Chapter 53

Chapter 53

Su Hua spent two consecutive months undergoing rehabilitation for the fingers on her left hand.

Once her flexibility had mostly recovered, she returned to Gubaozhai.

As soon as she stepped through the door, she saw the shop’s appraiser, Cui Shousheng, holding an oversized magnifying glass. He was peering intently at an ancient painting on the counter, verifying its authenticity.

Su Hua cast a casual glance at it as she passed by.

It was Zheng Banqiao’s Ink Bamboo Painting.

She had practiced calligraphy and painting since childhood, and the first works she had ever copied were Zheng Banqiao’s ink bamboos. With just a cursory look, she could get a good sense of a piece.

Cui Shousheng pushed his glasses up his nose and asked the seller, “How much are you looking to get for this?”

The seller was a middle-aged man in shabby clothes. He kept his hands tucked into his sleeves and hunched his shoulders, saying, “This is Zheng Banqiao’s Ink Bamboo Painting, passed down from my ancestors. I wouldn’t sell it unless I had no other choice. I’ve looked into auction prices from previous years; they all start at thirty million.”

The implication was that the price couldn’t be much lower than that.

Tens of millions was no small sum.

Cui Shousheng narrowed his eyes, staring at the painting for a few more moments before asking, “Why don’t you take it to an auction house?”

The middle-aged man rubbed his nose. “I need the money urgently. Going through an auction house takes time, and I can’t afford to wait. I don’t mind a lower price if I sell it to you, as long as the payment is fast.”

Cui Shousheng clicked his tongue. “We can’t offer a price that high.”

The seller hesitated for a moment. “Fine, give me an offer. If the price is right, I’ll sell. We can negotiate.”

Su Hua’s footsteps suddenly stopped.

From a distance, she took another look at the painting.

Noticing the strange look on her face, Cui Shousheng called out, “Xiao Su, come over and take a look at this painting.”

Su Hua walked back.

She put on the shop’s specialized white gloves, lifted the painting from the counter, and began to examine it closely.

On the canvas, the elegant bamboos were arranged in a well-spaced, rhythmic composition. The stalks were thin but imbued with strength. The bamboo leaves were flicked out with a stiff-haired brush, displaying the horizontal and diagonal strokes of clerical script, while the trunks carried the brushwork intent of seal script, swaying with grace.

It was indeed an authentic work by Zheng Banqiao.

However, Su Hua felt that something was not quite right.

She couldn’t say exactly what it was at the moment. It was simply an intuition developed over years of constant exposure to such works.

She looked up and asked Cui Shousheng, “Has it been tested with instruments?”

Cui Shousheng nodded. “Yes. The age of the paper and ink are correct. The painting style and the Seal Imprint are also right. It’s confirmed to be an original.”

The reason he was hesitating was the high price; he had to be cautious.

Su Hua took the magnifying glass from him and studied the painting even more carefully. As she looked, her expression grew increasingly solemn.

She rolled the painting back up and gave Cui Shousheng a meaningful look.

Cui Shousheng understood. He handed the painting back to the seller and said with a smile, “My apologies, but we ‘cannot see through’ this painting.”

“Cannot see through” was jargon in the Antiques trade, meaning the item was a fake.

The seller immediately grew agitated. “You’ve tested this painting with your machines! The paper and ink are both from the Qing Dynasty, and the seals are real. How can you ‘not see through’ it?”

Cui Shousheng couldn’t give a specific reason.

In his heart, he actually believed the painting was genuine.

Seeing his hesitation, the seller’s attitude shifted. He sat down on a chair, dropping his previous timid act for a more belligerent one. “This painting was passed down from my ancestors. You have to give me an explanation today, or I’m not leaving.”

When a shop has been open for a long time, one encounters all sorts of people. Scoundrels like this were not uncommon.

In the past, Cui Shousheng would have dismissed him with a few words. But with this painting, he truly couldn’t find a single flaw. He had no choice but to cast a pleading look at Su Hua.

The shop assistants also looked toward her.

Under the gaze of the crowd, Su Hua walked up to the seller and whispered a few words into his ear.

Upon hearing them, the man’s face changed instantly. He rolled up the painting and scurried away in disgrace.

Once he was gone, Cui Shousheng asked Su Hua curiously, “Xiao Su, what did you say to him? What exactly was wrong with that painting?”

Su Hua gave an elegant, refined smile and said, “That painting was Peeled.”

Ancient paintings, especially those by famous historical figures, commanded astronomical prices-often millions or tens of millions, sometimes even hundreds of millions.

Where there is massive profit, there are those who will take extreme risks.

A master of ancient painting restoration can peel a single painting into two or three layers to seek huge profits.

