After pondering for a moment, he waved at the little boy not far away and said with a smile, "Tell your dad that we just happen to be free these days, only charging him five thousand yuan. He can pay us after the house is fixed."
The little boy’s eyes lit up, and he quickly translated Qi Yun’s words to his father.
Abula, upon hearing this, showed a surprised expression on his initially tense face and said "Thank you" to Qi Yun.
This might be the only sentence in Chinese he knows.
Afterward, he warmly pulled the three of them to the grape trellis in the courtyard, indicating for them to sit down, and had the little boy bring tea and naan.
Qi Yun didn’t refuse, smiling as he took the naan and took a few bites.
After eating and drinking his fill, he put down the tea bowl and said to the little boy, "Rehman, there’s a pretty nice chair in the room where your family dries grapes. I like it a lot. Please ask your dad if he would sell it to me."
The little boy, with his big, bright eyes, tilted his head and translated Qi Yun’s words to Abula.
Abula nonchalantly waved his hand and said a few words to his son.
The little boy turned back, saying crisply, "My dad says if you like it, uncle, it’s yours for free."
Qi Yun laughed heartily and nodded, "Alright, then please thank your dad for me."
As he spoke, he took out a cigarette from his pocket and handed it over.
Abula quickly waved his hand, indicating he doesn’t smoke.
Qi Yun didn’t insist. When Shi Feng came out holding the chair, he turned to the little boy and said, "Then we’ll go get our tools and come back to start working in the afternoon."
Abula nodded repeatedly, seeing them off to the courtyard gate.
After leaving the courtyard, with Shi Feng carrying the Golden Rattan Chair, he pretended to be nonchalant, but his steps unconsciously quickened.
Only back at the car did he finally breathe a long sigh of relief.
Fortunately, they came in a business car this time, with seats that could be stowed away, just fitting the chair. Otherwise, with this eight-million-yuan item, they wouldn’t dare just toss it in the trunk.
Shi Feng carefully set the chair down, as if he were holding an offering, fearing he’d bump or scratch it.
Qi Yun lit a cigarette, staring at the rather oddly shaped chair, and asked, "Are you sure you’re not mistaken? This chair doesn’t look like it’s made of golden nanmu."
"You can’t tell now because it’s so old, dust has formed a patina on the surface." With that, Shi Feng took out a high-powered flashlight from his pocket, squatted down, and shone the beam on the inner side of the chair leg.
The originally dark wood grain revealed a faint sheen under the strong light.
"Old Qi, golden nanmu is known for ’lasting a thousand years without rotting, and ten thousand years without worm holes,’ appearing ordinary on the outside yet having hidden substance within. Look at this grain."
He lightly caressed the carvings on the chair back with his fingertip and continued, "The landscape and cloud patterns are distinct, and the grooves are as fine as hair strands. This couldn’t be made without decades of practice. Perhaps this chair has quite a history."
Qi Yun smiled at him, "Haha, turns out you’re right, this chair used to be in the Kuche Royal Mansion."
Hearing this, Shi Feng’s eyes widened, and after confirming with Qi Yun’s face, he turned his gaze back to the chair, murmuring, "That explains it..."
"So, what do you think, is it worth eight million?" Qi Yun asked.
Shi Feng smacked his lips, lit a cigarette to calm his nerves, and then replied, "Let me put it this way, for such a piece, it could be eight million, it could be eighty million. It all depends on how much a buyer is willing to pay."
"But eight million is definitely its baseline."