Rebirth: The Tumultuous Year of 1979

"Zhong Wei, can you have a drink?" Uncle Wang poured him a full glass.

"You can have some," Zhong Wei said, accepting the drink and thanking him.

"I saw you a couple of years ago and you were still so young, but now you've grown up to be so handsome." Aunt Zhou smiled as she looked him over, then turned to her daughter, "Wang Jie, aren't you going to offer your brother Zhong Wei a toast?"

Wang Jie picked up her juice glass: "Brother Zhong Wei, I'd like to toast you."

Zhong Wei nodded and clinked glasses.

"Uncle Wang, Aunt Zhou, I'd like to toast you both." Zhong Wei raised his glass, and the two were even more pleased, feeling that he was very experienced in handling things.

Uncle Wang put down his wine glass: "You're over twenty, have you decided which department you want to work for?"

Zhong Wei leaned back slightly: "My ambition is not to go into politics; I just want to travel and see the scenery along the way."

"What?" Aunt Zhou's expression changed. "Not going into politics?"

Uncle Wang was taken aback, his expression darkening slightly: "Not going abroad?" In an era when it was difficult for ordinary people to enter ministries, Zhong Wei could easily get in by picking any one of them, and his decision not to go into politics disappointed them.

"Going abroad?" Wang Jie exclaimed excitedly. "Brother Zhongwei is going abroad too? I want to too! I heard that a day's work abroad is equivalent to a month's salary for us, and everyone has a car and lives in a luxury apartment!"

"No!" Zhong Wei shook his head. "I prefer the scenery in China."

Aunt Zhou and Uncle Wang were dumbfounded, their eyes filled with disappointment, creating an awkward atmosphere.

Zhong Wei knew perfectly well that these two were too eager for quick success and instant benefits. This was the reason why Aunt Zhou had never visited Zhong's mother after the Zhong family fell into ruin in his previous life.

Seeing this, Mrs. Zhong smoothed things over, saying, "Zhong Wei is still young; it's not too late to choose in a couple of years." Mr. Zhong smiled and raised his glass, "Old Wang, let's have a drink!" The atmosphere eased slightly, but Uncle Wang and Aunt Zhou's enthusiasm for Zhong Wei noticeably cooled. Zhong Wei "lacked ambition" and was useless to them, especially since most of the Zhong family's resources were focused on their eldest son, Zhong Jianjun. Wang Jie looked somber.

Chung Wai, however, was happy to enjoy himself and eat and drink in a relaxed manner.

The dinner party ended quickly, and Uncle Wang and his family said goodbye.

After seeing the people off, Mrs. Zhong turned around and slapped Zhong Wei on the shoulder: "You child, can't you speak properly? Wang Jie is so good!" She was disappointed in him.

"Mom!" Zhong Wei said helplessly, "Do you really think Uncle Wang and Aunt Zhou genuinely want Wang Jie to date me?"

Zhong's father smiled.

Mrs. Zhong was taken aback, then sighed, "Never mind, you're too old to control, do as you please." She had been friends with Aunt Zhou for many years and knew that she was eager for quick success and instant benefits; this dinner was just because of Mr. Zhong's promotion.

"Alright." Mr. Zhong hugged his wife. "Zhong Wei has grown up. He can make his own decisions. Let's go back."

As the group walked out of the private room, Zhong Jianguo's driver had already driven the car to the door.

"Get out of here..."

Zhong Wei's ears twitched, and he turned his head to look. A man with a woman kicked aside a beggar blocking their way.

The beggar stumbled and fell into the darkness.

Zhong Wei frowned and said to his parents, "You go back first, I have something to do, I'll be back later." After saying that, he quickly ran into the street.

Zhong Wei stepped into the darkness, his peripheral vision sweeping across both sides of the alley.

"Where did he go..." he muttered to himself, looking around but not finding the beggar.

The man was staggering and walking with difficulty. Zhong Wei could tell at a glance that he was definitely not young and must be an old man.

In this era, there were no "professional beggars" like in later generations. The elderly people begging for money on the subway might own several properties in the city. But this person in front of me was truly destitute.

"Can't find it..." Zhong Wei frowned slightly, gave up the search, and turned to walk back.

"Ugh!!"

