Chapter 72: Are You Even Human?

Hao Jun held his phone and showed it to Lin Sicheng and Wang Qi Zhi.

The two shook their heads in unison.

If Grandfather (Lin Zhangqing) wanted it, why would he need to pay?

Just as they were thinking this, there were a few more "ding-dong" sounds:

General Manager Hao, 220,000, but could I take a look first... This is an old client of Rongbaozhai.

Old Hao, 230,000... This is Guan Xingmin.

Professor Hao, 250,000, please hold it for me... This is a student from the Xijing Branch of the Peking University Resource Cultural Relics Appraisal Academy (a non-unified recruitment independent college, similar to an MBA).

Secretary-General Hao, 280,000, if that works, send over the card number... This is a collector from the Collection Association.

Another ding-dong: Your **** card transfer income, 00... Then came the text message, just two words: I want it!

It wasn't that the guest was laconic, but the client was Tibetan and found typing in Hanyu Pinyin too laborious, so they were sparing with their words.

Hao Jun pushed the phone forward again, and Lin Sicheng and Wang Qi Zhi were both startled: 300,000?

Even if this Plum Vase were intact, the price would only be around 600,000; no matter how well it is repaired, it is still a damaged piece, so selling it for thirty percent of its value is about right.

But only five minutes after the message was sent, it had soared to three times what Lin Sicheng had expected, and the money had been transferred without even seeing what the object looked like?

Does this show Hao Jun's influence, or the solidity of his reputation?

Lin Sicheng made the final decision: "Let's go with this one!"

Although he hadn't met the person, they had traded several times: that Vajra Dakini Buddha Statue, as well as the string of Prayer Beads he had helped Hao Jun find, had all been sold by Hao Jun to this client.

"Okay!" Hao Jun nodded and sent a mass reply, not forgetting to state the price: Sorry, the item has already been sold, 300,000...

Suddenly, the phone went quiet. Then, another text message came in.

Just one word: Worth it.

Sender: Lin Zhangqing!

The three exchanged glances, and Hao Jun put away his phone; no one had spoken a word throughout the whole process.

But were the others blind?

Hao Jun's mention of "150,000" had whetted everyone's appetite, and he kept passing the phone back and forth; no matter who it was, they would curiously sneak a peek.

As a result, after that peek, they were practically blinded: 220,000, 230,000, 250,000, 280,000... 300,000?

The messages were clearly sent separately, yet the bids kept soaring as if it were an auction?

So, if this Plum Vase were sent to an auction, wouldn't it sell for even more than 300,000?

But the problem is, this is a damaged piece? Whether by convention or market conditions, everything proves that even if a damaged piece is restored well, it rarely exceeds thirty percent of the value of the original.

Why did this ironclad rule not count when it came to this Plum Vase?

Most ridiculously, Professor Lin even sent "Worth it" at the end, like a shill?

The problem is, this wasn't on-site; Professor Lin had no idea where this Plum Vase was, who had repaired it, or who it was sold to. He was just speaking from his heart...

Li Zhen, Feng Lin, and a group of graduate students looked at each other, and finally, they all looked at Shang Yan in unison.

Shang Yan sighed softly and nodded: Several years ago, someone offered as much as 220,000 for the Waist Drum Vase that Professor Lin had repaired. 300,000 for this Plum Vase isn't that strange.

This hit them like a hammer to the forehead.

If it were just quotes, some might still be skeptical, but the cold, hard cash had already been deposited into Hao Jun's bank card, meaning the transaction was successful.

But this is 300,000?

With 80,000 in materials plus three percent tax, the cost was less than 100,000, meaning Lin Sicheng had earned 200,000 in half a day?

More importantly: this wasn't picking up a bargain, and it had nothing to do with luck; from start to finish, it relied entirely on craftsmanship.

This means that as long as Lin Sicheng is willing, he can keep earning continuously; he doesn't need much, if he repairs five or six vases a month, couldn't he earn a million?

And how much would that be in a year?

Once they calculated the specific numbers, everyone felt it was incredibly absurd: as students, they were still worrying about whether they could stay at the school after graduation, or at the very least stay in the provincial capital. But even if they stayed, how could they guarantee an income of over 1,000 a month?

Yet Lin Sicheng was already marching toward becoming a millionaire.

Especially the few graduate students; a few days ago, when Shang Yan praised Lin Sicheng, they were still somewhat dismissive: if he were really as amazing as Professor Shang said, how could Lin Sicheng be a poor student?

Some even held a "wait and see" attitude when Professor Wang said Lin Sicheng was going to repair porcelain earlier.

As it turned out, they didn't get to see a joke, but were instead shown up?

Damn it, my mentality has collapsed...

Everyone's moods were different, and for a time, the laboratory was unusually quiet.

Instructing Feng Lin to lock the Plum Vase in the cabinet, Wang Qi Zhi clapped his hands: "Feng Lin, take the students to the staff canteen and get a private room..."

Everyone woke up as if from a dream, then looked at the wall clock: 2:30 PM.

Suddenly, as if their biological clocks had been triggered, their stomachs began to rumble, and waves of fatigue washed over them.

At the same time, someone noticed something wrong: why wasn't Lin Sicheng hungry?

They had only been watching from the side and felt exhausted. But looking at Lin Sicheng, he was the same now as he had been in the morning?

Not to mention his abundant energy, just look at this physical stamina: drilling, nailing, hammering, chiseling... most of it was manual labor, and for a full six hours, Lin Sicheng hadn't stopped for a single minute?

Big brother, are you made of iron?

Just as they were bursting with curiosity, Shang Yan nodded, and a dozen people followed behind Feng Lin, filing out.

"Professor Shang, Teaching Assistant Li, Secretary-General Hao, thank you for your hard work, I'll arrange today... please..."

Before he could finish, Shang Yan reached out to stop him: "Professor Wang, I want to have a word with you!"

Wang Qi Zhi was stunned and scanned Shang Yan's face:

He felt that Shang Yan's eyes were spitting fire, and there seemed to be a vein on her head, with her anger level shooting up "whoosh, whoosh, whoosh."

Professor Shang, why bother?

Wang Qi Zhi sighed: "Fine, let's talk!"

As he said this, he turned his head and made the arrangements perfectly clear: "Secretary-General Hao, my apologies, you all go to the dining hall first; I will be very quick."

"It's fine, you go attend to your important business first!"

There was a temporary office right next to the laboratory, and the two walked in one after the other. Ye Anning followed at the very end, and when she closed the door, she looked at Lin Sicheng with a hint of worry.

She was not worried about Lin Sicheng, but about the two people in the office.

Lin Sicheng smiled and gave her a look of reassurance.

"Click~"

The door was closed, and Hao Jun gestured with his chin toward the office, "Will they start fighting?"

Lin Sicheng burst into laughter: "How could that be?"

They were both cultured people and served as teachers; a physical fight was absolutely out of the question, but a quarrel was certain.

However, given Professor Wang's methods, Professor Shang was no match at all. Even if they argued, they would at most not last three sentences.

Just as this thought crossed his mind, a roar came from inside: "You surnamed Wang, are you even human?"

Hao Jun perked up, his ears pricking up.

Lin Sicheng could neither laugh nor cry: "Let's go, let's go downstairs and wait!"