There seems to be a strange phenomenon in the calligraphy and painting circles. Famous foreign painters such as Van Gogh and Picasso, and well-known modern Chinese painters such as Qi Baishi and Pu Hua, were not very wealthy during their lifetime. Some of their paintings were left in the dust, and some, though appreciated by people, could not be sold at a high price. When these painters were alive, they were not very wealthy, and some were even destitute. But after their death, their paintings were gradually recognized by the public, and in later generations, they were sold at prices of tens of millions or even hundreds of millions.
At that time, Guo Moruo, Xu Beihong, Qi Baishi and other calligraphers and painters were frequent customers of overseas Chinese shops and art shops, selling their calligraphy and paintings to art shops, earning a meager salary to meet the needs of purchasing painting supplies and supporting their families. In the 1950s, the words of these later famous painters could even be bought for only one or two yuan.
As soon as Jiang Yilu entered the Overseas Chinese Store, he didn't even look at the dazzling array of snacks, clothes, and various imported perfumes, watches, and radios that were not available anywhere else. He went straight to the cultural goods counter on the third floor.
At this time, there were very few people wandering around the mall, and the cultural goods counter on the third floor was even more deserted. There were only a few men and women dressed as clerks, asking the counter staff about the price of pens.
Jiang Yilu noticed the counter with paintings and calligraphy at a glance.
A painting of "Shrimp" signed by Qi Baishi, about two feet in size, carefully framed, Jiang Yiliu looked at its price, marked with 32 yuan in overseas remittance coupons. He calculated that the overseas remittance coupons he had just exchanged with the pile driver at the door were 30 yuan, and the exchanged overseas remittance coupons were 22 yuan. In total, it would cost about 43 yuan to buy this painting by Qi Baishi.
This is simply, simply too cheap.
A painting worth forty-three yuan now can be transformed into millions in twenty or thirty years. If it is kept longer, until after 2000, it can be worth tens of millions or even hundreds of millions.
Shrimp is Qi Baishi's most skilled type of work, and is also the easiest to sell at a high price.
Jiang Yilu held his pounding heart and quickly looked at all the paintings hanging on the wall one by one, trying to calculate how many paintings he could buy in total.
There are three works by Qi Baishi in total. Jiang Yilu also found a painting of galloping horses by Xu Beihong. The canvas is relatively large, about six feet in size, and the price is naturally higher, costing a full ninety-seven overseas remittance coupons.
One only regrets not having enough money when he needs it. Jiang Yilu only regrets that he does not have enough time. He cannot sell grain to exchange for more money to buy all the paintings here.
After several rounds of selection, Jiang Yilu bought several of the most well-known paintings by Qi Baishi and Xu Beihong, as well as several paintings by Wu Zuoren and Lu Yanshao.
When I was paying, the salesperson's eyes almost popped out.
These paintings have been in the shop for some time. It takes several months to sell one, and they are almost covered with mold and dust. The few paintings that are sold are usually taken away by overseas Chinese as souvenirs when they come to China. Forty or fifty yuan per painting is a great bargain in Jiang Yiliu's eyes, but in the eyes of people nowadays, it is just a waste of money.
With this money, you can buy anything.
Jiang Yilu looked at the remittance vouchers that were worth only a dozen yuan. This money was not enough to buy even the cheapest painting. He picked up the bundled scrolls with difficulty and walked downstairs.
We have to hurry back to the guesthouse now. No one knows whether Grandpa Ruan and the others will come back halfway.
Jiang Yiliu hurriedly walked out of the Overseas Chinese Store. Ruan Ruan, who was holding a big doll, tugged at the corner of Grandpa's clothes: "Grandpa, I saw Brother Xiaobao."
At this time, Ruan Yuanjiang and his nephew Ruan Yuanqing, whom he had not seen for a long time, had already reminisced about the past. Accompanied by government personnel, they were shopping in the Overseas Chinese Store. The doll in Ruan Ruan's hand was bought by Ruan Yuanqing, whom he met for the first time today.
After hearing what his granddaughter said, Ruan Yuanjiang looked behind him in confusion, but Jiang Yilu had already left and he saw nothing.
"Ruan Ruan must have seen it wrong. Brother Xiaobao is still in the guesthouse at this time." Ruan Yuanjiang touched his granddaughter's little head.
Thirty years had passed, but they had not diluted their relationship as uncle and nephew. Although the passage of time had made each other look a little unfamiliar, whenever they talked about the time they had spent at the Ruan Mansion in Haicheng, the two uncles and nephews, who had lived together for over a hundred years, could not help but sigh with emotion.
After Ruan Yuanjiang's second brother Ruan Jingguo went to Gangcheng, he quickly built up his network of contacts with the wealth he brought from the mainland. He first married the daughter of a detective's favorite concubine in Gangcheng as his second wife, and then married the daughter of the president of a university in Gangcheng as his third wife. Over the years in Gangcheng, he has opened countless factories, and also founded a TV station and started a film and television company. Now, under the development of Ruan Jingguo, the Gangcheng Ruan family has become a tyrant in Gangcheng.
As the eldest son of the second wife, Ruan Yuanqing had always been trained by Ruan Jingguo as the heir to the Ruan family business empire. Although his two stepmothers gave birth to several brothers and sisters for him, they were still young after all and could not shake his position.
