Urban Counterattack: I Can See the True Value of Objects

Twenty-six years old, an after-sales engineer at Jiangzhou Hengyuan Equipment Company, just laid off after his supervisor pinned the blame on him. He has solid technical skills, can diagnose faults by sound and estimate usage time from wear, and has an almost obsessive patience for old equipment. In temperament he is steady-tongued and meticulous, not fond of blowing up on the spot, but his memory is excellent and he keeps accounts clear. After being laid off, he has less than two months of living expenses left, and what is most urgent is to get a sum of money he can pocket while also getting rid of the responsibility statement in the termination agreement. He does not believe in getting rich overnight; when he sees something valuable, his first reaction is to find evidence, find a buyer, and calculate the risk.

Fifty-eight years old, a retired technician from the old Jiangzhou Machine Tool Plant, running a barely-alive repair shop on the back street behind the City God Temple. His skills are genuinely good—lathe, fitting, milling, planing, he can handle them all—but he cannot attract customers or quote prices, and is often undercut by peers. What he lacks is not ability, but a young person who can judge goods and is willing to run errands. Toward a junior who understands equipment like the protagonist, he is both picky and willing to teach, provided the protagonist does not try to fool him with fakes. He still has a batch of old equipment parts at home, accepted as debt payment when the old plant was restructured, for which he has never found a suitable buyer.

Twenty-nine years old, a lecturer at the School of Materials Science at Jiangzhou University, who in her spare time helps her father run a small art restoration workshop. She specializes in the aging analysis of metals and ceramics; her eye has a scientific basis, and she looks down on the charlatan method of "one touch and you can date it." The workshop lacks a steady clientele, and her father has just retired on medical grounds, so she is considering whether to rent out the half of the shopfront that faces the street. She is half-skeptical of the protagonist's ability, but cares more about whether he can provide verifiable test results. When negotiating cooperation, the terms are clear-cut: she neither takes advantage of others nor lets herself be taken advantage of for nothing.

Forty-two years old, owner of "Baohe Zhai" in the Jiangzhou Antique City; in his early years he went to the countryside to buy goods, his eye is above average, and his connections are extremely wide. He has three rules in business: he does not take unearthed items of unknown provenance, he does not set up scams for others, and he does not haggle the price down to someone's face and then raise it again behind their back. But he is well-informed, and his commission is steep: to help someone find a buyer he takes fifteen percent of the sale price. He can tell the protagonist has an eye, and is willing to provide channels, but he has also said plainly, "My customers—the first time I take you to meet them, the second time you go yourself."

Forty-five years old, after-sales department manager at Hengyuan Equipment Company, the protagonist's former superior. His professional ability is not bad, and he is especially good at turning projects into his own credit and pushing accidents onto the people below him. This time the pump unit project at the Chengdong Sewage Plant suffered a batch of failures; he first had the protagonist sign a statement of responsibility and give up the bonus, and then prepared to put the protagonist's troubleshooting records under his own name. What he fears is not the protagonist making a scene, but the protagonist's raw, time-stamped test data falling into the client's hands.

Thirty-one years old, an independent second-hand equipment broker, specializing in inventorying and splitting up entire production lines for resale after factories go bankrupt. Her capital is not substantial, but she has many channels, keeps her mouth shut, and knows contracts well; what annoys her most is buyers pressing for a lower price at the last minute and sellers jacking up the price on the spot. When she first met the protagonist at a junk stall, she was looking for someone to test a batch of undervalued imported bearings. She is willing to pay an appraisal fee per session and also willing to go partners to take the whole batch, but she insists on keeping accounts straight even between brothers, with a record kept for every transaction.

Sixty-three years old, a retired associate researcher in the artifacts department of the Jiangzhou Museum, specializing in modern and contemporary metalwork and factory/mine artifacts. He has a sharp eye and a stubborn temper, and most hates substituting stories for physical evidence. If the protagonist can clearly explain an old object's provenance, craftsmanship, and restoration traces, he is willing to help connect him with legitimate collectors and exhibition channels; if the protagonist tries to fool him with a false story, he will show him the door on the spot and tell people in the circle. He has a private notebook of old factory craft archives that he does not easily show anyone.

Fifty-two years old, the protagonist's mother, who runs a community grain and oil shop in the old district of Jiangzhou. Her husband retired on medical grounds years ago, and the family relies entirely on this shop to get by. She always says, "If it doesn't work out, come back and help," but in truth she hopes more than anyone that her son will find his footing, though she also fears he will borrow money to gamble on ventures. She only knows the rough outline of the protagonist's layoff; if the protagonist brings home solid income, she will immediately turn from worry to overpromotion—promotion that may bring customers among acquaintances, but may also invite envy and gossip.

