Oracle bone fragments

Chapter 13

"Hello, Mr. Ouyang."

"Mr. Sun and Ms. Xu?" he asked perfunctorily, then added, "Abao, bring two chairs."

Ah Bao moved two hexagonal stools out from under the hexagonal table. The old man waved his hand, grinned, and quickly left.

Seeing that the two were paying attention to Abao, Ouyang Wenlan said, "I adopted him from an orphanage. He's been here for decades, and now that I'm old, he's the only one who's been with me all this time."

The two thought about it and realized it was true. Who could stay with an elderly person forever? Even if you hired someone, they would inevitably have their own agenda. Only someone like Ah Bao, who was somewhat simple-minded, could truly depend on the nearly 100-year-old man before them. Neither could live without the other.

"Please have a seat. This is fine Pu'er tea. Please enjoy it yourself. Zhenhe told me about it; it's a great idea, one I've always wanted to do but haven't been able to."

Old Mr. Ouyang is very talkative, in fact, all old people are like that, because there are too few people willing to talk to them. Ouyang Wenlan is very famous in the collecting world, but in his daily life, besides his cat and Abao, neither of them are good conversationalists. Today, the weather is fine and sunny, and with guests arriving, he is in high spirits.

The initial topic naturally circled around oracle bones, but Xu Xu restrained her desire to show off this time, followed Ouyang's lead, and flattered him. The old man's laughter echoed in the courtyard from time to time.

However, this was still just a casual chat among guests. If she wanted to take things further, Xu Xu would have to use some tricks.

"This cat is so beautiful." Xu Xu found an opportunity to change the subject and got up to move closer to the cat. The movement was so abrupt that it should have seemed a bit awkward, but Xu Xu's expression was natural and had a touch of girlish innocence, so no one felt that it was inappropriate.

Gently stroking the white cat's fur, Ouyang Wenlan's hand had been resting on the cat's back the whole time. As he stroked it, his hand inevitably touched the cat's. If Ouyang Wenlan were forty or fifty years younger, this gesture would have seemed too provocative and undignified, but now it evoked a sense of harmonious connection, almost like that between a grandfather and grandson.

This single gesture subtly shifted the atmosphere. Sun Jing nodded inwardly, once again admiring Xu Xu's talent.

"You like cats too? You have three."

"There are more than three. I don't even know how many there are. They are all stray cats that Abao picked up. If we take good care of them, friends often want to come over. Sometimes there are seven or eight, sometimes there are more than a dozen. The number often changes. When Abao knocks on the cat bowl at dinner time, it's quite a scene."

"Sigh..." Xu Xu sighed softly.

"What's wrong?" the old man asked, looking at her.

“It’s nothing. I just remembered when my grandfather was still alive, he also liked cats and kept two. After those two cats died of old age, he passed away soon after as well.”

Ouyang Wenlan gently patted Xu Xu's hand to comfort her.

"I'm so sorry." Xu Xu turned her head and blinked hard, her eyes slightly red.

"He's really putting on a good act," Sun Jing thought to himself.

She then began to talk about her grandfather, saying that her interest in oracle bones was all due to his influence. No matter how you listened to it, you would think that her grandfather and Ouyang Wenlan in front of her had a resemblance.

Of course, she couldn't keep stroking the cat's back, so she noticed Ouyang Wenlan twisting his neck and asked if he had any neck problems.

As people age, back, and hair problems are inevitable, so Xu Xu naturally stood behind Ouyang Wenlan and gently massaged and pushed him, just like she used to do for her grandfather. If anyone else had seen this, they would never have believed that this was the first time Xu Xu and Ouyang Wenlan had met.

You could tell from Ouyang Wenlan's expression that Xu Xu's massage technique was quite good. He narrowed his eyes slightly, but then suddenly let out a long sigh.

"Why are you sighing all of a sudden?" Xu Xu asked. This was no longer the tone of a guest.

"I was thinking of a girl who chatted with me a while ago. She's about your age, and she's also interested in oracle bone script." Ouyang Wenlan shook his head and didn't elaborate. He didn't explain why he sighed.

Sun Jing's heart skipped a beat, and he blurted out, "Is her name Han Shang?"

Han Shang once visited many elderly archaeologists in Anyang in search of Sven Hedin. Given Ouyang Wenlan's age and experience, he would have been an excellent person to visit to learn about the several oracle bone excavations of that time. However, she did not mention Ouyang Wenlan in the recording, probably because she was unable to obtain any important information about Hedin from him.

