Zhuang Rui asked with some surprise, "Even in a place like Lhasa, the black market is usually set up dozens of kilometers away from the city center, in some remote, desolate place. How could Beijing, the political and economic center of the country, have such a black market?"
"Hey, that's a novel question. This is the place with the highest concentration of antique dealers in the country, how could it not have a black market? But there are very few in the city center, they're usually in Tongzhou and Daxing. How about it, want to go tomorrow?"
Jin Pangzi lowered his voice when he said this. Although people in the industry knew about the black market, there were still outsiders among the people sitting in this car. After all, he was an expert.
"Next time, I'll definitely come and learn from you when I have more free time..."
Zhuang Rui felt a little regretful. The black market was a good place. Although the origins of those things were unknown, the prices were low. If you could find something that even the black market organizers couldn't figure out, it would be a good place to find a bargain. Wasn't Zhuang Rui's painting of Li Duanduan by Tang Bohu bought for a pittance on the black market?
More than an hour later, the minibus drove into the compound of Beijing TV Station. Several experts, who had come by taxi or by car, all left. Zhuang Rui, carrying the shoebox containing the Warring States bronze cauldron, walked towards his Grand Cherokee.
"Teacher Zhuang, wait a minute..."
Suddenly, the voice of a beautiful female host came from behind.
Zhuang Rui stopped and looked at Liu Jia, asking, "Miss Liu, is there anything else?"
"It's nothing. I planned this amateur treasure appraisal program myself. Mr. Zhuang, your performance added a lot of highlights to the program. I would like to invite you to dinner to express my gratitude. I wonder if Mr. Zhuang would do me the honor?"
As Liu Jia spoke, she casually ran her right hand through her hair. Her high breasts appeared even fuller due to the pressure from her arm, making Zhuang Rui stare in disbelief. He was a pure and innocent virgin; he had never seen such a charming and alluring woman before.
"No...no, I don't have time..."
The three words Zhuang Rui finally uttered after a long pause made Liu Jia's expression change. She had originally thought Zhuang Rui would say "no problem," but she didn't expect to be rejected. This made Liu Jia feel a little conflicted. Speaking of which, the deputy director, who was still drunk, had been eager to invite her to dinner.
Actually, Liu Jia didn't have any other thoughts. Firstly, Zhuang Rui had brought a lot of viewership to the folk treasure appraisal program, so she should thank him properly. Secondly, Liu Jia had become somewhat interested in Zhuang Rui. He was young, quite wealthy, yet very low-key, as if shrouded in a veil, making him unfathomable.
There's a saying: "Men can conquer the world, but women only need to conquer one man." Liu Jia isn't young anymore, and although she's never lacked suitors, she's never given a damn about spoiled brats who rely on their elders. It's rare for her to meet a man she likes, so she took the initiative, only to be rejected outright by Zhuang Rui.
"Is it because I'm older than him?"
Feeling somewhat embarrassed, Liu Jia started to let her imagination run wild, but she quickly dismissed the conclusion. Age was not a problem at all. As the saying goes, "A woman three years older than her husband is like a golden brick." She pointed out that Hong Kong's Queen of Pop was more than ten years older than Little King of Pop, and their love was still passionate and intense.
If Zhuang Rui knew that Liu Jia had been scheming so much in the blink of an eye, he would definitely cry foul. Even if he knew that Liu Jia was a year older than him, it wouldn't be a big deal for friends to have a meal together. Besides, Liu Jia's charm is incredibly attractive to men.
Zhuang Rui actually wanted to say "no problem" just now, but he remembered the phone call he received from his mother in the car that afternoon, asking him to come back to Yuquanshan for dinner that night. One was a woman he had only known for a day, and the other was his mother who had raised him for more than 20 years. Of course, Zhuang Rui had to make the right choice.
"Miss Liu, it's not that I don't have time, oh, I really don't have time, I don't even know what to say..."
Zhuang Rui's explanation only made things more confusing. Even when faced with rare and precious items, he had never felt this awkward. This man, who had never been with a woman, was still immature. After organizing his thoughts, Zhuang Rui said, "My elders at home asked me to go back for dinner today, and I really don't have time. How about this, I'll treat you another day. Okay?"
Zhuang Rui had a pretty good impression of Liu Jia. She had helped him out of awkward situations several times. However, he had no other intentions. He couldn't afford to make a mistake by calling her "teacher" repeatedly.