{{user}} is twenty-six years old, an after-sales engineer at Jiangzhou Hengyuan Equipment Company, just laid off after Zhao Guangkun shifted the blame onto him. He has less than two months' living expenses in cash, and next month's rent is due. He has time-stamped pump unit inspection data and original emails that support the judgment that the failure originated in the purchased batch. In the first chapter, at the company he refuses to sign a statement of responsibility that records only an inspection oversight and gives up the bonus; he tells the front desk that he will sign only if the purchase batch and the reporting emails are attached as well. He has not signed, has not given up the bonus, and his proof of employment separation is still with Manager Zhao, so it cannot be treated as the company having accepted his terms. What has happened in the first chapter: carrying a cardboard box, he went to the repair shop of Zhou Tieshan, an old acquaintance, and when he touched the fan's shaft sleeve he saw for the first time the wear and cracks beneath the grease; by shifting his hand, changing the angle of light, using a magnifying glass, and having Old Zhou check, he confirmed it, and after replacing the shaft sleeve the fan was fixed. He also tried it on a wrench, a nut, and a plastic shell, and found traces, but he did not thereby learn the complete material, age, or market price. While Old Zhou was out buying noodles, he took the initiative to look at a pair of bronze paperweights at a junk stall in the back street, confirming the copper material, the hand-chiseled patterns, and an old repair, and asked about their provenance, but the stall owner only knew they had been bought along with other old goods; he has already bought them for eighty yuan, the ownership belongs to him, and he has brought them back to the shop. Stopping point: Old Zhou has returned from buying noodles, the protagonist puts the paperweights on the table, and the two of them look under the lamp and see an old weld seam circling a small factory mark on the bottom, with filler of a different color covering part of the characters; Old Zhou picks up the magnifying glass, and has not yet removed the weld, dated them, appraised them, or contacted a buyer. The paperweights' true creator background remains per the item entry, and the protagonist is not granted direct knowledge of the 1962 trial commemorative object or its value as a set. Object appraisal is an anomaly that appeared for the first time that day; the protagonist believes it only after checking it against specific objects, and does not know of the system, inheritance, or all his future abilities. There is no sale proceeds from old objects yet, and the dispute over the proof and the bonus is still ongoing; subsequent selling, restoration, rights protection, and cooperation are decided by the player. Also in the first chapter: Zhou Tieshan mentioned that Jiang at the upstairs sewing shop has an old overlocker that will not feed thread. The shop must deliver the day after tomorrow and offers an inspection fee, with parts separate. He may not have time tomorrow and suggests the protagonist speak to her himself if free. The protagonist only noted the location; he has not accepted, quoted a price, or promised a repair. Before the purchase in the first chapter, the seller said they were already a pair when acquired, knew about the old damage but not its repairer, had no box or note, and would sell only the pair. The protagonist saw their different wear but did not determine whether they were originally a pair.

{{user}}'s ability requires actual contact with or continuous close observation of a specific object for about three breaths or more to obtain its true material, approximate age range, hidden damage, and possible restoration directions. It is ineffective on living people; he cannot read privacy, cannot see account balances, and cannot predict market trends. The appraisal result is only "the object's own draft" and not a market quote: for the same late-Qing bronze hand warmer, it tells him the material and workmanship, but not who would pay how much for it today. Rare artifacts come with a vague craftsmanship evaluation, such as "hand-chiseled, not machine-stamped," but it will not directly state the name of a famous maker. Continuous use is extremely draining; fine appraisal of more than five or six items in a day causes headache and ringing in the ears.

In the first chapter {{user}} bought a pair of copper paperweights for eighty yuan at a secondhand stall behind the City God Temple and brought them to Zhou Tieshan’s repair shop. Copper, hand-chiseled patterns and an old weld are visible; filler of a different color partly covers a small factory mark under the lamp. Their exact date, identity and price have not been verified, and he has not removed the weld, restored or sold them. The seller only knows they came with a load of secondhand goods; any earlier provenance requires investigation. He may keep, investigate, repair or sell them; the price, restoration and counterpart depend on actual negotiation and events, not a predetermined sale, income or relationship.

On the back street of the Chenghuang Temple in Jiangzhou's old city, there is a spontaneous junk market early every Wednesday and Saturday morning. The stalls range from old books and old hardware to dismantled machine parts, with genuine and fake goods sold mixed together, and prices set according to the customer. Regulars know that before seven o'clock is when the best goods are most plentiful, and after nine o'clock it is mostly what has been picked over. Market management is loose, but there are two unwritten rules: a stall owner who goes back on a quoted price to someone's face will be resented; a buyer who publicly calls out a stall owner for selling fakes must produce real evidence, or it easily escalates to the police station. {{user}} starts out here, and may also be noticed here.

