“Who is this old man? Does he even have the right to speak here?”
“Lower your voice. Don’t you see Patriarch Chen standing beside him?”
“You’re right. Why does it feel like Patriarch Chen is acting like a servant in front of him? Do we have such a powerful figure in Jinling?”
Yan Wenjing’s appearance stirred curiosity among the crowd. They searched every corner of their memories, yet none of them recognized him.
Bai Jianhao was also stunned. The old man looked simple, even plainly dressed, but he did not dare act rashly. He stepped forward and asked, “May I ask who this elder is?”
“Who I am is not important. What matters is that this young man truly came to wish you a happy birthday.”
Yan Wenjing spoke calmly. Then he stepped forward, looked at the chipped bowl in Lin Yi’s hand, and said, “If I am not mistaken, this should be a blue-and-white porcelain bowl from the Zhengde period of the Ming Dynasty. Its market value should be over 800,000 yuan. Unfortunately, it has a chipped corner, so now it is worth only a little over 100,000 yuan.”
The entire hall exploded into uproar.
This broken bowl was worth over 100,000 yuan?
Was money really that easy to make?
“No way. Just this broken bowl?”
Bai Jianhao was shocked. That bowl was so shabby that even a beggar might curse if given it.
“Didn’t the elder just say it? It’s a blue-and-white porcelain bowl from the Zhengde period of the Ming Dynasty.”
“Or does Patriarch Bai not trust us?”
Chen Tianlei frowned.
“I wouldn’t dare.”
Bai Jianhao hurriedly waved his hands. He had done considerable business with Chen Tianlei before, which was why he could invite him to this birthday banquet.
But the Chen Family was one of the Four Great Families of Jinling. Bai Jianhao did not dare offend him.
“This bowl really is an antique?”
Bai Jianhao took the porcelain bowl from Lin Yi and examined it carefully.
“If the elder says it is, then it is. If it turns out not to be, I will compensate you at full value.”
Chen Tianlei’s single sentence left Bai Jianhao speechless.
The crowd grew even more curious about who this old man truly was, to make the proud Chen Tianlei willingly follow his lead.
“Elder, you have sharp eyes. It is indeed an antique from the Zhengde era. I deliberately searched for it at the antique market to give to Uncle Bai.”
“I wonder if Uncle Bai likes it.”
Lin Yi smiled.
“I like it, of course I like it.”
Bai Jianhao answered quickly. Who would refuse money?
Moreover, among all the gifts present, Lin Yi’s was the most valuable.
“Dad, you even tried to have the guards throw Brother Lin Yi out.”
Bai Susu pouted, not expecting Brother Lin Yi to be so impressive.
As expected of him.
“You understand antiques at such a young age?”
Yan Wenjing looked at Lin Yi.
“I only know a little.”
Lin Yi replied modestly.
“At such a young age, to have such insight is truly rare.”
“Unfortunately, I also only know a little. Otherwise, I could have had a proper exchange with you.”
Yan Wenjing smiled. His strength lay in traditional Chinese painting. Antiques were merely a hobby.
Even so, the antiques and paintings in his home were worth over 1 billion yuan.
“Young man, your name is Lin Yi, right? Since the elder likes you, if you encounter trouble in the future, you may come to the Chen Family to find me.”
Chen Tianlei could see that Yan Wenjing greatly appreciated this young man, so he did not hesitate to extend goodwill.
The crowd gasped again. Lin Yi had already established a connection with the Chen Family?
Was his luck really this good?
Clearly, Chen Tianlei was worth far more than that broken antique bowl.
“Thank you both for your kindness.”
Lin Yi remained polite. Suddenly, he changed tone and sighed, “On my way here, I had my eye on a painting worth tens of millions of yuan. Unfortunately, someone deliberately targeted me and intercepted it by force.”
“Who did it?”
Yan Wenjing’s face darkened. He loved collecting antiques, but he loved collecting paintings even more.
