174: Agreement reached

Wang Wenyuan laughed heartily.

He hadn't laughed this happily in many years.

He laughed so much that he momentarily lost his breath, recovering only after several coughs.

"You've caused such a sensation on the other side of the ocean; how could I not notice you?"

"To find so many precious Xia artifacts in the US shows you are a talented, capable, and lucky person. Your willingness to donate them to the country proves you are a conscientious person who cares for the motherland. Nowadays, there aren't many the young man like you."

Wang Wenyuan sighed and continued, "Even we old bones cannot compare to the contribution you've made to the Xia cultural relics community. Those ten volumes of the yongle encyclopedia from not long ago must have been donated by you as well. We should truly be grateful to someone like you who has made such a great contribution to the country."

"You're joking, Elder. I've only contributed a meager effort, not even a tenth of what you have. I still need to work harder."

Being praised by a highly respected elder like Wang Wenyuan made Qin Yun feel very gratified, but he didn't let it go to his head and remained humble in his reply.

A bright smile appeared on Wang Wenyuan's face.

Although he hadn't met Qin Yun in person, he felt that Qin Yun was the finest young man he had ever encountered.

"Feel free to mention any requests or concerns you have. Although I'm just an old man now, I still have some influence in the world of collecting and cultural relics, and I will do my best to satisfy you."

Wang Wenyuan was a modest man and had never made such a guarantee before; anyone familiar with him would have been shocked to hear it.

"I was thinking, would it be possible to keep the artifacts I've donated together? I also plan to recover more for Xia..."

Before Qin Yun could finish, he was interrupted by the resolute voice on the other end of the phone.

"Of course. I've already considered this issue. Putting artifacts donated by overseas Xia people in one exhibition hall will allow everyone in Xia to understand the contributions made by those abroad."

"I think we should just go all the way and establish an overseas exhibition hall. If you're willing to show your face, I'd like you to serve as the Honorary Dean of the Kyoto Museum, in charge of matters regarding the overseas exhibition hall."

Wang Wenyuan spoke his plan directly.

He even gave Qin Yun an unprecedentedly high status and position.

This was the largest museum in Xia, and being the Honorary Dean in charge of an exhibition hall was a position many antique moguls could only dream of.

Yet Wang Wenyuan had given this verbal promise to Qin Yun, whom he had never even met.

This was absolute bombshell news.

Wang Wenyuan had his reasons for such a plan.

Most overseas Xia people have a simple sense of patriotism, but due to various concerns, they do not trust the museums.

Qin Yun had achieved extraordinary things in the US over the past few months.

It was easy to imagine he would be even more extraordinary in the future.

While still in the stage of accumulating wealth, Qin Yun already had the practice of donating such priceless treasures to the museum.

When Qin Yun achieved even greater things, he would surely continue to support the work of recovering Xia cultural relics as always.

More importantly, all of this was achieved through Qin Yun's personal efforts, so no one could find fault with it.

With Qin Yun as an example, it would surely inspire more overseas Xia people to support the domestic cultural relics cause.

Qin Yun said, somewhat flattered, "This might not be appropriate. I haven't made a large enough contribution, and I'm still a newcomer. I feel uneasy and unworthy of such an honor."

Wang Wenyuan's tone became firm: "What do you mean unworthy? Being the honorary director and being responsible for the overseas exhibition hall is not just an honor, it's a responsibility!"

"The Kyoto Museum is the largest and most authoritative museum in Xia; it must bear the responsibility of passing on Xia culture. This is no easy challenge."

What Wang Wenyuan hated most in his life were those who occupied a position without doing any work, holding high office without any spirit of contribution, wasting the country's trust.

He didn't want the junior he favored most to become someone who just held a post without doing the work, seeking only fame and fortune.

Being guided by Wang Wenyuan, Qin Yun didn't feel the slightest bit of resentment.

He knew the other man was teaching him how to conduct himself, sharing insights and life wisdom accumulated over decades.

"Yes, I will certainly stay true to my original intentions and do my best."

"At most within a week, once I've arranged things here, I will bring the artifacts back."

Qin Yun and Wang Wenyuan discussed the details of the donation for over half an hour before hanging up.

Admiring Wang Wenyuan's lifelong spirit of dedication to Xia, Qin Yun's heart could not settle for a long time.

With so many broad-minded and selfless predecessors, Xia would one day surely carry forward its culture of over five thousand years.

Qin Yun spent a long time under the desk lamp admiring the Xia treasures.

He looked very carefully this time; once they were donated to the museum, there wouldn't be many more opportunities to hold them in his hands and observe them at such close range.

After carefully examining them, Qin Yun wiped away the dust with chamois leather and placed them in the safe.

With so many more collectibles in the shop, including many items from the Lyon Family, Qin Yun had to contact the Collector to sell them as soon as possible.

When he came out, he found Julia taking photos of the collection.

"You don't need to take five or six photos of every item. A general look is enough; if they aren't perfectly clear, it might pique the Collector's interest even more."

"It's getting late, let's go back and rest. I happen to have some things I need to discuss with you."

Qin Yun waved to Julia and spoke with a look of tenderness.

Julia nodded obediently, took Qin Yun's arm, and they got into the Raptor pickup truck outside together.

"Whatever it is, just go ahead and do it. I will always support your decisions."

In the passenger seat, Julia looked up at Qin Yun with curiosity.

Since Qin Yun had notified her so formally, Julia knew he likely had some official news to tell her.

She waited with anticipation for whatever surprise it might be.

"I plan to personally donate the Xia antiques I've collected back to the Kyoto Museum the day after tomorrow. I've already contacted them, and they've decided to allocate a separate exhibition hall for me..."

Qin Yun was a bit worried Julia might not understand, so he explained everything slowly and clearly.

Julia threw herself into Qin Yun's arms and held him tightly.

She said excitedly, "Don't say another word. I will support you no matter what you do."

"Especially something like this that is beneficial to both you and your motherland, I definitely support it one hundred percent."

Julia could hear the concern in Qin Yun's voice.

Thinking about how much Qin Yun cared about her opinion made her feel respected.

She felt incredibly happy.

As the woman standing behind Qin Yun, supporting his career and dreams was also her dream.

"I haven't been to Xia in all these years. I have half-Xia lineage, and I want to see what Xia looks like today. Can I go back with you?"

Julia leaned against Qin Yun's shoulder, her breath fragrant as she asked softly.

Qin Yun hadn't expected Julia to be so supportive of his decision.

He gratefully pulled Julia into his arms and said excitedly,

"Of course you can! As long as you're willing, we will never be apart!"