After Descending the Mountain, Seven Big Brothers Spoil Me - Chapter 306

Chapter 306: Found Treasure!
Sure enough, when Yun You approached the stall, the vendor didn’t take him seriously at all.

Yun You, mimicking their earlier strategy, inquired about the prices of a few items before pointing to the painting Zhouzhou wanted.

The vendor, suspecting nothing, replied, “This is an authentic Tang Bohu. One million yuan.”

Yun You’s face twisted with disbelief. “You must be joking. An authentic Tang Bohu would never look like this! Are you trying to take advantage of us because you think we’re fools?”

At least he had some self-awareness.

The vendor smirked, eyeing Yun You up and down. This kid, wearing short sleeves in such cold weather, couldn’t even afford decent clothes.

Clearly a pauper. And the little girl looked equally clueless—definitely not people with much money.

“So, how much can you offer?” he asked.

Yun You raised a single finger, copying Zhouzhou’s earlier gesture. “One hundred yuan!”

The vendor’s face darkened instantly, and he grabbed a stick, looking menacing. “Are you here to cause trouble?”

Zhouzhou watched, her face full of surprise.

So haggling like this could really get you beaten up. She nervously rubbed her small backside and stepped forward. “Uncle, my brother was just joking.”

She quickly tugged at Yun You’s sleeve, feigning fear, and with her other chubby hand, she gave his waist a light pinch. “Brother, didn’t you just earn ten thousand yuan? Hurry and take it out.”

She then turned to the vendor. “Uncle, will ten thousand yuan do?”

The vendor scrutinized them. Seeing Yun You clutching his side, he imagined the worst and gave him a meaningful look. “Young man, it’s better to live honestly. Quick riches are rare. Don’t sell your body parts for money.”

Selling a kidney for ten thousand yuan? These young people today… tsk tsk.

Yun You found the vendor’s sympathetic look odd, then rubbed his side again, wincing. Zhouzhou’s pinch really hurt. But if she wanted the painting so badly, maybe it was valuable?

“That’s not necessarily true,” he said confidently.

“They say antiques can sometimes be a jackpot. If we win this gamble, we can live comfortably for the rest of our lives. You’ve priced it high, so it must be worth something. But claiming it’s an authentic Tang Bohu is ridiculous. Let’s be realistic; I’ve got ten thousand yuan. Take it or leave it.”

He patted Zhouzhou’s shoulder. She immediately pulled out ten thousand yuan in cash from her bag, money that Grandma Qin had recently given her as pocket money.

The vendor, pretending to be reluctant, agreed. “Fine, ten thousand it is. We must have fate; let’s be friends.”

He rolled up the painting and handed it over. After confirming it wasn’t an authentic Tang Bohu, but just a decorative piece with oil stains, bought as junk by weight, he felt like he made a killing. Two fools, he thought.

Meanwhile, Zhouzhou thought, He’s the real fool.

Happily clutching the painting, she ran off. Mu Xuan and Ye Lingfeng, waiting at another corner, smiled when they saw her. “Got it?”

Zhouzhou nodded and looked around before asking in a low voice, “Is there a safe place around here?”

Seeing her cautious demeanor, Mu Xuan guessed they had indeed found something valuable. Yun You suggested, “My shop is just ahead. Let’s go there.”

“Alright.”

The four of them headed to the shop. The manager greeted Yun You, surprised by his rare visit. “Second Young Master, what brings you here?”

“Just wandering around,” Yun You replied. Seeing other customers around, he added, “Carry on with your work. We’ll go upstairs.”

“Certainly. Let me know if you need anything.”

“Will do.”

Upstairs, Zhouzhou climbed onto a chair and spread the painting on the table. Yun You scrutinized it for a while but found it unremarkable.

He couldn’t understand why Zhouzhou would spend ten thousand on it. Even Mu Xuan was puzzled.

Ye Lingfeng, familiar with Zhouzhou’s knack for treasure hunting, was curious. “Zhouzhou, is there something special about this painting?”

Zhouzhou nodded and touched the painting, still puzzled about the faint golden glow that seemed obscured.

At this moment, Ancestral Master sensed something and appeared, circling the painting.

It’s odd, he thought, seeing not just gold but another type of light emanating from it. But it was just a simple flower and bird painting. What was going on?

Suddenly, he exclaimed, “Zhouzhou, peel off the top layer of this painting!”

Zhouzhou’s eyes lit up. She turned to Yun You, “Third Senior Brother, can we remove the top layer?”

“Remove the top layer?” Yun You was surprised. He remembered that sometimes paintings were hidden beneath another layer to disguise them.

However, the process required great skill. If done carelessly, the original painting could be damaged.

He called in the shop’s most experienced restorer, explained the situation, and watched as he carefully started the delicate process.

The restorer worked meticulously, with everyone watching quietly. Four hours later, Zhouzhou, dozing in Mu Xuan’s arms, suddenly saw a flash of golden light and woke up, still mumbling about getting rich.

She rubbed her eyes and eagerly leaned forward as the restorer finished peeling off the top layer.

Mu Xuan lifted her higher so she could see better. The painting underneath left everyone astonished—it was a portrait of Zhong Kui, the ghost catcher.

The restorer, excited, exclaimed, “It’s Wu Daozi’s ‘Zhong Kui Subduing Demons’!”

Although not an authentic Tang Bohu, this painting was still incredibly valuable. And most importantly, it was useful to them.

Zhouzhou beamed at the golden and virtuous glow surrounding the painting. “Let’s give this to Master and hang it in Sanqing Temple!”

Zhong Kui, the deity who brings fortune and blessings, would surely ensure their temple flourishes!

Elated, Ancestral Master stroked his beard with satisfaction. With this painting, his virtuous merits would grow faster.

Their joy was interrupted by a commotion outside. “Where’s the owner? Get out here!”