Chapter 125: I got them all back
The owner of the bamboo slips was a foreign antique merchant named Joseph. He had a well-groomed brown beard, dressed like a gentleman, and his eyes revealed shrewdness. When he arrived at the Floating Restaurant, Yu Nian had already put away his paper and pen and was chatting with Xie You in a low voice.
Seeing Yu Nian and Xie You, Joseph quickened his pace, walked over, first placed the password box he was holding on the ground, then carefully adjusted his suit jacket, and then extended his hand to Yu Nian, saying in slightly imperfect Chinese, “It’s a pleasure to meet you; please convey my regards to your father!”
Yu Nian responded with a polite smile, “It’s a pleasure to meet you too.”
Upon receiving Yu Nian’s answer, Joseph’s smile became even brighter, “No, no, no, the pleasure is all mine!”
After shaking hands with Xie You, he sat down opposite and began complaining, “I thought these bamboo slips could fetch a good price, but they unexpectedly caused big trouble, entangling me in the dispute between two countries. It’s really worrisome! Last time in Hong city, I almost lost the item. In the end, I had to withdraw from the deal! I’m just a merchant trying to make money, and I’ve been so unlucky!”
He added sugar to his coffee, stirred it with a small spoon, and continued, “Luckily, Mr. He, your father, was willing to rescue me from this mess, saving me from further trouble.” He made an exaggerated expression, “I’ve already bought my plane ticket and will fly to the Mediterranean for vacation tomorrow!”
“Well then, I wish you a pleasant vacation,” Yuan Nian understood that the enthusiasm or flattery displayed by the other person was not directed at him but at He Xiao, who was behind him.
“Thank you!” Joseph touched his beard and got to the point, “Shall we take a look at the goods?”
“Please.”
Joseph placed the black briefcase on the table gently, while expressing with enthusiasm, “I was very nervous on the way here, worried about any bumps, after all, every millimeter inside is worth a fortune!”
Yu Nian didn’t respond directly and instead asked, “Where did you buy this item?”
“I won’t lie to you because I know you can easily find out,” Joseph maintained his smile, and there was a hint of pride in his expression, “I bought it from a fool. He’s a reckless guy who hangs out at the gambling den all the time. Once he won some money, he treated everyone in the place to drinks. After getting drunk, he blabbered about how his family had a treasured heirloom that his father valued more than his life. But in his eyes, it was just a worthless bamboo slips, nothing special.”
“As soon as I heard that, I kept my attention on it. Later, when I heard that he owed a huge gambling debt, I approached him for a deal. He gave me the bamboo slip, and I gave him money to help him clear his debt. He wasn’t too stupid; he knew how to negotiate, and I added some extra money to finalize the deal.”
Yuyan remembered what Sun Ruozhuo had mentioned about the old master of the Sun family, thinking that he believed the bamboo slips had been reduced to ashes in the fire. He had knelt in the ancestral hall for a long time and vowed never to eat meat again to atone for the sin. At this moment, a sense of regret filled his heart.
With a crisp sound, the combination lock opened, and Joseph opened the box, displaying its contents in front of Yu Nian, raising an eyebrow and saying, “I’m sure you’ll be satisfied.”
Joseph was right; every bamboo slips inside the box was exceptionally well-preserved, despite being passed down through generations and enduring countless years. Yuyan remained expressionless as he scanned them one by one and calmly asked, “Are you certain they’re authentic?”
Joseph hurriedly replied, “How could I dare to deceive you with fake goods? That would be suicide!”
Yu Nian’s lips curled slightly, a half-smile forming, and he said, “My father has invited an appraiser here, waiting in this restaurant. Your items need to be verified.” Seeing Joseph’s uneasy expression, Yu Nian added, “You acquired these goods by deceiving a fool into selling them at a low price. Who knows, you might consider me a fool and try to sell me fake goods at a high price, right?”
Joseph rubbed his beard, looking somewhat embarrassed.
Soon, the appraiser arrived with the instruments and conducted the appraisal in front of everyone. The result confirmed that the items were indeed not counterfeit. Yu Nian then sighed with relief and asked calmly, “What’s your asking price?”
Joseph gestured with five fingers.