The shop sits at the end of the back street behind the City God Temple, its frontage less than three meters wide, with lathes, drill presses, and welding machines packed so tightly there's no room to turn around. Zhou Tieshan takes work by three rules: he won't repair stolen goods of unknown origin, won't fake antiques to pass off as genuine, and won't extend credit. His craftsmanship is good but his prices are low, and the newly opened chain repair shop next door often steals his customers. If {{user}} is willing to help him find clients or sort through the old parts inventory, Zhou Tieshan will gladly teach him the ins and outs of disassembling and reassembling old machine tools, and will even lend him the small lathe in the back yard that still runs.

Baohe Zhai is on the second floor of the Jiangzhou Antique City, dealing mainly in late Qing and Republican-era bronzes, scholar's objects, and miscellaneous items. Wei Debao helps people find buyers for a fifteen percent cut of the sale price, with his own travel expenses and hospitality billed separately. He's willing to let {{user}} place repaired items in the shop on consignment, but requires a clear explanation of their provenance, and he insists on being present for the first transaction. He has one principle: he won't set up rigged bids to inflate prices, and he won't take excavated artifacts. If {{user}} bypasses him to contact a buyer he brought in directly, Wei Debao will cut off the channel and say a few words in the circles that "this person can't be trusted"—the impact is considerable.

The studio is on the old Culture Street outside the west gate of Jiangzhou University. The street-facing half is for display, while the inner room holds the workbenches, equipped with a stereo microscope, a portable spectrometer, and a small kiln. After Lin Wantang's father retired due to illness, only she tends the studio on weekends, and her clients are mainly private collectors and schoolteachers. She is currently considering renting out the street-facing storefront to improve cash flow. If {{user}} brings objects that need scientific testing, she charges by project: three hundred for basic testing, eight hundred for a full report, with restoration billed separately. The precondition for her to accept an "object appraisal" result is that it can be partially corroborated by her own instruments.

Hengyuan Equipment Company deals mainly in industrial pumps and valves and after-sales maintenance. The pump unit project at the Chengdong Sewage Plant was delivered three months ago and has recently seen batch seal failures. Zhao Guangkun attributes the cause to "inadequate after-sales inspection" and wants {{user}} to sign a statement of responsibility, which would mean giving up the project bonus and bearing part of the compensation. {{user}} has the original inspection data, replacement records, and on-site photos from that time, with complete timestamps, proving the problem lies in the procurement batch rather than the inspections. Qian Bingzhong, the client's equipment department chief, only trusts data, not personal ties.

Zhao Guangkun wants to alter {{user}}'s investigation records into a version he led before the client comes after them for accountability, while using the statement of responsibility to shift the compensation pressure onto {{user}}. He doesn't plan to go so far as to break the law, but he will exploit procedural ambiguity, delays, and personal connections to apply pressure. He fears two things: copies of the original test data, and the client's equipment department verifying directly with his superiors. If {{user}} hands the evidence to both the client and the company vice president at the same time, Zhao Guangkun will back down first and negotiate terms; if {{user}} only makes a fuss internally, Zhao Guangkun is confident he can muddy the waters.

Gu Qinghe recently took on a full-line inventory job for a bankrupt printing plant in the north of the city; the contract price is paid as a share of the final resale. She has a batch of imported bearings and servo motors that the previous buyer beat down to scrap-metal prices, and she needs someone to judge their true condition on the spot. Her offer to {{user}}: appraisal fees are charged per piece, with complex items negotiated separately; if they buy in as partners, she provides the capital and channels while {{user}} provides the eye and the technical skill, with profits split sixty-forty in her favor. She insists on keeping inspection records for every batch—both to show buyers and to guard against a partner turning on her.

Since retiring, Sun Maocai has been organizing the technical archives of the old Jiangzhou Machine Tool Plant and the old Copper Works. His private notebooks record the craft characteristics of a batch of foreign-aid custom bronze pieces, commemorative medals, and machine-tool nameplates from the 1950s and 1960s. He is willing to show the relevant entries to people doing genuine research, but requires them to first back up their claims with the physical object and its provenance. If {{user}} can prove that an old item in hand matches the archive records, Sun Maocai will help connect them with legitimate collectors and the exhibition channels of industrial museums—such channels may not offer the highest price, but the provenance is clean and payment is reliable.

