Act Eight
She thought for a moment and asked, "Did you find me through Old Ji?"
The three individuals are not very familiar with each other, and even the human artifact of hot pot, which can quickly warm up friendships, has not been able to play a significant role
Meng Wangzhou is smoking beside the courtyard's patio
Indeed
This man appears gentlemanly and refined, exuding an air of intrinsic nobility. Only when indulging in hot pot can he be momentarily brought down from his pedestal by the earthly smoke and bustle of human life.
Shen Qianzhan quickly glanced at the blushing Meng Wangzhou, clicked his tongue, and said perfunctorily: "I know, can we be a bit more subtle about what you and I both know?"
"Not really." Shen Qianzhan blew a small breath over the tea surface and said, "Have you forgotten that we saw similar clocks at the clock exhibition in the Shaanxi Museum? Most of the clocks from the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty are part of the museum's collection. I think even if you have money, you wouldn't be able to acquire one."
His lucky bamboo is eagerly waiting, saying it wants to drink some water
The two individuals have been apart for too long, hoping to travel and enjoy life after retirement. Even if I am moved by your proposal, it will only lead me to take your place. Since the outcome is the same, why bother with the process
The color of the lines is faint, a delicate thread outlines a dial. The dial features hour, minute, and second hands, pointing to a specific time on a certain day.
Ji Qing and Qing Shen: "How is the degree of damage assessed?"
The cabinet features a long frame made of solid wood as the base, with three layers of edge-pressed glass serving as the shelves. The junctions between the cabinet corners and the glass are sharply cut, adorned with inlaid craftsmanship of filigree lines.
Fortunately, Meng Wangzhou had the foresight to retreat in a timely manner; otherwise, her personal image would have been severely tarnished.
One is a colored lacquer inlaid copper plate clock from the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, another is a black lacquer gilt flower wooden floor clock, and the last one is an 18th-century English clock.
Shen Qianzhan said expressionlessly: "Only remember the clock, do not remember the whore"
She met Ji Qinghe there
Ji Qinghe understands the meaning; regardless of whether Old Master Ji reviews the planning proposal, the trip to Europe will not be canceled. However, if this is the reason, she is willing to appropriately postpone the schedule to reschedule for Old Master Ji.
Shen Qianzhan: "???"
Her smile is bright and genuine; if it weren't for her toes pushing against the ground as she slid the chair back a few steps, one would hardly notice that she was engaging in a forced social interaction
Ji Qing and Dan Dan cast a glance at Meng Wangzhou, who could no longer suppress his mocking expression. Stirring the chopsticks in the clear soup, Ji Qing said: "Actually, I think that Ji Lin, this child, does not speak with enough candor."
Shen Qianzhan almost burned his mouth with a sip of Pu'er tea: "Are you saying that Old Master Ji did not see my proposal?"
No signs of the passage of time, only the remnants of experience
"It should be," Ji Qing nodded and replied rather conservatively, "Do you remember Ji Lin?"
After watering the plants, wiping the tea tray, and cleaning up the association's base, Meng Wangzhou, with nothing else to do, looked at the electric hot pot on the long table, his eyes brightening. He happily extended an invitation: "Miss Shen, it's getting late, would you like to stay and have hot pot together tonight?"
In addition to the collection of clocks from the Shaanxi Museum of History, the exhibition also features renowned national treasure-level clocks from various regions.
Did she really carve the words "superficial" on her face, without any sense of subtlety
Ji Qinghe asked: "Is this very important? He and Ms. Meng have already finalized their itinerary for the trip to Europe and have set off."
Meng Wangzhou tossed the fish feed into the corner of the windowsill and picked up the watering can to water the plants
After being quiet for about a few minutes, Shen Qianzhan had eaten his fill
As Shen Qianzhan was contemplating using a farewell as an excuse to casually ask for contact information, she cast a glance at Ji Qinghe, who was leaning against the wall and difficult to approach, and graciously agreed.
