Chapter 98: Frustration
"Professor Xu, you have to be responsible for what you said. Do you know what you are saying?" Luo Yan said aggressively.
Su Man's pink lips curled up slightly, and she spoke slowly, "Why do you sound so certain that Professor Xu shouldn't say that?"
Luo Yan was stunned, then glared at Xu Jiang.
Xu Jiang pretended not to see it and avoided Luo Yan's angry gaze.
Luo Yan had already colluded with Xu Jiang, but she didn't know why Xu Jiang suddenly betrayed her.
Su Man, however, felt relaxed and at ease, as if everything was under her control.
Tao Jinmei said, "Professor Xu, would you like to take a closer look to see if you've made a mistake somewhere?"
"Madam, even if I look at it again, I still say this: your painting is a replica, not from the hands of Mr. Yun Guhong. If you don't trust my professional level, you can find another appraisal agency."
"You...!" Luo Yan was extremely angry and wanted to blurt out something, but she held it back in the end.
Madam Xiao sneered: "If you're willing to gamble, you have to admit defeat. It was you who proposed to do the appraisal. Why, now you can't afford to lose?"
Luo Yan's face turned pale and blue as she was scolded.
Tao Jinmei was also panicked, "Xiao Yan, what's going on?"
Luo Yan promised to help her obtain this painting through private channels. Tao Jinmei believed Luo Yan and did not think of getting it appraised.
Who knew Luo Yan would bring back a fake one and make her look so embarrassed in public?
Madam Xiao said, "I still say the same thing. If you are truly filial, I don't care whether this painting is real or fake."
If she hadn't wanted to give Su Man a way out, she would have kicked Tao Jinmei and Luo Yan out long ago!
The atmosphere was cold and awkward.
At this time.
A man walked into the main hall with his head held high and chest puffed out, "Sorry everyone, I'm late!"
Ding Chengyu was dressed in formal attire, holding a large gift box in his hand. Two doormen followed behind him, each holding a gift in their hands. The gift had a "Shou" character on it - he came to celebrate Old Madam Xiao's birthday.
When Tao Jinmei and Luo Yan saw Ding Chengyu, they were so shocked that their eyes almost popped out of their sockets.
Why is Mr. Yun Guhong's grandson here?!
If he arrives at the scene, won’t their conspiracy to frame Suman be exposed? ! !
Ding Chengyu looked around and when he saw Su Man, he winked at her and gave her a naughty expression.
Su Man was also surprised at his appearance.
Why is Ding Chengyu here too?
Didn’t she see Ding Chengyu’s name on the guest list?
Not only Su Man, but also Old Madam Xiao was confused. She squinted her eyes in confusion, thinking that it was because her old eyes were blurry and she couldn't see clearly.
She didn't know the young man and didn't remember inviting him.
However, there are many young talents nowadays. It is normal for her, who has retired from the social world a long time ago, not to know the new talents. Maybe an old friend cannot come to the scene in person and asked someone to come.
At that moment, Madam Xiao also smiled kindly: "I wonder which family you are from?"
Ding Chengyu came before Madam Xiao and bowed modestly. "I am Mr. Yun Guhong's grandson, Ding Chengyu. I came here at Mr. Xiao's invitation, but I encountered some accidents on the way. I am late. I hope you can forgive me."
Madam Xiao didn't hear the second half of the sentence at all. She widened her eyes in astonishment and said, "You, you are Mr. Yun's grandson?"
"Yes." Ding Chengyu lowered his head modestly.
"Sit, sit, sit, please sit." Old Madam Xiao was so excited that she couldn't speak clearly.
The idol’s grandson is also her grandson!
Ding Chengyu presented the gift box in his hand, "This is a gift for you."
When the gift box was opened, there were two white marble Buddha statues inside.
The doormen behind also presented gifts, including a set of jade jewelry, and this set of jewelry was more luxurious and noble than the one given by Luo Yan.
