Chen Xuan volunteered to help go and negotiate with Mr. Jiao. Wei Nian was hesitant at first, but seeing that Chen Xuan was full of confidence and really wanted to go, Wei Nian said, "What can you say to him if you go? You don't have to apologize. We don't owe him anything, so there's no need to bow to him." This was a matter between him and Mr. Jiao, and Wei Nian didn't want Chen Xuan to be wronged by going to apologize to others.
Chen Xuan smiled and said, "It's not about bowing your head and apologizing. Like what you said, we don't owe Mr. Jiao anything. I just feel that if we don't get along well with each other after knowing each other for a while, then forget it. But it was originally good, but it became a grudge because of misunderstanding, which is a bit of a pity. I'll go over and talk about this matter. If it works out, it works out. If not, it doesn't matter. Anyway, our family has done its best."
Wei Nian saw that Chen Xuan seemed quite confident, so he asked her, "What are you going to say when you go there?"
"What can I say? Just tell the truth. Let's just say that if this happens again in the future and a cultured person like Mr. Jiao wants to buy it, we will of course side with our own people. This time, it was really unfortunate. Mr. Jiao is a reasonable person. If we explain it in person, will he still say that we are wrong? It was because he came late." Chen Xuan explained everything.
Wei Nian thought that this was neither humble nor arrogant, so he nodded.
Wei Nian was always particular about his actions. He also bought 12 feet of dark-colored fabric and 12 feet of black satin with red flowers from the shop and asked Chen Xuan to take them over. After all, she was going to explain the matter, so she couldn't go empty-handed. The fabric business of the Wei family was to give fabrics as gifts.
Chen Xuan was copying books in a hurry. When he saw the material, he said, "No need for material. I was thinking, didn't you give me two books in the past? I saw that the books were quite old, so I went to the back neighbor to ask Mr. Xu. Mr. Xu said that one was a Ming edition book, and the other was a book from the time of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty, also quite old. I will copy one, and then give it to Mr. Jiao. It doesn't cost money, and Mr. Jiao, who is a scholar, must like books more."
Wei Nian said, "I gave you this book, why are you giving it away as a gift?"
"Books are meant to be read. I have memorized the Ming edition, so I will give it to Mr. Xu. I have not read this book from the time of Emperor Qianlong, so I will copy it first and give it to Mr. Jiao." Chen Xuan copied quickly, and Wei Nian was depressed. It turned out that he had asked Chen Xuan to give a copy away, but he could not do anything about it. The key point was that Wei Nian did not take it as a big deal, it was just a book. He agreed with Chen Xuan's statement that books are meant to be read, not to be collected.
Wei Nian was quite curious about one thing, "Uncle Xu has a rather strange temper. How can you get along with him?"
"It's hard to say." Chen Xuan stopped writing and glanced at Wei Nian. "Mr. Xu is a good man. In the past, it was Xu's sister who secretly lent me books. Now Mr. Xu said that when I finish reading the book in my hand, I can just ask him to exchange it for other books. He is the kind of person who especially cherishes books. I gave him the Ming edition book. He was happy but felt embarrassed to accept it. I persuaded him a lot and said that in the future there would be things I didn't understand and I would have to ask him for advice. Only then did he accept it." He continued to copy.
Wei Nian looked at Chen Xuan writing and couldn't help but say, "Although Uncle Xu is a bit old-fashioned because of his studies, he is better than our father in one thing. When the Xu family was in such a bad situation, Master Xu sent his children to school."
Chen Xuan paused for a moment, "Yes, if you ask me, Brother Feng and Brother Yu are not surnamed Wei, they are from the Zhao family. Sister Yun's surname is Wei, so she should be asked to study. Sister Yun is grown up, and it is not a good idea for her to always go to the theater to watch plays with the old lady."
"That's right. I'll mention it to Big Brother when I have time."
