Chapter 518: The Scammer's Boss

Lin Sicheng's single word, "Worth it," left the man not knowing how to continue.

This showed that the kid knew exactly what was going on and was perfectly willing.

It further showed that there was a high probability he knew the identities of those few scammers.

But the woman's reaction was a bit slower, thinking Lin Sicheng was still being kept in the dark.

"Student, do you know what those two people do? They are scammers; the few pieces of porcelain you bought are definitely fake..." "Eight million, didn't you find someone to appraise them? Experts are hard to find, but finding a professional testing institution would work too, right?"

"You still dare to keep them by your side? Do you believe me, they are definitely planning how to scam you a second time..."

The woman rambled on, very impatient.

Because the Police had made it very clear: judging by the transaction process, even if her painting was an authentic work, it would be very difficult to classify it as a criminal case; she could only go to Court to sue.

Therefore, the woman was very anxious, wanting desperately to pull Lin Sicheng in as an ally.

But she discovered that no matter how she spoke, the kid opposite her remained calm and indifferent, looking on with cold eyes.

Even, with no expression on his face at all?

Subconsciously, she recalled the transcript she had seen in the conference room:

Postgraduate student at the Northwest University Cultural Relics and Museology College, inheritor of the intangible cultural heritage project for Porcelain Restoration.

The woman realized belatedly: the Cultural Relics and Museology College was itself a professional Cultural Relics Protection institution; what kind of testing could they not do?

This kid even specialized in studying porcelain; wouldn't he understand better than an ordinary person?

The key was that the transcript recorded it very clearly: he knew those few pieces of porcelain were imitations.

Isn't this contradictory: knowing they are imitations, yet you still spend eight million?

Suddenly, a flash of inspiration hit the woman: that eight million, couldn't it be some kind of front?

For example, to let those few scammers do something shady.

Otherwise, with no family or friendship, why would he give money to a few scammers for nothing?

The more she thought about it, the more she felt it was possible, and the woman's expression gradually became strange.

Lin Sicheng could roughly guess, because no matter who it was, they would think this way: eight million to buy a few imitation porcelains?

Let the misunderstanding be; he didn't need to explain. The urgent matter was to figure out the situation here with the Police.

His face was too young; he estimated that if he went, he would just be brushed off, so he could only entrust it to Wang Qi Zhi and Zhao Xiuneng.

Wang Qi Zhi was a professor at a prestigious university and held an official rank, so he definitely wouldn't be dismissed easily.

Lin Sicheng didn't avoid anyone either; after saying a few words, Wang Qi Zhi and Zhao Xiuneng went upstairs to find the Person in Charge.

The man looked slightly curious, sizing things up back and forth, while the woman kept a cold face.

The bit of sympathy that had arisen earlier when she thought Lin Sicheng had also been scammed was wiped clean.

"Do you want to save those two scammers?"

What else?

Lin Sicheng nodded.

The woman reached out a hand, speaking with righteous indignation: "Then compensate me for my painting."

No... big sister, you're almost fifty, right? How are you still like this?

Even if you don't understand the law, shouldn't you have common sense and be reasonable?

"Ma'am, it's not up to me to decide this matter."

Which meant, it wasn't up to her either.

Lin Sicheng thought for a moment: "Ma'am, is there a possibility that your painting was fake to begin with?"

"Impossible!" The woman widened her eyes, "If it were fake, how could the auction house estimate it at over a million?"

Lin Sicheng sighed: "An auction house is an intermediary agency; their ultimate goal is to earn commissions."

The woman was dismissive: "I know, maybe it's not by Lin Liang, but it could be a copy by some later famous master. For example, Bada Shanren, for example, Shitao."

Lin Sicheng let out a "Heh": Big sister, what kind of wishful thinking are you doing?

If it were a painting by Bada Shanren or Shitao, it would be at least ten million.

The woman also felt she was being a bit whimsical: "But such a large company, could the Appraiser and the valuer all be mistaken?"

Wouldn't they just be mistaken?

The calligraphy of Zheng Banqiao, the Congyun Seal of Qianlong—weren't those leaks he picked up at an auction?

And vice versa.

Of course, this situation is relatively rare; more often, the master experts at big firms know the item has some problems, or are unsure, yet they still put it up for auction.

It is precisely because of this reason that for the Chicken Cup, of which fewer than twenty exist in the world, several thousand are put up for auction every year.

Ru Porcelain is even more so; there are only about a hundred in existence, but at least tens of thousands are put up for auction every year.

Don't those valuers know?

Let's mention another statistic: for the major auction houses, whether it's the foreign Christie's, Sotheby's, or the domestic China Guardian, Poly, and Xiling, the annual unsold rate for auction lots is around forty percent.

This doesn't even count those antiques used for Wash Goods, price manipulation, or self-consignment to artificially inflate value. Including those, it's more than sixty percent.

This data is already quite telling.

"Ma'am, you don't need to be too anxious: since you've reported the case, there will definitely be a conclusion. If the Police don't open a case, you can still sue and simultaneously entrust a third-party institution to conduct an appraisal... Don't worry, we aren't running away."

Lin Sicheng paused slightly: "Of course, the premise is that you must get that painting back from Duoyunxuan..."

The woman frowned: "You think I can't get it back?"

