"I'm really jealous of Lin Xiao. He achieved financial freedom in just two days!"
"He makes it look so easy, I'm starting to think even I could do it."
"Lin Xiao's probably sparked an industry trend now."
"Those stall owners must have made quite a profit."
"Forget about the birdcage, Lin Xiao. With that time, you might find even more valuable treasures."
Lin Xiao leisurely carried the birdcage as he headed toward Antique Street.
Not long after, Xu Rushan called him.
"Mr. Xu, what's the news?"
"You remember Mr. Qian, right? He was the one who authenticated the Yuan Shikai silver coin yesterday—Qian He!"
"Yes, I remember."
"He's currently at the market. Where shall we meet?"
"How about...Zhuangyuan Restaurant again?"
"Alright, you head there first and text me the room number."
After confirming the meeting location, Lin Xiao quickly arrived at Zhuangyuan Restaurant, entered a private room, and sent the number to Xu Rushan.
Just as he was about to put his phone away, it rang again.
Lin Xiao saw it was Chen Wanli calling.
"Mr. Chen..."
"Xiao Lin, I heard from Xu Rushan that you bought a Qing Dynasty birdcage?"
"Yes, but I'm not entirely sure, so I'm having Mr. Xu find an expert to authenticate it."
"Old Xu told me about it. Your instincts have always been reliable, so if you say it's from the Qing Dynasty, it probably is. To be honest, I'm not that interested in Qing antiques, but my father loves birds. If it's genuine, I'll buy it. Don't worry, I'll call Mr. Wei to appraise it, and you'll get a fair price."
Without waiting for Lin Xiao's reply, Chen Wanli hung up and immediately contacted Wei Cheng.
Lin Xiao smiled, amused by Chen Wanli's wide range of interests.
He wondered how Chen would react if he knew this birdcage was worth millions.
"Is Lin Xiao already contacting a buyer?"
"How much could a shabby birdcage possibly be worth?"
"Where's our antique expert? Tell us, what's this cage worth?"
"Honestly, I've never dealt with birdcages. It's too uncommon."
Some viewers were curious, but overall interest remained moderate.
Lin Xiao called out, "Waiter, please come here."
"Yes, sir, how may I help you?"
Lin Xiao instructed, "Could you please prepare some items for me—a wool brush, tweezers, and some clean water?"
"Certainly, sir."
The birdcage was rusty and needed cleaning.
Birdcages like this, hung outside for long periods, could usually be cleaned easily with water.
After cleaning, applying some clear oil would help preserve it.
Although Lin Xiao had never done this before, he had the necessary knowledge.
Soon, the waiter returned with the supplies.
Lin Xiao used the wool brush to thoroughly clean the cage, then carefully removed debris with tweezers.
After brushing away dust and debris, he wiped the cage with water and a towel.
"Even a shabby birdcage deserves Lin Xiao's personal attention!"
"This cage better be worth millions for all this care he's giving it!"
"Only a phoenix would match the status of this cage!"
Lin Xiao ignored the playful banter from the viewers, concentrating on his task.
About twenty minutes later, the cage was fully cleaned.
Now, compared to its original state, the cage had completely transformed.
Initially, the cage was rusty and lifeless.
But now, after thorough cleaning, it revealed a base of beautiful sky-blue cloisonné, exuding elegance.
The oval cage door was exquisitely crafted, decorated with cloisonné and intricate openwork, surrounded by delicate blue and green floral patterns. At the center, two vibrant parrots perched among blooming flowers, appearing lively and vivid.
The gilded copper bars shone faintly, adding to its impressive appearance.
Lin Xiao stepped aside, revealing the cage to his viewers.
When the viewers saw the cleaned birdcage, they were stunned.
"Wait...is this the same birdcage?"
"Whoa, why does this cage suddenly look so stylish?!"
"It instantly went from a countryside girl to an international supermodel!"
"Is this really the cage we saw earlier? Aside from its shape, it's completely different!"
"Cleaning it truly skyrocketed its value!"