Chapter 462: Where did he get so much money?

Ye Anlan blinked her eyes.

When she arrived at Li Zhen's side, Lin Sicheng was in the middle of mixing glaze; being so far away, he could neither see nor hear, and certainly had no time.

But not only did Lin Sicheng know she had caused trouble, he even knew she had caused it twice, and could even describe exactly how she had done it? It was as if Lin Sicheng had been standing right there at the time.

The more she thought about it, the more magical it felt. Ye Anlan looked curious: "How did you know Teacher Li was painting Tanchun?"

Lin Sicheng smiled: "It's written in the book."

*Dream of the Red Chamber* is a work of fiction; all the characters are imaginary and have no fixed form. Whether one can highlight the character's archetype and whether one can tell at a glance who is painted on the plate depends solely on the artist's brushwork and foundation.

Those with a shallower foundation can copy characters from film and television, making it obvious at a glance. Those with a deeper foundation combine the original text, expressing the character through clothing, hair accessories, and the story's background.

Li Zhen is the latter; she was painting Chapter 49 of *Dream of the Red Chamber*: "In a world of glaze, white snow and red plum blossoms; the powdered beauties carve up the raw meat." To put it plainly: the ladies stepping through the snow to admire the plum blossoms.

The original text writes: At this time, the Grand View Garden was much livelier than before: Li Wan was at the head, and the others were Yingchun, Tanchun, Xichun, Baochai, Daiyu, Xiangyun, Baoqin, and Xing Xiuyan, plus Fengjie and Baoyu, totaling thirteen people.

It also writes: Only then did Baoqin arrive, wearing a cloak that shone with gold and emerald. Daiyu wore a bright red cape of feathered crepe lined with white fox fur, Li Wan wore a duoloni jacket with a front opening, and Xue Baochai wore a lotus-green cape of brocade with embroidered flowers and foreign silk.

Xing Xiuyan was still in her old everyday clothes, and Xiangyun arrived wearing a sable-head cape given to her by Grandmother Jia, lined with thick black-grey rat fur, a heavy cloak that was warm inside and out... The others were all in bright red ape-fur and feathered satin cloaks.

The "others" here were only Yingchun, Tanchun, Xichun, Li Wen, Li Qi, and Fengjie. The bright red ape-fur they wore was exactly the kind Li Zhen painted:

Lin Sicheng explained in detail, and Ye Anlan looked as if she had been stunned, unable to speak.

No... Big Brother, that is *Dream of the Red Chamber*, not poetry. If you're talking about remembering which chapter a plot point was written in or what happened after reading it, many people should be able to do that.

But to list one by one who the dozen or so people appearing in a chapter were, what clothes they were wearing at the time, and even to be able to recite the original text's description word for word—how is that possible?

Don't believe it?

Call Tao An over; he studies liberal arts and has read *Dream of the Red Chamber* more than once. Ask him if he can answer it.

But what was strange was that neither Ye Anning, nor Li Zhen, nor even Fang Jin seemed the least bit surprised, as if they were already accustomed to it. Subconsciously, they recalled the moment just before: Lin Sicheng had guessed the answer to the Yuehaiguan Bell Tower mystery based on the *Xie Records* and *Village Chronicles*, which were as obscure as could be.

Once is a coincidence, but can it be a coincidence every single time?

Ye Anlan moved her lips, stunned for a long time: "Then how did you know Teacher Li was painting Tanchun?"

"Because of her background and her personality!"

At the time, Li Zhen was supposed to be painting one of those six. But halfway through, Ye Anlan clamored to change it to herself, so Li Zhen could only paint the Three Springs. Because the identities of the other three didn't quite fit.

If you combine personality and image, only Tanchun fits. The original text describes Tanchun as "open and clear," calling herself the "Banana Guest," and her "writing on banana leaves" shows no lack of literary grace, making one forget the mundane upon seeing her. Moreover, her image is also excellent: sloping shoulders, a slender waist, a tall figure, an egg-shaped face, handsome eyes, and delicate brows, with a spirit that shines in every glance.

It can be said: whether in personality, external image, or even family background and talent, she is somewhat similar to Ye Anlan.

But Ye Anlan got excited again and wanted Li Zhen to change it to "Lin Daiyu," and a Lin Daiyu with her own face at that?

To be honest, this was truly difficult for someone. For Li Zhen to be able to express the contradictory sense of both sentimentality and proud rebellion in the facial expressions while following Ye Anlan's face was already her performing beyond her level.

Ye Anlan was speechless for a moment: Fine, you know more, I can't argue with you...

"Then how did you know I caused trouble twice?"

Lin Sicheng smiled: "It's expressed in the painting!"

Impossible.

Ye Anlan shook her head decisively and pointed at the plate: "Anning, can you tell?"

Ye Anning glared at her: "If I could tell, I'd be a master of traditional Chinese painting."