As soon as this gift came out, Luo Yan's gift seemed very simple.
Those who had just praised Luo Yan for giving him such a generous gift without holding a grudge shut up at this moment.
After Ding Chengyu presented the gift, he was about to take a seat as arranged by Old Madam Xiao, but he glanced at the two paintings on display, as if by accident, and said, "Hey, these two are Grandpa's paintings."
He instantly drew everyone's attention back to the painting.
"But... this one," Ding Chengyu pointed at the painting Tao Jinmei had given him, "is one of the paintings in this exhibition. How did it end up here?"
Xu Jiang continued, "This is a replica."
Ding Chengyu came forward, examined the painting carefully, and nodded. "Yes, the seal on it is slightly different from Grandpa's personal seal in some subtle details. The cinnabar is also wrong."
The painting that Tao Jinmei gave was fake, and she was hammered to death.
Xu Jiang then said, "Sir, please take a look at this other painting. Is it real or fake?"
Ding Chengyu waved his hand. "No need to look, it's real. This painting was given to Teacher Su by my grandfather and I. We knew that Teacher Su was going to celebrate Old Madam Xiao's birthday, so Grandpa gave Teacher Su a newly completed painting."
The people present were in an uproar again.
Unexpectedly, what Su Man said was true. She really had a good personal relationship with Mr. Yun Guhong, and the painting was personally obtained from Mr. Yun Guhong.
She didn't lie.
The way Tao Jinmei and Luo Yan slandered Su Man just now was simply a mean-spirited act.
Public opinion immediately changed direction.
Most people on the scene were immersed in this matter. Only Xu Jiang was still studying the painting seriously. He asked Ding Chengyu, "But I heard that Mr. Gu Hong usually put his own seal on his paintings, but this painting doesn't have a seal. In this case, how should we judge it?"
"It's actually very easy to identify. Grandpa used to write his own small handwriting under this layer of gauze. Look, this is what Grandpa wrote."
As Ding Chengyu spoke, he moved towards Su Man's painting, then he gently lifted a layer of gauze from the side of the scroll.
The drawing paper is made with special craftsmanship. After the gauze is gently pushed aside, two or three lines of small regular script are revealed.
People nearby not only came over.
Old Madam Xiao couldn't help it either, she stretched her neck and leaned over.
"Yes, this is Master Guhong's calligraphy!" Xu Jiang said excitedly.
Luo Yan was stabbed in the back, but the two men started serious professional discussions and academic research, which made Luo Yan's face turn even greener.
Su Man watched all this quietly, like a queen who had won the game of chess.
She used what Luo Yan and Tao Jinmei had just said to her to respond, "Mom, where did you get this painting? Did it cost a lot of money? Hurry up and save the evidence. Maybe we can hold them accountable."
"That's none of your concern." Tao Jinmei said stiffly.
As the banquet was about to begin, Tao Jinmei no longer had the face to stay with Old Madam Xiao. Not long after, she made an excuse to say goodbye to Old Madam Xiao, and left the birthday party in disgrace, taking Luo Yan with her.
Xiao Beisheng didn't care about Luo Yan's departure at this moment, but obediently returned to the main table and sat next to Su Man.
When the meal started, Xiao Beisheng considerately picked up some food for Su Man, but just when he was about to put the dish down, Su Man picked up the bowl and avoided it without leaving a trace.
Xiao Beisheng's chopsticks held the dish but stopped mid-eat. He raised his eyebrows, but didn't get angry. He put the dish into his own bowl and ate it slowly.
Old Madam Xiao looked at Su Man, then at Xiao Beisheng, her eyes filled with the words "you deserve it".
Although Xiao Beisheng suffered a setback, he was still happy to do it. After the meal, sweet soup was served. Xiao Beisheng personally served a bowl of it to Su Man and placed it next to her. He also peeled an orange for her, regardless of whether she ate it or not.
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