Chapter 159: A Family of Scholarly Distinction

Chang Yu seemed to have stated the obvious. Old Man Pei was certainly no ordinary person; what common household could possibly boast a collection of several hundred antiques?

And what average family would casually produce such a large piece of Tianhuang stone, even commissioning someone specifically to carve it?

"Old Man Pei comes from a scholarly family with a profound heritage. In the parlance of the past, his lineage was undoubtedly that of a prestigious and noble house," the middle-aged man began, his expression filled with nostalgia.

"Tracing his roots, his ancestors once boasted four Jinshi scholars in a single generation, with a father and son both reaching the rank of Bangyan. At their most illustrious, his forebears even served as Grand Secretaries of the first rank."

"Although in modern society his family is perhaps not as prominent as it once was, they still command considerable prestige within the cultural sphere."

"Old Man Pei has loved ancient culture since he was a child and possesses an extraordinary understanding of our nation's history. He currently serves as the department head of Historical and Cultural Studies at H City University of Technology."

"Because of his profound knowledge and his ability to lecture with clarity and vivid imagery, he has cultivated many talents who have achieved remarkable success in the field of history and culture. It would be no exaggeration to say that his influence spans far and wide."

"Many archaeological experts seek his help when they encounter technical difficulties, and almost every time, they receive the answers they seek, as if there is nothing Old Man Pei does not know."

"Truly a distinguished and noble family, a quintessential intellectual," Chang Yu remarked, a sense of longing rising within him.

Look at such a family, and look at such a family tradition!

Born into a household like that, it would be difficult not to achieve something.

"A dozen years ago, I was fortunate enough to meet Old Man Pei once," Fatty Wang added to the discussion at the right moment. "I wonder if he still retains the same grace and bearing today."

The middle-aged man sighed inadvertently. "Back then, we were just two young men who feared nothing, always thinking the whole world revolved around us. Thinking back on it now, we were truly naive."

As he spoke, he smiled at Fatty Wang. "Come to think of it, it’s been a while since the two of us met. We’re usually busy with our own affairs and rarely have time to gather and talk."

"Indeed. Although we live in the same city, we haven't met in three or four years," Fatty Wang also sighed. "That is the nature of adult friendship—always more time apart than together."

"When I have time, you don't; when you have time, I'm busy. The probability of finding a time when both of us are free is far too small, so we rarely have the chance to sit down and chat."

"There is no helping it," the middle-aged man sighed. "Everyone’s work is so busy. Even when we finally have some leisure, we have to divide our time among our wives and children, leaving even less time for friends."

"How about this? I happen to be free tonight. It’s a rare opportunity; shall we go grab a drink?" Fatty Wang proposed.

The middle-aged man smiled slightly, a smile that carried all the vicissitudes of life. "Let’s have a drink, then!"

After a pause, he added, "We won't go home until we're drunk!"

Fatty Wang laughed heartily. "Good, we won't go home until we're drunk!"

"You two go ahead and talk; I won't disturb you any further."

Not wanting to intrude on the reunion of two old friends, Chang Yu left the antique shop alone, carrying the calligraphy.

Those two hadn't seen each other for many years; surely, they had an endless supply of topics to discuss now that they had reunited.

If Chang Yu were to remain standing there like an outsider, it would be quite tactless.

On his drive home, Chang Yu happened to pass a large shopping mall. A thought struck him, and he pulled over.

Walking into the mall, Chang Yu focused his search on several handbag stores on the first floor, specifically asking the sales assistants about the latest styles for the year.

"Good evening, sir," a young sales assistant greeted him with polite enthusiasm.

"Our brand, Gucci, is an Italian luxury fashion house founded by Guccio Gucci in Florence, Italy, in 1921. It has a long and storied history."

"This small black leather bag is our latest model for this year. It was designed by a renowned Italian designer; it is not only stylish but also features a novel silhouette."

"Unlike traditional large bags, this one is small in volume and light in weight, making it more convenient and easy to carry. It is deeply loved by many women both domestically and abroad."

"If you are choosing a bag for your girlfriend, I suggest this one. It is currently our best-seller and represents popular trends and taste."

