66: Chapter 66 Flea Market 66: Chapter 66 Flea Market Allen Zhang rode his bike to the Green Door Laundry at Viggen Street and found the place quite bustling, with people coming and going all the time.
Two burly white men stood smoking at the entrance, inspecting the belongings of the people coming in and out and collecting a parking fee.
Next to it was a yard for parking vehicles and transportation, where they learned that no police would come to ticket the area, nor would there be incidents of bike theft.
If someone’s vehicle did go missing here, they would take responsibility to retrieve it or provide compensation.
Allen Zhang securely locked his bicycle in the parking area and paid the 2 US Dollar parking fee.
He walked into the backyard of the laundry.
The crowd was plentiful and very lively, with a colorful mix of people setting up stalls – blacks, whites, browns, and yellows alike.
You could see that the stalls were laid out with plenty of items like Valentino, Hermes, Gucci bags, men’s belts, leather shoes, and sneakers.
All stalls were run by people like Black, with verifiable sources, basically all genuine big brands!
There were also many antique-looking items, such as snuff bottles, porcelain, and jade artifacts.
Modern items, computers, televisions, PS5, microphones, pirated DVDs, skateboards, folding bikes, you name it!
Allen Zhang hiked around the market.
In the meantime, he took a liking to a jade pendant with a green double fish pattern at one of the stalls and asked the owner for the price.
The old white male stallholder immediately began a passionate introduction of the origin, “Oh, my dear customer, you can tell you know your stuff!
These were all purchased from the antique dealers in Chinatown!
This jade pendant with double fishes was Emperor Puyi’s favorite during the Qing Dynasty, which he gave to one of his concubines, Noble Lady Zhen Huan, on his eightieth birthday.
Not for 999 US Dollars, just 99 US Dollars, and you can take it!”
“…” Allen Zhang was rendered speechless after listening.
You’re pretty good at hustling, huh?
A pendant Puyi gave to Zhen Huan?
Did those two even meet?
Aren’t you aware there’s a whole generation gap between them?
He immediately gave him a speechless look.
Seeing this, the old white man quickly apologized, “Customer, you don’t one?
I’m so sorry; I have many other good items!
Take a look at this bronze artifact unearthed from the Shang and Zhou Dynasties!”
He pulls out a pig-headed bronze candle holder the size of a palm, resembling the pigs from the game Angry Birds.
So you intercepted the bronze artifacts unearthed from the Sanxingdui ruins?
“Look at this pig’s head, it’s definitely carved by a master sculptor, such a magnificent color, preserved for at least a few thousand years!
And it matches your temperament perfectly!!” the old white man advertised enthusiastically.
“Do I look like I have a pig’s head?” inquired Allen Zhang.
“sorry, customer, that’s not what I meant!”
“No need to be sorry!
It’s not about you offending me; it’s about you looking down on me!”
Allen Zhang immediately cursed: “I know a thing or two as well, some holy relics from the Shang and Zhou periods?
I think they’re more likely from last week!
Real bronze artifacts would only be in museums; there’s no way they’d end up here.”
Stuff from Chinatown, could there be anything good there?
The old white man also got angry, quickly taking back his last week unearthed pig’s head bronze artifact, and spoke in a thick regional dialect, “Fuck!
Then why didn’t you say it earlier, I thought you were some Southeast Asian who doesn’t understand the market!”
“You speak Chinese?” Allen Zhang asked incredulously, with a Northeastern Chinese accent?
“Nonsense, I have studied in Asia, and our family is in the business of exporting antiques here, I’m telling you!
You, someone who knows the ropes, better not come here and mess with our business!” The stall owner immediately turned hostile.
Both were left speechlessly frustrated.
Turns out they were fishing for lawbreakers here.
Allen Zhang couldn’t care less about spoiling his farce and let him keep on scamming the foreigners and those naive newbies; he turned around to continue his stroll through the market.
In the end, he found that besides the goods sold by Old Black which were fairly reliable, everything else peddled by the whites, the yellows, and the browns were all knock-offs!
They’ve all turned rotten learning from Chinatown!
Allen Zhang now saw it clear that if you were to buy, you buy from Old Black!
At least he truly braved bullets and took the risk of a zero-dollar purchase with his life on his waistband.
A hot-selling Gucci Bag for just 40-80 US Dollars, a nearly new Apple phone for only 200 US Dollars.
These weren’t some poor-quality contraptions or fake Californian ceramics from a small Yiwu marketplace.
All genuine, no fooling kids or elders!
After walking around for a bit more, he precisely picked out an Old Black wearing a green vest, dreadlocks, sneakily sitting in a corner, taking things out of his backpack to set up his stall.
The Old Black, known as Little D, wasn’t much of a talker; he simply took some cards, scrawled a few strings of English words on them, and sat there exchanging stares with the customers.
A damaged front-hoof alpaca from Chinatown, sold for a low price of 45 US Dollars.
Stainless steel pocket watch for only 20 US Dollars.
Ink paper for 15 US Dollars.
Wait, isn’t this pocket watch made of platinum?
A William Eli platinum pocket watch from the Western Expansion era dating back to 1860.
Isn’t this alpaca made of ceramic?
Its authenticity as a Chinatown product is questionable; if it was stolen from a rich family’s home, there is at least a fifty percent chance it’s the real deal.
If it’s from an antique store, then it’s worthless.
Allen Zhang, looking at the characters for ‘Da Ming Tong Xing Bao Chao’, thought you’re really jocular!!
This Old Black surely doesn’t know the value of goods.
There were other miscellaneous items, coins, rings, necklaces, anything not mentioned in the daily intelligence, Allen Zhang completely ignored.
Pretending to just be passing by, he was attracted to the items on the stall and squat down with interest.
“Bro, this alpaca looks pretty good, can it be cheaper?”
“How much are you willing to pay for it?” Little D glanced at the damaged front-hoof alpaca and casually asked.
When Allen Zhang heard there was a chance, he knew this Old Black was also unsure about pricing and had probably grabbed this clay alpaca believing it to look good, only to end up demolishing a hoof mid-way.
He brandished his bargaining ‘Dragon Slayer Sword’.
“15 US Dollars for the alpaca!
10 US Dollars for the pocket watch, and that ink paper looks pretty good too, seems like some kind of art?
2.5 US Dollars and I’ll take it.
If that works for you, we can make the deal right now!”
Old Black’s brain momentarily froze up, seemingly not used to such cutthroat bargaining.
Frowning as he estimated the value, he finally nodded but then shook his head, “I can sell you the ink paper for 5 US Dollars, the pocket watch for 15 US Dollars, and I want 30 US Dollars for the alpaca!”
Firmly marking up his own price!
Good buddy, you’re too honest!
Allen Zhang stifled the tears and the urge to haggle further, he pretended to be in a difficult position, hesitated for a moment, but still nodded in agreement, “Alright!
He took out 50 US Dollars and handed it to Old Black, who thoughtfully gifted an unidentifiable Walmart shopping bag and packed up the goods for Allen Zhang.
“Welcome to come again.” Old Black seemed quite pleased with this price, 50 US Dollars, enough to buy a box of genuine Flavor Leaf cigarettes.
“Goodbye, pal.” Allen Zhang also happily walked out of the flea market with his bag.
Once out the door, he hopped on his bike and raced straight to George Pawnshop, fearing that Old Black might come to his senses and realize he undersold his goods.
He also wondered how much these items could truly be worth.
But at least not losing money, that’s for certain!