CH 51

Chapter 51: I’m coming right away

Unexpectedly, as soon as Yu Nian finished speaking, the screen went dark again—Xie You smashed another 999 diamonds.

Looking at the explosive barrage, Yu Nian turned his head and laughed. He quickly picked up his phone and sent a message to Xie You, “Looks like I’ll be making headlines tomorrow.”

Xie You didn’t reply.

Yu Nian smirked—was he feeling guilty?

Even after Yu Nian finished shooting the Funa Poetry poster, his phone remained silent. After thinking for a moment, Yu Nian sent another message to Xie You, “Poster is done; finished work.”

This time, Xie You replied instantly, “Rest well.”

Yu Nian laughed out loud after reading the message.

After having dinner with the staff and confirming that there was no need for reshoots, Yu Nian took a car back home. It didn’t take long for Rong Yue to arrive.

“Uncle Rong, long time no see.”

Inviting him in, Yu Nian brought out a Qing porcelain tea set and made a pot of tea for Rong Yue, handing it to him with both hands.

Yu Nian smiled and asked, “How have you been?”

“Not bad, just that the weather is extremely cold and my cough has flared up again. But it’s better than last year, maybe I won’t cough next year.” Rong Yue took a sip of the hot tea, smiled, and looked at Yu Nian, “Not bad, not bad. You look good, and you seem to have become more handsome!”

He then got down to business, “Did you manage to acquire ‘Drunk Horse Roaming in Spring’?”

Yu Nian nodded, “Yes, I acquired it.”

“I heard from Director Gan that it wasn’t easy this time. The bidding went on for several rounds, and the price went up quite a bit.”

“Yes, it went higher than I anticipated. But considering the value of the painting itself, the price is reasonable.” Yu Nian sat up straight, smiled calmly, and said, “So, since I didn’t have enough money, I borrowed a large sum. I estimate I’ll have to sell a few things to fill this hole.”

Rong Yue could roughly deduce how much money Yu Nian was referring to. Thinking about the past few years, he sighed lightly, “The ‘Continuous Rain on Jiangshan’ painting, the ‘Portrait of a Lady,’ the fish-tail vase with landscape motifs, the You Niao Ming jade wine jar, the Yunfu pine and crane vase, and now the ‘Drunk Horse Roaming in Spring’—out of the nine pieces, you’ve already brought back six. It’s really tough on you.”

Yu Nian shook his head with a smile. “It’s not a matter of being tough or not tough. On the contrary, having this goal makes me work harder and become a little more formidable.”

The tea smoke curled up as Yu Nian’s eyes glistened. “In fact, before Grandfather passed away, he urged me not to let his wishes become my shackles. Life is short, and I should live according to my own heart, freely and without constraints. Grandma also said similar things.”

Yu Nian tilted his head. “But, how should I put it? Everything I have seen, heard, and learned since childhood tells me that I must do this.”

He chuckled, “Perhaps it’s the same for you, Uncle Rong. Once you’ve fallen into this pit, you can’t climb out.”

Rong Yue widened his eyes. “Are you teasing your Uncle Rong again?” He then smiled. “Indeed, these years, while appraising and trading antiques to make a living, I’ve been doing everything possible to bring back those cultural relics that are scattered elsewhere. I don’t want to climb out of this pit.”

After having another cup of hot tea, Rong Yue advised, “But you’re still young, and the world of excitement awaits you. Don’t be too hard on yourself.”

“I’m not being hard on myself,” Yu Nian smiled. “I don’t have any extravagant demands when it comes to clothing, food, shelter, or transportation. As long as I have warmth, a full stomach, and protection from the wind and rain, it’s already enough. So even though I have money, there’s nowhere I really spend it.”

Seeing Rong Yue still expressing concern, Yu Nian continued, “Actually, it’s like my sister. There was a time when she loved buying sports cars, so she worked hard to earn and save money. I have a college classmate who is obsessed with collectible figures. They would even save money by eating steamed buns for half a month and taking part-time jobs distributing flyers after class to earn money. And then there’s you, Uncle Rong. Remember when you were crazy about snuff bottles? You were incredibly frugal, even giving up smoking.

So, compared to others, I’m the same. It’s just that the things I want to buy are perhaps a bit more culturally and historically valuable—a bit more precious. But in the end, it’s just about “what I like” and “what I’m willing to do.”

Rong Yue looked at the clear and bright young man in front of him and suddenly recalled the scene when he first met Yu Nian.

At that time, it was still called Yu Manor, and he nervously carried a book to visit Mr. Xiuning. As he entered the courtyard, lush flowers and trees surrounded him, completely isolating the noise of the secular world.

A little boy was lying on the grass, observing ants. When he saw a visitor, he stood up gracefully and politely asked, “May I ask who you’re looking for?”

