Zhuang Rui suddenly felt a stinging pain in his shoulder. It turned out that the little thing had been looking around and had been using too much force with its claws.
Zhuang Rui placed the little golden eagle on his arm and pried open one of its claws. He then discovered that the little creature's claws had become very sharp, about seven or eight millimeters long. If it were to dig into flesh and pull it out, it could definitely tear off a piece of flesh.
"Mom, do you think you can find some materials to make something like a nail cover to put on Little Golden Feather's toes and claws?"
After thinking for a while, Zhuang Rui decided to attach something to the fledgling eagle's claws. Although Jin Yu was very obedient and wouldn't attack people on its own initiative, there was no guarantee that something might happen. In the summer, people wear less clothing, and if those sharp claws touched flesh, it would definitely draw blood.
Ouyang Wan glanced at the little golden feather's paws, nodded, and agreed, saying, "Okay, I'll figure something out. Alright, you guys eat first, I'll go get Xu Qing a bowl of chicken soup..."
"Hehe, Auntie, thank you so much..."
Ouyang Jun shamelessly thanked Zhuang's mother, which was the main reason he was willing to stay here. At least his aunt took much better care of his wife than he did.
After dinner, Peng Fei returned home. Zhuang Rui showed everyone the DV footage they had shot on the snow mountain. The extraordinary sight of the golden eagle couple and the adorable charm of the snow leopard moved the women to tears.
"Zhuang Rui, why didn't you bring that leopard back?"
Summer is hot, and people usually take a nap at noon. Zhuang Rui and Qin Xuanbing returned to their room, took a shower, and then lay down on the bed with their wives in their arms.
Having been away for almost a month, Zhuang Rui hadn't felt so relaxed lying in his own bed in a long time.
"Snow leopards don't belong here. They can't stand this weather alone. They can't be kept in an air-conditioned room every day, can they? What's the point of them coming here?"
Qin Xuanbing's words reminded Zhuang Rui of the little creature on the snow mountain. He wondered how it was doing now, and whether it thought of him when it roamed freely on the snow mountain.
"Yes, honey, you did the right thing..."
Seeing that Zhuang Rui seemed a little sad, Qin Xuanbing quickly changed the subject, saying, "You've been gone for almost a month now, and I feel like the little guy is moving..."
Zhuang Rui laughed upon hearing this, put his ear to the screen, and said, "Really? Let me hear it..."
Qin Xuanbing was almost three months pregnant, and her belly was slightly protruding. Zhuang Rui initially pretended to listen, but after a while, his hands became restless.
"No, oh dear, it really won't work..."
"It's okay, just be gentle, the doctor already said so..."
After a burst of playful laughter, heavy, suppressed breathing filled the room, and it took a long time for the noise to subside.
Zhuang Rui slept for about an hour and a half before getting up. Seeing his wife's blushing and satisfied expression, he couldn't help but gently kiss Qin Xuanbing on the cheek before getting up and going to the outer room.
"Xue'er, are you getting used to it?"
When we arrived at the white lion's private room, the two Tibetan mastiffs were lying there resting with their eyes closed, while the little eaglet was full of energy, darting around the room and never settling down for a moment.
"Waaah..."
The Tibetan Mastiff let out a low growl. It had only been there a short time and was not yet used to it. However, with the white lion by its side and Zhuang Rui's spiritual energy to nourish it, Xue'er did not reject this kind of life. After all, Tibetan Mastiffs were beasts that could be tamed.
"Alright, after the sun goes down, let the white lion take you to tour your territory..."
The hot weather in mainland China does have an impact on Tibetan mastiffs. Even white lions often shed their fur in the summer. Therefore, in the summer, white lions only patrol the courtyard in the early morning and late evening.
"Hehe, when I have time, I'll take you to the countryside. There are still some mountains around Beijing..."
Seeing the snow mastiff's appearance, Zhuang Rui smiled and used his spiritual energy to tidy up the snow mastiff's body, then opened the iron door leading to the basement and went downstairs.
He deliberately left the room at the basement entrance for White Lion to live in, so that, apart from very familiar people, no outsider could possibly get past White Lion.
The basement lights are sound-activated. As soon as Zhuang Rui went downstairs, the lights in the room turned on. In two corners of the room, two dehumidifiers were working to keep the basement dry at all times.
There aren't many items left here now; Zhuang Rui has moved most of them to the museum. Sharing is worse than keeping it to yourself, and Zhuang Rui has fulfilled a small wish of his: to open those things that carry historical memories to more people.
The most numerous items in the basement now are gold bricks. White incandescent lights shine on the neatly stacked pile of gold bricks, emitting a dazzling golden light.
He rummaged through a shelf against the wall, put a jewelry box in his pocket, thought for a moment, then picked up a gold brick before leaving the basement.