Yu Nian knew that Joseph was a pure businessman; in his eyes, all the additional value of the bamboo slips could be converted into the equivalent amount in USD. Similarly, the troubles these items brought could also be offset by a corresponding amount.
Yu Nian lifted the Chinese porcelain cup and leisurely took a sip of coffee, showing no sense of urgency. Only when Joseph began to look a bit anxious did he ask, “This item is not easy to sell at the moment. You wouldn’t want to hold onto it for ten or twenty years without being able to get rid of it, right?”
Joseph composed himself and spoke confidently, “Both you and I are well aware that this item holds immeasurable value for you and your country. Fifty million USD is not an unreasonable price.”
Yu Nian chuckled lightly, the curvature of his lips was barely two degrees, and his expression turned commanding. He lightly tapped the table with his fingers and spoke slowly, “Then you should also understand a principle: the more immeasurable the value and significance of an item, the greater the troubles it brings, and the harder they are to resolve. Of course, on this matter, you should have a deeper understanding than me.”
Joseph remained silent.
Yu Nian raised his coffee cup again, took a small sip, and continued, “Am I right?”
Putting down the bone china cup, Yu Nian continued, “If this item can’t be sold, it’s like a sword hanging over your head, and I suppose it would dampen the enjoyment of your vacation.”
Joseph rubbed the handle of his cup, remaining silent for a while.
Seeing his attitude, Yu Nian’s expression visibly turned colder. “Since you have no intention of making this deal, I might as well consider this visit as an opportunity to admire the scenery here,” he said as he and Xie You stood up directly.
Joseph looked up, speaking faster, “What’s your offer then?”
Yuyan stated a number, “Fifteen million.”
“Too low!” Joseph clenched the small spoon, “Impossible!”
Yu Nian looked Joseph up and down, meeting his gaze directly, and sneered lightly, “Can’t be too greedy, can we? You want to get rid of the trouble and stuff a bunch of money in your pocket; that’s what’s impossible.”
After a moment of silence, Joseph’s nostrils flared slightly, “Cash deal?”
“Of course, you give me the item, and the money is yours.”
After another moment of sitting in silence, Joseph’s hand rested on his thigh, creasing his neatly ironed trousers, before he finally spoke. His voice sounded as if it was squeezed through his teeth, “Deal, I need to get the money right away!”
Yu Nian turned around, his tone unchanged, “Deal; happy corporation.”
Carrying the box out of the floating restaurant, Xie You opened a large umbrella, and Yu Nian carefully cradled the box in his arms, a lingering smile on his lips.
Avoiding puddles while walking, Xie You couldn’t help but kiss Yu Nian’s eye corner under the umbrella and said, “Nian Nian, don’t just focus on being happy, walk carefully.”
Yu Nian’s eyes sparkled with brilliance as he replied, “Okay!” He added, “If I fall, the items in the box might get damaged.”
Xie You could only helplessly hold him close and protect him.
At the same time, another post appeared on a domestic forum, floating to the homepage.
“Somebody on Weibo revealed that Yu Nian’s father is Yu Zhusheng, what do you all think?”
[Isn’t this topic already discussed to death for a hundred years? I’m tired of it!]
[Damn, Yu Zhusheng? He’s one of the top three richest people in Hong city, is this true? And I remember that Yu Zhusheng has a wife and four children, plus an illegitimate daughter outside. What’s Yuyan’s situation? Could he be an unrecognized illegitimate child of the Yu family? Would he have a share in the inheritance?]
[Does the person above have a brain? How can a girl from the prestigious Qingshan Yu family be interested in a married man like Yu Zhusheng?]
[If it’s true and Yu Nian turns out to be a disgusting illegitimate child, all his fans will probably go crazy. It’s entertaining to see! Talent and looks, so what? Still disgusting!]
[Are the haters really brainless, just randomly bashing whenever they get a chance? Or are the marketing accounts just chasing after clicks? They keep dragging the topic of parents through the mud repeatedly. Can’t they come up with something new? Quickly take Nian Nian away from all this!]
On the other side, Yu Nian sat in the car, placing the briefcase on his lap. He heard his phone ringing and answered the call, “Sister Rourou?” Calculating the time difference, it should be 8 a.m. in China, so he greeted her with a cheerful “Good morning.”