Of course, now that she knows he deals with time and clocks, Shen Qianzhan is not surprised that he possesses such an aura
Today I happened to meet Shen Qianzhan, who quickly defrosted the ingredients in the microwave and laid out a full long table of hot pot ingredients, warmly inviting: "Miss Shen, please make yourself at home and eat more."
The cabinet is intended for display and collection purposes, with a very intricate design for the inner compartments. The dimensions of each compartment are not uniform, as they are custom-made, meticulously arranged to hold different types of timepieces
She could hardly conceal her shock and turned to Ji Qinghe, asking: "Genuine?"
At that time, she had just secured a commemorative drama in collaboration with Bo Xuan Film and Television. With a last-minute rush mentality, she changed her originally planned vacation destination from Fiji to Xi'an, solely for the grand watch exhibition at the Shaanxi Museum
Shen Qianzhan pressed her lips together and handed him a cup of Pu'er tea that Meng Wangzhou had brought: "What do you mean by dislike? Only children care about whether they like or dislike something; adults only think about whether it is useful or what its purpose is"
He reminded: "They say you are the child of the spider spirit from the Spider Cave."
The latter should have encountered similar situations many times, speaking in a calm tone: "Some are."
"Qian Deng." Shen Qianzhan took another bite of the shrimp paste, too busy to speak, "I am a producer."
In the presence of Meng Wangzhou, he has never dared to act recklessly, let alone cross the bottom line
However, the sense of amazement that Ji Qinghe brought to Shen Qianzhan at that time remains unforgettable even when recalled at this moment, leaving one with an insatiable longing
Shen Qianzhan certainly remembers
Meng Wangzhou raised his eyebrows and, while stirring the beef, asked: "Beijing drifter? May I ask where you work?"
Ji Qinghe is a treacherous person, too insidious
However, women are most skilled at being cold-hearted and stubborn
Shen Qianzhan lowered her head and took a sip of tea, slightly raised her chin and pointed to the British clock in the corner that looked somewhat aged: "This, really."
Meng Wangzhou was not surprised at all, and even understood it very well. However, in front of Ji Qinghe, he did not dare to explicitly agree, so he merely nodded to show his supportive attitude
"Ms. Meng, you may not know who she is," Ji Qing said slowly as he ate a piece of beef, "Meng Qiongzhi, the founder of Not Enduring Yearly."
She picked up another cup of Pu'er tea from the tray, admiring the appearance of the workspace, and strolled around with small steps
Ji Qing raised an eyebrow, clearly displaying an expression that suggested, "It depends on how you perform." "He hid your proposal and then showed it to me."
He prefers tranquility over noise and is most annoyed when Meng Wangzhou brings his rowdy friends to the courtyard
Shen Qianzhan could not sleep last night, tossing and turning for a long time.
The eyepiece had not yet been removed, and he easily followed the direction of her finger to see the clock displayed in the cabinet: "That is a model; the clocks that grandfather has repaired all produce similar molds, and then he taught me how to make watches"
Shen Qianzhan strolled while muttering to herself, and by the time she came to her senses, her footsteps had already stopped in front of a glass cabinet that occupied an entire wall and reached the ceiling.
At this moment, I am uncertain about what kind of feelings reside within my heart
The petty man immediately retaliated: "The spider spirit from the Cave of the Silken Web is not quite fitting, what do you think of the King of the Kingdom of Daughters?"
She harbored deep suspicions that Ji Qing and Jian Zou Pianfeng were attempting to strike at the heart of the matter, aiming to break through her defenses.
"Beijing drifter." Shen Qianzhan took a bite of the crab roe bun and said, "We have already shared the bond of having hot pot together, so just call me Qianzhan."
Is this implying that she was like someone who had never seen a man that night
Shen Qianzhan, having immersed himself in the entertainment industry for several years, is a seasoned veteran who has seen it all. He has encountered countless fresh faces and popular figures, yet he was still stunned on the spot by Ji Qinghe, feeling an overwhelming desire to become his devoted follower.
