"Why are you being so considerate? Let me tell you, trying to play the family card won't work." Father Lu frowned and pushed away his stepmother, who was clinging to him.
The stepmother stumbled from the push. She cursed the old geezer in her heart but still forced a smile and explained.
"Why don't you understand my feelings? You used to participate in the treasure - hunting convention. Why aren't you going this year?"
"Because I don't want to."
When it came to this, the anger in Father Lu's eyes only grew.
The stepmother clicked her tongue softly. Could it be that her good intentions had backfired?
She continued to probe, "What on earth is the reason? I remember you've been participating for three years. Go and have a look. Aren't all your good friends going too?"
"Precisely because they're going, I'm not." Father Lu's tone was impatient.
"Their families all have young folks who can appraise antiques and help them hunt for treasures. Naturally, they're happy. But what about me?"
"I know how to appreciate antiques, but I can't appraise them. If I go, I'll just be laughed at by them and end up buying a bunch of junk. It's better not to go."
As he said this, the faces of those old rascals showing off to him reappeared in Father Lu's mind.
Especially that old Liu. Just because his granddaughter had won the championship for three years, did he have to keep showing off?
He just couldn't understand!
"So that's the reason." The stepmother let out a sigh of relief and her eyes rolled.
In any case, she had to get Father Lu to participate in the antique appraisal convention so that she could find an opportunity to get her son out.
The stepmother suggested, "How about asking Xu Qingqing to go with you? Her appraisal skills are so amazing. She'll definitely help you gain some face!"
At the mention of Xu Qingqing's name, a flicker of joy flashed in Father Lu's eyes.
Right! How could he have forgotten about Xu Qingqing!
His future daughter - in - law was an antique expert and a restoration master!
She was sure to crush old Liu's granddaughter a thousand, no, ten thousand times over.
"But if I suddenly ask her, she may not have the time."
Father Lu had a new concern. After all, he had only met Xu Qingqing a few times, and with the incident involving Lu Fenglin, he guessed that Xu Qingqing must be very busy.
"She must have time!"
The stepmother said firmly, "Otherwise, how could she have time to film variety shows? Don't believe me? Look!"
With that, the stepmother showed Father Lu the recording schedule of a very popular variety show online.
Father Lu slapped her phone away and said with a bit of disgust, "Stop always paying attention to others. Take good care of your own son."
At this moment, Xu Qingqing was at home turning off the camera with Lu Chuanbai after finishing the recording of the first episode of the show.
Just then, her phone on the bed rang.
Xu Qingqing quickly walked over and threw herself on the bed. She saw that the caller ID was Wang Lide.
Xu Qingqing answered the phone, "Hello, Teacher Wang. What's up?"
"Qingqing, how's the variety show recording going?" Wang Lide asked with concern.
"Everything's going smoothly."
"How about the cultural relic protection work on Weishan Island?" Xu Qingqing asked in return.
"The work here is going smoothly. It'll be finished in a few days. But we've received a notice that one of us has to go as a representative to give a speech." Lao Wang found a clean spot and sat down.
"Giving a speech is great." Xu Qingqing nodded in agreement.
Such wonderful cultural relics should be shown to the whole world.
"So we've recommended you."
On the other end of the phone, Wang Lide was still wearing a protective suit and a mask, so his voice was a bit soft.
Xu Qingqing thought she had misheard and sat up straight, asking, "Me? To give a speech?"
"Yes, it's you." Wang Lide emphasized loudly.
"No, no."
As if Wang Lide could see her, Xu Qingqing waved her hands quickly to refuse.
In terms of seniority, Teacher Wang and the others had been in the Special Cultural Relics Action Group longer than her. It would be inappropriate for her to give the speech. Moreover, Xu Qingqing never liked attending such gatherings as she found them troublesome.
"Don't be in a hurry to refuse. Listen to me. This suggestion was made by me and the other team members together." Wang Lide analyzed for Xu Qingqing.
"I'm too old to travel long distances. Chen Jiashu is too introverted. You know he can't give a speech on stage at all."
"What about Gu Yuan?" Xu Qingqing suggested.
Gu Yuan had a good personality and was suitable for giving a speech.
Hearing Xu Qingqing mention Gu Yuan's name, Wang Lide shook his head.
"Gu Yuan has been there before, but he always improvises on the spot and often deviates from the speech topic. He's already been blacklisted by all the event organizers."
"So the most suitable person to go is you."
Xu Qingqing was beautiful, had high emotional intelligence, and could handle the overall situation. Moreover, if it weren't for Xu Qingqing's help, the tomb on Weishan Island wouldn't have been excavated so smoothly.
The cultural relics were completely protected, and they were able to start the excavation without delay. All of this was thanks to Xu Qingqing.
"But..." Xu Qingqing still hesitated.
Wang Lide coughed a few times and deliberately said, "You don't want this old man to run around, do you?"
"Teacher Wang, I didn't mean that..."
Xu Qingqing smiled helplessly and finally compromised, "Okay, thank you for your recognition, Teacher Wang."
Hearing that Xu Qingqing had agreed, the smile on Wang Lide's face grew wider. The hot air he exhaled fogged up his transparent plastic face shield. "You're welcome. I'll leave the speech to you."
Xu Qingqing remembered the look in Lu Fenglin's eyes when she saw him in the police station yesterday. She pursed her lips and couldn't help asking, "Teacher Wang, has the verdict on the tomb robbers come out?"
"The trial results haven't come out yet, but we definitely won't let them off!" Wang Lide's tone was filled with disgust, and his smile faded.
"I just talked to Xiao He today."
"They've been interrogating those three tomb robbers. The woman said some useless things, but the bald man and the middle - aged man said nothing. They seem to have given up."
"I see." Xu Qingqing rubbed her chin and thought.
It seemed that Fang Qing wasn't a core member.
Xu Qingqing thought of something else and then asked, "By the way, did the woman mention an organization called the White Lotus Sect?"
"The White Lotus Sect?"
On the other end of the phone, Wang Lide squinted his eyes and tried to recall. He said uncertainly, "I seem to have heard Xiao He mention it."
"The woman said they have a base in a foreign country, and its name seems to be the White Lotus Sect... How do you know about this?"
Xu Qingqing shook her head and frowned tightly, "I just heard someone mention it."
"Teacher Wang, when Officer Xiao He reports the situation to you again, please remind her to focus on the White Lotus Sect."
This could very well be a long - term case with big fish hidden inside.
"Okay, I understand."
The two chatted for a while longer and then hung up the phone.
Xu Qingqing sat in front of her desk, turned on the bright yellow desk lamp, and wondered how she should prepare for this speech.