Chapter 186 - 185: First Encounter with Antiques, Learning the Rules

Chapter 186: Chapter 185: First Encounter with Antiques, Learning the Rules

Rian Sinclair stood up and bowed slightly to Grandpa Sutton. "Hello, Elder Sutton. My name is Rian Sinclair. Please forgive the intrusion today; I came along with Noel Sutton and the others."

The old man studied Rian for a few seconds before letting out a hearty laugh. "Hello there, little girl. Don’t be so formal. Just call me Grandpa Sutton, same as these two."

Hearing this, Rian immediately said, "Grandpa Sutton."

The old man nodded in satisfaction. He looked at Noel, a hint of approval in his eyes. "Now *this* is a good friend, Noel. Look at the people you’ve brought over before—what a mess! Nothing but a bunch of bad influences!"

Noel rubbed his nose awkwardly. After all, the people he used to bring around really did prefer neon lights and wild parties.

Wyatt Winslow had been roasted by his own grandfather before, but given the deep friendship between the two families and the fact that Grandpa Sutton had watched Wyatt grow up, the boy had a good nature at heart. Therefore, hearing Grandpa Sutton say this today came as quite a shock. Knowing the old man’s notoriously foul temper, Noel seemed to recall something and shook his head in fear.

Rian stood to the side, smiling without a word. Old Master Sutton turned his head, looking at her with a kind and benevolent expression.

"Is Young Miss Sinclair still in school?"

Rian nodded politely. "Yes, Grandpa Sutton. I’m currently a senior at Argent University."

Old Master Sutton’s eyes filled with praise. "Studying is good. A young girl should focus on her education. Noel, you need to learn from this girl and wash off that foolishness of yours."

Wyatt couldn’t hold back a laugh. After all, scenes of Old Master Sutton scolding Noel were a frequent occurrence, yet it was hilarious every single time. The old man turned his head to glare at Wyatt, and the smile on the boy’s face vanished instantly. He obediently sat up straight, his gaze fixed forward without daring to move.

Seeing this, the corners of Rian’s lips curled up, and even Ruby covered her mouth to muffle a giggle.

Noticing Rian still standing, the old man said amiably, "Young Miss Sinclair, quickly take a seat. When someone comes for an appraisal later, you can watch if you find it interesting. If it gets boring, just have Noel take you all out to play."

Rian was actually quite interested in this, especially since her system had been educating her on the subject. She took her seat and shook her head. "It’s not boring. We’ll stay and watch for a while."

Grandpa Sutton nodded in satisfaction. If it had been Noel’s previous friends, they would have dragged him out of here long ago. Those youngsters were impetuous and destined for mediocrity. This girl, on the other hand, was composed. Not bad at all.

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK.

As the knock sounded at the door, Grandpa Sutton’s expression turned serious. He looked at the four youths and said softly, "Sit tight, everyone. Today’s guest has arrived."

Noel nodded in agreement. Rian’s interest was piqued as well; she propped her chin on her hand and looked toward the entrance. The room’s door was pushed open, and a man with a cloth obscuring his face walked in.

The item the man held in his arms was also draped in black cloth. He looked at Elder Sutton and spoke in a low voice. "I came because of your reputation. The fish is large; can you stomach it?"

The man then placed the object on the wooden tea table in front of Old Master Sutton. Grandpa Sutton stroked his beard and replied softly, "Silas Stone celebrating his birthday."

Rian’s eyes brightened upon hearing Grandpa Sutton’s words. She was, in fact, quite familiar with the idiom "Silas Stone celebrating his birthday."

During the Renaissance Era, Prime Minister Silas Stone monopolized power. Corruption and bribery were commonplace for him. When he celebrated his birthday, he threw a massive, lavish banquet. Officials gifted him rare treasures from all over, such as *The Bayeux Tapestry*. Some sycophantic officials, worried their gifts would go unnoticed, handed their gift lists directly to Silas.

