Chapter 200 I'll Let You Play
Red paper scraps were scattered all over the street, the setting sun hung on the eaves of the glazed tiles, and the aroma of braised food mixed with the smoky fragrance of roasted nuts wafted into my collar.
The air was thick with the smell of ink from the Spring Festival couplet stalls. A girl selling sweets displayed persimmon cakes, white frost dripping into the cracks of the stone slabs. A bald old man carried a tower of candied hawthorns, syrup sticking to sesame seeds, dripping down the bamboo skewers.
Bright red lanterns swayed gently in the wind, and colorful lights shone brightly throughout the street.
A girl in a red jacket chewed on a twisted dough stick, the silver bell at the end of her braid making a soft, tinkling sound. A boy wearing a pig-snouted hat held a steaming sweet potato, hissing and slurping…
The place was decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers, filled with a joyous atmosphere and a lively, bustling atmosphere.
Lin Sicheng held a box of sugar leaves, crunching them away, while a scroll worth millions of dollars was casually tucked under his arm.
After finishing the jute leaves, he saw the frozen meat and asked the owner to cut a palm-sized piece, which was then wrapped in paper. Lin Sicheng held it in his hands and started eating it.
At first, Ye Anning was somewhat reserved, but seeing Lin Sicheng eating with his mouth full of oil, she completely let go of her true nature.
The two strolled around, buying and eating their way through the area.
Gradually, dusk fell, and the sunset glow adorned the treetops.
The market stalls began to pack up, and the two people, carrying large and small bags, walked out slowly and methodically.
Ye Anning said softly, "Our flight is the day after tomorrow morning, so we probably won't be back until the eighth day of the lunar new year!"
Lin Sicheng peeled a candied chestnut and popped it into his mouth: "Does it take this long?"
"It's been quite a while, hasn't it?" Ye Anning said casually. "Like your uncle said: It's no fun for you to stay in Xijing, there's no one to play with. Why don't you come to the capital after the second day of the Lunar New Year?"
She paused slightly, narrowed her eyes, and said with a hint of seduction in her tone, "Perfect timing! Didn't you want to see paintings and cups? I'll take you to the Forbidden City!"
Going to the capital?
Lin Sicheng shook his head: "And then, you were stared at like a gorilla by your classmates and friends?"
Ye Anning pouted and slapped him: "It's not that exaggerated."
It would be strange if it weren't that exaggerated.
I definitely have to go, at least to the Forbidden City. I want to learn again what I didn't have time to learn in my past life, what I didn't learn thoroughly.
But the timing was wrong, and there wasn't enough time.
At least, we need to wait until the center is operating more stably and our skills are more refined.
Even more famous...
Knowing she couldn't persuade him, Ye Anning didn't bring it up again, and the two left the market.
Lin Sicheng drove Ye Anning to school and then parked the car in the garage.
There weren't many things, so Ye Anning carried them up herself. As soon as the door opened, a fragrant aroma wafted out.
If I'm not mistaken, my aunt is definitely making a steamer.
This is the recipe she got from Lin Sicheng's mother. She's been practicing it diligently these past few days, preparing to show off her skills to her family when she returns to Beijing.
Hearing the noise, Shan Wangshu came out of the kitchen and glanced at the bag in her hand: "What did you bring?"
Ye Anning held up a list: "Sugar leaves, fruit, meatballs, frozen meat, fried cakes..."
The chubby boy was sitting on the sofa watching TV. He glanced at the TV and then sneakily tried to slip into the bedroom.
Unsurprisingly, my cousin has already stuffed herself full. But she's such a glutton, she'll definitely try a little bit of everything later.
But what if we can't finish it?
Of course, he ended up finishing the plate, otherwise, since he doesn't like to eat, how could he be so fat?
Just then, Wang Qizhi heard the commotion and came out of his study.
He patted his son's head, looking disgusted: "Ye Anning, look at Youjian, what man would like this kind of stuff? Lin Sicheng is also something else, just to please you, did he grit his teeth and force himself to swallow it?"
Ye Anning cried out in protest, "No way! He ate more than me!"
"Of course there is..."
