“Let me see! Let me see!”
Du Yansong was just as interested in what Shen Sangyu had brought out. He pushed Fu Yingqi, who was standing beside Shen Sangyu, aside and stepped forward.
He carefully took the slender vase into his hands before asking Shen Sangyu, “What do you think?”
She didn’t try to hide anything and answered frankly.
“It looks like Xuande blue-and-white porcelain…”
“Tell me what you see.”
Du Yansong clearly intended to test her.
“The blue pigment looks like Su Ma Li Qing… As for the shape, it’s quite different from Yuan Dynasty blue-and-white porcelain, so it should be from the Ming Dynasty.”
Shen Sangyu paused and glanced at Du Yansong before continuing.
“The blue-and-white design depicts waves, and it has that orange-peel texture. It’s not from the Yongle period either, so I think it should be from the Xuande period.”
Seeing Du Yansong nod repeatedly, Shen Sangyu knew she’d gotten it right.
When it came to antiques, people with a good eye often relied heavily on instinct. But if you wanted to explain exactly why something was genuine or valuable, you still needed a certain level of expertise.
Shen Sangyu had only been able to do this because of the years she had spent at the Beijing Museum in her previous life.
Otherwise, she really wouldn’t have known what to say.
She couldn’t exactly tell him that she had seen it with her right eye!
“Mm. It is Xuande blue-and-white porcelain, but it’s not a particularly rare masterpiece. In this condition, it’s probably worth around thirty million yuan.”
Du Yansong put down his magnifying glass.
At this point, he was even more determined to recruit Shen Sangyu as his doctoral student.
“Miss Shen, are you planning to keep it for your own collection, or are you looking for a buyer?”
Shen Sangyu turned to look at Shen Qian.
She wanted to hear what the old man thought.
Just as expected, Shen Qian was completely dumbfounded.
After all, he’d always believed the vase was a fake. Every now and then, he’d even used it to put fresh flowers in.
Thirty million!
Shen Qian had probably used up an entire year’s worth of shock in one afternoon.
But the family wasn’t short of money at the moment, and besides, this was an heirloom left behind by his father…
“Professor Du, let Dad go home and discuss it with Mom first.”
For the Shen family, this was a major decision.
“Ah, yes, yes! I’ll go home and discuss it with Sangyu’s mother first.”
“Perfect timing. The food should be ready soon. Let’s all go eat first…”
“Huh?”
Shen Sangyu was stopped by Fu Yingqi, who was walking at the very back.
“What is it, Third Brother Fu?”
She glanced at Shen Qian, who was a short distance ahead, then rose slightly onto her toes and leaned toward Fu Yingqi’s ear, lowering her voice.
“Is something wrong?”
“There is something. I think you should know… Shall we talk over there?”
Fu Yingqi froze for a moment at the girl’s sudden movement.
A clean, refreshing fragrance drifted toward him from her.
What could someone as powerful as Fu Yingqi possibly have to say that he couldn’t say in front of everyone?
Still, Shen Sangyu obediently followed him toward the window.
After all, he had given her that black card.
“Be careful of the Meng family in the capital.”
Shen Sangyu’s eyes flickered.
How did Fu Yingqi know about her connection to the Meng family?
Her light-brown eyes stared up at the considerably taller man, filled with confusion.
Fu Yingqi told her everything.
The people he’d placed around Shen Sangyu had discovered that Shi Qing had been in contact with the Meng family.
There was a trace of hesitation in Fu Yingqi’s voice.
He was probably worried that having people protect her without her knowledge, and secretly investigating the matter, might make her uncomfortable.
“The painting Shi Qing gave your father is a fake. Someone behind the scenes is probably acting on the instructions of the Meng family’s younger daughter, Meng Chengxi…”
Shen Sangyu understood immediately.
She had originally planned to use the situation to her advantage.
She hadn’t expected Fu Yingqi to stumble across the truth while investigating it himself.
“Thank you, Third Brother. I already have a plan for this.”
Shen Sangyu wasn’t the kind of person who failed to appreciate someone’s good intentions.
Someone was willing to protect her, and that someone happened to be Fu Yingqi, a tall, handsome, wealthy big shot.
Fu Yingqi saw that Shen Sangyu wasn’t angry at all, but he still reminded her, “From what I’ve found, the Meng couple don’t know what Meng Chengxi is doing.”
