Chapter 11 - First pot of gold
"30,000? Huang Zong, you must be teasing! Little girl, I'll put 50,000 Yuan." (7930 USD)
"I'll give 60,000." Another person spoke from the crowd. (9510 USD)
"70,000!" (11,100 USD)
"80,000!" (12,685 USD)
"120,000!" (19,025 USD)
The people sighed. One sting of blue and white porcelain of the Ming and Qing dynasties could sell for up to 120,000!
Gu Ning was also quite surprised. She had never really come into contact with antiques or jade before. While she knew that antiques could fetch a pretty penny, she didn't know that it was to such an extent.
She also thought that she would be selling the bracelet for 40,000 or 50,000 Yuan at most. The Lingqi in the bracelet was very faint, meaning that the bracelet wasn't all that old, therefore, not very valuable.
For her past body, 120,000 Yuan wasn't anything worth drooling over but for poverty-stricken present body, it was a great sum.
Finally, Gu Ning settled at 120,000 Yuan for the bracelet.
Although the people in the crowd wanted to sob at the sky-high 120,000, the senior experts knew that if Ming and Qing dynasties' blue and white porcelain was put on the market, it would be worth more than 180,000 Yuan. (28,540 USD)
Although the bracelet was made of broken fragments that still didn't mean that the price would be low.
In the current market, blue and white chinaware from the Ming and Qing dynasties would sell for millions, meaning that this bracelet itself would also sell for around 200,000 Yuan. (31,710 USD)
Not mentioning the fact that Gu Ning wasn't aware of the price like the experts, even if she found out that this bracelet would sell for double what she had received, she wouldn't regret her decision.
She was in dire need of money, and there was no time for her to go through the processes to put the bracelet up for sale on the market.
Even more, she didn't know how to go about putting the bracelet up for sale.
There were assigned banks in the antique market, so after the transaction was decided, she headed straight to the bank.
Gu Ning didn't have a bank card, but she had brought her ID. Therefore she used her card to manage the transaction.
After she got the money, Gu Ning handed the bracelet to the buyer and separated the appraiser's service charge.
The service charges ranged anywhere from one to ten thousand depending on the transaction.
Gu Ning had entered the antique circles with this, but it was nothing more than mosquito meat to the experts, therefore she was told that 2,000 to 3,000 Yuan would suffice.
However, Gu Ning wasn't that stingy. She transferred 10,000 Yuan and was left over with 110,000. (1,589 USD 17,480 USD)
When Gu Ning came out of the bank, she could feel the eyes of several people glued to her.
The streets of the market were quite crowded; it wouldn't be odd for some people to notice that she had just made a transaction.
Gu Ning kept to herself and quietly made her way out of the market.
But she had just left the crowd behind when several people surrounded her as if they feared that one step slower and Gu Ning would disappear.
The 4 men were all about 20 years old or so. It was quite obvious that they were local ruffians.
When the surrounding people were frightened when they saw the ruffians and most of them ran away. No one dared to stay and help Gu Ning.
"Hand over the money you got a moment ago, otherwise don't blame us for being impolite." A yellow-haired man standing opposite to Gu Ning threatened in a cold voice.
"Oh? Impolite how?" Gu Ning narrowed her eyes, her laziness and disdain made obvious.
When the expected begs for mercy didn't come, the men were surprised for a short moment.
It didn't take long for them to come up with an explanation. It seemed that the little idiot believed that the surrounding people would help her.
Don't joke, they were regulars in the area and even they had even made a name for themselves. Who would dare to interfere in their business, ah?
"Humph! Don't think someone will help you, they don't dare. If you know your own limits, hand over the money!" Yellow Hair continued to threaten.
Seeing the surrounding people making a run for it, naturally, Gu Ning knew that they wouldn't try to save her. But she didn't need someone to come to her rescue. She could knock out these sorts of petty hooligans in minutes.
"If you have the skill, come and take it yourself!" Gu Ning provoked.
Seeing Gu Ning's arrogant face, several of the ruffians couldn't keep still.
"Since you want to act like that, don't blame us. Get her!" Yellow Hair commanded his friends with obvious hate.
Two people walked towards Gu Ning, planning to hold her down.
They had only just approached her when Gu Ning kicked one of the men in the belly. "AH!" The man fell to the ground with a pitiful yell.
Turning to the other man, Gu Ning swept his leg out. He too fell to the ground with a pitiful yell.
The two other ruffians could only stare with their eyes wide open. They didn't think that the little girl would be so fierce!
Before Gu Ning had made another move, she saw Yellow Hair rushing at her from the side. She simply kicked her foot at him, and he too collapsed to the ground with a pitiful yell.
When Gu Ning turned to the last person, he turned and made a run for it out of reflex. He had only taken three steps before he collided full force with a pole and fell to the ground as well.
"Puchi," Gu Ning was unable to hold in her laughter.
At this moment a schoolboy trampled on the passed out Yellow Hair as he ran towards Gu Ning. "Gu Ning, it's really you! I thought I saw wrong but it's really you! I didn't think that you were so fierce, even knocked out these four pigs in one go!"
Gu Ning was familiar with this boy. He was the No.1 ranked student of the best class of the third years at her school, named Mu Ke.
With a height close to 1 meter and 8 centimeters, Mu Ke was the sunshine and handsome type.
She and Mu Ke weren't in the same class; she only got to know him because he was in the same class as Qin Zheng. He was on good terms with Qin Zheng and he was aware of the true reason why Qin Zheng started dating the previous Gu Ning.
However, though he was friends with Qin Zheng, he was the just type. When he found out the truth, he had hinted to the previous Gu Ning the truth several times.
But because Gu Ning was foolishly in love with Qin Zheng, she was unable to even hear blunt words, much less vague hints.
Thinking so far, Gu Ning's impression of the boy was still on the better side.
"Classmate Mu, thank you." Gu Ning thanked the boy with a friendly smile and sincere gratitude.
Although she didn't need someone to come and rescue her, it was irrefutable that the boy had tried. She would sincerely receive his benevolence.
Gu Ning's appearance was quite exquisite, only she didn't have the means to doll herself up. Furthermore, she didn't have much of a presence either, leading her to appear plain and unremarkable.
But now that the new Gu Ning was smiling at him, Mu Ke could only gawk with a red face.
"You're welcome but I don't think I could have done anything much even if I had the chance to take them on." Somewhat embarrassed, Mu Ke scratched his hair in fear that Gu Ning would think he was being nosy.
"But you tried anyway, so thank you." Gu Ning said.
Mu Ke was embarrassed even more, but he remembered an important matter all of a sudden. Looking intently at Gu Ning, he asked with worry, "Ah, I heard them say that you had an accident after Qin Zheng broke up with you on Friday. Are you alright?"
Mu Ke didn't bring up the matter to poke at Gu Ning's sore spot, but out of genuine concern.
Because he wasn't present when Qin Zheng dumped Gu Ning, he had only heard about it later.
He couldn't help but think that Qin Zheng was too cruel with his actions, that he acted without a conscience. But no matter what, he still didn't have the right to meddle in other people's affairs.
-> This is a Cherry Clan translation, if you are reading this anywhere other than the wordpress or wattpad account, it's been stolen.