Chapter 11

This painter's works generally auction for around one million.

If I sell it on this street now, instead of at an auction, it can probably sell for around five hundred thousand.

At the time, she was only thinking about giving Chen Xiuyue a birthday gift and hadn't thought about taking it out to sell.

She found an antique shop and went inside.

Seeing that it was a young girl, the boss only looked up and glanced at her, his attitude cold and indifferent.

The bosses of these antique shops have sharp eyes; they can tell at a glance that Shu Xia is not here to buy anything.

"Boss, do you buy Ancient Paintings from the Northern Song Dynasty?"

The boss, Zhang Dechun, looked up abruptly, "Paintings from the Northern Song Dynasty?"

"Yes." Shu Xia took the painting out of her bag.

She took the painting in front of the boss and unfolded it.

Seeing the Ancient Painting, which had been restored to perfection, Zhang Dechun widened his eyes; he knew that a big shot in Jing City who loved collecting Ancient Paintings had been particularly fond of Northern Song Dynasty paintings lately, but there were not many Northern Song Dynasty paintings on the market.

Moreover, it is rare to find someone who can restore such a severely damaged Ancient Painting so perfectly that no flaws can be seen.

Zhang Dechun's tone carried excitement, "You name your price for this painting! However, young lady, you must tell me, who restored this painting?"

He had previously acquired two severely damaged paintings in his shop at a low price and had been looking for a restorer, but no restorer was willing to take the job, all saying the paintings were too badly damaged.

He didn't feel bad about the money spent on the paintings; he just felt it was a pity for the two paintings.

He didn't expect that the young girl who came in inadvertently today might be able to solve his urgent problem.

"I restored it," Shu Xia smiled slightly.

Zhang Dechun was taken aback and expressed doubt, "You restored it?"

The young girl didn't look very old, and restoring Ancient Paintings is not child's play.

"Yes," Shu Xia nodded.

Zhang Dechun scrutinized Shu Xia carefully, thinking to himself that young people nowadays like to make things up out of thin air and gild their own faces more and more.

Looking at her face, she didn't blush or pant.

But he definitely had to buy this painting.

"I happen to have two paintings here that I've been looking for someone to restore. If they can be restored well, the reward for one painting will be at least five hundred thousand. If the young lady has any elders in her family who are interested, you can help me talk to them," Zhang Dechun said, not giving up.

It would be best if he could get the young girl to bring the elders from her family over.

For someone who is not a certified master in the industry, a reward of five hundred thousand is not a small amount; it could even buy the painting in front of him.

Shu Xia was short on money, and upon hearing the boss's words, her interest was piqued, "Let me take a look."

Zhang Dechun, harboring the hope of a blind cat bumping into a dead mouse, took Shu Xia to see the two damaged paintings.

The degree of damage was no less than the painting she had brought.

However, she had been busy with many things at the time and often had to donate blood, so the restoration took a long time.

"I'll take this job," Shu Xia decided.

Only then did Zhang Dechun realize that although the young girl in front of him was young and pretty, she gave people the feeling that she wasn't just talking big.

On a whim, the boss felt that there was nothing to lose anyway, and since no one else was taking the job, it wouldn't hurt to let her try.

The two of them then signed a contract.

Finally, Zhang Dechun bought Shu Xia's painting for five hundred thousand; Shu Xia didn't haggle, as this price was fair, considering that although this painting was a Northern Song work, it was not by a famous master.

It was already three o'clock in the afternoon when Shu Xia left Antique Street.

Starting tomorrow, she would come to the shop to restore them between nine in the morning and three in the afternoon.

She knew that Zhang Dechun didn't quite believe her, but when she started restoring the Ancient Paintings tomorrow, he would dispel his doubts.

Having studied with Zhong Nainai for so many years, she still had that much self-confidence.

——

Linshi Airport.

Qiao Muting had just walked out of the airport and got into the car heading to the branch office.

Beside him, Zhang Tezhu opened his laptop with high efficiency, receiving various documents and contracts.

He reported to Qiao Muting whenever he had any doubts.

The ringtone of a mobile phone call interrupted Zhang Tezhu's report.

Qiao Muting answered the phone.

"Grandma."

Qiao Nainai's blunt accusations came through the phone, "Why did you go to Linshi? Didn't I tell you to have a meal with Xia Xia and cultivate your relationship? What kind of work is so important that you have to rush over after getting into a car accident? Is everyone the Qiao Group hires a waste? Not even giving their own boss time to attend to his lifelong affairs?"

Although the car was in motion, it was too quiet, and Zhang Tezhu heard it clearly.

He immediately turned his head to look out the window; he didn't hear anything!

He really didn't hear anything!

Qiao Muting glanced at Zhang Tezhu and then pressed his brow, "Grandma, Miss Shu also has things to attend to."

"I told you to call her Xia Xia. You are already legally married; you are husband and wife! Why call her Miss Shu, making it seem like you're strangers?" Qiao Nainai was very dissatisfied with her grandson.

This cold and aloof appearance might scare Xia Xia away!

When she watched romance reality shows and saw those cold male guests, she wanted to slap them; what's with the cold act? When the girl he likes gets snatched away by someone else, he can go hide under the covers and cry!

"I don't care, come back as soon as you're done. Grandma always feels that Xia Xia is hiding something in her heart. A young girl wanting to carry everything on her own makes one's heart ache."

Qiao Nainai sighed softly.

Qiao Muting remembered the conditions that woman had proposed when signing the agreement in front of the Civil Affairs Bureau.

He keenly sensed that it might be related to the Lin Family.

"Alright, I will return as soon as possible."

After Qiao Muting hung up the phone, he looked at Zhang Tezhu, "In the information you previously investigated on Shu Xia, did it say how her relationship with the Lin Family is?"

"The Lin Family seems to be not very satisfied with Ms. Shu; currently, the several families that are on good terms with the Lin Family do not know of Ms. Shu's existence," Zhang Tezhu replied truthfully.

Qiao Muting was lost in thought.

It seemed that the conditions Shu Xia had proposed earlier were likely just out of dissatisfaction with the Lin Family.

A young girl's whims.

However, since he had promised, he would not go back on his word.

——

After Shu Xia left Antique Street, she went to a shopping mall.

She bought some daily necessities.

There was a 4S dealership next to the mall, and she wanted to buy a car for transportation.

Xinghai Villa was not in the city center, so it was inconvenient to come and go without a car.

Nowadays, a new energy vehicle could be bought for around one hundred thousand.

While she was picking out a car, Shu Xia saw two people outside.

Fu Chenyan and Lin Miao.

The two were holding hands, Lin Miao's delicate face still bore traces of unspent anger, and Fu Chenyan was continuously coaxing her.

A handsome man and a beautiful woman, they were a sight to behold wherever they went.

People passing by were all looking at them with envy.

Shu Xia's face was cold and pale, and she was expressionless.

She looked at Fu Chenyan's familiar handsome face, and everything from the past played before her eyes like a movie, finally stopping at the scene of him and Lin Miao entwined, and her cold, stiff hand raised her phone.

Without the slightest hesitation, she took a photo.