Ruan Yuanjiang was stunned for a moment when he first heard his nephew talk about these things. Although there was a custom of concubines during the Republic of China, his second brother and second sister-in-law had always had a good relationship and had never had a quarrel. They also had two sons and a daughter.
But now the once loving couple have separated, and the second brother has been living in the residences of the second and third concubines all year round. Ruan Yuanjiang doesn't know what to think.
Can time really bring about such a big change in people?
Ruan Yuanqing is now a middle-aged man in his forties. Compared to the young boy in Ruan Yuanjiang's memory, he has become more mature, stable, and calculating. After all, the Ruan family has become more complicated now, and for the sake of his mother and siblings, he must stand up.
These changes were something Ruan Yuanjiang had never thought of before, and for a moment he was a little unsure whether he should send Ruan Ruan to the port city.
But in the end, it was Ruan Yuanqing who persuaded him. Over the years, Ruan Yuanqing and his wife had three sons but no daughter. From the first moment he saw Ruan Ruan, Ruan Yuanqing fell in love with this shy and cute little niece.
He knew his uncle's concerns. He had already moved out of the Ruan family's old house in Gangcheng and lived with his mother. He and his wife were both business tycoons and were busy with company affairs all year round. His sons were old and lived in boarding schools. If Ruan Ruan could be taken there, it would not only give his mother a place to stay, but also ensure Ruan Ruan's healthy growth.
Although his parents are now in a cold war, his mother still holds a unique position in his father's heart.
When the third concubine first came into the family, she challenged her mother's authority because of her youth and favor. She was ignored by her father for half a year. It was only after she admitted her fault to her mother that she gradually regained her favor. Although Ruan Jingguo was still a little angry about his father's unfaithful love, he also understood that if Ruan Ruan could stay with his mother, she would not only receive the best education, but also the internal strife of the Ruan family would not affect her. The lesson of the third concubine was enough to let everyone know that the eldest lady of the Ruan family should not be messed with.
"Does Ruan Ruan like that brother Xiao Bao very much?"
Ruan Yuanqing rubbed the little girl's face thoughtfully. He had heard his uncle mention that child many times in his conversations with him. He became interested in her. Moreover, the Jiang family took such good care of his uncle that he had to thank them out of both emotion and reason.
"I like it. Brother Xiaobao is the best."
Ruan Ruan held the doll, tilted her little head, and spoke sweetly, her eyes almost narrowed into crescents.
"Okay then, let's go back and see the brother Xiaobao that Ruan Ruan mentioned." Ruan Yuanqing picked up Ruan Ruan. Ruan Ruan exclaimed in her arms, but there was no nervousness in her eyes, but a hint of joy.
Ruan Yuanjiang saw this and was very happy.
Yuan Qing's appearance was indeed too attractive to Ruan Ruan. She had almost no objection to Ruan Yuan Qing's closeness. She was just a seven-year-old child. Although she didn't say it, she still longed for her parents' care and love. This was what he couldn't give her.
Ruan Yuanjiang confirmed his decision: "It's time for lunch now. If we go there now, they probably haven't had lunch yet. Why don't we have a meal together?" Ruan Yuanjiang suggested to his nephew.
Ruan Yuanqing naturally would not refute Ruan Yuanjiang's decision, and the group did not go shopping in the mall. Instead, they went out, got into a car, and drove towards the supply and marketing cooperative.
Jiang Yilu had just returned to the supply and marketing cooperative when Ruan Yuanjiang and others came back.
After all, cars are faster than trams.
Jiang Yilu was just about to wake up his father when he heard a knock on the door.
"Brother Xiaobao..." Ruan Ruan came in first, jumping and skipping. The doll she was holding at first was now in Huo Wu's hand, replaced by several small dolls wearing beautiful dresses in her arms: "This is what uncle bought for the sisters Dani, and Ruan Ruan picked each one herself."
Ruan Ruan held up a few small dolls high and presented them to Jiang Yilu, with the dimples on her cheeks faintly visible.
"This one is for my fourth sister, and this one is for my third sister..." Ruan Ruan placed the dolls on the bed and planned them one by one, but she never thought that there might not be a day when she would be able to give the gifts out personally.
"Is the sea still asleep?"
Ruan Yuanjiang and others walked in and smiled at Jiang Dahai who was still snoring.
Jiang Yilu remembered that he hadn't woken up his father yet, so he hurried to the bed and whispered to him to get up. In fact, he pressed the Zhongchongxue point on Jiang Dahai's hand under the quilt with his hand, trying to wake him up through stimulation.
"Xiaobao... why did I fall asleep... isn't it time to eat..." Jiang Dahai's thoughts were still a little confused, and he obviously hadn't woken up yet.
"It's time to eat. Let me introduce you. This is my nephew Ruan Yuanqing."
Ruan Yuanjiang turned sideways and introduced the man behind him to Jiang Dahai and Jiang Yilu.
Ruan Yuanqing was wearing a grey suit, his hair was neatly combed back with hairspray, and a gold chain hung from the front of his suit, which probably contained a pocket watch. He had a warm expression, and looked a bit like Ruan Yuanjiang, but unlike Ruan Yuanjiang's wisdom and gentleness, his eyebrows had a hint of sharpness, and he was obviously not as easy to get along with as he appeared to be.
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