The machine room was locked, but the inside looked like it had been robbed.

Ji Shenyu and Jiang Ting'en paled in shock after opening the door, stunned by a room full of overturned raw stones. Jadeite, agate, crystal, turquoise—a box of small pieces was scattered on the floor, and the medium-sized jades were also out of place, creating a complete mess.

Jiang Ting'en shouted, "I'll go tell my uncle!"

Ji Shenyu pulled him back. He thought, 'The lock isn't broken. How could a thief get in without prying it open? Besides, would a thief only mess things up without stealing anything?' At first glance, the scene looked like a break-in and robbery, but on closer inspection, it looked like a thief had rummaged through everything but found nothing to their liking.

Jiang Ting'en said in surprise, "You mean nothing was stolen? Then who did this?!"

Ji Shenyu said, "Someone who has a key, and would dare to make such a mess without cleaning up—who do you think that could be?"

Who else could it be, other than Ding Hanbai.

It was indeed Ding Hanbai. He had gone into the machine room last night to look for material, but ended up holding Ji Shenyu and not getting any real work done, so he had to come back early in the morning. There were too many materials, so he simply pulled them all out to choose from. In the end, he still didn't find anything suitable and was too lazy to clean up.

Ding Hanbai was already at the Jade Pavilion by now. The back hall storeroom was chilly, and he slipped inside to begin another thorough search.

The storeroom had a variety of jade materials. He took a liking to a piece of green jade and took it without a word to anyone. He drove to the Daimao Antique Market. There were many people coming and going on the weekend. He wasn't looking at the objects, only at the people; and when looking at people, he didn't look at their faces, only at their hands.

Ding Hanbai was looking for Liang Hecheng. Six-Fingers—that was all he knew. But there were too many people; every second, some were leaving and others were just arriving. He felt this method was useless, like a headless fly buzzing around.

He wandered about like this, stretching his patience, staring until his eyes grew dry. Gradually, his steps slowed, tired and annoyed, and he glimpsed an old man smoking in a forgotten corner. The old man was only holding the cigarette in his mouth, unlit, and wore a cotton glove on his right hand.

The autumn air was crisp and clear; why wear a cotton glove?

Ding Hanbai decided to take a gamble. He unclasped his watch as he walked over, and by the time he reached the old man, he had just taken off his Swiss watch. "Sir, I found a watch," he said, trying to strike up a conversation, holding it out. "Did you drop this?"

The old man looked at him strangely. "No."

Ding Hanbai tried another tack: "Hey, you look very familiar. You're that Uncle Jiang, aren't you?"

The old man said irritably, "You've got the wrong person."

Ding Hanbai didn't leave. "Impossible. If your surname isn't Jiang, what is it?"

The old man said, "My surname is He."

Liang Hecheng, surname He. Ding Hanbai smiled. "Standing under a tree to cool off, you wouldn't be called He Chengliang, would you?" His attitude changed abruptly. He slowly put his watch back on, his speech unhurried. "Are you here to set up a stall or to hunt for treasures? If it's a stall, do you have a Song Dynasty Jade Boy?"

Liang Hecheng sized him up and asked, "What is Blind Zhang to you?"

Ding Hanbai replied, "My master."

Liang Hecheng started laughing. "No wonder you're not normal. What do you want with me?"

Ding Hanbai smiled along with him, took out a pack of tissues, pulled off the man's glove, and proactively yet assertively wiped the sweat from his hand. "It really is six fingers," he muttered to himself, glancing up at Liang Hecheng. "I have a favor to ask of your brilliant apprentice."

It was noisy all around. Ding Hanbai invited Liang Hecheng into his car, and once the door was closed, he got straight to the point. He explained all his reasons for having the Jade Boy Figurine appraised, how much he liked it even after discerning it was a forgery, and his curiosity to glimpse the person behind the object... he told him everything.

"Master Liang, I know a little about carving myself, so I greatly admire your apprentice's skill. He not only knows how to carve, but also how to create." He was rarely so earnest. "My master and you don't get along, but I am happy to show you respect, and I'd like to build a good relationship with you."

