My Left Eye Can See Through Everything

Zhou Yang smacked his forehead, nearly forgetting something important. Thankfully, Huang Siyu had reminded him.

Luckily, there were plenty of gift shops along the way. After spending a few minutes, he managed to pick out a decent gift box.

Rushing all the way, he arrived at the venue 10 minutes ahead of schedule.

Today’s event was held at a hotel. At first, Zhou Yang didn’t think much of it-people of status often liked to make a grand affair out of things.

So, for someone like Guan Chengru, a big name in the field, hosting a banquet to formally accept a disciple was expected. Zhou Yang had been told as much by Huang Jicheng earlier.

But when he arrived, he was completely taken aback. Reporters were present.

As soon as Zhou Yang showed up, they swarmed him like bees to honey.

“Are you Mr. Zhou?”

“Mr. Zhou, hello! I’m a reporter from Jinling Television. I’ve heard you’re donating a rare antique to the nation. Is that true?”

“Mr. Zhou, I’m with Jinling Daily. Could you tell us why you’ve decided to give such a valuable treasure to the country without compensation?”

Surrounded by reporters, cameras, and flashing lights, Zhou Yang felt overwhelmed.

To be honest, he had never experienced anything like this before. He answered a few questions, but only the simpler ones.

For the more complicated or sensitive inquiries, a middle-aged man in his forties or fifties stepped in to deflect them.

This man was none other than Guan Chengru’s chief disciple and the current Director of Jinling Museum-Xia Changrong.

After finally escaping the reporters, Zhou Yang was drenched in sweat.

“Master, this is for you!”

Breaking free from the crowd, Zhou Yang hurried to Guan Chengru. He knelt halfway, presenting the gift box with both hands.

Guan Chengru’s face lit up with joy.

“Good, good, good!”

“Zhou Yang, you’ve been very thoughtful!”

“Stand up now. Let me introduce you to your senior brothers and sister.”

“This is your Eldest Senior Brother, Xia Changrong, the Director of Jinling Museum.”

Zhou Yang had already guessed as much and quickly greeted him, “Eldest Senior Brother.”

Xia Changrong responded warmly, “Junior Brother.”

“This is your Second Senior Brother, Song Zhengyang. And this is your senior sister, Shi Shangfei¹.”

“Pfft!”

Zhou Yang nearly burst out laughing. Shi Shangfei-what an imaginative name!

“Junior Brother, are you laughing at my name? Do you want me to teach you a lesson?”

Zhou Yang felt a wave of embarrassment. But honestly, it wasn’t entirely his fault. For a young woman, there were surely better names to choose from. Shi Shangfei? Why not Shi Zhenxiang?

Wait, Shi Zhenxiang doesn’t sound much better either.

“Senior Sister, I apologize. It’s my own dirty thoughts that led me astray. I sincerely ask for your forgiveness.”

“My impure mind has tainted your pure heart, Senior Sister!”

Zhou Yang owned up to his mistake without hesitation. If it were someone else, they might have tried to argue their way out, which would have been understandable.

Zhou Yang’s straightforward admission left everyone stunned. It wasn’t just about admitting a mistake-it was about openly acknowledging his own flawed thoughts in front of so many people. This kind of honesty was rare and commendable. Moreover, his words carried a playful tone, adding a touch of camaraderie between senior sister and junior brother.

Even Shi Shangfei’s eyes sparkled with amusement at this moment.

“Alright, alright, as senior brother and sister, we shouldn’t bully our junior brother,” she said.

Guan Chengru accepted Zhou Yang’s gift for a master with a wide smile. “Zhou Yang, I gladly accept your gift. Now, let me return the favor with a gift of my own.”

Today was a truly joyous occasion for Guan Chengru, and the reasons were plenty. First, the museum had gained a valuable antique-a remarkable addition to its collection. Second, he had taken in a disciple who excelled both in character and professional skill. And third, seeing his disciples bantering and bonding brought him immense satisfaction.

Such lighthearted interactions among disciples were harmless and, at times, even helped strengthen their relationships.

“Master, you’re so biased!” Shi Shangfei pouted playfully. “When junior brother was teasing me earlier, you didn’t say a word to defend me. Now, we haven’t even said much, and you’re already taking his side!”

Her tone was more coquettish than accusatory, revealing her favored status with their master.

“You’ll never grow up, will you?” Guan Chengru chuckled, shaking his head. “It’s one thing to fool around with your senior brothers, but now you’re picking on your junior brother too.”

Clearly, Guan Chengru was indulgent toward this disciple, though the tradition of exchanging gifts couldn’t be skipped. Zhou Yang accepted the gift from his master but promptly handed it to Huang Siyu for safekeeping. It wasn’t appropriate to open such a gift in front of everyone, regardless of its value. Unless, of course, the giver intended to surprise the recipient or had some other specific reason for wanting it opened publicly.

By handing the gift to Huang Siyu, Zhou Yang was simply asking her to hold onto it temporarily-nothing more.

The formalities of the apprenticeship ceremony were fairly simple, far less rigid than in ancient times. Zhou Yang offered Guan Chengru a cup of tea, and Guan Chengru shared some principles for conduct and character. With that, the ceremony was complete. Of course, the customary red envelope was still exchanged-a symbolic gesture, even if it contained only a modest amount. After all, this wasn’t the main focus of the day.

The real highlight was the donation ceremony. As the event began, everyone became serious. No one dared to act frivolously, especially since this would be broadcast on television.

The antique was officially donated to the museum, and Zhou Yang received a few tokens of appreciation in return: a certificate of honor, a commemorative banner, and a cash reward of 50,000 yuan. While the reward wasn’t particularly impressive, Zhou Yang didn’t mind. He hadn’t done it for the money.

For him, the day’s greatest gain was intangible. His reputation had been bolstered, and his appearance on television would leave a lasting impression on certain people. Moreover, he had networked with numerous individuals in the antiques circle-connections that might prove useful in the future.

Most importantly, Zhou Yang now had a master. This gave him a legitimate background and status in the field, earning him respect within the community.

The final segment before the banquet was the appraisal of antiques. This part of the event was significant, as the attending guests had each brought one or two items to be evaluated. While it was officially Guan Chengru who would conduct the appraisals, in reality, Zhou Yang was the one doing the work.

Of course, this couldn’t be openly stated-it would undermine the event. Instead, the process was framed as Guan Chengru delegating the task to his disciple, Zhou Yang, which subtly showcased Zhou Yang’s expertise.

Everyone understood this was more about formality than substance. The items brought for appraisal were intentionally straightforward, ensuring the process went smoothly. After all, the real purpose was to highlight Guan Chengru’s new disciple, especially with reporters present.

For instance, the item currently on display…

“Zhou Yang, why don’t you take a look at this piece? Your master’s eyesight isn’t what it used to be,” Guan Chengru said casually, offering a light excuse.

Zhou Yang, fully aware of the situation, nodded promptly and approached the table where the item was placed.

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