Ye Anlan argued forcefully: "Then why can Lin Sicheng?"

Ye Anning said half-jokingly: "If I said he really has the level of a master of traditional Chinese painting, would you believe me?"

Ye Anlan didn't speak, but the expression on her face was clear: Do you think I'm a fool?

It wasn't just her who didn't believe it; Ye Anqi and Tao An didn't believe it either. The reason was simple: there is a specialty in every trade.

If Lin Sicheng were a natural-born genius who had studied painting since childhood and already had considerable fame, Ye Anning bragging like this would be understandable. But he studies archaeology, researches Cultural Relics, and is even still a graduate student. To say he has the level of a master of traditional Chinese painting is a bit of a joke.

Just ask, where did this level come from? Did it fall from the sky?

Ye Anning also didn't speak; she blinked at Ye Anlan and spread her hands: See, I was telling the truth, but you didn't believe me? As the two exchanged glances, Lin Sicheng handed the plate to Li Zhen: "Senior Sister, go fire it first!"

This is covered in ultra-low-temperature, easily-set chemical Glaze Material; leaving it to oxidize at room temperature for a long time will lead to color differences.

Li Zhen hurriedly took the plate and walked toward the booth where she had previously done the Gold Tracing.

Since it was agreed that this plate would be given to Ye Anlan, she followed closely behind, step by step.

After walking a little further away, Ye Anlan lowered her voice, half-curious and half-probing: "Teacher Li, are you his teacher too?"

She felt that Lin Sicheng must have deduced that she had caused trouble through Li Zhen's brushwork and painting technique.

To be able to do that, there must be a prerequisite: the two must be particularly understanding and familiar with each other.

But Li Zhen knew her boundaries; her emotional expression was just right, and there was nothing to arouse suspicion. Thinking back to their identities, Ye Anlan made a preconceived judgment: Lin Sicheng is the student, and Li Zhen is the teacher.

But the conversation the two just had seemed to be the other way around, so Ye Anlan was a bit uncertain.

Li Zhen handed the plate to the booth owner and smiled again: "Miss Ye, I am an Assistant!"

"I know you are an Assistant!"

Ye Anning had called her that, and Wang Qizhi had called her that too; Ye Anlan had heard it.

"I'm talking about you and Lin Sicheng: Teacher Li, you are his teacher, right?"

"No, I am just Junior Brother Lin's Assistant!" Li Zhen paused, "Sometimes, he is also my teacher!"

Her tone was natural, and her expression even more so, but Ye Anlan froze as if she had been turned to stone, her eyes nailed straight onto Li Zhen's face.

She is Lin Sicheng's Assistant, and also Lin Sicheng's student?

"No... you are a Lecturer, and he is just a graduate student?"

It's hard to explain in a sentence or two, Li Zhen smiled: "Miss Ye, Junior Brother Lin's situation is a bit special!"

"How special?"

Li Zhen thought for a moment: "I am a training assistant, and I am also responsible for some personnel work. Senior Brother Fang is a life assistant; besides that, Junior Brother Lin also has academic assistants, research assistants, teaching assistants..."

With every one she mentioned, Ye Anlan's eyes widened a fraction: So after all this, the so-called Assistant Fang and Assistant Li are all Lin Sicheng's assistants? The problem is, he is only a graduate student? Wang Sanshu is a proper professor; does he have this many assistants?

Ye Anlan was stunned for a long time: "Who assigned them to him? Himself?"

Li Zhen shook her head: "Of course not, it's the school!"

Ye Anlan pursued the matter relentlessly: "Why?"

"The school partnered with Junior Brother Lin to establish a Research Center. Specifically, it covers Cultural Relics protection, archaeological excavation, restoration of lost ancient crafts, research on intangible cultural heritage... Because it involves quite a few projects, the number of assistants is a bit higher..."

Cultural Relics Protection, archaeology, lost crafts, intangible cultural heritage... Is this just "quite a few projects"?

Even if Ye Anlan didn't understand, she knew: this is a comprehensive academic Research Center specializing in Cultural Relics protection and archaeology. The first two are easy to explain, but the latter two inevitably require the support of local government departments.

She looked astonished: "Did Wang Sanshu set it up for him?"

If you're talking about help, he certainly helped a lot, as it was Professor Wang who gave the suggestion. Even the initial prototype of the center, the "Lin Sicheng Ancient Porcelain Restoration Studio," was built with Professor Wang's help.

But to say he "gave" it to him is completely out of the question.

Li Zhen thought for a moment: "Professor Wang did indeed help a lot, including now, where Professor Wang is also responsible for the center's outreach work..." Ye Anlan looked bewildered.

Li Zhen spoke very cryptically, but she wasn't unable to understand: Wang Sanshu is only responsible for a portion of the center's work.

To put it another way: from a certain perspective, Wang Sanshu is also working for Lin Sicheng...

No... this doesn't make sense, does it?