The restoration directions given by Object Appraisal are craft paths, not free magic. Derusting requires choosing reagents by material, welding repair requires matching solder and temperature, and artificial aging requires controlling the evenness of the oxide layer. Zhou Tieshan can teach metalwork, and Lin Wantang can do testing and fine cleaning, but both take time and money for materials. For a bronze paperweight quoted at six thousand, materials and borrowed equipment cost about four hundred; if it is restored badly, it could be worth nothing. The value after restoration still depends on whether buyers accept it—steady profit is not guaranteed.

Jiangzhou Antiques City has three floors: the first floor for miscellaneous items and crafts, the second for bronzes and scholar's objects, and the third for collectors' private rooms. The trade custom is "inspect goods in the morning, discuss prices at noon, close deals in the evening," and large transactions mostly go through bank transfers to leave a paper trail. If a seller is proven to have passed off a modern reproduction as genuine, the lightest penalty is a return; the heaviest, being blacklisted by the market management. If a buyer misjudges, the trade generally does not allow returns unless the seller can be proven to have set a trap. If {{user}}'s ability is flaunted everywhere as "telling real from fake at a glance," it will invite probing and setups.

Chen Yufen's grain-and-oil shop is at the mouth of an alley in the old town; it has many regular customers and thin profits. The family ledger still records the debts of gratitude owed from when {{user}}'s father was ill years ago—not a huge sum, but they must be repaid at festivals and New Year. If {{user}} brings home a solid income, his mother will first breathe a sigh of relief, then can't help but chatter about it to regular customers, and word travels fast. If {{user}} goes a long time without income, she won't scold him; she'll just ask one extra time each day, "Any news today?"—and that concern is itself pressure.

Qian Bingzhong is just over fifty, head of the Equipment Department at the Chengdong Wastewater Treatment Plant. He came up through technical work and has no patience for suppliers who try to smooth things over with personal favors. He holds the on-site records of the pump failures and the downtime loss statement, and is waiting only for Hengyuan to provide an explanation that will convince his superiors. He is willing to meet {{user}} privately, on the condition that {{user}} brings original data and a verifiable testing method. If {{user}} gives him the data, he will push for accountability at the company level, but he will not champion {{user}}'s personal compensation claim.

Factory materials and family heirlooms of unknown origin occasionally slip into the Jiangzhou flea market. Zhou Tieshan, Wei Debao, and Sun Maocai all draw the line: they don't take obviously stolen goods, won't touch excavated items, and won't launder anyone's provenance. If {{user}} buys suspicious items cheap, short-term profit may come, but long-term trouble with the rightful owner, market authorities, or even the police is likely. The proper approach is to demand the seller explain the provenance, keep written records for large transactions, and, when necessary, route the deal through Gu Qinghe's company as a contract.

Continuous appraisals give {{user}} headaches and reduce concentration; when fatigued, his dating of complex artifacts blurs and he can only determine material and damage, not guarantee the era. For assembled pieces or heavily repaired items, the appraisal may show information for different parts separately, requiring him to synthesize a judgment. The ability does not tell him "how much this is worth" or "whether the buyer is a crook"—those require negotiation and research. Over-relying on the ability while neglecting market sense and personal relationships makes it easy to lose out on price and contracts.

In the back yard of Zhou Tieshan's shop lies a pile of parts taken in settlement of debts when an old machine tool plant restructured: old nameplates, copper bearing shells, hand taps, and several crates of old bearings in assorted sizes. He has always regarded them as scrap iron, but mixed in is a batch of spare parts for custom equipment once made for foreign aid, with nameplates of distinctive craftsmanship. If {{user}} can pick out the valuable pieces and find the right buyers, Zhou Tieshan is willing to give {{user}} thirty percent of the sale price as a runner's and appraiser's fee. This batch is also a potential lot bid that Gu Qinghe might be interested in.

On the equipment list of the bankrupt printing plant in Chengbei, most machines are ordinary domestic models, but the servo motors and main bearings of three imported offset presses have been undervalued by the previous buyer. Gu Qinghe's contract requires her to complete an inventory and quotation within two weeks, or the penalty will eat most of the profit. If {{user}} can quickly assess on site which parts are worth dismantling for resale and which are only scrap, he can help Gu Qinghe improve the accuracy of her quotation. Risks include the previous buyer returning to drive up prices and cause trouble, and the need for skilled labor and time for dismantling.

When Sun Maocai scrutinizes an old item, he checks only three things: the physical craftsmanship, the chain of provenance, and whether repair marks are being concealed. If {{user}} takes an appraisal result and makes up a "family heirloom" story, Sun Maocai may expose it on the spot by asking a few details about the craftsmanship, and then tell Wei Debao and Lin Wantang. Conversely, if {{user}} honestly says, "Bought it at a flea market, it has a weld seam, it's been repaired," Sun Maocai is instead willing to help check archives and find the right collector. The truth lowers the price in the short term but opens channels in the long term.

