Tai chi had only reached halfway when Grandpa Chi heard Qin Yuji calling and hurried over, his face composed and his breath steady.
Behind him followed Old Madam Chi, still holding a pair of scissors.
Qin Yuji helped the two elderly of the Chi family each take a seat, then went to fetch a warm towel, returning to wipe their faces and hands.
On the TV, an auctioneer, dressed smartly in a suit and shoes, was energetically introducing the next item to be auctioned.
A few steps away on a tall pedestal, a palm-sized glaze snuff bottle rotated 360 degrees on a black velvet display, its soft glow enhanced by the lighting.
"As everyone knows, snuff bottles are a traditional craft, originating in the Ming Dynasty and reaching their zenith during the Qing Dynasty. Under Emperor Qianlong, the artistry of snuff bottles attained perfection," he said.