The two talked, and Chen Xuan copied until half the night. After she finished copying the book, she checked it from beginning to end, fearing that there were mistakes. After she finished copying the book, Chen Xuan said to Wei Nian, "Brother Nian, when are you free, please buy me some paper. Don't buy these hard-cover notebooks, which are too expensive. Just buy those cut white papers that can be used for writing. Buy me the 40-cent ones."
"What's the bill for forty cents?"
"I only have 40 cents left. I can't always ask you to help me out. I owe you a lot of money now." Chen Xuan thought of her debt and couldn't help but promise Wei Nian, "Plant more strawberries next year, and I will definitely pay it back."
Wei Nian suppressed his laughter and said, "Okay, okay." Then, the next day, he bought Chen Xuan a hardcover notebook and told her, "This one is better than the previous one. It costs 1.2 yuan."
Chen Xuan was holding a notebook and was very anxious. She stood in front of Wei Nian and said to him, "Didn't I tell you to just buy some cheap white paper? Why do you always buy these expensive ones?"
Wei Nian smiled and said, "I don't know, I just wanted to buy it when I saw it."
Chen Xuan was furious, especially when Wei Nian added fuel to the fire by saying, "Hurry up and add another dollar and twenty cents to your little account book."
An honest man couldn't stand such humiliation. Chen Xuan took a hardcover notebook and slapped Wei Nian on the forehead. She snorted, went to find a small account book and recorded the account. She said to Wei Nian, "If you do this again, don't expect me to cook according to your order in the future."
Wei Nian rubbed his forehead and said, "I bought it for you because you like this kind of notebook. I don't want you to pay me back."
"I used to think you were smart, how come you're so stupid all of a sudden?" Chen Xuan stroked the notebook Wei Nian had just bought for her, and opened it to show Wei Nian, "Look at this hardcover notebook, the paper is so smooth and white, it's so smooth to write on with a fountain pen, who wouldn't like it? But you have to think about it, we haven't rented the house where we grow strawberries yet. At this time, we should save as much as we can. What kind of paper can't we write on? We can't do this in the future, okay? I want to buy some cheap paper, write more, and practice more. I'm reluctant to use a good notebook like this. My handwriting isn't that good right now, and I'm thinking, when I'm better, I'll write in a good notebook like this."
Chen Xuan glanced at her notebook, reached out and rubbed Wei Nian's forehead twice, feeling that it was wrong for her to hit him. Chen Xuan said, "I just feel that I can't help you with the renting of the house at all, so you have to save some money. It's not easy for you to do business outside. Does it still hurt? Let me get you a towel to apply it."
"No need to apply a towel. Don't do it again in the future. Do you understand?"
Chen Xuan also felt that she shouldn't have taken action. After all, Wei Nian meant well. She nodded and said, "Yeah. It was my fault for taking action." Wei Nian was very satisfied with Chen Xuan's attitude, especially since Chen Xuan asked him about his well-being and discussed with him about going to Mr. Jiao.
Wei Nian said, "Don't worry about this. Let me find out when Mr. Jiao will be home."
Wei Nian was in charge of the outside affairs, and Chen Xuan was always at ease.
Chen Xuan arrived at Mr. Jiao's home on a weekend afternoon. Mr. Jiao rented a small courtyard on Dongsi 4th Street. The courtyard was not big, with about five or six rooms in total, including the main house and the east and west rooms. There was a wisteria in the courtyard. As it was almost late autumn, the leaves had fallen, revealing the gnarled branches. I imagine it must be a beautiful scenery in spring.
Mrs. Jiao did not recognize Chen Xuan, but she could tell that she was also a gentle and kind lady. Chen Xuan introduced herself, "Mr. Jiao taught my husband English before." It was only after Chen Xuan went to school that she learned to address her husband as such in public, even though she and Wei Nian were fake husband and wife. She had already consulted Wei Nian.
Mrs. Jiao hurriedly said, "It's Madam Wei." She politely invited Chen Xuan in.
Chen Xuan quickly said, "You are too polite. Are you Mrs. Jiao?"
Mrs. Jiao invited Chen Xuan into the house. Mr. Jiao was also at home. Mr. Jiao quickly asked Chen Xuan to sit down. "Why is the Second Young Madam here?"
