into the antique market. The market was bustling with people, feeling a bit like a temple fair, except there was less shouting.
Those with a bit more money ran small shops. They placed eye-catching items outside their doors. Those without much money simply spread a cloth on the ground and set up a stall to sell their wares.
“Yang Mi, my Mother-in-Law likes Buddhas, right? So this time, we must find a big Buddha to take back,” Tang Chen said while glancing around.
Yang Mi gripped Tang Chen’s hand, her face full of worry. “Tang Chen, I don’t understand this antique stuff. Can you really tell what’s real from fake? I hear there are so many imitations here. Let’s not get scammed.”
Tang Chen puffed out his chest confidently. “Relax. Your husband is wise and knows everything. There’s nothing I don’t understand.” Tang Chen sounded a bit like he was bragging here. Truth was, he knew nothing. He only dared talk big because he had the System.
The System snorted with disdain in his mind, adding sarcastically: “Dear Host, those who show off get struck by lightning. Better cut down on the boasting.”
“Struck your sister’s underpants!” Tang Chen cursed angrily. Back in the day, he’d been a pure and youthful young man. It was only after encountering this darn System that he’d started on this path of endless boasting without looking back. Yet this thing dared mock him? It needed a good spanking!
“Tang Chen, over there seems crowded. Want to check it out?” Yang Mi tapped Tang Chen’s hand at that moment, pointing towards a spot.
Tang Chen looked. Where Yang Mi pointed was an antique shop. The plaque above the shop read ‘Century-Old Shop, Absolutely Genuine Artifacts.’ It seemed something was happening there right then, as many people were gathered around.
“Yeah, let’s take a look.” Watching the fun is in the blood of us Chinese, and Tang Chen was no exception. He pulled Yang Mi towards the crowd.
Right then, outside the shop door, an Old Master, looking over sixty years old, was clutching a Bodhisattva statue in his hands. Tears streamed down his face as he told his tale of injustice: “Friends from near and far, fellow villagers! Please, judge for me! My grandson was under my care. Everything was fine before. But lately, I don’t know why, he wouldn’t eat, wouldn’t sleep… yet his body seemed perfectly healthy! I took him to the hospital. The doctor said my grandson wasn’t sick and couldn’t be treated. But if he’s not sick, why is he acting so strange?”
“Just a while ago, I went to see a fortune teller, hoping for some folk remedies that might help my grandson. The fortune teller said my grandson was haunted by evil spirits! He told me to invite a Bodhisattva statue to ward off the evil. I don’t understand these things! So just a couple of days ago, I came to this shop. I told the Boss my problem, said I wanted to buy a Bodhisattva statue. This Boss here recommended this very statue I’m holding! He said this was an authentic Bodhisattva of Wisdom (Manjusri Bodhisattva) passed down from the Qing Dynasty. He claimed it was most effective at warding off evil. I spent my life savings – thirty thousand! – buying this statue. But yesterday, I took it to the ‘Treasure Hunt’ show on Central Television! The experts there told me it was FAKE! It’s a counterfeit! I came back to demand a refund or exchange, but this Boss says I’m being unreasonable! He says I am trying to pull a scam! I, Old Liu, have lived sixty-seven years! Heaven knows what I have done! If I’ve spoken one single lie today, let me be struck dead by a car the moment I step out of here!”
The Old Master got more and more worked up as he spoke, stamping his feet and spraying spittle.
The crowd listening was moved. Murmurs went through them. One person said, “Old Master, don’t be so upset. We all believe you.”
“Exactly, what this Old Master says doesn’t sound fake to me. These days, there are just too many bad people trying to cheat others with fakes every day. Especially targeting an ignorant Old Master like this!”
“Boss! What you’re doing is just wrong! Cheating others is bad enough, but how could you cheat such a poor Old Master? He used his retirement savings for this! Have you no conscience?”
Yang Mi clenched her little fists angrily too. “That Boss is really way out of line! How could he do that? It’s practically worth being punished by Heaven!”
Tang Chen sighed helplessly. “Wife, try not to take it too hard. There are too many people like this now.”
At that moment, the Boss, a man in his forties, cleared his throat loudly and spoke seriously: “Ladies and gentlemen, don’t just listen to only one side! Old Master, I want to ask you something: Did I force you to buy this Bodhisattva when you were here buying it?”
The Old Master protested urgently, “I didn’t understand any of it! You went on and on, describing it so amazingly! How was I supposed to know if what you said was real or fake?”
The Boss sneered coldly. “So that means I didn’t use any force, right? Since that’s the case, why are you saying I cheated your money? Besides, it’s been over three days! Who’s to say you didn’t swap it out at home for a fake? You could be holding a fake you bought elsewhere now, trying to cheat me!”
The Boss’s words were poisonous. The Old Master trembled all over with rage, furious: “You! You’re twisting things! At my age, would I go to all this trouble just to cheat you? I swear to everyone here! If I really brought a fake statue here to cheat you out of money, then let me be struck dead by a car right now!”
The Boss laughed coldly again, dismissive. “Old Master, swearing to me means nothing! You get all sorts these days! If swearing really worked, why are there still old people who get helped up and then turn around and accuse their helpers? Didn’t those old folks swear they’d never cheat people before? It’s the same principle here, Old Man. You’re old enough. Don’t embarrass yourself with stuff like this. I too can pat my chest and say, EVERY piece of treasure in my shop is genuine!”
The Boss’s words made the watching crowd hesitate. People who just came to watch were always like grass blown by the wind; easily swayed. Hearing the Boss sound reasonable made them naturally start doubting the Old Master.
The Old Master’s lips trembled with such fury that he couldn’t speak. He crumpled to sit on the ground, wailing loudly: “There’s no justice! What has the world come to? Why does nobody believe me when I say I was cheated? WHYYYY?!”
A flash of dark satisfaction crossed the Boss’s eyes. He laughed heartlessly: “Everyone, you all saw clearly! I didn’t lay a finger on him. He sat down himself! He won’t be able to blame me later!”
Anger surged onto Tang Chen’s face. This Boss was just too much! Wasn’t this bullying an Old Master?
“System, can you distinguish real from fake in this antique?” Tang Chen asked silently within his heart. He couldn’t stand it anymore and had to step in.
System: “Esteemed Host, this System is all-powerful. Honestly, I can’t bear to watch this anymore either. I’ll borrow your hands to punish this jerk.”
Ding! Beginner Task triggered! Please dismantle the Boss’s lies in front of this crowd. Make him utterly lose face. Task success reward: One random prop lottery draw. Task failure: Host must kneel and shout ‘I am a liar’.
This time, Tang Chen didn’t waste time mocking the System’s task. Just as he was about to step forward, a man suddenly yelled: “Boss! That’s just too much! I can’t take it anymore!”