Ji Shenyu tossed and turned all night, only falling asleep as dawn was breaking. But his sleep was restless, disturbed by one dream after another.

He dreamed he was back in Yangzhou. Ding Hanbai was clamoring to see the gardens, dragging him along at a full sprint. After running for a long time, they stopped beneath a stone bridge. Ding Hanbai finally let go of him and walked onto the bridge alone.

On the bridge, people had set up stalls selling trinkets or snacks. There was just one exception—someone was actually selling Tang Sancai. Ding Hanbai went straight over, picked up a Sancai Horse as if he had found a treasure, and asked how much it was.

"Senior Brother," Ji Shenyu said immediately, "let's go take a boat ride, shall we?"

Ding Hanbai ignored him, enthusiastically studying the colorful, large horse. "I'll take it. Wrap it up."

Ji Shenyu pulled him up and whispered, "What are you buying this crude, shoddily made thing for? If you want something nice, I'll have Master give it to you."

Ding Hanbai squinted at him. "What the hell do you know? This is Tang Sancai. I can tell if it's real or fake."

Ji Shenyu couldn't stop him and was even shoved aside. He watched as Ding Hanbai took out his money, thinking to himself, 'Just let it be an expensive lesson.' Who would have thought Ding Hanbai's pockets were like a bottomless pit? Stack after stack of bills appeared, dazzling his eyes.

"Wait!" He rushed forward and asked the vendor, "How much?"

The vendor said, "Thirty thousand."

Ji Shenyu grabbed Ding Hanbai's hand as he was taking out the money. "Are you crazy?!"

Ding Hanbai shoved him away, paid the thirty thousand, and walked off the bridge holding the horse. Ji Shenyu followed, his legs so weak he nearly fell into the river. In a daze, he found himself at home, where he saw Ji Fangxu in the garden, writing on a fan.

"Master..." he called out.

Ji Fangxu looked up at him and beckoned for him to sit by his side. A peach blossom tree was painted on the fan. The brush was placed in his hand, and Ji Fangxu told him to write. He wrote: The peach blossoms still smile in the spring breeze.

Ji Shenyu was in a bit of a daze. "Master, it feels like I haven't seen you in a long time."

Ji Fangxu fanned the ink dry. "Well, it didn't seem like you missed me. Where did you run off to play?"

Ji Shenyu suddenly remembered. "I was just wandering around with Ding Hanbai, and he actually spent thirty thousand on a fake Sancai Horse! What am I going to do?" He nudged Ji Fangxu. "Will Uncle Ding be angry and blame me for not looking after him? But I couldn't stop him. I didn't know he was that foolish."

Ji Fangxu coaxed him, "How about we swap it with a real Sancai Horse for him?"

Ji Shenyu immediately agreed and helped Ji Fangxu towards the room. After a short walk, he realized he'd forgotten the fan, so he turned back to get it. When he looked again, Ji Fangxu was gone without a trace, his face and voice nowhere to be found.

"Master..." he called out.

He had called out upon seeing him, and he called out upon his departure. He couldn't tell if the meeting was real, or if this moment was.

Ji Shenyu woke up drenched in sweat. A breeze blew in from the window, so cold he couldn't stop trembling. The dream was both comical and heart-wrenching. He couldn't be bothered to think about Ding Hanbai buying the horse; he only remembered what Ji Fangxu had said—'Well, it didn't seem like you missed me.'

Was Ji Fangxu blaming him?

As he mulled it over, the sky brightened. With faint bluish circles under his eyes, Ji Shenyu folded his quilt, swept the room, watered the flowers, and even wiped down the hallway railing. After finishing, he sat there, clutching a damp cloth that dripped onto a small puddle at his feet.

Ding Hanbai got up and came out. "...I thought you'd wet yourself."

All his thoughts were cut short. Ji Shenyu temporarily set aside Ji Fangxu, his mind filled with the image of the fool buying the horse. He pulled Ding Hanbai directly into the study, walked to the desk, and pointed at the Celadon Vase. "What did the person who sold it to you look like?"

