Chapter 78 A Person You Know Very Well
The next day, Sang Qian received a call from Yu Miaoyin, who said she had a gift for her.
Sang Qian asked excitedly, "What gift is it?"
"Don't you like collecting porcelain?"
Yu Miaoyin said, "I unexpectedly found a heavy cup in an antique market in the east. It's an old item, but the patterns on the cup are quite damaged."
Because of the severe damage, such a fine item was buried among a pile of ordinary porcelain and sold.
"But that's not a problem for you. You can fix it yourself, and it will definitely be a collector's item."
"My dear senior sister, you are so good to me."
Sang Qian enjoys collecting antiques, especially porcelain.
"You help me train my apprentice, so I have to give you a gift in return."
Yu Miaoyin said, "I was just about to send something to my apprentice, so I'll send it over with you. You can pick it up from him later."
Yu Miaoyin would occasionally send small items over for Yan Guizhi to study or practice.
"Okay, sure."
After hesitating for a moment, Sang Qian asked, "Senior sister, how is your project inspection in the east going?"
"They want us to stay in the east and set up a repair team, but Master hasn't agreed yet."
Yu Miaoyin said, "However, the western project has been shelved. I think my master will eventually consider staying in the east, but how long he will stay is still under discussion."
Thinking she was eager to join the project, she added, "Don't worry, I'll let you know as soon as my mentor makes a clear decision."
Sang Qian pursed her lips. "Senior sister, I... probably won't be joining Master's team for the time being."
"Why?" Yu Miaoyin asked, puzzled. "Didn't you previously seem eager to leave Beijing?"
"I am pregnant."
Yu Miaoyin seemed taken aback for a moment, then asked, "How long has it been?"
"Two or three months."
Yu Miaoyin, "So it belongs to your ex-husband?"
"Um."
Yu Miaoyin, "Do you have any plans to remarry?"
“No,” Sang Qian said, “but I have custody.”
Yu Miaoyin paused for a moment, then said, "So you probably won't be able to travel all over the country with Master for the next few years?"
“Yes,” Sang Qian said, “but I will not give up my profession. After I give birth and everything is settled, I will work on restoration in the place where I settle down.”
Even if she has other investment income that can support her and her child, she still wants to continue working in the industry she loves.
"very good."
Yu Miaoyin: "Your life is your own plan."
*
About a week later, the gift that Yu Miaoyin sent her arrived.
The items were sent to Yan Guizhi's studio.
After unwrapping the layers of packaging, Yan Guizhi looked at the "dusty and dirty" porcelain cup inside, which was severely damaged, with a puzzled expression.
"This is the gift my master gave you? Why is it so worn out? Look, there's even a chip in it."
Unlike his face full of disdain and incomprehension, Sang Qian held that heavy cup with great interest, her eyes shining.
She held it in her hand and examined it closely. "Do you know what this is?"
"What?"
"This is a blue and white porcelain from the Xuande period of the Ming Dynasty."
Yan Guizhi leaned closer to look, "Really?"
"You don't trust me, but you doubt your master?"
Yan Guizhi immediately feigned innocence, saying, "I dare not question either of you."
"But... it is indeed quite damaged."
There was no disrespect intended towards Yu Miaoyin; it was simply that in his mind, when giving gifts, one should usually give something brand new. If it was an antique, it should be something that one could play with or collect immediately upon receiving it. But this piece of porcelain was clearly not like that.
Sang Qian naturally understood what he was thinking and said, "Items that you repair yourself are more valuable for collection."
Seeing his confusion, Sang Qian said, "Just like your string of Buddhist prayer beads, wouldn't she be very happy if you repaired them and gave them to your grandmother?"
Yan Guizhi nodded, "Mm."
"Wouldn't you feel a great sense of accomplishment if you gave her a gift that you repaired yourself?"
Yan Guizhi nodded emphatically, deeply agreeing.
"So, your collection is especially meaningful because you restored it yourself?"
Yan Guizhi said, "Oh, I understand."
It turns out that restorers can give gifts in such a unique way.
"So when do you plan to repair this porcelain piece?" he asked with great interest. "I want to learn from it."
Sang Qian examined the cup in her hand. "No rush. I can only find time to repair it after my baby is born."
"Why?"
“This cup is severely damaged and requires a lot of effort to repair. Moreover, the fish and seaweed pattern on it is damaged over a large area, which requires pigments. I am currently pregnant and it is not suitable for me to do the repair work.”
That's true.
Yan Guizhi nodded, and then heard her say, "And I still need to study for quite some time how to start the repairs."
Looking at the damaged part of the cup, Sang Qian suddenly sighed, "What a pity."
"What's so regrettable?"
“There was a Ming Xuande blue and white porcelain fish and algae patterned covered bowl at a previous auction. The pattern on it is made using the same technique as the cup I have in my hand. If I could have that set of covered bowls as a sample, the restoration would be much smoother.”
"Even just borrowing it to observe can help you find inspiration and ideas for restoration."
Which auction?
"Items from more than two months ago have already been collected by others."
"Tell me which auction it was, and I'll check who bought it."
Sang Qian looked at him and asked, "What are you going to do?"
“Didn’t you say you’d like to borrow it to take a look?” Yan Guizhi said. “I’ll check who the buyer is. If I can make connections and meet them, maybe I can let you see the piece.”
The Yan family has some connections in Beijing, so they might actually be able to find the owner of that collection.
Maybe she'll actually get to see that blue and white porcelain fish and seaweed patterned covered bowl that she's always longed for.
Sang Qian immediately told him the time and place of the auction, "Then I'll leave this to you."
"Why are you being so polite with me?"
Yan Guizhi raised an eyebrow at her, "Wait for my news."
He told her to wait for his news, so Sang Qianzhen waited patiently for it.
She took the heavy cup home, cleaned it thoroughly, and would take it out to look at it from time to time.
Two days later, one evening.
Sang Qian was reading in her bedroom when Yan Guizhi called her.
"Sister Sang Qian, we've found the buyer for that item," Yan Guizhi asked mysteriously. "Guess who it is?"
Sang Qian immediately retorted, "Who?"
Yan Guizhi said, "Someone you know very well."
"Someone I know?"
Sang Qian immediately thought of everyone she knew who might become a buyer.
Although there are many people in their field of antique restoration who like to collect porcelain and antiques, to be honest, everyone's resources are limited.
Items costing tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, or even millions can still be bought and collected.
But she remembered that the starting bid for that Ming Xuande blue and white porcelain covered bowl was eight figures, and none of her acquaintances or fellow collectors had that kind of financial power.
"I can't guess," she asked anxiously. "Who is it?"
Yan Guizhi, "You, ex, husband".
Sang Qian's pupils suddenly dilated.
The buyer was actually—
Jin Changyu?
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