Compared to bringing someone back from the Dongcheng District less than an hour after reporting the case, this matter was easier to handle.

Duoyunxuan was not a small company and had a relatively complete system; if they knew the painting involved a criminal case, they would withdraw it from the auction immediately.

At the same time, the Police had full authority to have the consignor send the painting over for Artifact Research and appraisal.

Lin Sicheng nodded: "I believe you!"

The woman was stunned for a moment, not knowing how to respond.

As they were at a stalemate, the woman's phone rang with a "buzz-buzz" sound.

She glanced at it and answered it casually: "Hello, Boss Zhao... Yes, yes, I am at the Police Station."

"You've arrived? Alright, I'll be out immediately..."

As she spoke, the woman walked out quickly, and in about two minutes, she walked back in with a few people.

There were men and women, and the man in the lead was holding a long box in his hands.

Immediately after, another Police officer came over and led them into the conference room.

Lin Sicheng watched coldly from the sidelines: if nothing went wrong, that long box should contain that painting. That General Manager Zhao should be the current owner of this painting.

One had to admit, this woman's influence was truly great: in just two or three hours from start to finish, she could make the auction house withdraw the lot and make the consignor willingly bring the painting over.

If it were the Police notifying them, the consignor would certainly comply, but they definitely wouldn't be so easy to talk to: "My item is worth over a million, what if it turns out to be a fake?" In the blink of an eye, the group entered the conference room, the door closed, and was then suddenly pulled open again.

The man from before walked out and smiled at Lin Sicheng: "Student, do you want to come in and take a look?"

Lin Sicheng was stunned for a moment: Huh?

By rights, they should be considered opposing parties now. But Lin Sicheng could tell that this man held no hostility toward him.

He nodded and walked over: "What is your surname?"

"My surname is Huang, Huang Zhi. I do a little business in Beijing."

Huang Zhi pointed inside, "That is my older sister, Huang Lan."

The two of them did indeed look very much alike.

"General Manager Huang, my surname is Lin, Lin Sicheng!"

The man nodded: he had read the transcripts.

After a brief pause, Huang Zhi looked at Lin Sicheng: "I have looked into it; those few people should be con artists."

Not "should be," but definitely were.

If you walk by the river often enough, how can you not get your shoes wet?

No matter how cleverly Feng Sanjiang designed things, or how thoroughly his subordinates executed them, accidents were bound to happen.

Whether it was him, Hu Hai, or even Ding Aqin, they had all been to the Police Station.

Although most of the time it ended up being dropped without meeting the criteria for filing a case, the Police would still keep records.

Once the records piled up, even a fool would know what this group was up to.

It was just that they hadn't run into any tough nuts to crack, and this group was too cunning, running away as soon as they finished a scam.

Lin Sicheng nodded: "I know!"

Huang Zhi thought to himself, "As expected": "You and them, you must have just been in a temporary partnership, right?"

He was trying to continue the recruitment.

Lin Sicheng answered with a question: "General Manager Huang, what if that painting is fake and not worth much?"

He was trying to continue the protection.

Huang Zhi nodded: "It's possible, but they are con artists."

Lin Sicheng suddenly understood: they wouldn't stop until they reached their goal?

Huang Zhi explained further: "My sister is quite simple-minded; she rarely gets this angry."

Lin Sicheng didn't know what to say: Big brother, she is almost fifty.

He also blamed himself for having forgotten to ask Feng Sanjiang earlier: how could he have offended this woman so deeply after only meeting her once, to the point where she insisted on sending them in?

"General Manager Huang, you might not believe it, but I really am their boss, and for a very long time, I have been."

Cooperation was impossible, and Huang Zhi knew this too. What he meant was whether Lin Sicheng could refrain from interfering.

But unfortunately.

"I understand!"

Huang Zhi replied, then stared at him, "Are you really a student?"

"Of course!"

Huang Zhi didn't speak, but pointed inside, meaning to look at the item first.

Lin Sicheng didn't rush to go in, his expression very serious: "General Manager Huang, is there any possibility of negotiating this matter?"

Huang Zhi thought for a moment: "As long as my sister agrees!"

Huh, there's a chance?

Lin Sicheng's eyes brightened: "What does Ms. Huang like?"

Huang Zhi was stunned for a moment, with a very strange expression.

Lin Sicheng didn't mind and changed the subject: "Where does General Manager Huang make his fortune?"

"I wouldn't call it a fortune; I run a small hotel. But I rarely go there, I hire a management company..."

"And Ms. Huang?"

"She is a teacher!"

Lin Sicheng understood: the "small hotel" General Manager Huang spoke of was certainly not small, and business must be very good, otherwise he wouldn't hire a professional management company. Huang Lan did indeed look a bit like a teacher.

But if she only ran a hotel business, and if she were only a teacher, she wouldn't be able to put on a display like today's.

Could it be that their elders or relatives were very powerful?

Or perhaps, like the teacher, they were a Second Generation?

That was actually quite possible; looking at this General Manager Huang's manner of speaking and his style, he was indeed extraordinary.

But fortunately, this General Manager Huang was relatively easy to talk to; today's matter shouldn't be hard to resolve.

It wasn't that Lin Sicheng was cowardly, but rather that it is better to resolve grievances than to knot them; he didn't want to be bothered every few days after the Center opened.