Dragon Hermit

Xia Yan’s expression was serene. None understood Han Yidao’s artworks more than his disciple, not even Yao Shigu. He picked up Maitreya Jade Pendant, and he couldn’t help but furrow his brows upon touching it.

Even though Xia Yan had never used such a jadeite to carve a sculpture before, and didn’t know its handfeel, but upon touching the lines left by the carving knife, he immediately noticed some peculiarities.

“This isn’t Han Yidao’s artwork,” Xia Yan blurted out.

Yao Shigu stroked his beard with a faint smile. It was obvious that he wasn’t surprised by Xia Yan’s judgment. But, Jiang Wenchuan was greatly surprised and he shouted in a sharp voice, “Don’t make such irresponsible remarks!”

“Did I utter something irresponsibly?” Xia Yan looked at him and asked in amusement.

“I don’t know whether you understand carving craft or not, but you have just taken it in your hands and didn’t even observe it carefully. Yet, here you are, stating that this isn’t Han Yidao’s artwork. What is this other than irresponsible remarks?” Jiang Wenchuan raised his voice and spoke angrily. Ever since he first saw him, Jiang Wenchuan never liked Xia Yan and his animosity was obviously shown now.

“It’s easy for someone skilled in the craft and difficult for those unskilled. In traditional Chinese medicine, diagnosis is done through observing and questioning the patient, but when it comes to simple illnesses, one can discern the issue with just a single glance or by feeling the patient’s pulse. An amateur won’t find the issue even after putting so much thought into it, while a veteran can discern it with a glance. It’s the same for the carving craft,” Xia Yan sipped in a mouthful of tea and spoke calmly.

Jiang Wenchuan didn’t like Xia Yan and Xia Yan also didn’t like Jiang Wenchuan. Even though he spoke calmly, it was obvious that the ‘amateur’ and ‘unskilled’ mentioned by him were both referring to Jiang Wenchuan.

“How old are you? Do you think that you are a skilled veteran? Haha!” Jiang Wenchuan started raging with anger and he spoke even more rudely. He retorted back mockingly!

“I have some knowledge about it,” Xia Yan said with a sneer, “Do you want me to elaborate?”

“Explain!” Jiang Wenchuan sneered. “If you talk rubbish, I will make you regret it.”

Those two men’s dispute had already attracted the attention of Yao Ting, who was behind the sales counter, and she looked over here in concern. Upon noticing this, Jiang Wenchuan turned more combative. He didn’t want to lose face in front of her!

“This jade sculpture’s carving lines are simple and clear and they were really left by a single carving knife, and the pendant had a pretty good shape and mesmerizing charm, and its raw materials are also excellent. Its price will be quite high.” Xia Yan stroked the jade ornament and spoke confidently.

“However, even though this jade ornament is exceptional, it isn’t related to Han Yidao at all.”

“The depth of lines left by Han Yidao won’t be perfectly even, and it will change according to the shade and angle for it to show its most beautiful appearance no matters from which angle it was observed. He employed horizontal lines of regular depth… Vertical lines of low depth… And the depth of intersecting parts is…”

Xia Yan placed the jade ornament on the teapoy table and spoke frankly and confidently. He wasn’t afraid of exposing the secrets of One-Knife School’s craft, as the depth of lines had never been a secret in the first place, and this could be detected with the right instruments. One-Knife School’s real secret couldn’t be unearthed with mere instruments!

“The depth of the lines in this jade ornament is poles apart from the ones in Han Yidao’s artworks, and any veteran can discern this through stroking it. As for amateurs? Even if they know the principles behind this, their hands wouldn’t be sensitive enough to discover it.”

Xia Yan tapped the teapoy table with his finger. He didn’t have to say anything else and he only looked with a smile at Jiang Wenchuan.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Wenchuan was dumbstruck and his expression changed constantly. All of a sudden, he turned his head around and asked, “Grandpa Yao, is this true?”

Yao Shigu nodded and said, “Yep, that’s right. This jade ornament isn’t Han Yidao’s artwork, but I’m certain that it’s the work of a great master that tried to imitate Han Yidao. So, it has a high holding value, so you didn’t really get swindled.”

Yao Shigu knew Jiang Wenchuan’s status, and that was why he spoke gently to give the latter a way out.