After explaining his purpose, Yu Nian brought him to the study. It was his first time meeting Mr. Xiuning, and he was completely different from what he had imagined. Mr. Xiuning was wearing a simple white robe, holding a magnifying glass, and studying ancient scrolls. There was a pot of clear tea and a set of writing tools on the side, with fresh ink on the paper that hadn’t dried yet.

And in the blink of an eye, the little boy who hadn’t even reached his waist had grown up.

“Yes, yes, you’re right. Regardless of anything, it all comes down to ‘what I like’ and ‘what I’m willing to do,'” Rong Yue stopped lecturing and asked, “So, shall we take a look at the items now?”

“Sure, please wait.”

Yu Nian stood up, took out the neatly organized items, and placed them on the table. He carefully introduced, “People in our family have a habit of using antiques and cherishing them. Over time, these items have naturally become antiques, passed down from generation to generation.

I looked through my great-grandfather’s notes, and it was recorded that these two inkstones are over 400 years old. They have been used intermittently and are made of old-end stones, with a slightly bluish-purple color and very pure stone quality.”

Rong Yue nodded. “In recent years, the value of inkstones has been increasing. More and more collectors have begun to focus on these ancient items used by literati.”

“Yes,” Yu Nian then took out the well-preserved ancient books. “These five sets of ancient books have always been kept at home. They are not unique copies, but they are about 500 years old. They were records of official documents from the previous dynasty, printed with copper, and the printing is exquisite.”

Rong Yue looked at each item placed in front of him, his breath almost stopping. He sighed bitterly, “It’s truly torturous. It’s a pity I don’t have that much money; otherwise, I would buy them all at once and collect them as family heirlooms!”

“If I were to sell them to you, Uncle Rong, I would probably feel more at ease. I really can’t bear to part with them,” Yu Nian cautiously touched the inkstone. “I remember when I practiced calligraphy as a child, I used this inkstone. Grandfather also said that when my mother was learning to write as a child, she used this inkstone too. She started learning, and the three characters ‘Yu Ta Yue’ were written exceptionally well.”

Rong Yue comforted him, “Yu Nian, I promise you that I will find a good buyer. About a week later, there will be a special auction dedicated to antique inkstones and writing tools. When the items from the Qingshan Yu family go up for auction, those seasoned collectors will be thrilled and surely attend.”

“That’s good,” Yu Nian didn’t look at the items in front of him anymore. He simply said, “When I earn enough money, maybe I can try to buy them back at a higher price. It’s better to give up a room than to give up a stone. If I sell both inkstones at once, my ancestors might scold me in my dreams.”

Rong Yue knew he was feeling sad. “Yu Nian, but you managed to acquire the ‘Drunk Horse Roaming in Spring’ painting.”

“Yes,” Yu Nian lowered his eyelashes and pushed the box containing the ancient books. “Uncle Rong, thank you for your help.”

As the Lunar New Year approached, news came from Rong Yue’s side. Both inkstones and the five sets of ancient books were not left unsold. On the contrary, the inkstones and books, attributed to the Qingshan Yu family, sparked intense bidding. After several rounds of competition, the two inkstones were sold for 6.3 million, and the five sets of ancient books were sold for 8.1 million. The final prices exceeded the initial estimates of both individuals.

“The buyer of the ancient books is surnamed Weng. He has been devoted to collecting ancient texts for many years and has even written two monographs. As soon as he heard that the Qingshan Yu family had items up for auction, he rushed over. He said that the annotations from the Yu family members on the books are the most precious and difficult to come by. He also treasures ink works by Mr. Xiuning in his collection. Yu Nian, you can rest assured,” Rong Yue explained with a relieved sigh. After thanking him, Yu Nian put his phone back in his pocket.

Shi Rou handed him his down jacket as he finished the call. Yu Nian zipped it up and asked, “Rou Rou, there are two more days until the New Year. Have you bought your ticket to go home?”

Shi Rou smiled happily, “I bought it a long time ago. The train is tomorrow afternoon, and I’ll be able to make it in time for the New Year’s Eve dinner. I miss my dad’s braised trotters so much! Fortunately, my home is in the neighboring city, so tickets aren’t that difficult to get.” She helped Yu Nian gather his belongings, and they walked out together. “What about you, Nian Nian? You’ve finished shooting the advertising posters, and brand events and such are after the New Year. How are you planning to spend your time?”

“I haven’t decided yet. Maybe I’ll stay at home and write songs while I’m not busy. I’ll try to finish the songs my sister requested,” Yu Nian replied. Then he remembered something and checked his phone, realizing that Xie You hadn’t replied to the message he sent at noon.

As they got into the nanny car, Xia Mingxi called.

“Nian Nian, are you busy with your schedule recently?”

“Schedule?” Yu Nian didn’t catch on. “What schedule?”