Ding Hanbai rubbed his eyes. "An old man."

'An old man?' Ji Shenyu was puzzled. 'Could that man have resold it so quickly?' Ding Hanbai shook his hand off and asked, "You like it? You were all worked up about it yesterday."

Ji Shenyu didn't know how to explain. "Senior Brother, why did you spend thirty thousand on this? Are you sure it's not a fake?"

Ding Hanbai replied, "It's a long story, and I can't be bothered to tell you." He went to wash up, but Ji Shenyu blocked his way. Ji Shenyu's gaze was earnest, and he spread his arms as if wanting to hug him by the waist, leaving Ding Hanbai bewildered again.

He tried to go around him. "Good boys don't block the way. Step aside."

Ji Shenyu actually did wrap his arms around him, as if trying to break up a fight. "Senior Brother, don't be too lazy to tell me. Can you please tell me?"

Ding Hanbai lowered his gaze to meet Ji Shenyu's, utterly baffled. He shoved the boy away with brute force and strode out of the study in a few steps. After washing up, he picked up an aluminum kettle to water the flowers, only to find his lilacs had already been watered. He looked up and saw Ji Shenyu standing in the hallway, looking even more melancholic than Lin Daiyu.

He had to concede. "This thing looks like the marine-salvaged artifact fragments I brought back before, but I suspected its origins weren't genuine, so I bought it to take a closer look. Now I feel it's a reproduction, and I've already sent it for testing. Just waiting for the results."

Ji Shenyu asked, "How is it tested? By an expert appraisal?"

Ding Hanbai said, "Of course not. This business is like gambling; even experts can make mistakes. Testing refers to instrumental analysis by a specialized national agency, using things like high-precision colorimeters that can identify repaired or forged areas."

A wave of panic hit Ji Shenyu, as if he'd been caught cheating with concrete evidence. He then asked curiously, "Wouldn't insiders always know what's real and what's fake, then? They'd make a fortune."

Ding Hanbai laughed. "How could that be possible? This kind of testing is only for national cultural relics, like new items at various museums. It can't be done without approval. I spoke with the curator, signed a guarantee, and promised that if the item is genuine, I'll hand it over to the Museum to be exhibited with that batch of marine-salvaged artifacts. Only then could I get it done."

Ji Shenyu nodded. He already knew the test result and couldn't help but ask, "And if it's fake?"

"If it's fake, then I'll just accept it," Ding Hanbai said, not seeming to care.

Ji Shenyu asked again, "Don't you blame the person who made the forgery?"

Before Ding Hanbai could answer, Jiang Caiwei came in to call them for breakfast, and the topic was dropped.

Ji Shenyu couldn't eat. He stirred his bowl of congee from thick to thin, and finally forced it all down. After eating, he lingered in the living room, too ashamed to face Ding Hanbai. He had originally made that piece for money, and the money was for a return gift for Ding Hanbai. Now, not only was the gift a lost cause, but Ding Hanbai had also lost thirty thousand because of it.

There was a desk calendar by the TV. He stared at it in a daze, suddenly realizing that most of the summer vacation was over, and also that there was something important happening today... He pondered for a long time before remembering that Liang Hecheng was being discharged from the hospital today.

A bed in the general ward was now empty. Liang Hecheng lingered in the hallway carrying an old bag, hiding his right hand, afraid others would see his extra finger. After pacing for a long time, a person came rushing from the end of the hallway. He immediately forgot his worries, raised his right hand, and waved vigorously, calling out.

Ji Shenyu ran over. "Grandpa, I almost forgot."

Liang Hecheng said, "It's alright, I was waiting for you."

Ji Shenyu asked, "If I hadn't come, wouldn't you have waited for nothing?"

"That would just mean our fate wasn't strong enough," the old man replied.

Ji Shenyu helped the other man outside. When they reached the hospital garden, he stopped and looked at the old man. "Grandpa, although I helped you, it doesn't mean I'm particularly kind. It's just that I don't have to worry about food or drink, so my sympathy outweighs my concern for money. If I had the burden of supporting a family and had my own difficulties, I might not have helped you."

