Chapter 58 Connections

Chu Nan was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, then let out a light chuckle. "Oh? A big shot? And someone who likes collecting imperial antiques? Sounds quite interesting. But boss, aren't you overestimating me a bit?"

The shopkeeper smiled mysteriously. "Mr. Chu, please don't be so modest. You never hesitate to spend money on your orders, and you always request special supplies. How could you possibly be an ordinary person?"

"My friend has very high standards, but I told him you are completely reliable. He's quite interested in you and wants to meet."

Chu Nan touched his chin thoughtfully. "Meeting isn't really a problem. However, let's get one thing straight first: I don't have any imperial antiques here, so don't be disappointed for nothing when the time comes."

"Oh, that's totally fine!" the shopkeeper quickly said. "Just having a chat with him will do. What do you say, is tomorrow morning okay?"

"Should I pick a place where we can all get together?"

Chu Nan thought about it and decided it wasn't too much trouble, so he nodded in agreement. "Alright, tomorrow morning then. But just to be clear, if he isn't satisfied, don't blame me."

After hanging up, Chu Nan placed his coffee cup on the table, a playful smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "A big shot who collects imperial antiques?"

"Hh, sounds pretty interesting. It won't hurt to make the trip; maybe I'll even gain something from it."

The next morning, following the address provided by the shopkeeper, Chu Nan arrived at a high-end private club.

The place was extravagantly and luxuriously decorated, with security guards in crisp suits maintaining order at the entrance.

Dressed in simple casual wear, Chu Nan stood out in sharp contrast to the suited guests coming and going.

Yet his expression remained calm, completely unbothered by the curious and unusual glances cast his way.

As soon as he entered the club, the shopkeeper hurried over, beaming with smiles. "Mr. Chu, you're here! Right this way, please."

Chu Nan gave a casual nod and followed the shopkeeper into a spacious private room.

Several people were already seated inside, the most prominent being a slightly plump middle-aged man dressed in a silk Tang suit.

His face was oily, and he was holding an antique-looking teacup, lowering his head to examine it closely.

There were also three or four middle-aged men in the room who looked like collectors. In front of them sat several antique boxes as they tried to pitch their "treasures" to the chubby man.

However, the chubby man looked thoroughly impatient, waving his hand dismissively. "Do you people actually dare to bring things like this for me to see? The glaze on this broken porcelain vase has flaws—anyone can tell it's a fake!"

"And this bronze tripod of yours, it's rusted just like a broken iron pot! What a complete waste of my time."

The collectors exchanged awkward glances, clearly humiliated and put on the spot by the chubby man.

Just then, the chubby man's gaze fell upon Chu Nan, who had just walked through the door, and his brows furrowed slightly.

"Shopkeeper, is this the expert you mentioned who can get imperial antiques?"

The chubby man looked Chu Nan up and down, his tone carrying unmistakable disdain. "Dressed so casually and didn't even bring anything along—are you here just to cause trouble?"

Hearing this, Chu Nan raised an eyebrow slightly.

Instead of showing any displeasure, he simply smiled. "I'm just an errand boy delivering goods; how could I ever dare to call myself an expert? The shopkeeper was far too generous with his praise."

The chubby man let out a cold snort. "If that's the case, why are you even here?"

"I am only interested in truly good things. If you don't have any real skill, don't waste my time."

Seeing that the atmosphere was becoming awkward, the shopkeeper quickly stepped in to smooth things over. "Ah, Director Li, please don't be impatient."

"Even though Mr. Chu is dressed modestly, I guarantee he has connections. Have a chat with him; you might just be surprised."

Chu Nan casually pulled out a chair, sat down, and smiled. "Director Li truly has a discerning eye; you could tell right away that I wouldn't be able to pull out any rare items. Still, since I'm already here, we might as well chat for a bit—consider it a chance to broaden my horizons."

Hearing him speak this way, the contempt on the chubby man's face grew even stronger. "Broaden your horizons? Hh, any single item of mine here is enough to broaden your horizons for a lifetime."

As he spoke, he pointed casually at a blue-and-white porcelain vase on the table, his tone arrogant. "Do you know how much this blue-and-white porcelain vase is worth? It's an official kiln piece from the Ming Dynasty, worth at least eight figures at an auction house."

"An ordinary person like you probably couldn't even touch one in a lifetime, right?"

Chu Nan lazily glanced at the vase and smiled. "It certainly is expensive. However, no matter how expensive an item is, ultimately it comes down to whether it can actually be put to use."

"If I were to buy a vase like this and take it back to my little shop to hold vinegar, wouldn't that be an utter waste of a precious treasure?"

As soon as these words fell, the private room instantly went silent, and several of the collectors couldn't help but chuckle softly.

The chubby man's expression turned somewhat ugly as he let out a cold huff. "If you don't understand, don't talk nonsense and make a fool of yourself!"

Unbothered, Chu Nan stood up, dusted off his clothes, and said indifferently, "Well then, I won't stay any longer."

"I'll consider today an eye-opener. If there's another chance in the future, I'll ask Director Li for guidance again."

He turned and walked toward the door, leaving the chubby man so angry that his mustache twitched.

Although the collectors didn't dare to laugh openly, they couldn't help whispering among themselves, showing considerable dissatisfaction with the chubby man's attitude.

Leaving the club, Chu Nan returned to his modern home and changed into loose, comfortable clothes.

Lying comfortably on the sofa, he glanced at the piles of grain and supplies stacked high in the corner and suddenly felt his shoulders grow heavy again.

"I really am just running myself ragged doing chores for others," Chu Nan sighed, standing up and rolling up his sleeves to get to work.

He carried sacks of rice and flour one by one over to the cross-dimensional passage by the bathroom door, letting out a heavy breath after hauling each bag.

Modern rice bags weighed a solid fifty pounds each, and after carrying them trip after trip, sweat quickly soaked through his back.

Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Chu Nan muttered to himself, "I really should get a conveyor belt; this kind of work is truly thankless."

Once all the supplies were neatly organized, Chu Nan surveyed the grain and provisions that now filled an entire wall.

After checking the quantities of beans, dried vegetables, and compressed biscuits one last time to ensure everything was correct, he finally straightened up while massaging his aching lower back.

"There, that should be enough to keep those poor fellows in the northern border going for two months."

Clapping his hands together with a sense of accomplishment, he pushed open the bathroom door, and the familiar glowing light of traversal enveloped him once more.

Returning to the ancient world, Chu Nan stood lightheartedly in the back courtyard of his shop, feeling an even greater sense of satisfaction as he looked at the neatly arranged boxes before him.

He raised his head to gaze at the darkening sky, and muttered to himself, "The provisions are all prepared; now we just wait for the official to come collect them."

"Though, going by the official's efficiency, she should be arriving tonight."

Just as expected, as soon as night fell, the brisk sound of footsteps echoed from the mouth of the alley.

Chu Nan was sitting comfortably in a rocking chair in the courtyard, swaying back and forth, and didn't even turn his head when he heard the movement, speaking lazily, "Lady Official, you really are punctual."