"Oh, you know her?" Ouyang Wenlan was somewhat surprised, then sighed heavily and said, "She was so young, it's such a pity."

Elderly people like Ouyang Wenlan, because they rarely have visitors, cherish each one. Those conversations that are pleasant are often fondly remembered, not so much for the content itself, but for the memories they evoke of their past. With a young woman like Xu Xu Han Shang before them, even the most vigorous old man will eventually show his age; the stark contrast between her vibrant life and his own impending decay evokes a deep sense of melancholy. However, not long after, news of Han Shang's death arrives, inevitably bringing with it the sorrow of a parent outliving their child.

But no one knows how Ouyang Wenlan found out. Could he still read the newspaper by himself? Maybe Abao read it to him.

"It's a real shame. I was there when the accident happened."

"oh?"

“A friend gave me a ticket to a live play; she’s the lead actress. It was on my way to the play…” Sun Jing said simply.

"It sounds like you don't know each other, so how did you guess that I sighed because of her?" Ouyang Wenlan's thinking was quite clear.

"It should be said that we haven't had a chance to meet yet. She came to you to ask about the archaeological work at the Yin Ruins in Anyang around 1930, right? And Sven Hedin?"

Ouyang Wenlan nodded slightly.

“She arranged to meet me for something similar. I never expected that she would pass away before we even officially met,” Sun Jing said, half-jokingly.

“You?” Ouyang Wenlan was slightly surprised.

"Actually, it was for my great-grandfather, who was one of the archaeological team members at the time."

Ouyang Wenlan raised his long white eyebrows and stared at Sun Jing, scrutinizing him.

"Sun...Sun Huaixiu?"

Sun Jing paused for a moment before recalling that Huaixiu was his great-grandfather's courtesy name.

"Yes, you know my great-grandfather?"

"A descendant of Huai Xiu." Ouyang Wenlan looked at Sun Jing with eyes filled with the vicissitudes of time, and remained silent for a moment. Sun Jing knew that he was probably reminiscing about his old friend and that time. Back then, Ouyang Wenlan was just a 20-year-old lad.

No answer was needed. Judging from Ouyang Wenlan's expression, Sun Jing knew that he and his great-grandfather were not just casual acquaintances. He subconsciously touched his chest, where the hard, abrupt metal piece lay. He had carried it with him at all times these past few days, for reasons he couldn't explain.

Driven by some unknown impulse, Sun Jing unzipped his jacket, took out the Medal of Menlo from the inner pocket, and placed it on the hexagonal table.

"Have you seen it? It was with my great-grandfather." Sun Jing regretted his words as soon as they left his mouth. This question had nothing to do with today's purpose. He should have made Ouyang Wenlan focus his attention on Xu Xu as much as possible.

The bronze plaque was warm, but when he touched it, perhaps due to psychological factors, he felt a chill lingering within it. This chill circled in his heart, suddenly reminding Sun Jing of something illogical.

He remembered Han Shang saying in the recording that she had not found any of the people involved in the Anyang archaeological work who are still alive today!

Perhaps Ouyang Wenlan was not one of the archaeological team members at the time, but

He clearly recognized his great-grandfather, and also Sven Hedin. How could Han Shang have gotten nothing from him, to the point that he didn't mention him at all in the recording?

The white cat, which had been lying on the stool, suddenly meowed, jumped down, and ran away. The hand that had been gently massaging the old man's back froze. She had never seen this object before, but she immediately guessed that it must be the Medanzo bronze plaque that Han Shang had mentioned.

Ouyang Wenlan didn't reach for the bronze plaque. His hands rested quietly on his knees, the Pu'er tea in his small cup had gone cold. He turned his head slightly and said to Xu Xu, who was standing behind him, "Are you tired? Take a rest."

"A little bit." Xu Xu shook her hand exaggeratedly and slid back to her stool. Today, she displayed the little girl personality that the elderly liked the most. If Wen Zhenhe saw her, she would feel as if she were a completely different person.

Ouyang Wenlan's gaze at Xu Xu already carried the doting affection of an old man for his children and grandchildren. But when he slowly shifted his gaze to Sun Jing's face, it shifted to a different meaning. This meaning was too complex for Sun Jing to discern; he couldn't fathom the emotions and stories it contained.

"What do you want to know?" the old man asked.

"What do you already know?" he paused, then asked.

Sun Jing hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.