Ding Hanbai presented the piece of green jade. "I'd like to ask your apprentice to make a pair of Qing Dynasty Interlocking Rings. I will treasure them; money is no object." The Jade Boy Figurine was a bit too simple; he needed to gauge the other party's abilities more deeply.

Liang Hecheng asked, "Are you looking for a partnership?"

Ding Hanbai admitted frankly, "If we can't partner up, making a friend with similar interests would also be good."

Liang Hecheng closed his six fingers, gripping the green jade tightly. Accepting it was tantamount to agreeing; nothing more needed to be said. And his reason for agreeing was simple: Ding Hanbai had been able to accurately point out the flaws in the Jade Boy Figurine, so they had lost that contest. Now the winner was humbly and politely offering an olive branch, so why shouldn't he take it?

Talented people cherish talent. He wouldn't dare claim to be particularly talented himself, but that didn't stop him from cherishing it in others.

Ding Hanbai did his utmost to play the part of a gentleman, offering honorifics and praise as if they cost nothing. When their talk was over and the other man was about to leave, he was tactful enough not to offer to see him off. The man wouldn't even reveal his real name, so of course he would want to hide his home address. Ding Hanbai made sure Liang Hecheng felt comfortable in his presence.

Liang Hecheng left, feeling at ease. Tucking the green jade away, he took a bus home and disappeared into a house in Miao'an Alley.

There was no wind at the mouth of the alley. Ding Hanbai rolled down his car window to watch. He had followed him all the way, getting a clear idea of where the man lived. He was by no means a gentleman; pretending to be one for even a short while was exhausting. Now that things were settled, he would, sooner or later, meet that "expert".

After some twists and turns, two days later, that piece of green jade ended up in Ji Shenyu's hands.

The door to his room was shut tight. Ji Shenyu lay on his bed, fuming. He was carving the Jade Incense Burner every day and also had to deal with midterm exams; he was already so busy he felt he could just drop dead. And now this—another Qing Dynasty Interlocking Rings. His master's order was hard to refuse. He could only curse Zhang Sinian's apprentice in his heart.

Besides, in that business with the Jade Boy Figurine, he had lost to the other party.

Losing fair and square would have been fine. Ever since meeting Ding Hanbai, he understood that there was always someone better out there. But now the other party was pestering him again—the winner tormenting the loser. It was infuriating.

Ji Shenyu sat up abruptly. This time, he had to redeem himself.

Under the veranda, a Red Sandalwood tray held several knives and a ruler. Beside it sat a bottle of thick yogurt. A sixteen or seventeen-year-old boy was sitting cross-legged, his left shoulder leaning against the railing, a piece of green jade resting in his palm.

Joined Jade Rings, the pattern was Chiyou's Head, in low relief—none of this was difficult. The hard part was that the dimensions had to be extremely precise; there couldn't be a hair's breadth of error when the two rings interlocked or separated. Ji Shenyu's mind was free of distractions as he carved under the autumn sunlight. Suddenly, the tip of his knife paused. He had realized something.

These Joined Jade Rings were more difficult than the Jade Boy Figurine, but the difficulty lay in the carving. So, was the other party testing his carving skills?

If the other party wasn't an expert, why would they care so much about this?

He couldn't quite figure it out for the time being, so he put it aside. He would focus on showing off his skills first.

For a rare change, Ding Hanbai went to work. After a full day of conscientious labor, he came back shouting for Small Pot Pear Soup. The kitchen quickly stewed a pot for him. He returned to the small courtyard and stopped by the Lucky Bamboo, not doing anything, just enjoying the view.

The evening glow reflected on the railing where the youth was leaning. It didn't look like a Chinese painting, but more like an oil painting.

Ji Shenyu didn't hear the slightest sound, but the exposed nape of his neck inexplicably grew hot. He turned his head and met Ding Hanbai's not-so-distant gaze, and his face grew hot as well. It was just as hot as the night before, when the other man had held him. The present felt just like the past.

They stared at each other in a daze until Ding Hanbai spoke first, "What are you carving?"

