Chapter 89 Does Xiao Tang have a partner?
As the night deepens, like London, another city is welcoming a busy morning: New York.
Tang Zhixu donned his suit and tie. He opened his briefcase and once again examined the new Chinese and English contract and the Shanghai Museum's official seal. It had taken nearly a month, and today was the day he'd finally be able to bring the Chunhua Ge Tie back to China.
He went downstairs 15 minutes early and waited in the lobby for Ming Yuanxing and Ms. Wang. Seven or eight minutes later, Ming Yuanxing and Ms. Wang came down the same elevator, chatting and laughing. Seeing him, Ming Yuanxing said with a smile, "Zhi Xu is becoming more and more reliable, and he looks more energetic."
Tang Zhixu listened to this and wondered why he was praising her openly and criticizing her secretly. Was he ever unreliable?
Ms. Wang laughed and said, "Oh? Was Xiao Tang unreliable before? Although I just met him, I think he's a very good guy."
Ming Yuanxing smiled and said, "Then I don't know. Zhixu, tell me yourself, do you have a girlfriend?"
What a stupid question. He wanted to say yes, but he was afraid Ming Yuanxing wouldn't understand the situation and tell Qin Tian he had a girlfriend, which would be the end of him. If he said no, what if Director Wang suddenly got the urge to introduce her to a colleague's child? That would be very troublesome. He was confused and said something incoherent.
"It's almost there."
Ming Yuanxing and Ms. Wang were both stunned, then laughed. Ming Yuanxing patted him on the shoulder and said, "Zhixu has really improved. He wasn't like this before, he was so aggressive."
Ms. Wang laughed and said, "Young people are shy. If you don't have a girlfriend, find one quickly and start a family soon. First get married, then build a career."
Tang Zhixu just smiled without answering and led them towards the door. In his heart, he just wanted this unfortunate topic to end quickly.
After everyone got on the car, the topic changed to today's theme, Chunhua Ge Tie.
This was their fifth visit to An Siyuan. This time, it was at his home, which was the most sincere he had shown. An Siyuan's home was on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan.
They arrived as scheduled, and Ellsworth personally greeted them at the door. He was an 80-year-old Jewish man whose real name was Robert Ellsworth. "Ellsworth" was the Chinese name he chose for himself. His understanding of Chinese culture surpassed that of most Chinese collectors. Despite his age, he was remarkably energetic and ushered them into the front hall, offering a steady stream of witty remarks.
Tang Zhixu had heard that An Siyuan's home was comparable to a museum of oriental cultural relics, and now he knew that the rumor was true.
An Siyuan studied architectural design in his youth. His 22-room luxury apartment exudes sophistication, refinement, and elegance. Japanese screens, Chinese porcelain, and Western candlesticks are interspersed throughout, creating a profound and captivating atmosphere. A seated statue of a Tibetan mahayana, with eyes cast down, and luxurious Persian carpets line the corridors, all showcasing his profound aesthetic appreciation.
Ms. Wang, speaking fluent English, had a final discussion with him about the contract. A translator whispered behind Ming Yuanxing, translating in real time. Their discussion concluded, and Ms. Wang breathed a sigh of relief. She winked at Tang Zhixu, who understood and pulled the contract from his bag and handed it to her. Ms. Wang placed the contract in front of An Siyuan, who took it and motioned for them to enter his study.
The study faces a floor-to-ceiling window overlooking Manhattan's Fifth Avenue. Facing the desk is a pair of Ming Dynasty armchairs. An Siyuan sits at the desk, glances at the contract, and nods slightly.
The landline on the desk suddenly rang. Everyone present was a little surprised, unsure whether to avoid it. An Siyuan gestured, signaling them not to stand up, said "sorry," and answered the call.
He listened to the call, answering briefly a few times, mostly listening, his brows slightly furrowed. Ming Yuanxing had a bad feeling. Ms. Wang, who spoke good English and was sitting closer to An Siyuan, had a look of dismay.
Tang Zhixu only heard An Siyuan say "I'll consider it", and when he saw Ms. Wang's expression, his heart sank.
An Siyuan hung up the phone and looked at everyone present. He put down the contract and sat upright on the desk.
Ms. Wang smiled and said, "Do you think there are any problems with the contract?"
An Siyuan stroked a Western Han Dynasty gilded bronze bear on his desk, his expression unchanged. He said calmly, "Give me three minutes. I need to think about it."
