“What is your name?” Master Chen asked, his face filled with admiration.
“I’m Mei,” Mei replied softly.
Master Chen looked at her with quiet praise before saying, “Please… Miss Mei, may I become your apprentice?”
The entire exhibition hall fell silent.
A heartbeat later, murmurs rippled through the crowd.
Was Master Chen really asking such a young woman to accept him as his apprentice?
It was simply unbelievable.
“I don’t think I’m worthy, Master Chen,” she replied honestly.
Everything she knew had been taught to her by her own master.
In her heart, he was the only person truly worthy of being called a master.
Master Chen shook his head repeatedly.
“Please, accept me as your apprentice. I have admired Master Yinshen’s works for many years. Until today, I believed no one could distinguish between his authentic paintings and forgeries better than I could. Yet you recognised it with a single glance. I am truly indebted to you.”
As he spoke, he bowed respectfully before her.
The crowd became even noisier.
“Did Master Chen really ask that young woman to accept him as his apprentice?”
“Is she truly that amazing?”
Mei felt increasingly embarrassed beneath everyone’s gaze.
She had never liked attracting attention.
Being the centre of everyone’s discussion made her deeply uncomfortable.
“It’s alright, Master Chen. I agree,” she said gently, hoping the matter would end as quickly as possible.
Master Chen’s face immediately lit up with joy.
“I would like to learn everything you know about Master Yinshen’s art.”
His smile was so genuine that Mei could not help returning it with a faint smile of her own.
The two exchanged their WeChat contacts before Master Chen excused himself after receiving an important call.
Even as he walked away, the smile on his face never faded.
Camille bit her lip until she almost tasted blood.
She had completely become the laughing stock of the exhibition.
“That young lady is actually far more outstanding than her sister. Whether it’s her appearance, her temperament, or her knowledge.”
“How despicable. She actually tried to make her own sister look like a thief.”
The whispers continued without mercy.
Camille’s eyes slowly turned red.
She had always been admired wherever she went.
She had always been the centre of attention.
Never before had she suffered such humiliation.
“Camille didn’t mean any harm. She was only looking out for her sister,” Yao stepped forward and defended her.
Although Camille’s personality was far from pleasant, the friendship between their families had to be maintained.
Compared to the Yao family, the Zhao family possessed far greater influence and wealth.
“This was only a misunderstanding,” Odessa finally spoke.
She had remained silent throughout because she had been too embarrassed to say anything.
Deep down, however, she had already expected this outcome.
If only Camille had listened to her advice, none of this humiliation would have happened.
The crowd gradually dispersed.
The journalists present looked particularly delighted.
Their faces were filled with unconcealed excitement.
Odessa slowly walked towards Camille and Yao before gently taking Camille’s hand, hoping to comfort her.
At that moment, the Fu family arrived.
They had already heard about the incident involving the painting.
Madam Lu had questioned Master Chen, who enthusiastically spoke about a young woman named Mei before leaving the exhibition.
His admiration had been impossible to hide.
Until today, Madam Lu had only known that Mei was the Zhao family’s First Young Lady.
Hearing someone as respected as Master Chen praise her so sincerely left a deep impression on her.
A quiet smile slowly curved across her lips.
Perhaps her future daughter-in-law was even more remarkable than she had imagined.
Lucian’s gaze landed on Camille first.
He noticed the tears running down her cheeks.
His brows furrowed almost imperceptibly before he looked away.
He had always disliked emotional women.
His eyes wandered across the exhibition hall before finally settling on Mei.
She was sitting quietly on a nearby sofa, completely absorbed in her phone.
Something about her felt strangely familiar.
He could not explain why, his gaze lingered on her for only a brief moment before he calmly looked away.
Camille caught that fleeting glance, Jealousy instantly surged through her heart.
Lucian looked at her with nothing but indifference, Yet whenever his eyes rested on Mei, there seemed to be the faintest trace of warmth.
Meanwhile, Mei could clearly feel someone watching her.
She resisted the urge to look up, For some reason, she was certain it was Lucian.
His gaze carried an invisible pressure that made her uneasy.
She feared that if their eyes met, she would become flustered, With so many people present, she did not want anyone to notice.
Just then, an announcement echoed throughout the exhibition hall.
“Everyone except the Zhao family must leave the exhibition hall immediately.”
The security guards immediately began escorting the remaining guests outside.
Confused murmurs echoed throughout the exhibition hall as the guests reluctantly made their way towards the exit.
Wei Lu had already instructed them to leave Mei behind.
The marriage contract was about to be signed, it was strictly confidential.
If the media discovered it, countless unnecessary complications would follow.
Everything about it existed solely for the benefit of both families.
After the exhibition hall had been completely cleared, Wei Lu finally spoke.
“Please, have your seats.”
Everyone quietly took their seats.
A waiter approached and placed a glass of Negroni before each of them.
Its deep crimson colour shimmered softly beneath the lights.
Mei took a small sip and bitterness spread across her tongue almost instantly, followed by the sharp burn of alcohol.
She had always had an extremely low tolerance for alcohol.
Without drawing anyone’s attention, she quietly placed the glass behind her.
Whatever was about to happen was clearly important.
The last thing she needed was to become tipsy.
Wei Lu slowly glanced around the table before speaking.
Madam Lu gently pushed a document towards Mei.
“Our family has only one condition. Once this marriage is established, it cannot be dissolved. If either party chooses to end the marriage, the Fu family will immediately withdraw every business alliance with the Zhao family. In addition, the Zhao family will compensate the Fu family with two billion yuan.”
Every condition had already been clearly written within the contract.
Lucian’s signature rested neatly at the bottom of the final page.
Now…
It was Mei’s turn.
“I’m not signing that.”
Her refusal came without the slightest hesitation.
She could not marry Lucian simply because her father wanted her to.
She had had believed she could sacrifice herself for her grandmother’s sake.
But now, as the contract lay before her, she realised she simply could not do it.
Was this sacrifice truly worth it?
Her eyes unconsciously drifted towards Lucian.
His handsome face remained cold and unreadable.
The mere thought of sharing a home…
A room…
A lifetime…
With such a man made her chest tighten.
The pen felt unusually heavy in her hand.
Once her name touched the paper, there would be no turning back.
Her freedom….Her future…Everything she still had.
All of it would disappear with a single signature.
“Sign the contract,” An Zhao said coldly, fixing her with a warning look.
Mei immediately understood what that look meant.
Her grandmother..
He was threatening her with her grandmother once again.
How could he be so heartless?
The determination she had fought so hard to maintain finally began to crumble.
“Please… I can’t marry him,” Mei pleaded through her tears.
She had always endured every hardship alone.
Solving her own problems without asking anyone for help.
Perhaps because of that, An Zhao had become increasingly ruthless towards her.
He believed she would always give in.
“I’ll do anything,” she cried, tears streaming uncontrollably down her cheeks.
“Anything… except marrying him.”
She knew that once she married Lucian…
The life she knew would be over.
Lucian looked at her with undisguised confusion.
Countless women dreamed of becoming Mrs Fu.
Many would willingly remain his mistress if they could not become his wife.
Yet the woman chosen to marry him was crying as though she had been sentenced to death.
For the first time in years…
He felt insulted.
His cold eyes settled on Mei.
“Are you finished?”