Chapter 229 You little rascal, shut up!
The time allotted for creating artwork for a single song is a rule set by Zhuang Zixian.
Luo Qiu's hand speed was astonishing. His sharp eyes were fixed on the beauty in front of the easel, and the tip of his brush flew across the paper.
This is not just a competition, but the biggest challenge in his career.
If successful, he will become Master Zhuang's fourth disciple.
He dared not be careless in the slightest.
When the last note fell, the music stopped abruptly.
The butler's booming voice rang out: "Time's up, both parties please stop writing."
After finishing the last stroke, Luo Qiu put down his sketching pen heavily, let out a long sigh, and saw fine beads of sweat on his forehead.
The audience held their breath, barely daring to make a sound; the atmosphere was incredibly tense.
The butler first showed Luo Qiu's work.
When he turned his easel toward the audience, the room erupted in enthusiastic applause.
"It's so similar, it's uncanny!"
"Miss Bai's face is so lifelike, it brings the whole drawing to life!"
"Wow, amazing! To paint such a lifelike likeness in such a short time, your painting skills are incredible."
"It seems that Zhuang Zixian is going to lose."
"I hope Luo Qiu can successfully become an apprentice today. His paintings are truly excellent."
Amid the murmurs, the butler gestured for silence and said, "Now, we will display Mr. Zhuang's paintings for everyone."
He slowly turned Zhuang Zixian's drawing board around.
The next second, the entire audience stood up in shock, as if by unspoken agreement.
The drawing not only depicted Miss Bai's lifelike face, but also her well-tailored clothes, the exquisite butterfly brooch on her coat, and even her dignified posture with her hands crossed in front of her legs while sitting.
This is not a painting at all.
This is practically Miss Bai herself sitting on the paper.
"Wow, this isn't painting, Zhuang Zixian is practically a human camera!"
"I never imagined that the legendary bone-touching painting technique actually exists. Today has truly broadened my horizons."
"No, I have to have a good talk with him later."
"Master Zhuang has such a keen eye; he actually managed to take on a prodigy disciple like Zhuang Zixian."
"Alas, it seems we'll never have the chance to enter the manor in this lifetime."
The scene erupted in cheers, and it was immediately clear who won and who lost.
Luo Qiu was also dumbfounded. He never imagined that this blind man would be so powerful.
After seeing his paintings, and then looking at my own, the difference in quality is immediately apparent.
He accepted his defeat wholeheartedly.
He walked over and said sincerely to Zhuang Zixian, "Mr. Zhuang, you painted so well, I am completely convinced of my defeat."
After saying that, he calmly left the stage.
Fu Beichen's gaze was fixed on the painting. The woman on the paper made his chest heave, and his heart was filled with excitement.
One has to admire Zhuang Zixian's skill; indeed, a great teacher produces a great student. He almost ruined the whole thing himself.
Next came the painting auction, and the item up for auction was the portrait that Zhuang Zixian had just painted.
Starting bid: 500,000.
A professional auctioneer, accompanied by an assistant, entered the room, the painting was hung high, and the audience below began to bid.
"Six hundred thousand."
"Seven hundred thousand."
One million.
The bidding was quite intense; this was a portrait of a beautiful woman drawn by examining her bones, and everyone wanted it.
Two million!
"Two and a half million!"
Prices were still skyrocketing. Fu Beichen's face was grim. The man who had just received the card whispered a reminder: "Mr. Fu, don't rush. The big fish hasn't come out yet."
No sooner had the words been spoken than a loud voice pierced the entire hall.
"Ten million."
Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw the imposing Mu Yanchen.
He actually came too.
Upon seeing that it was Young Master Mu who made the offer, the room fell silent instantly, and no one dared to bid.
Just then, Fu Beichen stood up and uttered three words calmly.
"Fifty million."
The entire audience erupted in uproar, and all eyes turned to him.
My goodness, the richest man is here! He's even more handsome in person than in the financial magazines!
Mu Yanchen's face darkened. He gritted his teeth in hatred and raised the price again: "Sixty million."
Fu Beichen curled his lips and said casually, "Light the sky lanterns."
It seems that Mu Yanchen really wants this painting. Since he can't have the person, he takes the painting back as a keepsake.
Does he deserve it?
Want to steal his wife's portrait? Maybe in your next life.
"Wow, Mr. Fu is so generous, he even lit a sky lantern!"
"Of course! How could a portrait of the richest man's wife fall into someone else's hands? Besides, is the richest man short of money?"
“Mr. Fu…” The auctioneer’s voice was hoarse, with a barely perceptible tremor, “Lighting the lantern, confirmed valid, an immediate valid bid of 60 million.”
Gu Xingnian turned to look at Fu Beichen, her face pale. Why did this guy come too?
Mu Yanchen showed no sign of giving up and continued to raise the price: "Eighty million."