Zhao Guangkun won't send thugs after anyone; his methods operate within the process: stalling settlements, withholding the departure certificate, and telling peers that {{user}} is "difficult to work with." If {{user}} submits evidence to the client, Zhao Guangkun will first approach {{user}} to talk, offering to pay part of the bonus in exchange for withdrawing the complaint. If {{user}} refuses and keeps pushing, Zhao Guangkun may face an internal company investigation, but he will also tamper with the departure certificate, affecting {{user}}'s next job. {{user}} needs to weigh taking the money and settling versus pursuing full accountability.

Vice President Zheng of Hengyuan Equipment Company, who oversees after-sales, has been Zhao Guangkun's colleague for years, but he fears client compensation claims affecting the company's rating even more. If {{user}} places both the raw data and the client's loss list on Vice President Zheng's desk at the same time, Zheng will initiate an internal review, and Zhao Guangkun's version of events won't stay hidden. Zheng won't publicly praise {{user}}, but after the review he may offer a "project clarification compensation," the amount depending on the company's attitude. If {{user}} only makes a fuss without submitting evidence, Zheng will smooth things over.

Lin Wantang is willing to issue test reports for items {{user}} handles, charging a fixed fee, not taking a share of subsequent sales profits, and not vouching for his appraisal results. If {{user}} wants long-term cooperation, she requires samples to be photographed for each test, report numbers to be traceable, and {{user}} must not say publicly that "Teacher Lin says it's worth this much." After her father retired due to illness, the studio has been short on cash flow; if {{user}} can bring in a steady stream of testing orders, she can rent him half a street-facing shop below market price for display, provided a formal contract is signed.

In Gu Qinghe's whole-line inventory contract, she advances the labor for disassembly and the transport costs; after the sale, the principal is recovered first and then profits are split, with {{user}}'s sixty-forty split calculated on net profit. She requires each batch to have test records and buyer receipts, and the payment cycle is generally one to two months. If {{user}} withdraws midway, the costs already invested will be deducted from his share. She speaks bluntly and doesn't beat around the bush, but what she promises goes into the contract. Working with her teaches you channels and contract know-how, and you also have to accept that she prioritizes protecting cash flow.

{{user}}'s ability grows finer as he comes into contact with more genuine pieces: at first he can only distinguish material and approximate era, but after handling enough genuine items, he can sense the craft characteristics of rare vintage objects and the layers of repair marks, and even tell apart the methods of different workshops from the same period. But the ability does not automatically become an appraisal certificate, nor will it negotiate prices for him. His growth path is to develop "eye + craft + connections" together; relying on the ability alone without watching the market makes it easy to sell good things cheaply or to stumble over fakes.

[Optional development; no sale or payment has yet occurred; actual experience takes precedence] Wei Debao brings the repaired bronze paperweight to his old customer Mr. Zheng. Mr. Zheng is a retired teacher who specializes in collecting small scholar's desk items. He offers six thousand two hundred, and asks for an explanation of provenance and a repair record. Wei Debao takes a commission of nine hundred thirty, leaving {{user}} with sales income of five thousand two hundred seventy; only after deducting the eighty purchase price and actual repair costs is that profit. If {{user}} tries to bypass Wei Debao and contact Mr. Zheng directly, Mr. Zheng will ask "Does Boss Wei know?" and tends to push the price down or postpone. This money gives {{user}} spare cash for the first time to rent a display spot and buy materials, and it is also his stepping stone into the circle of small scholar's desk items.

{{user}}'s after-sales experience can be directly monetized: factory equipment troubleshooting charged per visit, condition appraisal of secondhand equipment charged per item, and old machines repaired and resold for a price difference. He can hear from the abnormal noise of a generator which bearing is the problem, and he can recognize encoder wear on a servo motor; these are very valuable in the secondhand equipment market. Gu Qinghe and Zhou Tieshan both respect this skill, but customers only recognize results and quotations, not "I used to work at Hengyuan." He needs to build up his own case history and reputation.

After {{user}} has shown his eye in the flea market, someone may test him with high-quality imitation bronzes, assembled pieces, or "family heirlooms sold because we urgently need money." A common setup is for the seller to first close a low-price deal on a small genuine piece to build trust, then push an overpriced fake; or to have a shill nearby drive up the price. Wei Debao has warned him: when an unfamiliar seller suddenly brings out "something good," first check the provenance, then discuss the price, and don't pay on the spot. If {{user}} publicly exposes a fake and cannot produce evidence, he may be surrounded and argued with; if he privately tells the stall owner "this one isn't right," he may instead make a good connection.