All three of them knew something was amiss, but they couldn't say anything at this point, so they could only wait silently. Ming Yuanxing's phone vibrated. He glanced at it and hung up. Tang Zhixu felt his tie was a bit tight, but he didn't dare loosen it at that moment. Instead, he studied a contemporary Chinese painting on the opposite wall. It was a painting of lilies, inscribed: "Lilies bloom in the fragrant breeze, filling the room with red." This was a work by Pan Tianshou from his later years.
Although An Siyuan was looking at the three people across from him, his mind was actually blank. He pondered for a moment, then came to his senses. Only then did he notice the expressions of the three people. Ms. Wang and Ming Yuanxing looked solemn, while Tang Zhixu was looking at a painting. He followed his gaze and saw that he was looking at "A Sky Full of Clear Fragrance."
"Do you like this painting?" he asked Tang Zhixu.
When Tang Zhixu saw him asking this, his mind suddenly twitched and he said, "It's okay. My style is similar to his."
An Siyuan became interested: "Oh? Can you let me see your work?"
Tang Zhixu had just walked over and noticed that most of the traditional Chinese paintings he had hung were flowers and animals, mostly by Shi Lu, but also by Lin Fengmian. He took out his phone, flipped to the painting of Golden Osmanthus, and placed it in front of An Siyuan.
An Siyuan put on his reading glasses, enlarged the screen of his mobile phone, and looked at the picture carefully.
After a moment, he asked, "Is this something you painted recently?"
"About two years ago."
"Anything else?"
"You can flip through it any way you want." He only kept his works in that folder, so it didn't matter how he flipped through it.
An Siyuan flipped through the pages slowly, spending a long time looking at each one. Ming Yuanxing cast his gaze on Tang Zhixu, and hope returned to his heart.
After looking at all the paintings, An Siyuan returned the phone to Tang Zhixu.
“Are your paintings for sale?”
Tang Zhixu was stunned, his heartbeat accelerating. Ming Yuanxing stared at Tang Zhixu intently, and Ms. Wang also looked at him. Everyone in the room waited for his answer.
"Of course," he said. "I'm cheap."
In an instant, everyone in the room laughed, including An Siyuan.
An Siyuan turned his attention back to Ms. Wang and Ming Yuanxing.
"There's no problem with the contract. 4.5 million, that's the price. The Chunhua Ge Tie is from China, and now, let it return to its homeland."
The group was overjoyed. Ms. Wang maintained her elegance, but her face was filled with excitement. Ming Yuanxing, despite his age, still couldn't help but clench his fist.
An Siyuan signed the contract. Ming Yuanxing affixed the Shanghai Museum's seal. Ms. Wang and Ming Yuanxing each shook hands with him and expressed their gratitude. Tang Zhixu didn't move forward; he was no one; he simply stood there to show respect.
An Siyuan stood up from behind the desk, walked up to him and extended his hand.
"That painting of Quiet Autumn, are you considering selling it?"
Tang Zhixu thought to himself, "This painting has a very sharp eye. He just gave it to Elder Deng. Otherwise, let alone selling it to An Siyuan, even if he gave it to him, it would be enough to raise his value."
"The picture of Jingqiu, I just gave it away a few weeks ago."
An Siyuan smiled and said, "You are very generous. Normally, you would not give away your beloved works."
"Because I'm not worth much, I'm generous. If you don't mind, I'll give you one too."
"Oh? Now?" An Siyuan asked with interest.
"Well, now."
Tang Zhixu took out paper and ink from his bag. It was his habit to always carry writing brushes and ink with him. He had originally considered not bringing them today, but luckily it was only a fleeting thought.
He asked An Siyuan what he wasn't afraid of getting dirty, and he replied, "Everywhere." He didn't hesitate, placing his brush and ink on his desk. He spread out the drawing paper and used An Siyuan's Western Han Dynasty gilded bronze bear as a paperweight.
He untied his tie and took off his suit. He finally had the right to take off the suffocating tie.
An Siyuan, Ming Yuanxing, and Ms. Wang all gathered around the desk. Tang Zhixu had initially been unaccustomed to these on-the-spot social engagements, but with more practice, he'd grown accustomed to them. But he'd never produced a satisfactory work from such social engagements. This time was different; he'd requested the painting himself, roasting himself over the fire. Either he'd burn to ash, or he'd become the elixir.
Tang Zhixu held his pen, his gaze fixed on the paper. The people standing by the desk, watching him, faded, vanished. The reception chair faded, the paintings on the wall faded, the seated statue of Dacheng faded, the entire room vanished from the vast universe. He stood at the center of the universe, boundless and boundless, with only this desk, a Western Han Dynasty gilded bronze bear, and the paper beneath it.
He picked up the pen and put it on the paper.
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