Han Bin got out of the taxi and saw a fat figure standing at the entrance of the Antique Street.
He was holding a roll in his hand. He did not know what it was.
"Uncle, what time is it? Why did you eat breakfast so late?"
"I woke up late today and went out for a round of exercise. My meal was delayed too," Wang Qingsheng said vaguely.
"Where are we going to collect the paintings?"
"Just on this Antique Street. Let's talk as we walk." Wang Qingsheng led the way in front. To be exact, he was eating and walking at the same time. His mouth was full and there was no time to talk.
Wang Qingsheng ate very quickly. After walking for a while, the roll was already in his stomach.
Wang Qingsheng wiped his hands and showed a satisfied look, "I'm full. Eating well in the morning will give me energy for the day."
Han Bin smiled and asked, "Uncle, is the place where you want to collect the paintings also an antique shop?"
"It's not a shop, it's a stall." Wang Qingsheng pointed to the front, "That's the one with the flag in front."
Han Bin looked over. On the stall not far away, there was a small flag as tall as a person. There were many antiques placed on the stall. A man and a woman were sitting behind the stall.
After the two got closer, they took a closer look. The stall was a man and a woman in their forties. They looked like a husband and wife. The man's skin was very dark. He had a waist bag and was wrapped in a military green coat. He squatted down like an old farmer.
The woman was wearing a red down jacket and carrying a gray bag. She shouted, "Don't miss it. This stall has been around for decades. It's definitely authentic …"
"Uncle, the shouting is not that special." Han Bin laughed.
"Do you think it's a bit silly?" Wang Qingsheng asked.
Han Bin nodded. He did feel that way.
"That's right. They rely on this silly way of doing business. They have been shouting for so many years. Compared with other stalls, their business can only be better." Wang Qingsheng said.
"What's so special about it?"
Wang Qingsheng smiled and patted Han Bin's shoulder, "It can only be understood. It can't be explained in words."
The two of them walked to the stall, and Wang Qingsheng greeted, "Lin, you came out so early to set up your stall."
"Brother Wang, I can't compare to you. I have many children at home. I have to hurry up and earn my school fees," said the stall owner named Lin.
"Lin, why do you sound like you're angering me?" Wang Qingsheng smiled bitterly.
"Don't say that. I'm just envious of you. I have a family to take care of and a family to take care of. I'm under a lot of pressure. If I don't drink wine every day, I won't be able to sleep." Lin said.
"Lin, do you still have Han Xuankun's painting? Let me take a look."
"Oh, you've taken a liking to him," Lin said with a smile.
"Not really. I just want to see Han Xuankun's real work," said Wang Qingsheng with a smile.
"Alright, wait here, I'll go get it for you."
"No, let's go somewhere else. Let's go to a teahouse," Wang Qingsheng suggested.
"Oh, the sun is rising from the west today. This is the first time Brother Wang is treating me to tea," Lin joked, but his heart was as clear as a mirror. He knew that Wang Qingsheng had taken a liking to him.
Lin reminded his wife a few words, then carefully took out a wooden box from the iron box beside him and left with Wang Qingsheng.
Both of them were street stalls. In order to avoid too many people, it was more suitable to find a quiet place.
Old Yu's Teahouse.
As soon as they entered, they heard the waiter's shout, "Welcome, three distinguished guests. Please come in."
Han Bin looked around. The teahouse was divided into two floors. There were more than a dozen tables on the first floor, and two wooden shelves in the middle. There were many antiques, jades, porcelain, bronze, and all kinds of other things.
"There's a private room on the second floor."
"It's being prepared for you. Please come upstairs." The waiter led the three of them to a private room on the second floor.
There were a total of four private rooms on the second floor. There was a sign hanging on the door that said, "Tao, Yu, Shu, Zai."
The three of them entered the private room with the word "Shu."
The private room was more than 20 square meters. There were two tables, a square table, and a desk.
