Chapter 10: Crushed By Disappointment

Words : 1787 Updated : Oct 23rd, 2025

Gabriel wandered over to a small stall tucked in the corner, casually browsing through a spread of antiques, most of which had been artificially aged. He sifted through the wares with an easy, unhurried manner. "Buddy, take a look! It's all good stuff!" the vendor said with a grin, pure calculation written all over his face. Gabriel nodded and kept browsing. When he reached an item with an unusually strong aura, he was startled. It was just an ordinary porcelain vase, roughly two feet high, and nothing about it stood out. When the vendor saw Gabriel's gaze settle on the vase, his face fell, and his tone went flat. He knew the piece well. It was a modern knockoff, practically worthless. More importantly, it couldn't fool anyone. The workmanship was so shoddy that even a total novice would spot it as a cheap fake right away. "You're not actually interested in that, are you?" the vendor asked weakly. Gabriel set the vase down and smiled. "How much?" "Three hundred. I'll give it to you at cost. I paid three hundred when I took it in, but you can see for yourself; it's a rough copy. Anyone with half an eye can spot it," the vendor said, pitching hard. Gabriel stood up and started to walk away. "Hey! Don't go! C'mon, at least make an offer!" the vendor called out, helpless. People standing around laughed. They gave the vase another look, then shook their heads. No wonder the young man hadn't bargained; the vendor was trying to scam someone, and this guy wasn't falling for it. Gabriel turned back to the stall, held up two fingers, and said, "Twenty. If it's okay, 'll take it." "Twenty?" The vendor's eyes went wide with disbelief. "I asked three hundred, and you offer twenty? Buddy, nobody bargains like that!" "It's big. I want it for pickling vegetables. If you won't sell, I'll go buy a smaller one," Gabriel said, curling his lip. "But that price is way too low," the vendor grumbled. Gabriel shook his head. "Even someone who knows nothing about antiques can tell it's worthless. If it weren't good for pickles, I wouldn't give it a second look." The onlookers burst out laughing. It'd just take up space even if it were free. "Kick in five more and it's yours," the vendor said, forcing the words out. Gabriel turned away again. "I was hoping you'd knock five off. If you're raising the price, forget it. Use it to pickle your own veggies." "Hahaha!" The crowd roared. This guy had a way with words. "Alright, come back. Take it. Twenty, not a cent less," the vendor said, resigned. "Can't you shave five more?" Gabriel asked. "Twenty. Not a penny less. Any lower and I'd rather smash it," the vendor snapped, losing patience. Gabriel reluctantly pulled out twenty dollars and handed them over, then picked up the vase and muttered to himself, "Should hold about ten pounds of pickles." The onlookers figured Gabriel was a fool, blowing twenty bucks on a pickle jar. What else could you call him? Only Gabriel knew the vase had secrets inside. Otherwise, how could it have had the strongest aura in the whole market? The vendor, meanwhile, was over the moon. He'd paid five dollars for that junk and just sold it for twenty. When Gabriel got home, he found Lauryn and Madison both there. He looked at Madison in surprise. "Off work early?" As for Lauryn, he didn't need to ask. He already knew she'd lost money playing cards. Madison didn't answer. She looked at what Gabriel was carrying. When she saw the classic traditional medicine texts in his hand, her frown deepened and her voice cooled. "Didn't I tell you to buy two books on beauty? Why'd you get books on traditional medicine?" "Still clinging to that traditional medicine fantasy?" Gabriel smiled. "I just happen to like traditional medicine." "We gave you money to buy books, not random junk. Don't forget, you're spending the Ades family's money!" Lauryn unloaded all her morning frustration on Gabriel. "And what's that you're lugging? A crummy old vase? Why'd you buy it? Are you so flush you can't help wasting cash?" Lauryn spotted the vase and totally lost it. She started cursing without restraint. "You useless bum, all you know is how to burn money. You don't do a thing for this household and just lounge around all day. Look at other people's son-in-law. Every holiday, he gives his mother-in-law a few thousand in spending money." "And me? I don't get a dime from you. I end up footing your bills." Lauryn glared at him in disgust. Madison, too, frowned even harder when she saw the vase. "Why buy this?" "I think it looks nice," Gabriel said. Of course, he wasn't about to tell Madison he could sense the vase's aura. Her frown deepened. Seeing him like that, Madison found him more pathetic than ever, still refusing to get a real job and living in a fantasy. "Tell me what's nice about it. If you can't explain yourself today, get out," Lauryn snapped. "Say something, you loser," she pressed. Gabriel had no interest in explaining anything to Lauryn. He just stood there in silence. Watching him, Madison thought he seemed more spineless than ever. She was deeply disappointed. The woman got up and headed upstairs to her bedroom. Gabriel went back to his room under Lauryn's curses. He set the vase down and examined it closely. There was nothing remarkable about the surface. So where was that aura coming from? He studied it for a long while and still found nothing, so he left the vase in a corner. Madison fumed in her room. She'd meant well, asking Gabriel to pick up a couple of books on beauty. She hadn't expected him to come home with books on traditional medicine. Did he really not know that saving Pedro that day was just a fluke? Did he seriously think he was some divine healer? He lived in a fantasy and dodged real work, and it made Madison furious. She even felt a surge of resolve to break things off with Gabriel for good. Meanwhile, after Gabriel left the antique market, a young man in a sharp suit hurried from stall to stall, his face tight with urgency. When he found the stall, he spotted the vendor, unable to hide his excitement, "I finally found you."

Chapter 10: Crushed By Disappointment

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