Closer to Revealing My True Self
Chapter 94 - 88 Qin_1

Chapter 94: Chapter 88 Qin_1

The client lived on the top floor.

A duplex on the top floor.

It was indeed a luxury mansion, but now whenever Feng Yi thought of a house, all he could think of was laboratories and swimming pools.

Thus, seeing all this, if not entirely unmoved, he was hardly stirred.

The client, surnamed Zou, seemed to be in his early 40s. Feng Yi wasn’t sure if it was due to illness or injury, but the man was somewhat thin, though he appeared spirited enough.

He had had an accident not long ago and had been hospitalized. Now discharged, he was using a wheelchair at home, a smart one at that.

After exchanging pleasantries upon meeting, Feng Yi entered the house and changed into the slippers handed to him.

Feng Yi was out to earn his living today and, due to the nature of his work, he wasn’t dressed very businesslike. He wore casual clothes, carried a backpack, and looked more like a college student.

Zou Fan sized up this "appraisal master." If it hadn’t been for Lu Yue’s recommendation, he would never have approached such a person.

Although Zou Fan had seen pictures of Feng Yi prepared by Lu Yue and had braced himself, he was still surprised upon meeting him in person.

With his physical appearance, Feng Yi seemed an unlikely candidate for an authentication expert, as if he had sharpened the wrong skill.

And although the young man was handsome, there was something about his smile that left a chill down one’s spine.

However, being able to collaborate with Qianli Group meant this youngster must have some capability.

Zou Fan had his own judgment about whether or not to trust him.

"The collection room is upstairs; follow me."

Zou Fan maneuvered his smart wheelchair and led Feng Yi to one side.

Feng Yi was still wondering whether to offer a hand with the stairs when he saw the host enter an indoor elevator.

Feng Yi: "..."

Alright then.

After going upstairs, Feng Yi saw some photos hanging on the wall.

These must be photos of Mr. Zou and his elders, among whom was a prominent erhu.

Presumably, that was the collected one.

"My grandfather was an erhu performer," Mr. Zou told Feng Yi the story behind the erhu.

The old photographs hanging in frames on the wall depicted his grandfather holding that very erhu.

"Before the abnormal climate period, my grandfather was very famous, though people outside the circle might not know. He was a recipient of many important awards and nominations. The instrument that accompanied him was this erhu.

"This erhu was custom-made for him for tens of thousands. Back then, there were no various restrictions, no strictest conservation laws. At that time, when ordering this erhu, the wood and python skin used were of very fine quality."

Feng Yi understood that the erhu used to be a high-end professional performance instrument, but now it had become an art collectible.

He had searched online for information about this client after getting it from Lu Yue yesterday and had learned a bit.

Mr. Zou’s grandfather had indeed been very famous back in the day. Now, the old man had passed away and the erhu, having become a collectible, had acquired its own additional value.

When Feng Yi was searching for information yesterday, he had also looked into the current market for erhu collectibles.

Supposedly, some high-end erhus made with wild python skin were being sold on the black market for as much as ten million.

"Before my grandfather passed away, he entrusted me with this erhu, hoping that I would take good care of it."

"Although I’m very busy with business, I still make sure it is maintained several times a month, and I personally handle it when I can," said Mr. Zou.

Of course, the erhu could not be used now. As a collectible, it surely required meticulous care and attention to weather changes.

Mr. Zou continued, "I had an accident two months ago and was laid up in the hospital for two months. I’ve only just returned home.

"But when I saw it again, I felt that this erhu was not the same one as before. Even though it looked the same as the one in the photos."

With that, Mr. Zou took Feng Yi to his collection room and pushed open the door.

Before them lay an entire room filled with erhus.

"This is my collection!"

Zou Fan did not immediately let Feng Yi begin the appraisal.

"There are no two identical erhus in the world. Even two instruments made by the same master luthier will be different.

"In the past, when making erhus, python skin or snake skin was used. The condition of the python when it was alive and during the process of making the instrument both affect the timbre of the erhu."

Mr. Zou gestured with his hand, "A piece of python skin this big, only one or two top-quality erhus can be made from it, and the rest of the skin from the python can only be used to make slightly inferior ones."

Feng Yi looked at the instruments displayed here.

"But most of the ones you have here are made with eco-friendly skins."

The instruments in front of him looked very new, some might even be deliberately aged. Feng Yi didn’t know much about these, but he could see through the type of skin used at a glance.

With the strict regulations now, various types of skins are developed every year, and many are used in musical instruments.

After the release of Medusa Generation 7 skin, the instrument manufacturing factories must have also ordered a batch.

There was an erhu in front of him that used the Medusa Generation 7 skin as the covering.

However, of so many instruments here, whether they were new or old, regardless of the type of skin used, the maintenance was certainly done very well.

"Mr. Zou is also a lover of instruments," Feng Yi remarked.

Mr. Zou smiled.

"My grandfather was a famous erhu player, and I have inherited just a bit of his talent and interest.

"When I’m under stress, I play the instruments in my music room, and that’s also a way for me to relax," he said.

Speaking about this, Mr. Zou’s eyes seemed to sparkle, clearly showing his genuine love for it rather than treating these instruments merely as decorations.

Feng Yi could understand that. After all, as a descendant of an artist, even if he didn’t follow the same path, the blood flowing in his veins would still have some connection.

"Different materials yield different timbres."

Mr. Zou picked up an erhu.

"Mr. Feng, can you tell what kind of skin is used on the erhu I’m holding?"

Feng Yi was about to speak when Mr. Zou added, "Let’s do this, I’ll select five erhus for you to listen to as I play them. You can listen to their sounds and then judge the material of the skin they are covered with and also rank their price order."

Feng Yi watched as Mr. Zou chose five erhus from the collection.

Among these five erhus, there was Medusa Generation 7 skin, Medusa Generation 6 skin, as well as other skins that Feng Yi had never seen before.

Having appraised so many skins, his mental database was also updated.

Medusa Generation 6 skin was once popular in the market before Generation 7, but its value fell after the release of the latter.

Of course, Feng Yi understood that this was a test for him, and if he failed, there would be no need to continue the negotiations; they might just give him some money to send him away.

That was indeed Zou Fan’s intention. Although Feng Yi came recommended by Lu Yue, Zou Fan trusted his own judgment more.

If Feng Yi could identify the type of skin used on the erhus displayed here, he would pass the test in Zou Fan’s eyes.

Zou Fan took the erhu, positioned himself, and began to play with a blissful expression.

Squeak—screech—

It was so grating it made one question life.

The ears wanted to go on strike.

Feng Yi: ...

He silently lifted his feet off the ground.

Feng Yi listened to the entire piece with a bewildered expression on his face.

Mr. Zou smiled apologetically, "This erhu doesn’t have a very good sound, so it may sound a bit harsh."

Feng Yi: "..."

No, I don’t think this is a matter of whether the sound is good or not!