Ryan rambled on for a long time before getting back to the point. "By the way, I have seen the picture you sent. The pottery pot looks like an antique, but I can't be sure until it's tested with an instrument. How about this... I will go to school later. You give me that clay pot. I will take it back for testing and bring it back to you in the evening."
Sophia hurriedly refused, "That is too much trouble for you. I'll deliver it to you when I am available."
"No, no. I… I'm just going to Colin to deal with something."
Sophia thought about it and said, "All right, but you don't have to send it back. It's not too late to give it to me when I get the chance to see you next time."
Sophia found a bag and put the pot in it. For fear of breaking it, she didn't even dig out the soil on it. After dinner, she helped Mrs. Martha clean for a while and went to school.
When Sophia got to the school gate, she saw Albert's car at a glance and went up to it. Ryan came out of the car and greeted her.
Sophia handed the bag to Ryan, thanked him, and went back to school.
After school, Sophia saw Ryan with his car in front of the school gate.
"Thank you very much, Mr. Sampson."
Sophia had told Sampson not to send the pot back, but he did, which made her feel embarrassed.
Ryan took the pottery pot out of his bag and said with a smile, "No problem. I haven't appraised antiques for a long time. I'm a little rusty. You are so lucky, Miss Green. I haven't found valuable things for so many years. I can't believe you found one."
Sophia was a little surprised, "You mean…"
"Yes, it's an antique, but it's not very well preserved. It might sell for forty thousand dollars... Do you want my help? I don't do the job anymore, but I know people in this business." Ryan asked.
Sophia took the pot and shook his head. "Thanks. Not for the time being. It's not mine. It's my neighbor's. She didn't want it when she moved. I said to help her identify it. I didn't expect it to be so valuable. If she wants to sell it, I'll ask you for help then."
Ryan stared at her. "She didn't want it? You are so honest that you want to tell her. You just tell her it's not an antique, and then…"
Sophia knew what he was trying to say and said, "It's not mine, I won't have it. I have to take it to Mrs. Martha."
Ryan could only say, "Yeah."
He could not help sighing in his heart that his boss was so predictable.
Before he came, he had reported the appraisal result to Albert. Albert concluded that Sophia would not secretly keep the pot, but would definitely return it to her neighbor.
Ryan didn't believe it. Who was so stupid? It was thousands of dollars.
But… it seemed that there was someone so stupid.
When Sophia came home, Mrs. Martha had not finished moving and was still packing. Her door was open, and the family went in and out, carrying things downstairs to the car.
Sophia went into Mrs. Martha's house and told her the appraisal result.
Mrs. Martha was clearing the dishes. When she heard her, she almost dropped the dishes in her hand.
"You said it is... an antique?" Mrs. Martha took the pot from Sophia in disbelief, "It is an antique?"
"Yes." Sophia said, "My friend says it's worth about forty thousand dollars. If you want to sell it, I can ask him for help."
Mrs. Martha looked at the pot for a while and shook his head and said, "I... I can't take it. In my experience, if I make such a fortune at once, I will have bad luck."
Sophia was shocked.
Did he have to be so metaphysical? It is worth forty thousand dollars.
Mrs. Martha thought for a moment, "I remember the flower-selling old lady said his grandson was ill. It had been years. I didn't know how the child was. I'll go to the market tomorrow and see if I can find her. If I can find her, I'll ask her to sell it to cure the kid."
Sophia smiled, "You're really kind, Mrs. Martha."
Mrs. Martha also smiled, "Sophia, you too. If you don't tell me those, I have already thrown it away. I never thought it would worth anything."
Later, Ryan called and said sadly, "You gave it back to your neighbor? Ah, that's forty thousand dollars. Are you stupid? Is there another silly girl like you?"
"Mrs. Martha said she would return the pot to the old flower lady," Sophia said.
Ryan was confused.
Were idiots staying together?
Sophia didn't care about the pottery pot anymore. The next day when she got out of her home, she saw the door of Mrs. Martha's house was not closed, there was only some rubbish left in the house. After everything was packed up last night, they moved out. The house was to be demolished soon, and she did not close the door for the convenience of the workers.
This day was the time for the Chemistry Olympiad exam. Sophia had not got the admission ticket yet. As soon as she arrived at school, she saw Director Bull waiting for her.
"I'll send you there." Director Bull looked quite happy.
"I don't think it is necessary." Sophia had never heard Director Bull send any student to the examination room. It was too much for her to bear.
"Let's go. I drove my car, especially." Director Bull pointed to a car parked at the school, "I haven't driven a car for a long time. I'm a little rusty."
Sophia felt that she didn't want to take his car.
Director Bull handed Sophia the admission ticket, opened the door and let her in. Then he got in the driver's seat and started the car.
Glinton University was not far away.. Ten minutes later, Director drove into the campus.