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"This... I'm not very sure either!"
While the facts were almost certain, Qin Fang couldn't guarantee anything without complete clarity.
Furthermore, speaking too much could easily give some people certain undesirable ideas, and at least, Li Deliang next to him was clearly starting to have some wayward thoughts.
Of course, these thoughts remained in his head; he didn't dare show any dissatisfaction. Given what he had just done, Qin Fang hadn't settled the score with him yet. If he caused trouble now, Qin Fang would likely settle both new and old grievances together...
Regardless of whether Li Deliang harbored petty thoughts, Qin Fang didn't care much for this guy. Mother Su and Li Wenxiu naturally had their own judgments, unlike the unreliable Li Deliang.
Although Qin Fang didn't speak fully to his satisfaction, considering how far things had progressed, how could she not be aware of the hidden implications?
"Xiao Qin, this Buddha Bone Relic, can you..."
Mother Su looked at the glittering Buddha Bone Relic in her hand, then glanced at her disappointing nephew, Li Deliang, gently shook her head with unmistakable helplessness, and turned to speak to Qin Fang.
Yet, when she was about to speak, she hesitated, clearly struggling to make up her mind...
"Auntie Li, I have an impertinent request. I wonder if I should speak?"
But Qin Fang took the initiative and voiced it out.
"Please speak..."
Mother Su wasn't difficult; she immediately nodded in approval.
"It might seem like I'm taking advantage of the situation, but still, I want to say, this Buddha Bone Relic in your hand, or rather, in his hand, is just an ordinary cultural artifact. But to certain individuals, it's invaluable. It's just that those people are very dangerous and not something ordinary folks can deal with. So..."
"How about this? Sell the Buddha Bone Relic directly to me. You can name your price, or I can have a professional appraiser authenticate it. There won't be any issues..."
In fact, Qin Fang already had an idea of what Mother Su wanted to say, but it wasn't appropriate for her to say it. After all, the Buddha Bone Relic was officially the Li family's heirloom, and she was just safeguarding it. With the only male descendant of the Li family, Li Deliang, right beside her, if she sold the artifact just like that, Li Deliang might say nothing to her face but could backstab her later.
This scenario was entirely possible given Li Deliang's character, capable even of conniving with outsiders to swindle his aunt's money, what else couldn't he do?
Therefore, Qin Fang, the prospective son-in-law, understood perfectly and took the initiative to indicate his sincere intention to purchase the Buddha Bone Relic.
"You really want to buy it?"
Mother Su was a bit surprised that what Qin Fang wanted to say coincided with her thoughts.
She might be somewhat materialistic, but frankly, she just hoped to provide a good life for her daughter. Her nephew, Li Deliang, was not of good character – a grown man who had always been idle and incapable of doing any legitimate work. She had no capital for businesses, so it would be better to sell the Buddha Bone Relic for a sum of money, securing a worry-free life for Li Deliang in his later years...
Furthermore, if the Buddha Bone Relic remained with Li Deliang, he probably wouldn't be able to keep it for long and would soon sell it. Not to mention whether Zhao Si would let Li Deliang off, Li Deliang had no connections for selling it at a good price!
It would be better to sell the Buddha Bone Relic directly to Qin Fang...
For one thing, Qin Fang had money, and considering his relationship with Su Xiaoxiao and his generous spending, he definitely wouldn't offer an unreasonable price.
And secondly, it was a way to strengthen the relationship with Qin Fang. If her unreliable nephew, Li Deliang, ran into any troubles in the future, she could ask Qin Fang for help. With this favor, negotiations would go more smoothly.
However, Mother Su still had some hesitations in her heart. After all, this artifact belonged to the Li family, and being a married daughter of the Li family, she strictly had no say in the matter. But leaving it to Li Deliang was even more unreliable, which caused her considerable dilemma.
Unexpectedly, while she was struggling with the decision, her prospective son-in-law, Qin Fang, empathetically expressed his intention, easing her burden considerably...
"Deliang, this belongs to the Li family in the end, and you're now the only male of the Li family. You decide, to sell or not to sell?" Mother Su didn't answer Qin Fang directly but turned to her nephew, Li Deliang, for his opinion.
"Ah... You're asking me?"
Li Deliang was filled with regret and worry at the time – regretting his narrow escape from a big mistake, worried about Qin Fang eyeing the treasure, and also worried about not getting a penny himself if his aunt sold the relic.
