Xu Ningning couldn’t stop herself from stepping forward, “What is it? Is this the stolen artifact?”
The employee stared at Qiao Qing in astonishment. Then, he got up and shook his head, “No.”
“How could it not be it?” Xu Ningning was disappointed, “Then why did you make that face just now?”
“This isn’t the stolen set.” The man’s throat felt stuffy and he still hasn’t snapped out of his daze.
“This is a Go set used by the first emperor of the North Xia dynasty. It’s 1,000 times more valuable than the one we had in our museum.”
“Wow~” Everyone inhaled deeply. More valuable than a national treasure!
Everyone had their suspicions over what that young man had said about the pattern on this set of Go. But now that official museum personnel had made an evaluation, nobody doubted this anymore.
Qiao Zhizhuo felt a flower blossom inside his heart. Qiao Nian on the other hand, retreated a few steps while being white in the face. How was that possible?!
The employee then gave Qiao Qing another look and bowed down. His attitude was full of respect.
“Ms. Qiao, can you please sell this set of Go to the state? This set is immeasurably valuable. It would be a great honor for our museum to be the home of this set.”
Everyone at the scene couldn’t stand still from shock. An official employee wants to buy this?!
Qiao Qing didn’t seem like she cared. She glanced at Qiao Zhizhuo. “I gave it to him as his birthday gift. Go ask him.”
The employee then began to chat up Qiao Zhizhuo.
He Wanqing pulled on Qiao Qing’s shirt in a daze, “Baby, where did you get that from?”
Qiao Qing was expressionless, “I didn’t steal it. I got it legally.”
He Wanqing then asked in agony, “You gave such a valuable item to your grandpa… is that worth it? My heart hurts.”
It wasn’t that she wasn’t filial. If Qiao Zhizhuo treated them well, then nothing would’ve made a better gift.
But at first, he acted like he hated the gift. He Wanqing was furious when she recalled that.
She had completely forgotten that she too, was a person who could not identify the valuable items.
Qiao Qing found this funny. She looked at He Wanqing and stared at the pendant He Wanqing wore as her necklace.
“Mom, this set of Go is nothing. I have far more valuable items under my possession.”
At least, the necklace He Wanqing wore was worth far more than that set of Go. Qiao Qing gave it to her as a birthday gift last year.
She honestly didn’t think anything of the set of Go.
He Wanqing thought Qiao Qing was merely comforting her. However, she was an optimist and after some thought, she no longer felt bad about it.
On the contrary, she indulged herself in everyone’s jealousy. Compared to how others had talked down on her just now, she felt proud at this moment.
On the other side, Qiao Zhizhuo refused to let go of the set of Go so the employee stopped trying.
Just as he was about to leave, there was a careless and casual shout from the crowd, “Wait a second.”
The man turned around, “What is it?”
Mu Jinghang pointed at Qiao Nian, “That person also gave a set of Go as a birthday gift. Since you investigated Qingqing’s gift, why not investigate hers as well?”
Qin Yongmei’s face was stern when she heard this. “We bought this from the mall, following standard procedures. We have a receipt. Why? You think we would be able to purchase a stolen artifact from the mall?”
A bunch of green foxtails dangled by Mu Jinghang’s lips, “How do we know that for sure? You keep making that claim but who knows where you bought it from?”
“You!” Qin Yongmei was furious, “Where did this man come from! How come I have no memory of inviting someone like you!”
“What!” Mu Jinghang spat out the foxtail in his mouth, “With how ugly your face is, you dare to copy my Qingqing and pretend to have facial blindness? You dare to say you’ve never seen a young master’s face that is mine?”
Qin Yongmei lost her composure. Before she could react and shout back, the employee had arrived before her.
“Ma’am, we need to investigate the set of Go you gave as a gift as well. Please cooperate with us.”