hollywood billionaire

Chapter 488: Dragon and Phoenix Combined (Part )

"Jinhuatang... I've never heard of it."

Xu Yiru pondered for a long time and shook her head slightly confusedly.

"It is one of the five major halls in the ancient jade collection circle in Taiwan." Han Yi counted them one by one with his fingers, "Yangde Hall, Yunzhongju, Zanjixuan, Lantian Shanfang, and Jinhua Hall, all of them are private collectors."

"You know so much?"

"I'm half a son-in-law of Taiwan Island, how can I not understand." Han Yi said flowerily.

"Speak nicely." Xu Yiru said softly, feeling both coquettish and shy.

"You should love what you do. The same goes for buying things. What's the point of buying something you don't understand except wasting money? Since you want to buy it, you must study it thoroughly and become a hardcore enthusiast. Only in this way can you get the greatest satisfaction." Han Yi did not hide the truth and told the real reason, only hiding the most crucial point.

"It seems to be true." Xu Yiru carefully put the jade pendant back into the wooden box, breathed a sigh of relief, then turned around and looked up at Han Yi, "The Yi Yi I know is such a person. He really doesn't care about things that he is not interested in, but he must become an expert in things that he is interested in."

"That's my personality." Han Yi nodded and admitted, "What I can't stand the most is the clinking sound of a half-filled jar of water."

"So I want to learn from you." Xiao Ru smiled brightly, "Please introduce to me, who is the owner of this Jinhua Hall?"

"I don't know." Han Yi shook his head and answered sincerely.

"Don't know?" Xiaoru was a little surprised.

"The phenomenon of hiding one's real name is very common in the collecting world, especially in the high-end collecting world of antique jade. Regardless of the reason, in order to protect privacy, to protect personal safety, or to inherit the cultural tradition of scholars using studios and halls to represent personal collections, many important private collectors will not use their real names or reveal their true identities when trading cultural relics in public."

"I see." Xiaoru suddenly realized, "If you remain anonymous, you can indeed avoid a lot of trouble, such as theft and blackmail."

"Yes, and anonymity can also avoid a lot of unnecessary troubles for collectors... Most of the cultural relics circulating on the market actually have some problems with their legality, the degree of which varies. For example, if the jade pendant I bought from Jinhuatang was actually smuggled out from an ancient tomb of the Warring States Period in the mainland by a criminal gang in the 1990s, what should I do? If the collector reveals his real name, it is possible that the source can be traced, and tracing the source will cause trouble." At this point, Han Yi deliberately emphasized, "Of course, I didn't say that this jade pendant really has a problem. Christie's did a background check, and Jinhuatang also took the initiative to cooperate and provide evidence - it was transported to Taiwan during the civil war, and eventually ended up in the hands of a private collector."

"I understand. I've read an article about the cultural relics trade before. It's said to be... the third largest illegal trade after drugs and arms." Xiaoru thought for a moment, "The article said that 98% of the Near East cultural relics traded in Europe, such as those from Syria, Iraq, and Jordan, were not obtained legally by the sellers."

"Not only have lives been lost, but civilization has certainly been destroyed as well." Han Yi had no doubt about the authenticity of the data. The Middle East has been ravaged by war for years, and when the basic rights of human survival cannot be guaranteed, the legal trade of cultural relics is out of the question.

"The theft of cultural relics is bound to happen everywhere, but it shouldn't be that exaggerated here." Xu Yiru stroked his chin and thought seriously, then said, "The owner of this Jinhua Hall chose to remain anonymous. There must be other reasons besides security and legality. I feel, I don't know if this feeling is right, but he might... intentionally want to separate the hall name from his personal identity, so that the collection can have market value and brand value independent of the collector?"

"Your theory... is very reliable." Han Yi thought for a moment and gave Xu Yiru an approving look. "The owner of Jinhua Hall may have a particularly sensitive identity. If everyone knew who he was, the collection might be affected by his reputation. By remaining anonymous, the collection can be severed from personal reputation, ensuring that the market's evaluation of his jade is purely based on craftsmanship and historical value. It is also possible that he is like Dr. Yang Junxiong of Yangde Hall, an outsider whose job has nothing to do with the antique circle. Exposing himself would cause the collecting community to question the authenticity and rarity of his collection."

"Wait a minute." Xiaoru frowned slightly, finding a suspicious point, "You said that Dr. Yang Junxiong of Yangdetang...his identity is public?"

