Rebirth in 1958: Getting rich starts from Nanluoguxiang

Qin Dabao felt a surge of excitement at the thought of those huanghuali and red sandalwood furniture. In his previous life, he and Old Zhang had learned how to identify antiques, and he had learned it quite well. Unfortunately, he had been taking care of his sister and father and had no time to tinker with those things.

Until Old Zhang passed away, he left him a house and several treasures, one of which was a Chicken-Glazed Cup from the Chenghua period of the Ming Dynasty. In 1998, his sister stayed in the hospital for another half a year. When he was at his lowest point in the money, he sold the Chicken-Glazed Cup for eight million yuan. Only then did he realize that the antiques left by Old Zhang were so valuable.

After being reborn and achieving financial freedom, it would be a disgrace to the reborn person if he didn't buy some antiques handed down from generation to generation. Thinking of this, Qin Dabao's heart became even more passionate.

However, he did not go to the consignment store on Ping'an Street. First, the store was too small, and second, Old Zhang worked there. If he did not keep the antique furniture he bought at home, it would be difficult for Old Zhang not to be suspicious. Qin Dabao did not want others to know the secret of his space.

He went straight to Xizhimen, where the largest supply and marketing cooperatives and consignment stores in the capital were located.

The so-called consignment shops are generally similar to the original pawnshops, both buying and selling second-hand goods, but they are state-owned and the prices are more reasonable. Those wealthy families who can't make ends meet are willing to put their things in the shops for consignment. Of course, most of them are ill-gotten gains and goods confiscated from capitalists and landlords, and there are many good goods among them.

The consignment store is located on the Xizhimen side, next to the Gaoliang Hotel. It was originally a trading company built by the Japanese. It has three floors and a large warehouse at the back.

The first floor of the store sells clothes and shoes that are about 80% to 90% new, with suits and cheongsams being the most popular items, as well as some mink fur coats.

But these are not salable. Ordinary people cannot wear suits even if they have them, not to mention cheongsams. What is popular now are Lenin suits and work clothes.

Qin Dabao looked around and didn't find anything he liked, so he went straight to the second floor. There were two counters at the foot of the stairs selling second-hand watches, all of which were big foreign brands, including Girard-Perregaux, Omega, IWC, Tissot, and Cartier.

Qin Dabao relatively prefers Omega, which is just right for him. It is neither too conspicuous nor too fancy, and the grade is just right.

He immediately saw a vintage Omega watch with a brown leather strap, which was 90% new. When he asked the price, it was only 150 yuan. He quickly invoiced it and bought it, putting it in his space.

Most of the second floor was filled with furniture. The furniture seller was a young man in his twenties. He was lazily leaning on a sofa, reading a picture book.

Qin Dabao looked around and saw some common things, which looked about half new. There was nothing that attracted him.

But Qin Dabao knew that good things were never put out in the open. He took out a cigarette and handed it to the young man with a smile.

The young man was a little confused, took out a cigarette and put it in his mouth.

Qin Dabao took out a match, struck it and lit it for the young man: "What's your name, comrade?"

"Oh, your surname is Wei, Wei Ping." Officials don't fight against people who give gifts. The young man smoked a cigarette and his expression relaxed a lot.

"Brother Wei, my name is Qin Dabao. I just moved and I want to buy some nice furniture." As he said that, he stuffed the cigarette into Wei Ping's pocket. Wei Ping smiled. This Qin Dabao is quite capable.

"Well, this is a small matter. Wait a moment, I'll go get the warehouse key from my brother." He said proudly: "My brother is the director here. I will sell you anything you like at the lowest price."

This is the reality. In state-owned stores, whether the consignment items can be sold or not has nothing to do with the salesperson. The salesperson will get paid regardless of how much the items sell.

In less than five minutes, Wei Ping came back with a bunch of keys. This was the charm of Qin Dabao's box of cigarettes. Otherwise, the only ones you could buy were the ones on the second floor.

Wei Ping led him to the warehouse at the back. When he opened the door, Qin Dabao was shocked.

There aren't many pieces of furniture in there, but they are all good stuff. The furniture that can fit into this warehouse is all made of huanghuali and red sandalwood, which makes Qin Dabao dazzled and unable to put them down.

The most valuable woods for furniture making are Huanghuali and Red Sandalwood, which are known as "inch of wood is worth gold" in later generations. However, in this era, they are only slightly more expensive than ordinary wood.

The Huanghuali desk and the rosewood bed in the storeroom are carved with bats and ruyi, representing the five blessings and good fortune. The carvings are exquisite and can be seen at first glance as the work of a famous artist.

He picked for a long time, but he couldn't bear to part with this or that. Finally, he picked a rosewood step-out bed and a dressing table. Judging from the craftsmanship, they must have been handed down from the palace.

There is also a Huanghuali Luohan bed, a small table, and a set of small-leaf red sandalwood cabinets.

A Huanghuali wood desk and a royal chair are just some of these pieces of furniture. If they were taken out in later generations, each one would cost at least tens of millions.

The things are good, but not the best. Now the best things are in the hands of the old and the capitalists.

They are not at the end of their rope yet, so they won't take it out easily.

The three-year natural disaster period is about to end. People will not have enough to eat, so they will naturally take it out to exchange for food, so Qin Dabao is not in a hurry.

When did antique furniture become as cheap as dirt? It wasn't during the Great Storm, but the three years from 59 to 61. People were starving to death there. For more than a decade after that, ordinary people never had enough to eat.

He asked Wei Ping to find three planners to help load all the things, and he went downstairs to get the invoice and pay the bill. It cost a total of 560 yuan, which was a lot. Now an apprentice's monthly salary was 18 yuan. The things Qin Dabao bought were enough for them to earn for three years.

He was handsome and rich, and he was the ideal marriage partner in the minds of all the girls. The salesgirl standing at the counter looked as if she wanted to eat Qin Dabao alive.

Even the lady who collected the money couldn't help but keep asking him if he had a girlfriend. It seemed that if Qin Dabao didn't tell her, she wouldn't give him the receipt.

Qin Dabao had been single for two lifetimes, so how could he bear such a look? He had no choice but to blush and say that he had a partner, which broke the hearts of these women.

Qin Dabao turned around and found a messenger bag on a counter. It was black, made of calfskin, and had a European design. It was simple and elegant.

Qin Dabao's schoolbag had a hole in it. He didn't mean to put anything in it, but if he wanted to take something out of the space, there had to be a reason, right?

When he asked about the price, he found it was not cheap, 12 yuan each. Qin Dabao immediately paid for it, and also bought a doll for his sister and a set of building blocks for his brother.

He said goodbye to Wei Ping and asked Wei Ping to keep an eye out for him as he needed a set of carving knives. Wei Ping agreed readily and said it was no problem.

Sitting in Banye's car, touching the furniture, Qin Dabao became happier and happier.

The journey from Xizhimen to Nanluoguxiang was not short. When they reached a place with few people, Qin Dabao asked the waiters to unload the furniture.

Dabao gave each of them 80 cents, which made the three old men very happy. They kept thanking him. People at that time were so sincere.

After the boss left, Qin Dabao looked around to see if there was anyone around, and put away the furniture with a wave of his hand.

He took out a sack from the space, filled it with ten kilograms of cotton and half a piece of black cloth. There was not much cotton in the cotton-padded jackets and trousers of his younger brothers and sisters, so he made a new set. His mother's cotton-padded jacket was torn, so he had to make one for her as well.

What makes Qin Dabao happiest is seeing his family members’ bright smiles when they receive gifts.