Before Wang Qizhi could finish speaking, Shan Wangshu glared at him.
You're an old man with no sense of romance, what do you know?
When they were dating, Wang Qizhi would take her to see a movie, and she would be happy for half a month.
But if you count on your fingers, even just the number of times you've watched a movie, you can count them on one hand.
With a snort, Shan Wangshu took the items, and Wang Qizhi saw the long box in Ye Anning's hand.
"Huh, it's framed so quickly?"
“It’s not my grandfather’s calligraphy. We can only pick up that piece tomorrow.” Ye Anning handed it over. “Lin Sicheng picked it up casually and asked me to take it back to Beijing. When I’m at the Palace Museum to look at that Jiaqing famille rose cup for him, I’ll also ask a calligraphy and painting expert to take a look!”
Wang Qizhi was stunned: What?
I can hear them clearly separately, but when they're put together, why can't I understand them at all?
He glanced at it: "Where did Lin Sicheng find it?"
Rongbaozhai!
"Why do we bring it to the Forbidden City so the teacher can see it?"
"He said it's a genuine work by Chen Du, included in the Ming Dynasty's 'Records of the Imperial Painting Academy' and the Qing Dynasty's 'Shiqu Baoji.' But there are some oddities, so we need to check the records and compare it with genuine works by Chen Du in the Palace Museum..."
Ye Anning gave a brief explanation, leaving Wang Qizhi and Shan Wangshu looking astonished.
Finding bargains at Rongbaozhai, especially calligraphy and paintings that Rongbaozhai specializes in?
Lin Sicheng, could you make a little more?
At first glance, one might think that he and Hao Jun were working together to get out of prison (colluding with outsiders to line their own pockets)?
But looking at the items again, it seems perfectly natural that he picked them up without noticing.
At a glance, Wang Qizhi could see the two unusually obvious seams. He could also see that the colors on the left and right sides were slightly darker, while the colors of the central painting were slightly lighter.
The characters in the middle were clearly added later.
But who would have thought that the inscription and postscript were written during Shen Du's prime, while the painting itself was inscribed in his later years, with a difference of nearly twenty years, so the former is naturally older.
I never imagined this was an official subsidy, or even "a subsidy ordered by imperial decree?"
The two were stunned for a long time. Shan Wangshu tried hard to recall: "How come I remember that a famous painter's painting was also repaired in this way?"
Ye Anning nodded: "Lin Sicheng mentioned quite a lot. There are more than a dozen items recorded in the Shiqu Baoji alone... The most famous one is Wen Zhengming's 'Guests Arrive at the Mountain Villa,' which is now in the collection of the Liaoning Provincial Museum."
Because Wen Zhengming's seal and signature were positioned too high at the time, they were cut off during the mounting process, moved slightly, and then put back on...
Even during the Qing Dynasty, such incidents occurred due to improper preservation—damage from moisture, termites, misplaced inscriptions, or alterations…works by artists like the Four Wangs, Giuseppe Castiglione, and Jiao Bingzhen all underwent repairs!”
Ye Anning's reminder brought back a vague memory for Shan Wangshu. Although she couldn't recall whose work it was, she had indeed seen it in the Shiqu Baoji.
She suddenly stopped and leaned back slightly.
The Shiqu Baoji is classified according to the characteristics and artistic style of the paintings, rather than by a particular person or period.
There are no specific records of which parts have been reworked or pieced together; they are only mentioned when referring to a particular painting.
How come Lin Sicheng can remember so clearly, reciting eight, nine, or ten items at a time? It's impossible that he memorized the entire "Shiqu Baoji" book.
However, the three compilations consist of 108 volumes, containing more than 10,000 works, including annotations on the author's background, the source of the work, colophons, seals, inscriptions, etc. Each piece contains less than a thousand words, but still has 708 words.
How many characters are in ten thousand pieces?
Seeing Shan Wangshu's wide eyes, Ye Anning sighed: "He said it was a coincidence, that he just happened to have seen it!"
Shan Wangshu: "Hehe..."
Wang Qizhi was already used to this, and he examined it with his chin in his hand: "If it's genuine, how much can it sell for?"