Shi Rou sounded urgent, “Nian Nian, do you have a moment now?”
Yu Nian sensed something was off from her tone, “Yes, I have time. What’s the matter?”
“A while back, the speculations about your parents were occasionally making appearances at the end of major forums and trending lists. Then, when you went on Lin Sha’s show, for the sake of boosting ratings, Lin Sha suddenly asked you about related questions without any warning.”
Yuyan remembered, “Oh, during the Double Ninth Festival, right?”
“Yes!” Shi Rou spoke rapidly, “It’s about the question during the Double Ninth Festival. After you mentioned that your father’s health has been poor recently on the show, netizens with amazing investigative skills managed to dig up your father’s identity! They found out that your father is currently staying at the Yangyi nursing home in Hong city.”
Yu Nian was somewhat amused and puzzled, “They said my father is who?”
“Yu Zhusheng!”
Yu Nian was unfamiliar with the name and turned to Xie You, asking, “Who is Yu Zhusheng?”
Xie You gave a brief response, “He’s the Chairman of the Glorious Group, 58 years old, and has a total of four children. He suddenly fell ill and was hospitalized a month ago, and now all four children, along with an illegitimate daughter, are fighting over the family’s inheritance.”
Shi Rou on the other end also heard the conversation between Yu Nian and Xie You and quickly realized, “So, Nian Nian, your father isn’t Yu Zhusheng, right?”
Yu Nian chuckled, “No, he really isn’t. I don’t even know him.”
“Oh, I was so scared!” Shi Rou felt both relieved and embarrassed, sounding a bit grumpy, “At first, I didn’t believe it at all, but after reading those posts online about your background, they were so convincing and seemed more and more real. I got scared to death! Anyway, forget it; I’m hanging up now, Nian Nian. Just pretend you never received this call!”
“Wait,” Yu Nian stopped Shi Rou, curious, “What did they say online? Even you, Sister Rou Rou, believed it?”
“They listed evidence first, saying that Yu Zhusheng worked in Ning City for two years when he was young, which coincides with your age. This Yu Zhusheng is a mixed-blood of five countries, handsome-looking, and it’s common for good-looking people to have one or two similarities in facial features. Some other miscellaneous points, I can’t remember them clearly, but they made a convincing case, especially for confusion!”
Shi Rou couldn’t hold her embarrassment, “I woke up early in the morning, feeling a bit groggy, and after reading through the compiled information, I got really anxious and didn’t think much. I just called you right away. Ah, I’m really embarrassed. If Brother Meng finds out, he might make fun of me.”
“Okay, don’t worry, I won’t tell Brother Meng,” Yu Nuan said thoughtfully, “But could you please tell Brother Meng to calm down the discussions about this topic?”
Shi Rou didn’t ask further and quickly agreed, “Sure!”
Back at their accommodation, Yu Nian carefully placed the black briefcase containing the bamboo slips, and then took out the paper with the messy musical notes. He looked at the two items for a while and couldn’t help but turn around and wrap his arm around Xie You’s neck, smiling with his eyes bent, “I’m really happy!”
Xie You lightly patted Yu Nian’s lower back, a smile also appearing in his eyes, and in that position, he simply lifted Yu Nian up in his arms.
Startled by Xie You’s sudden action, Yu Nian instinctively wrapped his legs around Xie You’s waist. While laughing, he said, “I might fall off,” but he allowed Xie You to sit on the sofa.
Resting against Xie You’s embrace, Yu Nian lowered his head and played with Xie You’s fingers, counting them one by one in order, “Continuous Rain on Jiangshan Painting, the fish-tail vase with landscape motifs, Yunfu Pine and Crane Vase, You Niao Ming jade wine jar, ‘Drunken Horse in Spring’ Painting, ‘Insomniac Scroll,’ ‘Praying for Heaven’s Virtue,’ Chang Fang Zun, ‘Guo Shu’ bamboo slips—all nine pieces, not missing a single one.”
Holding Xie You’s fingers, Yu Nian fell silent for a few seconds. He raised his eyelashes, and his emotions, which he couldn’t quite sort out, filled his heart. After a while, he finally said, “Xie You, I’ve found everything back.”