"Follow!" Fu Beichen said only one word.
"One hundred million." Mu Yanchen's voice was distorted, filled with a desperate madness.
"and!"
"Two hundred million."
"and!"
A deathly silence fell over the room, so oppressive it was hard to breathe. The painting had unexpectedly gone from 500,000 to 200 million. Finally, Mu Yanchen stopped bidding, and the gavel fell with great excitement.
"Thump!"
"Sold! Two hundred and three million! Congratulations Mr. Fu on winning the bid for Miss Bai's portrait."
The scene erupted in cheers again; Fu, the richest man in China, was truly extravagant.
Many calligraphers and painters joked on the spot that they would go back and paint the richest man's wife, because if the richest man took a liking to her, it would be amazing!
Finally, the portrait was carefully handed to Fu Beichen by the staff, who held it tightly as if it were a priceless treasure.
And the painter with high emotional intelligence also successfully added Fu Beichen to his contacts.
Lynch's position is in jeopardy.
The banquet continued, and many people came over to toast Master Zhuang, while many men also came over to chat with Madam Bai and Gu Xingnian.
Gu Xingnian didn't like the atmosphere, so she got up to go to the restroom and left the banquet hall.
When she came out of the restroom, a large, hot hand suddenly grabbed her wrist and pulled her aside.
"Fu Beichen, what are you doing? Let me go!"
Fu Beichen didn't say a word and led her directly to the rooftop garden outside the banquet hall.
The north wind was strong, making her skirt flutter and her long hair dance.
Are you cold?
His voice was deep, and the next second, his coat, still warm from his body, enveloped her completely, pulling her tightly into his embrace.
"Fu Beichen, let me go!" Gu Xingnian struggled for a moment, but he held her even tighter.
"Be gentle, I can't breathe." Gu Xingnian frowned, afraid that he would pinch her stomach. Fu Beichen smiled, loosened his grip slightly, and adjusted to a comfortable angle.
His deep voice rang in her ear: "Just now, six men tried to chat you up. I saw it and it made me very uncomfortable."
Gu Xingnian sneered: "Fu Beichen, if you're not feeling well, go see a doctor. I can't help you. Let go!"
“Niannian,” Fu Beichen’s chest trembled slightly, “you still love me, don’t you? Otherwise, you wouldn’t have held me while we slept last night.”
Gu Xingnian was speechless for a moment, then retorted: "I'm afraid you'll freeze to death in the Bai family and cause trouble for them."
Fu Beichen smiled.
"I love the way you stubbornly lie, it's beautiful!"
After saying that, he lowered his head and kissed her lips directly.
"Hmm!"
Gu Xingnian pushed him away forcefully. This scoundrel actually dared to kiss her!
He gripped her slender waist with one large hand like an iron clamp, and held the back of her head with the other, making her unable to move at all.
She became fierce and bit down hard.
The strong smell of blood filled their mouths, but he still didn't let go, instead forcefully taking the air from her mouth even more.
The wind was fierce, and so was his kiss.
"You little brat, shut up." Master Zhuang appeared behind him at some point and slapped him with his cane, making Fu Beichen's leg thud.
Fu Beichen then stopped the kiss and quickly released the person in his arms.
"Come with me." Master Zhuang glared at him, then turned and left.
Fu Beichen reached out and touched her hair, whispering, "I'll come find you in a bit."
Gu Xingnian rolled her eyes at him, her gaze seeming to say, "Let's save your life first."
She wiped the blood from her lips, straightened her clothes, and turned to walk towards the banquet hall.
In another corner of the garden, the smell of burnt tobacco still lingered in the air.
Mu Yanchen had witnessed the entire scene, his handsome face clouded with rage, his eyes surging with barely contained fury.
On what grounds?
The woman he cherishes is about to be so utterly defiled by that scoundrel Fu Beichen!
Kiss me whenever you want? Bully me whenever you want?
damn it!
The man threw the cigarette in his hand to the ground and crushed it with the tip of his expensive leather shoe, stomping out the tiny red spark.
"Xi Xi." Mu Yanchen's tall figure emerged from the shadows, his voice subdued, and he blocked her path.
Gu Xingnian suddenly stopped and instinctively took a step back to create some distance.
At this moment, her cheeks were flushed, her lips were swollen from the earlier biting, and her eyes darted away, revealing obvious embarrassment.
How did he end up here?
So, he saw everything just now?
"Can I talk to you?" Mu Yanchen's gaze was fixed on her, his eyes deep and filled with undisguised heartache.
"What do you want to say?" Gu Xingnian steadied herself and tried to keep her tone calm.
"The company stockpiling medicine was a decision made by the board of directors," he said, his voice slightly hoarse. "The Mu Group wanted to invite you to join them in researching antiviral drugs, but we couldn't get in touch with you."
His brows were furrowed, and his usually spirited face was now filled with a heavy, gloomy expression.