The items in the jewelry box were for Ouyang Jun's child, while Zhuang Rui planned to have Manager Wu of "Qin Ruilin" melt down the gold brick and use it to make some longevity locks for 100-day and 1-year celebrations.
This is just for good luck. Ouyang Jun's child can use it, and his own child can use it when he is born. It's a way of preparing in advance.
When they went outside, the little golden eagle clung to Zhuang Rui relentlessly, ignoring the fact that the white lion couple wouldn't even bother playing with it, much to the little guy's frustration. ...
"Zhuang Rui, is this a fledgling eagle? It's so cute..."
Xu Qing was still in her postpartum confinement period and was told not to be exposed to the wind, so she had been eating separately in the room during this time, which is why she didn't see Xiao Jinyu at noon.
"Hehe, go say hello to your sister-in-law..."
Zhuang Rui smiled and placed the golden eagle in front of Xu Qing. The little golden eagle chirped a few times at Xu Qing, and then ran to Zhuang Rui, who was standing next to the stroller.
Ouyang Jun and Xu Qing's child was less than a week old. The wrinkles on his face had not yet been smoothed out, and he looked like a little old man. However, his eyes were already open, staring at Zhuang Rui with bright eyes.
"Yes, Fourth Brother, this is a gift for my nephew. Could you find a good rope and string them together for him to wear?"
Zhuang Rui took out the jewelry box and handed it to Ouyang Jun; this gift was quite substantial.
"You've got a conscience, kid. Hmm, this jade isn't bad..."
After Ouyang Jun opened the jewelry box, he saw a jade-green Guanyin statue inside and made a pretentious comment, even though he knew absolutely nothing about jade.
"What do you know about good and bad? Let me see it..."
Xu Qing rolled her eyes at her husband, took Zhuang Rui's gift, examined it under the light, and then a look of surprise appeared on her face. She said, "Xiao Rui, thank you so much. This jade is very rare..."
After giving birth, Xu Qing gained a lot of weight. To avoid being photographed by paparazzi, she hasn't left the house since a month before the baby was born. However, having given birth to another grandson for the Ouyang family, Xu Qing is quite confident and occasionally dares to scold Ouyang Jun.
Upon hearing his wife's words, Ouyang Jun replied dismissively, "Is it that expensive? There's nothing to thank me for, we're all family..."
Xu Qing, being somewhat knowledgeable, rolled her eyes at her husband and said, "This is imperial green jadeite, you can't buy it even if you have money. This Guanyin statue alone would cost at least three or four million..."
"Hehe, sister-in-law, don't talk to that boorish man, he wouldn't understand..."
Zhuang Rui laughed. He was afraid that he had given all the imperial green jade he had won at the auction to Old Master Gu, and only made six pendants in total.
There are three pieces each of Guanyin and Buddha. As the saying goes, men wear Guanyin and women wear Buddha. Zhuang Rui originally prepared these for his unborn child.
As for the price, Xu Qing was underestimating it. Imperial green jadeite has become extremely rare in recent years, and with the soaring price of jadeite, many high-end jadeite pieces have been collected by private individuals under the guise of investment. The rarer and more exquisite the jadeite, the more sought after it becomes in the market.
If Zhuang Rui had put this pendant up for auction, it would have started at three or four million, and it would have sold for seven or eight million, which would have been normal.
"It's just a piece of jade, that's all he does..."
Ouyang Jun pursed his lips, leaned closer to Zhuang Rui, looked at his son kicking his arms and legs in the stroller, and said, "What do you think? Doesn't my son look like me?"
"Like you? Fourth Brother, you'd better pray this little guy doesn't turn out like you, or he won't be able to find a partner in the future..."
Zhuang Rui laughed upon hearing this, but Ouyang Jun's forehead veins throbbed as he heard Zhuang Rui's words. Wasn't this just insulting his father in front of his son?
"Get lost, you never say anything nice..."
Ouyang Jun glared at Zhuang Rui with annoyance, but it didn't scare Zhuang Rui. Instead, it made the little guy cry loudly.
"Heh, you're a terrible father..."
Zhuang Rui stretched out his finger and put it to the little guy's mouth. The little guy naturally opened his mouth and sucked, and the crying stopped immediately.
"Go away, your hands are so dirty, it's so unhygienic..."
Ouyang Jun was furious and pulled Zhuang Rui's hand away. He forgot that when he was a child, he would roll on the ground and eat whatever he could find.
"Alright, the child is probably hungry. Sister-in-law, I'll take my leave now. Please get some rest..."
After leaving a trace of spiritual energy on the little guy, Zhuang Rui took his leave. Although he, like people all over the country, was eager to see what it was like for a big star to raise a baby, Zhuang Rui believed that Ouyang Jun would not give him that opportunity.
Chapter 765 Twins (Part 2)
Back in Beijing, Zhuang Rui didn't have any free time. He had to visit the "Xuanrui Zhai" and "Qin Ruilin" jewelry stores in Panjiayuan.
