Chapter 13: Mom’s Call

Chapter 13: Chapter 13: Mom’s Call

Hearing this, Hua Buwan felt a bit more respect for the old man in front of her.

He truly lived up to his background of retiring from a national appraisal team. He was honest, his quote wasn’t lowballed in the slightest, and it matched the system’s appraisal exactly to the penny. Too lazy to haggle further, she pretended to ponder for three seconds before speaking with feigned reluctance. "Out of respect for you, sir, let’s go with that price. Sigh... although this is an ancestral heirloom, it’s of no use for me to keep it. Better to let it go to someone who needs it more."

Hua Buwan didn’t dare appear too eager. She had to stay composed so the other party would feel like he was getting a good deal. Besides, she wanted to come back here to exchange items the next time she acquired something. After all, the old man was genuinely honest.

Only much later, when the old man watched Hua Buwan bring out one ancestral antique after another, did he inevitably ask, "Your family sure has quite a lot of ancestral heirlooms, doesn’t it?" Driven by curiosity, he even looked into Hua Buwan’s background. He wouldn’t have known if he hadn’t checked, but the results gave him quite a shock. It was also at that time that Hua Buwan realized just how perfectly reasonable and legal the system had made her antique sales appear.

Of course, that was a story for another time.

"Ha, you cheeky girl." How could Feng Chengde not see that Hua Buwan was putting on an act? The moment the young woman heard the price of fifty thousand, the sheer delight shining from within her eyes was impossible to hide. Still, for someone so young to keep her composure so well, he couldn’t help but look at her with a bit more respect.

"Read me your bank card number, and I’ll transfer the money to you right now," Feng Chengde said, turning to pick up his phone. Hua Buwan recited her card number.

A few seconds later, her phone let out a crisp notification chime. DING!

She quickly checked her screen.

[Huaxia Bank: Your account ending in 1314 received a deposit of 50,000.00 Huaxia Coins on July 18 at 19:36. Available balance: 51,680.00 Huaxia Coins.]

Confirming the successful transfer, Hua Buwan’s eyes curved into a wide smile. Right now, even if she saw a stray dog, she would think it looked exceptionally handsome.

The old man carefully snapped a photo of the gold ingot and tapped his screen a few times, sending it to who knows who. Afterward, he cautiously placed the gold ingot into a box and looked up to offer his parting advice.

"It went through?

"It’s getting dark, so head home early. A girl should be careful when out alone at night."

"Mhm, I’m heading home right now. Thank you, sir. Goodbye." Hua Buwan waved, unlocking her phone to hail a cab back to the supermarket. Currently, she lived alone on the second floor of the shop.

The old man watched Hua Buwan get into a taxi before finally locking the pawnshop doors. Slinging his backpack containing the gold ingot over his shoulder, he went to the backyard, hopped into the convertible his son had bought him, and headed home. He had gotten his driver’s license before retiring but rarely drove. Now that he had returned to his hometown to enjoy his retirement, his son had gifted him this flashy ride for his seventieth birthday.

His wife was still waiting for him at home. He had to bring the gold ingot back for her to examine; she was bound to love it.

By the time Hua Buwan returned to the supermarket, it was already eight in the evening. From a distance, she could hear the laughter of nearby families watching TV and the cheerful clamor of households sharing sweet soup. It was a very heartwarming atmosphere.

Every night when she heard these sounds, Hua Buwan felt a dull ache in her chest. Ever since her grandparents passed away, she had essentially been entirely alone. A home? She hadn’t felt the warmth of a family atmosphere in a very long time.

She was just about to open the supermarket door to head up to the second floor when her phone suddenly rang. She lit up the screen and glanced at the caller ID: [Mom].

Hua Buwan froze. After struggling internally for a moment, she chose to answer.

"Wanwan, your father has racked up gambling debts outside again. Did your grandparents leave all their money to you? Transfer it to Mom so I can use it."