Chapter 37: Clearly Someone Wealthy

Director Guan’s pivot was a bit too abrupt, wasn't it?

As Lin Sicheng was still searching for the right words, Hao Jun emerged from the jade shop, cradling a box.

"What were you two chatting about?"

Guan Xingmin replied with a straight face, "Just idle chatter. I was asking him about his postgraduate entrance exams!"

*Guard against fire, theft, and brothers.* Rongbaozhai was a legitimate state-owned enterprise, but its greatest asset was its high degree of flexibility. Take Hao Jun, for example: as long as he steered clear of the company’s core business categories, he could make a million a day without anyone batting an eye. Unlike himself—where even picking up a "Yuan Shikai" silver dollar at the East Gate required filing a report.

With that in mind, Lin Sicheng would have to be out of his mind to go to the Municipal Bureau just because Hao Jun suggested it.

Changing the subject, he asked, "You got the Buddhist prayer beads? How much did they cost?"

"Ninety-six thousand—a total steal!" Hao Jun beamed. "Come on, let’s head to Tang Le Gong (a high-end restaurant in Xijing)!"

He paused, winked at Lin Sicheng, and added, "After dinner, let’s go to a 'Scenery Room' (a high-end club in Xijing). Your senior brother will teach you a thing or two!"

Guan Xingmin sneered and pulled out his phone. "Go on, say that again. Let Professor Lin hear it too."

"Come on... just because you aren't going doesn't mean you have to stop Lin Sicheng from going, right?"

Nonsense. Once Lin Sicheng graduated, he was supposed to join the Municipal Bureau. That was still just a notion in his head, but what if? He knew Hao Jun was just running his mouth, but what if the bastard got drunk one day, and Lin Sicheng did too? If the two of them got a sudden urge to go...

He couldn't even let them have the idea.

"It’s fine. I’ll go later, leading the team!" Guan Xingmin nodded. "It’ll be a good way to earn some merit!"

Hao Jun chuckled. That wasn't how you set someone up; in truth, he had never been there himself. As for offering to split the cost, he knew Lin Sicheng wouldn't accept it. But even if he didn't take the money, the gratitude had to be expressed. He threw an arm around Lin Sicheng’s shoulder. "Don't worry, Senior Brother will take you secretly when Old Guan doesn't know!"

Lin Sicheng laughed. "Forget the 'Scenery Room.' Tang Le Gong is just fine."

Guan Xingmin shook his head. "That place is only good for the dancing. The food is nothing special. Better to go to the Xi'an Restaurant (a designated reception venue for the provincial government)!"

"Director Guan, we're going to a restaurant, not the Provincial Department!"

Guan Xingmin nodded. "True. If we run into the leadership, we'd have to salute... Tang Le Gong it is!"

The three of them chatted and laughed as they crossed Xicang West Lane and reached North Back Lane. As soon as they entered the alley, Hao Jun started sneezing. "This godforsaken place is such a mess—can't they manage it at all?"

It was indeed chaotic. Birdcages hung all over the walls, dog cages lined the street, and the smell was exactly what you’d expect. It wasn't just the stench; it was the noise, with cats and dogs darting out every few seconds. Even though it was a bird and flower market, it was in the city center—why did it have to look like a livestock farm?

"If you know it's a mess, why did you park here?"

"If there were any other place to park, do you think I'd park here?"

Before he could finish his sentence, Hao Jun’s eyes widened. "Holy crap... that dog is huge!"

Lin Sicheng and Guan Xingmin were stunned. A Golden Retriever, the size of a young calf, had bolted out of a doorway and was charging straight at them. Hao Jun stood frozen, as if petrified by fear. Guan Xingmin squatted down, scanning the ground for something to use as a weapon. But there was no time; by the time he found something, the dog would be on them.

Lin Sicheng shifted his weight, preparing to kick the dog, but before he could lift his foot, the beast was already upon them. Seeing him blocking the path, the dog’s jaws slackened, and a basin clattered to the ground. Then, with a snarl and a violent shake of its head, it lunged.

