Su Chen clearly knew that this painting was fake. However, he couldn't admit it right now. He had to maintain his arrogant demeanor. "What evidence do you have? It sounds like you're just spouting nonsense," Su Chen retorted. At that moment, his expression suggested he was on the verge of exploding with anger.
Those present looked at Su Chen as if he were a fool. It was obvious that Qin Yu had manipulated things, intentionally bidding on a counterfeit to bait Su Chen into raising the price. Although Qin Yu seemed inept on the surface, he was actually delighting in the situation. He was effectively setting a trap for Su Chen. Without spending a dime, he toyed with Su Chen. The crowd was quite impressed with Qin Yu's strategy. Qin Yu reveled in the respect he saw in their eyes.
"Why are you looking at me with such ferocity, Su Chen?" Qin Yu taunted, "Even someone as lowly as me could tell there's something off about this painting. How did someone as noble as you miss it? Or perhaps you're not even worth being called lowly." He continued, dripping with sarcasm, "The great Su Chen throws around 200 million just like that. Such a unique way of wasting family fortune!" Encouraged by Qin Yu, the others in attendance began to chime in with their mocking remarks, further enraging Su Chen. They all wanted to be seen as those who could discern the truth, even if they initially hadn't, making Su Chen feel inferior.
Su Chen's fists clenched, anger evident in his eyes, but deep inside, he was actually amused. It's no wonder why he's the protagonist, he thought. Such words, so cutting and hurtful. It was difficult for anyone to endure such mockery. "Don't glare at me like that. You chose to buy the counterfeit, and besides, the money didn't go to me but to Ms. Wang Bingbing. Don't resent me for it!" Qin Yu scoffed, his words dripping with sarcasm. "Enough of your nonsense. This painting is real. Where's your evidence?" Su Chen shouted back, seemingly in a desperate attempt to defend his honor, though he was secretly enjoying himself.
"Evidence?" Qin Yu smirked confidently. "Everyone in the antique business knows about Chen Dafa's signature emblem in his works. If we take the painting apart, we'll naturally see the emblem." As the crowd considered Su Chen's challenge, they began to trust Qin Yu's words even more. "So, you're suggesting that I destroy this painting to reveal the emblem behind it?" Su Chen frowned, sensing that something was amiss. While it seemed like he was about to be proven wrong, the current events were deviating from the original narrative, spiraling out of control.
"That's exactly what I mean," Qin Yu replied with a self-assured smile. "I despise counterfeits. Let me tear up the painting for you. If it turns out to be authentic, I'll pay you the 200 million." Su Chen responded, "If it's real, I don't need your money. What's 200 million to me? Insignificant! But I'll want you to kneel and apologize." Recognizing this rare opportunity, Su Chen had to seize it. The storyline might be ruined, but as long as he could maintain his antagonist role, that was enough.
"We should probably stop this," Qin Luoyi, standing nearby, whispered. She knew that Qin Yu never acted without certainty and feared that Su Chen might be at a disadvantage. "No, let's proceed," Su Chen replied, thinking these female leads were just too unreliable. He handed the painting to Qin Yu, "Prove it to me now."
Taking the painting without hesitation, Qin Yu promptly tore it in half, eliciting gasps from the crowd. No one expected him to act so decisively. Everyone held their breath, eyes fixed on the torn painting, waiting for the next development. And there, on the back of the torn artwork, was indeed the emblem of Chen Dafa. Most of the people present were antique experts, so they recognized it immediately. This meant that the painting was a counterfeit after all.
Oh my! Counterfeit items worth 200 million! Who could accept such an outcome? Many people in the room began to snicker. Qin Yu tore the painting to deeply wound Su Chen's spirit. When people are angry, they tend to do the most inexplicable things.
"Sorry, young master Su, you lost 200 million for nothing. But with your wealth, you probably don't care about this, right?" Qin Yu was extremely smug because he was sure that Qin Luoyi did not genuinely betray him but was undercover by Su Chen's side. All along, she was fanning the flames. Su Chen's character has been investigated by him. Being a sheltered flower, Su Chen couldn't handle such provocations, especially with a beauty like Qin Luoyi stirring things up, he was bound to fall for it. Qin Yu was worried earlier that Su Chen would not choose to authenticate the painting; otherwise, he wouldn't have the chance to embarrass Su Chen. However, the words from Qin Luoyi clearly provoked Su Chen, which made everything progress smoothly.
