Coins from various dynasties were randomly packed in plastic basins, jade embryos were placed on the surface in ring boxes, and next to them was a pile of lopsided porcelain.
"Little girl, just take a look." A lean old man playing with a pair of walnuts caught sight of Ren Zixian and said leisurely, "Maybe there is something you want in here."
The old man's words meant something. Ren Zixian stood there looking at his stall without knowing why. When Xu Xuanming saw that she was interested, he quickly let the people behind him go first.
The old man's stall is not big. A piece of red cloth is spread on the ground, with some silver coins and a few small ceramic ornaments scattered on it. Because there are relatively few things in the stall, firstly, it is not very eye-catching, and secondly, it is difficult to bargain with the goods of this kind of small stall, so even if there are pedestrians in a hurry, few people stop in front of his stall.
Ren Zixian glanced at the things on the stall with little interest. She studied cultural relic restoration, but she also specialized in calligraphy and painting scrolls.
This time I came to Chengjiayuan to gain a lot of experience, and by the way, I could buy some ancient scrolls that can be used as daily practice.
The silver dollar ceramics on the old man's stall did not attract her. She was about to get up and leave when she saw a dusty camera placed in the corner of the old man's stall that was very inconsistent.
Ren Zixian glanced at the camera and was stunned for an instant.
It was a Ricoh film camera. The four corners were severely damaged, and the lens was also severely damaged.
The entire camera looked like it had just been dug out of the soil, still stained with dry soil.
"Is there anything you like?" Xu Xuanming saw Ren Zixian stunned and took a closer look at the items on the stall. There was nothing special. Although they were all old items, they were not items that could be sold at a high price.
"Did the little girl like this camera?" the old man said leisurely, "I just said I have what you want. I sold it to you for 200,000 yuan."
"Two hundred thousand?" Even Xu Xuanming was shocked, "This is not an antique, it's broken. Even if it's brand new, it only costs over five hundred. Do you dare to sell it for two hundred thousand?"
Camera collection is inherently niche, and this one is not a technological camera of contemporary significance.
Or even just a cost-effective camera from the last century that received great reviews.
However, Ren Zixian's face turned pale when she saw the camera, and she reached out to pick up the camera with some trembling.
The camera was only the size of a palm and was completely black with a thin layer of dust on it. With trembling hands, Ren Zixian picked up the camera and touched the card slot at the bottom. Sure enough, there was a cross-shaped notch in the hidden place underneath.
"This is my dad's camera..." Ren Zixian whispered in a voice he could hear.
Ren Zixian's father is Ren Cun, a dull office worker. Ren Zixian didn't know much about Ren Cun's job since he was a child.
All I know is that Ren Cun has never worked overtime and has no other hobbies. He always carries his small camera with him wherever he goes.
The family doesn't have much money, so he can use a camera for several years, which is very precious.
His biggest hobby was taking pictures of his mother, and he even had several photo albums dedicated to storing his works. Later, the photo albums couldn’t be stored and had to be packed in boxes.
Professor Ren’s free time learning to take pictures has become another hobby of his.
Ren Zixian remembered that his mother was dancing in circles in the garden, and Ren Cun was not far away teaching Ren Zixian, who had just entered elementary school, to take pictures.
The warm light of dusk shines on my mother's white skirt, accompanied by the sound of the film rolling.
"Xiao Xian'er, look at the focus here. If it's not right, you can change it..." Before Ren Cun could finish speaking.
Ren Zixian's hand slipped and she reached out to grab it out of reflex, and the camera flew out grazing her fingertips.
"It's over! My new camera!" Ren Cun quickly picked it up. The brand-new camera was scratched twice by stones.
Even my mother stopped dancing and came over to see what was going on.
Unexpectedly, Ren Cun burst into laughter: "Fortunately, it was scratched on the card slot. If it was scratched on the lens, would it test my skills even more?"
After Ren Cun and his wife passed away, Ren Zixian put away all the camera albums.
She had no time to miss the past. Ren Zixian, who was sixteen or seventeen years old, was the only one in the family who could make money.
Later, Lin Xuedi took out the camera from the dusty box: "Why put it away? The camera will break if you don't use it. Let's do this, my father-in-law uses this camera to take pictures of my mother-in-law, and I will use this camera to take pictures of you in the future!" "
Now Ren Zixian was holding this dusty camera without any joy at finding it, only with a sense of panic. She thought that the camera was returned to the Lin family among Lin Xuedi's belongings.
But now that he is here, Lin Xuedi really took this camera to the ground?
So what's inside this camera?
What did Lin Xuedi see at the underground excavation site?
"Two hundred thousand, you take this camera. If it doesn't work, then leave." The old man seemed not to see Ren Zixian's wavering. He still turned the walnuts in his hand, "If you decide to buy this camera, there is no turning back. ”
Ren Zixian's hand shook when he touched the camera. What do you mean there is no way back?
