Chapter 2756

"Old Cricket!" Zhou Andong laughed and stood up, then glanced at the others: "These must be the old brothers you often mention, right?"

Old Cricket also froze for a moment, pointing at the old man Zhou Andong had bumped into at the door: "Zhou Dong, this old guy just said he met a very interesting young man—was that you?"

Zhou Andong looked at the old man: "Probably, maybe, roughly so."

The old man laughed heartily, stood up and made room: "Zhou Dong, actually I recognized you the moment I saw you."

Zhou Andong blinked, raised his hand to push up the glasses on his nose: "You can recognize me even like this?"

The old man said proudly: "Old man I may be, I don't have many other talents, but these eyes of mine are very sharp. Although I've only seen you on TV, Zhou Dong, your outfit still can't escape these eyes."

Old Cricket said with a smile: "This old thing is called Zhao Chang, his ancestors were antique dealers, doing big business. When the War of Resistance against Japan broke out, his father died under the butcher's knife of the little devils, the family property was also looted quite a bit, and his five brothers joined the army to avenge their father and resist Japan.

He was the youngest in the family, so he stayed behind to continue the Zhao lineage. Naturally, the ancestral craft fell to him. It can be said that his skill has surpassed the blue—his Zhao ancestors probably didn't have eyes as sharp as his.

So, whether it's inherited or buried in the earth, as soon as his eyes pass over it, he can tell its origin. As for fakes, no matter how exquisite the forgery, even if it could fool everyone in the world, it still couldn't escape this old man's pair of 'eagle eyes'."

Zhou Andong picked up his teacup and said solemnly: "Master Zhao, in my life, Zhou Andong most admires and respects skilled artisans like you; I offer tea instead of wine to toast you with one cup."

"You're too kind, Zhou Dong!" Zhao Chang also raised his teacup and clinked it with Zhou Andong's, taking a light sip.

Old Cricket then introduced the other three: one named Wang Yu Bo, wearing reading glasses, a wisp of white beard below his forehead, dressed in a white practice outfit, looking somewhat like a transcendent hermit.

The other two: one named Gode Shang, appearing tall and sturdy, red-faced, with very short hair exposing a greenish scalp. But he wore a Zhongshan suit, with two pens pinned to the jacket pocket. Compared to his appearance, this outfit looks somewhat incongruous.

The last one named Wu Anlin, wearing light blue cloth trousers on the lower body, and on the upper body a washed-yellow, already loose and sagging hurdle vest, with a large "prize" character printed on the back. Above it a small line: "Advanced Producer"; below it: "Awarded by the First Cotton Mill."

"We've been old partners for a lifetime." Old Cricket said somewhat wistfully: "When we were young, we played together; in a blink, decades have passed, and the dirt has buried up to our jawbones."

Zhou Andong laughed and said: "You old gentlemen are in such good health, living another twenty years is no problem."

"Thank you for the kind words." Wang Yu Bo stroked his beard with one hand and lifted his teacup with the other: "It's not that I'm greedy for life and afraid of death, but I truly want to see my grandson marry and my granddaughter wed; when that time comes, I can die then, and this life will be without regret."

Zhou Andong turned to Zhao Chang: "Master Zhao, are your five brothers still around?"

"No!" Zhao Chang said with a gloomy expression: "My eldest, third, and fourth brothers died on the battlefield; my second and fifth brothers have no news, likely also dead."

Zhou Andong asked again: "So you're saying your family truly only has you left?"

"I still have two sisters." Zhao Chang said: "The eldest died six years ago; the second is still alive, has sons and daughters, and the family is still fairly happy."

"The old brothers have all come." A voice came from behind.

Zhou Andong turned around and saw, indeed, familiar faces—it was Ma Hong and Guan Wangcai. (Forgot these two? See chapter 2466, because the chapter number was wrong, there are two 2466 chapters, refer to the first one!)

"Zhou Dong, why are you also here?" Delight appeared fittingly on Guan Wangcai's face: "I was still thinking these two days I'd go to your place to ask for a cup of wine."

Zhou Andong felt a stir in his heart: "Guan Lao, have you found some good stuff again?"

Guan Wangcai nodded, picked up the teapot and poured himself a cup of tea: "Indeed, I have a few good items, I truly can't bear to part with them, but I have no choice—I've raised a bunch of useless things at home, and if I don't sell them, I'll starve to death."

Zhou Andong nodded: "Last time you left, I told Old Cricket, let's gather on Sunday, but things got too busy, so it was delayed. Fortunately, tomorrow I have nothing, so I'll invite Guan Lao and Ma Lao to my home for a drink."

"Zhou Dong!" Zhao Chang spoke: "You're inviting Guan Wangcai and Ma Hong to drink, but not us—are you looking down on us?"

"Master Zhao!" Zhou Andong hastily picked up his teacup to apologize: "It's my oversight, please don't take offense—I'll toast you with a cup and make amends."

Zhao Chang laughed heartily: "I was joking, but I really do want to find a chance to drink with you, Zhou Dong."

Zhou Andong seized the moment to invite: "Since you all honor me with your presence, tomorrow evening I'll prepare some simple wine and await the arrival of all you elders."

Old Cricket said with a smile: "Today we few old fellows came here to drink tea, just to discuss going to your place in two days for a drink."

Zhou Andong immediately understood: these old gentlemen have something to sell him: "No problem, tomorrow I'll leave work an hour early, you four can come at four."

After the time was set, Zhou Andong looked at Ma Hong: "Ma Lao, I heard Old Cricket say you're the inheritor of the Ma Yi lineage?"

"Yes!" Ma Hong said without concealment, quite readily: "Old Cricket told me you're very interested in tomb raiding?"

Zhou Andong nodded: "I am indeed very interested in tomb raiding, and I plan to write a novel about it."

Ma Hong laughed: "Alright, then I'll tell you about it."

This talk lasted over two hours, ending only when the teahouse closed at ten at night.

"Zhou Dong!" Ma Hong stood at the teahouse door: "If you still want to listen, I'll continue tomorrow."

"That would be great." Zhou Andong said happily: "Tomorrow I'll prepare a recorder to record everything you say."

After Old Cricket and the others left, Zhou Andong stood in the night, lit a cigarette, then looked up at the sky. Early September, the night of Jingcheng, autumn wind rising, already carrying a hint of chill. The sky was as black as ink, no trace of moonlight, but the stars twinkled within it, like dazzling gemstones inlaid, shining brightly.

"Whoosh!" Zhou Andong exhaled a mouthful of smoke, turned and got into the car: "Wentian, go to 301 Hospital. Tang Lin and Zhang Zuo will act tonight—I want to see how they silently move the Yin Selection."