As he spoke, he blinked a few times in an attempt to suppress the surging, sour feeling.
Xie You held him close and gently kissed Yu Nian’s eyelids, speaking tenderly, “Mm, our Nian Nian is amazing, and it hasn’t been easy for you.” He clumsily coaxed, “Be good.”
Yu Nian had been holding back his emotions, but hearing Xie You’s last words, he couldn’t help burying his face into Xie You’s neck, lightly nuzzling and saying in a muffled voice, “I’ve found everything back, not missing a single item from that list, but… Grandpa and Grandma can’t see it anymore.”
He clenched the fabric of Xie You’s trench coat in his hand, and suddenly a sense of loss and inexplicable sadness welled up in his heart—Compared to these so-called inanimate objects, human life is just a fleeting moment in a thousand years.
He also recalled his grandpa sitting in the study, slowly unrolling a scroll, looking at the ink marks on it, and saying in a soft voice, “Nian Nian, look, after hundreds of years, this writing is still as powerful as ever, with bold and vigorous strokes. But me, you, and countless others are all just a pile of bones now. Does it make you sad to think about it?”
At that time, he was just slightly taller than the writing desk and didn’t fully understand, but he felt a bit sad, so he nodded.
His grandpa gently touched his head and said kindly, “But if you think about it, all these things, whether it’s porcelain, bronze, or calligraphy and paintings, were created by us humans. Isn’t that something to be proud of?”
He leaned against the edge of the table and nodded earnestly, “Yes.”
“So, what we put so much effort into protecting and preserving is our civilization, heritage, and history. Even though our lives may not last a hundred years, our lineage will endure for thousands of years. Compared to the ancient universe with its eternal sun and moon, human life is indeed tiny, and our lives are fragile and short. However, the flame of civilization never goes out, and the continuity of life persists. ‘I’ will live on.”
“Grandpa, I don’t understand.”
“Our Nian Nian is still young, it’s okay not to understand now. You will gradually understand in the future.”
Yu Nian leaned into Xie You’s embrace, looking at the securely placed box on the table. Suddenly, he felt like he had understood a little more.
Chapter 125: I got them all back
The owner of the bamboo slips was a foreign antique merchant named Joseph. He had a well-groomed brown beard, dressed like a gentleman, and his eyes revealed shrewdness. When he arrived at the Floating Restaurant, Yu Nian had already put away his paper and pen and was chatting with Xie You in a low voice.
Seeing Yu Nian and Xie You, Joseph quickened his pace, walked over, first placed the password box he was holding on the ground, then carefully adjusted his suit jacket, and then extended his hand to Yu Nian, saying in slightly imperfect Chinese, “It’s a pleasure to meet you; please convey my regards to your father!”
Yu Nian responded with a polite smile, “It’s a pleasure to meet you too.”
Upon receiving Yu Nian’s answer, Joseph’s smile became even brighter, “No, no, no, the pleasure is all mine!”
After shaking hands with Xie You, he sat down opposite and began complaining, “I thought these bamboo slips could fetch a good price, but they unexpectedly caused big trouble, entangling me in the dispute between two countries. It’s really worrisome! Last time in Hong city, I almost lost the item. In the end, I had to withdraw from the deal! I’m just a merchant trying to make money, and I’ve been so unlucky!”
He added sugar to his coffee, stirred it with a small spoon, and continued, “Luckily, Mr. He, your father, was willing to rescue me from this mess, saving me from further trouble.” He made an exaggerated expression, “I’ve already bought my plane ticket and will fly to the Mediterranean for vacation tomorrow!”
“Well then, I wish you a pleasant vacation,” Yuan Nian understood that the enthusiasm or flattery displayed by the other person was not directed at him but at He Xiao, who was behind him.
“Thank you!” Joseph touched his beard and got to the point, “Shall we take a look at the goods?”
“Please.”
Joseph placed the black briefcase on the table gently, while expressing with enthusiasm, “I was very nervous on the way here, worried about any bumps, after all, every millimeter inside is worth a fortune!”
Yu Nian didn’t respond directly and instead asked, “Where did you buy this item?”