Shan Wangshu gestured: "Double the market price!"
Wang Qizhi did the calculations and was slightly surprised: "So high?"
Shan Wangshu rolled her eyes at him: "What do you think?"
Just as a landscape painting is not meant to be flat, the same principle applies to the antique trade. In the realm of "literary objects," literature comes first, followed by enjoyment. The more stories associated with a piece, the more bizarre and intricate they are, the higher their historical and artistic value becomes.
To put it simply: this painting is like a misprinted coin.
The key point is that this item was collected by the imperial court during the Ming and Qing dynasties and was included in the records of calligraphy and painting in the imperial court of both dynasties, which added a lot to the work.
So, even though the painting itself is only 35*34 cm in size, a miniature masterpiece, it's worth at least five or six million.
Just over two weeks ago, Lin Sicheng had acquired a Jiaqing famille rose cup and a string of Qinan beads, worth approximately four to five million yuan. This means he earned over ten million yuan in less than a month…
Even though it wasn't the first time, Shan Wangshu still felt that at this rate of making money, sooner or later, Lin Sicheng might even be able to open a bank.
She quickly realized what was going on and sighed, "How much did Lin Sicheng spend?"
"Five hundred thousand!"
Ye Anning gave a brief account of what had happened, and Wang Qizhi and Shan Wangshu subconsciously exchanged another glance.
I feel that Lin Sicheng is becoming more and more upright and magnanimous in his actions.
How do you truly find a bargain?
If it were Hao Jun: He would remain calm and collected, acting as if nothing had happened. Afterwards, he could ask a friend... It would cost at most 70,000 to 80,000 yuan, or even 30,000 to 50,000 yuan to get his hands on it.
However, there is a high possibility of things going wrong, unlike Lin Sicheng, who made a decisive and swift decision.
"Oh right..." Wang Qizhi suddenly remembered, "Did you say you invited him to Beijing?"
"He said it!" Ye Anning pursed her lips. "He said he doesn't want to be a gorilla!"
Dan Wangshu paused for a moment, then covered her mouth and laughed: "That brat!"
But I must say, it really does look quite like it.
Given Wang Qizhi's personality, if Lin Sicheng went to the capital, it would be strange if he could resist showing off Lin Sicheng everywhere.
Today he meets this senior, tomorrow he meets that leader. They are all elders, and Lin Sicheng can only nod and bow, and smile humbly.
Lin Sicheng must be out of his mind to go to Beijing.
Wang Qizhi felt extremely regretful: This kid didn't fall for it.
He sighed, then took out his phone again and dialed.
"Brother, don't buy too much for the New Year... Let you try the most authentic steamed dishes from our hometown, and the purest wild game from the Qinling Mountains... Oh, and there's also a bottle of wine infused in a rhinoceros horn cup. When we get back, have Dr. Wang (the health doctor) take a look. If Grandpa can't drink it, it'll be perfect for Dad..."
A gasp came from the other end of the phone: "The Crimson Cloud Cup... Third Brother, where did you get it?"
"Of course, it's a gift from your disciple!"
I wasn't talking about the wine, I was talking about the glass!
Wang Qizhi looked smug. "Oh...you mean the cup? He found it at a street stall..."
Shan Wangshu and Ye Anning exchanged a glance and simultaneously curled their lips: They knew it; he had no good intentions in urging Lin Sicheng to go to the capital.
See? He's already showing off before he's even home?
...
Before we knew it, the New Year was approaching.
On the 28th, Lin Sicheng drove Wang Qizhi's family to the airport.
Just before boarding the plane, Wang Qizhi was still grumbling: "I feel like something's missing. I feel like I didn't have a very enjoyable New Year this year."
Lin Sicheng smiled and comforted him: "Next year during the Spring Festival, I will definitely accompany you to Beijing."
That was exactly what he wanted to hear. Having received confirmation, Wang Qizhi boarded the plane, completely satisfied…
Back home, Lin Sicheng helped move things back to the old house in Dongqujiangchi Village.
After making preparations on the 29th, the family returned to their old house in two cars on New Year's Eve.