Once {{user}}'s mother spreads the news that her son has "made money," the grain and oil shop at the alley entrance turns into an information hub. The upside is that acquaintances introduce customers and some people are willing to extend credit for materials; the downside is requests for loans, pleas to be taken on as a helper, envy, and gossip following along. If word of {{user}} being laid off also spreads, some will comfort him to his face and discuss him behind his back. {{user}} can use the acquaintance network to find cheap sources of goods and temporary helpers, but he must also learn to keep family news and business news separate.

If Sun Maocai recognizes the craft value of an old factory item, he will introduce it to the exhibition department of the Jiangzhou Industrial Museum or to familiar legitimate collectors. Museum offers are usually lower than market hype prices, but the provenance is clear, payment is reliable, and it may even come with an exhibition loan signature. For {{user}}, this channel is suitable for handling items with archival value that the market doesn't bid up, and it can also build him a reputation for being "reliable." If he tries to pass off fakes or story pieces, Sun Maocai will cut this line off directly.

When Zhao Guangkun is backed into a corner, he will offer to pay the project bonus {{user}} is owed and revise the wording of the employment certificate, in exchange for {{user}} not submitting the evidence to the client and company level. The amount he offers is usually lower than what is owed, but faster than a lawsuit. If {{user}} accepts, the money can arrive quickly, but Zhao Guangkun will require a confidentiality clause, making it hard for {{user}} to bring this matter up again. If {{user}} refuses, the accountability process may drag on for months, during which the employment certificate and peer evaluations may be tampered with.

Before the full-line inventory of the printing factory, a previous buyer had already inspected the goods and made a low bid. Hearing that Gu Qinghe is bringing in someone to re-inspect, he may come back to raise the price or pressure the factory directly. Gu Qinghe's contract has no exclusivity clause; if the factory sells to the highest bidder, her early investment could be lost. If {{user}} can provide a convincing condition report on site and help Gu Qinghe solidify her offer, the factory is more likely to recognize her. The conflict lies in the tight timeline, the previous buyer possibly causing disruption, and the dismantling crew demanding exorbitant prices.

Old weld seams on antiques aren't necessarily bad: they may be due to the craft limitations of the time, or repairs made later. Appraisal can point out the location and approximate age of the weld, but cannot tell who welded it. If {{user}} honestly states "there is an old repair, does not affect use," the buyer may press the price down; if concealed, the buyer may return the item and damage his reputation once discovered. Both Wei Debao and Sun Maocai believe that clearly explaining repair marks can actually fetch a higher price, because buyers are paying for clarity.

[Optional development, no deal closed or payment received yet; actual experience takes precedence] After being laid off, {{user}} has cash on hand for less than two months of living expenses, and rent is due next month. The first actual profit from the bronze paperweight was five thousand two hundred seventy. If he spends three thousand to rent Lin Wantang's display space and one thousand on tools and materials, the remaining thousand-plus is only enough to scrape by for one month. He needs to get a second income stream going soon, or else he'll have to take odd repair jobs or ask Gu Qinghe for an advance on appraisal fees. Money must actually arrive to count; verbal promises and "big shots' appreciation" can't pay the rent.

[Optional development; no deal closed or payment received yet; actual experience takes precedence] When Wei Debao introduced {{user}} to Mr. Zheng, he said: "For my customers, the first time I take you to meet them, the second time you go on your own." What this means is that on the first deal he must be present to take his cut; after that, {{user}} can deal directly with buyers, but may no longer use Wei Debao's name to drive down prices or to vouch for anything. If {{user}} breaks the rules, Wei Debao won't make a scene; he'll simply stop introducing customers to him, and will say one thing within the antique market circles: "This one doesn't play by the rules." The impact of that is greater than any argument.

Before Lin Wantang's father retired on medical grounds, he took on a batch of restoration commissions from private collectors. Two of them ran late because of his health, and he refunded the deposits and also covered the cost of materials out of pocket. The studio's accounts are not comfortable, and renting out the street-facing shopfront would give them some breathing room. Lin Wantang is unwilling to trade her father's reputation for quick money, and also unwilling to turn the studio into a pure sales floor. If {{user}} wants to rent the shopfront, she will ask him not to hang signs at the door like "Authentication Guaranteed" or anything else likely to cause trouble.

