Book 3 Chapter 14 – The Human Heart
"One million," The old man proposed. He gave the bracelet back to Li Yiming, as it was the custom for this kind of deal. The old deputy director had first-hand experience of the magical effects of the bracelet. When he held the object in his hands, he could feel his breathing become noticeably easier, and his pains lessen. He tried it again and again, and every single time he could feel the rejuvenating effects of the jade bracelet. From that and his conversation with Li Yiming, he was now sure that the bracelet could cure his cancer. Li Yiming answered his proposal with a long silence.
"Mr. Ye?" The a.s.sistant said in an unsure voice. After staying with the old man around for so long, he had grown an expertise of his own for the appraisal of antique, and he could see clearly that the bracelet was nothing more than a broken husk. 'And yet, Mr. Ye wants to pay such an astronomical sum for it… Has he gone mad from his sickness?'
The old man's proposal also shocked the few who listened to their conversation from afar. The shop owner almost dropped his teacup to the ground. He craned his neck and stared at the bracelet in Li Yiming's hand. 'Yes, yes! I was right!'
Li Yiming, however, was preoccupied with another thought. 'So that boy said that the bracelet was pa.s.sed down in the family since his grandmother, but I'd think that the special effect of the bracelet must've only been activated after I touched it. Otherwise, I wouldn't think that he would be selling such a treasure in the first place, since it might've helped his mother recover. I wonder if all guardian equipments are like that? Do they work on normal people, or is this bracelet an exception?'
"Two million." The old man was worried by Li Yiming's silence and decided that he could not risk it when his life was at stake. He gritted his teeth and doubled the amount he offered.
Another round of sighs and chattering from the crowd.
The a.s.sistant looked at the old man nervously, and he tried several times to bring some sense into the deputy direct, but every single time he was silenced by a stare from the latter. The only time he had seen this kind of furious obsession within the old man's eyes was when they were attending an auction overseas for a lost artifact. 'So… this bracelet is a truly precious artifact?'
"Mr. Ye, it's not that I don't want to sell it, it's just…" Li Yiming had far too many concerns about giving a guardian equipment to a normal person.
"Three million." The old man's eyes lit up with frenzy, but more than anything, he showed to Li Yiming that he was begging for his life to be saved.
'Is this a setup?' The people who were watching were completely astonished. 'This young man bought a broken bracelet for thirty-five thousand, and, a moment later, he's going to sell it for a hundredfold the price? This is a textbook example of how to strike a good deal!'
Li Yiming was tempted now. To be precise, it was only now that he began to appreciate the magnitude of the sum that was being offered. 'Three million! That's more than I can ever imagine!' Li Yiming turned around to look at Liu Meng and found her staring at him. She gazed at him intensely. She did not seem to not even have the slightest of worries, and instead, she was sunken in her admiration for Li Yiming's soon-to-be extraordinary accomplishment.
"Five million. I can only offer this much." The old director saw the change in Li Yiming's countenance as he turned his head toward Liu Meng and knew that Li Yiming was hesitating about the offer. He raised his bid once again with the hope that it would suffice to convince Li Yiming. He also showed his limits, so that even if Li Yiming wanted a better price, he would not dare to push it too high. .
"Alright, sold." As he had expected it, the sum was enough to tilt Li Yiming over. The only thing Li Yiming could think off was the huge sum of five million. It was a lot easier than robbing a bank, and, instead of keeping a mostly useless equipment, he might as well turn it into a tangible benefit.
