Chapter 1: A business trip to the British Museum to inspect cultural relics
Shannan Road, exiting subway station Exit 3, is lined with several prepared food shops and a fruit market. Next to the market is the Shannan residential complex. Built in the late 1980s, its buildings are square, like neatly arranged matchboxes, leaving narrow paths for pedestrians. Even so, the sidewalks are still clogged with parked cars, precariously parked over the curb, their tires wedged in the bare grass.
Qin Tian got out of the subway and bought a box of beef and picked out a few peaches. The corridor was suddenly dark when she entered, and her eyes had to adjust. She hurried up to the fifth floor, took out her key, and opened the door. With a loud "clatter," Qin Yunjie came out of the kitchen.
"Just right, let's eat."
Qin Tian walked to the dining table, pulled out a chair, and sat down. On the wall facing her hung a picture frame, containing a pair of bamboo slips inscribed with the words, "I present this jade pendant to you, Chunjun, and wish you all the best." The bamboo slips had yellowed, but the inscription was elegant. She looked away from the picture frame and sat down again.
Qin Yunjie had already put away the dishes and pushed the box of braised shrimp with scallions in front of her. He always made this dish every time she came. He knew she loved shrimp; it was one of the few things he knew about her.
"Your mother's birthday is on the 18th of this month. Can you take a day off?" he asked.
"I told you that I'm going to the UK soon for a treasure exhibition and won't be back until the 18th." Qin Tian lowered his head and peeled shrimp shells.
"Oh." Qin Yunjie responded, and the topic seemed to have ended there. Qin Tian stuffed the shrimp into his mouth, but suddenly spat it out. It's too salty! Qin Yunjie's cooking is always very salty, but this is already salty enough to be bitter.
"Dad! The food you cooked is too salty. Eating that much salt will only make your blood pressure high."
"Is it salty?" Qin Yunjie casually said, "Otherwise, you should come back earlier. Your mother's birthday only comes once a year."
Qin Tian raised his chopsticks, but didn't know what to eat, so he put them down.
"If you really want to go, go alone." Qin Tian suddenly lost his appetite. "You know I don't believe in these things. Birthdays are only valid when you're alive. After you've passed away, there's no birthday anymore. It's called a ghost birthday."
Qin Tian swept the shrimp shells on the table into the bowl and finished the meal. Qin Yunjie peeled the shrimps alone and ate slowly. The box of beef was hardly touched until he finished. He began to clean up the dishes, and Qin Tian stood up to help him take away the leftovers. This meant that she had eaten with him this week, and she didn't have to come over for the next few days. This was the schedule she set for visiting her father, and Qin Yunjie never forced her to visit him. Qin Yunjie might know the schedule in her mind, or he might not know it. They never had a tacit understanding, but occasionally she would feel that he was sensitive.
He went to the kitchen and got a paper bag, put the beef in it, and then put two peaches in the bag without distinguishing between meat and vegetables.
"Take the beef home with you. I have bad teeth and can't chew it. There are too many peaches. Take a few back with you."
Qin Tian took the bag. The box of beef was lying in the bag, and the aroma of meat was overflowing.
"I get it. I won't buy it next time. Also, don't cook the shrimp. I don't like it anymore. I won't be coming over for the next few weeks, so be careful. Call me on WeChat if you need anything."
Qin Yunjie looked at her, his expression seemed a little confused.
"What about the 18th? You're not coming to your mom's birthday?"
Qin Tian looked at him in surprise. He waited for her answer. He lowered his head, took the paper bag, and opened the door.
"No. I don't want to celebrate her afterlife again. This year, next year, and every year thereafter."
As she walked out, she closed the door behind her with a dull thud. The sensor light in the hallway didn't come on. It had been broken for a long time. Outside the window, night had already fallen.
The 225 precious artifacts loaned by the Shanghai Asian Museum to the British Museum have arrived at the Port of London, leaving only customs clearance. Director Ming Yuanxing, knowing Qin Tian's flight to London was that afternoon, specifically told her not to come into the museum today and to get some rest. But she came anyway. When she pushed open the office door, Chen Qidong and Fang Molin, both from the same department, were chatting.
"That's a relief. We're finally leaving."
"Even when she's not here, things still need to be done. I envy her; she's free from all worries. Going to the British Museum to inspect artifacts—that's a lucrative job, and the director only thinks of her. It's better to be single. Even if I wanted to go, I couldn't leave."
"You're saying it's as if you weren't sent because you're married. Honestly, her skills are passable, and she's a hard worker. She's the only one who got promoted after working for the same number of years."
Qin Tian hesitated for a moment and then stepped out. Thinking carefully, she didn't have anything to take. As she was leaving the library, someone called her. It was Wei Yongze, a veteran employee of the library who had just retired last week. She didn't know why he was there today.
