Rebirth 1983: Building My Business Empire

Chapter 79: Chapter 73 Candor

The value of antiques and paintings is bound to rise. Especially ancient paintings, if they are genuine works by famous artists, they will increase by hundreds or thousands of times in twenty or thirty years!

Lu Jiaxin said, “If the other party doesn’t sell their collection, it’s fine if we can’t buy it back. If they do want to sell and I don’t have enough money, I can help find a buyer and will certainly not let the items be taken abroad.”

Even if the value increases a thousand times, she could afford to buy it from them in the future. Knowing the future was her greatest trump card.

Xue Mao, who had been silent all along, interjected, “Selling to businessmen from Hong Kong, doesn’t it mean the items will end up overseas if they bring them back to Hong Kong?”

Lu Jiaxin, exasperated, said, “Read more books in the future or others will think you’re ignorant and won’t want to deal with you.”

After saying this, she went on to explain, “Hong Kong belongs to our country; it was just leased to Britain over eighty years ago, and in thirteen more years, we’ll take it back. So, Hong Kong people are our compatriots, selling to them is just like passing things from the left hand to the right, it’s still within our country.”

Xue Mao regretted speaking up. The thought of having to sit in a classroom made his head throb.

Gu Wenfeng was quite satisfied, but he didn’t give an immediate reply, “Miss Lu, I can’t make a decision on such a significant matter by myself, I need to report to the leadership first.”

Lu Jiaxin thought to herself it was fortunate she had no plans to get involved with the system, as there were too many rules. Not only that, but many people were particularly stubborn, putting up too many obstacles to getting things done.

After they finished discussing, Gu Wenfeng took down the porcelain pieces one by one. If it wasn’t difficult to carry them, she actually wanted to take a double-eared porcelain vase back for flowers.

Xue Mao asked, “Sister, when you go to Peng City to sell the painting, what will you tell people if they ask?”

Lu Jiaxin felt this was not a problem at all, “Tomorrow we’ll visit the antique market, pick some paintings and porcelain vases to decorate our home. While purchasing, I might just come across a genuine work by a famous artist by sheer luck. To sell it for a higher price, I’ll go to Peng City.”

She planned to use the purchased handicrafts for decoration and store away the paintings. Her house had a cellar that the previous owner used for storing vegetables. She would store the ink sticks and ink slabs in the cellar for the time being. She wasn’t sure if banks in the Forty-nine City had safe deposit box services; if they did, she would transfer them there once she had money. If not, she’d have to find a secret place to hide them.

After making the plans, Gu Wenfeng made another suggestion, “Miss Lu, after we leave, the two neighboring households will definitely try to sneak in. I think you should hire someone to help watch the house.”

Lu Jiaxin indicated she had no reliable person for the job.

Gu Wenfeng immediately responded, “If you trust me, I can find someone for you. No need to pay them a salary, just providing them with two rooms to live in would suffice.”

“Brother Gu, you must be joking. If I can’t trust you, I really don’t know who else I could trust,” she said.

The next day, Gu Wenfeng left early, and Lu Jiaxin wanted to go with Xue Mao to the antique market. Unfortunately, Xue Mao disagreed; with so many treasures at home, what if a thief came and took everything?

Unable to convince him, Lu Jiaxin couldn’t go alone and had to stay at home as well.

Curious, Xue Mao asked, “Sister, how much do you think a painting can sell for?”

Knowing he wasn’t mentally strong, Lu Jiaxin said, “A minimum of twenty thousand.”

This time, she planned to take the Ink and Wash Painting, the Longevity Painting, and the Five-clawed Dragon Ink Slab with her. She had a target price of fifty thousand for a painting. However, for a painting by Zhao Ji like the one she had, even if she were offered a million now, she wouldn’t sell it. Once such a masterpiece is sold, it’s impossible to buy it back.

Xue Mao was no longer speaking clearly, “Ho-how, how much?”

One painting for twenty thousand, five paintings would then equal one hundred thousand. If these were stolen… at that thought, Xue Mao felt he should be guarding these treasures every step of the way.

Seeing his reaction, Lu Jiaxin couldn’t help but laugh and cry, “Xue Mao, to those who aren’t in the know, these items are no different from the New Year’s paintings sold by the roadside for a few cents each. Don’t be nervous. Just treat them as ordinary items like Brother Gu and I do,

“Your nervousness is more likely to arouse suspicion. If people with ulterior motives in the Forty-nine City catch wind of this, we won’t be able to protect these treasures.”

After uttering an “ah,” Xue Mao pondered and then said, “Sister, those two households are not trustworthy; it is better to be cautious. We can’t leave our home unattended before returning to the Forty-nine City.”

Lu Jiaxin knew what he was like and agreed reluctantly. Fortunately, Gu Wenfeng had acquaintances here, who were quite capable; it probably wouldn’t be long before they could catch a ride.

It was after three in the afternoon when Gu Wenfeng returned, bringing two pieces of good news. First, Xie Kaixiao had agreed to accompany Lu Jiaxin to Peng City; second, he had found a ride, the day after tomorrow a truck would be transporting goods to the Forty-nine City, and Xue Mao could catch a ride back with that truck.

The efficiency of this operation was impressive.

Gu Wenfeng said, “Miss Lu, I need to deliver those eight boxes of books to a designated location. However, we can’t move them using large wooden crates; that would attract unwanted attention. Let’s pack the study’s books into sacks, and I’ll haul them away with a handcart.”

The reason they didn’t directly move the camphor wood crates was that the nearby neighbors and the Sun Family were aware of their recent purchases. Suddenly moving out several big camphor wood crates would definitely arouse suspicion. Once the true nature of the contents was guessed, who knows what crazy things these people might do.

Gu Wenfeng had brought twenty sacks with him. First, he packed all the books into sacks, and the remaining sacks were filled with trash. There was plenty of debris from the house repairs, so it wouldn’t look suspicious.

Lu Jiaxin fully cooperated and even suggested placing the boxes back into the secret passage, “Brother Gu, once the boxes are back in the passage, we can seal up the room’s heated kang.”

That very afternoon, they sealed up the heated kang. The next day, Gu Wenfeng and Xue Mao moved the books and Xuan Paper mixed with construction waste outside, and after two hours, they returned with six baskets of fruit.

Once the fruit had been brought back, the three of them got to work. They wrapped each ink slab tightly with waxed paper, then emptied out most of the fruit and scattered these waxed-paper-wrapped items among the fruits. As for the three paintings with calligraphy, Xue Mao carried them close to his body in a travel bag.

After everything was packed, it was after five o’clock, and Xue Mao went back to cook in the kitchen. Gu Wenfeng, who also couldn’t sit still, started tidying up the courtyard.

Not wanting to idle, Lu Jiaxin prepared to join the cleanup but was stopped by Gu Wenfeng, “No need, you go rest inside!”

Lu Jiaxin smiled and replied, “The work isn’t heavy; I’m fine.”

Gu Wenfeng truly feared she might get hurt as the boards were quite heavy, “You go help Xue Mao in the kitchen, I’m a bit hungry…”

Lu Jiaxin was also feeling hungry and so turned to go help in the kitchen.

After dinner, Gu Wenfeng moved the wood into the woodshed – those pieces could be burned. The wood with carved patterns, after being cleaned, was taken into the house.

After Xue Mao cleaned the kitchen, he joined in tidying up the courtyard. Lu Jiaxin marveled that people nowadays were really industrious. Unlike her, once seated, she didn’t feel like moving.