"It was only after Yangdetang had achieved a certain level of fame that it was made public. By that stage, the Yangdetang signboard had already been erected, and people no longer cared about the name of the owner behind it. Moreover, Yang Junxiong never sold any of his collections in his life, so perhaps for him, whether the collections would experience fluctuations in market value due to his appearance was not a consideration at all."

"So many halls..."

"Hall name."

"Hall name. Are there more public identities, or more private ones like Jinhua Hall?"

"Among the famous halls, more are public. For example, the owner of Yunzhongju is Zhang Weihua, the godfather-level collector in the antique world; the owner of Zanjixuan is Wu Zhifang, the textile tycoon of Taiwan; the owner of Lantianshanfang is Xu Zuoli, the second-generation head of Yongda Electromechanical. At the beginning, they were all anonymous, but when the hall became famous in the industry and the collections had market appeal, they basically appeared one by one through programs or interviews. After all... How many people living in this world can resist the temptation of establishing a school in a certain field, leaving a good reputation for generations, and being admired by thousands of people?"

"I feel you can resist this temptation." Xiaoru replied with a smile.

"Then you're wrong." Han Yi laughed, "Look, I bought a UTA, and I wish everyone in the world knew about it."

"That's because doing so can help you quickly become famous in the industry. It's not like you are born to show off." Xiaoru objected seriously, "I know that you will definitely show up when you need to, because it will help your career. But in places where you don't need to show up, I have never seen you compete. I really... admire this about you, Yiyi. I also know that if it weren't for this, you wouldn't have suggested that I help you manage this foundation."

When he said the second half of the sentence, his eyes, as clear as a mirror lake, were filled with a swarm of fireflies awakened by the summer night, which kept shining with a light of admiration and love.

How could Han Yi bear such a look?
My little Ruhei...

I didn't do this to keep a low profile. The reason why I tried every possible means to disappear was because all the money I had was earned by using the cheat function of my memo. I really didn't dare to be noticed by others and was afraid of causing trouble!

As for proposing that you run the Foundation...

That's not because I'm keeping a low profile, but because it allows the plug-in to be used more!
"Since you know this, you should help me even more." He only dared to say a few words in his heart. On the surface, Han Yi followed Xu Yiru's words and maintained the image of a modest gentleman. He took advantage of the victory and tried to make a final decision to achieve his ulterior motive. "I promise that I will definitely equip you with a management team and will not add any burden to you."

"I know." Xiaoru said in a long and sweet voice, "Didn't I just promise you? If you need me, I will try my best. Don't think I'm too stupid or too slow to learn."

"How could I possibly look down on you? Who dares to look down on our Xiao Ru for being stupid?" Han Yi's eyes widened, as if he had heard a huge joke. "If you are considered stupid, then I am Tang's."

"I'm actually quite stupid. I have to listen to something two or three times before I can understand it, even though others can understand it once." Xiaoru rolled her eyes, with a sweet and cunning smile on her face. "For example, I still don't understand the second reason why you want to give me this gift."

"You just want to hear me break it down and tell you, right?" How could Han Yi not read Xu Yiru's little thoughts? He smiled and sighed, and said, "Come, listen carefully - the second reason why I want to give you this gift is because it, like you, is from Taipei. Moreover, it has been carefully cared for since 1996, and has grown happily to this day." "How did you know this jade pendant has the meaning of 'growth happily'?" Xiaoru covered her mouth and giggled.

"Look at the light radiating from its body, how lively and cheerful it is." Han Yi said nonsense in a serious tone, "You may not understand it, but I do. After it found out that its next owner is a super beautiful woman, it was so happy that it forgot everything else and became young again. Hey, look, isn't its rust a little lighter? Look carefully, don't blink, a lot of the red rust has fallen off, right!"

"You." Xiaoru's almond eyes were crescent-shaped. "Everything is good, except that you have an extra mouth."

"This mouth isn't that long." Han Yi pointed at himself and said with a smile, "Without this mouth, you might not like me."

"Really?" Xiaoru tilted her head and looked around his face, "Let me try."

Next, the lips that covered each other seemed to be riding on ripe berries in midsummer, bursting between the teeth into a meteor shower pouring down from the Milky Way.

