Chapter 233: Visiting Guan Daye's Home

"Ping'an, you're wasting money again." Although Dong Dani was happy in her heart, she still felt pained by the expense.

"Mom, this can help you pass the time, can't it?"

It wasn't easy for Dong Dani to stay home and look after the children every day. Although Zhang Ping'an didn't have children in his past life, he had helped look after his sister's. With four or five-year-old children, a day or two was fine, but after a long time, someone would always have a breakdown first.

"Auntie, Ping'an is being filial to you. Look at our courtyard, who else would be willing to spend money to buy their mother a radio?" The women in the courtyard were all incredibly envious.

"That's right, that's right."

"Hehe, everyone come sit in the courtyard when you have time, let's listen together." Dong Dani wasn't stingy; she had lived in the courtyard for three or four years and had become close with these women.

"Good, good."

"Auntie, you're a class act."

Originally, everyone would cool off in the Front Courtyard during the summer, but now it had moved under the grape trellis in Zhang Ping'an's small courtyard, where everyone could get a few grapes to eat each day.

Zhang Ping'an didn't mind; this was fine too. It saved his mother from being bored alone at home, and the children had playmates.

At noon that day, He Daqing found Zhang Ping'an.

"Ping'an, my great-uncle Guan Daye would like to invite your family to be guests at his home to thank you for the Milk Powder supply over these past two years."

"Hmm, that's fine."

Zhang Ping'an also wanted to meet this wise old man; if he could learn a bit of antique appraisal knowledge, that would be even better.

"Then let's set it for tomorrow, on our day off."

"Done."

Zhang Ping'an thought for a moment; one shouldn't visit empty-handed. He would prepare things that both the grandfather and grandson would need: two bottles of Medicinal Wine, two packs of tea, two cans of Milk Powder, and two boxes of pastries would be enough.

He Daqing would definitely go on the day off, and it was possible that Cai Quanwu's family would be there too, so he didn't need to worry about the ingredients.

In the evening, Zhang Ping'an returned home, and only after some intense exercise after dinner did he remember to tell Wang Xiaoling about this.

"That's great, it's a good chance to go over there and look around."

"Done."

Early the next morning, He Daqing borrowed a tricycle and took Shazhu out to buy groceries. Zhang Ping'an's family was also packed and ready by nine o'clock, and they set off with their gifts.

The time was still early, so they weren't in a rush, and they leisurely made their way to Dashilan.

"Eh? Brother Ping'an, isn't that Teacher Yan? Why is he dressed in rags and pulling a flatbed cart?" Sitting on the tricycle, Wang Xiaoling looked at Yan Bugui in disbelief.

She knew that although Yan Bugui dressed simply, he was always neat and clean; when had he ever been this sloppy?

"Uh..."

Zhang Ping'an naturally knew that wasn't Yan Bugui; it was most likely Polan Hou. And it was precisely because he was sloppy that he looked old; Polan Hou's actual age was probably only about ten years older than him.

"Xiao Ling, although that person looks a lot like Teacher Yan, if you look closely, that person is clearly much younger. Maybe he's a relative of Teacher Yan's family?" Zhang Ping'an wasn't sure if there was any family relation between the two.

"Oh, you're right. I didn't look closely because he was wearing a straw hat." Wang Xiaoling took another careful look, and it really was true.

"Let's ask Teacher Yan when we get back."

"Mm, okay." Wang Xiaoling was also very curious in her heart.

The family continued toward Guan Daye's house. Ten minutes later, they saw a three-section courtyard. The gate and walls were mottled, each a witness to history; it was exactly Guan Daye's home.

"Knock, knock, knock."

"Zhuzi, go open the door. Ping'an's family should be here."

"Alright, Dad."

"I'll go with you, Zhuzi." Guan Daye was the host, after all.

"Done."

The gate opened with a creak, revealing the simpleton Shazhu, and behind him was an old man with gray hair. Except for being older, his face was identical to He Daqing's.

"Zhang Shu, this is my great-uncle Guan Daye. Great-uncle, this is Zhang Ping'an, Zhang Shu, Auntie Wang Xiaoling, and their children."