Seeing Zhuang Rui's flustered state, Liu Jia's mood inexplicably brightened, and she smiled sweetly, saying, "Alright, you owe me a meal then. By the way, I didn't drive. Where do you live? Can you give me a ride?"
"I'm going to Yuquan Mountain. If it's on your way, feel free to get in my car..."
"Perfect timing, I also live in that direction, Professor Zhuang, you can drop me off halfway..."
Zhuang Rui didn't see the change in Liu Jia's expression. Everyone in Beijing knows Yuquan Mountain, a place where people who live have once been influential figures in the country. She walked up to Zhuang Rui's car and saw the special pass. Her opinion of Zhuang Rui rose even higher.
Liu Jia did indeed live in this direction. Half an hour later, she arrived at her residence, shook hands with Zhuang Rui, and then said goodbye and got out of the car. However, while shaking hands, she inexplicably scratched Zhuang Rui's palm with her little fingernail. This action caused Zhuang Rui to drive erratically afterward, almost hitting the car in front of him several times.
When Zhuang Rui drove the car into Yuquanshan Sanatorium, his heart gradually calmed down. It was already close to dusk, the sun was setting in the west, and the dazzling sunlight had dimmed slightly, with only a ring of golden light flowing around it, bright and dazzling.
As we turned the car onto the path leading to my maternal grandfather's courtyard, the trees obscured half of the setting sun. The sun's silhouette slowly disappeared with the passage of time, appearing and disappearing intermittently, leaving only a patch of red light in the western sky. Through the thin clouds, various colors refracted.
Suddenly, Zhuang Rui slammed on the brakes because he saw two figures at the entrance of his maternal grandfather's courtyard. His mother was helping his grandfather take a slow walk.
Zhuang Rui could clearly see that his grandfather's dignified face was now adorned with a kind smile, and his mother's usually furrowed brows had relaxed, with bursts of clear laughter coming from her every now and then, her laughter so joyful.
The afterglow of the setting sun bathed the two of them, as if draping them in a golden light. It was so harmonious and warm that Zhuang Rui couldn't bear to interrupt them.
Chapter 323 Family Matters
Watching his mother support his faltering grandfather, Zhuang Rui felt a lump in his throat. As a son, he understood his mother's feelings, but having never been a father himself, Zhuang Rui could now seem to sense his grandfather's joy—a selfless love for his children.
Suddenly, a white figure darted out from the courtyard, startling the father and daughter who were immersed in the glow of the setting sun.
"You little rascal, you haven't been home for days. Are you hiding from your grandpa?"
Following the white lion's figure, the old man saw Zhuang Rui, straightened his cane, pointed at him, and jokingly scolded him.
"Grandpa, no way, I'm back now. Mom, let me help you up..."
"You child, you have no respect for your grandfather. Go away, Mom can help you..."
Zhuang Rui stroked the white lion's head. He walked towards his mother, but Ouyang Wan didn't let go of her father's hand. She and Zhuang Rui helped their father sit down on a stone bench on either side, and the white lion obediently lay down at Zhuang Rui's feet.
"This child is just like you, not only in appearance but also in personality. He's very stubborn and incredibly bold. The other day, if I hadn't agreed to let you come back, he dared not call me Grandpa..."
After the old man sat down, he leaned on his cane and carefully looked back and forth between his daughter and grandson's faces. Ouyang Gang had not only recovered his health during this period, but he was also in a very good mood. At his age, he had become indifferent to many things in the world, but the only thing he couldn't let go of was his disobedient daughter.
Zhuang Rui, however, was not afraid of the old man. He chuckled and said, "Grandpa, I not only resemble my mother, but also you. Isn't your temper just like my mother's? I've heard my uncles say that back in the day, you led a division in Liaodong and dared to try and wipe out an entire Kuomintang army. That's real guts..."
Ouyang Gang was a brave general in the Fourth Field Army. He fought without regard for his life and would never retreat until he gained an advantage in battle. Even orders from Commander Lin Biao of the Fourth Field Army were useless. However, he was too straightforward and did not follow his old superior after liberation. He suffered a lot during those ten years, but this was also what he was proud of and what earned him the respect of others: his courage to stick to his beliefs.
"Hey, how do you know about my past? Heh, back in my day, your word was law. During the Battle of Jinzhou, I even took General Lin's telegrams to burn as firewood..."
Zhuang Rui's words hit Ouyang Gang right where it hurt. He had been sick for more than two years and his hearing was failing. He hadn't been able to reminisce about the past for a while, but now he grabbed his grandson and started talking non-stop.
