Chapter 689: Chapter 686: A Remarkable Origin

Seeing the newcomer, the few experts chatting in the room stood up one by one to greet him.

The normally serious and commanding Station Head Jiang immediately put on a smile and hurried over to meet him, “Elder Qin, you’ve arrived. We are really depending on you for the show this time. We wanted to invite you last season, but you…”

Though Station Head Jiang wanted to get cozy with Qin Lianshan, unfortunately, Qin Lianshan had no interest in humoring him. As he looked up and noticed Huo Sining sitting in a corner backstage, his eyes brightened, “Miss Huo! You really came! Here I thought Zhou Shitao was just joking!”

Huo Sining looked up and was somewhat surprised to see Qin Lianshan, “Grandpa Qin, what brings you here?”

Qin Lianshan smiled, “Just like you, I’m here to record the show.”

Huo Sining felt surprised, “You were invited as well?”

Qin Lianshan nodded, “They came to me last season, but I didn’t agree. I thought I could share the stage with your master this time. Unexpectedly, that guy is quite slippery and actually got you to take his place.”

Huo Sining couldn’t help but show a bitter smile, “Indeed, my master is really causing trouble. I really don’t understand a thing. How could I possibly stand in for him…”

Hearing Huo Sining’s words, Qin Lianshan shook his head, “Now, that’s where you’re wrong. I admire your skills. Just recently in Guangcheng, you made Liu Chongren take a loss, not to mention these past few days I’ve heard from the museum that you picked up a piece of Ru Kiln porcelain. How about it, could you let this old man have a look?”

The elderly man following behind became interested when Qin Lianshan mentioned the porcelain, “Ru Kiln porcelain? What kind is it?”

Huo Sining looked towards the speaker, and Qin Lianshan introduced with a smile, “This is Professor Zhuang Xiangyang from Shuimu University. Old Zhuang, this young lady is the one I’ve told you about before, the girl who identified ‘Li Duanduan’s Registration Picture’.”

“Professor Zhuang.” Huo Sining greeted Zhuang Xiangyang with a smile.

Professor Zhuang looked Huo Sining up and down, nodded, and said, “You have a keen eye to recognize the Hidden Mist technique at such a young age. No wonder Zhou Shitao accepted you as his closed-door disciple. What about that Ru Kiln porcelain Elder Qin just mentioned, could we have a look at it?”

Seeing Professor Zhuang’s keen interest, Huo Sining was somewhat at a loss for a response, while Qin Lianshan hastily explained with a laugh, “Professor Zhuang specializes in studying porcelain, so it’s natural he got excited hearing you have a piece of Ru Kiln. Don’t mind him.”

Realization dawned in Huo Sining’s eyes as she smiled, “That porcelain is Ru Kiln white porcelain. It’s actually just a bowl. The bowl’s original appearance was covered with some special substance, and it took my master a long time to figure out the composition of those substances.”

“The bowl has been cleaned now and restored to its original appearance. I’ve left the piece at my relative’s place. Professor Zhuang, if you want to see it, after we finish recording the show, I can go get it and show it to you.”

At these words from Huo Sining, Zhuang Xiangyang’s face lit up with delight, “That’s great, no need to go out of your way to fetch it. After the program is done, I’ll just go with you to your relative’s house to see it.”

Huo Sining felt speechless. Collectors were often obsessed, and when they encountered something they liked, they tended to become crazed. Zhuang Xiangyang was like that, but luckily Huo Sining wasn’t the pretentious type. She didn’t mind his presumptuous nature; on the contrary, she found the old man quite candid and endearing.

Station Head Jiang had previously snubbed Huo Sining, but now seeing her and Qin Lianshan looking intimately acquainted, he was suddenly dumbfounded, “Elder Qin, Miss Huo, you know each other?”

Seeing Station Head Jiang’s awkward expression, Qin Lianshan guessed what was going on and looked at him with a hint of indescribable meaning:

“Of course, I have an old acquaintance with this young lady here. Early this year, she participated in the archaeology of the Taicheng Ancient Tomb and identified a Yue Kiln Secret-Color Porcelain Bowl.”

Upon hearing Qin Lianshan’s words, not only Station Head Jiang, but also several experts in the room were stunned.

“Indeed, this young lady has a sharp eye. Out of a box full of fakes, she picked out that piece of Secret-Color Porcelain with a single glance!” Laughter rang out from outside the door, and a middle-aged man walked in, affirming with a chuckle.

“Professor Shi? You’re here too?” Huo Sining looked at the incoming Shi Qingyun with surprise in her eyes.

“Yes, I received an invitation and came to have a look. I heard Mr. Zhou couldn’t make it and sent you as the representative.”

Huo Sining smiled awkwardly, pressing her lips together.

“Huo Sining? Why does that name sound so familiar?”

One of the older experts who were chatting in the back murmured Huo Sining’s name a few times and searched his brain with furrowed brows. He suddenly thought of something, his eyes lighting up. Without considering others in the room, he stood up and sprang to Huo Sining’s side:

“Miss Huo, are you the one who cut out the Jade Heaven Bead in Ruili?”

Huo Sining was startled by the sudden approach of the elderly man who, though not old, was past his fifties, and she hadn’t expected him to move so quickly. However, after hearing the old man’s question, she was taken aback.

“Miss Huo, I don’t mean anything by it; I’m just curious and wanted to ask if you were the one who found that emerald Heavenly Bead.”

After asking his question, the old man realized his abruptness and, seeing that everyone was staring at him, his face turned red with embarrassment as he explained.

Huo Sining shook her head, “No problem, the seven emerald Heavenly Beads you mentioned were indeed gambled by me. But it was all luck, a chance encounter.”

“Ah, it is you! I knew I’d heard your name somewhere. I was in Ruili with my friend back then too. It’s a pity I didn’t get to see the stone gambling. Seven emerald Heavenly Beads, that’s a big deal! It couldn’t be bought for less than twenty or thirty million, could it?”

“Old Su, you’re making a joke here. Twenty or thirty million? Miss Huo’s beads are glass-type emeralds, not ordinary Heavenly Beads. If you auction them off internationally, I’m not exaggerating – ten million a piece would definitely have bidders scrambling. To think you could get all seven beads for twenty or thirty million, that’s a joke, isn’t it?”

Hearing the old man’s words, Qin Lianshan couldn’t help but speak up. He had long heard of Huo Sining’s seven beads. Natural Jade Heaven Beads were rare and finding even one was a matter of luck, let alone seven. To think one could obtain them for just twenty or thirty million was nothing short of a pipe dream.