Guan Xiaoguan pestered Mr. Guan and kept clamoring to learn antique appreciation, but Mr. Guan never let go.
"Grandpa, you accepted him as your disciple, why don't you teach me?" Guan Xiaoguan hugged Mr. Guan's arm and said coquettishly:
"Just teach me! You don't want your skills to be lost!"
Mr. Guan narrowed his eyes and said, "I have apprentices, so I don't worry about my skills being lost."
Guan Xiaoguan said angrily: "Why would you rather spread it to outsiders than to me?"
Mr. Guan smiled and said: "Apprentice is not an outsider. In the past, apprentices were closer than their own sons."
Wang Gang smiled and interrupted: "Xiaoguan, why do you want to learn antique appreciation? Do you want to make a fortune from antiques?"
Mr. Guan's face darkened. He had loved antiques all his life, not for money, but because he didn't want the good things passed down by his ancestors to flow outside.
"I'm just interested and want to learn, but I don't plan to make money from this business." Guan Xiaoguan said stubbornly.
In fact, when Guan Xiaoguan returned to China this time, he took his parents on a mission.
Guan's father and mother coveted the old man's treasure, so they asked their daughter to take the lead and test the old man's tone.
Mr. Guan also knew the nature of his son and daughter-in-law, and was worried that they would sell good things to foreigners, so he always kept a close eye on Guan Xiaoguan.
It has been so long since Guan Xiaoguan returned to China, but Mr. Guan has not shown her his collection. The things he usually keeps at home are not worth much.
Two days ago, Guan's father made a long-distance call across the country to inquire about Guan Xiaoguan's progress, and suggested that she take the opportunity of learning to appreciate antiques to find out how many treasures the old man had.
"Grandpa, please teach me!" Guan Xiaoguan begged.
Mr. Guan didn't dare to let go when he saw his granddaughter like this.
Wang Gang was worried about his master's health, so he said to Guan Xiaoguan: "Master, he is old and cannot keep up with his physical strength. He has stopped accepting apprentices for a long time.
If you are really interested in this business, I have two choices."
Guan Xiaoguan wondered: "What choice, two more?"
Wang Gang chuckled, pointed at himself and said, "This first choice is right in front of you."
Guan Xiaoguan said contemptuously: "You want to be my master?"
Wang Gang said proudly: "As your grandfather's only disciple, I dare not say that I have completed my studies, but I can teach you more than enough."
Guan Xiaoguan immediately objected: "I don't want to be your apprentice."
Wang Gang raised his eyebrows and said: "Then you have the last choice left. I will find another expert for you to apprentice with."
"Master, how tall are you? Are you more powerful than grandpa?" Guan Xiaoguan asked curiously.
Wang Gang shook his head and said: "That man's name is Baolan Hou. Although his treasure appraisal skills may not be better than those of the master, he is not much different."
Guan Xiaoguan frowned and said, "Popohou, why is this name so weird?"
Mr. Guan chuckled and said: "The original name of the Tattered Marquis is Hou Dianchen. The reason why he got this nickname is because he walks around the streets all day long collecting rags.
This person's level is indeed good, and it would be great if you could become his teacher."
Guan Xiaoguan said disgustedly: "Grandpa, you want me to collect rags, but I won't do it."
Wang Gang said jokingly: "Don't underestimate rag collecting. With this skill, the tattered Hou not only acquired three courtyard houses in the capital, but also a house full of collections.
If you can really learn his skills, even if you only learn 50%, you will still be the number one person in Sijiu City."
Mr. Guan nodded in agreement with Wang Gang's words.
"I won't collect the rags. It's so dirty and smelly." Guan Xiaoguan said dissatisfied.
"Then there's nothing we can do." Wang Gang said with a smile, "That's what our line of work is like. It's common to go shopping for treasures in the streets." Wang Gang said:
"My master and I have gone through garbage dumps. If you can't bear the hardship, you won't be able to learn the skills."
Guan Xiaoguan was a little hesitant. After all, she was used to being pampered. She would definitely not be able to bear it if she was really asked to dig through the trash.
Mr. Guan saw that his granddaughter was not strong-willed, and he did not dare to teach her.
In the antique appreciating business, the biggest fear is that half a bucket of water will slosh around, which will harm others and yourself.
Guan Xiaoguan begged for a long time, but seeing that Mr. Guan wouldn't let go, he stopped insisting and went back to his room to rest angrily.
But she screamed as soon as she entered the room, and ran out angrily holding a set of women's underwear.
"Grandpa, didn't I tell you not to touch my things?" Guan Xiaoguan said angrily.
Mr. Guan shrank his neck and immediately sold Wang Gang.
"I didn't touch your things. My disciple saw that your room was messy, so I helped clean it up."
When Mr. Guan said this, Guan Xiaoguan became even more angry.