“The schedule for writing songs!” Xia Mingxi exclaimed excitedly. “I’ve been entrusted with an important task by the director. He asked me to reach out to you and see if you’re interested in collaborating and writing a promotional song for the movie!”

Yu Nian recalled, “I remember the movie you filmed had a promotional song, right? I’ve heard you mention it before. It’s called… ‘Back to the Past,’ isn’t it?”

“Yes, yes, that’s the one. But the original male supporting role got cut, and the script underwent significant changes. So the previous promotional song doesn’t fit anymore, and it needs to be rewritten. The director is pulling his hair out over it, so he asked me to ask you,” Xia Mingxi said.

Yu Nian smiled, “Mingxi, are you doing business on my behalf now?”

Xia Mingxi burst into laughter. “Hahaha, you’ve caught me! We shouldn’t let our water flow into others’ fields. When I saw the director struggling, I intentionally mentioned you to him. Sure enough, after he listened to the songs you wrote, he was captivated.”

“I won’t say thank you. Let’s have a meal together when you finish shooting.”

“Okay, okay, let’s make a date! Wait for me! I want to have a feast!”

At that moment, the car slowed down and eventually came to a stop. Shi Rou asked the driver and then turned to Yu Nian, “Nian Nian, there’s been a traffic accident ahead, causing a jam. We don’t know how long it will take to clear.”

Traffic jams were a common occurrence, so they didn’t pay much attention. Yu Nian took out the pen and paper he had with him, using items as makeshift support, and began writing and drawing.

Shi Rou glanced over, “Nian Nian, your handwriting is really beautiful! But are you writing lyrics?”

“Yes,” Yu Nian nodded, the pen deftly moving between his fingers. “I suddenly got a burst of inspiration, so I’m trying to see if I can write something.”

Shi Rou smiled and covered her mouth, not wanting to disturb Yu Nian, so she remained silent.

After writing two characters, Yu Nian’s attention shifted again. He didn’t know how many times he took out his phone to check, but there was still no reply.

He chuckled. This unexpected feeling of being influenced by someone else’s actions was quite nice.

Before long, there was a sudden rumbling sound in the distance. Shi Rou stopped playing her game and looked up, “What’s that sound?”

“It’s the sound of helicopter rotor blades,” Yu Nian said, looking out of the car window. In the distance, he could see the shadow of a helicopter.

“What’s going on? They even dispatched a helicopter…” Shi Rou muttered to herself and then lowered her head to continue playing her game.

Yu Nian continued writing lyrics with the pen in his hand, but suddenly his thoughts became scattered. He stared at the messy lines on the paper for a while before setting the pen down and closing his eyes to rest.

Before long, the traffic started moving again as they entered the elevated highway. Shi Rou suddenly spoke up, “Nian Nian, there’s a news notification. I found out the reason for the earlier traffic jam. There was an accident up ahead!”

“An accident?” Yu Nian had become sensitive to the word “accident” recently. He opened his eyes. “Can I take a look?”

Shi Rou handed her phone to Yu Nian and said, “It’s a collision between luxury cars, and one of them was left hanging on the edge of a bridge, almost falling off…” She paused as she noticed Yu Nian’s face turning pale. Concerned, she asked, “Nian Nian, what’s wrong?”

Yu Nian looked at the deformed black sedan in the picture, feeling as if his throat was being constricted, making it difficult to breathe.

He had seen that car before. Xie You had driven it to see him.

In an instant, he felt a chill run through his entire body. Yu Nian quickly took out his phone and dialed Xie You’s number, but it kept indicating that the call couldn’t be connected. Just as he was about to call Qu Xiaoran, Xie You called him.

He pressed the answer button, and Yu Nian’s fingers trembled.

Swallowing hard, his throat aching, Yu Nian asked softly, his voice trembling, “Is he… okay?”

Qu Xiaoran’s voice was filled with anger, “I swear, I’ll curse his ancestors for eighteen generations! If something really happens to my brother, I’ll kill him with my own hands!”

There was a muffled sound, as if he had kicked a wall, and Qu Xiaoran gasped for breath. “I don’t know the exact details yet. Ding Zhaoxian and Xie Xiaoyou’s five cars collided. They’re all in the hospital. I’m waiting outside the emergency room. Xie Xiaoyou is still unconscious, and we’re not sure how serious his injuries are. We’re waiting for the test results.”

He sounded as if he had just slapped himself. “When I entered the emergency room, Xie You’s right hand was covered in blood, dripping continuously. And his fingers were tightly clenched. It took a lot of effort to open his hand, and inside was a clean and intact piece of paper.”

Yu Nian’s breath caught in his throat.

“On it, it was written, ‘May you be safe.'”

Clutching his phone tightly, Yu Nian closed his eyes, trembling. He took a deep breath, as if he had found his voice again, and hoarsely said, “Tell me the address; I’m coming right away.”