“Sangyu…”
The man paused slightly, clearly hesitating.
“I heard Meng Chengxi will be transferring to Haishi Experimental High School No. 1 soon.”
Fu Yingqi respected her.
If there was something Shen Sangyu didn’t want to talk about, he wouldn’t interfere without permission.
But he would always stay behind her and protect her.
“Transfer schools now?”
If Shen Sangyu remembered correctly, Meng Chengxi was also a senior in high school!
The textbooks used in Haishi and the capital weren’t the same. Even the college entrance examination papers were different.
Shen Sangyu wrinkled her delicate nose.
Meng Chengxi really couldn’t wait.
At such a crucial point in senior year, she actually had time to transfer schools just to deal with her?
“The Meng couple don’t know she’s transferring because of you.”
Seeing her wrinkled nose and puzzled expression, Fu Yingqi couldn’t help explaining.
Shen Sangyu suddenly understood.
Meng Chengxi was afraid that her parents would find out about her schemes.
That was why, even when she wanted to deal with Shen Sangyu, she didn’t dare casually use the Meng family’s influence.
Instead, she’d found Shi Qing, someone with no connection to the Meng family whatsoever, and used him to set a trap for Shen Qian.
Earlier that morning, Shen Qian had already gone to the notary office, paid the money, and retrieved the fake painting.
When Meng Chengxi realized that things hadn’t gone according to plan, she panicked.
She had no choice but to come to Haishi herself and keep an eye on Shen Sangyu, making sure she had no opportunity to get close to her parents.
A look of disdain flashed through Shen Sangyu’s eyes.
What an idiot!
She had actually been outmaneuvered by someone this stupid in her previous life?
What a humiliation!
“Third Brother, you look much better today. Have you been wearing the prayer beads properly?”
The moment Shen Sangyu saw him, she’d already checked him with her right eye.
The energy circulating around Fu Yingqi’s meridians was very stable.
“Of course. I remember everything you told me.”
Fu Yingqi rolled up his shirt sleeve, revealing the Qibao prayer beads around his wrist.
“Good. If you start feeling uncomfortable, call me!”
Seeing the faintly expectant look on Fu Yingqi’s face, as though he were waiting for praise, Shen Sangyu didn’t hold back.
She reached out and gently lowered his rolled-up sleeve.
Fu Yingqi nodded.
“If anything happens to you, you have to call me too…”
“Anything at all.”
“Got it, Third Brother Fu!”
Shen Sangyu walked beside Fu Yingqi with both hands clasped behind her back.
She didn’t notice that the man had quietly shortened the distance between them.
His shoulder brushed against hers.
Nor did she notice the tender, lingering look in his eyes whenever he lowered his head to look at her…
Thirty million!
When Shen Qian told Zhou Hui what had happened that afternoon at Qinan Restaurant, Zhou Hui cried out in shock.
“It’s a major decision for our family, after all. We should discuss it together.”
Compared with his mother, Shen Jingnian was remarkably calm.
“Dad, I’ll go with whatever you and Mom decide.”
Shen Qian and Zhou Hui turned toward Shen Sangyu at the same time.
Shen Sangyu raised her hand and obediently said,
“Dad, Mom, this vase was left to you by Grandpa.
“Beyond its monetary value, the emotions attached to it are something that can’t be measured.
“My brother and I will respect whatever you decide.”
If she had been thinking the same way she had immediately after being reborn, she would definitely have urged Shen Qian to sell it.
But now, besides the unlimited black card Fu Yingqi had given her, she also had the priceless rhinoceros horn cup being consigned for sale through Li Ming.
If they ever needed emergency funds, those assets would certainly be enough.
After so many years of marriage, Shen Qian and Zhou Hui only needed to exchange a glance before reaching their decision.
They weren’t selling it.
“We’ll keep it as a family heirloom!”
Well…
That was a good idea too.
After all, her mother had no idea that her daughter could now identify countless priceless treasures.
To Zhou Hui, a Ming Dynasty vase was indeed an extraordinary family treasure.
“Oh, right, Sang-sang. Dad brought that painting home.”
Although Shen Qian didn’t know why his daughter had insisted on buying that fake painting from Shi Qing, she had never asked him for anything while growing up.
It was only five million yuan.
If she wanted it, then so be it!
Of course, he hadn’t dared tell Zhou Hui that the painting was fake.