Zhuo Yu Feng Yang Chapter 3

Chapter 3 Setting Up Shop and Laying the Groundwork

Clutching the nineteen thousand in cash as he walked out of Debao Xuan, Jiang Zhuo didn’t rush to the bank to deposit it like last time, nor did he feel like buying new clothes. He walked slowly along the bluestone path of Antique Street, his steps steady, his gaze sweeping over the dense rows of shops on both sides—some bustling with customers, others deserted. He silently noted the signage, foot traffic, and main categories of goods for every store.

He knew clearly that picking up overlooked treasures as an itinerant vendor was a short-term operation. To gain a firm foothold in the antique circle, he needed a fixed base of operations.

Midway down the street, Jiang Zhuo stopped.

A shop with a sign reading “Xianyun Zhai” had its rolling shutter mostly pulled down, and a yellowed “For Sublease” notice was taped to the door. The location wasn’t the absolute best, but it was quiet, not far from Debao Xuan, and the clientele were mostly knowledgeable regulars. Moreover, the area was small, so the rent shouldn’t be too high.

Jiang Zhuo dialed the number on the notice. The person who answered was a middle-aged man with a hurried tone. Upon hearing it was about the sublease, he quickly agreed to meet on the spot.

Half an hour later, the rolling shutter of Xianyun Zhai was fully raised. The shop’s previous owner, Boss Li, was a small-time dealer desperate to offload the place. He had lost money gambling on jade and needed to cash out quickly to pay debts, even offering to include the shelves and counters inside the shop.

“The monthly rent is five thousand, one month’s deposit and three months’ rent upfront, and the transfer fee is twenty-two thousand,” Boss Li rubbed his hands, his eyes shifty. “This location isn’t bad, right next to Debao Xuan, lots of old customers. If I weren’t in urgent need of money, I wouldn’t bear to transfer it.”

Jiang Zhuo didn’t respond. He simply walked slowly into the shop, his fingertips lightly tracing the dust-covered shelves. He observed carefully, not just the layout of the shop, but also the main business of the neighboring stores—the one on the left was a calligraphy and painting mounting shop, and the one on the right was a jade shop, which would complement his potential customer base. The rent Boss Li quoted wasn’t overly inflated for the area, but Jiang Zhuo had leverage to negotiate the price down.

“Too expensive,” Jiang Zhuo finally spoke, his tone flat and emotionless. “The wiring in this shop is old, the plaster is cracked, and last month the jade shop next door had a theft, reducing foot traffic by more than thirty percent. I’ll offer fifteen thousand for the transfer fee, four thousand for the monthly rent, and one month’s deposit and one month’s rent upfront. Otherwise, the deal is off.”

Boss Li’s face changed. He was about to argue, “Fifteen thousand for the transfer fee isn’t enough to cover my costs…”

Jiang Zhuo cut him off before he finished: “Boss Li, this shop has been listed for half a month without being transferred. You know the market better than I do. There are quite a few empty shops on Antique Street right now. The one at the end of the street is ten square meters larger than yours, and the transfer fee is only twelve thousand. If I wait a little longer, I might find an even cheaper deal.”

He paused, then added a cutting remark: “Besides, you’re in a hurry for cash.”

Boss Li’s face instantly went pale. He owed money to loan sharks, and the debt collectors were blocking his door every day. He couldn’t afford to wait.

Jiang Zhuo saw the look on his face and knew exactly what was going on, but he remained outwardly calm, quietly waiting for the other party to concede.

Sure enough, Boss Li was silent for a few minutes, then stomped his foot hard. “Fine! Fifteen thousand for the transfer fee it is! But the monthly rent is four thousand two hundred, I can’t go any lower! You have to sign the contract and pay the deposit today!”

“Agreed.” Jiang Zhuo nodded, pulling two thousand yuan in cash from his pocket. “Two thousand deposit. Once the contract is drafted, and I verify the property deed and sublease authorization, I’ll pay the remaining balance.”

He was meticulous in his dealings, leaving no room for the other party to play tricks. Boss Li, desperate to sell, readily agreed.

While signing the contract, Boss Li couldn’t help but be curious: “Young man, you look young, but you handle things very steadily. Are you also in the antique business?”

Jiang Zhuo was looking at the photocopy of the property deed, not lifting his head: “Just starting out, learning the ropes.”

Boss Li sighed: “This business is deep water. Young man, you need to be extra careful.”

Jiang Zhuo merely twitched the corner of his mouth and said nothing.

Careful? That was the one thing he was not lacking.

From witnessing the constant scheming in the Museum in his previous life, to relying on the System to proceed step-by-step in this life, he had long understood that the antique circle was never a place where one could survive on eyesight alone. It required seventy percent eyesight and thirty percent wits. Lacking either one would lead to a fall.

That afternoon, Xianyun Zhai changed hands. Including the deposit, Jiang Zhuo paid the transfer fee and the first month’s rent in one go, totaling nineteen thousand two hundred yuan, instantly draining his cash reserves.

He didn’t rush to renovate. He simply spent five hundred yuan to hire a cleaning crew to thoroughly scrub the shop. He then went to the flea market to buy a few solid wood benches and went to a print shop to make a simple sign—white background with black characters, only reading “Xianyun Zhai,” without even specifying the main categories of goods.

His plan was simple: open quietly first, rely on his eyesight to pick up small items, and once he accumulated enough reputation and capital, he would slowly expand.

While tidying up the shop, Wang Youde called.

“I heard you took over Xianyun Zhai?” Wang Youde’s voice held a hint of surprise.

Jiang Zhuo was wiping the counter, his movements uninterrupted: “Yes, just signed the contract.”

“You kid, you’re more composed than I thought,” Wang Youde chuckled. “Weren’t you planning on striking while the iron is hot, picking up leaks to make quick money?”

“Quick money doesn’t last long,” Jiang Zhuo said calmly. “The shop still needs some shelves. Boss Wang, if you have any spare ones, could you spare me a few? The price is negotiable.”

Wang Youde was stunned for a moment, then burst out laughing. “You kid, you certainly know how to take advantage. Fine, I have a few sets of old shelves in my warehouse. Come pick them up tomorrow. Consider it my housewarming gift.”

“Thanks,” Jiang Zhuo said his gratitude and hung up.

He knew that Wang Youde’s willingness to give him shelves wasn’t entirely based on friendship; it was more about valuing his eyesight—if he acquired something good in the future, Debao Xuan would naturally be the first place he thought of.

This was a win-win situation, and he was happy to accept it.

In the evening, the door of Xianyun Zhai was closed. Jiang Zhuo sat on a bench, watching the sunset gradually sink outside the window, fiddling with a Qing Dynasty copper coin he had just acquired.

His phone vibrated with a bank deposit notification—he had deposited the nineteen thousand from selling the ink paste box. After deducting the rent and transfer fee, he only had a few hundred yuan left as revolving funds in his account.

The lack of starting capital only made his gaze deepen.

The antique circle was like this copper coin, round on the outside and square on the inside. It looked smooth, but in reality, it was full of sharp edges. To survive here, one had to learn to be flexible in dealing with the world, and even more so, to guard the integrity within.

He didn’t just want to make money; he wanted to truly establish himself on this street, becoming a presence that others dared not underestimate.

As night deepened, Jiang Zhuo got up and locked the door.

The streetlights came on, stretching his shadow long. His steps were neither hurried nor slow; every step was steady.