After Li Yifan got the painting, he looked at it carefully, but he didn't see the reason. I thought about what Ma Weidu had said.

Ma Weidu said that he was a witness to the decline of the Liuli Factory from Zhongxing, "From the mid-80s to the early 90s of the last century, the antiques, calligraphy and paintings of the Liuli Factory were of good quality and cheap. At that time, a large number of Chinese and foreign customers ran here. However, after the business improved, many stores had poor self-discipline, and some people forgot their righteousness for profit, and counterfeit and shoddy goods soon flooded the market. As antiques, calligraphy and paintings, and other goods, only the real ones have value and appeal. Some of the goods sold by Liulichang have directly caused it to go from ZTE to the trough from true to fake. ”

"Are you realistic about this painting?" asked the salesman.

"Look at what you said, you saw a sign hanging on the door, which said-Rong Bao Zhai, this is a gold signboard. Moreover, the foreign guest hall on the second floor is only open to foreign friends, how can there be imitation paintings. The salesman replied angrily.

"Okay then! This painting is good, I want it, and I have to buy 2 more paintings, can you recommend them." ”

The salesman thought for a moment and said, "I suggest you collect a few paintings of Huang Binhong and Lu Yanshao, firstly, their works are profound and very atmospheric, and the price of their paintings is not high now." ”

"Alright then! You're an expert, listen to you! Please take a few and look at them. Li Yifan said.

After a while, the salesman took out a three-axis painting from it and opened it to see that one of Huang Binhong's ink landscape paintings, two of Lu Yanshao's landscape paintings, all of which were marked with prices, Huang Binhong's paintings were 860 yuan, and Lu Yanshao's paintings were 650 yuan.

After Li Yifan saw it, he was very satisfied and asked the salesman to wrap up all four paintings.

"I want all four of these paintings. In addition, you can help me choose 6 paintings in the guest hall on the first floor, a total of 10 paintings. Settle together. ”

The salesman was very surprised, he didn't expect these two inconspicuous young people to make such a big shot, and they asked for 10 paintings at once, which is a big customer.

hurriedly wrapped up the four paintings at hand, and led Li Yifan and the others to the first floor to select paintings.

After some selection, he chose a Mongolian dancer who seemed to be painted with charcoal and another painted silk dancer; two figure paintings by Huang Zhou, one of which was a Uyghur woman riding a donkey back to her parents' house with her child, which Li Yifan found very interesting; and the rest chose two flowers by Chen Banding.

After selecting the paintings on the first floor, the salesman calculated the price and said to Li Yifan, "You have selected a total of 4 paintings of foreign guests, and a total of 3,380 yuan of foreign exchange coupons are needed, and 6 paintings of domestic guests on the first floor are 2,560 yuan." As he spoke, he opened the ticket in his hand and motioned for Li Yifan to go to the cash desk to settle the bill.

Li Yifan took the settlement slip and said to the salesman, "I'll go to the bank to withdraw money now, please wrap the painting for me, and help with the box for the painting of the old man Baishi." ”

When the salesman heard that Li Yifan had no money in his hand now and wanted to go out to withdraw the money, he looked at Li Yifan with suspicious eyes.

Li Yifan saw it and said unhurriedly, "Don't worry! I'm not having nothing to do with you." With so much money, I won't have nothing to carry around, it's not safe. You pack up and I'll be back soon. ”

"Alright then, I'll go get you a box first, you hurry. The salesman said helplessly, he also wanted to make this deal.

"Okay, you put your heart in your stomach, and I'll go. After Li Yifan finished speaking, he went out with Li Xiangdong.

Li Yifan went out to hit a noodle and asked the driver to go to the Jianguomen Friendship Store.

When he arrived at the Friendship Store and got off the bus, Li Xiangdong couldn't wait to ask, "Yifan, didn't you say that you would buy one painting? Why did you suddenly buy 10 paintings?" ”

Li Yifan looked at Li Xiangdong's anxious appearance and smiled.

"You kid is still laughing, tell me quickly, what the hell is going on?"

"Brother Dong, it's not easy! I can hold it for so long, and I finally waited until I got out of the car to ask. Yes!

"You kid is looking for a fight, hurry up. ”

"Brother Dong, it's nothing, it's just that I saw that the paintings of these famous masters are so cheap, I couldn't help it, I bought a few more, and by the way, I bought you a painting, which is Huang Binhong's landscape. ”

"What do I want that thing for? I don't understand. You take it! You'll earn the money anyway. ”

"Brother Dong, don't say it, you must keep that painting, keep it well, and don't sell it under any circumstances. That painting will definitely be worth a lot of money in the future. Li Yifan said solemnly to Li Xiangdong.

Li Xiangdong saw Li Yifan's very serious expression, and he didn't feel like he was joking with him, so he had to nod and say, "Anyway, I'm not as far as you can see, listen to you, and when I get home, I'll find a proper place to keep the painting." ”

After Li Xiangdong finished speaking, he looked at the friendship store in front of him again, and asked puzzledly, "You didn't go to the bank to withdraw money, why did you come here?"

"I have money in my bag, I originally prepared 10,000 yuan to buy the painting of the old man Baishi, but I didn't expect it to be so cheap! At the same time, I didn't expect that they could only settle with foreign exchange coupons. Li Yifan replied.

"What is that? In the store just now, I heard you say that there are foreign exchange coupons, so I wondered, but I was afraid that it would affect you, so I couldn't help but ask. Li Xiangdong said curiously.

"The full name of foreign exchange coupons is Bank of China foreign exchange coupons, which are issued by the Bank of China, circulated in the People's Republic of China, used on specific occasions, and have a denomination equivalent to the renminbi. Li Yifan replied.

"Since it's a currency circulating in the market, why haven't I seen it. Li Xiangdong asked.

"Foreign exchange coupons are for foreigners, not for us, mainly to meet the needs of foreigners and returned overseas Chinese who come to China. Our country has built a number of hotels and shops for foreign experts. However, foreign currency circulation is prohibited in our country. ”

"In order to facilitate their purchase of goods and pay for their expenses at these establishments, and at the same time to distinguish them from domestic residents, the State Council authorized the Bank of China on 1 April 1980 to issue foreign exchange vouchers. ”

"Foreigners are required to exchange their foreign currencies, i.e., US dollars, British pounds, Japanese yen, and rubles, into foreign exchange coupons at the Bank of China or designated foreign exchange points, and use them in equivalent amounts to RMB within the specified range. ”

"When they leave Chinese mainland, they can choose to exchange the vouchers back for hard currency or keep them for their next trip to China." At that time, many foreigners called foreign exchange coupons tourist currency. Got it?"

Li Xiangdong replied, "As soon as you say that, I understand. So where are we going to exchange foreign exchange vouchers?"

Li Yifan pointed to the friendship store in front of him and said, "Brother Dong, you see that the friendship store in front of you is a store specially opened for foreigners, and only foreign exchange coupons are circulated in it, and RMB cannot be consumed. Let's go in and have a look. ”

The two of them were talking as they walked towards the Friendship Store. There are many foreigners along the way, and there are Chinese young people on the roadside from time to time, asking foreigners in foreign languages if they have foreign exchange coupons.

Li Yifan glanced at it after hearing it, and pondered in his heart, it seems that he needs to deal with these people for a while.

Li Yifan thought in his heart, but he didn't stop at his feet, and he and Li Xiangdong went directly into the friendship store.