It's a two-courtyard house, just like a typical rural dwelling. In the past, people lived in the front yard, livestock were kept in the back yard, and vegetables were grown at both the front and back gates.
However, it has an excellent location, facing north, with the entrance directly opposite Qujiang Pool.
Around 2000, the neighbors moved their entire family to Shanghai. The old man separated his household registration for his father and bought the house next door as well.
After that, it was opened up and renovated. So the area is not small, a bit over four acres in total.
It's well-maintained; in the summer, it looks like a garden.
Actually, I rarely stay here; I only come during holidays. But whenever I do, it's always bustling with activity.
From the founding of the People's Republic of China until the 1980s, the village produced two college students: Lin Changqing and Lin Chengzhi.
The family members are all professors, civil servants, and top-level teachers at key middle schools. The father and son are honest and kind, always willing to help others, and Jiang Yanfei is also very amiable, so they have an excellent reputation.
No matter when you come back, no matter how far or near, you must come over and say hello.
As soon as the car stopped at the gate, the iron gate creaked, and the neighbors came running at the sound.
There wasn't enough room inside, and the sun was too strong, so we sat in the yard. Dad handed out cigarettes, Mom handed out candy, Grandpa was in charge of making small talk, and Lin Sicheng followed behind with a reserved smile, trying to act well-behaved.
After the neighbors left, the relatives gradually entered the yard.
They were all the old man's uncles and cousins, grandsons of the same grandfather, genuine relatives. Every Lunar New Year's Eve, they would first come to Lin Changqing's place. Then each family would stay for a day, taking turns until the fourth day of the Lunar New Year, a tradition they had maintained for over ten years.
The five families in total, most of the elders are still alive, and the uncles, aunts, and uncles all came.
There were quite a few young people among them, including not only his brothers and sisters, but also three brothers-in-law.
Because of the land acquisition process, the girls generally do not marry outside the family. Even after marriage and childbirth, they usually live in their parents' home.
There were quite a few children with them, making it quite lively for a while.
The elderly and older folks went inside, while a group of young people circled the SUV parked at the door.
"Grand Cherokee? This car is fully imported, a new one costs over 400,000?"
more than.
The imported high-end model costs 520,000 yuan, but Wang Qizhi needed it urgently, so he paid extra, bringing the total to just over 600,000 yuan.
"Sicheng, where did you get this?"
Lin Sicheng smiled and said, "It's my teacher's car. He went back to his hometown, so I borrowed it for a couple of days."
"You're a great teacher!"
Not only are they rich, but they also lend out such a nice car so easily?
Everyone was quite envious, but they all knew their limits and no one mentioned things like "let me borrow it for a spin."
After a brief chat, Jiang Yanfei suggested drinking tea, and a group of young people entered the room.
The place is huge, with two large connected living rooms, two sets of sofas, and two tea tables, all of which are still packed with people.
The heating was turned on a week ago, and the house is warm and cozy with little dampness.
Lin Sicheng greeted everyone in turn. A woman in her forties smiled and looked him up and down: "Chengwa, you're getting more and more handsome. Do you have a girlfriend yet?"
This should be called Second Aunt. Just as Lin Sicheng was about to answer, her daughter sitting next to her chimed in: "I remember Chengwa is only twenty-one, he hasn't even graduated yet, so he definitely doesn't have a boyfriend."
"Tsk, kids these days start dating in middle school, and they know everything before they even finish high school. Someone like Cheng, does he really need a girlfriend?"
"So what if you understand? Some kids are already being held!"
Someone else chimed in, which drew a burst of laughter, and the topic veered off course.
Not wanting to press for answers, the mother and daughter exchanged a glance.
Lin Sicheng smiled and helped his mother serve tea.
After making the tea, Jiang Yanfei started giving out red envelopes to the children, one hundred yuan each.
That's not a small amount. A strong laborer on a construction team only earns fifty or sixty yuan a day, so one hundred yuan is equivalent to two days' income.
The young woman who had just mentioned Lin Sicheng's single status reached out her hand and joked, "Third Aunt, I want one too!"
