132 Antique Street

At the home of Han Weidong, Han Bin gave his mother, Wang Huifang, a truthful account of how his blind date had gone.

Upon hearing the details, Wang Huifang’s expression darkened. "You had nothing to do today, so why were you in such a hurry? What would it have hurt to wait a little longer?"

"Mom, it’s not a matter of waiting a little longer or shorter. It was clear she intended to stand me up," Han Bin replied with a shrug.

"Isn't that just how dating women works these days? Look at the television; that’s exactly how they portray it," Wang Huifang said.

"Mom, do you think this girl is pretty?" Han Bin countered.

"She is, very. She has the looks, she has the figure—she’s wonderful."

"Precisely because she’s pretty, there must be no shortage of people chasing after her or fawning over her. I’m just one of many, so my absence is hardly missed. Don't you think?" Han Bin said with a smile.

"But you hadn't even met yet. Once you met, she might have taken a liking to you," Wang Huifang insisted.

"Because we hadn't met yet, I couldn't afford to indulge her behavior. I’m sure you wouldn't want a future daughter-in-law who rides roughshod over you," Han Bin laughed.

Wang Huifang pursed her lips. "That’s twisted logic."

"Twisted logic is still logic," Han Bin replied solemnly.

"We’ll let it slide this time. I won't lecture you further, but since you didn't burn the bridge entirely, set up another date for tomorrow," Wang Huifang said.

"Mom, I have plans tomorrow. I can't."

"What plans?"

"My uncle called and asked me to go look at some storefronts with him."

"You certainly keep yourself busy."

"By the way, Uncle also said he’d be coming over for dinner later, and asked you to cook something good," Han Bin said, changing the subject.

"Eat, eat, eat—he’s already so fat, does he even want to find a wife?" Wang Huifang grumbled, then pointed at Han Bin. "Don't try to distract me. You still need to reschedule that date."

Han Bin offered a wry smile. "I know, I know."

...

The following morning, after breakfast, Han Bin and Wang Qingsheng headed to the Qingdao Antique Street.

Han Bin had originally intended to drive, but Wang Qingsheng refused. He wanted to treat his nephew to a good lunch and perhaps have a drink or two, which would make driving inconvenient.

The antique street was located in the suburbs, not far from Golden Beach. With mountains on one side and the sea on the other, it attracted plenty of tourists, ensuring a steady stream of foot traffic.

Upon arriving, the two were greeted by a traditional archway with red pillars and gray tiles, inscribed with the three golden characters: "Antique Street."

This wasn't Han Bin's first visit, so he was familiar with the place, though he had been too busy with work lately to frequent it.

"They renovated this place a while back; it looks even better than before," Wang Qingsheng said as they walked. "You wouldn't believe it, but the stall fees have gone up. They're calculated by the square meter now, almost matching the rent of an actual shop."

"I suppose the street vendors were hurting the shopkeepers' business, and they complained to the market management," Han Bin speculated.

The street was paved with blue bricks, flanked by white-walled, gray-tiled buildings. The wooden doors and windows, carved with dragons and phoenixes, gave the area a charming, antique aesthetic—a pleasant place for a stroll.

"The street vendors have been there for ages. If it were going to affect business, it would have happened long ago. Regardless, it still breaks the rules," Wang Qingsheng sighed.

"Is that why you’ve decided to get a proper shop, because the stall fees rose?" Han Bin asked.

"Exactly. Once I crunched the numbers, the rent per unit is about the same. A shop offers more space, better display options, and a higher sense of class, which helps sell things for more money. So, I gritted my teeth and decided to rent a place," Wang Qingsheng explained.

"Uncle, there should still be vacant storefronts on the street. Why not rent directly from the market instead of taking over someone else's lease?" Han Bin asked, puzzled.

"There are vacant spots, sure, but they’re all in poor locations. The prime ones were snatched up long ago. Taking over an existing shop means a better location, and everything is already set up. The current owner doesn't need it, and I do. They sell it at a discount, so neither of us loses out," Wang Qingsheng explained, pointing ahead. "Look, that’s it—the one with the 'Yubao Hall' plaque."

The entrance to Yubao Hall had three doors, all standing wide open. From the street, one could see two rows of shelves filled with various curios.

As they entered, a man in his forties greeted them warmly. "Oh, Boss Wang! My apologies for not welcoming you sooner."

"Boss Zhou," Wang Qingsheng acknowledged.

"Please, come in. Sit for a moment while I brew some tea," Boss Zhou said with great hospitality.

"Don't bother, we aren't thirsty," Wang Qingsheng said.

"Nonsense, you've come all this way to my shop, how could I not offer you a drink?" Boss Zhou insisted, heading to the back to boil water.

Han Bin scanned the room. "Why are there only curios on these two shelves? The others are empty."

"Since I'm transferring the business, I’ve stopped stocking up," Wang Qingsheng said. While speaking, he picked up a jade bowl, tapped it, inspected its luster, and then set it back down with a smile.

"Uncle, is that real or fake?" Han Bin asked.

"Hard to say."

"What do you mean?"

"I’ll teach you the rules of the antique trade when we get back," Wang Qingsheng said pointedly.

"Why would I need to learn that? It’s useless to me," Han Bin said with a shrug, as he had no intention of entering the trade.

"How is it useless? It’s all part of learning," Wang Qingsheng said, reaching out to point at the bracelet on Han Bin's wrist. "Take this bracelet you’re wearing—I had it consecrated by a master, which is why it must be worn on the left wrist."

"I thought it was 'men on the left, women on the right,'" Han Bin chuckled.

"That's not the same thing," Wang Qingsheng waved his hand dismissively. "Remember, never wear bracelets on both wrists simultaneously."

"Why?" Han Bin asked.

"Think about your line of work," Wang Qingsheng said, patting Han Bin on the lower back, where a pair of handcuffs was holstered.

"Interesting point," Han Bin smiled.

"When you wear your Buddhist bead bracelet, remember that the stupa bead must always face upward; it shows respect to the Buddha. If it faces downward, it loses its protective, warding-off-evil properties," Wang Qingsheng cautioned.

Han Bin nodded. While he wasn't particularly superstitious, he understood that every profession had its own unwritten rules—much like using a stemmed glass for red wine. Of course, if you truly preferred drinking from a tea bowl, that was your prerogative.

Just as Wang Qingsheng was about to continue, footsteps sounded outside. A young man and woman in their twenties walked in, looking like a couple.

Hearing the commotion, Boss Zhou hurried out from the back. "What can I help you two with today?"

"Just looking," the man said.

The woman scanned the room and frowned. "Boss, your shop is so empty. Why are there only two shelves with merchandise?"

"That’s because my business is good, and things sell quickly. If you had come any later, even these two shelves would be empty," Boss Zhou smiled.

"You certainly have a way with words."

"I’m telling the truth. I’m planning to transfer the shop, so everything is priced lower than elsewhere. Naturally, people are buying. You two have come at the perfect time; buying now is a bargain."

The woman circled the shelves, picked up the jade bowl Wang Qingsheng had examined, turned it over in her hands, and asked, "Boss, how much for this jade bowl?"