When the crowd caught sight of the smug look on Mr. Quinton’s face, they collectively held their breath, certain that Charlie was about to be defeated in this encounter.

In contrast, Charlie maintained his composure, smiling as he asked, “This can’t be your first time in the antique trade. Do you know what the most crucial aspect of this industry is?”

Mr. Quinton shot Charlie a frosty glare and replied, “What do you mean?”

Charlie chuckled before responding, “It’s definitely the rules of antique trading!”

Raising his voice slightly, Charlie continued, “In the antique business, it’s always first come, first served. I arrived first, and I was the first to purchase this pebble. Therefore, it rightfully belongs to me. Even if you were to kneel and beg for it, I wouldn’t part with it. To do so would mean allowing you to disregard the rules. Who would want to continue business with you on Antique Street if you break the rules to get your way? Mr. Quinton, you would find yourself barred from Antique Street.”

Mr. Quinton was momentarily speechless, anger flashing across his features.

He was aware that this rule existed in the antique trade, and despite considering himself knowledgeable, he was clearly trying to flout it.

If word of this incident got out, others would hesitate to do business with him, fearing they might offend their own customers.

Mr. Quinton never anticipated that Charlie could leave him at a loss for words with just a few statements!

Frustrated, he glared at Charlie, battling the urge to lash out physically.

Ultimately, he suppressed his anger, gritting his teeth as he said, “Did you really think I was interested in that pebble? I was only trying to put you in your place. You need to understand that not everyone is suited for the antique trade. Since you clearly come from a poor background, you’d be better off going home and tending to your garden instead of interfering with the market value of these antiques.”

With that, Mr. Quinton rolled up his sleeves and gestured toward Charlie. “Open your eyes! Look at this! I bought this jade bracelet for one million five hundred thousand dollars not long ago! Have you ever seen such a beautiful and rare piece of jade?”

The jade bracelet on Mr. Quinton’s arm sparkled brilliantly in the sunlight, capturing the crowd’s attention as they gazed in awe.

Zachary chimed in, “Wow! What an exquisite piece of jade!”

“Of course!” Mr. Quinton replied with an air of superiority, clearly pleased with the audience’s reaction.

He then shot a disdainful glance at Charlie, lowering his collar to reveal a gourd-shaped pendant hanging from a necklace around his neck. “Why don’t you take a look at this as well?”

“This chalcedony pendant was passed down from an emperor to his son during the Sui Dynasty. Eighty-eight high-ranking monks even consecrated it by reciting scriptures for one hundred and eight days, and it’s worth at least three million dollars!”

Upon hearing the pendant’s estimated value, the crowd leaned in for a closer look.

Meanwhile, Zachary rubbed his nose in excitement, seemingly entranced by the chalcedony pendant.

Mr. Quinton twirled the pendant in his fingers, sneering at Charlie. “If you’re just a poor man who can’t even afford decent clothes, you really shouldn’t be trying to dabble in antiques. It’s laughable.”

His tone dripped with sarcasm, causing the crowd to cast sideways glances at Charlie.

Indeed, Charlie didn’t appear wealthy at all, dressed in a simple white t-shirt, jeans, and sneakers, resembling an everyday working young man.

Conversely, Mr. Quinton, though looking casual, wore an outfit that was undoubtedly expensive, each piece tailored and collectively worth a small fortune.

Charlie regarded Mr. Quinton with a smirk, viewing him as more of a caricature than a true adversary—just a rich young man eager to flaunt his wealth.

With a smile, Charlie remarked, “You must be quite wealthy, huh? But while your jade bracelet is indeed striking, it’s unfortunately… a fake.”

Mr. Quinton blinked in surprise before bellowing, “You’re out of your mind! How could my jade bracelet be a fake?”

“If you don’t believe me, ask the other antique shop owners around here,” Charlie shrugged, continuing, “If you’re affluent enough to invest in antiques, you should at least be knowledgeable about the items you buy instead of purchasing fakes. Right now, you’re just a blind man wandering through the antique world, pretending to understand it when you clearly don’t.”

Mr. Quinton fumed with irritation. Charlie was openly mocking him and suggesting he was ignorant. He retorted sternly, “If my jade bracelet is genuine, you’ll kneel and apologize to me. How does that sound?”