Chapter 371 Meeting fellow countrymen in a foreign land
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When they arrived at their destination, they drove directly to the best hotel in the area.
Because it was booked in advance, the hotel was fully prepared and they were very satisfied.
The money is well spent and the service is excellent!
They set out at eight o'clock in the morning and took more than an hour to get here.
They rested first and enjoyed a delicious lunch before going out for a walk.
The small town of Port Jervis has a population of less than 10,000 and is less than 100 miles from New York City.
As rents rose in New York City, many artists and shopkeepers flocked to small towns, where they could rent unheard of affordable and large shops.
Now, visitors to the town can visit artist galleries, exquisite antique shops, and taste delicious American dishes: stuffed pork chops and pumpkin braised.
The art here is very strong, and people who come and go here can always find something they like.
For example, men like antiques, women like jewelry, and food lovers can enjoy many delicious foods including signature dishes such as stuffed pork chops and pumpkin stew.
One of the biggest features here is that it is quiet and not crowded.
It's completely different from the hustle and bustle of New York.
When we come here, everyone feels quiet and relaxed.
When appreciating art, you should appreciate it with your heart; when buying things, you should also follow your true inner thoughts. It is not the noisy atmosphere that causes tourists to make impulsive purchases.
After eating a delicious lunch, take a short rest, put on sunscreen, put on a sunhat, and then start going out for a walk.
Qi Zhenghan pushed Grandma Qi San in a wheelchair, and the group chatted and laughed. When they saw something they liked, they would always stop and watch.
When passing by a jewelry store with very oriental characteristics, Grandma Qi San said: "I can just take a look at those foreign things. I don't understand what they mean. If you like them, you can buy them. Now I want to take a look. My favorite shop.”
"Okay, Mom, let's buy some of the jewelry you like." Qi Shuliang said with a smile. He is now trying his best to satisfy and honor his mother.
"Whether you want to buy it or not, you have to decide after seeing it. The most important thing is the good mood of visiting the store." Grandma Qi San was excited. This store reminded her of the jewelry shop in the county town before.
When I entered the shop, no one greeted me, only pieces of jewelry locked behind the glass door.
There was only an elderly craftsman polishing a piece of jewelry.
"Master, can you take out this Bu Yao and show it to me?" Grandma Qi San asked, quite eager to do it.
The old man raised his head, glanced at Grandma Qi San, and asked, "Are you from the mainland?"
"Yes!" Grandma Qi San was stunned, "Aren't you going to sell it to people from the mainland?"
"Sell it, of course." The old man said with a smile, changing his previous indifference, "I'll get it for you right now!"
The old man took out the exquisite golden walking stick and said, "This is my old craftsmanship, handed down from my ancestors."
"Is your ancestor very powerful?" Grandma Qi San asked with a smile while watching.
It's rare to meet someone who can speak Chinese. She can say a few words in person.
"Of course it's awesome. My ancestor was a master forger in the Imperial Household Affairs Office. He made jewelry for Empress Dowager Cixi back then." The old man said proudly, "You can take a look at it. If you like it, I'll make it cheaper for you."
Grandma Qi San held it in her hand and bumped it to see the quality and style.
"The workmanship is indeed good." Grandma Qi San praised, "Show me those two gold hairpins."
The old man quickly took the hairpin again, and Grandma Qi San inserted it on his head. He looked in the mirror and said, "Not bad, not bad. I don't want Bu Yao for this. Give me four gold hairpins, plum blossoms and chrysanthemums." , lotus, peony.”
"Okay!" The old man was very happy to see that the old lady was a good judge of goods. Unlike Westerners, who think that gold jewelry is not as beautiful as those diamonds.
Grandma Qi San bought four sticks, one for her, and the remaining three sticks were given to Anna, Qi Zhengmin, and He Tiantian.
She also picked out a jade pendant for Qi Zhenghan and Qi Shuliang.
Because these are all newly built, the material and labor costs plus a small profit are not expensive.
After buying and packing up, the old man quickly took out his business card and said: "Sister, my surname is Qi, my ancestral home is Huai City, Ontario. When I was three years old, I came to the United States with my master to make money. I didn't expect that I would not be able to come back. went."
"Oh, your ancestral home is Huai City!" Grandma Qi San was surprised, "You never went back when you came out?"
"No, it's been forty years in the blink of an eye." Old Man Qi said with emotion, "I read in the newspaper that the two countries have established diplomatic relations now, but I don't know when I can go back. I want to go back to my hometown to see my family. ah!"
"Hey, I guess it will be soon. Just wait a minute and I wish you can return home in fine clothes soon!" Grandma Qi San said, this old man Qi's situation is also very pitiful!
"Hearing my old sister's accent makes me miss my hometown even more." Old man Qi said, "Although I have married a wife and had children here and integrated into the life here, I still miss my hometown when I dream back at midnight. "I don't know what happened to my brothers and sisters."
Grandma Qi San knew what it felt like to miss her family, so she said, "What's your name? If you have a plan, I'll ask someone to help you find it."
Old man Qi was waiting for this sentence, so he quickly took the pen and paper next to him, wrote his name, and said: "My name is Qi Da, my brother is Qi Tong, my brother is Qi Bin, and my sister is Qi Fei'e. My hometown Lives at No. 56, Ginkgo Street, Huai City.”
Grandma Qi San took the note and said, "Okay, I'll keep it. If there's any news, I'll have someone send you a letter."
"Thank you very much, sister." Qi Da said excitedly, "These things are not respectful, but they are given to me as a thank you gift for helping me find someone."
"How can that be done!" Grandma Qi San said, "I won't necessarily help you find these people, so how can they accept such a heavy gift from you." Brother Qi, how much is it, I’ll give it to you. If you don't ask for more money, I won't use this thing. "
She helped Old Man Qi because he had been separated from his relatives for decades. She felt the same pain and did not want Old Man Qi's things.
"Sister, this thing doesn't cost much..." Old Man Qi continued, "Just keep it."
"I said no, absolutely no." Grandma Qi San said, "Let's go!"
Grandma Qi San is very tough.
"Okay, okay, why don't I take the money?" Old Man Qi said with a grimace, "The chief engineer is three hundred dollars!"
Qi Shuliang raised his eyebrows. The three hundred US dollars was probably just the price of the materials. The old man didn't charge for the craftsmanship. Normally, it would be worth at least five hundred US dollars.
"Son, is it appropriate?" Grandma Qi San doesn't like to take advantage of others.
"It's probably the material cost." Qi Shuliang said softly, "Just give me an extra two hundred dollars for the crafting fee."
When Grandma Qi San heard this, she smiled and said, "That's okay! Just pay."