Jiang Yanfei rolled her eyes at him: "If you're so capable, why don't you have two more next year?"
"Two isn't enough. If Chunmei is going to have children, she'll have to have a whole litter..."
"You've only had one litter!"
After laughing and joking for a while, the women busied themselves in the kitchen preparing for the evening's feast.
Just as the group stepped out of the living room, Chunmei's phone rang. They exchanged a few words, and then everyone looked over.
After muttering a few more words, Jiang Yanfei looked at Lin Sicheng and said, "Your sister Chunmei's two younger sisters went to the city to buy things, but they couldn't get a taxi. Go and pick them up!"
Lin Sicheng asked for the phone number and had just picked up his coat when a young man wearing glasses stood up: "Sicheng, you don't know anyone, I'll go with you!"
This is Chunmei's boyfriend. The two sisters-in-law I just mentioned should be his sisters.
Lin Sicheng nodded, and the two went out together.
My brother-in-law's surname is Chen. He's from Xianyang and studied at Shaanxi Normal University. After graduation, he was assigned to the town's middle school. After marrying Chunmei, he simply registered his household at my second uncle's house.
She seems quiet and reserved, not very talkative, but very polite, and always smiles before speaking.
Halfway through the conversation, Chen Wenchang seemed to suddenly remember: "Sicheng, you study at Xida University?"
Lin Sicheng nodded: "Yes, brother-in-law!"
"You're a senior this year, graduating this summer, right?"
"right!"
"Oh~"
After saying "Oh," Brother-in-law Chen fell silent.
Lin Sicheng took it as a casual question and didn't pay any attention, focusing on driving.
Actually, it wasn't far. My two sisters-in-law went to Yintai Department Store in Furong Garden, which is less than four kilometers away by car.
But it wasn't just a normal traffic jam; it was stop-and-go, and it took almost an hour to get there.
They found someone in the parking lot, loaded their things into the car, and the two girls sat in the back seat.
They were both quite young, in their early twenties, and quite pretty.
Just as Chen Wenchang was about to introduce them, the taller one leaned over the back seat, his eyes darting around blankly.
"Lin Sicheng?"
Lin Sicheng paused for a moment, glanced at the rearview mirror: No recollection?
He smiled and said, "Hello!"
"Oh, really is you? I thought it looked like you from afar, but I didn't dare to recognize you!"
The girl was very happy, "I'm a senior in the Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Life Sciences!"
Huh, they're not just classmates, they're all at the Taibai campus?
No wonder when we were on the way, Brother-in-law Chen suddenly asked him if he was at Xida University.
Lin Sicheng nodded: "What a coincidence!"
"What a coincidence!" Chen Jiayu exclaimed lively, pointing at Chen Wenchang, "This is my own brother!"
Then, she pointed to the girl sitting next to her, "This is my younger sister, she's also at the Normal University, a sophomore this year!"
All three siblings got into top universities?
Lin Sicheng sincerely praised, "You're really amazing!"
"I'm not as good as you! Before New Year's Day, I worked part-time at your center, helping with cleaning!"
Chen Jiayu asked excitedly, "Lin Sicheng, are you hiring again next year? Even cleaning staff are welcome..."
You studied a provincial and national-level featured major, so why are you going to work as a cleaner instead of going to a hospital after graduation?
Knowing she was joking, Lin Sicheng smiled and nodded: "Confess!"
"We made a deal, I really will apply for the job after I graduate..."
The two became more and more familiar with each other as they chatted, and Chen Wenchang became more and more confused: The center that Chen Jiayu was talking about seemed to be opened by Lin Sicheng himself.
Isn't he only a senior in college?
Seeing his astonished expression, Lin Sicheng explained, "It's just a small workshop for repairing porcelain!"
Chen Jiayu stared at the rearview mirror and curled her lips: A small studio?
Their department's experimental center was only about the size of Lin Sicheng's center.
But instead of pointing it out, she winked at the rearview mirror.
The two exchanged a knowing smile through the mirror.
Chen Wenchang was absent-minded, his mind wandering: his mother-in-law and wife kept urging him to introduce Jiayu and Jiayi to potential partners.