Ji Shenyu snapped back to his senses. He couldn't explain the origin of the material, so with a push of his fingers, he hid the green jade up his sleeve. "I'm not carving anything, just polishing my knives." He was best at diverting attention. "This tray is Red Sandalwood, and the wardrobe in your room, too—they're both made of good wood."

Ding Hanbai had been too busy looking at the person to see the object clearly. He walked closer and asked, "Your Jade Incense Burner needs a small carved wooden stand. Should I pick out a good piece of wood for you?"

Ji Shenyu nodded quickly. "Thank you, Senior Brother."

Ding Hanbai went to the machine room to select some wood. Ke Tan Wood, Blood Sandalwood, Huanghuali Wood... Glancing at the color of the Jade Incense Burner, he chose the one that matched best. By the time he came out with his selection, everything on the veranda had been cleaned up. Ji Shenyu was standing in the middle, attentively offering him the yogurt.

He didn't take it. "I'll have the Small Pot Pear Soup later. It's good for the lungs."

Ji Shenyu asked, "Did you see the Jade Incense Burner? I'm almost finished carving it."

Ding Hanbai asked in return, "Are you going to carve tonight or not?" He waited for the other to nod, his tone flat, concealing something. "Then... will you need me to keep you company tonight?"

Ji Shenyu quickly shook his head and murmured, "No, you don't."

Ding Hanbai actually let out a sneer. "You think I won't just because you said so? Get the tea and a chair ready for me. I'm still going to supervise."

He walked around Ji Shenyu and went back to his room to change. He had acted imperiously, his word being law, shamelessly continuing to pester him. As the door opened and closed, he couldn't help but sigh. 'Ding Hanbai, oh, Ding Hanbai,' he wondered to himself, 'what sort of pathetic illness has befallen me?'

For several days in a row, Ding Hanbai would properly go to work during the day, and not-so-properly supervise at night.

Ji Shenyu had a thorough understanding of the complexity of human nature. He felt uncomfortable around Ding Hanbai, yet he couldn't stop himself from seeking his guidance. Ding Hanbai knew far too much. For a single loose-ring, he could teach him several techniques; for a difficult point that gave him a headache, Ding Hanbai would guide him through it, hand over hand.

He had never been slow; he memorized all the good things he was taught, and his skills improved a great deal while secretly carving the Joined Jade Rings. Moreover, he had lacked experience in aging jades last time; this time, he improved upon his technique. After finishing, he was even a little reluctant to hand it over.

On Friday, Liang Hecheng went to No. 6 High School to find Ji Shenyu and picked up the Joined Jade Rings. Ji Shenyu guessed that if the man wasn't satisfied, he would probably have no more contact with him and his master. But if he was satisfied, what would he do?

"Master, tell him this for me." He entrusted Liang Hecheng with a message.

Ding Hanbai had diligently gone to work for a few days, but couldn't hold back past four o'clock, grabbing his bag and leaving early. Arriving outside the Daimao Antique Market, he met Liang Hecheng in a small restaurant across the street. The pairs of people eating in the restaurant didn't actually know each other well; they were just gathered to negotiate prices for various objects, with the person in the weaker position treating the other to the meal.

Ding Hanbai ordered a few stir-fried dishes, showing his sincerity. "Master Liang, the bank is right across the street. I'm ready."

Liang Hecheng said, "Perhaps you won't be satisfied?" He took a sip of wine; he wasn't drunk, but he showed a drunkard's smugness. "It doesn't matter if you're not satisfied. My apprentice's skills will never lack for admirers."

An old handkerchief was unfolded, revealing two green jade Chiyou's Head interlocking rings lying quietly inside, joined together as one ring, yet separable into two. Setting aside the carving skill for a moment, the sheer precision of the interlocking dimensions was admirable. The carving itself was also impeccable, and there were even signs of artificial aging. If it were taken to the Antiques Market across the street, absolutely no one would be able to spot any problems.

Ding Hanbai couldn't put it down, a torrent of praise welling up inside him.

Liang Hecheng struck first. "My apprentice said that this piece is more difficult than the Jade Boy Figurine, which shows that you both understand jade carving and intended to test his carving abilities."

Ding Hanbai's heart sank at being seen through. "Does he mind?"