Zhuang Rui was initially a little impatient, but as he listened, he became engrossed in his grandfather's tales of the past. These were all true historical accounts, completely different from what was portrayed in movies and television. With the old man's impassioned words, a great era of war and turmoil unfolded vividly before Zhuang Rui.
Ouyang Wan sat quietly beside her father, smiling as he told her stories that she had heard countless times since childhood. In fact, the old man didn't ask for much; as long as his children were willing to spend a little time listening to him, that was enough.
"Old man, dinner's ready! Stop spouting off about old times, aren't you afraid my grandson will laugh at you?"
As night fell and the streetlights came on, Zhuang Rui's maternal grandmother came out of the courtyard. Beside her was Ouyang Jun. Zhuang Rui couldn't help but feel ashamed. Ouyang Jun was more afraid of the old man than a mouse was afraid of a cat, yet he still insisted on showing filial piety to the old man. Meanwhile, Zhuang Rui was running around all day. It was really not right of him.
Upon seeing Ouyang Jun, the old man slammed his cane on the ground and called out, "Oh, right, Xiao Jun, come here..."
"Grandpa, what's wrong? I didn't cause any trouble."
When Ouyang Jun heard the old man call him, he jumped up and instinctively stood at attention. It seems that childhood trauma is really hard to erase, which made Zhuang Rui and his mother laugh.
Ouyang Wan grabbed her father's arm and shook it, saying, "Dad, Xiaojun is a good boy, don't scare him. Your glaring eyes are quite frightening."
"If you're not worried, what's there to be afraid of? Xiao Jun, your younger brother doesn't even have a job yet. You're out there eating and drinking well all day long, don't you ever think about taking care of your brother?"
So the old man wanted Ouyang Jun to find something for Zhuang Rui to do. To put it bluntly, he wanted Ouyang Jun to find Zhuang Rui some money-making work. Although the old man was straightforward, he was not pedantic. Revolutionary work always needs to be done by someone. Could it be that his grandson couldn't do something that others could do?
Although this matter was extremely simple for Ouyang Gang—one phone call and someone would rush to make arrangements—the commotion was too great. He knew that his grandson had built up a considerable business, and this was deliberately trying to take a piece of Ouyang Jun's flesh.
"Grandpa, you want me to take care of my little brother? He's more likely to take care of me. He's dealing in antiques now, and he's made a fortune. Even I'm envious. You can't show favoritism, can you? You can ask him if you don't believe me..."
Upon hearing this, Ouyang Jun was incredibly conflicted. Forgetting his fear, he raised his voice, "These are all my grandsons! How could you, old man, think of taking money from my pocket and stuffing it into another grandson's pocket?" (And by that grandson, you should add "outsider" before "grandson").
"Oh, is that so? Xiao Rui, you're involved in speculative trading? That won't do, we can't do that kind of thing..."
The old man had been retired for almost twenty years. When Ouyang Jun mentioned "swiping" (倒腾), he immediately understood it as speculation and profiteering. He immediately put on a stern face and said, "How could my grandson do such a thing? It's not that it's illegal, but the key is that he's too thin-skinned. How much money can he make doing this?"
“Dad, Xiao Rui isn’t speculating. He collects antiques, like calligraphy, paintings, vases, and the like. We used to have some at home, and then he sells them. It’s legal, and the profit is quite high. Recently, he invested in a jade mine in Xinjiang…”
After hearing her father's words, Ouyang Wan smiled and explained on behalf of her son, her tone full of pride. Her son earned all his money through his own abilities and did not benefit from her family at all.
Upon hearing his daughter's words, Ouyang Gang excitedly slapped his thigh and exclaimed, "Hey, you silly girl, why didn't you say so earlier? Those paintings and calligraphy were antiques! Back when I led the army to fight the landlords and distribute land, I confiscated a lot of those things from their homes. But those paintings and stuff were too useless to wipe my ass with, so I burned them all..."
"Ha ha ha ha……"
Before the old man could finish speaking, everyone around him, including the guard who had just come out, burst into laughter. "What are you talking about? Back when you were dealing with the landlords and distributing land," they said. "Ouyang Wan wasn't even born yet, how could we remind you? It's understandable, though; the old man is ninety years old, his mind is bound to be a little confused."
However, at this time, the old man was more like a family member than the imposing figure he was outside. You should know that the old man was known for his strictness. In the 1980s and 90s, many generals in the military did not dare to breathe loudly in front of him.
