Kikuemon's face remained calm as he cleared his throat and sat up straight, about to speak.
But just then, Jiang Xia put down the teacup, pointed at the display cabinet, and said, "I'll choose the pot on the leftmost side of the third row."
Kikuemon froze for a second, then, after a pause, his face suddenly changed.
To everyone in the Kikuemon family, those words meant one thing: the teacup was safe.
The family members, who had been ready to mock Jiang Xia's so-called "layman" instincts, were instead moved. Based on how Jiang Xia had acted earlier, they now assumed he must have recognized the special teacup but was too polite to point it out, so he chose a less valuable piece instead. "What a nice guy! He's thoughtful and considerate!" they all thought.
Kikuemon's daughter-in-law, eager that Jiang Xia wouldn't change his mind, quickly trotted over to the cabinet, scanning for the third row, the far left…
"Huh?"
She stared at the pottery pot that was supposed to be in storage, her face turning pale. "Dad, it… How come Feng Shui Pills are in the showcase!?"
This was Kikuemon's prized new work, something he had poured his heart and soul into over the years. It hadn't even been released yet and should've been safely stored in the warehouse. So why was it on display?
Kikuemon turned away, clearly displeased. "If you want to test someone, you've got to take it all the way. The Feng Shui Pill is my most cherished piece right now—it's worth showing off for this bet."
The old man had wrestled with himself for a moment, then gone to the warehouse to fetch the Feng Shui Pill, hoping that if Jiang Xia didn't choose the teacup, he could at least show off his latest masterpiece on the spot. But now…
Jiang Xia, hearing the conversation, finally understood.
He suppressed the confused looks from the apprentices around him—looks like "I misjudged you," "So you're really this kind of person," and "Give me back my nice-guy card." He sighed. Is my good luck really such a burden?
Not to mention, he still wasn't sure if this was the real Feng Shui Pill... but it didn't matter. It's still a pot, and he could use it for planting. Practicality over luxury, as always.
He took the pottery pot from Kikuemon's daughter-in-law, set it aside, and said, "Thanks."
Kikuemon, though a bit disappointed, let it go. Then, an idea seemed to strike him. After observing Jiang Xia's sharp eye earlier—first for the teacup and now the Feng Shui Pill—he realized that this little detective had a surprisingly good eye. Maybe Jiang Xia could help judge the works of his three apprentices.
You see, the title of "Kikuemon" was something that could only be passed to one person at a time, and Kikuemon had yet to choose his successor. This was a big deal. Before his death, one of his apprentices would have to inherit the name. Kikuemon had handed over the decision to his daughter-in-law, who wasn't a potter but had excellent taste.
It just so happened that recently, she had been unsure who to give the title to. So, why not let Jiang Xia offer some advice? The Feng Shui Pill could be seen as a "consultation fee." Thinking that way, Kikuemon felt better.
He sighed with relief and gestured to his daughter-in-law. "Go bring over the works they just finished firing. Let's show the guests."
She went to fetch the pieces, the apprentices following her. Meanwhile, Kikuemon wandered into the hallway, gazing at the courtyard, deep in thought. Meanwhile, the rest of the group stayed by the showcase, continuing to admire the collection. Some of these pieces were so rare they couldn't even be found on the market.
Amuro, standing by the coffee table, cast a glance at the pottery pot in Jiang Xia's hands. He muttered, "The pattern on this one looks inspired by waves and whirlpools. It's a style Kikuemon is famous for. It should be worth about ten million yen. If you're interested, I can arrange for someone to help you sell it."
Jiang Xia blinked in surprise. He had hundreds of millions in cash but wasn't really interested in money right now. He was already mentally planning what to plant in his newly acquired pot.
Suddenly distracted by Amuro's comment, he said, "It's not nice to sell gifts from others."
Amuro stared at him, wide-eyed. "...Huh?" I thought you were broke!
But Jiang Xia looked genuinely sincere. He wasn't being polite; he genuinely thought it was wrong to sell gifts.
Amuro blinked, suddenly recalling that just yesterday, he had tried to buy Jiang Xia a pottery experience ticket, but Jiang Xia had refused, saying, "Can't resell things customers give you."
Wait… Could it be that Jiang Xia wasn't making excuses but actually had this kind of high moral standard?
Amuro's heart sank as he made another mental note for the organization to start influencing Jiang Xia. If only they weren't so bent on ruining the future of this country...
The group sat in the room for nearly ten minutes, waiting for the apprentices' works to arrive. But instead, they were greeted by the daughter-in-law, who entered looking pale.
While she'd been picking up the pottery, she had accidentally knocked over a cabinet, breaking most of the porcelain inside—including several of Kikuemon's works.
The apprentices, who had accompanied her, were too frightened to say anything. This was such an unusual mistake for their usually sharp, competent boss.
Kikuemon was caught off guard by the news. He shook his head and raised a hand to his heart in disbelief.
Amuro and Conan immediately stood up, their minds racing through the first-aid steps in case Kikuemon needed help.
But to their surprise, the national treasure master didn't fall apart. With remarkable composure, he simply said, "Material things will eventually fade away… Let's have them clean up the mess. You can prepare dinner for our guests tonight."
Despite the calm tone, Kikuemon was clearly saddened. He had lost the desire to continue discussing "pottery soul" with Jiang Xia and quietly walked back to his room, shutting the door behind him.
*Goal #1: Top 200 fanfics published within the last 30 days by POWER STONES.
Progress: 28/50(approx) for 10 BONUS CHAPTERS*
Glossary:
Feng Shui Pill – A pottery piece, representing Kikuemon's most recent and prized work, inspired by the principles of Feng Shui.
Kikuemon – A master pottery artist, currently holding the title of the national treasure, looking for a worthy successor.
Feng Shui – A Chinese philosophy that's about creating harmony between people and their environment, often applied in design and decoration.