That night, Fang Wenbin, the director of the county cultural center, suddenly received a call from his father from his hometown in the countryside. His father said that he wanted to sell the old Keng Shi Yan that had been treasured for many years, and asked Fang Wenbin to contact the buyer quickly.

As soon as his father wanted to sell the inkstone, Fang Wenbin was puzzled. His father is a retired teacher and has a pension of more than 3,000 yuan per month. A few years ago, his brother built a new house in the countryside, and Fang Wenbin bought a house in the county seat. His father also paid tens of thousands of dollars to buy a house. So he couldn't help but ask, "Dad, you are not short of money, why do you suddenly want to sell your baby?"

Father said impatiently on the phone: "I can sell it if I want, just hurry up and help me contact the buyer!" After saying that, he hung up the phone.

Fang Wenbin couldn't help but think: that old pit is his father's favorite thing, and he never shows it easily. It is only on the eve of the Spring Festival every year that when the neighbors ask him to write couplets, his father takes it out and puts it on the eight immortals table in the hall to study ink and write. But why did his father suddenly sell his treasure?

Although his heart was full of doubts, Fang Wenbin still called Master Yu, a famous inkstone sculptor who had won many awards, and said that there was a six-inch square old keng She inkstone. Although the inkstone body was not carved with any patterns, it was an old object from the Republic of China. I don't know how much it is worth now.

Because Fang Wenbin had written a report to Master Yu, the two had some friendship. Master Yu told him very frankly that this kind of practical inkstone in the Republic of China period had no artistic value. Although it was an old pit stone, it could only be sold for about 10,000 yuan.

Fang Wenbin didn't want his father to lose his beloved for only 10,000 yuan. After discussing with his lover, he called the unit leader and asked for a day off. The next morning, he took 10,000 yuan and set foot on the minibus bound for his hometown.

His father seemed to know that he was going home and had already prepared lunch. As soon as Fang Wenbin entered the house to greet his parents, his father asked, "Have you contacted the buyer?"

Fang Wenbin told the truth that the inkstone could only be sold for 10,000 yuan at most. Instead of selling it to others, he might as well buy it himself.

But before he could take out the ten thousand yuan in his pocket, his father looked down and said, "Ten thousand yuan is too cheap, I will not sell it without thirty thousand yuan!"

Fang Wenbin was completely speechless and told his father that this was just a practical Shi Yan, and its artistic value was not high, so it could never be sold at this price. Just as he was talking, his younger brother walked in, and Fang Wenbin asked him if he was asking his father for money again?

The father rolled his eyes at him and said, "It's none of your brother's business. I want to sell the inkstone and donate the money to Li Dagen in the village. Li Dagen's five-year-old son has leukemia and has already spent 70,000 to 80,000 yuan in the hospital!"

Hearing what his father said, Fang Wenbin felt unhappy. The year before last, when he bought a house in the county seat, his father only gave him 20,000 yuan. Li Dagen was not related to his father, but his father wanted to donate 30,000 yuan! His brother also echoed: "The child of another family has leukemia, and we can donate 800 yuan to donate love, why do we have to sell this beloved old pit Sheyan?"

The father glanced at them discontentedly and said in a deep voice, "What do you know? This inkstone was originally given to me by Li Dagen's grandfather, and now I just take this opportunity to return it to their family."

Fang Wenbin couldn't help laughing and said, "Dad, don't make up nonsense. Who doesn't know that Li Dagen's grandfather didn't know how many characters Dou Da could write, and their ancestors didn't have literati. Didn't this inkstone and the broken porcelain pen holder of the official kiln be left to you by your grandfather who was a private school in the county seat before the founding of New China?"

The father was angry and pointed to his mother. "Ask your mother. That broken porcelain pen holder was indeed given to me by your grandfather, but this Old Fang Keng Sheyan was indeed given to me by Li Dagen's grandfather..."

It turned out that one summer evening more than 40 years ago, Li Dagan's grandfather, Li Youlin, went to the jungle alone to pick herbs after leaving work on the production team, but he didn't go home when it got dark. Grandma Li was in a hurry and quickly asked her neighbors for help, and her father, who was a private teacher at the time, quickly turned on his flashlight to help find it. Several people searched the jungle for two or three hours, but found no sign of Li Youlin. Everyone else gave up going home, and only his father stayed behind to continue the search. He searched until midnight before finding Li Youlin who was unconscious of a sudden cerebral hemorrhage. After more than a month of treatment, Li Youlin was paralyzed, but his brain was still awake. In order to repay his kindness, Li Youlin insisted on giving this old pit to his father. The father refused to accept it, and Li Youlin said in tears that if his father did not accept it, he would smash the inkstone. Only then did his father reluctantly accept it, and then secretly gave Grandma Li ten yuan to buy something delicious for Li Youlin.