Qin Tian hurriedly trotted over to meet her. Wei Yongze looked at her with a smile: "I heard you were leaving on a flight today? I thought you weren't going into the museum."
"Well, I'll go back and pack my luggage now. Mr. Wei, why are you here?"
"I'm here to get some things. I wanted to invite you over for cake on my retirement day last week, but you were on a business trip. Luckily, we met today. Xiao Qin, you have a bright future ahead of you. Give your father my regards when you get back."
Qin Tian choked, smiled, and hesitated for a very short time.
"I'll definitely pass it on. Then, Mr. Wei, you should also take good care of your health. You can enjoy your retirement now."
"By the way, Xiao Qin, when you go to the UK this time, if you have anything to do, you can look for He Wu. Do you remember her? You used to play with her son in the museum when you were little. Your dad told you that she's in the UK now and I heard she's doing very well. Back then, the UK was begging to let her come. Restoration experts are more sought after than clerical workers like us. Your dad was a colleague and friend of hers back then. If you need anything, she'll definitely help you."
Qin Tian kept smiling and nodded frequently. Wei Yongze saw that she listened to his advice and took out a pen from his pocket. After searching for a long time, he found an old business card of his and wrote down a string of numbers on it.
"This is Mr. He calling. Well, I wish you a smooth journey."
Qin Tian thanked him, respectfully took the business card with both hands, watched Wei Yongze leave, and threw the business card into the trash can.
Back home, she checked her luggage again. She didn't have many clothes; she always wore the same few on business trips, ranging from thin to thick, in black, white, and gray. The only thing she needed to check was the tools she used to identify artifacts. On one trip, her portable microscope broke, forcing her to rely on her naked eye and a magnifying glass. While she could get a pretty good estimate with just her naked eye, she couldn't afford the consequences of a mistake.
Qin Tian was emptying the refrigerator when the doorbell rang. She threw away the only remaining half cucumber and a bag of lettuce. Once, when she came back from a business trip of 20 days, the tomatoes in the refrigerator had grown mold. The person who rang the doorbell knew her temper and only pressed it once before stopping. She shook the milk carton, drank the last sip, and then opened the door. Tang Zhixu was leaning against the wall and browsing his phone with a takeaway in his hand. Seeing the door open, he picked up the bag, said "lunch" concisely, and walked in familiarly.
Qin Tian tied the garbage bag tightly and put it outside. Tang Zhixu had already put on his slippers. He found an old magazine, tore off two pages and laid them out before opening the takeout.
"It's too early to have lunch now. It's just past 10 o'clock, and I'm still full after breakfast." Qin Tian glanced at the takeaway, Hainanese chicken rice, which she liked.
"Let's go to the airport after eating. The flight is at 2 o'clock, so it's not too late after eating." Tang Zhixu slowly tore open the bag of disposable chopsticks and handed it to Qin Tian.
"I can eat at the airport."
"I can't eat in the airport. After I send you off, I'll come back and see what time I can eat." He retorted as a matter of course.
Qin Tianyu choked and wanted to say, "I didn't ask you to send me off." But that would be too cruel.
She and Tang Zhixu had joined the museum together, as freshmen. She was an expert in bronze and porcelain appraisal, while Tang Zhixu was an expert in calligraphy and painting. Director Ming paired them up, saying that mutual learning would broaden their respective expertise. Later, she realized that Director Ming had likely assigned Tang Zhixu to her because he felt it was unsafe for a recent graduate to travel extensively.
Later, as they grew into experts in their respective fields, they still made a habit of traveling together. She also had the keys to Tang Zhixu's car, so whenever one of them went on a business trip, the other would pick them up at the airport or train station. Although she hadn't specifically told him she was going to the UK on this trip, she wasn't surprised that he'd come see her off.
After dinner, Tang Zhixu carried her luggage downstairs, but frowned after just lifting it a little.
"What did you bring? You're going on a business trip for a month, and abroad. This is too light."
Qin Tian picked up the two bags of garbage without even looking up and said sincerely, "Haven't you been working out every day recently? I think the results are quite significant. It's just that your strength is growing too fast."
Tang Zhixu knew she was insulting him, but he couldn't help but raise the corner of his mouth. But his words were harsh.
"What are you going to spend all that money on? You don't buy clothes or bags, and you don't have any hobbies other than work."
Qin Tian was unconvinced: "What nonsense is that? I only earn a meager salary, and I can't make any money by spending it anywhere. Unlike you, you can make money just by painting a picture. You are the one who makes so much money!"