To be honest, I'm not very optimistic: the village's land requisition has been going on for several years, and while a lot of money has been made, it has also created a bunch of spoiled brats, and there are very few people who do honest work.
But Chen Wenchang couldn't resist his mother-in-law and wife's constant nagging, so he let his two younger sisters stay for the New Year, thinking he could just deal with it for now.
It wasn't until he and Lin Sicheng left and were halfway there that he realized: most likely, his mother-in-law and wife had their eyes on Lin Sicheng.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have asked Lin Sicheng if he had a girlfriend as soon as they met.
If you were to ask him honestly, he would wholeheartedly agree...
Just as he was lost in thought, there was a loud "bang," and Lin Sicheng slammed on the brakes.
With a sharp screech, Chen Wenchang lurched forward, the seatbelt tightening sharply, causing a sharp pain in his chest.
At the same time, two loud "thumps" were heard, followed by two screams from the back seat, and then a "crackling" sound.
Chen Wenchang was stunned: smoke was still billowing outside the car window, a layer of red paper scraps covered the ignition cover, and a trace of gunpowder explosion remained on the windshield.
Then, the glass shattered into a spiderweb pattern.
Who the hell threw that thunder?
Just as he was wondering what was going on, with a loud bang, Lin Sicheng pushed open the car door and jumped out.
The three siblings were stunned for a moment, then got out of the car as well.
After looking around from the front of the car, Lin Sicheng walked over to the car.
Not far from them, about five or six meters away, there was a shop on the side of the road, with seven or eight young men standing at the door.
Some were in their early twenties, some were seventeen or eighteen, their hair was dyed in all sorts of colors, their clothes were a mess, and several of them even wore eyeshadow and makeup.
Some were smoking, others were holding cannons, all looking at Lin Sicheng with sidelong glances and twitching legs.
Have you ever seen the "non-mainstream emo" style that became famous on the internet?
These are the ones.
At first glance, the outfit is outrageous, like something out of an alien's. But don't be surprised, it was all the rage in 2007 and 2008, and seven or eight out of ten thugs on the street dressed like that.
I never imagined I'd run into this one day...
Lin Sicheng's face darkened: "Who threw the firecrackers?"
"Your father!"
One of them scoffed, which was immediately followed by a burst of laughter: "Haha..."
Lin Sicheng squinted and glanced left and right.
This should be Dongsanxiao Village. When I was looking for Zhang Anshi's tomb, he wandered around here for several days.
There are far too many young people like this in the real urban-rural fringe areas, commonly known as urban villages.
He spends his days doing nothing but playing cards, chasing girls, or getting into fights.
But the problem is, you didn't even look at what kind of car it was before you dared to blow it up?
He said coldly, "Who bombed it? Come out!"
The guy who had called me "your dad" spat on the ground, a mocking look on his face, and said, "I'll offer you a gift, do you want it?"
Suddenly, the laughter grew even louder: "Hahaha..."
They're all hot-headed and naive, the kind of people who love to act like bosses. Plus, that's the prevailing social atmosphere; as long as someone eggs them on, these reckless fools will only get bolder and bolder.
A group of people were eager to try, full of provocation, with the attitude of "If you keep arguing, I'll kill you."
There were quite a few who wanted to provoke Lin Sicheng into making the first move.
Upon seeing the two sisters standing bewildered by the car, someone exclaimed, "Hey! Two old ladies? Tsk, so pretty..."
"Let's go, let's call them over and have some fun..."
"This car is pretty good. This idiot must be rich. Let's borrow some more money..."
As he spoke, seven or eight young men actually came over.
Lin Sicheng was stunned: he knew that the past two years had been a period of chaos in Xijing, but he did not expect it to be this chaotic.
Is this an attempt to rob someone outright?
Okay, I'll let you play...
He immediately took out his phone and dialed Chen Peng: "Uncle Chen, we're in Sanxiao Village right now, and we've been stopped... Professor Wang's car has been blown up..."
It's no exaggeration to say that Chen Peng's hair stood on end in an instant.
The car exploded. How did it explode?
The crucial question is, where are the people?
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