Zhan Xusen didn't disturb Ye Xunhuan and Mei Hanqing much and left. However, before leaving, he exchanged phone numbers with Mei Hanqing for convenient contact in the future.

After Zhan Xusen left, Ye Xunhuan slowly said, "Your classmate is pretty good!"

When facing Mei Hanqing, Zhan Xusen showed no desire, his gaze was very clear, just like old classmates reuniting for a casual chat.

Later, they talked about work, but only a few sentences, then started reminiscing.

So this made Ye Xunhuan have a good impression of Zhan Xusen.

"Hmm!" Mei Hanqing nodded, "Back in school, he really took care of me, and even introduced me to some part-time jobs!"

"Do you want to help him?"

"He might really be in a crisis, otherwise, he wouldn't be in such a hopeless state," Mei Hanqing said softly. "If possible, helping him out isn't an issue."

"If you just told that guy you are Jian Yunong's daughter, he would certainly be too excited to know what to do!"

Mei Hanqing smiled but said nothing more, then she and Ye Xunhuan left.

Just as Ye Xunhuan and Mei Hanqing left, Jian Yunong called Mei Hanqing.

It turns out Jian Yunong had come early in the morning and found Mei Hanqing was not at the hotel, which filled Jian Yunong's heart with worry.

After all, it was Mei Hanqing's first time in Suhang, and she was unfamiliar with the surroundings.

However, upon learning that Ye Xunhuan had come last night and was now with her daughter Mei Hanqing, Jian Yunong immediately felt relieved.

Jian Yunong knew well who Ye Xunhuan was. In all of Suhang, and even across all of Huaxia, few could compare to him.

With Mei Hanqing beside Ye Xunhuan, Jian Yunong felt at ease and decided not to look for them, letting them explore Suhang!

...

In Suhang, there are three treasures: tea, scenery, and beautiful girls!

As for beautiful girls, Ye Xunhuan dared not comment much, but tea and scenery are certainly the two wonders of Suhang!

However, now wasn't the time for Ye Xunhuan and Mei Hanqing to enjoy tea and admire the scenery, as Su Mingzheng's birthday was approaching, and Mei Hanqing hadn't prepared any gift yet.

Even though Mei Hanqing was Su Mingzheng's granddaughter, and the Su family had owed her over the years, since she just came to Suhang and coincidentally met Su Mingzheng's birthday, not preparing a gift would be inappropriate.

Perhaps at that time, she would be mocked by some mindful individuals.

After visiting various high-end jade and antique shops in Suhang, Mei Hanqing still hadn't found a gift she was satisfied with.

Or rather, she didn't even know what would be appropriate to give.

Considering the Su family's status in Suhang, they had everything, including a dazzling array of jade artifacts, but beyond these, only antiques were left.

But could the antiques available in antique shops really be considered high-grade?

"Xunhuan, can you help me think about what to give?" Mei Hanqing had to turn to Ye Xunhuan for help.

Looking at Mei Hanqing, who was a bit anxious, Ye Xunhuan chuckled softly, "The Su family surely doesn't lack jade artifacts, antiques are hard to find, and gifting is about sincerity, not necessarily value!"

"So what do you suggest?"

"Su Lao Ya Zi is quite elderly now, I think it would be better to give him a walnut to play with!"

"Walnut?" Mei Hanqing looked at Ye Xunhuan in disbelief, "Are you sure?"

"What's uncertain about it!" Ye Xunhuan said lightly.

"Just those street walnuts..."

"Of course not!" Ye Xunhuan replied with slight embarrassment, "Artistic walnuts!"

"Are they the kind you play with in your hands?"

"Hmm!" Ye Xunhuan nodded, "He's advanced in age, his bones can't be as strong as before, and playing with walnuts can slow aging of the body and has a significant effect in preventing cardiovascular diseases and avoiding strokes."

"It's definitely one of the best gift choices for celebrating an elder's birthday!"

There's a folk saying: Literati play with walnuts, martial artists spin iron balls, wealthy folk carry gourds, idlers go for walks with dogs!

And walnuts are ranked first, indicating their importance in folk culture at that time.

It's no exaggeration to say that throughout the ages, from royalty to scholars and talented beauties, down to officials and common folks, no one isn't proud of owning a pair of exquisite, lustrous walnuts.

And in the late Qing Dynasty, walnuts were more of a status symbol, and there was even a saying in the capital back then: "Princes have three treasures in hand: thumb rings, walnuts, and caged birds."

At the time, when the emperor or empress had a birthday, civil and military officials would choose walnuts as their preferred gift!

Upon hearing what Ye Xunhuan said, Mei Hanqing felt that gifting artistic walnuts was indeed the best choice, so she didn't hesitate much and began searching for artistic walnuts with Ye Xunhuan in Suhang!

Heaven rewards the diligent, Ye Xunhuan and Mei Hanqing finally found a pair of bright and colorful Qilin-pattern Lion's Head walnuts, and they bought them without hesitation.

But this pair of Qilin-pattern Lion's Head walnuts cost tens of thousands, which stunned Mei Hanqing.

Just a pair of walnuts, yet they could reach such a sky-high price, completely overturning Mei Hanqing's understanding.

But seeing Ye Xunhuan playing with the walnuts with a satisfied expression, Mei Hanqing couldn't help but ask, "Are these really worth so much?"

"Of course!" Ye Xunhuan said softly, "We got lucky, found a pair of Qilin-pattern Lion's Head, this is good stuff, buying them for tens of thousands is definitely worth it!"

"Really?"

"Of course, they're becoming rarer now, especially a pair like this, truly a rare item, collectors of this stuff can offer a price you can't imagine!" Ye Xunhuan said lightly, "And these were used by Kang Xi himself, what do you think?"

"And the capital museum even has a pair in its collection!"

Hearing Ye Xunhuan say this, Mei Hanqing's eyes lit up immediately, "So we made a profit?"

Ye Xunhuan nodded.

He hadn't expected to find such a pair of Qilin-pattern Lion's Head here.

"Have you done research on these? How do you know so much?"

Ye Xunhuan chuckled bitterly, "My mom used to have a pair too, but I didn't know what they were back then, and I just smashed them..."

As he spoke, Ye Xunhuan couldn't help but recall the scene of smashing Qin Fenghuang's prized Qilin-pattern Lion's Head pair in the capital!

He was still young then, knew nothing, thought walnuts were for eating, so he smashed them.

Qin Fenghuang was furious at that time and scolded Ye Xunhuan severely.

Remembering Qin Fenghuang scolding him back then, a wave of warmth and bitterness slowly rose in Ye Xunhuan's heart!

He realized being scolded by Qin Fenghuang again was almost impossible!

Seeing the bitterness on Ye Xunhuan's face, Mei Hanqing knew she had inadvertently touched on Ye Xunhuan's pain, a look of self-blame appeared on her face, "Xunhuan, I'm sorry, I didn't know..."

"It's fine!" Ye Xunhuan said softly, "It's all in the past, but I was really wasteful back then, things worth hundreds of thousands, and I just smashed them!"

"Indeed very wasteful, and walnuts that Aunt Qin valued were probably more than just hundreds of thousands, right?"

Ye Xunhuan chuckled dryly; those walnuts were indeed worth more than hundreds of thousands, they were in the millions because they were passed down from the Qing Dynasty!

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