BXBX NOVEL Chapter 178: This is a Genuine Piece! (Third Update)
As he spoke, Boss Zuo looked at Huang Xiaolong with absolute disdain…
‘Dammit, you’re just a peasant, dreaming of a bargain? Hahaha, such intellect…and it’s all wasted on you!’
“Little Long, what’s this?” Cui Feiyan asked, turning towards Huang Xiaolong.
“Feiyan, this is an authentic painting, I bought it for $20,000, and I’m going to make lots of money.” Huang Xiaolong replied seriously.
“Authentic?” Both Boss Zuo and the junk collector exclaimed in unison.
They both knew the truth…there’s no way this is authentic! It’s definitely a fake!
“Enough! Stop causing a scene!” Boss Zuo wore a very disgruntled expression. “Young man, you’re trying to make me look bad. Do you know that? I’m skilled in the art of appraising ancient calligraphy and paintings. I’ve been clear in my assessment, but you insist it’s authentic… Are you trying to undermine me?”
At least in Binhai, Boss Zuo is regarded as an authority in this field, having labelled the painting as a fake. Yet Huang Xiaolong keeps insisting it’s authentic, which is equivalent to challenging him.
“Sure! Young man, since you’re such an expert, I’ll let you have this bamboo and stone painting by Zheng Banqiao.” The junk collector laughed.
Just them—an excited voice rang out from outside: “Is there a bamboo and stone painting by Zheng Banqiao here?”
A middle-aged man walked briskly in, his face flush with health and wealth, dressed impeccably.
It was clear from a glance that he was someone with authority, used to calling the shots.
As soon as he entered the shop, Cui Feiyan said nonchalantly, “Oh, Boss Miao, what a coincidence?”
“President Cui?” The man also noticed Cui Feiyan and was very polite. “Hello, hello, President Cui. How is your brother Cui Dong’s health?”
“Thanks for asking, my father has been strong and hale.” Cui Feiyan responded with politeness.
“Good, good.” ‘Boss Miao’ said with courtesy.
Meanwhile, Boss Miao noticed Huang Xiaolong standing next to Cui Feiyan, it was plain to see that the relationship between them wasn’t that simple.
Boss Miao wondered, ‘Strange, isn’t President Cui recognized as a goddess in our Binhai business community? Why is she with a country boy… Weird, really weird.’
“President Cui, who is this?” Boss Miao asked.
“Oh, my friend, Huang Xiaolong.” Cui Feiyan casually introduced.
“Nice to meet you.” Boss Miao shook Huang Xiaolong’s hand and introduced himself, “Feiteng Entertainment Company, Miao Feng.”
Then, Boss Miao returned to the business at hand, asking Boss Zuo with a smile, “Boss Zuo, do you have a bamboo and stone painting by Zheng Banqiao here?”
“Hahaha Boss Miao, do you really believe it? It’s fake! I’ve personally appraised it.” Boss Zuo laughed.
He knew that Boss Miao, a figure with vast wealth in Binhai, had a penchant for collecting, especially for Ming and Qing dynasty calligraphy and paintings.
But today, he was inevitably going to be disappointed.
“Well… Boss Miao, take another look.” Boss Zuo pointed to the open scroll on the table.
“All right then!” Boss Miao, brimming with interest, brought out a magnifying glass and began to examine the painting methodically.
In a short while, Boss Miao lifted his head, shaking it like a rattle-drum. “Fake, it’s a fake, worth about $10,000.” “Hahaha Boss Miao, you also concluded it’s a fake? While here, a certain guy insists it’s real, isn’t that ridiculous?” Boss Zuo laughed triumphantly and turned towards Huang Xiaolong. “Young man, what do you say? Do you still insist that this painting is authentic?”
“Yeah, it’s authentic.” Huang Xiaolong naturally said, “Just because you don’t recognize the authenticity doesn’t mean there’s a problem with the painting.”
“This…Little Huang, right? You’re…just talking nonsense.” Boss Miao frowned. If it were not for the fact that Huang Xiaolong was a friend of Cui Feiyan’s, he would have already been insulting him.
“Forget it, I’m too lazy to argue with you. I will take this painting. It’s 20,000 right?” Huang Xiaolong ignored Boss Zuo and Boss Miao, and looked at the junk collector.
“This is…” The junk collector’s eyes shimmered with a glint of greed, as he licked his lips, “I’m not selling for $20,000 anymore! If you want this painting… it’s $30,000! Give me $30,000, and you can take it now. The painting is yours!”
Well, he has turned coat!
He noticed Huang Xiaolong seemed to like the painting a lot, and kept insisting it’s authentic; hence, he bit the bullet and decided to fleece Huang Xiaolong.
“This painting is not worth $30,000!” Both Boss Miao and Boss Zuo exclaimed in unison.
“Hahaha ” Huang Xiaolong looked at the junk collector with an odd stare.
“Little Long, forget it, this guy is too greedy, forget the painting.” Cui Feiyan looked at the junk collector with a bit of disdain, and couldn’t help but sarcastically say, “A gentleman loves money in the right way.”
The junk collector flushed immediately.
“Feiyan, do you have $30,000?” Huang Xiaolong turned and asked.
“This…Little Long, do you really like this painting?” Cui Feiyan smiled.
Truth be told, whether it’s $20,000 or $30,000, for Cui Feiyan, it’s just a small sum.
Since Huang Xiaolong likes it, she might as well just buy it for him.
However, being overcharged by $10,000 did dampen Cui Feiyan’s spirits slightly.
“Can I transfer the money?” Cui Feiyan asked the junk collector.
“Absolutely, I’ll give you my bank account number.” The junk collector replied eagerly, as if he was afraid that Huang Xiaolong and Cui Feiyan would suddenly change their minds.
Soon, Cui Feiyan transferred $30,000 to the junk collector’s bank account.
“Hahaha ?I made an extra $10,000! Just like picking up money off the street! Hahaha ?” The junk collector laughed and couldn’t help but boast, “Today has truly been amazing… Hahaha ?In reality, I bought this painting for $5,000. I initially thought, if I could sell it for $10,000, then I’d make a profit. Never did I imagine someone would want to buy it for $30,000… Hahaha ?I made a profit, this entire month I won’t have to work!”
The junk collector promptly rolled up the painting, handed it to Huang Xiaolong. “Young man, treat her well, thanks! hahahaha ?”
“Look at him now! Foolishly parting with money! Still damn claiming he’s an expert! Stupid…well, not going to say rude words.” Boss Zuo watched Huang Xiaolong with a thrilled expression.
Boss Miao also shook his head and said, “President Cui, your friend… Haha, I mean… President Cui, I understand you don’t care about tens of thousands. However, this purchase feels unsatisfactory!”
Boss Miao thought to himself, President Cui is known for her intelligence, so why is she so unwise in choosing friends? Especially with this sort of naive friend…the money for the painting actually came from her; isn’t this cheating her?
Cui Feiyan frown grew deeper. However, she thought, since Huang Xiaolong liked it, she could let it go.
At this moment, Huang Xiaolong, a look of joy on his face, takes the painting and shakes it a few times, the scroll making a rustling noise.
“Little Long…be careful, don’t damage it.” Cui Feiyan was slightly speechless.
Huang Xiaolong disregarded Cui Feiyan, shook it a few more times, and then said to Boss Zuo, “Boss, can you please pour me a glass of water?”