"Bonjour, Monsieur Han. Content de vous voir."

The slowpoke, though late, had arrived.

The one initiating the conversation was a purebred Gaul with high brows, deep-set eyes, and a prominent nose, looking to be in his forties. He wore a neatly tied cravat around his neck, and his whole being emanated a strong scent of eau de cologne.

Unsurprisingly, Han Lie was bewildered.

Pan Ge smiled slightly, murmuring a gentle reminder, "Just reply with a normal 'hello'."

"Hello."

Han Lie took the advice smoothly and very appropriately displayed a warm and friendly smile.

The expert turned his head to the side—the manager accompanying him was a Chinese woman, a dignified lady a bit over thirty.

She dressed much like housekeeper Nata, wearing white silk gloves on her hands, her smile sincere and enthusiastic.

"Mr. Han, this is Le Goff, a jewelry specialist from Cartier's headquarters, and I am Fang Dan, the temporary person in charge of this jewelry exhibit. Welcome to the Cartier Unique exhibition. Your custom-ordered jewelry will be signed off by Le Goff himself on all related appraisal documents and personally handed over to you after the exhibition. Should you have any questions, feel free to call on me at any time. Now, I won't disturb you any further."

Fang Dan and Le Goff left as quickly as they had appeared, like a gust of wind. This was to be expected. At a Cartier jewelry exhibition, you wouldn't find the kind of attentive sales clerks or waiters bustling about that you might in a boutique store. There would typically be several senior staff members at the managerial level, along with a few jewelry specialists sent from the headquarters—this simple team composition was standard. The aim wasn't so much attentive service as it was to create a quiet atmosphere for viewing the exhibit at one's leisure. Here, no one would constantly be by your side, droning on about this or that.

Therefore, the newbie tycoon, Han Lie, felt quite at ease.

He looked around and then, taking Pan Ge by her hand, headed toward an exhibition hall to the left.

"Let's go, it's time to solve the riddle!"

Pan Ge's eyes sparkled, her lips curved in a smile, her interest finally piqued.

Receiving a gift did not always mean a surprise, but getting a gift from Han Lie was definitely a delightful one. And it even brought the added joy of opening a mystery box—double the surprise.

"What if I guess it right?"

Han Lie blurted out, "Then, I'll serve you wholeheartedly today!"

Pan Ge rolled her eyes forcefully.

There's no need for me to ask the obvious!

And the rascal was still brimming with excitement. "If you guess wrong, then the roles are reversed... Forget it, I won't be that cruel to you. How about we find another way?"

I'm not listening, I'm not listening, I'm not listening!

Pan Ge covered her ears and shook her head vigorously.

In truth, it was just like trying to steal a bell while covering one's ears; after having mingled with this flirtatious man for so long, she had come to understand both the obvious and the subtle, and she could guess what he was up to just by thinking about it.

Man, when I think about it, it's actually quite thrilling...

Pan Ge, with her ears burning, entered the first exhibition hall, looking like a startled rabbit.

The left side, symbolizing red stairs, featured three interconnected and transparent exhibition halls, hosting the classic antique collection, contemporary fine jewelry series, and private custom series, respectively.

The halls were carpeted in red, and on both sides were display cabinets made entirely of clear glass. They were those alloy-framed, six-sided-glass types with built-in LED lights—the kind of bulletproof glass cabinets that even a gun couldn't breach. Inside each display cabinet, there was at least one piece of antique jewelry on show.

Han Lie observed with great care, his eyes dazzled by the brilliance.

The so-called jewelry was, in essence, an ostentatious stack of top-grade gemstones masquerading as art. You couldn't say it lacked artistry, given the craftsmanship and design indeed embodied a great deal of intelligence and inspiration. But the artistic value of these pieces was fundamentally underpinned by the scarcity, rarity, preciousness, and irreplicability of the stones. Strip away the gems, and what remains of the frame is no longer an artwork. Without the design, the isolated stones also lose some of their luster. In the end, they complement each other. As for the so-called antique value—he was extremely skeptical about it.

Upon encountering the fourth piece of jewelry, he spontaneously shared his thoughts with Pan Ge. "Each tag says 'not for sale.' Pan Pan, what do you think? Are they not interested in selling, or can they not sell it?"

Pan Ge's usually focused expression suddenly came alive, a sense of joy arising within her.

She appreciated Han Lie's intellect and even more so when he engaged in discussions like this with her, which indicated his interest in a mental connection. This scoundrel is really adorable today!

"I've thought about this, and I think they can't sell them."

Pan Ge spoke a bit slower than usual, a telltale sign of her thoughtful analysis.

"Take this royal tiara made in 1893," she said, pointing at the tiara in front of them and articulating her views carefully. "It may look gorgeous and exquisite, but its style is too outdated. Even the few remaining royal families would find it too stiff to wear, and who else has the need for such an accessory? Buying top-class jewelry boils down to two scenarios: wearing it for significant occasions or for collecting and passing down through generations. Nowadays, its value as a wearable item is gone, leaving only its collectible value. But the problem is, antique jewelry is bound to carry a high premium, far exceeding the combined value of the stone itself, the craftsmanship, and the design. I don't believe time can justify such a high markup."

"Exactly!"

Han Lie nodded vigorously, feeling that Pan Ge had hit the nail on the head.

When this girl wasn't causing mischief, she was truly a perfect companion. Her school performance might not be stellar, but she was intelligent and had depth!

By now, Han Lie wasn't too shabby himself, and he promptly added his own deduction to the conversation.

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