As Zhong Wei passed through a slightly bend in the alley, he heard a low, painful groan. He stopped and looked into the alley, where the dim light of an old-fashioned light bulb cast a blurry shadow.

Taking a few steps forward and turning a corner, he suddenly saw: the old beggar in tattered clothes was slumped on the ground, his face full of pain.

"Are you alright?" Zhong Wei asked as he approached.

"You..." The beggar glanced at him, his body shrinking back in fear, as if afraid of being beaten.

"Gurgle!!" Zhong Wei heard his stomach growl and shook his head helplessly: "Get up, come with me, I'll take you to get something to eat."

The old beggar's eyes suddenly lit up, his Adam's apple bobbed, he swallowed hard, and silently followed.

Emerging from the alley, they found a small restaurant on the street corner. After the reform and opening up, many small restaurants sprang up in Yanjing (Beijing). There weren't many people inside. Zhong Wei led the beggar inside.

"Get me something to eat," he called out.

"Who are you? And you've brought an old beggar with you! Get out of here, I'm not doing business with you!" The middle-aged woman wearing an apron said casually, raising a broom to chase them away.

"Bang!" Zhong Wei pulled out two ten-yuan bills and slammed them on the table: "Go get some food, then take this old man to wash up again and change his old clothes."

"Ah!" The woman's eyes lit up when she saw the money, and she beamed with joy: "Alright, whatever you say!"

Zhong Wei sat down and watched the woman lead the beggar inside. A dozen minutes later, an elderly man, dressed in tattered but clean clothes and with a thin build, came out.

"Huh!" Zhong Wei looked up. The old man had a refined air about him, but his eyes still held fear. Was it the beggar from before?

"Young man, the old lady is all washed up." The woman said with a fawning expression.

"Okay, bring the food up." Zhong Wei nodded, gesturing for the old man to sit down.

The old man sat down, his guard lessening slightly, but he remained silent.

Soon, the proprietress brought over braised pig's head, pig offal, a large bowl of thin porridge, and two large steamed buns.

"Slurp!" The old man first picked up the porridge, took small sips and drank half a bowl, then ate half a steamed bun, and only then did he slowly eat the meat.

Zhong Wei squinted. People who have been hungry for a long time usually eat meat first, but he warms his stomach first, then eats staple food, and finally eats greasy food. This habit is not simple.

Half an hour later, the old man slowly finished all his food and even drank some tea.

"Sir, here's twenty dollars. That should be enough for you to live on for a while. I have to go now." Zhong Wei placed two large bills on the table, got up, and walked out.

"Tap tap!" After taking a few steps, he noticed the old man following behind him. He stopped, and the old man stopped as well.

"Go back! Don't follow me." Zhong Wei continued walking.

"I have no home." A hoarse, sorrowful voice sounded from behind, as if it had experienced the vicissitudes of life.

Zhong Wei paused, turned to look at the old man, and this was the first time he had spoken on his own initiative.

He frowned slightly, thought for a moment, and sighed, "Well, since that's the case, come with me!"

"Thank you!" the old man said softly.

Zhong Wei shook his head helplessly, realizing he was still too kind. He led the old man for about twenty minutes to a newly purchased courtyard house (front and back yards, which Lu Guoqiang bought for seven or eight hundred yuan).

"Click!" The door opened and went inside. There were several boxes in the hall, with porcelain on them. They were antiques collected by Lu Guoqiang.

"This is fake," the old man suddenly said, pointing to a blue porcelain piece with disdain on his face.

Zhong Wei was surprised. Had he struck gold?

Zhong Weigang closed the antique bill that Lu Guoqiang had collected, and when he looked up, he met the old man's sharp eyes. The old man was staring at the "Yuan blue and white porcelain" and tapped the edge of the box with his index finger knuckle, as if he were tapping a broken gong.

"This is not Yuan blue and white porcelain." The old man's voice was like the cracks in an old elm tabletop, with a hint of "you know nothing, kid." "It's a fine imitation from the Republic of China period. The glaze has three layers on top, and it doesn't have the diffused feel of the genuine 'Sumali Blue'."

Zhong Wei raised an eyebrow. This old beggar's tongue was even "older" than an antique? He flipped through Lu Guoqiang's bill, his fingertip pointing to the line "Large blue porcelain: 5 yuan": "Could you take a look and tell me if this is worth five yuan?"

