Dragon Hermit

“Grandpa, what do you mean?” Yao Ting’s body shuddered, and even her neck got flushed. As for Xia Yan who was next to her, he was also quite embarrassed. It was obvious that his Martial Uncle planned to follow his master’s words, and it seemed like he didn’t mind his granddaughter mingling with him.

“Martial Uncle, my master was only cracking a joke a while ago, don’t take it seriously,” Xia Yan said awkwardly.

“How can one go back in his words?” Yao Shigu wore a stern look and spoke dignifiedly, “This is what you master had just uttered, could it be that our Lil Ting isn’t to your liking?”

“Martial Uncle, that is not what I mean…” Xia Yan revealed a wry smile.

“Grandpa, do you know what era this is? You can’t carry out an arranged marriage, I’ll look for a boyfriend by myself.” Yao Ting raised her head and spoke with a flushed face. She couldn’t help but cast a glance at Xia Yan, and her voice got quite soft at the end.

“Lil Yan, are you a freshman in Sihe University?” Yao Shigu cast a glance at Yao Ting with a fake smile plastered on his face, before he turned his head toward Xia Yan and asked.

“That is right, Martial Uncle,” Xia Yan replied.

“Lil Ting is also in Sihe University, and she’s in her third year. You should get together a lot more, and I may not even have to play a matchmaker, as you may take a liking to each other, hahaha!” Yao Shigu laughed heartily.

Xia Yan and Yao Ting were dumbstruck. [Why is this pair of fellow apprentices, Yao Shigu and Han Yidaon, so plain-spoken and open? They have no tact at all.]

Both people couldn’t help but turn their heads and take a look at each other, before averting their heads right away when their gazes met. They got even more embarrassed!

At this moment, a young man’s voice transmitted from downstairs. “Lil Ting, Lil Ting…”

Upon hearing this voice, Yao Shigu furrowed his brows and didn’t utter a single word.

A helpless look appeared on Yao Ting’s face for a moment. She stood up and said, “Grandpa, I’ll go down to deal with him.”.

After she spoke, she quickly went out the door as if she was escaping. She had gone downstairs!

[Could it be that the man downstairs is Yao Ting’s boyfriend?] Xia Yan thought inwardly, and he felt a little displeased.

“Lil Yan, why didn’t you follow her yet?” Yao Ting patted Xia Yan’s shoulder and spoke in a deep voice.

“Why would I follow her?” Xia Yan was quite confused.

“Your rival in love has arrived. So, shouldn’t you go to thwart him?” Yao Shigu said resentfully, and he seemed disappointed that Xia Yan didn’t meet his expectations.

Xia Yan didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, [How did he become my rival in love?]

However, even though he thought so inwardly, his body was still pushed forward by the faint displeasure welling up in his heart, and he still went downstairs.

“Lil Ting, I found pretty good stuff and you will surely like it.” A young man stood in front of Yao Ting with a smile plastered on his face, and he presented at her a brocade box. He was showing it off as if it was a priceless treasure!

Yao Ting’s brows were slightly furrowed and a helpless look was apparent on her face. She didn’t accept the brocade box. Instead, she said, “Mister Jian, I can’t take your gift. We really don’t suit each other.”

The expression of the youngster Jiang changed a little, but he still wasn’t discouraged. He just placed the brocade box on a teapoy table and said, “Lil Ting, I really love you. So, please give me a chance. Oh, by the way, the box had a great master’s sculpture, and I managed to get my hands on it only with great difficulty, and I still wanted to ask Grandpa Yao to appraise it… Huh, who is he?”

When the youngster was about to open the box, he raised his head and sighed upon Xia Yan coming over from upstairs along with Yao Shigu. He was wooing Yao Ting. So, he could obviously recognize Yao Shigu, but he never saw the scholarly youngster next to him.

[Is he a relative of the Yao family, or is he a suitor like me?] Mister Jiang glared at Xia Yan attentively, as hostility welled up in his heart.

“Hello, Grandpa Yao!” Jiang Wenchuan went over there and greeted Yao Shigu cordially.

“Lil Jiang, you came over.” Yao Shigu greeted him indifferently.

“Grandpa Yao, I brought with me some stuff and I want to ask you to appraise it.” Mister Jiang reached out with his hand to support Yao Shigu, but the latter just placed his hands behind his back. So, Mister Jiang could only give up on this.

