Chapter 61 Why is it so hurtful when she says "Go home early"
Tong Zhongyuan lay flat on his bed in the hotel. He should have left this room over a month ago. If only he hadn't gone to the old Shanghai Museum that night, he should be in London by now.
Alan was used to asking him out for drinks after work, but he couldn't hold his liquor. Every time he carried him home, his wife would lament that he was the only single man to visit late at night in their five years of marriage. This weekend, David and Jane took him hiking in the Yorkshire Dales. This past month, the weather had been perfect for hiking: endless green hills, vertical limestone caves, and crumbling monastery ruins. After a long trek, they chatted over a beer. In September, Hyde Park was already ablaze with color, as was his university. The golden willow branches along the banks of the River Cam drooped into the lake. He rode his bike against the light, traversing the lawns and college streets, just like before.
He should go back, he misses home.
This was his idea, and hers as well. She said, let him go home early.
He closed his eyes and covered his eyebrows with his arms, so that he could no longer see any light.
This was indeed his wish, and he would be grateful to anyone who said it. But it wasn't her, it shouldn't be her. Why did the words "go home early" from her mouth hurt so much?
Was it his fault? Did they become strangers from the day he took the Buddha statue?
A strong heart palpitation came over him. He lay on the bed with his hands on his chest, waiting for this wave of torture to pass.
His phone was still on the bedside table, and his 24-hour Holter monitor report was in. Average heart rate: 68, maximum: 93, minimum: 50. All bands were normal.
His heart has recovered and he has no lasting effects.
It was morning, just after the first rain of autumn, and the sky was gray. Perhaps because of the rain, the museum was not crowded, and the marble floor was damp. The cleaners were busy, mopping up any water stains they could.
Tang Zhixu sat in a cafe, two cups of coffee on the table. He looked at the low-caffeine cappuccino and smiled self-deprecatingly. There's a saying that choice is more important than hard work. He only just understood the meaning of it. Fortunately, it wasn't too late.
Qin Tian entered the restaurant on time. Tang Zhixu waved to her and gave her the coffee.
"Visiting your dad this weekend?"
"Yeah." Qin Tian took a sip of coffee. Qin Yunjie had been taking the medicine for a week. If it worked, he might remember the gilded copper plate.
"Are you free tomorrow night?"
Qin Tian tilted her head and thought for a moment. Tomorrow is Friday. She had originally planned to move her things to the rental house so that she could check them thoroughly over the weekend. But in that case, she would have to borrow a car from Tang Zhixu first. If he asked one more question, it would be like asking him to do hard labor. She didn't know if it was her illusion, but she felt that there seemed to be subtle changes in her relationship with Tang Zhixu recently. These few days, she suddenly thought that he had not had a girlfriend in the past few years. Could it be that she had blocked his peach blossoms? Song Suiyang would think so, and so would other people in the museum. In fact, they didn't have much overlap in their work now, and they no longer needed to be as inseparable as they were in the past. Even friends should have a limit.
"What's the matter?" she asked.
"First, tell me if you are free."
"I'm free," she said, "but..."
He gestured to stop, stood up, picked up his coffee, and walked towards the door. He threw in a sentence: "That's it, let's go together after work tomorrow."
"Hey!" She stood up and shouted at his back, "What's going on?"
He turned around and smiled brightly.
"A secret. I'll tell you tomorrow night."
Tang Zhixu returned to the office. He had already handed over the catalog of Song Dynasty calligraphy and painting that he had compiled last Friday to Wang Qiqing. When Wang Qiqing called him into the office, he thought it was about the catalog.
As soon as he entered the office, he saw Ming Yuanxing there. Just as he was about to leave, Ming Yuanxing called him.
"Zhi Xu, why are you going out? I'm waiting for you."
Wang Qiqing didn't look very good, but he always had a bad face. Ming Yuanxing was different from the past. He always had a gentle smile on his face, but this time his face was not only smiling, but also excited, excited, and ambitious.
"Zhi Xu, the Shanghai Museum has decided to purchase the original copy of Chunhua Ge Tie!" Ming Yuanxing said impatiently.
Tang Zhixu's heart skipped a beat, and before he knew it, he blurted out, "Which original? The one from the Palace Museum? The one pictured above? The one from the National Taiwan Museum?"
Ming Yuanxing burst into laughter.
"You have read four or five versions of Chunhua Ge Tie. Which one do you think is the original?"