Liang Hecheng hadn't expected him to be so honest. But no matter the hypothetical situation, help was help. "The fate I spoke of isn't just about you helping me," Liang Hecheng said, then asked, "Last time, you said you got the money by making a Celadon Vase, right?"

It would have been better not to mention it. A pained expression crossed Ji Shenyu's face as he poured out the absurd story of the Celadon Vase being bought back. When he finished, his brow was furrowed with worry, but the old man was amused.

Liang Hecheng said, "You've already seen the Buddha to the West, so how about seeing me home?"

Having nothing better to do, Ji Shenyu took the man home to No. 25 Miao'an Alley. The man asked him to wait at the door. He sat on a broken tricycle by the entrance, and ten minutes later, Liang Hecheng came out carrying a cardboard box, though he couldn't tell what was inside.

"This is for you, as my return gift."

Ji Shenyu waved his hands. "Why on earth would I take your things? I don't want it."

Liang Hecheng forced it on him. "You helped me, so I'm helping you. It's only through give and take that fate can continue." Before Ji Shenyu could react, the old man slipped behind the gate and started to close it. "It's fine if you keep it, and it doesn't matter if you sell it or give it away. Everything is preordained; it all depends on fate."

The gate creaked shut. Ji Shenyu stood there stunned, holding the cardboard box. As he walked out of the alley and the wind blew, the mush in his brain felt even thicker. When he got home, he snuck like a thief into the small courtyard, slipped into his room, closed the window, locked the door, and opened the box to inspect its contents.

The box was stuffed with old cloths and foam boards. Layers of old newspaper were wrapped around the object, which stood about thirty centimeters tall and was probably a vase. Ji Shenyu felt like a groom on his wedding night, unwrapping his bride—cautious, afraid to tear anything, yet eager to see. The layers of newspaper made him break out in a sweat.

When the object was finally revealed, he plopped down onto the chair with a thud.

It was a pea-green glaze, the same color as the Celadon Vase. It felt warm and smooth to the touch. The Hundred Longevity pattern on it was written in various scripts. And then he saw the signature—Copied in antiquity by The Snail-Dwelling Scholar. Ji Shenyu hastily wiped away his sweat. He had no confidence he could determine if it was real or fake. He thought of Ding Hanbai, but Ding Hanbai had already spent thirty thousand on a forgery, so he couldn't be trusted either.

Trapped in his room, anxious for hours, Ji Shenyu remembered what Liang Hecheng had said: 'You helped me, so I'm helping you.'

His twenty-three thousand had helped Liang Hecheng, so this item should also be worth that much.

But if Liang Hecheng had such a valuable treasure, why didn't he sell it to pay for his medical treatment?

One unresolved issue was followed by another. Ji Shenyu was brainstorming when footsteps outside brought him back to his senses. He went out to see Ding Hanbai returning with the test report. He asked nervously, "Senior Brother, what does the report say?"

Ding Hanbai's answer was blunt: "A reproduction."

He seemed to see Ding Hanbai smiling. "Then what are you so happy about?"

"Although the vase is a reproduction, the porcelain fragments themselves are indeed from a cultural relic. Don't you find that interesting?" Ding Hanbai said as he entered the study, his voice cut off.

'Is that interesting?' Ji Shenyu thought.

He picked at the doorframe, recalling his dream from the morning. In the dream, Ji Fangxu had spoken of swapping one thing for another. He had a sudden realization. Grabbing the vase, he ran to the study. He wasn't going to agonize over it anymore; he would just give this vase to Ding Hanbai.

When Ding Hanbai saw him come in, his gaze landed on the vase, and he seemed a bit stunned. "Senior Brother, I have something for you." Ji Shenyu went over and only explained that it was a reward for helping an old man. "I don't have the skill to appraise it, but I can tell this vase is of higher quality than the Celadon Vase. Reproductions have different grades, so even if it's fake, it should be of considerable value. I'm giving it to you."

Ding Hanbai asked, "He gave it to you as thanks, so why are you giving it to me?"