Meng Wangzhou glanced at this and then at that, holding back a night’s worth of words until he finally burst out: "Is Miss Shen from Beijing?"
The sound insulation of the old house is not very good; the intermittent voices of Ji Qing and Shen Qianzhan talking can be heard, and besides being unclear, the peeling in the corner shows no technical difficulty.
To be frank, no treasures in the entire room can compare to the brilliance of Ji Qinghe alone
Many of the counterfeit parts are incomplete and of poor quality, fearing they might get damaged, they are simply put away in the cabinet. He simply removed the eyepiece and walked over: "Do you not care which ones are real?"
This profession is somewhat distant from Meng Wangzhou's life. He was momentarily surprised and asked quite a few questions that sounded rather foolish. Eventually, the topic shifted, and he glanced at his plastic watch brother: "So, are you looking for a watchmaker through the expert to find a consultant for the project? Since you know Qinghe, why not contact him directly?" He even went to great lengths to arrange a phone conversation with someone who merely dabbles in collecting from the sidelines.
Ji Qinghe was well aware of Shen Qianzhan's subtle tricks and did not bother to argue. He merely suppressed his voice and asked with a low laugh, "Do you still remember the clock exhibition at the Shaanxi Museum?"
Shen Qianzhan expressed disdain: "Can your influence be on the same level as that of Old Master Ji? What a ridiculous exaggeration."
He is not only good-looking, but he also possesses a mysterious aura, reminiscent of Loulan, like the Bodhi that has been cleansed of its adornments by the winds and sands of the desert, embodying a profound sense of weight that has endured the trials of time and finally settled into tranquility.
Upon returning, he deliberately glanced inside as he passed by the doorway—Ji Qinghe was showcasing his remarkably distinguished wall of clocks to the young lady
She took a small sip of Pu'er tea and glanced at Ji Qinghe, who had not spoken a word since the meal began
Can she be deceived? No, she cannot
Shen Qianzhan was choked with emotion
Shen Qianzhan had a faint sense that something was amiss
The affairs of the world are difficult to predict
Ji Qinghe arrived in Beijing quietly, and judging by his demeanor, it seems he intends to stay for an extended period
Changing the subject, her tone lightened a few degrees, revealing a sense of achievement: "I have studied the resume of Mr. Ji. In his youth, he was the curator of a watch museum, and even after resigning, he continued to repair watches without compensation. A person with such craftsmanship must be unable to bear seeing the treasured clocks harmed by unworthy descendants"
He suddenly lowered his tone, adopting that ambiguous expression that seemed to be a smile yet not quite, transforming a perfectly normal inquiry into something suggestive
He scoffed disdainfully and thought to himself: At that time, a friend of his who was a collector wanted to broaden his horizons. Just as he was about to start his speech that he had prepared for a whole day, that man coldly interrupted him with a single word: "Get lost." As a result, when he encountered a beautiful girl, all moral boundaries vanished. What a double standard!
Shen Qianzhan touched the little flesh on her belly and let out a deep sigh... That salad she had for lunch was in vain
Shen Qianzhan paused his chopsticks and thought for a few seconds, then said: "We cannot find common ground in our conversation"
Ji Qinghe's attitude clearly indicates that she urgently needs to find a watchmaker with the ability to repair the hidden clock to serve as a project consultant. If he claims he hasn't seen the project plan, Shen Qianzhan would be willing to twist off his head and use it as a ball to kick for that dog of a man
The hot pot ingredients were prepared in advance by Meng Wangzhou. He originally planned to invite several watch collectors to the association's base for a gathering over the next few days, to casually boast and discuss life, hoping to drown his sorrows in drink
After finishing a cigarette, he took some feed to the front hall to feed the fish
Shen Qianzhan's research on clocks is still superficial, having only distinguished a few similar clocks that have been exhibited at the Shaanxi Museum.