Silas Stone unceremoniously declared, "I’ll accept them all."

Although it carried a slightly derogatory connotation, it was certainly an honest reply. So, Old Master Sutton’s meaning was crystal clear: no matter what the other party brought, the old man could stomach it. Rian sat up straight, her gaze fixed unblinkingly on their conversation.

The man looked warily at the others in the room before turning back to Elder Sutton. "And who might these people be?"

Elder Sutton chuckled. "Rest assured, my young friend. Since I, Old Sutton, walk this path, I strictly abide by its rules."

The man hesitated for a moment but then directly pulled off the black cloth covering the item and offered it over. Grandpa Sutton waved his hand slightly, refusing to take the object, and pointed at the table instead.

"Goods do not pass from hand to hand. Place it down steadily."

Rian had learned about this rule from her system. Appraisers could never receive goods directly from someone else’s hands, lest the other party drop it and frame them for the damage.

As Rian looked at the object revealed beneath the black cloth, a flash of surprise crossed her face. "This thing..." she thought.

Hearing Old Master Sutton’s words, the man awkwardly set the object down, muttering a curse under his breath, "So many damn rules."

The old man looked at the item on the table with a scrutinizing gaze. He reached out with three fingers and pinched it, rolling it once in his hand before setting it steadily back onto the table. Picking up a nearby handkerchief, he wiped his hands and looked at the man with eyes full of curiosity. "May I ask if you know what this item is, young friend?"

The man stared blankly for a moment before shaking his head. Grandpa Sutton didn’t say another word. He simply leaned back in his chair, smiling at the man. "Carrying a priceless treasure with no clear origin implies it’s either stolen or grave-robbed. Which family exactly sent you to find me?"

Hearing Grandpa Sutton’s words, Rian began to understand the situation. The antique world had many rules. Treasures with unknown origins were never accepted for fear of attracting a heap of trouble. The system had just mentioned this exact item to her. You could say that this man bringing out this piece was highly illegal!

At Elder Sutton’s words, the man’s expression shifted slightly. Naturally, he knew what it was he had brought; he just hadn’t expected Old Master Sutton to reach a conclusion after such a brief, effortless glance.

The man laughed awkwardly and explained to Elder Sutton, "Old Master Sutton, this item belongs to the master of the fish. I’m just a small fry, here to act as a messenger." As he spoke, the man wrapped the treasure back up in the black cloth. "Tiger six, turtle seven. See you next time, Elder Sutton."

With a slight bow, the man gathered the object from the table and left the room.

Grandpa Sutton nodded slightly, watching the man depart.

Rian watched the man’s retreating back, genuinely curious about the item’s owner. She wondered if Grandpa Sutton would have actually accepted the piece. If he took it in, someone would likely hold serious leverage over him.

Rian withdrew her gaze. Old Master Sutton sat in his chair, stroking his beard as he placed a stack of cash from the table into a drawer. He then spoke up, "Noel, tell me your thoughts."

Noel was busy sipping tea in his seat. Suddenly put on the spot, he was left speechless for a moment. After all, he came here to hang out every time, not to learn how to appraise antiques from his grandfather! Because of that, he hadn’t paid any attention to the item just now, nor had he looked closely. How was he supposed to know his grandfather would suddenly call on him?

Hearing no reply from Noel, Grandpa Sutton looked up. He shot Noel a look of sheer disdain, his face the very picture of disappointment over his failure to meet expectations. Feeling guilty, Noel rubbed the tip of his nose and turned his head away.

The entire room fell silent. Rian glanced at the arrangement of objects on Grandpa Sutton’s table and spoke up. "Grandpa Sutton, does arranging the items on your table like that signal that you want to sell information on an old artifact?"

As soon as Rian finished speaking, Grandpa Sutton turned to look at her and nodded in admiration. "Young Miss Sinclair has a good eye. You’re far more useful than this useless grandson of mine."