“I won’t lie to you because I know you can easily find out,” Joseph maintained his smile, and there was a hint of pride in his expression, “I bought it from a fool. He’s a reckless guy who hangs out at the gambling den all the time. Once he won some money, he treated everyone in the place to drinks. After getting drunk, he blabbered about how his family had a treasured heirloom that his father valued more than his life. But in his eyes, it was just a worthless bamboo slips, nothing special.”
“As soon as I heard that, I kept my attention on it. Later, when I heard that he owed a huge gambling debt, I approached him for a deal. He gave me the bamboo slip, and I gave him money to help him clear his debt. He wasn’t too stupid; he knew how to negotiate, and I added some extra money to finalize the deal.”
Yuyan remembered what Sun Ruozhuo had mentioned about the old master of the Sun family, thinking that he believed the bamboo slips had been reduced to ashes in the fire. He had knelt in the ancestral hall for a long time and vowed never to eat meat again to atone for the sin. At this moment, a sense of regret filled his heart.
With a crisp sound, the combination lock opened, and Joseph opened the box, displaying its contents in front of Yu Nian, raising an eyebrow and saying, “I’m sure you’ll be satisfied.”
Joseph was right; every bamboo slips inside the box was exceptionally well-preserved, despite being passed down through generations and enduring countless years. Yuyan remained expressionless as he scanned them one by one and calmly asked, “Are you certain they’re authentic?”
Joseph hurriedly replied, “How could I dare to deceive you with fake goods? That would be suicide!”
Yu Nian’s lips curled slightly, a half-smile forming, and he said, “My father has invited an appraiser here, waiting in this restaurant. Your items need to be verified.” Seeing Joseph’s uneasy expression, Yu Nian added, “You acquired these goods by deceiving a fool into selling them at a low price. Who knows, you might consider me a fool and try to sell me fake goods at a high price, right?”
Joseph rubbed his beard, looking somewhat embarrassed.
Soon, the appraiser arrived with the instruments and conducted the appraisal in front of everyone. The result confirmed that the items were indeed not counterfeit. Yu Nian then sighed with relief and asked calmly, “What’s your asking price?”
Joseph gestured with five fingers.
Yu Nian knew that Joseph was a pure businessman; in his eyes, all the additional value of the bamboo slips could be converted into the equivalent amount in USD. Similarly, the troubles these items brought could also be offset by a corresponding amount.
Yu Nian lifted the Chinese porcelain cup and leisurely took a sip of coffee, showing no sense of urgency. Only when Joseph began to look a bit anxious did he ask, “This item is not easy to sell at the moment. You wouldn’t want to hold onto it for ten or twenty years without being able to get rid of it, right?”
Joseph composed himself and spoke confidently, “Both you and I are well aware that this item holds immeasurable value for you and your country. Fifty million USD is not an unreasonable price.”
Yu Nian chuckled lightly, the curvature of his lips was barely two degrees, and his expression turned commanding. He lightly tapped the table with his fingers and spoke slowly, “Then you should also understand a principle: the more immeasurable the value and significance of an item, the greater the troubles it brings, and the harder they are to resolve. Of course, on this matter, you should have a deeper understanding than me.”
Joseph remained silent.
Yu Nian raised his coffee cup again, took a small sip, and continued, “Am I right?”
Putting down the bone china cup, Yu Nian continued, “If this item can’t be sold, it’s like a sword hanging over your head, and I suppose it would dampen the enjoyment of your vacation.”
Joseph rubbed the handle of his cup, remaining silent for a while.
Seeing his attitude, Yu Nian’s expression visibly turned colder. “Since you have no intention of making this deal, I might as well consider this visit as an opportunity to admire the scenery here,” he said as he and Xie You stood up directly.
Joseph looked up, speaking faster, “What’s your offer then?”
Yuyan stated a number, “Fifteen million.”
“Too low!” Joseph clenched the small spoon, “Impossible!”
Yu Nian looked Joseph up and down, meeting his gaze directly, and sneered lightly, “Can’t be too greedy, can we? You want to get rid of the trouble and stuff a bunch of money in your pocket; that’s what’s impossible.”
After a moment of silence, Joseph’s nostrils flared slightly, “Cash deal?”
“Of course, you give me the item, and the money is yours.”