“Anyone who drops over is our precious guest. Lil Jiang, please sit down. Lil Ting, go brew a cup of tea.” Yao Shigu sat down straight on one of the store’s tables.

Yao Ting complied and went to brew tea. Mister Jiang pursued her with his gaze for several seconds before he turned his head around and extended his hands at Xia Yan. “My name is Jiang Wenchuan, may I ask what is your name?”

“Xia Yan,” Xia Yan said and shook Mister Jiang’s hand. So far, Jiang Wenchuan behaved pretty well. He was also a tall and handsome man, and he was really qualified to pursue Yao Ting… [Damn, why do I still feel so displeased?]

Xia Yan couldn’t help but analyze his mental state. [Could it be that I already unknowingly got feelings for Yao Ting just because my master and Martial Uncle played a matchmaker between us? If this wasn’t the case, why I would be so displeased by Jiang Wenchuan’s presence? Is it because he wants to steal what belongs to me?]

[Could it be that I get fond of every woman I see? Could it be that I have a latent playboy’s nature?]

After Yao Ting brewed several cups of tea, she didn’t sit with them. At this moment, one of the Antique Collectibles Store’s employees came to work, she was a twenty-year-old woman and she stood behind the sales counter along with Yao Ting. They both chatted in a low voice.

Even at this time, Jiang Wenchuan still cast his gaze frequently at Yao Ting, but the latter acted like she didn’t notice this.

“Lil Jiang, what have you brought over?” Yao Shigu felt quite helpless toward this, but since Jiang Wenchuan came over with stuff, then he would adhere to business rules and wouldn’t slight him. Besides, Jiang Wenchuan’s family was quite influential and he couldn’t afford to offend it.

“Grandpa Yao, I heard that you are fond of Master Han Yidao’s works, and that’s why I have always paid attention to news related to this. Several days ago, I was blessed with getting one of Master Han’s works and I wanted to ask you to appraise it.” Jiang Wenchuan opened the brocade box and took out a green jade ornament of Maitreya. He placed said ornament on the table.

Men wore Guanyin ornaments and women wore Maitreya ornaments. So, Jiang Wenchuan had obviously bought this jade ornament to offer it to Yao Ting.

Yao Shigu cast a glance at Xia Yan. Both of them wore a startled look. They didn’t expect that Jiang Wenchuan would take out an object related to both of them.

Xia Yan observed Maitreya Pendant. It really seemed fitting with Han Yidao’s style. But, this pendant was quite small and he couldn’t clearly observe its intricate details. So, he couldn’t determine for now its genuineness.

Yao Shigu took the jade pendant, and he commented on it as he observed it carefully, “Han Yidao had many works dating back to his early period. At that time, his skill was still far from perfection, and that is why those works’ price isn’t high. Han Yidao perfected his arts in his forties and the number of his works in circulation is quite low, and their total number won’t surpass a hundred pieces. Since he chose to live in seclusion at fifty-three-years old, there haven’t been any new works that appeared, and that’s why all of the works done in his late period are priceless, and even the imperfect works done during his early period are quite popular in the hoarders world.”

“Moreover, if Han Yidao didn’t go missing and live in seclusion, then his works’ price won’t get so high so quickly…” Yao Shigu cast a glance at Xia Yan, and he noticed that the latter was listening to him attentively. He couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. [It seems like senior brother has only taught this child One-knife School’s craft, and didn’t talk about anything else other than this.]

[This child is now aware of One-knife School’s value, so I wonder whether he can still keep his indifferent attitude?]

“Grandpa Yao, this jade ornament date backs to which period of Han Yidao?” Upon hearing this, delight appeared on Jiang Wenchuan’s face, and he quickly inquired further about it.

“Lil Yan, you should also have a look at it.” Yao Shigu didn’t answer him promptly. Instead, he placed back the jade ornament on the teapoy table and spoke with Xia Yan.

Jiang Wenchuan looked in surprise at Xia Yan. Just from those words alone, he could discern that Xia Yan and Yao Shigu shared a close relationship, but the crux was that Yao Shigu didn’t treat him like a junior of the younger generation and it didn’t seem like he was testing him. Instead, they were communicating on equal standing.

Yao Shigu was a great master of the antique world, So, what kind of person deserved to talk to him on equal standing? This was only a youngster in his teenage years.