She raised her eyes and looked at the old man, who was wearing a jacket and staring at Ren Zixian with burning eyes, as if he wanted to see through her: "Have you thought about taking this camera back?"
Ren ZiXian unexpectedly heard what he meant. He asked Ren ZiXian if he really wanted to get the camera back.
Is she really going to enter the literary circles to investigate Lin Xuedi's death?
This is their second trial.
"What is he talking about?" Xu Xuanming's eyes glanced back and forth between Ren Zixian and the old man, and finally landed on Ren Zixian, "Is this your camera?"
Ren Zixian stood up, still holding the camera in her hand. She understood that the old stall owner was here for her.
Like the man in the morgue before, this old man was waiting for her here specifically.
Even if she doesn't come to Chengjiayuan today, this camera can be delivered to her through other channels.
Ren Zixian's every move was under the surveillance of those people, and cold sweat broke out from her back, which was like a huge net, trapping her.
But whether this net is going to save her or harm her, Ren Zixian doesn't know.
Only Xu Xuanming didn't understand why, but in just a minute he could clearly feel that Ren Zixian's mental state had deteriorated sharply.
Her face turned pale, and Xu Xuanming seemed to be unable to convey what he was talking to.
Although he didn't understand what was causing Ren Zixian's depression, Ren Zixian's willingness to go out and walk around to build a home was just helpful for her to relieve her depression.
After using his knowledge to help others, and then having dinner with his grandfather, Xu Xuanming could clearly find that Ren Zixian was in a much better mood.
But after being in contact with this old man for a minute, Ren Zixian suddenly changed into the same state as when he saw her in the morning, as if he was dragged into a strange whirlpool.
He cannot be allowed to have contact with Ren Zixian again.
"Ren Zixian, let's go." Xu Xuanming didn't care. He reached out to hold Ren Zixian's hand, wanting to take her away first.
However, Ren Zixian remained motionless. The old man was still talking: "Young man, you can't make money by being impatient. This camera costs 200,000 yuan. As a sign of sincerity, we will give you another roll of film. I believe you will be interested."
Sincerity... In the funeral home, Ren Zixian also heard the same words.
Is this box of film the sincerity the man was talking about?
"Okay." Ren Zixian tightened her grip on the camera in her hand. She felt like she was trying to steal the skin of a tiger.
Everything about her was controlled by the other party, but whether it was the man in the funeral home or the old man, Ren Zixian knew nothing about it.
The old man smiled understandingly, took out a roll of film from his pocket and handed it to Ren Zixian: "Don't let other things disturb your mind when you want to do something. I hope we can meet again as soon as possible."
…
Xu Xuanming drove the restless Ren Zixian back. No matter what topic he brought up, he could no longer interest Ren Zixian.
The old man was a stranger, even Xu Xuanming didn't recognize him.
When Xu Xuanming was thinking about how to find information about the old man, Ren Zixian spoke: "Professor Xu, I once had a boyfriend."
Xu Xuanming's hand on the steering wheel suddenly tightened and he replied: "I know, didn't you break up?"
"No, it's my boyfriend." Ren Zixian corrected him and said softly, "He died four years ago."
Xu Xuanming was a little surprised: "Then Lin Qing..."
"He's just..." Ren Zixian changed the word 'lover' he was about to say, "He's just a substitute."
When she said the word 'substitute', Xu Xuanming obviously felt that his thinking was frozen for a moment.
Ren Zixian lowered his eyes and continued: "He is my boyfriend's brother."
Xu Xuanming turned the steering wheel and stopped on the side of the road, a little shocked: "What does substitute mean!?"
Ren Zixian touched the camera in his hand: "At first it was because they looked so similar, but then I found out that he could help me."
"Do you know what you are doing?!" Xu Xuanming's voice became louder, "He is Lin Qingsong! The president of the Lin family is now in charge of the Zhu family. He can make you unable to survive in the literary circle or any field at any time. Get down!"
In just a few minutes, Xu Xuanming saw something beyond his knowledge. He couldn't digest it for a moment. He didn't know whether Ren Zixian was crazy or he was crazy.
"I know," Ren Zixian said with a slow smile, "I despicably deceived innocent people, but I have no time to regret it. Professor Xu, I believe you don't want to waste your time either."
This was a clear rejection of Xu Xuanming's pursuit.
"What did the stall owner say to you before?" Xu Xuanming could figure out the key to the problem after just a moment's thought. "Is what he said related to Lin Qingsong? Or is it related to your ex-boyfriend?"
Xu Xuanming hesitated. He originally thought that Ren Zixian and Lin Qingsong were in an ordinary relationship between boyfriend and girlfriend.
Even if they break up, it won't hinder the next one, but if Ren Zixiao commits suicide and uses Lin Qingsong as a substitute, that's a different matter.
Ren Zixian knew that he understood what she meant, so he said, "Professor Xu, it's better not to have too much involvement with me. I'll just take a taxi back here, and I'll find another house as soon as possible."