Ye Anlan subconsciously turned her head: visibly, he looks even younger than Tao An.

"How old is Lin Sicheng?"

"Twenty-two!"

That's right, one year younger than Tao An, and three years younger than Ye Anning.

"How long has his center been running?"

"About a year and a half!"

Ye Anlan looked strange: "That means, at that time he was only twenty, right? What was he doing then?"

Naturally, he was studying.

Li Zhen held back a laugh: "Senior year, first semester."

Right, that settles it: at that time, Lin Sicheng hadn't even graduated from university?

If Li Zhen didn't look like someone who wouldn't spout nonsense or make things up on the fly, Ye Anlan wouldn't have believed a single word.

Of course, it wasn't that she looked down on Lin Sicheng, it was just too counter-intuitive and contrary to common knowledge; she couldn't grasp it for a moment.

She pondered for a good while, "How big is this center?"

Knowing what she wanted to ask, Li Zhen reeled off the details: "It covers an area of over 730 square meters, with a building area of over 2,000 square meters, spanning three floors... The total investment was 42 million, and the current valuation is: 600 million..."

Ye Anlan's eyes popped: "How much?"

"42 million!"

"I'm talking about the latter one?"

"600 million, and that's only the preliminary valuation for the current stage of patents and academic research!"

Li Zhen emphasized, "This was a joint assessment conducted last month by the school, inviting the National Intellectual Property Administration, the National Academy of Cultural Heritage, the Ministry of Education's Science and Technology Development Center, the Ministry of Culture's Information Center, as well as the Education Department and the Finance Department..."

They had to assess it: the results of the Changguan Glaze needed to be converted and put out for tender. Once the restoration techniques for Hejin Porcelain and Hozhou Porcelain were patented, they would also need to be put out for tender.

The key is that the Cultural Relics Research Institute is about to authorize the early-stage patents for BTA Slow-Release Technology, and money is about to flow in like water, so the relevant procedures must be sound.

The reason the valuation is so high is mainly because of the BTA. Let's calculate: across more than thirty provinces in the country, how many Level One historical Museums are there? Plus ancient tomb sites, ruins, manors, art-related, technology-related... this number has to be multiplied by ten.

Even if each one only pays three to five thousand a year, that's over a million a year, and that's just one of the early-stage technologies. The later unregistered technologies, as well as Level Two and municipal Museums, haven't even been counted yet.

It hasn't even counted the authorization for outside (foreign) entities...

Secondly, there is the "Ming Dynasty Imperial Porcelain Technology" for which the center has already reached an agreement with the Forbidden City. If this is done well, the speed of revenue won't be any slower than the BTA. Honestly, 600 million is an underestimate...

Ye Anlan, of course, didn't know these things; she felt as if her brain couldn't even turn: 600 million... how much is a building in the center of Guangzhou worth?

And these assessment units: the Property Rights Bureau, the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Education... Wang Sanshu definitely couldn't invite them.

So, what did Lin Sicheng do, research an Atomic Bomb?

Of course not.

Because Li Zhen said it very clearly: Cultural Relics protection, archaeological excavation, restoration of lost ancient crafts, research on intangible cultural heritage...

It is precisely because of this that Ye Anlan finds it especially hard to understand: these industries are not only obscure and unfamiliar, but also have nothing to do with people's livelihoods or the military. So, how rare must the technology Lin Sicheng researched be for the valuation to be this high?

Likewise, she is very clear about the authority of the national departments Li Zhen mentioned: so how important must Lin Sicheng's technologies be to attract the attention of so many national departments?

The key is, his center has only been established for a year and a half, how did he research them?

Including the tens of millions in initial investment: where did he get so much money?

With all sorts of chaotic thoughts spinning in her head, Ye Anlan instinctively wanted to ask: what does Lin Sicheng's family do?

But as the words reached her lips, she remembered Ye Anning's words: Does he eat your family's rice?

Forget it, I won't ask, lest it cause unnecessary misunderstandings...

Immediately, she rolled her eyes: "Teacher Li, don't mind me, I'm just curious: how much of the center does Lin Sicheng own?" "All of it!"

Ye Anlan was stunned again: doesn't that mean these 600 million are all his?

Anyway, it would take a while for the plate to bake, so Li Zhen patiently explained: "The school lent a building, but it was used free of charge, so it doesn't count as fixed assets, nor does it count as initial investment. The main investments are, firstly, Cultural Relics, and secondly, equipment..."

"The center has one Partner, the General Manager Zhao you just saw, who invested about 16 million (including the Chicken Cup), but his investment portion only counts toward the Ancient Porcelain Restoration Center, and the form of return is only through technology licensing, not the Research Center's academic and patent technology..." Ye Anlan understood: the Restoration Center is the Restoration Center, and the Research Center is the Research Center.

Does that mean the tens of millions in the early stages were also all invested by Lin Sicheng?

Where did he get so much money?