Ming Yuanxing's question is difficult. Ancient calligraphy has been around for a long time and has many versions. In the absence of dating, it is understandable that all of them claim to be the original.
He considered and said, "The one above has characteristics of the Song Dynasty. In terms of age, the one above is older."
Ming Yuanxing smiled and said, "Continue."
Tang Zhixu looked at Ming Yuanxing, feeling somewhat helpless. He only spoke of things that had been verified, not making groundless guesses. Ming Yuanxing saw his expression and smiled, patting his shoulder.
"Zhixu has grown up. If it were a few years ago, you wouldn't have said a word. But, we're family, and we're behind closed doors, so feel free to talk!"
"The version pictured above is very old, complete, yet has a touch of craftsmanship. Being a 'masterpiece' doesn't just refer to the time, it also depends on the artistic achievement and provenance. In my opinion, the version pictured above doesn't deserve the title 'masterpiece'."
"Okay!" Ming Yuanxing said, "Then if we find a Chunhua Ge Tie that has a proven origin and is even older, would it be worth spending a huge amount of money to buy it for the Shanghai Museum?"
"That depends on the completeness and the engraver's understanding of calligraphy," he said honestly.
Ming Yuanxing looked at him with relief. "That's why I asked you to come here. Your last US visa is still valid, right? Tomorrow night, you and I will fly to the US. We'll be going with Director Wang from the Foreign Affairs Office of the Cultural Bureau. The purpose of our trip is to persuade An Siyuan to sell the original copy of the Chunhua Ge Tie to the Shanghai Museum. With you here, we have the confidence to negotiate."
Tang Zhixu returned to his office feeling uneasy. This was a matter of great importance, and Ming Yuanxing had personally dispatched him. No wonder Wang Qiqing looked so grim. Although Wang Qiqing was in charge of calligraphy and painting, he had originally risen through the ranks in administrative work, and after all these years, he still lacked the expertise to thrive in his field. Antique dealers overseas and in Hong Kong only recognized Ming Yuanxing.
He propped himself up on the table, shielding his face. The original copy of the Chunhua Ge Tie. The Chunhua Ge Tie compiles calligraphy spanning over a thousand years from the pre-Qin period to the Sui and Tang dynasties, encompassing 420 works by 103 individuals, including emperors, ministers, and renowned calligraphers. It is the crowning achievement of Chinese calligraphy and the "ancestor of the collection." And the Chunhua Ge Tie in the hands of An Siyuan, the godfather of Chinese antiquities, is the most precious. When Qi Gong saw it in 1996, he exclaimed, "If I could hear the truth in the morning, I could die in the evening."
Ming Yuanxing said that An Siyuan was already 80 years old and had no children. If he could not bring the Chunhua Ge Tie back, after his death, according to US law, all his collections would belong to the United States.
The Chunhua Collection Calligraphy Collection is the bible for all calligraphers. It would be a lie to say that he doesn't yearn for it. Even if he had been notified last week, he would have gladly accepted it. But tomorrow, he left without a word, with no return date. Ming Yuanxing said that this was a decision just made by the Cultural Relics Bureau and he couldn't publicize it beforehand. But what should he do? Qin Tian, he couldn't wait any longer. Was he going to confess his love to her tonight, on a rainy day? Last time, he chose the worst time and the worst way, and she flatly rejected him. If he made the same mistake again this time, he would have no chance.
Wang Qiqing called and asked him to come back to the office. Ming Yuanxing had already left. He sat behind his large desk, his backlit, his expression stern. Seeing him coming, his expression relaxed slightly.
"Xiao Tang, there's something I wanted to tell you next week. You're going to the United States tomorrow, so I thought it would be better to get you ready early."
Tang Zhixu pretended to be taught.
"Guode's autumn auction of calligraphy and painting is about to begin. As far as I know, the quality of the works they have received this time is the best they have ever received. Zhang Daqian, Lin Fengmian, and Xie Zhiliu are among them. Living artists include Cui Ruzhuo and Liu Guosong."
Tang Zhixu didn't understand what he was trying to say. Did he want him to collect works by contemporary painters for the Shanghai Museum? It wasn't impossible, as some of the works were already worthy of being exhibited in comprehensive museums.
Wang Qiqing looked at him and knew he wasn't the type to understand a piece of music easily, but he was the most promising person in his area of responsibility. He sighed and made his point clear.
"I plan to put your work in this auction. Bidding alongside these masters will be very beneficial to your future."
Tang Zhixu understood.
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