The next day, Xiang Wan put on makeup and wore ethnic clothing, looking as beautiful as an eighteen-year-old girl.
Walking down the street holding her hand, Lu Mingzhe felt genuinely proud.
“Suddenly, I understand why there were so many foolish emperors in ancient times.”
Xiang Wan smiled at him as he spoke.
“If I were an emperor, possessing so much land, and you happened to like it here, how could I resist bestowing it upon you? Wanwan, you suit this place perfectly.”
He wanted to buy a house here so that Xiang Wan could visit whenever she pleased in the future.
When she was carefree, she was truly adorable.
Xiang Wan couldn't help but laugh at his grand promises.
“Perhaps in your previous life, you were an emperor. This is the imperial garden you bestowed upon me. We are revisiting familiar ground.”
Her eyes sparkled. She clearly liked him so much and was so happy when she was with him, yet she still wanted to push him away.
Lu Mingzhe really wanted to punish her for her ‘selfless sacrifice.’
“Do you want to kill me with that sweet smile? Give me a kiss before you go!”
They strolled along the street, browsing one shop after another. Many sold jade ornaments and handicrafts. He knew there wouldn’t be any genuine high-quality items, just trinkets designed to deceive, so he treated it as entertainment.
Xiang Wan, however, was captivated.
Especially when she saw a small ornament, entirely green, claimed to be jade. The affection in her eyes was unmistakable.
It was a cucumber-shaped ornament with a golden toad carved at the tail, forming a cohesive piece, exquisitely crafted and lifelike.
Not only was the design beautiful, but the meaning was also auspicious – bringing wealth with every croak.
Lu Mingzhe asked the owner for the price. Xiang Wan said she wasn’t buying it, “I just find it interesting, just looking.”
The owner began his sales pitch.
“Miss has excellent taste. This is a new arrival in our shop, purely hand-carved by a jade master. The material is pure in color, and the craftsmanship is superb. It’s truly rare.”
“And the price isn’t high at all. It’s perfect for young people like you. If you like it, take it.”
Seeing her take a liking to something was rare, so Lu Mingzhe asked the owner again, “How much?”
The owner said, “This is made from genuine pure jade raw material imported from Nepal, designed by a jade master, and hand-carved…”
“Stop the exaggerations. Just tell me the price.”
“Sixty-eight thousand eight hundred. You’re from out of town, aren’t you? Seeing as you’ve come all this way to support our tourism, and you’re such a handsome couple, let’s just be friends. Six thousand six hundred, a firm price, and you can take it. What do you say?”
Sixty-six thousand?
More expensive than a branded handbag. Why weren’t they robbing people directly?
Xiang Wan pulled Lu Mingzhe’s arm, “I have no more than five thousand in my card. We still need to eat when we get home. Let’s go, let’s go.”
Sixty thousand yuan wasn't much for Lu Mingzhe. As long as Xiang Wan liked it, he wouldn’t hesitate to spend sixty million.
The problem was, willing to spend was one thing, but willing to be ripped off was another.
He didn’t move when she pulled him. He exposed the owner, saying,
“Do you think we’re fools? Doubling the price like this.”
“If you genuinely like something and then scare customers away like this, your business won’t last long, owner.”
The owner felt he might have been a bit over the top. He hadn’t expected these two young people, who looked well-off, to be so tight-fisted.
“We can talk it over. How much were you thinking of offering? I didn’t say I wouldn’t negotiate.”
Lu Mingzhe thought of a reasonable price in his mind and was about to speak when Xiang Wan smacked his lips.
“I already told you, my entire fortune is no more than 5,000 yuan. We still need to buy plane tickets to go home, and we need living expenses for rent. If I buy this, what will we eat?”
“Anyway, we can’t afford it. Let’s not waste the owner’s time here. Let’s go quickly.”
She forcefully pulled Lu Mingzhe outward. The owner, seeing his potential customer about to slip away, quickly stood up.
“Don’t rush off, pretty lady, pretty lady. Let’s talk nicely. As long as you truly like it, I can give you a better discount.”
She didn’t listen and kept walking.
“Fifty thousand, is fifty thousand okay?”
Still walking.
“Forty thousand! Don’t go, hey, twenty thousand!”
“Eight thousand! Five thousand!”
Xiang Wan pulled Lu Mingzhe, walking outwards, while whispering to him.
“I can offer at most 300 yuan. If you agree, I’ll buy it. If not, forget it. No price increases allowed.”
“I’ll go ahead. You stay here and negotiate with him.”
Lu Mingzhe pretended to let go of her hand and stood still.
“How about this, owner. Seeing as you’re so eager to sell, I’ll be friends with you too. 200 yuan, alright? Wrap it up directly.”
The owner almost spat out blood.
“An item worth over 80,000 yuan, and you want me to sell it for 200?”
“Not possible? Then forget it. We’re just buying it for fun, not expecting it to appreciate or make us rich. Your item is good, truly, if you can’t lower the price, I won’t force you.”
He turned to leave. The owner, anxious, chased after him.
“Wait, wait, wait. How about this, eight hundred, it really can’t be any less. Consider it good luck for me. A rock-bottom price, 800 yuan, and I’ll sell it to you.”
Lu Mingzhe: “But I don’t have 800 yuan, only 200.”
Finally, the deal was made for 200 yuan. Lu Mingzhe handed the item to Xiang Wan.
“You really have some skills. You bought an item worth over 80,000 yuan for 200 yuan. I can brag about this for a lifetime.”
“How did you know his item was fake?”
Xiang Wan said, “Don’t you think about what my background is? The garment wholesale market. A place like a mud pit, where I excelled at these kinds of tactics.”
“When I had free time after work, I used to work part-time as a tout. I can recite all of the owner’s sales pitches. Giving him 200 yuan was practically an act of charity.”
Hearing this made Lu Mingzhe like her even more.
“The more I understand you, the more treasures I discover about you, and the more I fall in love with you. Wanwan, why are you so adorable?”
Xiang Wan didn't pick up on his compliment.
“I think Grandma will definitely like this. Even if she doesn’t, it’s nice to have it as a small ornament at home, and the meaning is good. This outing today was worth it.”
Lu Mingzhe looked at her, who was unbearably cute.
“Did 200 yuan satisfy you? Are you done? Don’t you want to browse any further?”
“I don’t want to browse anymore. It’s all just food and drinks, and the scenery is much the same. Let’s call Niannian when we get back. I suddenly miss her.”
Lu Mingzhe wasn’t interested in the fancy snacks either. His heart instantly bloomed with joy.
Since you don’t want to browse anymore, let’s go back and do something suitable for staying at home.
As soon as they returned, Xiang Wan realized she had been tricked.
It wasn't about calling Niannian. This person was clearly planning something else.
“You’re over thirty, how do you have so much energy? Are you trying to die?”
Lu Mingzhe’s actions didn’t stop.
“I haven’t used it for a whole year, how could I not be energetic? Besides, don’t you know my capabilities?”
“But we’re going to see Erhai tomorrow, and you’ll be driving long distances…”
“If you really care about me, why don’t you do what you did last night?”
“Lu Mingzhe, can you have a little shame?”
“No, I’m not afraid of being laughed at. But if you keep this up, and the neighbors hear, I can’t be held responsible for the consequences.”