Chapter 355 Can I Put It on Tab?

• “Mr. King, what do you think of this?” Sun Mingen didn’t bother with pleasantries. He dragged Damon King aside and pointed at the blue-and-white plum vase. “It’s a fine piece, no doubt,” Damon said, face calm. “Isn’t this blue-and-white porcelain practically perfect?” A voice cut in, stopping their talk. Both turned and saw it was Tao Xiaoyan. Damon glanced at the middle‑aged woman with Tao Xiaoyan. The woman was still studying the vase, so he said, “Blue‑and‑white porcelain is valuable, sure. But sometimes the real worth isn’t in how it looks.” “Damon, you’re sharp as ever,” Tao Xiaoyan said with a playful blink. “Aunt Liu said the same thing.” Damon ignored her and focused on the space behind the folding screen. The screen was solid, but he could hear faint breathing behind it and catch the lightest hint of fragrance. A woman back there? The thought came and stuck, though he couldn’t be sure. After everyone finished looking, they returned to their seats. This time, more people were interested in the plum vase—like the middle‑aged woman with Tao Xiaoyan, and Gu Zian; they were all clearly into it. Sun Chuancheng raised his hand too. Zhong Yishan, on the other hand, wasn’t interested. This round, Ping Yihong only checked the pieces he hadn’t seen before. After a brief consult with whoever was behind the screen, he announced the result. In the end, the plum vase went to Tao Xiaoyan’s side, traded for a seven‑aperture Linglong Taihu stone. The middle‑aged woman with Tao Xiaoyan looked pleased with that. Next, Ping Yihong kept bringing out treasures one by one. Whenever Damon was curious, he went up for a closer look. Zhong Yishan was keen on any pills, but he kept getting outmatched by others. In these trades, the mysterious host behind the screen didn’t seem out to squeeze people. The goal was to swap for something of equal value, not just grab whatever looked best. The secret meet wasn’t like a typical auction with bids. The person behind the screen decided every deal. Piece by piece, deals were struck—some folks grinned, some sulked. Take the father and son, Sun Chuancheng and Sun Mingen: they were thrilled. Besides losing out on the first item, they later swapped their jade seal and jade mountain for a painting and a sandalwood bracelet. The bracelet had a smooth, rich sheen, with finely carved immortals all around it. Plenty wanted it, but Sun Mingen managed to land the trade. Gu Zian’s side, though, only scored one item. “Thank you all for being such sports. Today’s appreciation meet is winding down,” Ping Yihong said, scanning the room. “We have three final pieces. After these three, you can trade among yourselves.” He clapped, and a maid brought something forward. Everyone leaned in, eyes sharp. Usually, the final items are the crown jewels. This secret Serpent Club was no different—except this time, what the maid carried made everyone blink. A potted plant. Ping Yihong still didn’t explain. He simply signaled for everyone to come up, look, and decide if they wanted to trade. “Is this a tea tree?” The pair of middle‑aged professors looked it over, sounding unsure. “The flowerpot—let me see—Qianlong famille‑rose?” Quite a few people gasped. They crouched to inspect the pot. The soil sat in a pot bursting with color and charm—clearly famille‑rose porcelain. True famille‑rose is no small thing—maybe not as famous as blue‑and‑white, but still highly prized. And here, a large famille‑rose piece was just… holding dirt? So the crowd’s attention swung back to the tea itself. “What kind of tea is this? The fragrance is thick, soothing as hell!” “If the tea uses famille‑rose as a planter, does it outclass the pot?” “Standing by this tea tree feels amazing!” “Mr. Ping, care to give us a hint?” Ping Yihong only smiled and stayed quiet. Zhong Yishan looked, then returned to his seat, but his gaze kept drifting back. “Mr. King, that tea tree isn’t ordinary,” he murmured. “I bet it’s super rare—already carrying spirit.” He’d roamed far and wide hunting herbs and knew his stuff. Damon nodded. He already had a guess, but kept it to himself. Over there, Ping Yihong answered nothing. After everyone sat down, he asked who wanted to trade. Almost every seat raised a hand. Ping Yihong glanced around, listened by the screen for a moment, then had the maid carry the tea tree to Damon and Zhong Yishan. Under a wave of envy and amazement, Ping Yihong traded away Zhong Yishan’s medicine cauldron. Many people clicked their tongues in regret. No one knew exactly what tea from this tree might do, but everyone felt it had to be special. The Serpent Club had run plenty of times. No one had ever heard of someone getting burned here. Zhong Yishan was over the moon. “Mr. King, we really lucked out today.” Damon smiled. “You came prepared.” “If you hadn’t backed me up, Mr. King, I couldn’t have steeled myself to put up my ancestral cauldron and herb knife,” Zhong said. Then, looking apologetic, he added, “These last two items I’ve got are probably useless. If you don’t mind, let me study this tea tree first—then I’ll hand it over to you!” Damon said evenly, “Keep it. If you figure it out, send me the tea later. That’s enough.” “Deal!” Zhong didn’t fuss. “Everything this tea tree produces is yours. I’m just the caretaker.” While they spoke, Ping Yihong clapped again. Another maid set a treasure on the stand—an elegant long‑neck jade ewer. The craft was exquisite, the lines graceful. Two characters were carved on the body: “Ever‑Spring.” Still, on the surface, nothing stood out. Even so, everyone scrambled to trade for it. Since Ping Yihong never explained the exact use or value, every swap came down to choice—and a sharp eye. Damon took a look and felt a flicker of real awe. These things were like the medical balms he’d once gifted to Chen Xing’er—nice to have, not essential for him, but undeniably special. To be precise, each carried a faint, unusual aura—a touch of spirit. Worldly treasures, no matter how rare, are just worldly. But what the Serpent Club’s host offered were all in this other category: items with a hint of spirit. Zhong figured his last two antiques weren’t worth showing and stayed quiet. This time, though, Damon suddenly raised his hand. With only two items left, he figured he should make a move and test the waters. Ping Yihong looked his way and smiled. “Mr. King, the two treasures by your side aren’t nearly enough for a trade.” Damon grinned. “Can I put it on tab?”