After listening to this story, Fang Wenbin and his younger brother were silent. Although the word "send" did not look back, they had been taught by their father's "kindness does not want to repay" since they were young. They all understood why their father had to sell the inkstone.

At this time, Fang Wenbin's cell phone rang. Master Yu called and told him that they would hold an auction of "She Yan" in the county seat in two days, and asked him to bring Fang Laokeng She Yan, maybe he could sell it for a good price.

Fang Wenbin told his father about the auction, and his father was overjoyed. After the family had lunch talking and laughing, his father took Fang Laokeng She Yan and Fang Wenbin to the county seat together.

Before the auction began, Fang Wenbin took two photos of his father's life with his mobile phone, and took a few more photos of the inkstone. He also sent a short article that his father wanted to sell the inkstone and donate it to the treatment of children with leukemia to WeChat Moments, asking everyone to help forward it. I hope that loving friends will join us.

Two days later, in the morning, Master Yu's "She Inkstone" auction was held as scheduled, and many people came to participate in the auction. But when the auctioneer took out his father's Old Fang Keng She Inkstone, it was cold. Because this is only a practical inkstone, it cannot compare to those inkstone works made by famous masters.

Fang Wenbin saw that his father was a little disappointed, so he went on stage to tell everyone the story of Fang Inkstone. When he sat back next to his father, the auctioneer once again hit the table with his gavel and shouted, "Six inches to see Fang Lao Keng She Yan side, the starting price is 10,000. Is there anyone bidding?"

Everyone was whispering and indifferent. Fang Wenbin didn't want to embarrass his father, so he raised his hand and shouted, "I'll pay 20,000!"

The people next to him immediately laughed: "How can anyone buy their own things?" At least you can ask for a favor!

The auctioneer was stunned, coughed dryly, and shouted, "20,000 yuan a time! Is there a higher bid?"

No one raised a placard to bid, and only disdainful sneers responded to him.

"20,000 yuan for the second time, is there a higher bid?" The auctioneer bit the bullet and shouted again.

"20,000 yuan for the third time..." The auctioneer was about to drop the hammer to end this embarrassing scene when a crisp female voice suddenly sounded from behind: "I'll pay 50,000 yuan!"

Everyone followed the sound and saw a young and beautiful girl come in hurriedly, explaining, "Sorry, there is a traffic jam on the road, I'm late!"

This girl must have been temporarily invited by the father and son! Amid everyone's doubts, Fang Wenbin and his father walked towards the girl together, and his father said seriously: "Girl, your bid is too high, this inkstone is not worth so much!"

The girl smiled slightly: "You are Teacher Fang, right? I came to bid for the inkstone on the order of the chairperson."

Fang Wenbin asked, "What's the name of your chairperson?" The girl smiled, "Our chairperson won't let me say it!"

After completing the formalities, the girl quickly paid the money and hurried away with the inkstone.

That afternoon, Fang Wenbin accompanied his father to the city hospital, personally handed over the 50,000 yuan from the auction inkstone to Li Dagen, and told him to cure his son's illness.

Next, Fang Wenbin helps his father find out who the mysterious chairperson is. But several months have passed, and no clue has been obtained.

On the morning of New Year's Eve this year, Fang Wenbin brought his wife and children back to his hometown for the Chinese New Year. When they walked into the house, they saw their father writing couplets by the Eight Immortals table, on which was a six-inch square inkstone.

Fang Wenbin stepped forward to see that it was Fang Laokeng She Inkstone that his father had brought to the county auction. He couldn't help but ask, "Dad, why is your inkstone back?"

Her father raised his head and smiled, "It was the most promising girl in the village next door, Miss Yanzi, who sent it to me yesterday. After graduating from college, she founded an e-commerce company in the city, and the company's profits are very good! At that auction, she asked the secretary to spend 50,000 yuan to buy this Fang She Yan."

Hearing what his father said, Fang Wenbin understood. This girl, Yanzi, was his father's most optimistic student. Yanzi didn't have a school in their village, so they all went to school in Fang Wenbin's village. Yanzi's family was very poor, but he couldn't afford the tuition fees when he was admitted to college. It was Fang Wenbin's father who lent her 20,000 yuan to fulfill her college dream. It must have been because she learned that her teacher back then was going to auction her beloved inkstone, so she had someone rush to the auction site to buy this Fang Laokeng She Yan at a high price and repay her teacher as a gift.

Fang Wenbin sighed with emotion when his father said, "Miss Yanzi also said that she wants to set up a student fund to help those rural children who can't afford to go to college realize their college dreams! One day you go to the city and help me transfer the 20,000 yuan to her. This student fund is also counted as my share!"

Looking at his white-haired, hunched father, Fang Wenbin couldn't help choking up and said, "Dad, I'll listen to you. This student fund is also counted as my share. After the New Year, I'll go find Miss Yanzi..."