"Worth it." The old man ran his fingertips along the porcelain lacquer surface, as if touching a lover's face. "The high-quality replica is made of good materials, and the glaze is so fine that you can see your reflection in it. Five yuan? It's worth it to learn a lesson and show you what 'obviously fake' really means."

Zhong Wei chuckled inwardly: This old man was a walking encyclopedia. He pointed to the dusty wooden crates in the corner: "Want to see those too?"

The old man looked up, his cloudy eyes suddenly brightening like a hungry eagle spotting a live chicken: "Nanmu? Hainan rosewood? This box... it's a 'treasure chest' from a wealthy family in the late Qing Dynasty!" He rushed over, tapping the box panel with his fingertips. "Listen to this sound, a hollow 'thump-thump,' that's the 'ghost face' grain of Hainan rosewood. It wouldn't have this density in less than fifty years of aging!"

"Crack!" Zhong Wei deliberately pried open the three boxes, and dust "poof"ed up, revealing boxes full of antiques: porcelain stacked with calligraphy and paintings, Xuan censers next to purple clay teapots, and even a string of Hetian jade beads rolling in the corner.

"What a waste! What a waste!" the old man suddenly exploded, his voice so loud it sent dust flying from the top of the box. "Paintings and porcelain stored together? The dampness will soak into the Xuan paper! That Xuan paper incense burner is a Ming Dynasty 'spiky-eared burner,' with a scratch on the lacquer, it could buy ten boxes of your junk! And this purple clay teapot, Gu Jingzhou's 'Squirrel and Grape Teapot'? Just left like this? A drop of water from the spout could ruin half the box of paintings and calligraphy!"

He was so anxious that he stamped his feet, his old face flushed red, looking like a mother hen protecting her chicks, not at all like a beggar. Zhong Wei suppressed a laugh, thinking to himself: This old man is an "antique fanatic," I have to use my "appraisal" to entice him.

The old man caught his breath and suddenly noticed the bamboo painting in the corner; his eyes widened. He rushed over, his old hands as gentle as if cradling a baby, his fingertips unfurling the scroll.

"Zheng Banqiao's 'Bamboo in the Wind'!" His voice trembled as he ran his thumb over the bamboo joint. "Look at the pauses and variations in the character '个' (ge), it's the brushstroke technique of the old master Banqiao's 'Scattered Stones Paving the Street'! The slanted bamboo branches seem to pierce the paper, it's an authentic work! No doubt about it!"

Zhong Wei leaned closer. The bamboo leaves were so green they were almost brittle, and the "cicada wing patterns" on the bamboo joints were clearly visible. He remembered that this painting had been auctioned for tens of millions of dollars in later years. Now, hiring a "living dictionary" for fifty dollars a month would be a huge profit.

"Give me fifty yuan a month, room and board included." The old man suddenly held out his hand, his knuckles still dusty from the box. "From now on, I, Li Changhu, will be in charge of appraising all your junk!"

Zhong Wei was delighted. Li Changhu? That's a bold name! He pulled out fifty yuan and slapped it into the old man's hand: "Alright! From now on, you'll be my 'antique consultant'."

The old man, clutching the money, ran his fingertips over the portrait of Chairman Mao, then suddenly laughed: "Back in the day, the 'Jubaozhai' shop in Beiping wouldn't even let me in the door unless it was at least fifty silver dollars!" He patted Zhong Wei on the shoulder, "You've got guts, kid! I like that!"

Looking at the old man's entranced expression as he held the painting, Zhong Wei knew perfectly well: this old fellow must have had a life of wasted potential, perhaps once a pawnbroker at a top pawnshop, ostracized for his honest nature, and ended up begging. Now, Zhong Wei had used "fifty yuan" to lure in a "portable antique dictionary".

Sunlight streamed in through the window, casting a warm glow on the antiques inside the box. Li Changhu was still muttering, "Gu Jingzhou's teapot needs a rosewood stand" and "Zheng Banqiao's paintings need to be protected from moisture," when Zhong Wei pulled out the system panel, adding 10 merit points and the note, "A discerning eye that has saved the antiques from danger."

Li Changhu? Pawnshop?

Zhong Wei stared at the person in front of him, and his mind instantly became clear. From Li Changhu's few words, he understood the old man's identity: this was an "appraiser" who had worked in the antique business for many years and had experienced the era when it was difficult to distinguish between genuine and fake items and treasures were sold cheaply.