For someone so young to understand both antiques and paintings was already rare.
Who could be so shameless as to target him and forcibly seize the painting?
It was utterly disgraceful, outright banditry.
Bai Jianhao was also startled. A painting worth tens of millions of yuan. If it had not been intercepted, would that not have been his gift?
For the first time, Bai Jianhao felt favorable toward Lin Yi.
Chen Tianlei also asked, “Who is that person? Do you know him?”
“I know him, but I dare not provoke him. He holds considerable power in Jinling, and he is present here today.”
Lin Yi shook his head.
“Do not be afraid, young man. As long as it is in Jinling, no matter who he is, I will stand up for you.”
Chen Tianlei had always valued chivalry. Hearing Lin Yi’s words, he immediately expressed his stance angrily.
“Very well. Today, I will not fear power. I will speak plainly.”
Lin Yi took a deep breath. This was the sentence he had been waiting for.
“Speak freely. Such shameless acts cannot be tolerated.”
Chen Tianlei declared righteously. Lin Yi seemed likeable enough, but why was he dragging this out so much?
“The person is Young Master Ye Feng.”
Lin Yi’s gaze shifted toward Ye Feng.
Boom!
For a moment, it felt as if thunder had struck everyone’s heads.
“How could it be Young Master Ye Feng? That must be a joke.”
“I refuse to believe it. The Ye Family is so wealthy. Why would they seize someone else’s things?”
“I’ve never heard that Young Master Ye Feng has any interest in paintings.”
“You don’t get it. Think carefully. Miss Bai Susu is so close to this Lin Yi. Perhaps Young Master Ye is deliberately retaliating.”
The crowd whispered among themselves.
“Young Master Ye, how could you…”
Bai Jianhao was shocked.
Chen Tianlei was also stunned. He had not expected it to be Ye Feng, that spendthrift.
He, Chen Tianlei, was not afraid of the Ye Family, but there was no need to make enemies with them either.
Out of his dislike for Ye Feng, he glared angrily at his useless son standing beside Ye Feng.
Chen Zixun jumped in fright and immediately scurried back to his father’s side.
“Brother Ye Feng, you don’t even like paintings. Why did you snatch Brother Lin Yi’s?”
“He has no grudge against you. Why are you targeting him?”
Bai Susu cried out indignantly.
Bai Jianhao subconsciously nodded, but he thought more deeply.
Ye Feng surely did not understand paintings. His interception of Lin Yi must not be that simple.
Was he jealous over his daughter?
“Young Master Ye, the Ye Family is a prominent family in Jinling. Even if the painting is worth tens of millions of yuan, surely your family does not lack that money.”
“That painting was meant as a gift for Uncle Bai. Please return it to me.”
“If I offended you before, I apologize. I am just a poor student. I am not worth Young Master Ye deliberately targeting.”
Lin Yi stepped forward, adopting the posture of apology.
Ye Feng found it amusing. Lin Yi’s move appeared naive, but it was actually malicious.
If Ye Feng refused to return the painting, it would prove that he, the wealthy young master, was deliberately bullying a poor student like Lin Yi. Moralists would drown him in condemnation.
But if he returned the painting, it would confirm that he had deliberately targeted Lin Yi because of Bai Susu. In the eyes of others, he would still be the pathetic simp Ye Feng.
However, Lin Yi was clever, and Ye Feng was not foolish either. If they were going to compete, then let them see who was superior.
He immediately snorted coldly and said firmly, “Student Lin Yi, you must be joking. That painting was something I purchased with money, not something I snatched.”
“Do you recognize it as ‘Autumn Geese and Sunset Clouds,’ while I do not?”
“Besides, you could not even produce the 300 yuan to buy it, while I paid 500 yuan. Everyone, explain to me what counts as ‘snatching’ and what counts as ‘intercepting’.”
“What the hell do you mean by targeting you, Lin Yi!”