Grandpa's Antique Stall
On the street corner, there is an inconspicuous stall filled with various old items. The stall owner is an elderly man with white hair and a youthful face, and people call him Old Antique.
One day, feeling bored, I wandered along the street and was attracted by a blue and white porcelain vase at Old Antique's stall. The vase was adorned with exquisite landscape patterns, rich in color and delicate in brushwork. Seeing my interest, Old Antique said, “This vase was something I found years ago in an abandoned courtyard; at that time, the owner of the courtyard was selling old items at a low price. Everyone thought these were just scrap metal, but I saw the potential in this vase.”
I held it in my hands, admiring it, and eventually bought it at a very reasonable price. Little did I expect that, half a year later, a collector came to the small town. Upon seeing my blue and white porcelain vase, his eyes lit up instantly, and he exclaimed, “This is actually a long-lost masterpiece from a famous artist, extremely rare in the market today.” He offered several times the price I paid for it, wanting to buy the vase.
At that moment, I truly understood the meaning of “buy where no one cares, sell where everyone is clamoring.” Old Antique discovered treasures in the ordinary, while I reaped surprises when the spotlight was on me. Behind this was not just a change in the value of the item, but also fate's most clever gift to those who are attentive.