After another moment of sitting in silence, Joseph’s hand rested on his thigh, creasing his neatly ironed trousers, before he finally spoke. His voice sounded as if it was squeezed through his teeth, “Deal, I need to get the money right away!”
Yu Nian turned around, his tone unchanged, “Deal; happy corporation.”
Carrying the box out of the floating restaurant, Xie You opened a large umbrella, and Yu Nian carefully cradled the box in his arms, a lingering smile on his lips.
Avoiding puddles while walking, Xie You couldn’t help but kiss Yu Nian’s eye corner under the umbrella and said, “Nian Nian, don’t just focus on being happy, walk carefully.”
Yu Nian’s eyes sparkled with brilliance as he replied, “Okay!” He added, “If I fall, the items in the box might get damaged.”
Xie You could only helplessly hold him close and protect him.
At the same time, another post appeared on a domestic forum, floating to the homepage.
“Somebody on Weibo revealed that Yu Nian’s father is Yu Zhusheng, what do you all think?”
[Isn’t this topic already discussed to death for a hundred years? I’m tired of it!]
[Damn, Yu Zhusheng? He’s one of the top three richest people in Hong city, is this true? And I remember that Yu Zhusheng has a wife and four children, plus an illegitimate daughter outside. What’s Yuyan’s situation? Could he be an unrecognized illegitimate child of the Yu family? Would he have a share in the inheritance?]
[Does the person above have a brain? How can a girl from the prestigious Qingshan Yu family be interested in a married man like Yu Zhusheng?]
[If it’s true and Yu Nian turns out to be a disgusting illegitimate child, all his fans will probably go crazy. It’s entertaining to see! Talent and looks, so what? Still disgusting!]
[Are the haters really brainless, just randomly bashing whenever they get a chance? Or are the marketing accounts just chasing after clicks? They keep dragging the topic of parents through the mud repeatedly. Can’t they come up with something new? Quickly take Nian Nian away from all this!]
On the other side, Yu Nian sat in the car, placing the briefcase on his lap. He heard his phone ringing and answered the call, “Sister Rourou?” Calculating the time difference, it should be 8 a.m. in China, so he greeted her with a cheerful “Good morning.”
Shi Rou sounded urgent, “Nian Nian, do you have a moment now?”
Yu Nian sensed something was off from her tone, “Yes, I have time. What’s the matter?”
“A while back, the speculations about your parents were occasionally making appearances at the end of major forums and trending lists. Then, when you went on Lin Sha’s show, for the sake of boosting ratings, Lin Sha suddenly asked you about related questions without any warning.”
Yuyan remembered, “Oh, during the Double Ninth Festival, right?”
“Yes!” Shi Rou spoke rapidly, “It’s about the question during the Double Ninth Festival. After you mentioned that your father’s health has been poor recently on the show, netizens with amazing investigative skills managed to dig up your father’s identity! They found out that your father is currently staying at the Yangyi nursing home in Hong city.”
Yu Nian was somewhat amused and puzzled, “They said my father is who?”
“Yu Zhusheng!”
Yu Nian was unfamiliar with the name and turned to Xie You, asking, “Who is Yu Zhusheng?”
Xie You gave a brief response, “He’s the Chairman of the Glorious Group, 58 years old, and has a total of four children. He suddenly fell ill and was hospitalized a month ago, and now all four children, along with an illegitimate daughter, are fighting over the family’s inheritance.”
Shi Rou on the other end also heard the conversation between Yu Nian and Xie You and quickly realized, “So, Nian Nian, your father isn’t Yu Zhusheng, right?”
Yu Nian chuckled, “No, he really isn’t. I don’t even know him.”
“Oh, I was so scared!” Shi Rou felt both relieved and embarrassed, sounding a bit grumpy, “At first, I didn’t believe it at all, but after reading those posts online about your background, they were so convincing and seemed more and more real. I got scared to death! Anyway, forget it; I’m hanging up now, Nian Nian. Just pretend you never received this call!”
“Wait,” Yu Nian stopped Shi Rou, curious, “What did they say online? Even you, Sister Rou Rou, believed it?”