He thought of what Han Shang had said in the recording. If he were to reveal it, it would involve too many things. He would have to explain the whole story, or fabricate one. The latter risked being exposed, while he couldn't decide on the former.

“I do know your great-grandfather, but that was a long time ago.” Ouyang Wenlan’s tone clearly indicated that he did not want to bring up the past again.

“My father and grandfather both died very young. So I know almost nothing about my great-grandfather, except that this bronze plaque was left by him.”

Ouyang Wenlan stared at Sun Jing and gently shook his head.

“If you know nothing about Huaixiu… perhaps I shouldn’t tell you. There are some things…” Ouyang Wenlan shook his head again and stopped talking.

The afternoon sun in autumn and winter is fleeting, and the sky is beginning to darken. Ouyang Wenlan touched his cup and sighed, "The tea's gone cold."

Before leaving, Xu Xu asked if she could come to see him again.

“Of course, you’re welcome to come and keep this old man company anytime.” Ouyang Wenlan picked up the copper bell and rang it a few times, and A Bao appeared running over.

Ah Bao escorted the two to the gate, smiling and waving: "Come visit often."

"The old man has a good impression of you," Sun Jing said.

“Very good, I can feel it. A couple more times at most, and I'll be able to bring up the exhibition.” Xu Xu answered confidently. She glanced at Sun Jing’s chest and asked, “Is this the badge? Be careful wearing it, it’s very ominous.”

It sounded like she was concerned, but in reality she was unhappy that Sun Jing had kept it from her.

Sun Jing didn't explain, but said, "It seems that when Han Shang visited him, he didn't say anything either."

"Judging from his tone, if you didn't say that he was Sun Yu's great-grandson, he might have said that he didn't know Sun Yu."

What exactly happened around Sun Yu back then that made Ouyang Wenlan intend to bury it in history, refusing to budge even when he met Sun Yu's descendant? Sun Jing frowned, slowly turning the jade ring on his ring finger.

"I'll ask around for you when I get the chance," Yu Xu said.

"Let's get things settled with Chen first. This is a personal matter; if there's an opportunity... we'll see."

"Personal matters? I think there might be some connection. I have a feeling that this wizard's skull is not simple."

"Does it feel too hot to handle now?"

"Ha. If it's not hot to the touch, can it still be considered a treasure?"

"China's tradition of witchcraft has a long history. During the era of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, Shenji tasted hundreds of herbs in the wild mountains and wilderness of the southwest..."

The speaker was a middle-aged man with long, flowing hair, his expression somber, sitting cross-legged on the damp grass after the rain. Opposite him, a man and a woman sat in the same posture, both over forty years old, listening to him with very respectful expressions.

This is a manor on Chongming Island. Sun Jing registered at the entrance and changed his name tag. He hadn't gone far when he saw this scene on the small lawn. He couldn't help but stop and listen to what they were saying.

"What the West calls magic, and what the East calls Taoist arts, are actually both forms of witchcraft. These great powers are rarely seen in today's scientific age," the long-haired man continued.

"What I've learned is called puppetry. Relax your body, don't be afraid." He said, extending his right hand and pointing his index and middle fingers at the woman listening to him.

"Fall!" he shouted, and as soon as he finished speaking, the woman fell to the ground.

"Get out!" he continued, twisting his finger, and the woman tumbled to the side.

The man who had been sitting next to the woman remained calm, as if nothing had happened. Perhaps he had seen it all before.

The long-haired man who knew puppetry pointed at him again, then noticed Sun Jing standing to the side watching. He slowly moved his hand towards Sun Jing, smiled at him, and suddenly shouted in an even louder voice, "Down!"

Sun Jing shrugged.

“Get out!” he said again.

Sun Jing smiled at him and walked forward.

The small lawn is flanked by peach orchards, which surround the small lake. The air is filled with the scent of grass, trees, and earth, making it much more pleasant to breathe than in the city center.

There were people strolling or standing in the woods on the lawn; most of them were older. However, there were also a few young women, all dressed in light blue, standing to one side watching.

On one side of the lake was a rockery. A man with graying hair and a buzz cut placed his left hand on a smooth stone, his right hand holding a ballpoint pen. He aimed at the space between his left thumb and forefinger.

In the gap, he plunged the pen in with a "thud." After a two-second pause, he jumped back to...

Place the index finger between the middle finger and the index finger. Repeat this movement.

As Sun Jing passed by him, he suddenly turned around and grabbed Sun's arm.

The mirror's hand.

"Do you dare?" he asked.

"What?"