Chapter 749
The light from the living room filtered through the carved glass windows, casting tiny spots of light on the polished mahogany floor. The air was filled with the faint aroma of tea and the quiet scent of old wood.
When Su Miao's fingertips landed on the edge of the bronze drum, his fingertips could feel the cool curve of the drum body, as well as its warm texture full of emotion.
She looked at Sir Grey's focused expression, her eyes gleaming with pride in her own culture, and her voice softened unconsciously as she spoke:
"Yes, Sir Grey, this bronze drum was made by an old craftsman based on the shape of an old bronze drum that has been passed down for thousands of years. He scaled it down and reproduced it. The patterns and shape of the drum are all traditional.
In fact, there are many different types of bronze drums, and this is one of them, but they all have the same characteristics, which is..."
She suddenly realized that she might have said too much and that some of the words had not been communicated to the translator beforehand, so she quickly stopped talking.
But the gentleman was clearly interested in the topic: "Please continue. I am particularly fascinated by the forms of ritual vessels from different cultures."
Encouraged, Su Miao relaxed a lot. Seeing Wang Ming nod slightly, she continued:
"The Z ethnic group's bronze drums are characterized by their bottomless, hollow belly, curved waist and chest, and a stable overall shape."
As she spoke, she gently tapped the drumhead with a small drumstick, and the bronze drum emitted a deep and rich sound with lingering echoes.
Jazz opened his eyes wide in surprise and immediately tried to imitate her movements.
For a moment, the living room was filled with the mellow sound of bronze drums, as if it was a cultural dialogue spanning thousands of years.
Then, it was Mrs. Grey's turn to open her gift box, and Su Miao's ingenuity did not disappoint her expectations.
The stacked silver ornaments gleamed brilliantly under the light, including silver crowns, necklaces, bracelets, and earrings, each engraved with intricate floral and plant patterns.
"Oh my God! These jewels are so beautiful!" Mrs. Grey exclaimed softly, picking up a butterfly pendant. "The workmanship... Charles, look at the patterns on the butterfly's wings! They look just like the real thing!"
Su Miao watched her fingertips stroke the lotus pattern on the silver crown. Those patterns were chiseled out by the old silversmith with a chisel. There were still tiny chisel marks on the edges of the petals, which looked particularly vivid under the light.
"The fine lines on this butterfly's wings are made with the finest silver threads." Su Miao explained softly.
At this time, Charles couldn't wait to open his gift box, which contained a musical instrument he had never seen before.
"Ms. Su Miao, may I ask what instrument this is? It looks very beautiful."
"This is the Z tribe's lyre. During our traditional festivals and important events, it is played by respected people. Accompanied by folk songs, it can enhance cohesion and a sense of belonging. It is an important instrument that promotes our unity and communication."
His slender fingers plucked the strings, and the wooden resonance box emitted a clear sound. He said in surprise:
"The sound is really unique, like a combination of a harp and a guitar. It's a pity that we didn't stay in China for long, otherwise I would have definitely learned this wonderful instrument."
Su Miao smiled and said, "Xiaodie can also play the lyre. If it's convenient for you guys when you return to Eagle Country, you can discuss it."
Charles' eyes lit up. It turned out that Xiaodie could also play this sacred instrument. She was really a treasure and knew everything.
Little Alan couldn't wait for the adults to help, so he stood on tiptoe to reach the last box.
But because he was short, he accidentally knocked over the box, and an exquisite wicker football rolled out, making a small, crisp sound.
"Football!" The little boy cheered and ran after the ball, and was hugged by Charles.
Su Miao squatted down and looked at Allen at eye level: "This is hand-woven with green ivy unique to the south, and there are bells inside."
She shook the football gently, and sure enough, a crisp ringing sound was heard.
Alan was immediately mesmerized, his blue eyes widening: "Like Santa Claus' bells!"
The adults all laughed.
Mrs. Grey had already put on her silver bracelet and was admiring the reflection on the tea tray:
"This is more precious than any jewelry. Miss Su, could you please help me put on the collar?"
Su Miao walked around behind the lady and carefully fastened the collar buckle.
The silver jewelry made a crackling sound when they collided, which attracted Alan to reach out and touch it curiously.
Su Miao pointed to the osmanthus pattern in the center of the necklace and said:
"Madam, the patterns on the silver jewelry all have special meanings. This represents good luck and good fortune, and the twined branches next to it symbolize the prosperity of the family."
Charles reluctantly put down the lyre in his hand and said to Sir Grey:
"Father and Mother, Miss Su's gift is really valuable. Didn't we also bring gifts?"
"Oh yeah!"
Mr. Gray took out a book wrapped in brown paper:
"I heard you studied archaeology. This is the newly published 'Catalogue of Bronzes in the Taiying Museum Collection'. I don't think it's available in your country yet."
Su Miao took it with surprise, opened the title page and found a line of inscription:
"To the sincere and selfless Su Miao, a bridge of friendship between China and Britain. - The Gray family"
Just when the atmosphere was most harmonious, an accident happened.
Little Alan was playing with the sepak ball. When the adults weren't paying attention, he kicked it hard and the ball flew onto the table, knocking over Sir Grey's teacup and spilling tea on his trouser legs.
"Oh~Alan~" Mr. Gray exclaimed.
The sudden situation made everyone a little nervous. Wang Ming quickly asked the staff to bring a towel. Fortunately, the tea was no longer hot, otherwise it would have been troublesome.
Unexpectedly, Mr. Gray burst out laughing:
"Now my pants have become a 'cultural relic' too!" He pointed humorously at the dark water stains. "Look, do they look like rust on bronze?"
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, and amid laughter, little Alan obediently returned to his seat.
The staff quickly brought towels, and Mrs. Grey joked with her husband:
"My dear, you are now a walking work of art."
This little episode actually made the atmosphere more relaxed, but there are always people in the world who like to ruin the atmosphere, especially those who have been planning to do so from the beginning.
The conversation, originally scheduled for half an hour, was delayed to an hour due to the harmony between the two sides.
At Wang Ming's reminder, they had to temporarily interrupt the conversation and proceed to the last step - accepting an interview with the reporter.
The reporters conducting the interviews included those from China and Iraq, and the questions raised were basically within the plan.
But when the last reporter from the United States asked a question, a rather sharp and pointed question came up.
A blond, blue-eyed reporter from the Eagle Country suddenly raised his hand and asked:
"Ms. Su, as a representative of an ethnic minority, what do you think of China's 'protection' of ethnic minority cultures?
In your opinion, is this true cultural freedom or just another form of control? After all, we all know that China’s political system is not the same as the fully liberal democracy of the West.”
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