Turning the corner, an old shop suddenly came into view.
On the mottled wooden signboard, the faded words " Good Luck Used Goods " were askew. The edges had been worn away by time. There were also a few dried vines hanging on the edge, gently swaying in the breeze.
The shop was dimly lit, with a few old-fashioned tungsten bulbs emitting dim light, casting a swaying shadow in the air. The walls were covered with cracks, and the peeling skin fell off like snowflakes, revealing the yellowed old newspapers inside. The headlines of the news from decades ago could be vaguely seen.
The space inside the store was narrow and crowded, and all kinds of old goods were stacked one after another, occupying almost every inch of space. The carved sandalwood wardrobe was tall and dignified, and the cabinet door was half-closed, revealing the remaining silk lining inside, as if it was telling the luxury of the past.
The surface of the Eight Immortals Table was covered with scratches and hot marks of different depths, as if recording countless times of toasting;
The rattan rocking chair had lost its luster in the past. The broken rattan was tied up with rough hemp rope, but it had an ancient charm.
These seemingly ordinary second-hand goods actually had hidden secrets.
If you look closely, you will find that they carry the traces of time and the precipitation of history.
The armrests of the seemingly worn-out armchair were carved with delicate and complicated carvings, and the dragon patterns were lifelike. One could vaguely see the exquisite skills of the craftsmen in those years.
Although the mirror of the mottled dressing table was already blurred, the shells embedded on the table were still shining weakly, telling of the luxury of the past.
Although this place mainly sells second-hand furniture, it is also inextricably linked with the antique industry. Each item is like a silent old man, quietly waiting for someone to uncover their long-hidden story.
An irrepressible excitement surged into my heart, and I quickly walked in with Li Qing.
"What antique furniture do you want to buy?" The owner was a middle-aged man in his forties, dressed in sloppy clothes and holding a cigarette in his hand. He looked us up and down, and his eyes revealed a trace of shrewdness.
"I'll take a look first," I said.
Then, he pointed his middle finger up while looking at it.
" The Huanghua Pear Eight Immortals Table of the Republic of China is seriously damaged and cannot be repaired."
" Ming dynasty iron pear wood case, seriously damaged, unable to repair."
" Ming Dynasty Huanghuali six-column bed. It's severely damaged and cannot be repaired."
" Ming Dynasty red sandalwood long table, seriously damaged, unable to be repaired."
"..."
My goal, of course, was to find an antique piece of furniture that could be restored and sold for a fortune.
Unfortunately, after ordering dozens of pieces in a row, he could not repair them.
After all, these pieces of furniture were missing arms and legs, or there were holes in them. Otherwise, they would not have been sent here.
"These things are damaged, but you can buy them back and find a carpenter to fix them. They are quite stylish at home." The boss reminded her faintly.
"If the furniture is damaged, it means that it is damaged. Of course, it cannot be repaired. This place is not suitable for me to pick up the leak." And I understood right away.
But the next second, I was slapped in the face.
When my middle finger touches a piece of furniture that looks like a bookcase but has holes in it, the information that comes to mind is weird.
" Ming Dynasty, red lacquer painting gold landscape book case, material, mahogany, seriously damaged, irreparable, but there is heaven and earth inside."
"F * ck…There's a universe inside? What universe?" I stared at the mahogany bookcase.
There was really nothing complicated about it. There was nothing hidden at all.
Could it be that there was a layer inside the wooden board?
Thinking of this, my heart started to beat wildly.
He immediately asked,"Boss, the mahogany of this bookcase is not bad. I want to buy it back to make a small piece of furniture. How much is it?"
"5000 yuan. Take it." The boss flicked his cigarette ash, his eyes revealing a hint of cunning.
It was a bookcase that was one meter five high and one meter long, and it had five holes in it.
How dare you shout so expensive?
It was simply a lion's mouth!
"Fifty yuan." I erased two zeros.
What followed was intense bargaining.
The boss kept emphasizing the material and age of the bookcase, while I kept picking on its faults.
Finally, I bought this bookcase for 500 yuan.
After paying, I carried the bookcase and walked out happily, full of expectation, because this bookcase has another heaven and earth, must hide huge wealth.
Once outside, Li Qing asked doubtfully: "Zhang Yang, are you mistaken?" This bookcase is so badly damaged, it shouldn't be able to be repaired, right? Even if it could be fixed, it wouldn't be worth much, would it? Why are you so happy?"
" You'll know later. For now, keep it a secret…" I smiled happily, bringing the sexy and beautiful Li Qing back to the Treasure Pavilion very quickly.
At this moment, my heart is full of anticipation.
What kind of surprise would there be when this bookcase was dismantled later?
Old Master Zhao sat on the armchair of Treasure Pavilion. His gold-rimmed glasses slid to the tip of his nose. He watched me carry the dilapidated bookcase and step into the threshold. His snow-white goatee rose high with his uncontrollable smile, and his wrinkled eyes squeezed out layers of folds.
He said firmly," Zhang Yang, you must have caught my eye this time. Although this thing is considered an antique, it doesn't even have a few good wooden boards. You don't even want to give it to me for free. You should throw it into the trash can."
Li Qing stepped on her stilettos and followed behind. Her silk skirt rustled as it swept across the bluestone floor.
She looked at the bookcase that was swaying, her delicate eyebrows slightly furrowed, and her tone was full of helplessness." I said that this thing is worthless, but he still refused to listen. He insisted on spending 500 yuan to buy it. I don't know how many people laughed at him along the way..."
I put the bookcase gently on the ground, not caring to wipe the sweat on my forehead, I rubbed my sore palms and suppressed my inner excitement and laughed: "Hehehe, you only know one thing and don't know the other."
I once read a notebook written by an ancient carpenter, which clearly stated that bookcases often had hidden compartments for hiding things. Moreover, this hidden compartment could not be opened directly. He had to tear down the bookcase. Take a closer look. The tenon and mortise structure and wood texture of this bookcase are clearly items from the Qing Dynasty. I suspect that there are treasures hidden inside!"
Old Master Zhao stood up, his silver pocket watch chain jingling with his movements.
He paced back and forth around the bookcase, his bony fingers like eagle claws searching for prey, groping at the seams of the boards.
After a moment, he stopped and shook his head disappointedly."This isn't a bookcase at all, it's a bookcase!" It's just a bookcase. There's no door open. What treasure can you hide? Are you crazy about getting rich and dreaming here?"
As he spoke, he pushed up his glasses, his gaze behind the lenses full of doubt.
Indeed, bookcases have doors that can be closed, but bookcases are open.
Logically speaking, the former might still have hidden treasures, but this miserable bookcase in front of him, with mottled red paint peeling off and broken rattan partition creaking in the wind, looked like it had been abandoned by time. It was really hard to believe that there was a hidden secret.