Ji Shenyu picked up the Celadon Vase. "Then can I trade it for this? It's because you gave me the Amber Pendant, so I wanted to give you a gift in return."

Though Ding Hanbai was talking, his eyes remained glued to the vase. He went to the bookshelf, pulled out an illustrated catalog, and suddenly asked, "Do you want to know if this thing is real or fake?"

The photo on that page of the catalog matched the vase perfectly, with the caption: Green Glaze Ink-Colored Hundred Longevity Vase, mid-Qing Dynasty. Ding Hanbai put an arm around Ji Shenyu to confirm, "You've given it to me, so it's mine to deal with. No regrets?"

Ji Shenyu nodded. How else could he deal with it? If he didn't keep it, he'd sell it. Liang Hecheng had said it didn't matter, so it was fine with him too.

Having received his approval, Ding Hanbai wrapped the vase in newspaper and left. It was the Daimao Antique Market again, and the same narrow alley. He squatted there until dark. Many people came to ask about it, but he gave them perfunctory answers and didn't sell it. The neighboring vendors couldn't figure out what he was trying to do.

So he took leave again and set up a stall in the alley for three consecutive days. At noon on the third day, a pair of old cloth shoes appeared before him. He looked up and smiled. "What a coincidence."

Their positions were reversed. Zhang Sinian squatted down. "You don't look like an antique dealer."

Ding Hanbai said, "And you look a lot like a scrap collector."

Zhang Sinian took off his glasses, exposing his blind eye to the sunlight. He picked up the vase and examined it—the lip, the neck, the circular foot. His hands were like a ruler, measuring its dimensions and form. After a while, he said, "This is Tang Ying's mark. He started using it during the Yongzheng era."

Ding Hanbai nodded. "It's a fine piece. I won't sell it for a penny less than it's worth."

Zhang Sinian asked, "How about a trade? Item for item."

This was a common practice in the business. Many people were addicted to collecting, but their funds were limited, so they would take out items of similar value. Once both parties agreed, the exchange would be considered a transaction.

Ding Hanbai touched his wrist. "I only want money. To buy a Swiss watch."

He was adamant and wouldn't budge. Another two days passed, and Zhang Sinian returned with enough money to buy it—ten stacks of ten thousand yuan each. The two of them walked out of the alley, the scene overlapping with the other day. As they were about to part ways, looking at each other, he suddenly laughed.

It wasn't happiness from getting the money; he just couldn't help it.

Zhang Sinian's blind eye was half-open. "Did you keep the Celadon Vase or did you sell it?"

Ding Hanbai said, "The reproduction is pretty good. I'm keeping it for flower arrangements."

Finding a treasure was a matter of skill. Even if they discussed it openly, you couldn't get angry, only swallow your pride. Hearing this, Zhang Sinian started to laugh, fanning himself with his undershirt. "You call that 'pretty good'? Anyone could tell it was a fake at a glance. I can only say your skills aren't up to par."

Ding Hanbai leaned closer. "This one is different. It's the real deal."

He parted ways with the man. Without even depositing the money, he headed home with a schoolbag full of cash. The small courtyard was quiet. He stopped outside the study window and saw Ji Shenyu bent over his desk, doing his homework.

He took a hundred-yuan bill, folded it into a paper airplane, and flew it inside. It landed right on the workbook.

Ji Shenyu ran over, holding onto the window frame. "Senior Brother, did you sell that vase?"

"Mhm," Ding Hanbai replied. "Sold it for a hundred thousand."

Crack. Ji Shenyu broke off a piece of the window frame. His eyes widened in terror, and his mouth opened and closed, unable to form any words. A hundred thousand... That vase was worth a hundred thousand?! How could he possibly accept such a valuable gift from Liang Hecheng?!

Unexpectedly, Ding Hanbai reached out and tweaked his ear. He didn't use much force, but it made the tip of his ear burn.

"Don't panic," Ding Hanbai said. "It was a fake."

The author has something to say: Ji Shenyu, a new day, a new breakdown. Ding Hanbai, a man who has never won a perfect attendance award.