Thinking this way, Qin Yu leisurely put his hands in his pockets, looking at Su Chen with disdain, fully displaying his protagonist aura. "Bastard, you must have set this up, I'll kill you," Su Chen pointed and yelled. At the same time, he looked around discreetly. What's going on? Such a big fuss. Where did Wang Bingbing go? She should have shown up by now! Su Chen felt this wasn't working out; besides offending Qin Yu, he must now also offend Wang Bingbing. After some contemplation, Su Chen quickly thought of a solution. All of a sudden, as if venting his frustrations, he glared angrily at the auctioneer.
"What do you mean by this, auction house? You're trying to deceive me with fakes? If you don't explain this today, your auction house won't continue to operate in the capital." The moment these words were uttered, the atmosphere became very tense since both sides represented significant powers. "What's wrong? Is the young master Su trying to shirk responsibility? We clearly stated the rules before the auction: buy real or fake, high or low. Before the auction, we appraise the items for an hour. If you buy a fake, it's due to your lack of judgment, you can't blame us.
And remember, while others might fear the Su family, our auction house doesn't." This middle-aged man, evidently holding a high position in the Wang family, wasn't afraid of Su Chen's status at all. Qin Yu on the other side smirked, anticipating this outcome. Since Wang Bingbing didn't want to confront Su Chen, he would instigate a fight between them.
Hearing these words, Su Chen was thrilled. Excellent. Now all he had to do was provoke Wang Bingbing, and the issue would be resolved. But just as he was lost in thought, a commotion arose. Looking up, he found Wang Bingbing in front of him, now in a different outfit. Dressed in a red gown, her aura was as captivating as ever. Her aloof expression, however, was the same, as if signaling 'Stay away, stranger'. Her appearance further heightened the excitement in the room. Everyone was waiting to see how Wang Bingbing, the underworld queen, would retaliate, especially after Su Chen's disrespectful words.
After a while, Wang Bingbing still did nothing. Su Chen realized something was off. She kept staring at him with a dreamy look. Was she in a daze? What's wrong with the female lead? He had been so disrespectful; why wasn't she angry? How could someone without any temper lead the underworld? "Wang Bingbing, don't you owe me an explanation for this painting?" Su Chen decided to take the initiative.
"Explanation?" Wang Bingbing finally came back to her senses. She had indeed been lost in thought. Whenever she saw Su Chen, her calm heart couldn't help but flutter, and her mind wandered, conjuring embarrassing images. It might seem absurd, but they were genuine feelings. Facing Su Chen's questioning, Wang Bingbing remained calm because all of this was part of her plan.
"I acknowledge that this painting is indeed not the authentic 'Hundred Birds Towards the Phoenix'," said Wang Bingbing.
What's going on? Something's not right!
Su Chen was taken aback. He hadn't expected Wang Bingbing to admit it. Not only was he shocked, but even the Wang family members were also confused. Wang Bingbing's admission would surely tarnish the reputation of the auction house. Only Qin Luoyi, her close friend, felt that Wang Bingbing had malicious intentions. Subconsciously, she nervously moved closer to Su Chen. All the while, Wang Bingbing was watching intently, her gaze never straying from Su Chen. Wang Bingbing's face displayed barely contained anger. When rivals meet, jealousy is apparent. In the past, Wang Bingbing made mistakes that gave Qin Luoyi an advantage, and now, recalling those moments and seeing the present scene, her anger was evident.
Qin Yu, witnessing all of this, understood the situation. Wang Bingbing was clearly infuriated with Su Chen but was holding back for some reason. He was willing to ignite this powder keg, hoping to instigate conflict between the Su and Wang families. Qin Yu stepped forward mockingly, "Young master Su, this is an antique auction house, with clear official rules. Antiques are traded based on sight and experience. Whether buying genuine or fake, overpriced or underpriced, there's no return policy." He continued to fan the flames, eager to see Su Chen in a difficult position. Those around sneered; clearly, this was a trap set by Qin Yu, waiting for Su Chen to fall into it. Although the Su family was influential, many held resentment against them, seizing this opportunity to mock them.
