Gu Wan’er and Ye Shishi also picked up the cups and examined them closely. Were these really what emperors drank from?
Gu Wan’er murmured, “Are these real?”
Yu Xiaoduo sighed. “There are only four of these in total, and they’re all safely sitting in museums right now. What, did they grow wings and fly over here?”
As he spoke, he took a closer look and noticed an inscription on one side that read “Made during the Qianlong Era.”
Yu Xiaoduo set the cup down with a long sigh. “At first, I thought these were from that limited-edition set—each one going for anywhere from five hundred thousand to several million. But once I saw this inscription, it’s clearly a high-end replica. Impressive work!”
He could be so sure mainly because his father had a set at home, engraved with “Jin’ou Yonggu” rather than the production origin. He had even damaged one once and got mercilessly beaten by his old man—so the memory was seared into his brain.
Gu Wan’er and Ye Shishi took a look and sure enough, the inscription read “Made during the Qianlong Era.” So were they really fakes?
Just as the three were debating authenticity, a round of applause suddenly rang out. An elderly man around seventy walked in from a side door, clapping his hands. Standing beside him was Bai Ji.
Tonight, Bai Ji had a completely different flair. Gone was her usual cheongsam; instead, she wore a striking crimson dress, her jet-black hair falling in soft waves over her shoulders. Her curvaceous figure left Yu Xiaoduo momentarily spellbound. Sister Bai truly is one of a kind—her presence is simply unmatched.
As for the old man beside her—though advanced in years, his hair was still pitch-black, probably dyed. He wasn’t bad-looking either; he must have been a handsome fellow in his youth. He wore a white tunic, held a folding fan in his hand, and sported a pair of bargain-bin flip-flops. Was this the signature look of a big shot?
Bai Ji wore a satisfied smile—Gu Wan’er hadn’t let her down. This had actually been a small test arranged by Uncle Kun, to see which of the three could recognize the cups. Bai Ji had guessed Gu Wan’er, while Uncle Kun had guessed the youngest Miss Ye. The outcome spoke for itself.
As Uncle Kun walked out with a smile, the three on the sofa rose to their feet.
Bai Ji stepped forward and said with a light smile, “This is Uncle Kun.”
The moment Ye Shishi heard the name, her heart jolted. Could this be the legendary Uncle Kun? No wonder Sister Bai had made her dress formally—he was a figure on par with Mr. Bai himself. Though he had long retired from the scene, his legends still echoed through the underworld. One outlandish tale claimed that his grandfather had once ransacked the emperor’s palace.
Others said that back in the day, Mr. Bai had united merchants to resist foreign forces, while Uncle Kun funded weapons and intelligence—even orchestrating assassinations. All sorts of wild stories floated around. Nowadays, people had gradually forgotten about Uncle Kun; he had simply withdrawn from the stage, while Mr. Bai remained active in the business world.
Yu Xiaoduo and Gu Wan’er, however, thought to themselves that calling him “uncle” felt a bit odd given his age—”grandpa” wouldn’t have been a stretch. But since Sister Bai had introduced him that way, they’d just go along with it.
“Uncle Kun,” the three said respectfully. Yu Xiaoduo and Gu Wan’er were still trying to figure out who this person really was—it seemed he had a very close relationship with Sister Bai.
Uncle Kun laughed heartily. “Have a seat, everyone. Make yourselves at home.”
Yu Xiaoduo studied Ye Shishi’s expression and noticed she seemed a bit nervous. Did she know who Uncle Kun was?
Since she hadn’t sat down yet, he certainly wasn’t going to—just in case leaving a bad impression would be game over.
Gu Wan’er, meanwhile, watched Yu Xiaoduo’s movements closely. If you sit, I sit. If you stand, I stand.
“Uncle Kun said to sit down, everyone,” Bai Ji said gently.
Only after Sister Bai’s reassurance did the three slowly take their seats. Although Uncle Kun wore a smile, his aura was unmistakably formidable. Yu Xiaoduo could sense it clearly—he had encountered similar figures back in the day. Simply put, the man carried too much killing intent.
“My niece’s friends are quite interesting. It’s been a long time since I’ve chatted with young folks,” Uncle Kun said as he walked to the side, pulled out some matches, and lit the sandalwood incense that had been set out. Gradually, an exotic fragrance filled the room. Yu Xiaoduo even felt more alert—it actually had a stimulating effect.
Wait—he just called Sister Bai his niece? They’re that close? Are they relatives?
At that moment, Ye Shishi stood up, realizing she had been sitting in the main seat. “Uncle Kun, please take this seat.”
Uncle Kun looked at Ye Shishi with a smile and, without any polite refusals, sat down on the long sofa in the center, with Ye Shishi taking a seat to the side.
“Niece, come sit here,” Uncle Kun said, patting the spot beside him with a smile.
Bai Ji nodded and joined Uncle Kun on the long sofa.
Then Uncle Kun turned his gaze to Yu Xiaoduo, snapping open his folding fan with a swish. Yu Xiaoduo thought to himself that Uncle Kun certainly knew how to make an entrance—on the fan were written two characters:
Invincible.
“I wonder how that old rascal Gu Zonggui is doing?” Uncle Kun asked, looking at Yu Xiaoduo.
The question caught Yu Xiaoduo completely off guard. Who the hell is Gu Zonggui? Gu Wan’er, why didn’t you give me your family tree?
Gu Wan’er couldn’t very well give him a hint—any small gesture would be noticed. She could only hope Yu Xiaoduo would figure it out. Gu Zonggui is my grandfather.
Yu Xiaoduo had no choice but to interpret it literally. “Old rascal” meant someone elderly, of the senior generation. And the surname was Gu—most likely her grandfather.
“Uncle Kun, my grandfather is in good health,” Yu Xiaoduo said, forcing himself to go with it. My luck’s never been too bad.
“Good to hear. It’s been decades since we last met.” Uncle Kun flashed a peculiar smile that Yu Xiaoduo couldn’t quite read—he had no idea whether their relationship was good or bad.
“Though that old rascal is so-so, your granddaughter here has quite the insight. But I must correct you—these three cups are genuine. No question about it.”
Yu Xiaoduo sucked in a sharp breath. Gu Wan’er and Ye Shishi were equally stunned. A big shot like him wouldn’t need to show off with three fake cups, especially in front of younger folks. There’s really no need.
But Yu Xiaoduo wasn’t the type to back down just because someone was powerful.
“Uncle Kun, a quick Baidu search would tell you that only four Jin’ou Yonggu cups exist, and they’re all in museums. Now you’re saying these three are real—I’m a bit confused, if you don’t mind me saying so.”
As soon as the words left his mouth, Gu Wan’er and Ye Shishi froze—especially Ye Shishi. I wouldn’t dare speak to Uncle Kun like that, and you’re questioning him? Do you want to be run out of Longhai?
Even Bai Ji’s expression shifted slightly. This Wan’er really doesn’t follow the script. I brought you here today to meet Uncle Kun.
Sure enough, Uncle Kun’s face grew a shade more serious, and the rhythm of his fan slowed. Gu Wan’er felt a sinking dread, while Ye Shishi thought, Finally, you’re about to get put in your place. How satisfying.
“That’s a good question.” Uncle Kun turned and fixed his gaze on Yu Xiaoduo, who kept a straight face despite his heart pounding nervously. Gu Wan’er, should we go big or go home? If we want to leave a lasting impression on a big shot, we’ve got to stand out. Risky? Yes. But the payoff could be huge.