However, when Aunt Li Wenxiu suddenly turned and asked him, he was taken aback and completely unexpected, utterly unprepared for the question.
"Sell! Of course, sell it..."
But his mind worked extremely fast, and since he had already been thinking this way, the answer came out of his mouth without the need for further consideration.
Mother Su looked at her nephew with a trace of disappointment on her face, gently shook her head, but didn't say anything more to Li Deliang.
"Xiao Qin, how much do you think the Buddha Bone Relic could sell for?"
The relic belonged to Li Deliang, and even though her own brother, Li Wensheng, had mortgaged it to her, she hadn't planned to keep it for herself and was still going to give it back to her nephew, Li Deliang.
Now that Li Deliang himself wished to exchange the treasure for cash, completely devoid of the intention to preserve it as a family heirloom, she couldn't say much else and simply asked Qin Fang for his offer.
"The price can be negotiated..."
With Li Deliang's reply, Qin Fang already knew the outcome was inevitable. Li couldn't be relied upon, and for Qin, it was merely a matter of spending some money.
"How about this, the historical value of this Buddha Bone Relic is quite substantial, although it's unclear from which era it originates, or to which venerable monk the shariputra belonged... Two million! I offer two million to purchase this Buddha Bone Relic. Auntie Li, what do you think?"
A shariputra, frankly speaking, is something left from cremation, similar to ashes; it's not something most people would buy – it's considered inauspicious...
Although the Buddha Bone Relic has value, it's mainly historical value, and its price really can't compare with that of antiques...
Thus, Qin Fang's offer of two million was actually a very generous friendly price. If Li Deliang tried to sell the Buddha Bone Relic through other channels, he definitely wouldn't get this price!
"Two... two million!"
Hearing this price, Li Deliang's eyes bulged, and his mouth quivered; he almost dropped his jaw.
He had always been frightened of Qin Fang because just a moment ago in front of him, Qin Fang had incapacitated more than a dozen men by himself, breaking each person's arm with a single blow. That scene had really scared him.
But he had no clue that his cousin Su Xiaoxiao's boyfriend seemed to be a wealthy man, throwing around offers in the millions for the shariputra.
He was just an ordinary person at best, his savings had never exceeded five digits. Otherwise, he wouldn't have conspired to scam his own aunt for the sake of a fifty-thousand-dollar share.
Yet now, for this Buddha Bone Relic, which appeared to have no particular use, someone was offering two million... an outright seven-figure amount.
That meant, just by Auntie Li Wenxiu nodding her head, he, Li Deliang, could instantly become a millionaire—though two million would merely allow him to live out his life without working too hard...
"Two million? Xiao Qin, isn't that too much?"
Mother Su was also startled by the offer, although she knew Qin Fang was rich, as he had given her a card with a million, but buying something and providing for one's mother-in-law were two different matters.
The one million on the card wouldn't be spent much by herself; in the end, it was all meant to be left for her daughter, Su Xiaoxiao. If Qin Fang and Su Xiaoxiao were to stay together, it would eventually return to Qin Fang's hands.
But she hadn't intended to keep the Buddha Bone Relic from the beginning. The money from the sale was planned to be given to her nephew, Li Deliang. Despite her affection for her only nephew, today's matter had saddened her...
This sadness had inevitably brought a change in her mindset. Between a son-in-law and a nephew, she clearly knew where her closer ties lay, naturally feeling that Qin Fang was offering too grand a gesture.
"Auntie, as I said earlier, for some, this shariputra is priceless. Although two million is not a small amount, rest assured, I won't be at too much of a loss... Besides, if it doesn't work out, I can always resell it!"
Qin Fang smiled. To him, two million was truly insignificant. He knew the real value of the Buddha Bone Relic; even if it cost him twenty million to purchase, it would still be worth it.
This shariputra was clearly not just an item for museum or temple display; it was a shariputra whose special use had not yet been activated.
Although Qin Fang didn't know how to activate the special function of this shariputra, judging by the fact that Shaolin disciples had come looking for this Buddha Bone Relic, it must be quite extraordinary.
"Really?"
Mother Su looked at Qin Fang hesitantly, seeing that he was not joking with her and didn't seem too concerned, she then nodded her head,
"Well then, okay..."
Li Deliang, on the side, was even less needing to be said; he was almost anxious enough to cry out, worried that Auntie Li Wenxiu might not agree to the terms. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to come to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for it, your support is my biggest motivation.)
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