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Qi Zhengmin brought Tang Qian in.
Qi Shuliang looked Tang Qian up and down; he was handsome and his appearance was acceptable.
He has clear eyes, a fairly pure mind, and is a decent person.
Qi Shuliang planned to have a good talk with Tang Qian to see what kind of person he was.
Upon seeing his mother, Qi Zhengmin's face flushed slightly, but he still introduced her to everyone generously.
"Tang Qian, this is my father and mother; father and mother, this is Tang Qian, the general agent of our Fuxi Automobile Factory in Yanjing," Qi Zhengmin introduced them, and they were now acquainted.
Tang Qian smiled, extended his hand, and said, "Uncle Qi, hello, I've heard so much about you."
Tang Qian addressed Qi Shuliang as "Uncle" in a familiar manner, instead of "Mr."
A simple form of address reveals Tang Qian's emotional intelligence; he approached Qi Shuliang as a junior, not as the general agent of Fuxi Auto in Yanjing.
Qi Shuliang smiled and nodded, saying, "Mr. Tang is also a promising young man."
Tang Qian humbly replied, "I am the fourth child in my family. Mr. Qi, you can just call me Tang Qian or Xiao Si. I really don't deserve the title of Mr. Tang."
"Then I'll call you Tang Qian," Qi Shuliang said with a smile. As for calling you Xiao Si, that would be too intimate; no one would call someone like that on the first time.
"Thank you, Uncle Qi," Tang Qian said with a smile. "Aunt Annie, these are some fresh lilies of mine. I hope you like them."
Annie glanced at her daughter and guessed that it must have been her daughter who told Tang Qian this.
"Thank you, they're beautiful, I love them," Anne said with a smile, taking the flowers and handing them to the maid so she could put them in a vase.
"You're welcome, I'm glad you like it," Tang Qian said modestly, then took out a wooden box from the box next to him. "Uncle Qi, this is my first time here, so I don't have anything special to offer. I just heard from Zhengmin that you like calligraphy, so I brought you some fine inkstones and ink from China. I hope you like them."
Upon hearing this, Qi Shuliang felt a mix of emotions, but he also wanted to see what Tang Qian had given him.
"Thank you." Qi Shuliang smiled, then asked, "I really like calligraphy. May I open it and take a look?"
"Sure, it was originally intended for Uncle Qi, so it's for Uncle Qi now," Tang Qian said with a smile, hoping Qi Shuliang would like it.
He spent a lot of money to buy this in the country.
Although it's not an antique, it's very good because of its pure handcraftsmanship.
"Oh my, this is a top-quality Tao inkstone!" Qi Shuliang was very pleased with it and couldn't put it down.
If Tang Qian hadn't been around, Qi Shuliang would have definitely examined it closely.
"Dad, what is Tao inkstone?" Qi Zhengmin asked with a smile. Tang Qian is quite thoughtful; he actually gave him this gift, which really touched his father's heart.
She and her brother gave their father some inkstones, which he liked very much, but none of them had a reaction as strong as when he saw this Tao inkstone.
Everyone looked at Qi Shuliang.
Qi Shuliang smiled and said, "Tao inkstones are also known as Taohe inkstones. The material is taken from the deep waters of the Taohe River in Zhuoni, Gansu (which belonged to Taozhou in the Tang Dynasty). Tao inkstones are highly valued in the north because of their fine stone texture, silk-like patterns, elegant color, quick and fine ink release, and heat retention. They were already rare in the Song Dynasty. Since they became famous in the Tang Dynasty, old pit Tao inkstones have always been something that only royalty, literary figures, and wealthy merchants could own. I used to have one, but it broke on the way, which I have always regretted. I never thought that such inkstones still exist today."
Tang Qian smiled and said, "After liberation, Tao inkstones were produced again. Production was very limited, and they are not commonly seen on the market."
"Great, this is a nice gift," Qi Shuliang said with a smile. "I really like it, thank you for the gift."
"I'm glad Uncle Qi likes it." Tang Qian said with a smile. The gift was well given, it livened up the atmosphere, and left a good impression.
It was all worth it.
Actually, Tang Qian didn't buy it from outside; he took it from his father's study.
Originally, Old Master Tang was unhappy that such a good thing was being given away as a gift, which made him scold Tang Qian for being an unfilial son.
Tang Qian then asked, "Do you want the inkstone or your daughter-in-law?"
Grandpa Tang has been wanting to hold his grandson for a long time.
An inkstone is fine, but it cannot produce smaller inkstones.
Comparing the two, Old Master Tang reluctantly parted with Tang Qian and let him take the inkstone.
"You're so thoughtful," Qi Shuliang said with a smile. "The scenery outside is beautiful. Come on, let me take you for a walk in the back garden."
"With pleasure," Tang Qian said politely.
"Annie, you and Zhengmin go prepare lunch and treat Tang Qian well," Qi Shuliang said. He had a good first impression, and his daughter could spend some time with this man.
“Okay, darling.” Annie smiled and watched her husband and Qi Shuliang leave.
Once they were out of sight, Annie chuckled and said, "Zhengmin, he's a nice young man. I have a good impression of him, and your father likes him a lot too."
"Just because Tang Qian gave Dad an inkstone that suited his taste?" Qi Zhengmin wrinkled his nose. With an inkstone, everything would be easier to discuss.
Anne shrugged. She didn't understand why there were so many inkstones in her husband's study; to her, they were all the same.
“Your father likes inkstones, but he also likes his daughter,” Annie said with a smile. “Your father wouldn’t give his daughter away just because of an inkstone, unless the person who gave her the inkstone was a nice person.”
"Hehe, I accept Mom's explanation," Qi Zhengmin said with a smile. "Mom, what should we prepare for lunch?"
"These are all your favorite foods," Annie said with a smile. "By the way, what does Tang Qian like to eat?"
"Huh?" Qi Zhengmin really didn't know. Thinking back to when they were in Yanjing, Tang Qian never refused her favorite foods. "He seems to like everything I like to eat."
Annie shook her head and said, "Zhengmin, if you like him, then you need to get to know him properly. Love is mutual; you can't just enjoy someone else's efforts without giving your own. Such unequal love won't be happy or last long."
Qi Zhengmin hugged his mother and said, "Thank you, Mom. I understand."
“Mom’s Zhengmin has grown up and will definitely be able to handle her own relationship problems,” Annie said with a smile. “However, if you encounter any problems, you can talk to Mom. Mom has been through this and can give you advice.”
"Thank you, Mom, I've got it." Qi Zhengmin smiled, gladly accepting her family's concern.
The mother and daughter went to the kitchen together and personally supervised the maid as she cooked.
As for Qi Shuliang, he led Tang Qian to the manor behind the house, where there was a large expanse of lush green lawn, rows of peach trees that were already in bloom, and many small grasses growing along the bluestone path.
"Tang Qian, are you pursuing Zheng Min?" Qi Shuliang asked directly, without beating around the bush.
Qi Shuliang had to look at the man pursuing his daughter differently. He used his experience to observe Tang Qian and see if he was qualified to be his daughter's lover, or even her husband!
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