"You again! Giving you face by not kicking you out earlier was already showing respect for Young master Su. And yet you still dare to speak up?" Wang Bingbing would not let anyone bully Su Chen. "And if you continue to slander our auction house, I'll send you straight to the police." As she spoke, to everyone's surprise, Wang Bingbing picked up the framed painting. "Although the painting is a fake, did anyone notice the exceptional framing craftsmanship?" Upon closer inspection, the attendees saw the remarkable framing technique. Expert framers were rare, and the art, which had been passed down for over 1500 years, was nearly lost. But in recent years, these talented artisans gained recognition. Good framing was hard to come by unless it was for a renowned painting.
"I don't care about all of this. Just give me a straight answer." Su Chen, realizing the irregularity, feigned indifference, but inside, he was extremely anxious. Is the plot going awry again? All he wanted now was to leave, reaffirming that he had been publicly humiliated by the male lead Qin Yu. Wang Bingbing noticed his anxiousness and couldn't help but feel a bit gleeful seeing this side of him.
In a seemingly cold voice that carried a hint of tenderness, Wang Bingbing began, "As an art piece, apart from the artistry of the painting itself, the framing is of utmost importance. The reason we auctioned this piece was that it was framed by Master Li, a revered figure in the framing industry." She continued, "The value it represents is unquestionable." Master Li's reputation was stellar; even an ordinary painting, once framed by him, would fetch a high price.
"So what? Even if Master Li framed it, it doesn't change the fact that it's a fake," Su Chen retorted, not caring about the details. He only aimed to provoke Wang Bingbing. "I'm not satisfied with your explanation. Your Wang family, I will never let go." Observing this, Fang Han finally grasped the situation and was utterly shocked. Su Chen must be out of his mind. Wang Bingbing had given him an out, clearly wanting to avoid mutual damage. But Su Chen aggressively pressed on, seemingly forgetting that Wang Bingbing was a formidable adversary.
What exactly does Su Chen want to do? Wang Bingbing was very pleased with Su Chen's response. "Next, I'm going to dismantle the rod of this painting," she declared. As Wang Bingbing spoke, a hint of a smile appeared on her previously indifferent face. "This painting holds a mystery."
Wang Bingbing extended her delicate fingers and lightly fiddled with the frame. To everyone's astonishment, what seemed like an ordinary frame split into two. Immediately after, she pulled out another painting from within. All eyes converged on it, and many drew a sharp breath. The painting that had been hidden within the frame finally revealed its true nature.
The content of the painting was simple: two monkeys. The female monkey's gaze was lively and the expression was so realistic, it seemed as if she might walk out of the painting at any moment. The most terrifying aspect was the realistic texture of the monkey's fur and the intricately detailed facial features; it was evident that this was the work of a master. Most valuable of all, the painting bore 11 significant seals, serving both as authentication and confirmation of its value.
Those present, being connoisseurs, easily estimated the painting's worth to be over 200 million yuan. "How... how is this possible? What kind of painting is this? Why is there no artist's name?" Everyone was astounded, pulling out magnifying glasses. If it weren't for Wang Bingbing's status, many would've rushed forward to seize it. The astonishment left many struggling to speak properly.
It turned out that Su Chen's move was not just break-even, but rather profitable. Everyone was in disbelief. Unknown to the crowd, Su Chen was even more shocked. "The Mother and her Offspring!" He recognized this painting all too well. Because in the original story, this painting eventually fell into Lin Qingyan's hands and was ultimately sold at a staggering price of 1.3 billion yuan. Su Chen suddenly realized the connection. No wonder Lin Qingyan obtained the painting; it was from him. But how did Wang Bingbing know? It's all events from the future, isn't it? A chilling thought suddenly surfaced in Su Chen's mind: Could she be someone who had been reborn?