"Just call me Old Man Li." Li Changhu smiled, his wrinkles revealing the shrewdness of years.

"Zhong Wei." Zhong Wei grinned and pointed to the box full of antiques. "Old Li, why don't you take a break? We can sort these things out tomorrow."

"Hehe, these are all good stuff!" Old Li waved his hand, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "I've been an appraiser for most of my life, and I've never seen such a complete collection of treasures. I'll sort them out tonight, but there are a few new items among them that I'll have to examine carefully."

Zhong Wei frowned slightly, but Old Man Li patted the box and said, "Don't worry, my old bones are still very strong."

"I'll stay with you." After thinking for a moment, Zhong Wei decided to stay.

"That's perfect, I need a helper!" Old Li laughed, put on his reading glasses, and began rummaging through the boxes.

The first item is a bronze incense burner.

The censer's body is covered with fine patterns, has a thick patina, and feels substantial in the hand. Old Li carefully picked it up with both hands, as if holding a fragile treasure: "This is a Xuande censer."

"A Xuande incense burner?" Zhong Wei's heart skipped a beat. In his previous life, Xuande incense burners were top-tier national treasures, with records of selling for over 100 million yuan at auctions. The size and shape of that burner were almost identical to the one in his hand now.

"Gulp." He couldn't help but swallow. If this furnace were in later generations, it would be worth over a hundred million, equivalent to a luxury mansion. He pulled out the notebook he had collected and saw a line: Acquisition price: ten yuan.

Ten dollars… Zhong Wei was dumbfounded. A treasure worth hundreds of millions in later generations, now only cost ten dollars? The increase wasn't just a thousand times, it was ten million times!

"Oh, you know about Xuande censers too?" Old Man Li looked up, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

"I know a little bit," Zhong Wei said with a calm smile.

"Indeed, this is a Xuande censer, and it's very well preserved." Old Li gently stroked the censer with his fingertips. "Look at the lacquer. It looks dull at first glance, but upon closer inspection, there's a subtle sheen. The texture is as delicate as a baby's skin. I've only heard my elders talk about Xuande censers in this condition; I've never seen one in person. I'm very lucky to have encountered one today."

He gently placed the Xuande incense burner on the table, his expression as devout as a believer, his eyes gleaming with inner light: "Xuande incense burners were already produced in very small quantities, and after hundreds of years, they are even rarer. I dare to guarantee that yours ranks among the top five in the world today."

"Hiss," Zhong Wei gasped. Such an evaluation from an expert meant that the future value of this furnace was immeasurable, practically priceless.

"You're really lucky, kid." Old Li looked at him enviously. Decades ago, any expert who got such a treasure would have been ecstatic.

"Just luck," Zhong Wei said with a faint smile. This so-called luck was simply a result of his past life memories instilling in him the belief that "it's better to buy something wrong than to miss out," leading Lu Guoqiang to collect any old object he saw. What he considered junk worth a few dollars might be billions in the future. Just this Xuande incense burner, plus the Zheng Banqiao bamboo painting from his past life, would be worth seven or eight million and over a hundred million respectively, totaling over a hundred million.

"Old Li, let's look at the others." Zhong Wei pointed to the remaining antiques.

"Put them on the table or the floor for me, don't pile them together, so they don't bump into each other," Old Li said without any politeness.

Zhong Wei nodded. These were all his own things, so he would sort them out himself. Even if one piece broke, it wouldn't be a big deal. He quickly took out the antiques one by one, and Old Man Li immediately continued his appraisal with renewed vigor.

"This set of Yixing teapots is the work of a famous master from the Qing Dynasty!" He picked up the teapots and stroked them carefully. "Moreover, they are extremely well-preserved. Each teapot has been brewed with the finest tea to develop its flavor. When you pour in boiling water, the aroma of tea can be released even without tea leaves. This is a top-quality Yixing teapot."

"Huh, these are Song Dynasty porcelains..." He frowned slightly, then relaxed. "Unfortunately, these two are Republic of China-era imitations of jade, but the materials used are of excellent quality, so they are still worth some money."

"This is a jade pendant from the Tang Dynasty..."

"This is from the Yuan Dynasty..."