Chapter 35: Just That Coincidental

Subconsciously, Li Xinfang recalled the scene of accompanying her father to Rongbaozhai, where the store manager, unable to shake off her father's pestering, finally invited General Manager Hao out:

Solemn and serious, sitting upright: "General Manager Li, I won't hide it from you: the store does have what you want, but I am truly sorry..."

Looking at the scene before her now: arms draped over shoulders, laughing and joking...

If the impression hadn't been so deep, she would hardly have dared to recognize him.

After the two spoke a few words, Hao Jun was about to leave, but Lin Sicheng pulled him back: "Director Guan hasn't called yet, what's the rush? Just in time to ask you for a favor: does the store have any Jade, could you spare me a piece?"

"Tell me who it's for first?"

Huh, does this even have tiers?

Lin Sicheng had a flash of inspiration: "My grandfather's god-grandson's prospective girlfriend's father!"

Hao Jun turned it over in his mind for a long time, then looked behind him: "Wouldn't it be easier if you just said it was your relative?"

"Just tell me if you have it or not?"

"I do!" Hao Jun nodded, "But you have to be specific. Even for Cultural Relics in a study, even for Jade, different items have different properties and meanings."

"I know, it's for a gift, a birthday gift, the person holds a high position!"

Lin Sicheng replied, then looked back: "Doctor Li, can you reveal a bit more!"

Li Xinfang was suddenly stunned: it was actually done?

She steadied herself, lowering her voice: "My uncle works in the judicial system."

"Then a seal is most appropriate!"

Hao Jun made the final decision, "But no need to go to the store; the procedures are troublesome, and the price is high... Lao Guan has several in his collection, all works by famous masters: Gao Fengxiang, Zhang Yanchang, Li Liangyu... and there is even one by Wu Changshuo made of Crow Skin..."

Lin Sicheng was startled: Crow Skin is black Field Yellow Stone, which is the finest of the fine even among Field Yellow Stone, and it was carved by Wu Changshuo?

Even in 2007, it would be worth over a million.

Seeing him silent, Hao Jun thought Lin Sicheng was worried that Guan Xingmin wouldn't be willing to part with it, so he gave him a reassuring look: "Lao Guan does treasure that thing, but it depends on who it's for!"

When the two spoke on the phone last night about coming to Xicang, Lao Guan had mentioned Lin Sicheng: this kid has a good eye, and an even better character...

Summarized in one sentence: they hit it off!

"Forget about the Wu Changshuo!" Lin Sicheng glanced back, "Doctor Li, ask your uncle if a Gao Fengxiang seal would work!"

It has fame, but not too high, at least not as eye-catching as Wu Changshuo. The image is positive, and he was even an official.

Li Xinfang nodded repeatedly: "Definitely!"

"Better to ask just in case!"

"Yes, yes, yes... I'll ask right now!"

Li Xinfang's face flushed, and she hurriedly took out her phone.

She couldn't help but be excited: her father had said all the nice things, been humble and respectful, and Secretary-General Hao hadn't budged, yet Lin Sicheng had done it in just a few sentences?

And no matter how little she understood, she knew what Field Yellow Stone was, and who Wu Changshuo was.

If her father found out, he would absolutely go crazy with joy.

Waiting for her to finish her call before going to find Guan Xingmin, Lin Sicheng asked casually: "Does Director Guan like stone seal carving?"

"No gold, only stone, and it's not just seals; he likes to tinker with any kind of Jade."

"What about Tibetan Buddhist Prayer Beads, does he like them? Hetian Green Jade, from the mid-Qing period, but the four separator beads are human skull caps!"

"He definitely won't want them, but someone else will." Hao Jun's eyes lit up, "I have a client who is Tibetan; you sold that Buddha statue to him last time, and he was very quick to pay."

He was indeed quick; the Buddha statue worth about 200,000 was sold by Hao Jun for 370,000. After taxes, it was exactly 300,000.

"Then go ask later, it's just around the corner. The asking price isn't high, only 160,000. And the boss was hit pretty hard by me, you can still haggle when you go..."

