Chapter 86 (Second Update)

The next day, Yan Ruyi went to Professor Yue's office.

The door to Professor Yue's office was ajar. She knocked and heard someone inside say "Come in," so she pushed the door open and went in.

There were three people in the office. Professor Yue was sitting behind his desk.

Yan Ruyi bowed to Professor Yue and said, "Hello Professor Yue, I am Yan Ruyi. I'm sorry I'm late."

Professor Yue smiled and said, "It's not late at all. Since we're all here, let's introduce ourselves: names, jobs, and where we're from."

Just as he finished speaking, the phone rang. Professor Yue answered it, and after hanging up, he said to the three of them, "I'm going out for a bit. I'll be back in about half an hour. You can chat for a while and get to know each other."

Professor Yue finished speaking and left.

He supervised three graduate students in total: Yan Ruyi, Bao Zhan, and a male student who was about the same age as Yan Ruyi. It was the first time Yan Ruyi had met him.

Bao Zhan said, "Then I'll go first. My name is Bao Zhan, I'm from Beijing, and I work at the Municipal Bureau of Cultural Relics."

Another one said, "My name is Qi Lei, I'm from Yuncheng, I'm a teacher, I teach high school history."

Yan Ruyi: "My name is Yan Ruyi. I'm from Beijing and I work at an auction company."

Qi Lei's eyes lit up. "You work at Jialide, right?"

Yan Ruyi was a little surprised, "You know about Jialide?"

Qi Lei: "I know, I have a relative who even attended your autumn auction."

Bao Zhan frowned. "I just don't understand why the government allows auction houses to be opened, under the guise of stimulating the economy. But what's the difference between that and reselling antiques?"

Yan Ruyi: "According to you, antique shops selling antiques are also considered to be reselling antiques, right?"

Bao Zhan, "That's different. When antique shops sell them, the prices aren't that high."

Qi Lei retorted, "Since we're selling anyway, wouldn't it be better to sell at a higher price? A higher price means we can pay more taxes to the country and support its economic development."

Bao Zhan said, "I've heard that many auction houses abuse buyers' trust by passing off fakes as genuine articles. Isn't this corrupting the atmosphere of the antique world? Antique shops certainly wouldn't have this problem."

Yan Ruyi said, "I did hear something from one of my roommates. Her father used to sell antiques at an antique shop. He said a blue and white porcelain bowl from the Xuande period of the Ming Dynasty was a fake and only paid 50 cents."

Qi Lei exclaimed in surprise, "That can't be right, could it be that I'm mistaken?"

Yan Ruyi said, “At first I thought so too. But then the classmate’s father said that the appraiser wouldn’t give a receipt. So her father became suspicious and didn’t sell it. When an antique shop sells anything, they have to give a receipt and register it in the warehouse. If they don’t give a receipt, they probably want to pocket it.”

Qi Lei: "Now that you mention it, I also feel that something is wrong. The appraiser must be of questionable character."

Yan Ruyi asked Bao Zhan with a smile, "Bao Zhan, what do you think?"

Bao Zhan looked a little uncomfortable. "The appraiser may have made a mistake. As for not issuing a receipt, your classmate's father may have misremembered."

“If her father remembers correctly, he’s really angry now and is even planning to report that appraiser.”

Bao Zhan said, "Isn't this making a mountain out of a molehill?"

Qi Lei said seriously, "How can this be called making a mountain out of a molehill? The antique shop is a state-owned enterprise. The appraiser's behavior is, at best, an abuse of power for personal gain, and at worst, it corrupts social morals. I support this student in reporting it."

Bao Zhan said, "...How did we end up talking about such a serious topic? Let's talk about our studies instead. I heard we'll have theory classes first, interspersed with specialized courses."

Bao Zhan clearly wanted to change the subject, and Yan Ruyi didn't press the issue.

After all, she didn't have any solid evidence.

Judging from Bao Zhan's reaction, she felt that he must have known about it.

And it's quite possible that his father did this more than once.

She just wanted to scare him, and indirectly scare his father too.

Who told him to label Jia Lide as an antique dealer!

After Yan Ruyi finished her class in the afternoon, she had just returned to her dormitory when the dormitory manager called her from downstairs, "Yan Ruyi, 306, someone is looking for you."