"You old fool, all you ever brag about is your lack of education. Stop bragging and go eat..."
Grandma Zhuang Rui chuckled and scolded the old man. The whole family returned to the courtyard. The meal was set up under the big tree in the courtyard. Little Nannan had just finished watching an action movie inside. She was very excited to see her uncle return. Her little mouth chattered non-stop, adding a lot of laughter to the meal.
"Xiao Rui, come out for a second, I have something to tell you."
After dinner, it was already past eight o'clock. The old man and the old woman were getting ready to rest. Zhuang Rui had also been quite tired these past two days. Just as he was about to go to his room to take a shower and go to sleep, Ouyang Jun stopped him.
"Fourth Brother, what is it?"
Zhuang Rui was curious when he saw Ouyang Jun's evasive manner and his insistence on talking outside the courtyard.
"Actually... it's nothing much, it's just... it's about Xu Qing and me, you know?"
Ouyang Jun stammered and mumbled for a long time, and what he said only confused Zhuang Rui more.
"Hey, Fourth Brother, what does your business with the big star have to do with me?"
Zhuang Rui asked, puzzled.
"Hey, let me be frank with you. I want to marry Xu Qing, but my dad doesn't agree. That's why I'm begging you to put in a good word for me. Right now, besides my aunt, you're the most favored person in the family..."
It turns out that Ouyang Jun really is a womanizer. Although he was a bit frivolous and dissolute in his early years, he has settled down in recent years, and Xu the big star has also played a significant role in that.
Originally, Ouyang Jun came here today to ask his aunt for help, but after seeing Zhuang Rui, he changed his mind. He was afraid that his aunt shared the same idea as his father, which would backfire.
"Hey, Fourth Brother, I'm not the most pampered one in this family, there's also Nannan..."
Zhuang Rui and Ouyang Jun started joking around.
"Stop talking nonsense, just tell me if you'll help or not. I was thinking of introducing Xiao Dong to you tomorrow."
Ouyang Jun was really anxious. He was already a little embarrassed to ask his cousin for help, and then Zhuang Rui made fun of him, so he became a little angry and ashamed.
"Who is Xiao Dong?"
Zhuang Rui asked.
"It's that antique dealer I told you about last time. If you're free tomorrow, go to the club and meet him. He has a lot of connections."
"I'm busy tomorrow, I have an appointment to go to the courtyard house, let's talk about it later. Fourth Brother, when you see Uncle is in a good mood, give me a call, I'll talk to him and see if your matter can be resolved..."
Zhuang Rui was both amused and exasperated by Ouyang Jun's messy situation. He hadn't even found a wife yet, and he was already trying to play matchmaker for someone else.
Chapter 324 Dawn
After seeing Ouyang Jun off, Zhuang Rui quietly went into his grandparents' room and used his spiritual energy to cleanse their bodies. When he returned to his own room, he was already in tears. There was nothing he could do; the elderly people's physical functions were relatively weak, so Zhuang Rui could only use a little more spiritual energy each time. Fortunately, his spiritual energy could now recover on its own; otherwise, Zhuang Rui would not have dared to use it so recklessly.
The next day, Zhuang Rui got up at around six o'clock. After having breakfast with his mother and maternal grandparents, he drove to the courtyard house. Today, he not only had to finalize the blueprints, but also pay Gu Yun. Originally, the payment was supposed to be made in three installments, but Zhuang Rui was going back to Pengcheng in a few days, so he thought it would be better to settle the payment all at once.
With the connection to Old Master Gu, Zhuang Rui wasn't worried about Gu Yun playing any tricks on him. As for the money others were entitled to, Zhuang Rui wouldn't be stingy. These days, even friends don't have spare cash. ...
Around 7 a.m., Beijing is still relatively quiet. Commuters can still sleep in a little longer. However, bicycles are flowing like a river on the overpasses. In the park by the roadside, the trees are full of birdcages, while a group of elderly people are practicing Tai Chi under the trees, presenting a harmonious urban scene.
The shack built at the back gate of Zhuang Rui's courtyard house had not yet been cleared away, so we had to park the car outside the alley and walk into the alley of the protected area. Various sounds came from there: people selling breakfast, calling children to get up, and indirectly, the sound of an artist practicing his singing.
Next to the breakfast stall at the entrance of the alley, there was a lean old man with a barber's stall, shaving the head of a seven or eight-year-old child. The razor, sharpened to a gleaming shine, made Zhuang Rui feel as if he had returned to his childhood.