"If you can do it, go for it. I draw ten paintings and tear nine out. It's rare to find one I'm satisfied with, because there are always aunts and uncles asking me to give it to them for free. I can be stuck at home for ten days or half a month and still not have a painting worth showing. A few years ago, I finally managed to save that painting of a lady, but I offered to sell it to you for 50 yuan and you refused to take it."
"What the hell! That painting you said was based on me, but you ended up painting me like Zhong Kui and told me it was a painting of a lady. It's been hanging on my wall for six months and no one wants it. I'm so glad I didn't ask you for compensation for mental damages, but you're asking me to buy it!"
It was just after 11 o'clock when Tang Zhixu arrived at the airport. As soon as the car stopped, Qin Tian pushed the door open and got out to get his luggage from the trunk, so fast that he didn't even have time to lend a hand.
The car behind him honked, urging him to give up his seat. Qin Tian slammed the trunk shut and dragged his luggage into the airport. Tang Zhixu had no choice but to stick his head out of the car window and shout, "If it's cold in the UK, don't be stingy about buying clothes! I'll give you that painting of a lady as a gift. Consider it a sponsorship!"
Qin Tian turned his back to him and waved, not knowing whether to say "no need", "you're welcome", or "goodbye". As usual, he left him with his back.
The car behind him honked at him again. Tang Zhixu released the parking brake and drove out. In the rearview mirror, Qin Tian's figure became smaller and smaller. After turning the corner, he disappeared.
The plane arrived in London, and by the time we'd collected our luggage and cleared customs, it was almost 8 p.m. The setting sun hadn't yet faded, shining obliquely, but the temperature had already dropped. Qin Tian rubbed his bare arms. June in London was indeed a bit chilly.
The arrival time was indeed awkward, as it was after work in both the UK and China. Qin Tian didn't contact anyone, and the other party clearly had no intention of entertaining her. They only sent an email before leaving work, welcoming her and asking her to go to the port at 10 am the next day to inspect the artifacts.
The hotel wasn't far from the British Museum—more accurately, a hostel. The room wasn't large and showed signs of age. After unpacking, she felt no sleep at all. She tossed and turned in bed for a moment, then gave up on jet lag and simply turned on her computer to write her paper.
She was a bit surprised when Tang Zhixu sent the message. He was a night owl and never got up before 8:00. And it was 6:00 Beijing time.
"Are we there yet?"
"I got there early, I'm at the hotel, and I can't sleep. What are you doing up so early?"
His dialog box showed that he was typing... After a while, a message popped up: "Since you can't sleep, buy me something."
Qin Tian was speechless. It was only their first day, and he was already so impatient. When he dropped her off at the airport, he'd already been asking for this and that. She was still wondering what could have gotten him out of bed so early.
Tang Zhixu's list was filled with bizarre and eccentric items. Rare original comics; out-of-print sneakers; set lists for various musicals and performances. He was a man of few words, staying up early in the morning to waste her time without a care in the world. Qin Tian asked him to buy the plane ticket himself, so he relented and told her to do whatever she wanted. If she could, she would buy it. If not, he would think of something else she wanted. Fearing he might come up with even more outlandish ideas, Qin Tian agreed to look for it on eBay.
Tang Zhixu's hobby was so niche that eBay classified it as a collectible. Aside from his playlist, everything else was for sale, though the prices were a bit outrageous. Qin Tian knew he was a spendthrift, so she simply asked and bought. Since it wasn't her money, she placed the order without hesitation. Seeing this new customer's bold and generous style, eBay pushed a series of inexplicable collectibles on her. From ancient Roman gold coins to two homemade earwax candies, Qin Tian entered a new world and couldn't stop looking.
She examined more than a dozen ancient Roman gold coins. Ninety percent were clearly counterfeit. One even featured Sherlock Holmes's portrait, and the asking price was a reasonable 20 pounds. As for the remaining ten percent, the uploaded images lacked detail, making it difficult to detect with the naked eye. One, a Roman bronze coin, had the portrait off-center, its edges overlapping, giving it a crude, haphazard appearance. Qin Tian leaned in closer to the computer screen, examining it again and again, and couldn't resist clicking on the seller, sultan1966, to check his profile.
The ancient Romans didn't think about the future; they lived only in the present. In contrast to their exquisite sculptures, most genuine Roman coins are characterized by their roughness. If the seller is using a photo of the actual coin, then judging from the photo alone, this bronze coin is quite likely authentic.
sultan1966 hadn't filled out any information, only that his jurisdiction was London. Besides the bronze coin, he also had over twenty collectibles for sale. These included small reliefs, brooches, and glassware, ranging in price from a few dozen pounds to a few hundred. Qin Tian flipped through a few, her heartbeat accelerating and sweat dripping from her nose. The London night was chilly, but she pushed back her chair and opened the window, letting the cool air in and calming her mind.
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