CHAPTER 38: CHAPTER 38: MILLENNIUM LEGACY OF ANCIENT ROME

In the evening, the appraiser from the pawnshop rushed over from out of town.

"The item is fine." After appraising the stock certificate, the appraiser looked at Chen Yiyang curiously and asked.

"But could you tell me where this stock certificate came from? It’s truly unbelievable how well it’s been preserved."

Based on the style of the safe and other items placed inside it, Chen Yiyang speculated in his heart that this China Merchants Steam Navigation Company stock likely belonged to a family lineage passed down since the Qing Dynasty.

Throughout the inheritance process, the entire family retained a large number of old objects left by their ancestors to serve as funds for the family’s future revival.

However, something unexpected must have happened later, causing them to sink the safe in the lake and never come back to search for it again.

Of course, Chen Yiyang couldn’t tell the truth.

"This is being commissioned for sale by my client, who doesn’t find it convenient to disclose their identity."

The appraiser glanced at Chen Yiyang but said nothing more.

It was clear he didn’t believe a word of what Chen Yiyang said. But that’s just how it is in this line of work; unless it genuinely came from one’s ancestors, how things were obtained and how they were passed down are usually just stories.

Once the appraiser left, the manager walked in directly holding the property deed that Chen Yiyang had previously pawned here.

"How about we take this practical stock certificate of the China Merchants Steam Navigation Company for one million?"

"One million, huh." Chen Yiyang hesitated for a moment.

To be honest, this offer was quite good. After all, he had seen online news of someone offering a million for it in the past.

But that was a million from more than ten years ago, which isn’t the same as a million today.

After being tricked by the construction manager earlier today, Chen Yiyang grew more cautious of these cunning people.

If this manager had initially offered seventy or eighty thousand, Chen Yiyang might have countered with the news of someone offering a million online.

But the other party started with a million.

That indicated something.

The pawnshop had no real valuation for this item; the reason they were willing to start the bidding at a million was likely because they also found the online news of someone offering a million for the stock.

If the pawnshop had no definite valuation for this practical stock certificate, why were they willing to buy it for a million?

It must be because, in their eyes, this practical stock certificate could certainly sell for much more than a million.

"Since the item is real, let me discuss it with my client again." Chen Yiyang didn’t reach for the property deed pawned at the pawnshop but instead packed up the stock certificate.

"Not satisfied with the price?" The manager thought for a moment and then spoke, "How about one and a half million? It perfectly wipes out your debt with us."

Previously, to buy the shop, Chen Yiyang had put up a hundred thousand in cash and twenty thousand in silver coins. He also pawned the property deed for a hundred thousand and the car for fifty thousand.

The other party now directly raised the offer to one and a half million.

Chen Yiyang would be lying if he said he wasn’t tempted. But the more he looked at this deal, the more something seemed off.

Clearly, there were some aspects he hadn’t figured out.

Given this, Chen Yiyang wasn’t in a rush to make the deal, so he rejected all of the manager’s offers and took the stock certificate back home.

Who should he consult about this?

Chen Yiyang glanced at his phone, unsure whom to consult for a moment.

He didn’t have the right connections in his friend circle.

Just then, Zhang Yuling called. It was about organizing an art exhibition in Jin City with Chen Yiyang.

"By the way, can I get your advice on something?" Chen Yiyang asked casually.

"Go ahead." Zhang Yuling replied politely.

"I have a practical stock certificate from the 1872 China Merchants Steam Navigation Company. It’s been appraised and is genuine, currently the only surviving practical certificate of the first stock from China.

The pawnshop offered one and a half million, which isn’t a low price, but I feel like selling it would be a loss. What do you think?"

"I typically deal with modern paintings and artworks; I haven’t ventured into antique collections, but as a friend, I have a word for you."

"What’s that?"

"The China Merchants Steam Navigation Company, established in 1872, is still in business."

"Thank you, thank you, I’ll treat you to a meal next time we meet." Chen Yiyang hurriedly expressed his gratitude after hearing Zhang Yuling’s reminder.

Why is it said that one word from an insider equals ten thousand from an outsider?

Just that one piece of advice made Chen Yiyang feel like he needed to give Zhang Yuling a thank-you gift.

He had been assessing the value of the practical stock certificate like a typical antique collectible.

So, even if this stock is the only surviving practical certificate of the first stock in the country, a price of one and a half million is indeed quite high.

But, as Zhang Yuling mentioned.

The China Merchants Steam Navigation Company, founded in 1872, may have changed its name but has maintained a very clear lineage.

And this company’s current market value is 13.5 trillion.

After confirming this information, Chen Yiyang immediately safeguarded the stock certificate and hid it.

Now, this practical stock certificate transformed from a valuable antique to a priceless collectible.

Its worth is determined by the amount someone is willing to pay for it.

After finishing all this, Chen Yiyang called the pawnshop manager again.