Liang Hecheng said, "He meant well. He said that if you like carved jade pieces, you don't have to go to such lengths. There are three Jade Pavilion shops in the city. As long as you have the money, you can find a man named Ding Hanbai, and he can carve anything for you."

Warmth spread through Ding Hanbai's chest. It wasn't that he'd never been praised before, but this unseen, untouched praise that only entered his ears made his heart race inexplicably. That person's technique was exquisite, he even knew the complex process of artificial aging, and at only seventeen, he possessed such magnanimity towards a peer. He admired him... even looked up to him.

"Master Liang, I'm not after the object, I'm after the person." He was being direct, his goal laid bare. "I can appraise, and he can create. It's not that there are too few genuine articles on the market; it's that many of the genuine ones are damaged, making them worse than the forgeries. I'll acquire them, and he'll restore them—"

Liang Hecheng interrupted, "You want to use this trick to get rich? But my apprentice is still young, and he's hiding this from his family."

Ding Hanbai said, "The money from this is nothing." He pointed to the restaurant's main door; through it was the street, and across the street was the Antiques Market. "A screen wall can be repaired over and over, but that can't hide its dilapidation. The city is developing quickly. This place will be demolished someday, and that place over there will be demolished, too. Where will all these scattered people go?"

He poured wine under Liang Hecheng's gaze. "Master Liang, maybe in three years, maybe in five, you won't have to cool off under a tree when you get hot from walking around. There will be air conditioning as soon as you walk in the door, and seats for when you're tired." He downed the wine, a fiery heat piercing his heart and lungs. "By then, it'll be called the Antique City, and the boss's surname will be Ding."

Liang Hecheng froze, his expression turning to astonishment. "You are?"

He answered, "My name is Ding Hanbai."

The words had been said. As expected, the other man's face was a picture of astonishment. The food grew cold, but the wine was still just as fiery. Their table fell silent, leaving only a standoff. Ding Hanbai was already prepared to wait for an answer. If he was refused, he would appeal again. He wasn't just persistent; he was downright stubborn.

After leaving the restaurant, the two went their separate ways. Having fawned over the other man's master, Ding Hanbai felt a pang of guilt and decided to go to the Chongshui Old District to coax his own master.

He understood that Zhang Sinian and Liang Hecheng had been at odds for half their lives; for them, compromising would be like asking for death.

And this master he had acknowledged midway through life was truly going to have to make a life-or-death compromise for his sake.

Ding Hanbai brought good wine and food, pinched his nose and helped Zhang Sinian tidy up the scrap he had just collected. After closing the door and sitting down, he met Zhang Sinian's half-blind eyes. "Master, my great master," he said sweetly, raising his wine cup. "Let's have a toast. To bury the hatchet with a smile."

Zhang Sinian clinked cups with him, cursing at the same time, "Who the fuck has a grudge against you? Eat!"

Ding Hanbai repeated the speech he had given to Liang Hecheng, relaying it to Zhang Sinian without changing a word, exposing his long-hidden ideas in this dilapidated room. The Maotai was mellow and fragrant. The more he spoke, the more he drank. It was like salvaging a marine-salvaged artifact; those things he considered precious, which had been suppressed for so long, were finally seeing the light of day.

Finally seeing the light of day. To think they were finally seeing the light of day.

Ding Hanbai laughed unrestrainedly, on the verge of getting dead drunk, and carelessly dropped his chopsticks. He bent down to pick them up. As his fingertips touched the greasy tip of a chopstick, he remembered a certain night when the clatter of a falling chopstick had startled someone, and then he remembered that person's glistening, oily lips from that time.

He had touched those lips too; they were soft...

Just then, the courtyard gate banged open with a thud. Footsteps approached; someone was here. "Anyone home?" the newcomer asked, lifting the cotton door curtain. "Take a look at this for me—"

The voice snapped Ding Hanbai back to reality. He straightened up, and came face to face with Zhang Yin?!

Zhang Yin was even more shocked. "What are you doing here? Don't fucking tell me you're here selling scrap!"

For once, Ding Hanbai was tongue-tied. "...It's not like I'm selling myself."