Chapter 94: Buying Calligraphy and Paintings, Part 2

"Officer Miao, what are you doing here?"

The moment Wang Bin saw the girl, he couldn't help but blurt out.

Yes, the girl in front of him looked exactly like Officer Miao, so much so that he was a bit taken aback.

"I'm not Miao, my last name is Li. Also, your pick-up line is too old, you should change it!"

Hearing Wang Bin's words, Officer Li frowned, mistaking him for a lecherous man infatuated with her beauty.

To avoid suspicion, she wasn't wearing her police uniform but a dark green dress that accentuated her graceful figure, making any man who saw her feel moved.

After being corrected by Officer Li, Wang Bin took a closer look and realized that although this Officer Li looked very much like Officer Miao from the apocalypse world, there was a significant difference in their demeanor.

Officer Miao from the apocalypse had a mature woman's charm and was more formidable, while this Officer Li, though also elegant, lacked the experience of life and death, appearing somewhat naive in comparison.

Realizing his mistake and sensing that she didn't like him, Wang Bin decided not to speak further and make a fool of himself.

After the shopkeeper invited Officer Li to sit at the Eight Immortals table, he greeted Wang Bin with a smile.

"May I know your name, sir?"

"My last name is Wang."

"Oh, Mr. Wang, how do you find this tea?"

"Great tea! But I'm not here for tea; I'm looking to buy a piece of calligraphy or painting. Do you have any with high collectible value?"

"You've come to the right place. This is a shop specializing in calligraphy and paintings, and I've got quite a few treasures on the second floor. How about I bring some out for you to admire?"

"Shopkeeper Liu, we agreed that I get to choose your paintings first, right?" Officer Li couldn't sit still upon hearing this.

"Ah, that's fine, that's fine. We have plenty of calligraphy and paintings here; take your time to choose!"

Shopkeeper Liu chuckled and went into the second-floor compartment with a key. As soon as he went in, a waiter hurriedly followed him and whispered in his ear, "Boss, the gentleman outside is definitely a big spender!"

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"Got it, you'll be rewarded!"

"Thank you, boss!"

"Quickly, go out and attend to the guests!"

"Yes!"

Soon, the waiter came out and stood by to serve Wang Bin and Officer Li.

With his agility attribute reaching 80 points, Wang Bin had exceptional hearing. Although the two spoke softly, he heard everything clearly.

Hearing their conversation, he realized he was being seen as an easy target, which amused him. He thought to himself that the saying "every profession has its own expertise" was true. A simple word or action had revealed his background to them. If it weren't for his exceptional hearing, he might have been taken for a fool today. If he bought a genuine piece, it would be fine, but if he spent a fortune on a fake, it would be a huge loss.

Now that he knew their intentions, their plans were bound to fail.

Before long, Shopkeeper Liu came out with three paintings. Just as he was about to place them on the table, Officer Li snatched them away.

"Hey, Officer Li, be gentle. These are priceless treasures. If they get damaged..."

"I'll pay for any damages!"

Before Shopkeeper Liu could finish, Officer Li cut him off. Rich people are not to be trifled with.

Wang Bin realized from this that Officer Li's family background was not simple, but he didn't care. He was now a wealthy man himself, and all his money was his own, unlike some who relied on their parents.

Officer Li unfolded the three paintings one by one and examined them carefully. After a while, she noticed Wang Bin quietly drinking tea, not even glancing her way, and thought to herself that he was sensible.

After spending more than ten minutes, Officer Li finally finished examining the three paintings.

It's normal to spend over an hour appreciating artwork, so Shopkeeper Liu was used to it. But Wang Bin was different; he knew nothing about this field. Sitting there alone for over ten minutes was indeed a bit boring for him. Fortunately, Officer Li had finished her appraisal; otherwise, he might have fallen asleep.

Officer Li casually tossed one of the paintings aside, causing Shopkeeper Liu to feel a pang of heartache.

"Shopkeeper Liu, I've been learning about calligraphy and paintings from my grandfather since I was young. Although I don't have his skills, I can still appraise ordinary works. This 'Spring Outing' painting is clearly a modern imitation!"

"Ah! Officer Li, you can't just say that!"

Shopkeeper Liu knew in his heart that Officer Li was right, but he would never admit that what he was selling was a fake.

What annoyed Shopkeeper Liu the most was that there was another customer present. With her speaking so plainly, how could he deceive others? But he couldn't say that out loud, so he felt quite bitter inside.

Officer Li looked at the remaining two paintings for a while and said, "These two are genuine, but this bamboo painting by Zheng Banqiao has a higher collectible value. Shopkeeper Liu, I'll take this one. Name your price."

Shopkeeper Liu's face lit up with a smile as he said, "Officer Li, this painting by Zheng Banqiao is a rare treasure, so it's not cheap!"

Officer Li raised an eyebrow and impatiently said, "I know it's not cheap and I'm aware of the market price. Just name your price!"

Officer Li's meaning was clear: she was interested in the painting but also knew the market value, so he shouldn't overcharge her, or she'd walk away.

Shopkeeper Liu dreaded dealing with people like Officer Li. If it were an outsider, he could easily talk them into confusion with his eloquence. But Officer Li knew her stuff and left no room for him to exaggerate the painting's value, and he couldn't set the price too high.

"Alright, since Officer Li is so straightforward, I'll say it. This bamboo painting by Zheng Banqiao is eight million."

Wang Bin was startled to hear eight million. Although he knew that paintings by ancient masters were valuable, he didn't expect a small bamboo painting to be worth eight million.

"Shopkeeper Liu, you're not being honest. Although this is indeed a painting by Zheng Banqiao, how can such a small piece be worth eight million?"

Wang Bin learned something new from the side: the works of famous artists are priced based on their size.

Officer Li's words exposed the painting's value, making Shopkeeper Liu very unhappy. There's no point in haggling with someone knowledgeable, but he didn't want to sell this hard-to-acquire painting by Zheng Banqiao so easily.

"Oh, Officer Li, Zheng Banqiao's paintings are becoming rarer these days. I had a hard time acquiring this one. How about you add a little more?"

"Alright, seven million, no more!" Officer Li thought for a moment, knowing the market price was just over five million, so adding another million was acceptable.

Hearing Officer Li offer seven million, Shopkeeper Liu was delighted and was about to agree when Wang Bin spoke up.

"Eight million, I'll take it!"

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