After the three of them sat down, Lin looked at Han Bin and asked, "How should I address you, sir?"
"This is my nephew, Han Bin. He's interested in collecting, so I brought him along. It saves him the trouble of paying tuition fees everywhere." Wang Qingsheng smiled.
"Hello, Boss Lin." Han Bin greeted.
"I can't be called a boss. I'm just a stall owner." Lin waved his hand and looked at Han Bin. "Brother Wang, you have a successor."
As they spoke, two waiters walked in, each carrying a wooden tray. One of the wooden trays had nuts and fruits, and the other had a tea set.
"Leave it, we can brew it ourselves." Wang Qingsheng said.
The waiters nodded and then left the private room.
Wang Qingsheng skillfully washed the tea set, then brewed a pot of Longjing tea and poured a cup for each of them.
The three of them drank a cup of tea and chatted about the industry.
Wang Qingsheng changed the topic and said, "Lin, where's the painting? Let me take a look."
Lin smiled. Although he did not say it out loud, he knew why Wang Qingsheng invited him.
Lin took the wooden box and walked to the desk. He opened the lock on the wooden box. There was a painting inside.
Lin unrolled the painting and placed it on the desk. He made an inviting gesture. "Brother Wang, please."
Wang Qingsheng put on a pair of white gloves and walked to the side of the painting to observe it for a while. After roughly looking at it, he took out a magnifying glass and carefully observed it from head to tail, from top to bottom, from left to right, from bottom to top, and from right to left, over and over again.
Han Bin was also curious. He went over to take a look. It was an ink painting of a landscape. In the distance, there were many mountain peaks, surrounded by clouds and fog. It was abnormally ethereal. Two gray cranes flew between the mountains. On the right were two rows of words written in calligraphy: "Suddenly hearing the sound of cranes passing through the Nine Heavens, dare I ask where the immortals are."
There was a red seal at the bottom with the words: "Blackeye Mountain Man."
Han Bin looked at it carefully a few times. He had learned handwriting identification before, so he had some experience with calligraphy.
After Han Bin finished looking, Wang Qingsheng was still looking at it seriously.
Lin drank his tea and ate the nuts leisurely. He had no intention of rushing him.
Wang Qingsheng looked at it for more than forty minutes before he put away the magnifying glass and took off his gloves. He sat down on a chair and drank a cup of tea. "I'm exhausted."
Lin held the teapot and poured a cup of tea for Wang Qingsheng. He said with a smile, "Brother Wang, how is it? Is this painting pleasing to your eyes?"
"Not bad, not bad." Wang Qingsheng gave a perfunctory reply and ate a fruit.
"Brother Wang, let's not beat around the bush. I've been sitting with you for an hour. Do you think you can dismiss me with just a 'not bad'?"
"Lin, let me be honest with you. I do have an interest in this painting, but I'm not sure." Wang Qingsheng shook his head.
Lin did not reply. He looked at Han Bin. "Brother Han, what do you think?"
"Boss Lin, may I ask where you got this painting?" Han Bin asked.
"Lin, my nephew is a layman. Please don't mind him." Wang Qingsheng smiled.
"It's fine. There's nothing I can't say." Lin waved his hand. "This painting was collected by a distant relative of mine and Han Xuankun. It's definitely authentic."
"Then where did his distant relative get it from?" Han Bin asked.
"According to the relative, Han Xuankun gave it to him. But I don't think so." Lin shook his head. He took a sip of tea and said, "I think it was Han Xuankun's relative who asked him to do it."
"If Han Xuankun's relative wanted to sell it, why didn't they do it themselves? It would be easier to convince people that it's authentic." Han Bin was puzzled.
"People of this scholarly family are very prideful. How can the son sell his father's painting?"
Old Lin chuckled and said in a low voice, "Besides, Han Xuankun just died not long ago, and his immediate family members are already selling his paintings. Those collectors must be wondering if this painting is worth collecting."
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