Yan Ruyi peered out the window and exclaimed, "My lover is here!"

She ran downstairs in a flash.

Gao Meiling and the other two immediately ran to the window and looked down, heads close together.

"Sister Yan's husband is actually a People's Liberation Army soldier."

"He must be a military officer, he's really handsome."

"Sister Yan is also beautiful. The two of them look like a perfect match. I can't imagine how beautiful their child will be."

...

Yan Ruyi had already run downstairs. Seeing Song Yiping still carrying his bag, she asked him, "You haven't gone to school yet?"

Song Yiping: "I came straight here after getting off the train. Classes don't start until 9 a.m. tomorrow, so I can make it in the morning."

Yan Ruyi deliberately asked him, "So where are you going to sleep tonight? You can't exactly sleep under a bridge, can you?"

Song Yiping gave an irrelevant answer, saying, "I brought my marriage certificate."

Yan Ruyi said, "Keep your voice down."

She looked up and saw several small heads peeking out of each window upstairs, all craning their necks to look at the two of them.

There were people at the first-floor window, but it was unclear whether they had heard Song Yiping's words.

She pulled Song Yiping away.

Song Yiping: "I asked the dormitory supervisor and registered with her. I can stay outside."

He had already asked the dormitory supervisor!

Song Yiping: "Should I go and register for you?"

Yan Ruyi said, "Don't move here, I'll go."

Yan Ruyi reluctantly went to register, and then quickly pulled Song Yiping away.

Song Yiping said, "I see there's a guesthouse right across from your school. Let's go check in first."

Yan Ruyi glared at him. "Comrade Song, what are you thinking about in broad daylight? Let's go eat first, and then I'll take you for a walk around our campus."

"Comrade Xiao Yan, I can't exactly carry a travel bag and stroll around campus with you, can I?"

Yan Ruyi had completely forgotten that Song Yiping was still carrying a travel bag.

"Then you should go check in quickly."

Song Yiping went to check in and then went to his room to put his travel bag away.

Yan Ruyi went up with him.

As soon as Song Yiping closed the door, Yan Ruyi threw herself at him, saying, "I missed you."

Song Yiping turned around and kissed her, making Yan Ruyi a little breathless.

If you keep kissing like that, you won't be leaving the guesthouse today.

Yan Ruyi pushed him away, "I'm hungry, let's go eat first."

Song Yiping reached out and rubbed her skin. "Let's go."

After leaving the guesthouse, he asked Yan Ruyi, "You're familiar with this place now, right? Why don't you pick a place to eat?"

Yan Ruyi said, "Let's go eat Peking duck. We don't need to go to Quanjude. There's a place right at the north gate of our school. The owner said it's roasted with fruitwood charcoal, and it's really delicious."

Song Yiping naturally listened to Yan Ruyi.

To get to the North Gate, you have to walk through the entire campus, which is a good opportunity to take her husband, Commander Song, for a stroll around the campus.

Yan Ruyi enthusiastically introduced the campus scenery to Song Yiping.

The roast duck restaurant she mentioned was not far from the north gate of the school. Most of the customers were students, so the price was not expensive, but the taste was good. Yan Ruyi even thought it was better than Quanjude's roast duck.

The two ordered a quarter of a duck and two plates of noodles with soybean paste.

By the time we finished eating and came out of the restaurant, it was almost dark.

Song Yiping said, "Comrade Xiao Yan, can we go back to entertain him now?"

Yan Ruyi waved her hand and said, "Granted."

When the two returned to the guesthouse, Yan Ruyi exclaimed, "I didn't bring any pajamas!"

Song Yiping said, "Wear mine, I took two sets."

Song Yiping's pajamas were too big, so Yan Ruyi was only wearing a top, and her little bottom was faintly visible as she walked around.

Song Yiping watched with bated breath, then turned off the light.

...

After finishing her studies, Yan Ruyi took the train back to Beijing.

She went to the machine tool factory's residential compound first, intending to have lunch there before going back.

Ye Hongzhen said, "Go back inside and rest for a while. I'll call you when the food is ready."

Yan Ruyi went into the house carrying her bag, and quickly came out again. "Mom, why is the room where my second brother and sister-in-law live empty?"