"Guan Shu, hello. I've long admired your name. You can just call me Ping'an. Weijun, call him Grandpa Guan."

"Hello, Grandpa Guan!" X4

"Hehe, good, good. Ping'an, these past few years, it's all thanks to you." A smile squeezed onto Guan Daye's stiff face.

"It's nothing, as long as I could help you."

"Come, let's all go inside and sit."

"Okay."

Only after walking into the courtyard did Zhang Ping'an realize that He Daqing's whole family and Cai Quanwu's family were all there too.

"Weijun, go play with them."

"Alright."

After putting down the gifts, Wang Xiaoling went to help out, leaving only Zhang Ping'an and Guan Daye in the room.

"Why, Ping'an, are you interested in these?" Guan Daye asked, seeing Zhang Ping'an staring at the antiques on his bookshelf after initially glancing around.

"I am a bit curious, but I feel like these things don't seem to have much age to them, maybe seventy or eighty years at most."

"Oh? Ping'an, you understand this too?" Guan Daye was shocked in his heart.

Naturally, he wouldn't put the good things out in the open; the items on this shelf were basically high-quality imitations from the Republic of China era, but they weren't things an average person could identify.

"Guan Shu, I don't really understand this, it's all just intuition. I feel like they don't have, how should I put it, they don't have that kind of charm; they feel a bit fake."

"Guan Shu, I'm just talking nonsense, please don't mind me."

"Hahaha, no matter. These things really aren't top-tier; I just put them out because they look nice."

Guan Daye spoke lightly, but his heart was in a storm. A good seedling, absolutely a good seedling for antique appraisal; it was as if heaven was chasing him to feed him.

Guan Daye asked Zhang Ping'an about the authenticity of a few more items, his eyes growing brighter and brighter, and before they knew it, it was time to eat.

"Great-uncle, Ping'an, what are you two talking about? So engrossed? It's time to eat."

"Alright, coming right away."

Zhang Ping'an also saw two-year-old Guan Xiaoguan in the kitchen; she was like a porcelain doll carved from pink jade, and he hadn't expected Guan Daye to be so skilled at raising a child.

In fact, Zhang Ping'an did not know that this was entirely because Xu Huizhen and her daughter Xu Jingli would come over to check on her from time to time; otherwise, how could an old man like Guan Daye have the energy to look after a little girl?

Just like with Yushui before, when He Daqing was still young, Yushui was also a little dirty girl; raising children really requires a woman.

"Today, the main thing is to thank Ping'an. Xiaoguan, come here, this is your Zhang Shu, go and kowtow to your Zhang Shu."

"Don't, Guan Shu, we don't do that here, Xiaoguan, get up quickly."

This girl was also honest; at her grandfather's word, she plopped down onto her knees, which was something Zhang Ping'an hadn't expected, and he hurriedly pulled her up.

It was mainly because of Zhang Ping'an's uninterrupted supply of Milk Powder over the past two years, which could be said to have saved his granddaughter's life, and the key was that the price was not as high as the Black Market, which made Guan Daye feel grateful.

Actually, Zhang Ping'an also had his own little scheme; as mentioned before, he was investing in his future daughter-in-law, so naturally, she was not an outsider.

"And there's also Cai Quanwu's wife and their child; these past two years, it's been thanks to them helping me look after this girl Xiaoguan."

Zhang Ping'an suddenly realized; he had been wondering how a messy old man could keep a little girl looking so neat and tidy.

"And also you, Daqing..."

"Cousin-uncle, we are all one family, no need to say those distant words."

"Hehe, alright, then let's have a drink together."

Guan Daye wore a smile on his face, but his heart was filled with unspeakable bitterness; the son he had raised for thirty years had abandoned his grandfather and granddaughter, yet these two cousins he had known for only a few years took such good care of him—it really was ironic.

"Cai Quanwu's wife, take the children and eat, don't worry about us men."

"Alright."

"Ping'an, what do you think of the Erguotou at our Small Tavern?"