Chen Xuan sat in the chair below Mr. Jiao, stood up and took the tea handed to her by Mrs. Jiao, and without beating around the bush, she directly said what she had prepared for a long time, "I saw that Mr. and my husband were a little unhappy that day. Later I asked my husband the reason, and he told me. In fact, there were some misunderstandings here. It would be a pity for the relationship between Mr. and my husband if they became estranged because of the misunderstanding. I also told my husband what Mr. said to me that day. I came here specially to visit Mr. today, so please don't be really angry." Then she handed over the gift box.
Mr. Jiao made Chen Xuan feel a little embarrassed, and she refused again and again, "Second Young Madam, please don't be like this. It was just a small matter that day."
Seeing that Mr. Jiao did not accept it, Chen Xuan put the gift box on the high-legged coffee table beside her. Mrs. Jiao roughly guessed what it was about and said, "Yes, it's just a small matter. Second Young Madam is too polite."
Chen Xuan said seriously, "Although it is a small matter, my husband and I later thought about what the master said, and we found that what the master said was right. In fact, my husband also said at home that he didn't know that the plates and bowls were also wanted by the masters in our country. If we had known earlier, we would have given priority to our own people."
Chen Xuan sighed, "I came from the countryside and don't have much experience. My husband is a businessman, and he is busy with business every day. Mr. Jiao has also been to my house. My family is not from Beijing. Our hometown is in the countryside. We came to Beijing to do business to make a living. In the past, I really didn't know that those things were treasures. I heard from my husband that nowadays there are many families who used to be high officials or prominent, but their descendants are not ambitious and have ruined the family. In order to make ends meet, they sell their belongings. So, everyone thinks that these are just things used by wealthy families."
Mr. Jiao said, "These were indeed used by wealthy families in the past, but these porcelains are from the Ming Dynasty, the Song Dynasty, and the Qing Dynasty. Many of them are very rare. If they are sold to foreigners, it will be difficult to get them back in the future."
Chen Xuan didn't understand why it was difficult to get it back after selling it to foreigners. Now there is no money to sell it, but can't you buy it back when you have money in the future? Chen Xuan didn't quite understand Mr. Jiao's thinking, but in order to reconcile the two families, she pretended to agree and nodded, saying earnestly, "If it weren't for Mr. Jiao's words, I really wouldn't understand these principles. My husband didn't think these things were special before, but now I know that if there is such a deal in the future, I must find a Chinese to sell it." After saying this, Chen Xuan said embarrassedly, "Sir, you also know my family. If you say we are rich, the house we live in now is also rented. If you say we are poor, we don't have to worry about food and clothing. It's just that you have been to my house, and it's not a family that can afford these porcelains, but my husband knows some people. For those families who are in trouble, even if my husband doesn't collect these things, there will be others who will. I think, instead of letting these things fall into the hands of people who don't know the truth, if my husband sees such things again, it is also good to let them flow into the hands of our own people. I don't know if this is the right reason?"
Mrs. Jiao looked at Mr. Jiao, and Mr. Jiao said, "Second Young Madam is right, I think so too."
Chen Xuan breathed a sigh of relief and said with a smile, "Then I'm relieved. When I get back, I will definitely convey your intentions to my husband. You don't know that he is shy and wants to come and talk to you in person, but he's afraid that you're still angry with him."
Mr. Jiao smiled, "It's just a small matter, but I feel embarrassed that the Second Young Madam has to come here in person."
"It's nothing." Chen Xuan said seriously, "My husband has done me a favor. As the teacher knows, I have only been in Beijing for half a year. When I first came to Beijing, I could not read a single word. But my husband did not despise me at all. He taught me to read and learn, and I learned a lot. Later, he learned foreign languages with the teacher and began to teach me foreign languages. He is a very kind person. Otherwise, there would be many people outside who would look down on an old-fashioned woman like me. Moreover, although my husband helped to make connections, he really did not know that porcelain was a treasure. In the past, he thought that except for Books and porcelain are more valuable than ordinary items. "As he spoke, Chen Xuan opened the gift box, took out a book and handed it to Mr. Jiao, "This is what my husband got outside. He often said that although our family is not a scholarly family, we still admire and envy people with extensive knowledge. Therefore, when he saw a book outside, he never gave any to anyone. He also said that the things in this book are treasures passed down by our ancestors, and they cannot be given to foreigners no matter how much money they are. " This was of course a compliment to Wei Nian. Chen Xuan had practiced it many times in her mind and said it without blushing.