Zhou Tieshan is willing to teach {{user}} how to disassemble and reassemble old machine tools and how to repair metal parts, but on three conditions: he must not use the skills he is taught to age new pieces and pass them off as antiques to deceive people; before repairing anything, he must first explain clearly to Zhou where the item came from; and anyone using the lathe in the back yard of the shop must clean up the metal shavings themselves. He teaches slowly, first having {{user}} take something apart three times and put it back together three times, then explaining tolerances and fits. If {{user}} is willing to put in the effort, he can master the ability to independently repair simple metal parts—a genuine craft beyond appraising objects.

Qian Bingzhong has on-site records of the pump unit failure: downtime, the batch of replacement seals, and loss estimates. The records show that the failed seals are concentrated in the same procurement batch, which matches {{user}}'s inspection data. Qian Bingzhong is willing to show these to {{user}} so that Hengyuan will issue a formal explanation of the cause, not so that {{user}} can take them and stir up publicity. If {{user}} leaks the records to an unrelated party, Qian Bingzhong will shut the door immediately and tell the client internally that {{user}} cannot be trusted.

If {{user}} rents the street-facing half of Lin Wantang's studio, he can display the repaired bronze pieces, small stationery items, and inspection reports, and hang up a sign reading "Antique Restoration and Equipment Inspection." The rent is below market price, but it requires signing a one-year contract with one month's deposit and three months' rent paid upfront. A display space can bring in walk-in customers and consignment sales, but it also means fixed overhead and time spent minding the shop. If he chooses not to rent, he can first borrow a corner of Zhou Tieshan's shop to display samples; the cost is low, but the customer base is limited. Each path has its gains and losses, and there is no forced choice between the two.

The paperweights’ earlier provenance is available to investigate: the stall owner acquired them as scrap copper from an elderly person moving house in the west of the city, whose clue is that a parent worked at the old Jiangzhou copper works and kept the pair as a memento. In the first chapter the stall owner does not know these details; the protagonist must investigate through actual encounters. Whether the elderly person is willing to remember and whether records are complete depend on those encounters. Restoration may be discussed with Zhou Tieshan, testing with Lin Wantang, and consignment with Wei Debao; no repair, report, buyer or receipt exists until it actually happens.

In the Jiangzhou Antique Market there are true experts with real skill, and there are "experts" who live off certificates and titles. A true expert examines the actual object, asks about its provenance, and dares to admit a misjudgment; a fake expert loves jargon, loves issuing certificates, and blames the instruments when things go wrong. If {{user}}'s appraisal conflicts with a fake expert's certificate, the other party may publicly question him as a "wild amateur." Wei Debao advises him to first seek third-party confirmation from Sun Maocai or Lin Wantang, and not to argue with people in the antique market hall. The recognition of a true expert is worth more than ten certificates.

{{user}} can take the antiques and old-goods path, making margins through his eye for value and restoration; he can take the equipment recycling path, taking whole batches of goods through after-sales technical skill and Gu Qinghe's channels; or he can take the appraisal services path, providing testing and consulting to collectors, small companies, and secondhand dealers. The three paths can intersect, but each requires different resources: antiques need an eye and a reputation, equipment needs skill and capital, and services need reports and client trust. He can change direction at any time, and the relationships and accounts that have already occurred will not disappear.

[Optional development, no deal closed or payment received yet; actual experiences take priority] In the first week after {{user}} was laid off, Hengyuan had not yet issued the formal separation certificate, and Zhao Guangkun told him to "sign the liability statement first, then handle the paperwork." By day he visits the old-goods market and repair shops, by night he revises his résumé, and he takes two scattered repair consultation calls, not daring to quote high prices. His mother asks one extra question every day: "Any news today?" This week his biggest gain is the copper paperweight and Wei Debao's channels; his biggest pressure is next month's rent and that unsigned liability statement.

Author's draft: The opening paperweight is a commemorative piece from a 1962 craft trial production at the Jiangzhou Old Copper Factory; the small factory mark underneath consists of three interlocking rings, not an imperial reign mark. It was initially worth only a few thousand as a small craft item. If later the matching bronze ink box, design papers, and factory photos kept by workers are found, it would form a complete set of materials with industrial-history value, possibly fetching a collector's offer of around fifty thousand or a lower museum acquisition price. The ink box is at the home of an old colleague of Zhou Tieshan; the elderly man treasures his father's belongings and is willing to lend it for exhibition but not to sell. The design papers are among the attachments to Sun Maocai's private notes and require his personal permission to consult. The photo has the shooting date and the names of the trial production team on the back, allowing cross-verification. {{user}} can sell just the repaired paperweight for his first sum and need not be locked into collecting the whole set; he can also propose to the elderly man a joint loan exhibition, a split from selling reproduction crafts, or simply doing archival organization for a labor fee. The protagonist owning one item does not mean he has bought the story of the elderly man's whole family; appraisal can see craftsmanship but cannot see the life behind the photo. The first sale and the larger opportunities afterward stand independently; he does not retroactively reclaim money already received because a complete-set value is later discovered.

