Chapter 233
Upon reflection, Su Xiaoxiao marveled at how remarkable Jiang Yexun was in setting and achieving his initial goals. This realization filled her with admiration, evident in the way she gazed at him.
Jiang Yexun, noticing Su Xiaoxiao’s sudden admiring gaze but unsure of its cause, cleared his throat awkwardly and said, “I’ll start looking for the books. Besides the science and math series you mentioned, is there anything else you’re interested in?”
“Ancient books, nothing else,” Su Xiaoxiao replied after careful thought.
During these times, many old books were classified under the “Four Olds,” leading people to conceal them within piles of other books or newspapers rather than destroying them outright. This method allowed them to claim, with clear conscience, that the old books passed down through their families were not destroyed by their own hands. Instead, they were simply finding a place where the books could be preserved safely.
Watching Jiang Yexun already crouching and rummaging through a pile of junk, Su Xiaoxiao’s gaze swept over the chaotic mounds of discarded items. She found a relatively clean spot and crouched down to join in the search.
Since they weren’t in a hurry, Su Xiaoxiao and Jiang Yexun meticulously combed through the heaps of junk.
“Xiaoxiao, take a look at this,” Jiang Yexun called out suddenly, holding up a dark blue, thread-bound ancient book.
Su Xiaoxiao was surprised. He had found something good within just ten minutes. Was this skill? Clearly, it was luck! But then again, no successful businessman ever lacked good fortune.
Su Xiaoxiao quickly flipped through the book. She recognized most of the characters, even though some differed from modern ones. In her previous life with Jiang Yexun, he had sought to understand some old Chinese herbal recipes and had a professor of ancient Chinese characters teach him. She had learned alongside him since she couldn’t go anywhere else.
Soon, she found two recipes in the book that Jiang Yexun had later bought in the future. This confirmed that the book was indeed an old artifact.
“Yes, this book should be from the Song Dynasty,” Su Xiaoxiao said with a smile, closing the book. They had just arrived and already discovered a treasure—a stroke of incredible luck.
“Put this book in your satchel. I’ll keep looking,” Jiang Yexun said, energized by Su Xiaoxiao’s happy expression. He dove back into the piles, eager to find more treasures.
Their search continued like they had stumbled upon a treasure trove. They found a bowl from the Jun kiln, a plate from the Ru kiln, and even a vase. After going through only half of the junkyard, they had already discovered four valuable items.
However, the one thing they couldn’t find was the science and math series they had initially sought. Sometimes, no matter how hard you search, you just can’t get what you want.
Su Xiaoxiao glanced at Jiang Yexun as he headed directly to the old man in the gatehouse.
“Why? Didn’t you find anything worth picking?” the old man asked, a bit disappointed.
“How do you price the plates, vases, and books here?” Jiang Yexun asked directly.
The old man scrutinized Jiang Yexun from head to toe before replying, “Plates are three cents, vases are two cents each, regardless of size. Books are thirty cents each.”
The prices were surprisingly varied, causing Jiang Yexun to frown slightly. Nevertheless, he counted out the money and handed it to the old man.
The old man accepted the money cheerfully. “I clean up the place every week. If you time your visits right, you might find even more good stuff.”
“Thank you,” Jiang Yexun said, nodding as he mentally noted the schedule.
At that moment, Su Xiaoxiao approached, wrapping her arms around Jiang Yexun’s arm. “Grandpa, why haven’t you retired to spend time with your grandchildren? Isn’t it tough working outside in such cold weather?” she asked, seemingly out of idle curiosity.
The old man’s expression immediately turned sorrowful, as if her words had struck a painful chord. “I’m still working at this age because I have no choice. With so many kids at home and only one job to offer, it would be unfair to choose one over the others. So, I just grit my teeth and continue working,” he said, his voice choked with emotion.
Su Xiaoxiao, intrigued, asked, “Why don’t you consider selling your job and splitting the money among your family?”
“Who among the young ones would want to work in a junkyard? Even older folks face strict requirements from the authorities,” the old man explained, shaking his head in resignation. This was indeed a difficult situation.
However, Su Xiaoxiao saw potential in this for her plans. “What are the specific requirements?” she continued.
“The worker must be at least eighteen but not older than thirty-five. I’ve been working here for many years, so I’m an exception,” he sighed.
“If you were to sell the job, how much would you ask for?” Su Xiaoxiao pressed, trying to hide her excitement and maintain a calm demeanor.
“Eight hundred,” the old man replied without hesitation, clearly having anticipated this question. The amount, however, shocked both Su Xiaoxiao and Jiang Yexun.