Chang Yu actually thought the bag was quite nice—it was classic, luxurious, and tasteful. In particular, the overlapping "G" pattern on the clasp in the center of the bag seemed to elevate the entire piece's quality instantly.

"How much is this bag?" Chang Yu asked nonchalantly.

"Eighteen thousand," the sales assistant replied, glancing at Chang Yu's attire with a flicker of disdain in her eyes as she slowly uttered the number.

"So expensive?" Chang Yu's mouth fell open, wondering if he had misheard the price.

Was this selling a bag, or was it a robbery?

He carefully lifted the Gucci bag, examining it up and down, left and right, over and over again, but he simply could not see where it was worth eighteen thousand yuan.

"It's not made of gold..." Chang Yu muttered under his breath. "Selling it for this price is just not scientific."

"Sir, are you joking? Gucci is a world-famous brand, so the price is naturally much higher than other brands."

The sales assistant's eyes revealed a hint of contemptuous amusement. "This bag is actually considered one of the cheaper ones in our store. We have others that are over twenty thousand or even thirty thousand!"

Having worked at Gucci for years, she had seen plenty of wealthy and powerful socialites. What she despised most were people like Chang Yu—those who clearly had no money but insisted on pretending to be wealthy in her store.

If you don't have money, don't come to a luxury store like Gucci to shop. The world isn't limited to just Gucci; if you want something cheap, go look at domestic brands.

He came to the mall and went straight to the Gucci store, looking at this bag and that bag, causing a scene without having the money to buy anything.

"Forget it, this bag is too expensive. I can't afford it," Chang Yu said, frowning as he sensed the faint contempt in the sales assistant's eyes.

Coming from a poor background, he could never understand why so many women would spend over ten thousand to buy such a bag.

Wasn't that a bit too uneconomical?

Wouldn't it be better to spend that money on food and drink?

If a ten-thousand-yuan bag can be carried, why can't a hundred-yuan bag be carried just as well?

The sales assistant thought to herself: *As expected, this guy is just a poor man pretending to be rich.*

She had seen too many people like this and was long since accustomed to it.

*No money, yet still faking it. Sometimes, the lengths men go to for the sake of face are truly terrifying...*

Leaving the mall empty-handed, Chang Yu did not come away entirely without gains.

Although he couldn't bring himself to spend a penny on a fancy bag for Katerina, he had memorized the designs of the bags he saw.

The rich have their ways, and the poor have theirs. Everyone has their own methods to get by.

Checking his phone, it would soon be time for kindergarten to let out. Chang Yu decided to go pick up Yangyang first before heading home.

Soon, he reached the kindergarten, arriving just as the children were walking out of the school gate.

Chang Yu quickly spotted Yangyang in the crowd, a smile on his face, surrounded by several little friends who were chattering away.

Seeing this scene, Chang Yu gave a knowing smile.

Unlike the previous days when he had been alone, today Yangyang was accompanied by others.

This sign indicated that Yangyang had integrated into the kindergarten group and had made new friends.

"Our Yangyang is still quite charismatic. He’s only been in school for a few days and has already formed his own little circle..."

Suddenly, Chang Yu paused, unable to finish his sentence.

"If I'm not mistaken, the little friends surrounding him all seem to be girls."

He rubbed his eyes in disbelief, wearing an expression like he had seen a ghost, looking like a man who had been constipated for ten days and nights.

Chang Yu stared intensely, again and again, at those little tots chatting and laughing with Yangyang. No matter how he looked at it, he felt he hadn't made a mistake.

They were little lolis—the very cute, very adorable kind.

From a distance, across the kindergarten fence, Yangyang caught sight of Chang Yu.

He turned his head to say something to the little girls, waved goodbye to them, and then sauntered over toward Chang Yu.

"Who are they? Your new friends?" Chang Yu stared at Yangyang with eyes like torches, full of scrutiny.

One couldn't blame Chang Yu for reacting so strongly; it was mainly because this kid had a history.

For instance, this boy often leveraged his youthful appearance and an intelligence far beyond that of a normal five-year-old to act cute and coquettish in front of many poor women, taking advantage of them in the