Chapter One: A Death Date for Twenty Yuan

A scene entered his mind: three days from now, a bespectacled young man paid six thousand for the bowl; a week later he smashed it in the shop, having learned it came from a factory batch fired last month. In the vision, red paint stained the foot. In the present, it was clean. Shen Yan released it. “Tea residue mixed with glue on the foot. Hydrofluoric acid used to age the glaze. If you want to sell, I'll call the police and ask them to inspect the other three bowls in your briefcase.” The man's face changed. He snatched the bowl and ran. Luo studied Shen Yan. “When did you learn to recognize acid-aged glaze?” “Just now. What is this watch?” Luo retreated into the back room. Before locking it, he said, “Don't touch another old object tonight.”