Qin Xuanbing has been resting at home during this period and hasn't visited Qin Ruilin for a long time.
Summer is the summer vacation for students, which is not the best season for tourism, but the number of tourists is always the highest of the year. Having just returned from the sparsely populated Tibetan plateau to this bustling city, Zhuang Rui felt a little unreal.
Under Zhao Hanxuan's management, "Xuanrui Zhai" business flourished, and with Zhuang Rui's connections, it was becoming the best shop in Panjiayuan for selling stationery.
When the museum opened recently, Zhuang Rui made a point of promoting Xuanruizhai's handmade seals to collectors from all over the country. Naturally, Master Ge's craftsmanship became a living advertisement for Xuanruizhai.
In the past month or so, not only have collectors in Beijing flocked to his shop seeking his seal, but people from all over the country who love collecting calligraphy and paintings have also worn down his doorstep. Now Master Ge has become a "big shot," and if you want to get his seal, you have to make an appointment two months in advance.
Among those who came to request seals were many officials from various regions who "enjoyed calligraphy." Given the national emphasis on anti-corruption and integrity, these knowledgeable, cultured, and capable officials naturally responded.
As a result, the practice of leaders writing inscriptions for companies has greatly increased. Even low-level government departments like calligraphy associations have seen a surge in popularity. Why not just get a membership, write a few strokes of the brush, and pocket the commission?
Zhuang Rui was both amused and exasperated by Zhao Hanxuan's explanation, but there was nothing he could do about it. Even if he managed to plug the loophole, those highly intelligent leaders would still find other ways to do things.
After more than half a year of operation, Zhao Hanxuan's mindset has changed. With an annual salary of several hundred thousand yuan, he can live quite well in Beijing. He also doesn't need to worry about the success or failure of the business. Zhao Hanxuan has given up the idea of starting a new business. This is the thing that makes Zhuang Rui the happiest.
Zhuang Rui didn't need to worry about Qin Ruilin's side either. Manager Wu had been in the jewelry industry for two or three decades and knew all the tricks of the trade.
With the support of the Hong Kong flagship store and the unique jadeite jewelry from Zhuang Rui, Qin Ruilin is undoubtedly the first jewelry store that mid-to-high-end customers choose when purchasing jewelry in Beijing's jadeite market.
However, the shop's mid-to-high-end jadeite jewelry is running low. Zhuang Rui needs to find time to return to Pengcheng to cut another batch of jadeite; the end of the year is approaching, which is another peak sales season. ...
"Boss, aren't you being a bit too biased? You've been back in Beijing for three days now, and you're only now thinking of coming to our museum?"
Zhuang Rui sat in the curator's office, which hadn't been opened since the second day of its opening, and listened with a smile to Huangfu Yun's complaints.
Also present was another deputy director, Zheng Chengxiang, who used to be a researcher at the Capital Museum and held the title of professor. He is now in charge of the museum's internal management.
Zhuang Rui is holding an office meeting today. He just called the CFO, and Yun Man will be coming over soon.
Zhuang Rui glanced at Huangfu Yun and said jokingly, "Alright, with you in charge of the museum, I feel much more at ease. By the way, Brother Huangfu, when did we get a CFO's office here? I remember Yunman's office was at the jewelry store."
"Our museum is a top performer right now, so of course the finance department should be based here..."
Huangfu Yun's words were so righteous and awe-inspiring that Zhuang Rui couldn't help but laugh. He had already heard from Qin Xuanbing that Yun Man and Huangfu Yun were living together and discussing marriage.
Huangfu Yun's words made Zhuang Rui burst out laughing. Deputy Curator Zheng, who was older, sat beside them and watched the two bicker with a smile.
"Alright, Brother Huangfu, just send me an invitation when you and President Yun get married..."
Zhuang Rui's words made Huangfu Yun's old face turn red for once. Yun Man, who had just pushed open the office door, was even more blushing and hesitated whether to go out and come back in later.
"Mr. Yun, you're joking, please come in..."
When Zhuang Rui saw Yun Man, his attitude became more serious. Yun Man, who came from Hong Kong, was very familiar with Qin Xuanbing, and Zhuang Rui also showed her enough respect.
"President Zhuang, I'd like to give you a report on the museum's income and expenditure over the past month, as well as the financial reports from Qin Ruilin and Xuan Ruizhai..."
After Yunman entered the room, she sat on the sofa in front of Zhuang Rui, looking straight ahead. Huangfu Yun was quite lucky with Yunman. Wearing a short skirt suit, Yunman had a curvaceous figure that could easily arouse a man's criminal impulses.
"Hmm, you now have over 90 million in working capital?"
Zhuang Rui looked at the report and was surprised. When he left Beijing, he only had a little over 20 million yuan, which he left to Huangfu Yun to bid on some museum collections. He didn't expect that he would have so much more money in just over a month.