"Well... I agree with you. It's a good mouth." Xu Yiru smacked her lips, savoring the happiness that remained between her lips. "However, compared to her mouth, my brain may not be that good - I wasn't born in 96, I was born in 95, you even forgot that."

"I didn't forget. How could I have forgotten October 1995, 10?" Han Yi spread his hands. "I just rounded it off. The main reason is that I really can't find an ancient jade collected in 15! It's hard enough to find a piece of jade with a long history and excellent appearance. It's a bit too strict to stipulate the time when the previous collector collected it. It's good enough to have this intention and be able to explain this intention. Don't you think so?"

"Yes, that's good enough." Xiaoru winked playfully, "What's your third intention? Oh, no, what's the third reason you want to give it to me?"

"Of course it's its own meaning." Han Yi took Xu Yiru's right hand with his left hand, crossed them and placed them on the tattoo, "The dragon and the phoenix merged, attracting and merging with each other. You are in me and I am in you, and we are inseparable."

"Indistinguishable from each other." Xu Yiru murmured and repeated, looking at the jade pendant with a dazed look.

"Yes, they are the same." After emphasizing it once more, Han Yi guided Xu Yiru's hand to the edge of the jade pendant. "This jade pendant has holes on both sides, with a small hole on each side. This shows that it is a piece of jade pendant worn by nobles from the Warring States Period to the Western Han Dynasty. It is the most precious and important piece. The material of the jade pendant is excellent, and the jade is white and translucent. It can be seen that the owner of the jade cherishes it very much. Even after thousands of years, it has not been corroded very much, and its charm is as good as it was back then."

"I hope that the relationship between us can be like this tattoo, which will remain as fresh as ever even after two thousand years of time."

After saying this, Xiaoru stopped talking and even her breathing became so quiet that she couldn't even hear it herself.

What else could she say?

At this moment, Xiaoru only wants to go back to Nantou and pay three respects devoutly to all the gods and Buddhas whom she had worshipped and chanted for in the Chung Tai Chan Monastery, including Master Hui Jue who passed away in April this year, to thank them for their blessings and protection, which allowed her to find such a good match and such a good relationship in this life.

Tell me, what more can a girl ask for?

"Easy."

After a long while, Xiaoru spoke again. Her voice was still sweet, but with a hint of hot dryness.

"Just to confirm, you bought this jade pendant from Christie's in Hong Kong, right?"

"Correct."

"Its original collector was from Taiwan, which means..." Xiaoru bit her lower lip, "It doesn't count as a cultural relic that has been lost overseas?"

"It definitely doesn't count." Han Yi answered firmly.

"Then, can it..." Xiaoru looked at the true token of love given to her by Han Yi over and over again, and the more she looked at it, the happier she became, "It should still be under the name of the foundation, but we... don't lend it out, okay?"

"Why not?" Han Yi replied with a faint smile, "You are the chairman of our foundation. It is entirely up to you to decide whether to lend it out for exhibition."

This jade pendant with dragon and phoenix patterns dating from the Warring States Period to the Western Han Dynasty sounds priceless, and indeed it is very precious, but it is far from being a rare treasure. It is not like the Medicine Buddha Sutra Transformation Painting in the Metropolitan Museum of Art or the Qingliang Temple Murals in the British Museum, which would be a shame to human civilization if not exhibited to the public.

The auction price that Han Yi got was only 695 million Hong Kong dollars, which is equivalent to 88 US dollars and 84 euros. It is not even as valuable as the first collection on display today, the blue-and-white glazed Buddha statue from the Southern Song Dynasty.

If you buy cultural relics of this level and keep them privately at home, no one can criticize or comment on them.

"That's good." Xiaoru gave him a sweet smile that eclipsed the Buddha statues, porcelain plates and ornaments. "Don't worry, Yiyi. Since I promised you, I will work hard... Starting tomorrow, I will study hard and complete the tasks you assigned to me."

"I have a feeling." Han Yi put his hand on her shoulder, "You will like this role very much and adapt to it very well, and you will also achieve outstanding results."

"I...tried my best."

Once again, she threw herself into Han Yi's arms like a young swallow. After absorbing a wave of energy, Xiaoru, who was glowing with a strange glow, took the other's hand.

"Okay, we've been lazy here long enough, it's time to go downstairs."

"Today is your birthday party. Please take good care of the guests before it ends."

"Come on, Yiyi, I'll go with you."

(End of this chapter)