"I never expected it to end up like this."
His Adam's apple bobbed as he stared intently at her, finally uttering the question that had lingered in his mind for so long.
"If I go bankrupt, will you think I'm useless?"
This is what he cares about most.
He didn't care about the Mu Group or its billions in assets, but he couldn't let her look down on him.
Gu Xingnian was stunned for a moment.
She looked up at him intently. The man had shed his usual arrogant pride and looked like a child awaiting judgment.
"Everyone should have a scale in their heart."
"As doctors, what we should pursue is not profit, but responsibility."
Her voice was soft, yet every word was clear.
"What you need to do now is to restore public confidence in the Mu family, not to worry about personal gains and losses here."
"You don't need to care about anyone's opinion. Remember, failure is not terrible; what's terrible is not having the courage to start over."
Her words, spoken casually, stirred up a storm in his heart.
The pain in my heart area is severe.
This woman is truly wonderful!
She was always so clear-headed and insightful, yet that bastard Fu Beichen snatched her away and didn't cherish her, leaving her disappointed and heartbroken time and time again.
Mu Yanchen's gaze inadvertently drifted down and stopped on her lower abdomen.
Underneath the coat, there was a slight bulge, but it was definitely not the figure of a fifteen-week pregnant woman.
That child... is probably gone, right?
"I'm going in first." Gu Xingnian didn't want to say anything more and turned to leave.
Watching her leave, he really wanted to go up to her and hug her tightly.
...
For the next two days, Fu Beichen completely vanished from the face of the earth.
Gu Xingnian was filled with anxiety. Could her grandfather have really beaten someone to death?
Or did the punishment of kneeling in the ancestral hall cause health problems?
Lost in her thoughts, she was already being led in and out of various top-tier shopping malls by Madam Bai.
The jewelry and clothes that Mrs. Bai bought for her were enough to empty half of a luxury store.
Even the nourishing soup meant to regulate the body was still eagerly consumed by Bai Yu.
Madam Bai asked the kitchen to stew two pots of food, and he brazenly and confidently snatched them.
Madam Bai was so angry that her blood pressure soared, and she almost exploded on the spot.
However, she heard from Jiao Jiao that Bai Yu had secretly bought a pair of wedding rings.
Madam Bai's anger vanished instantly, replaced by immense joy. She felt that her child had finally come to his senses and genuinely wanted to settle down and start a family.
Finally, New Year's Eve arrived.
The Bai family home was brightly lit and bustling with activity, as the entire family gathered together.
The Bai family's second uncle and his family also came with their two children.
The eldest daughter is Bai Luo, and the second son is Bai Yanzhi.
Before the meal was served, the last person to enter the restaurant was Master Zhuang, followed by an exceptionally handsome man.
The man, dressed in a crisp black overcoat that accentuated his broad shoulders and long legs, exuded confidence and charisma; it was none other than Fu Beichen.
Gu Xingnian looked at him; there wasn't a single mark of injury on his body. Her heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled back down.
Master Zhuang was invited by Bai Xun to take the main seat.
Fu Beichen naturally sat down in the empty seat next to Gu Xingnian.
He carried a refreshing and pleasant scent that forcefully entered Gu Xingnian's nostrils.
Bai Luo, sitting directly opposite, had her big eyes glued to Fu Beichen, almost unable to look away.
Is this my brother-in-law?
Is this the legendary richest man, Fu?
He's so handsome! His looks are stunning from every angle, even better looking than her supposedly most handsome older brother.
Bai Xun stood up, picked up his wine glass, and cleared his throat.
"Today is Lunar New Year's Eve. Our family has been waiting for this reunion dinner for eighteen years."
"This year, our precious Xixi has finally come home!"
His voice choked with emotion, and his eyes reddened, "Thank God, thank all the kind people."
Bai Xun's gaze shifted to Gu Xingnian, gentle and full of gratitude.
"Thank you too, child. It is your courage that has allowed our family to be reunited."
Gu Xingnian's nose tingled, and her eyes reddened.
She looked at her family members sitting all around the table, all neatly arranged. Wasn't this the greatest happiness?
Bai Xun raised his glass, "In the new year, I wish my family a happy reunion, peace, and good health! Cheers!"
Everyone stood up, and the clinking of glasses was crisp and pleasant.
The whole family drank this meaningful toast to reunion, and the atmosphere was wonderful.
Fu Beichen lowered his eyes, his gaze falling on the full glass of orange juice in front of Gu Xingnian.
His eyes deepened.
Huh, you're afraid to drink alcohol?
Something's strange.
He picked up the glass of wine in front of him, waved it in front of her, and began to coax her.
"Niannian, this red wine is delicious, and it goes especially well with this beef."
"Come on, have a taste?"
He added, "After I finish this drink, I won't bother you anymore."
Gu Xingnian: ...
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