"Of course, feel free to look around. Have some tea first." Huang Jian was very pleased and offered fruit and snacks to the three of them.
He also wanted to show off the treasures he had collected over the years to Li Chonglou as soon as possible.
He was impatient in his heart.
But the hospitality of a host forced him to suppress his excitement.
After all, being too eager would make him appear like a child in others' eyes.
When Li Chonglou heard him say that, he was no longer in a hurry.
He could tell that Huang Jian was someone who lived for others' opinions, someone who was self-centered.
There was no distinction between good or bad, just different ways of living.
Some people lived their entire lives for others, yet were happy and content. Such people were more common among the older generation.
After all, back then, families had many children, and conditions were harsh. Everyone was striving for survival, and parents didn't have much time to accompany them. They could only take care of themselves, and even look after their younger siblings.
Naturally, they would become more selfish.
And selfish people valued face and the approval of others the most.
They craved the realization of their own value.
This type of person was actually a product of the times and national conditions, not to be pitied, but rather great.
They were the ones who were righteous and affectionate, the ones who were generous, and when faced with truly significant matters, they would even give their lives for those they cared about.
Of course, people have two sides to them. Towards those they don't care about, they can appear mean and selfish.
In this society, everyone dislikes such selfish people.
But have they ever considered, are you their friend?
Just like now, has Huang Jian ever guarded against them?
Isn't selfishness also a form of selflessness?
"I didn't come back for Lunar New Year last year. It's been two years since I last saw Shu Yu, and it's developed so quickly." Tian Lingli found a topic, standing by the office window, admiring the messy pile of scrap metal in the warehouse outside.
"Quick, it's almost eligible for city status. The high-speed rail station was completed last year, Wanda also opened in the county town, and a new automotive city was built. The highway is also under construction." Huang Jian said with pride, "Before, there were no roads into the mountains. Now, cars can reach most places directly."
He was different from people like Tian Lingli who left their hometowns. He chose to stay and develop.
His feelings for his homeland were even more intense.
Day and night, he watched this land change rapidly.
Especially for those who liked antiques, the feeling of this change was even stronger.
"Do you often go into the mountains?" Li Chonglou asked.
"Not very often, maybe a few times a month. After all, I have business to attend to," Huang Jian shook his head. "And the mountains are different now. There are quite a few more people collecting antiques."
"The good places have basically been scoured clean. To find truly good items, you can only go deeper into the old forests."
"But the roads are very difficult to travel, I've only been there once..."
"However, there are many good things!"
Hearing this, Li Chonglou's eyes lit up.
People who lived in the deep mountains and old forests were mostly those who had fled there to escape war.
During the Second World War, the mountainous areas here were anti-Japanese bases. Before that, there were already large settlements, indicating that the settlement period was even earlier.
It was possible that some items were brought in at that time.
However, in such situations, most items were civilian, while official rarities were scarce.
It might be good for surface-level scavenging, but for someone like him who was looking for special treasures, the possibility was too low.
Still, Li Chonglou asked, "If I wanted to go in, could I trouble you to lead the way?"
"Sure, who told you to treat me as a friend!" Huang Jian replied without hesitation.
This was the charming aspect of people who lived for others' opinions.
"Are there still people who sell treasures mixed with scrap metal?" Zhou Yacheng, unable to interject, finally asked after a while.
"Yes, plenty," Huang Jian replied with a smile. "There's usually one or two every month."
"Although the internet is well-developed now, and most people know about antiques, their eyesight is far inferior."
Li Chonglou deeply agreed and explained, "The name 'antique' should actually be 'gǔdǒng' (骨董), but in many places, 'gǔ' (骨) and 'gǔ' (古) are homophones. Coupled with the need for historical sedimentation, it evolved into 'gǔdǒng' (古董)."
"It can be roughly interpreted as ancient hidden objects."
"Since they are hidden, they are divided into above ground and underground. Regardless of which, except for a very few varieties, after being immersed in wind, frost, and soil for a long time, they will appear very dirty, even incomplete, to the naked eye."
"The patina and surface are also called 'hēi qī gǔ' (黑漆古), from which the name itself indicates its appearance. The public's eyes only look at the surface, not the substance."
"Therefore, they often mistake finely crafted and beautiful fakes for the real thing, and regard inconspicuous genuine items as trash."
"However, in the current environment, to collect good items, one must also rely on luck."
Huang Jian looked impressed and gave a thumbs-up, "Professional, brother!"
"Let's go, we've had enough tea. I'll take you to see the items."
"But Miss Tian, please don't laugh at me. My collection probably can't compare to your treasures."
After all, living in a county town, he might have good taste, but not broad knowledge. He thought that antiques were ultimately linked to money.
Rich people naturally possessed more treasures.
This perception was somewhat flawed.
But Li Chonglou did not point it out. He was led by Huang Jian through the factory building to a red brick house behind it.
It seemed to be his usual residence.
The building style was from the 1970s and 1980s. After so many years, despite the mottled exterior, it still stood firm.
Huang Jian took out a key and unlocked the door, leading the three of them inside.
The interior decoration was completely different from the exterior. It was bright and simple, full of modern charm.
After all, it was a place for people to live, and everyone wanted to be comfortable.
"Please come in!" Huang Jian opened a room door on the right, and with a click, turned on the light.
Li Chonglou and the other two looked surprised.
This room contained a giant shipping container that occupied half of the space.
"A few years ago, I specifically had someone lift the roof and used a crane to put the container in, so it's safer," Huang Jian chuckled, then opened the iron door of the container.
With a creak!
The door opened.
The LED lights inside lit up, and Li Chonglou's eyes showed a hint of shock.
Inside this container, there were at least half a box of bronze wares neatly stacked.
There were swords, spears, halberds, mirrors, furnaces, tripods, and altars.
This...
All of these were prohibited cultural relics.
A quick glance revealed several items from the Han Dynasty or even earlier.
They were all funerary objects.
"Holy cow, unearthed bronze wares! Aren't you... afraid of being reported?" Zhou Yacheng exclaimed.
He had some discernment from his father, Zhou Sanping, due to being exposed to it since childhood.
Only Tian Lingli couldn't make out anything. She just felt a musty smell. Inside were placed broken items covered in verdigris.
"I didn't steal them. They were given to me by others, so what should I be afraid of?" Huang Jian said with a calm chuckle. "I know bronze wares cannot be traded, but they were sold to me as scrap metal. I won't sell them to others."
"Besides, apart from these bronze wares, I also have quite a bit of jade and pottery."