"Apologies, my client suddenly changed their mind and doesn’t want to sell the stock certificate anymore."

"That’s fine. We can do other business in the future if there’s an opportunity." The manager didn’t push any further.

In fact, when Chen Yiyang walked out of the pawnshop with the stock certificate receipt, the manager knew that this deal was completely off.

The next morning, upon getting up.

Chen Yiyang took Hans for a walk, and then bought breakfast downstairs to bring back.

The reason for not cooking himself.

Mainly because the apartment is located in the commercial district of Jin City Center, with way too many tasty eateries nearby, making breakfast purchase convenient, so he was too lazy to cook himself.

Today’s intel: A thousand-year-old Roman relic: Inside house number 74 in Mingyang Village, there’s a box of glass beads transported here via the Silk Road over a millennium ago. If you buy it for under five thousand yuan, it’s a successful bargain.

Reading today’s intel left Chen Yiyang’s chest trembling in excitement.

Jewels left by Ancient Rome over a thousand years ago, how much would they be worth?

A whole box of them, indeed.

Surely they’re more valuable than that stock certificate.

Chen Yiyang opened his computer to search this with excited anticipation.

Then.

He learned the true value of these things.

About two to three hundred per piece.

Yes, that’s right.

A genuine glass bead made by Ancient Rome over a millennium ago is now only worth two or three hundred.

Of course, some of high quality can sell for around a thousand.

This thing sounds quite intimidating with names like Ancient Roman Crane Fly Eye, Millennium Twisted Glass Pipe, or Millennium Ancient Seven-Colored Clam Light Old Glass.

But no matter how nice the names sound, whether they’re a thousand or two thousand years old.

They’re all just worth a few hundred bucks.

It seems that things that weren’t valuable in ancient times aren’t valuable now. Some things that were valuable back then aren’t worth much nowadays either.

But after all, it’s a whole box, it’s still worth taking a trip to acquire them.

If there’s no channel to sell them, you can wait until your store opens and sell them slowly there.

Since that’s the case, then this matter can be dealt with in the afternoon or evening.

Chen Yiyang has other things to do today.

The first thing is to terminate the lease of the apartment rented earlier.

The apartment has a monthly rent of 1,600, with a deposit of one month and three months upfront payment.

Chen Yiyang originally agreed to rent it for at least half a year, but now he voluntarily violated the contract. So the deposit is gone.

But Chen Yiyang managed to get the landlord to refund the two months of rent left.

Nowadays, there are also quite a few news stories about tenants threatening landlords to flood the rented apartment if rent isn’t refunded, so landlords are worried.

Then there’s dealing with the parking space and the young accountant matter from yesterday’s transaction.

After arranging a meeting time and place with the other party over the phone, Chen Yiyang went downstairs.

"Hello, Mr. Chen."

In front of the property center of Jin City Center.

A girl with short pink hair, dressed comfortably in a lightweight chiffon shirt and wide-leg pants, carrying a small backpack, stood there waiting for Chen Yiyang.

"Are you the one Mr. Liu mentioned?" Chen Yiyang gazed at the bright and cheerful girl in front of him, feeling as if he might recognize the wrong person.

"That’s right, I’m Shen Yifan, the boss just calls me Little Shen. I brought both signed copies of the parking space transaction contract, later we can just go to the property office to file a record."

"Oh, okay." Chen Yiyang hurriedly nodded in agreement.

He couldn’t help but glance downward.

Liu Chen mentioned the girl had an amputation, but she looked no different from a normal person.

Noticing Chen Yiyang’s gaze, the girl nonchalantly rolled up her left pant leg.

Inside was a metallic cybernetic prosthetic.

"I didn’t cover it with foam, so it looks a bit conspicuous. Boss, if you require, I can wrap it with foam."

"No need." Chen Yiyang said, "I actually quite like this cyberpunk vibe."

"Right, I like it too." Shen Yifan said with a sweet smile, "I used to cover it with foam, but it was heavy, and not that convenient, so I took the foam off."

Shen Yifan put the pant leg back down.

"I originally thought about having the foot part completely replaced with a metal plate, but my former boss wouldn’t agree, said it was scary to look at."

"He was probably afraid that if you got upset, you’d kick him and puncture right through, right?" Chen Yiyang quipped offhandedly.

"Not at all. I’d be too unwilling."

"Were you very close with your former boss?"

"I meant, I’m unwilling about my prosthetic. It’s expensive, and if it breaks, it’s both troublesome and costly to repair. If it’s not a big problem, I just take it to the auto shop and ask the mechanics there to help fix it. After all, shock absorbers or foot pads, the mechanics at the auto shop are familiar with them and can repair them with ease."

"Do they also provide polishing and waxing?"

"Yes, boss, you’re so smart."

Shen Yifan happily played along with Chen Yiyang’s words, providing him ample emotional gratification.