Lin Sicheng dodged sharply, but with a tearing sound, half of his pant leg was shredded in the dog’s maw. As it prepared for a second bite, Lin Sicheng moved with lightning speed, pinning the dog’s head down and locking its waist between his legs.

The Golden Retriever struggled, thrashing about. It was surprisingly strong.

Hao Jun’s face turned pale. "Old Guan, quick... pull your gun!"

*Pull my what?* He would have liked to, but he had to actually have one! Guan Xingmin had a sudden flash of inspiration and unbuckled his leather belt. "Lin Sicheng, hold it tight..."

Approaching them, he sighed with relief. "Good thing you dodged fast!" Fortunately, it hadn't bitten him; it had just torn off half his pants.

Only then did a voice drift from the doorway: "Here, here, here... Big Gold, don't run!"

A woman rushed out, wearing an apron and a face mask, holding a long-handled spoon. Lin Sicheng guessed it immediately: the Golden Retriever had slipped out of its cage while the woman was adding food.

The woman ran over, took one look, and her eyes went wide: *Did it bite someone?* And more importantly, these three didn't look like ordinary people. She panicked. "No... why did you grab it?"

Lin Sicheng was speechless. *If I hadn't grabbed it, Guan Xingmin behind me would have taken a bite.* It was a Golden Retriever, alright, but this was a stud dog—as fierce as a wolf. If you blocked its path, it would bite you just because you were in the way. And since Guan Xingmin was half-crouched, it might have gone straight for his throat.

Just as he was about to speak, the dog began to thrash violently. Frustrated by being restrained, its whip-like tail lashed out, slamming against the dog bowl beneath it with a loud clang. It was a small enamel basin, incredibly dirty, covered in grime, with only the bottom visible. It featured a brightly colored painting: a circle of green leaves—like watercress—and two three-tailed goldfish in the center.

It was battered, the edges dented and chipped, with large patches of enamel missing from the bottom. Especially the fish tails: black with a hint of purple, purple with a hint of red.

Lin Sicheng had only glanced at it, but he looked back, suddenly stunned. Enamel was iron coated with porcelain; even if the porcelain wore off, it should only show black iron. How could it show purple and red? He looked again, his pupils constricting slightly. The areas where the enamel had chipped away didn't look like iron; they looked like... copper?

More importantly, the two goldfish and the ring of leaves were raised, as if they had been fashioned from metal wire... *Wait... cloisonné?*

That was unlikely, wasn't it? How could this be anything but a dog bowl?

With a sudden thought, Lin Sicheng tapped the dog’s rump and gave the bowl a flick. *Clang.* The dog bowl flipped over, the sound sharp and crisp.

Despite the dirt, grime, and whatever black-and-yellow filth covered the bottom of the bowl, a small, faint seal mark was visible.

*What kind of luck is this?*

As he stood there, secretly astonished, the woman muttered, "You got bitten, so what? It's your fault for grabbing it!"

Hao Jun covered his nose and pointed at her. "You say it doesn't matter? Whose dog is this?"

"It's mine, but if you hadn't blocked the road, it wouldn't have run out, and it wouldn't have bitten anyone!"

Hao Jun was so angry he laughed. "Is the road yours, too?"

The woman rolled her eyes, ready to argue, but Lin Sicheng waved his hand. "Has the dog had its shots?"

"Of course it has. This is a stud dog!"

That was good enough. Lin Sicheng nodded and pointed at the Golden Retriever. "Is it for sale?"

What?

Hao Jun froze. Guan Xingmin froze. The woman froze, too. *It bit you, and now you’ve formed an emotional attachment?*

The woman hesitated. "But this is a stud dog..."

Lin Sicheng patted the dog’s head. "A stud dog is still a dog. Just tell me how much!"

The woman thought for a moment, then glanced at the Audi car keys in Hao Jun’s hand. "Two thousand!"

"Is your dog inlaid with gold..." Hao Jun had only shouted half a sentence before Guan Xingmin glared at him.

Lin Sicheng had already taken out his wallet. "Go get a leash and a muzzle."

The woman beamed. *Just as I thought... these three are definitely rich.*