Lin Sicheng roughly explained what happened, and Hao Jun's eyes widened.

Wuzang Buxiang, how obscure is this stuff?

Let alone smelling it, he studied India and Buddhist archaeology professionally, and he hadn't even seen it a few times.

The key is that the formula is extremely complex, with over thirty ingredients in total. Lin Sicheng, on the other hand, got every single one right?

Would it work if I brought a police dog over?

Lin Sicheng touched his nose: "Why are you staring at me?"

"Nothing!" Hao Jun looked away, "Aren't you going?"

"Forget it, don't go looking for trouble and get beaten up!"

Is that so?

It was indeed a bit like that, but Hao Jun knew that Lin Sicheng was returning a favor.

To an ordinary person, human skull caps is human bone, but to a follower of Tibetan Buddhism, it is absolutely the most sacred of holy objects: if it weren't a Great Lama's relic, it couldn't be strung onto Jade prayer beads, let alone kept in a shrine for many years.

If sold to the client who bought the Buddha statue, he wouldn't even frown at three sets of 160,000.

Hao Jun sighed: What did Lao Guan say last night?

That kid is a bit stubborn, he repays every kindness and returns every favor...

Just as he was feeling emotional, his phone rang. Hao Jun just took it out, but then hung up.

Immediately, Guan Xingmin's voice came from behind: "Oh, Little Lin, did Old Hao call you here?"

"No, this kid is skipping class!"

"Haha..." Guan Xingmin laughed, "You kid, not bad: your grandfather is pinned down by you in the hospital, yet you ran out to have fun?"

Lin Sicheng also laughed: "Helping a relative look at something!"

Hao Jun mentioned the seal matter again, and Guan Xingmin didn't even offer a polite refusal, telling Lin Sicheng to go to his house and pick whichever one he wanted.

After chatting for a few more sentences, Li Xinfang finished her call and walked over with Gu Ming. Lin Sicheng was just about to introduce them when Li Xinfang gave a low cry: "Uncle Guan?"

Guan Xingmin was stunned for a moment, remembering what Lin Sicheng had just said, and his expression became increasingly strange.

"That person over there is my grandfather's god-grandson, you should know his father: Gu Kaishan, at the Nanyuanmen Station..."

"The person on the phone next to him is his partner; the two of them just started seeing each other, and it just so happens that his partner's father wants to give a gift..."

"I didn't ask exactly what he does, only that he works at a judicial organ; I reckon he's asking for a favor, and his position isn't low..."

So, could the person Lin Sicheng's grandfather's god-grandson's prospective partner's father wants to give a gift to for a favor be none other than himself?

Li Xinfang was even more dumbfounded.

She had indeed heard Lin Sicheng and Hao Jun mention "Director Guan" many times, but Guan Xingmin's official title to the outside world is "Division Chief," so she never once linked the two together.

Now this is a fine mess, how is she supposed to give the gift?

Hao Jun was also quite shocked: in truth, he had recognized Li Xinfang at first glance, but since they weren't close, he hadn't said anything.

Lin Sicheng was even more bewildered:

The uncle is in a judicial organ... Guan Xingmin is at the Public Security Bureau.

The rank is not low... is the Deputy Director of the Appraisal Center a full division-level or deputy division-level position again?

Likes collecting... if he didn't like collecting, Guan Xingmin wouldn't have been able to get into the Collectors Association.

But who could have imagined it would be such a coincidence?

Could it be that they've tried to be clever only to end up with a blunder, doing a bad deed with good intentions?

Just as he sensed something was wrong, Guan Xingmin let out a "Hahaha" laugh: "Little Li, go back and tell your dad to come to my office tomorrow... don't bring anything, if you bring anything, don't come!"

After a slight pause, he smiled and patted Lin Sicheng on the shoulder: "A phone call would have sufficed, why go to all this trouble?"

Li Xinfang felt dizzy and wanted to say thank you, but her tongue felt like it was tied in a knot: the matter that had been gnawing at her father's heart and worrying him for several months had just been settled like this?