After Yao Shigu affirmed Xia Yan’s statement, Jiang Wenchuan’s expression turned more gloomy, and he couldn’t help but take a look at Yao Ting. He found out that she was looking at Xia Yan with sparkling eyes. He got more indignant and he hated Xia Yan a lot more.

Upon noticing Yao Ting’s ardent gaze, Xia Yan felt quite pleased with himself. If Jiang Wenchuan brought with him something else, then Xia Yan surely wouldn’t show off his skill. But, Jiang Wenchuan brought Han Yidao’s artwork especially to fawn over Yao Shigu and Yao Ting, and he ended up running into Xia Yan. If he didn’t show off then, he would surely let down this golden chance.

Jiang Wenchuan’s expression changed several times before it recovered to usual, and he rolled his eyes around, and wore again his usual bright smile. He extended his hand at Xia Yan and said cordially, “Let’s get acquainted again, my name is Jiang Wenchuan and I have just come back from abroad and I plan to start a business in my hometown, Chengdu City.”

[What’s a quick change!] Xia Yan was taken back. [A while ago, your face’s color was changing like a chameleon’s skin and you wished badly to skin me alive. Yet now, you are trying to turn hostility into friendship?]

[This guy is surely hiding a dagger behind his smile!]

Xia Yan took a long look at Jiang Wenchuan and shook his hand. He also said with a smile, “I’m Xia Yana and I’m only a freshman in Sihe University’s history department.”

[A first-year university student?]

Jiang Wenchuan was taken aback, and disdain appeared in his eyes. Sihe University was the best university in Sihe Province, but it was only among the top thirty nationwide, and it wasn’t on par with his world-famous overseas university.

In Jiang Wenchuan’s eyes, Sihe University wasn’t any different than a diploma mill, and he couldn’t help but get back his feeling of superiority. The previous blow didn’t amount to much!

[I, Jiang Wenchuan, doesn’t lack wealth, familial background, academic background, or looks, and this lad only has some knowledge about antiques’ appraisal, and he can’t rival me in anything else. So, why should I care about him?]

Upon thinking of this, Jiang Wenchuan’s smile turned brighter and he calmly collected the jade ornament. He drank tea calmly and started chatting. USA’s famous schools’ graduates deserved fully their fame and the Antique Collectibles Store got overwhelmed with his loud arrogant talk and clear laughter.

At this moment, it seemed like the previous awkward scene was long forgotten, and Xia Yan had already quietened. It wasn’t like he didn’t wish to steal the limelight from Jiang Wenchuan, but he didn’t know anything about USA’s local conditions and customs, the same way Jiang Wenchuan didn’t know anything about carving craft. He couldn’t help but get frustrated!

“Oh, by the way, Martial Uncle. One of my friends’ birthday is tomorrow and I want to give her a beautiful present. Can you pick one for me?” While Jiang Wenchuan was sipping in a mouthful of tea, Xia Yan seized this chance to mention one of his objectives behind this visit.

“A birthday present? Is it a female classmate?”

Xia Yan clearly heard Yao Shigu heave a sigh of relief. It was obvious that this old man also couldn’t stand Jiang Wenchuan’s boastful talk.

Yao Ting cast her gaze over here. Even though she believed that she didn’t have any special feelings for Xia Yan, who she had just met for the first time, but the statement of her grandpa and Han Yidao in the phone call let her feel like she already got some sort of relationship with Xia Yan.

“Huh… She isn’t a classmate, she’s only a friend,” Xia Yan said.

Yao Shigu cast a glance at his granddaughter and sighed inwardly. It wasn’t so easy to play matchmaker between youngsters nowadays .

Yao Ting couldn’t help but get unknowingly a little jealous. If it was only an ordinary friend, it would have been enough to choose a simple gift. Yet, Xia Yan asked Yao Shigu to help him choose a gift, and this showed clearly that this girl was not ‘just a friend’.

“You… What did you call Grandpa Yao a moment ago?” Jiang Wenchuan placed the cup of tea on the table and looked in amazement at Xia Yan.

“Martial Uncle, what’s wrong with it?” Xia Yan asked calmly.

[F*ck you!]

Jiang Wenchuan was dumbstruck. He had always called Yao Shigu ‘Grandpa Yao’ so eagerly, and since Xia Yan called him ‘Martial Uncle’, then, that would mean Xia Yan was older than him by a whole generation. A frustrating fact!