Hiss.
Lin Chuan's brows were knitted together, showing a hint of worry.
Ten thousand subscriptions, Heavenly Kings, Influent Authors launching books!
And a few Platinum authors joining in on the excitement?
"Why is everyone choosing to launch their books at this time, has a battle for the ages begun in the online writers' community?" Lin Chuan couldn't help but ask.
"Every year from around May to June, it's a golden time for strong authors to launch their books because the site's traffic is higher in the second half of the year. These authors, they all want to grab this wave of traffic, build up enough popularity to challenge the Heavenly Kings, Influent Authors, even to become Platinum. Some authors, it's purely by coincidence," Youyou explained.
Lin Chuan looked at this message from Youyou and couldn't help but smirk.
He also thought about the new book he was about to release, "Last Week's Antique."
The system requirement: 20,000 average subscriptions!
Only by reaching twenty thousand average subscriptions would the next job be unlocked!
How could Sailing Novel be so competitive?
There's only so much traffic on the site, and the readership is relatively fixed. Meanwhile, new releases from Heavenly Kings, Influent Authors, and Platinum authors are bound to take a significant chunk of that traffic.
To put it simply, the cake is only so big; if some people have a large bite, others will get none.
"This is really tough!" Lin Chuan exclaimed.
"Don't worry, I've fought hard for you in terms of recommendations. You're strong on your own, so just launch the book with confidence, break through them, and prove yourself!!!" Youyou encouraged.
"Alright! Break through fiercely!" Lin Chuan grinned.
End of chat.
Lin Chuan put down his phone, then had breakfast with the Little Landlady before going to work.
Morning at the Network Security Company.
Afternoon at East Street Antique Shop.
Yes, as the chairman of the Network Security Company, Lin Chuan had a lot of company affairs to deal with, while the Little Landlady, as the Chief Financial Officer cum Human Resources Director, did too.
The promotion of the anti-fraud app was also proceeding in an orderly manner.
On the other hand, the newly opened antique shop had been selected and renovated, and now they were in contact with various suppliers.
So.
From morning till afternoon, a small electric scooter made its way from Happiness Community to the Zhongcheng Building in Qingxiu District and then from Zhongcheng Building to East Street.
It was now two o'clock in the afternoon.
The scorching sun was hidden by the clouds, and East Street, with its many clouds, didn't feel too hot. Numerous antique vendors shouted and hawked their wares of various sizes in the street alleys, creating a lively atmosphere.
In East Street, at the corner of an alley, a golden storefront decorated with an antique flair hung a signboard named 'Goldstone Edge.'
Inside the Goldstone Edge shop, clear glass cabinets had been set up, already holding many antiques that Lin Chuan had acquired from various places in recent days.
Outside the glass cabinets, there were many artworks.
These artworks were crafted by Lin Chuan himself as imitations of some antique objects. Although his craftsmanship was exquisite, he had made appropriate markers to prevent them from being mistaken for authentic pieces.
Ah, the damn conscience!
On the second floor was an exhibit Lin Chuan had retrieved from the police station, that 'Fengtian One Tael' coin.
Old Zhang and the Little Landlady agreed that this 'Fengtian One Tael' should become the centerpiece of Goldstone Edge, the treasure that would establish the store's reputation.
Lin Chuan had no objection, just adding a marker, "Imitation Artwork," "Not for Sale."
This imitation indeed had the qualifications to be the centerpiece.
A centerpiece object is the most valuable, the one that best demonstrates the store's strength and stands as its crown jewel.
The Fengtian One Tael imitation wasn't genuine, but its presence in the store was enough to inform visitors about the shop's level of expertise with antiques, and it discouraged those who wanted to peddle fakes from lingering.
The craftsmanship of this counterfeit coin was arguably at the pinnacle; bringing in another fake would be like trying to show off to an expert.
At that moment.
A man in simple attire and a blue T-shirt with a cap walked into the shop: "Boss, do you appraise treasures here?"
"Certainly, please come this way for the appraisal."
Lin Chuan, in a casual white shirt, led the blue T-shirt man to the appraisal area on the first floor.
Appraising antiques required an Antique Appraiser certificate, so Lin Chuan had taken the time to earn one.
The man, about 175cm tall with relatively yellowish skin, slung a large bag over his shoulder and sat across from Lin Chuan: "How much do you charge for appraisals?"
"200 per item," Lin Chuan smiled.
"Young man, will you be the one appraising them for me?" the man asked.
Lin Chuan nodded.
The man chuckled: "You look quite young."
Lin Chuan smiled back: "As long as the antiques aren't young, that's what matters."
"Okay, let's start with these two," the man said.
The man then took out two objects wrapped in black cloth from his bag and placed them on the long table covered with a red cloth.
Lin Chuan glanced at the man, then picked up one of the items and slowly unwrapped the black cloth, revealing a beautifully decorated, bowl-shaped porcelain piece.
In natural light.
The shape of the bowl was regular, the lines smooth, the rim plump, and the walls of appropriate thickness. Both the interior and exterior of the bowl were painted with intricate floral and scroll-grass patterns that intertwined, bursting with vivid colors.
The glaze of the bowl was as smooth as jade, fine and even, exuding a warm luster, combining the elegance of underglaze blue with the vibrancy of overglaze enamels.
"Young man, what do you think?" the man asked eagerly.
"A fighting color floral scroll-grass pattern bowl," Lin Chuan looked up at the man and smiled.
"Can you tell the period? Can you work it out?" the blue T-shirt man continued.
Lin Chuan picked up the bowl again for a glance and smiled: "Take a look...from the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty."
"How about the price?"
"The craftsmanship of the bowl is exquisite, but the bottom is worn, and there's a crack at the rim, it's worth tens of thousands I'd say," Lin Chuan smiled.

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