“They listed evidence first, saying that Yu Zhusheng worked in Ning City for two years when he was young, which coincides with your age. This Yu Zhusheng is a mixed-blood of five countries, handsome-looking, and it’s common for good-looking people to have one or two similarities in facial features. Some other miscellaneous points, I can’t remember them clearly, but they made a convincing case, especially for confusion!”
Shi Rou couldn’t hold her embarrassment, “I woke up early in the morning, feeling a bit groggy, and after reading through the compiled information, I got really anxious and didn’t think much. I just called you right away. Ah, I’m really embarrassed. If Brother Meng finds out, he might make fun of me.”
“Okay, don’t worry, I won’t tell Brother Meng,” Yu Nuan said thoughtfully, “But could you please tell Brother Meng to calm down the discussions about this topic?”
Shi Rou didn’t ask further and quickly agreed, “Sure!”
Back at their accommodation, Yu Nian carefully placed the black briefcase containing the bamboo slips, and then took out the paper with the messy musical notes. He looked at the two items for a while and couldn’t help but turn around and wrap his arm around Xie You’s neck, smiling with his eyes bent, “I’m really happy!”
Xie You lightly patted Yu Nian’s lower back, a smile also appearing in his eyes, and in that position, he simply lifted Yu Nian up in his arms.
Startled by Xie You’s sudden action, Yu Nian instinctively wrapped his legs around Xie You’s waist. While laughing, he said, “I might fall off,” but he allowed Xie You to sit on the sofa.
Resting against Xie You’s embrace, Yu Nian lowered his head and played with Xie You’s fingers, counting them one by one in order, “Continuous Rain on Jiangshan Painting, the fish-tail vase with landscape motifs, Yunfu Pine and Crane Vase, You Niao Ming jade wine jar, ‘Drunken Horse in Spring’ Painting, ‘Insomniac Scroll,’ ‘Praying for Heaven’s Virtue,’ Chang Fang Zun, ‘Guo Shu’ bamboo slips—all nine pieces, not missing a single one.”
Holding Xie You’s fingers, Yu Nian fell silent for a few seconds. He raised his eyelashes, and his emotions, which he couldn’t quite sort out, filled his heart. After a while, he finally said, “Xie You, I’ve found everything back.”
As he spoke, he blinked a few times in an attempt to suppress the surging, sour feeling.
Xie You held him close and gently kissed Yu Nian’s eyelids, speaking tenderly, “Mm, our Nian Nian is amazing, and it hasn’t been easy for you.” He clumsily coaxed, “Be good.”
Yu Nian had been holding back his emotions, but hearing Xie You’s last words, he couldn’t help burying his face into Xie You’s neck, lightly nuzzling and saying in a muffled voice, “I’ve found everything back, not missing a single item from that list, but… Grandpa and Grandma can’t see it anymore.”
He clenched the fabric of Xie You’s trench coat in his hand, and suddenly a sense of loss and inexplicable sadness welled up in his heart—Compared to these so-called inanimate objects, human life is just a fleeting moment in a thousand years.
He also recalled his grandpa sitting in the study, slowly unrolling a scroll, looking at the ink marks on it, and saying in a soft voice, “Nian Nian, look, after hundreds of years, this writing is still as powerful as ever, with bold and vigorous strokes. But me, you, and countless others are all just a pile of bones now. Does it make you sad to think about it?”
At that time, he was just slightly taller than the writing desk and didn’t fully understand, but he felt a bit sad, so he nodded.
His grandpa gently touched his head and said kindly, “But if you think about it, all these things, whether it’s porcelain, bronze, or calligraphy and paintings, were created by us humans. Isn’t that something to be proud of?”
He leaned against the edge of the table and nodded earnestly, “Yes.”
“So, what we put so much effort into protecting and preserving is our civilization, heritage, and history. Even though our lives may not last a hundred years, our lineage will endure for thousands of years. Compared to the ancient universe with its eternal sun and moon, human life is indeed tiny, and our lives are fragile and short. However, the flame of civilization never goes out, and the continuity of life persists. ‘I’ will live on.”
“Grandpa, I don’t understand.”
“Our Nian Nian is still young, it’s okay not to understand now. You will gradually understand in the future.”
Yu Nian leaned into Xie You’s embrace, looking at the securely placed box on the table. Suddenly, he felt like he had understood a little more.