The printing factory gives Gu Qinghe a disposal commission covering twenty-seven pieces of equipment. If the servo motors and main bearings on three imported machines are in good condition, selling them separately is expected to fetch eighty to one hundred twenty thousand more than a scrap-iron quote for the whole line—but the machines must be powered on and tested, replacement part numbers checked, and a buyer with demand for those models found. {{user}} can first negotiate a fixed appraisal fee of three thousand yuan, collect it upon completing the inventory, and need not advance over a hundred thousand to buy the whole factory. Alternatively, {{user}} can give up part of the fixed fee in exchange for a share of the net profit from that portion. Gu Qinghe's own costs for dismantling, transport, storage, and buyer warranty must be listed clearly first; after the deal closes, newly invented expenses must not wipe out what the protagonist earns. Old Qi, the factory electrician, knows why two machines shut down and wants time to retrieve his own tools before dismantling; he is not someone who only speaks for money. The previous buyer, Guo Shenkai, really does have channels; upon learning high-value parts can be removed, he will offer to buy the whole lot for cash—low price but quick repayment. The protagonist decides who is more suitable; there does not have to be a foolish rich man who buys in at a high price. If the profit-share option is chosen and a sale actually goes through, the proceeds can reach ten to twenty thousand yuan—enough to buy one's own tools and leave several months of living margin, with the decision to expand the business coming later.

The Jiangzhou antiquities exchange has a free appreciation table with a fifty-yuan entry fee; owners voluntarily let people examine their pieces. A certain bronze incense burner priced at thirty thousand has an old body, newly paired handles and feet, and a recut base mark. Appraisal can point out the material and layers of damage in sequence, but cannot by itself reveal who made the alterations. An invited appraiser surnamed Gu has genuine eye; he earlier agreed to issue a report based on photos alone. On site, realizing the problem, he will try to smooth over his words—he fears public humiliation above all and may invite {{user}} to talk privately. The protagonist can publicly raise small verifiable points, ask Lin Wantang to independently test, merely advise his own client not to buy, or stay out of the argument. His income can come from a client willing to pay a two-thousand-yuan consultation fee and new commissions; he need not drive every person who misjudged to their knees. If the protagonist overtrusts his ability and presents local craft features as a precise dating, Sun Maocai will point out insufficient evidence; correcting the judgment can preserve credibility, while choosing to cover it up may reduce future cooperation. The advantage of true skill is finding the key problem earlier, not never saying a wrong word.

After the protagonist's first sales income, recovered bonus, or appraisal wages arrive, he can truly pause. Replacing his mother's scale that always leaks oil, eating at a small restaurant without looking at prices, or swapping the rented room's desk lamp for a brighter one all change his life without triggering a quest to immediately repay someone a new debt. Zhou Tieshan is willing to give up a workbench in his back yard for three hundred yuan a month, on condition that passageways and work safety are maintained; Lin Wantang's street-facing display space is a separate negotiation—more expensive but able to receive collectors—and he is not forced to pay a year's rent upfront. The protagonist can assemble common tools for two thousand yuan, start with repair and appraisal services, and register his own storefront once cash flow stabilizes; even without going into antiquities, there are equipment clients. If he asks former colleague He Zheng to help, He Zheng will want a clear daily wage, defined warranty responsibility, and permission to take small jobs himself; he refuses to replace current pay with future profit shares. Company growth will bring delivery and partner division of labor, not another daily scramble to pick the first pot of gold from a garbage heap. Gratitude in relationships can be shown through a meal, an honest confession, or respecting the other's decision; not every cooperation must be pushed into ambiguity.

In the first chapter the seller said the copper paperweights were already a pair when acquired. He had noticed damage on the bottom but did not know who repaired it, and had no box or note. He quoted eighty yuan for both and would not sell one separately; the protagonist asked about their origins and bought them, but did not thereby learn the factory name, age, reason for repair or value. Touch reveals wear and repairs, not documents or the truth of a transaction. Zhou Tieshan can examine workmanship, Lin Wantang may be approached for testing and Wei Debao for negotiation or consignment; each has their own concerns about objects, risk and pay. Investigation may follow what the seller is willing to say, the factory mark, comparisons or tests; questions do not guarantee answers. Value, buyers and income depend on actual events, and keeping or not repairing the pair remains possible.