As expected, an expert knows the ins and outs of the matter. As soon as Mr. Jiao saw the book, he said, "Oh, this is a book from the reign of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty. The annotations inside are written by Grand Secretary Du. This is extremely valuable."
"I don't know whether it's valuable or not. We are not a family of scholars, so I don't know the value of this book. In our family, it's like a pearl thrown into the dark. The last time you came to our house, my husband and I learned a lot. This is our little gift. Mr. Jiao, please don't be polite. This book is just a book to my family. It is more valuable to you." Chen Xuan put the book next to Mr. Jiao and said with a smile, "To be honest, sir, I have copied a copy. As for the original, let it be in the hands of someone who understands its value better."
After Chen Xuan left, Mrs. Jiao complained to Mr. Jiao, "Didn't you say that the Wei family's young mistress was an old-fashioned person? I think you, a new-fashioned person, are not as sensible as she is."
Mr. Jiao held the book sent by Chen Xuan and said, "The Wei family is indeed an old-fashioned family. I went there to teach them foreign languages, so how could I know about their women? From what I saw before, they were old-fashioned people. Old-fashioned people can also make progress."
Mrs. Jiao thought that Chen Xuan came here in person, and she was sincere in repairing the problem. She even said a few words to help, "I think the Second Young Lady is very friendly. The Wei family is a business family, so how can they understand the national justice? However, their family is also reasonable, and they came here specially to explain it to us."
Mr. Jiao said, "It's not good to accept someone's book for nothing. Next time there is a salon held by Mr. Wen, I will take Wei Nian with me. Speaking of which, I have taught many students, but few are as smart as him. After studying foreign literature for half a year, he can talk business with foreigners. It shows that he is smart. It's a pity that he was born in a merchant family and has a lot of business experience."
After Chen Xuan said goodbye to Jiao's house, Wei Nian waited for Chen Xuan at the foreign goods shop at the entrance of the alley on Dongsi 4th Street. Seeing Chen Xuan's happy face, he knew that things were going well. The two did not go home. Wei Nian took Chen Xuan to drink coffee. Chen Xuan actually didn't like drinking this bitter thing at all. She mainly liked the indescribable atmosphere of the coffee shop, which felt very high-end. After drinking coffee and eating Western food, the two went home.
After returning home, Wei Nian asked about Mr. Jiao. Chen Xuan told Wei Nian roughly what he had said, and Wei Nian laughed, "It's amazing, you can even use idioms. Mingzhu secretly throws, Mingzhu secretly throws, you really know how to speak."
"This is a line from a poem by Li Bai. The poem is very long, so I'll read you two lines. These two lines go like this: A distant guest thanks his host, and a pearl cannot be cast into obscurity." Chen Xuan poured two glasses of water, handed one to Wei Nian, took one for herself and drank two sips, looking at Wei Nian with a smile in her eyes, "I think I used this line well." Sure enough, reading is a particularly good thing. Moreover, she used most of the words she had prepared for several days, and it really made Wei Nian and Mr. Jiao reconcile. Chen Xuan was very happy.
Wei Nian nodded, "Now that you've said something like this, Mr. Jiao won't be angry anymore."
"Mr. Jiao is not a person who gets angry easily. Besides, that incident is not our fault." Chen Xuan said, "Even if there is something like this in the future, ask Mr. Jiao first. If someone offers the same price, it is better to sell it to people from our country."
"Of course, I also like to do business with my own people."
The author has something to say: ps: The second update is here, a fat update~~~~~~~~~