"Han Chunming, why do you touch my personal belongings? Do you know what privacy is?" Guan Xiaoguan accused Wang Gang with his hands on his hips.
Wang Gang will not spoil Guan Xiaoguan. She is the old man's granddaughter, not his granddaughter.
"You are throwing these clothes everywhere. What if the master steps on you and slips?" Wang Gang said impatiently:
"Also, the dishes in the kitchen haven't been washed for how many days?"
Guan Xiaoguan said nonchalantly: "Grandpa can wash dishes and chopsticks."
Wang Gang frowned and said: "How old are you, and you still want Master to take care of you?"
Guan Xiaoguan blushed a little, but still said unconvinced: "Grandpa, he is willing to wash the dishes and clothes himself, and I didn't force him to do it."
Wang Gang was even more dissatisfied and said: "Master, he takes care of you because he feels sorry for you. You can't accept it for granted!"
"Master is getting older and older. Instead of taking care of him, you ask him to serve you. What's the point?"
Guan Xiaoguan blushed and panicked.
"At worst, I'll pay a nanny to take care of grandpa." Guan Xiaoguan said harshly.
Wang Gang snorted coldly: "You have never worked before. Where did you get the money? Don't do it to the end. The master paid for the nanny to take care of you!"
Mr. Guan saw his granddaughter's face getting redder and redder. He was a little worried that she couldn't bear it, so he said to Wang Gang:
"Disciple, stop talking!"
Wang Gang sighed and said: "Master, there are some things that I really can't stand. I won't be happy if I don't vomit today."
After saying that, Wang Gang turned to point at Guan Xiaoguan and said, "Tell me, how long has Xiaoguan been back in China? She stays at home all day doing nothing. She eats your food, drinks your food, and asks you to serve her, cook and wash clothes."
Clean up the house.”
Mr. Guan nodded slightly, but still made excuses for his granddaughter.
"The little lazy cat has just returned to China and has not adapted to the domestic environment. How can he cook even if he doesn't know how to light a coal stove?"
Wang Gang rolled his eyes and said, "If you don't know, you can learn. If you don't understand, you can ask. Did she learn? Did she ask?"
Guan Xiaoguan was so embarrassed by Wang Gang's words that he couldn't reply for a long time.
Wang Gang continued to say to Guan Xiaoguan: "Xiaoguan, it's not that my uncle wants to say something to you. I feel sorry for the master. He suffered a lot in that era and has never been in good health. He doesn't have that much energy to take care of you."
Guan Xiaoguan looked at his grandfather in surprise and asked, "Grandpa, what's wrong with your health?"
Mr. Guan smiled and said: "It's okay, the root of the disease caused by the young city has become accustomed to it after so many years."
Wang Gang walked up to the master, pointed to his legs, and said to Guan Xiaoguan: "Master's old cold legs are so painful that he can roll on the kang when it's cloudy and rainy. Have you ever cared about it?"
Guan Xiaoguan's eyes widened in shock.
"Master's shoulder has been injured before, and it's difficult to even lift it. Did you know that?"
Guan Xiaoguan was very ashamed and felt that she really cared less about her grandfather.
Wang Gang sighed and said: "Xiaoguan, master loves you because you are his only granddaughter, but when did you really regard him as your grandfather!"
Guan Xiaoguan ran to his grandfather in shame and squatted down, crying: "Grandpa, I was wrong."
Mr. Guan said distressedly: "It's okay, it's okay, don't cry anymore."
After saying that, Mr. Guan said to Wang Gang dissatisfied: "Why are you talking to the lazy cat about this?"
Wang Gang sighed: "Master, if you don't tell me some things, Xiaoguan will never know."
Guan Xiaoguan raised his head and asked, "Is there anything else I don't know?"
Wang Gang said seriously: "Do you know how your parents took you to the United States?"
Guan Xiaoguan shook his head and said: "I don't know the specifics. I heard that the current situation was in turmoil, and grandpa was worried that we would be implicated, so he let us go to the United States."
Wang Gang asked back: "Do you think it's easy to go abroad? It's difficult to go abroad even now, let alone that era.
In order to send you out to live a good life, master, you stayed alone in the country and suffered a lot. Do you care about how much hardship you endured?"
Guan Xiaoguan looked at his grandfather in surprise and asked: "Grandpa, what have you experienced in these years?"
"It's all over, it's okay." Mr. Guan smiled and said, "As long as you and your family of three live well, it doesn't matter if I suffer a little."
Guan Xiaoguan said ashamedly: "Grandpa, I'm sorry, I didn't realize before that our family of three was living a good life in the United States, but you were left to suffer alone."
"Whether it's bitter or not, it's all in the past. Isn't it good for me?" Mr. Guan touched his granddaughter's head and said with a smile, "Don't mention the past in the future."
Guan Xiaoguan threw herself into her grandfather's arms and cried. For the first time, she felt his grandfather's selfless love.
