After spending the night with Sophie, Li Du received a call the next morning. Ma Zhi-an told him that the experts from Christie's auction house had arrived in Flagstaff.
Li Du drove the Hellcat directly to the intersection to wait for the experts' car. Both parties had agreed on a meeting place over the phone. Not long after, a Toyota Prado arrived.
The car stopped, and three middle-aged Chinese men walked out.
All three of them looked to be in their forties or fifties. They wore glasses and were dressed neatly. Their skin was well maintained, and their beards and nails were well groomed.
Li Du took the initiative to extend his hand. "Hello, you are Mr. Ma, Mr. Du, and Mr. Ding, right?"
The three experts were called Ma Cheng, Du Dayuan, and Ding Xiaofeng. Ma Zhi-an had sent their information to Li Du, so he recognized them immediately.
After shaking hands, Ma Cheng, the oldest of the group, smiled. "Hello, Mr. Li Du? You're really a young hero. Ma Cheng introduced you to us, and you live up to your reputation. "
Li Du was too embarrassed to reply. What kind of hero was he? He was just a young man in the storage auction business.
Li Du introduced Hans to the three of them. There was a strong driver in the car, also Chinese. He had a fierce face and wore sunglasses. He looked like someone not to be trifled with.
Ma Cheng introduced him to Li, saying that he was the driver and bodyguard assigned by Christie's. After all, they sometimes bought antiques after appraising them, and needed someone to protect them.
Both parties were familiar with each other, and Ding Xiaofeng went straight to the point. "Li, we're here in Arizona for the autumn auction in Phoenix, so we don't have much time. Do you think we should go take a look at your pastel?"
Li Du said, "That's not a problem, but it's getting late. Why don't we have lunch first?"
Ding Xiaofeng waved his hand. "That's fine —"
Ma Cheng interrupted him with a smile. "That's enough, Mr. Ding. Don't decline. Your interpersonal skills are really bad. We're from the same town, so why are you declining?"
Ding Xiaofeng rubbed his nose awkwardly. "Let's get this over with quickly. Li, I don't mean anything by it. I just want to see something later."
Li Du quickly said, "Mr. Ding, you're too polite. Let's have lunch first? It won't be too late to start work after dinner. I still want to ask you some questions during dinner. "
Ma Cheng said, "Alright, then let's eat first. But let me make it clear first, we won't eat a big meal, just some fast food."
Du Dayuan, who had been silent all this while, smiled and said, "Yes, this is good. We can fill our stomachs and save time."
Hans made a reservation at Golden Aquitaine, but the three people in front of him didn't stand on ceremony. When they saw the restaurant's specifications, they all shook their heads and said that it was fine to just eat fast food.
Li Du smiled bitterly. "How can I let you guys eat fast food? Otherwise, Brother Ma wouldn't have criticized me? "
They were here to help him, so of course he had to treat them well.
Ma Cheng glared at him and said, "If he dares, what can he say? Xiao Ma isn't like my family at all. Ever since he came to America, he's forgotten the good habits of his ancestors. "
Hans came up to smooth things over and said, "We've already booked a table. Why don't we eat here for lunch? The beef here tastes good. "
Ma Cheng declined, and then said sincerely, "Xiao Li, I don't know what Xiao Ma told you, but to the three of us, we're just here to help out a little, a little help between fellow countrymen.
"So, if we're making you spend money because of us, then we might as well not come. Why don't you tell me the truth — are you a second-generation rich kid? "
Li Du said helplessly, "I'm not a second-generation rich kid, but —"
"Then that's fine, let's eat fast food." Ma Cheng waved his hand. "What's wrong with fast food? You think it's embarrassing to treat us to fast food? "
Li Du laughed, "Not at all, I just think it's lacking in etiquette."
Ma Cheng said, "Etiquette doesn't mean treating us to a meal. How about this, we're not antiques or old-fashioned. If the goods we appraise in the afternoon are real and can help you make a lot of money, you can treat us to a big meal, okay?"
Li Du agreed readily, "Okay."
The way the three of them were behaving made him very comfortable, but at the same time, he felt a little guilty.
The six of them went to a Chinese restaurant. This time, when they got out of the car, Du Dayuan took out a small suitcase and handcuffed his wrists.
Before Li Du could ask, Ma Cheng took the initiative to explain, "There's a ruby artwork inside. We brought it from Phoenix. We have to carry it with us at all times to ensure its absolute safety."
As this was a matter of privacy, Li Du did not continue to ask and started to order.
At the dining table, he asked the three of them for advice. The three of them were not stingy and told him a lot about antiques, artwork, and auctions.
Li Du's understanding of antiques and cultural relics was limited to mahogany. He told them about the mahogany he had gotten some time ago. The three of them were very interested in it, but when they learned that he had sold it, they sighed repeatedly.
Du Dayuan said, "It would have been better if you had waited. Mr. Ding is an expert in this area. He knows a lot of rich people who love mahogany. Through him, you would definitely be able to sell it for a better price!"
Ding Xiaofeng shook his head regretfully. "Hopefully, I'll have the chance to work with Xiao Li next time."
Du Dayuan said, "Oh yes, speaking of mahogany, you just got this item recently, right?"
Ding Xiaofeng showed off a string of brownish-red Buddhist beads on his wrist and said, "Where did you hear this from? This is authentic rosewood. The previous owner had been looking for it for 20 years. Recently, he was in urgent need of money, so I was lucky enough to get it. "
Li Du asked, "How much did you pay for it?"
Ding Xiaofeng said, "Through a friend, so the price was lower. I spent 15,000 dollars."
Li Du was shocked. "So expensive?"
Ding Xiaofeng laughed. "This is expensive? This is authentic rosewood. Look at the texture, the texture, and the touch. If I didn't have a friend to help me, I would have to spend an extra 2,000 dollars! "
Ma Cheng asked, "Xiao Li, how much did you sell your mahogany for?"
Li Du smiled bitterly. "Let's not talk about it. The quality of my mahogany might not be good, so the price is lower."
Ding Xiaofeng said, "Who did you sell it to? White Chen, right? I know that kid. He has a bad reputation among our fellow countrymen. Xiao Li, in the future, don't … "
"Alright, you know a lot," Ma Cheng said with a frown. "Let's eat and continue talking about mahogany. Let's not talk about fellow countrymen."
Ding Xiaofeng smiled sheepishly. "I'm just afraid that Xiao Li will be taken advantage of."
Du Dayuan also said, "Mr. Ding, the ancestors are right. Meditate and think about your mistakes. Don't talk about others when you speak."
Ding Xiaofeng nodded repeatedly. "I've learned a lot. Let's talk about mahogany and porcelain!"
After eating and chatting about mahogany, Li Du brought them to Pine Tree Tops.
He brought the pastels home. The campsite was a mess and not a good place to entertain guests. Besides, he wanted the three of them to help him verify the identity and value of the Gaddafi saber.
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