Monster Tea Party

Chapter 5696 The Scrap Collector
"You're not going to accept the chess manual?"

"Isn't it just paper?"

……

"no……"

The scrap collector shook his head.

"But this chess manual..."

"The old man seems to have shown it to me..."

Even the people who collect recyclables aren't entirely sure.

After all, chess scores are seen by many people as...

It's really not easy to tell.

……

"Did my dad show it to you?"

The son was slightly taken aback.

……

"Ah."

The scrap collector picked up the chess manual and looked at it.

"It seems to be this one."

The scrap collector nodded. "I happened to be collecting scrap at that time."

"The old man just came back from outside."

"He looked very happy."

"I just casually asked the old man: 'Are you so happy?'"

"The old man picked up the chess manual in his hand and waved it at me..."

……

"See?"

The old man asked with a look of undisguised joy mixed with a hint of mystery.

……

The scrap collector was taken aback.

Then he nodded, "I saw it."

I feel a little confused.

what is this?

Actually, the scrap collector didn't recognize that the old man was holding a chess manual at first.

Or rather, if the old man hadn't deliberately "showed off" to him, he wouldn't have cared what the old man was holding.
……

The scrap collector squinted.

The old man's hands kept moving around.

He couldn't see what was written in the notebook the old man was holding...

……

"what?"

The scrap collector asked directly.

"Grandpa, I can't see clearly because you're swaying back and forth like that."

……

The old man was slightly taken aback.

Then, he suddenly stopped what he was doing.

Oh ~
……

"Give."

The old man handed the notebook to the scrap collector.

"have a look."

……

The scrap collector was somewhat surprised.

He wiped his hands on his clothes.

Just about to get it -
"never mind."

The old man withdrew his hand slightly.

"Look at it this way."

"Don't take it."

……

The scrap collector nodded.

Oh.

He doesn't mind either.

It's better not to take it.

He wasn't really interested in what the old man had in his hands anyway.

But the old man seemed eager to share it with others…

He just went along with the old man.

……

The scrap collector approached the old man's hand.

Now he could finally see it clearly.

"Chess, chess notation?"

The scrap collector looked at the old man with some uncertainty.

Because this old-looking book is printed with traditional Chinese characters.

Some of the strokes have faded and fallen off.

He recognized it by the chessboard and pieces on the cover.

And this old man, anyone who has had any contact with him in recent years... knows that he is obsessed with playing chess.

……

"That's right!"

The old man shouted with joy.

……

Some of the scrap collectors were startled.

He subconsciously looked around.

The scrap collector, realizing what he had done, found it somewhat amusing.

Why does he look like he's done something wrong?
He clearly didn't do anything.

……

"This is a chess manual!"

The old man didn't realize that he had frightened the other person.

He was still enthusiastically introducing the chess score he had in his hand.

"It's not your average chess record."

"do you know?"

The old man stared intently at the scrap collector.

……

The scrap collector: ...
he does not know.

He is a rough guy.

I don't understand such cultural things.

but……

"...Is it valuable?"

Seeing the old man looking at him with great excitement, the scrap collector felt he should say something.

He asked the question that concerned him most.

The old man was taken aback.

A hint of anger immediately appeared on his face.

"Vulgar!"

"Is this something that money can measure?"

……

Can't money measure this?

The scrap collector was somewhat bewildered.

That is to say...

Is this chess manual worthless?

……

“Who said that!?”

The old man grew increasingly angry.

"valuable!"

"Of course it's valuable!"

"It's an ancient book!"

"It's a rare book!"

"It could very well be a unique copy!"

"Do you think it's worth anything?!"

……

Uh……

The scrap collector opened his mouth.

Don't ask him.

He doesn't know.

Besides, he didn't distrust the old man.

"If you say it's valuable, then it is valuable."

The old man was a cultured man.

The scrap collector naturally trusted the old man.

……

The old man paused in his anger.

He then angrily put away the chess score.

"There's no point in talking to someone like you."

"They have absolutely no idea how valuable this chess manual is!"

"I went through a lot of trouble to get this..."

"……I am leaving."

The old man muttered to himself as he closed the door.

The scrap collector in the stairwell was left bewildered for a few seconds.

Hey?
Then the scrap collector shook his head with a wry smile.

……

This incident left a rather deep impression on the scrap collector.

Therefore, he immediately recognized that the chess manual that the old man's son had taken out and thrown away as scrap was the very precious chess manual that the old man had cherished.

He was quite surprised.

He thought...

The chess scores that the old man valued so much during his lifetime...

Alternatively, you could burn it for the old man at the funeral.

Otherwise, future generations can carefully preserve it.

As a tribute to the elderly.

Or perhaps this chess manual is truly very valuable...

It can also be passed down as a family heirloom.

He never expected this...

This was the second time he had seen this chess manual...

He was able to see that chess manual again...

It turns out that the old man's son wanted to throw it away...

I just threw it away as waste paper.

I had no idea how important this chess manual was to the old man.

I don't know the value of this chess manual.

……

The son was taken aback.

Hey?
He immediately took the chess manual from the scrap collector.

"My dad said that?"

Is this chess manual very valuable?
……

"Ah."

The scrap collector nodded.

They didn't care about the old man's son's slightly anxious behavior.

Since they had already said those things, the current outcome was something the scrap collector could have predicted.

He hesitated for a second before deciding to keep the chess manual and exchange it for some money.

However, he quickly abandoned the idea.

He doesn't understand chess notation.

They couldn't find a way in either.

He wouldn't hesitate at all if it were cigarettes or alcohol.

But the chess notation...

He stayed...

How to deal with it?
Where can he find a buyer?

He was still uneasy when the money finally fell into his hands.

The old man treated him well when he was alive.

Everyone greets him when they see him, and they sometimes chat for a few minutes.

He was quite happy.

It's rare to find an educated person willing to talk to him.

Although he didn't quite understand much of what the old man was saying, he was still willing to listen.

The old man was so happy to "show off" this chess manual to him back then.

……

It would be better to leave this chess manual to the old man's relatives.

Whether they sell or keep it, it's their own choice.

As an outsider, he wouldn't get involved.

……

"Thank you."

The son thanked the scrap collector, saying, "My dad never mentioned this chess manual to me..."

The son's voice grew softer and softer.

He is abroad.

The old man is in the country.

Although she misses her son, she's reluctant to call him.

International calls are too expensive.

My son is also busy with work...