"But something this valuable, who can we sell it to?" Mother Zhou leaned in and asked.
That question made the three siblings freeze.
Yes, who could they sell it to?
In their small town, where would they find someone rich enough to afford such a priceless Qin coin?
The room went quiet. Only the ticking of the old wall clock could be heard clearly.
Celine bit her lower lip, frowning deeply.
Many ideas flashed through her mind, but she rejected them one by one.
Should she take it to the city and try to sell it? But she didn't know any wealthy or powerful people there.
Maybe she could try selling it on a second-hand website?
As soon as that idea came up, Celine shook her head.
Who would buy such an expensive antique on a second-hand site?
Forget about figuring out whether it was real or fake. Just the safety of the deal was already a big problem.
What if someone dangerous noticed them? That could end very badly.
The mood became tense. Eleanor scratched her head in frustration.
Shenan also stayed silent, staring at the Qin coin in his hand.
"I actually know someone. He might have some connections."
After a while, Shenan finally spoke.
Celine immediately turned to him, eyes full of focus.
"Big brother, you know someone like that?"
Her tone was full of surprise, and a bit of hope.
Shenan slowly nodded.
Actually, this went back to something he didn't like to remember.
That year, he went to work on a construction site. But because the scaffolding was loose, he fell and broke his leg.
"It was his own mistake. Has nothing to do with me." The contractor tried to clear himself of all responsibility.
Besides giving 2000 yuan as a "nutrition fee," there was nothing else.
At that moment, Shenan knew his life was ruined.
The expensive hospital bills and long recovery time were like a mountain pressing down on their poor family.
He could only watch his leg slowly become thinner and more twisted until he ended up disabled.
Despair swallowed him completely, but he couldn't fall apart.
He was the oldest son. He had to support his mother and younger siblings.
He had to stay strong. He had to hold the family together.
To make money and to deal with his pain, he began to teach himself to draw.
His childhood love for art became his only comfort.
He studied and practiced day and night. Within six months, he had improved a lot and could earn a little by drawing for others.
He used a natural cave near the county as his art space. Tourists walking by became his customers.
Each painting sold for ten or twenty yuan. Not much, but if he sold enough, it was enough to feed the family.
The person Shenan was talking about appeared during that time.
One sunny afternoon, an elegant elderly couple stopped by his stall.
The man had white hair and a lively face. The woman had gentle eyes and a calm, noble presence.
The deep affection between the old couple in their every gesture deeply moved Shenan.
He focused completely on his work, vividly capturing the loving image of the elderly couple.
After finishing, Old Man Li held the portrait and nodded in praise again and again.
Then he started chatting with Shenan. When he learned Shenan was self-taught and skilled in less than half a year, Old Man Li was amazed.
He also flipped through many famous landscape and fine brush paintings Shenan had copied.
"Young man, you have great talent!"
After looking, Old Man Li sincerely admired him.
Shenan smiled shyly but felt a strong pride inside.
At this time, Old Man Li introduced himself.
Only then did Shenan realize this kind and friendly elder was Old Man Li Baizhong, a retired professor from the Capital Academy of Fine Arts and a well-known painter at home and abroad.
A feeling of shame came over Shenan, like trying to show off skills in front of a master craftsman. He wished he could hide.
"Have you thought about learning painting systematically?" Old Man Li suddenly asked.
Shenan hesitated, saying he could not afford the tuition.
Old Man Li smiled and waved his hand: "Don't worry about tuition. Would you like to be my student?"
This unexpected surprise stunned Shenan. He could hardly believe his ears.
From then on, Shenan often went to Old Man Li's home whenever he had time from painting.
Old Man Li retired and returned to his hometown to live quietly. His children lived abroad. At home, only the couple and a cook remained.
Since Shenan could not pay tuition, he devoted himself to helping the elderly couple with their daily lives, almost like their own son.
The Li couple treated him like their own child, generously teaching and often introducing painting jobs to him.
Mother Zhou also knew about Old Man Li.
She was grateful for the old man's guidance of her son, so she often had Shenan send vegetables, fruits, grains, and the chickens, ducks, and geese they raised to the old couple.
...
"I want to take two pairs of pure gold Qin Banliang coins and a jade ring from the Qin Dynasty to ask the teacher first," Shenan suggested.
Celine heard this for the first time.
She did not expect her big brother had such an opportunity.
But she felt uncertain. From her brother's description, the old couple treated him almost like their own son. Yet when Shenan was framed by Vanissa in his past life, why had she never seen Old Man Li help him?
After all, he had status.
Celine thought like this not to blame the old couple for not saving Shenan in the past life. She was just conflicted, worried the old couple might not be as kind as Shenan said.
After all, people's hearts are hard to read.
Shenan keenly noticed the doubt in his sister's eyes but thought she was just worried the items were too valuable and no one could buy them.
He explained again: "The teacher will move abroad soon. Even if he can't buy them, he should have some connections to introduce."
Only then did Celine realize!
The old man was abroad in the past life, so he probably didn't know about Shenan's situation.
Thinking this, a bit of relief passed through Celine's heart. She blamed herself secretly for doubting a good person.
Reborn in this life, she had become suspicious and sensitive but forgot there were still good people in the world.
"Big brother, I trust you." Celine gave Shenan a firm look, her voice full of trust.
Shenan smiled happily.
His sister's trust meant more than anything.