The most skilled can even manage five or six layers. There are even legends of One Painting Nine Peels, though paintings that meet the criteria for such a feat are extremely rare, and the risk is immense; a single mistake can destroy the entire work.
Cui Shousheng’s face darkened as he heard her words, a cold sweat breaking out across his back.

It was fortunate that Su Hua had arrived when she did; otherwise, his eyes would have failed him. If he had accepted a painting worth tens of millions only for it to be a fake, he would have lost everything down to his last cent. More importantly, his reputation in this industry would have been utterly ruined.

When Su Hua first arrived, the Young Master had told him to consult her if there was anything he couldn’t figure out. At the time, he had been quite indignant. Now, he was completely humbled.

Hunching his shoulders, Cui Shousheng asked, “How did you tell?”

Su Hua gave a faint smile.

Although the paper, ink, and seals on that painting were all genuine, a closer look revealed extremely tiny burrs that hadn’t been properly smoothed out. However, she didn’t mention that. She simply said nonchalantly, “Intuition. I’ve been dealing with ancient calligraphy and paintings since I was a child. Even though I’m young, I’ve been in this trade for nearly twenty years. At first glance, something felt off. When I looked closer, it turned out I was right.”

She had said something similar when she first arrived. Back then, Cui Shousheng thought she was just bragging, but now he felt she was being modest. Her mastery of ancient calligraphy and painting was simply superior to his; he had no choice but to be impressed.

Cui Shousheng’s old face wrinkled into a smile like a blooming chrysanthemum. He glanced down at Su Hua’s hand and said with a tone of concern mixed with a hint of flattery, “Teacher Su, how is your hand recovering? I know a very famous acupuncturist. Would you like me to introduce you?”

Everyone present was stunned.

Cui Shousheng was the eldest in the shop. He prided himself on his appraisal skills and was usually incredibly aloof. Even Shen Huai, the Young Master, had to show him a measure of respect and properly address him as “Elder Cui.”

Yet now, he had changed his tune and was calling the twenty-three-year-old Su Hua “Teacher Su.”

Su Hua was also slightly taken aback. She smiled and said, “Elder Cui, please just call me Xiao Su.”

Cui Shousheng waved his hands repeatedly. “No, from now on, I shall call you Teacher Su. If you hadn’t taken that look just now, I would have made a grave mistake.”

It was a painting worth tens of millions, after all. He felt that calling her “Teacher” was well worth it.

Su Hua didn’t say anything more. She smiled, took off her gloves, and went upstairs.

Because of her hand injury, she had been on leave for nearly three months, and work had piled up. However, restoring ancient calligraphy and paintings was delicate work-it was a labor of conscience that couldn’t be rushed or forced.

Closing the door, she stretched her fingers and began to work.

She stayed busy until noon, then picked up her phone and saw two missed calls. Since she couldn’t afford to be distracted while working, she usually kept her phone on silent. She dialed the number back.

It was from the photo studio, informing her that their wedding photos were ready and asking her to come pick them up.

In the afternoon, Su Hua had the driver take her to the studio to collect the photos. At the time of the shoot, because they were planning to divorce, they had only worn one set of clothes. They had enlarged one photo and made a single album for her to take with her. Now, she felt a bit of regret that they hadn’t taken more photos in different outfits.

Su Hua was extremely satisfied with the wedding photos. Both of them were very photogenic; they looked like a perfect, high-status couple made for each other.

The driver helped carry the massive wedding portrait into the car. Once Su Hua was settled inside, she called Gu Beixian. “I’ve picked up the wedding photos. I really like them, so I want to treat you to dinner. What time will you be finished?”

Gu Beixian gave a light chuckle. “I’m inspecting the progress at a construction site. It’ll be a while.”

Su Hua asked, “Which site? I’ll come pick you up.”

Gu Beixian teased, “Student Su Hua, you’re getting a bit clingy.”

Su Hua smiled. “I’m only clingy with you. What are you going to do about it?”

Gu Beixian’s smile deepened. “I’m at the Binjiang Mingzhu site. Tell the driver; he knows the way.”

“Okay, see you soon.”

Forty minutes later, the driver brought Su Hua to the Binjiang Mingzhu development. After getting out of the car, she immediately spotted the limited-edition luxury limousine parked at the entrance of the site-it was Gu Beixian’s.

Su Hua took out her phone to call him. Just as she was about to dial, she saw a group of people rushing out of the construction site gates.

Leading them was Gu Beixian. He was carrying Chu Suosuo in his arms, his expression hurried as he strode toward the car parked by the roadside.

As they reached the vehicle, someone quickly pulled the door open. Gu Beixian, still holding Chu Suosuo, bent down and sat inside.

The car sped away, leaving behind a cloud of white exhaust.

Su Hua’s phone slipped from her hand and hit the ground. Her heart shattered with a heavy thud.