Taming The Hidden Bigshot By Kissing Him

Chapter 20: Chapter 20 Today You’re A Bit Naughty

Qiao Xi and Huo Sijiao returned to their seats when the auction was nearing its end.

By Huo Xingzhou’s side was a red velvet long box, which appeared to have just been won at the auction.

Next to him, Huo Beiting was brazenly showing off the “Longevity Map of Pine and Crane,” huddling with a few people to appreciate it.

Those people were all flattering, full of compliments.

The value of being an heir to the Huo Family was no small matter, representing the pinnacle of Haicheng’s elite. Huo Beiting had indeed been born into good fortune.

“The elder has acquired an authentic piece, Mr. Huo Senior must be very pleased.”

...

“I heard that on your seventieth birthday you will be announced as the successor, we hope you’ll take good care of us then.”

Huo Beiting, feeling inflated with pride, waved his hand with a smile and said, “That hasn’t been decided yet.”

“Who else could compete with you? That crippled waste? Ha, he can’t even be a real man.”

A round of flattery left Huo Beiting riding high. His narrow, cold phoenix eyes looked towards Huo Xingzhou, filled with arrogance and disdain.

Suddenly, there was a commotion in the auction hall.

“Master Qi is here!”

“Why is Qi Sanshi here? I heard he was also involved in appraising the ‘Longevity Map of Pine and Crane,’ wonder why he didn’t issue an appraisal certificate.”

Qi Sanshi, a master of Chinese cultural relic appraisal, with a deep family heritage, was known as a “living history.” The value of any antique appraised by him would soar by half.

Huo Xingzhou picked up a celadon ceramic teacup and took a sip of the bitter tea, his thin lips curving into an almost imperceptible smirk behind the cover of the cup.

The stage was set for a good show.

He pushed another cup of tea toward Qiao Xi, “Your lips are chapped, have some tea to moisturize them.”

Qiao Xi was drawn to his elegantly long hands and accepted the teacup.

“Master Qi!”

“It’s truly an honor to have Master Qi here.”

A large crowd gathered around him, even Huo Beiting wanted to make his acquaintance, hoping to invite him to his grandfather’s birthday banquet.

Qi Sanshi’s expression was grave, “I am here for the ‘Longevity Map of Pine and Crane,’ has it been auctioned?”

“It’s already done!”

“Our young Master Huo won it, spending thirty-five million without batting an eye, to present it to Mr. Huo Senior! Such filial piety is beyond our reach.”

Huo Beiting puffed out his chest, with Su Weiwei clinging to his arm chiming in, “Our Beiting is really filial. Unlike the second branch, so miserly—they only spent one hundred thousand in the entire auction and got some junk.”

“Where is the ‘Longevity Map of Pine and Crane’ painting?” Qi Sanshi asked urgently.

“Right here.” Huo Beiting handed the luxurious brocade box to Qi Sanshi, “Please, take your time appreciating it, I’m in no rush to take it home.” @@novelbin@@

Qi Sanshi slowly unrolled the scroll, the pine and crane on it looked lively and charming, eliciting a round of exclamations of admiration.

“Pff, showing off,” Huo Sijiao said sourly, as bitter as a lemon.

Qiao Xi turned to gaze at Huo Xingzhou, sensing his good mood.

Why was that?

In the crowd.

Master Qi, with magnifying glass and tweezers in hand, scrutinized the “Longevity Map of Pine and Crane” painting over and over. Finally, he clutched his chest and proclaimed loudly.

“It’s wrong, all wrong!”

Qi Sanshi slapped his thigh in frustration, saying, “It’s my fault I didn’t realize it last time.”

“Master Qi, what’s wrong?” the crowd asked curiously.

Huo Beiting grew more nervous, a bad premonition welling up inside him.

“This painting, it’s a forgery!”

Qi Sanshi, with his white hair, clasped his wrist and sighed deeply.

“Impossible! How can it be a forgery!” Huo Beiting was stunned, as if struck by a bolt from the blue!

“Master Qi, could it be a mistake? How… how could it be a forgery! We’re not exactly laymen here.”

“Qi, are you sure you haven’t made a mistake? This paper, the colors, and the age are all correct,” she said.

“This old man must have been bought off. What are you saying? Jiade Auction House has never had a counterfeit before!” Su Weiwei’s face turned pale, and she screamed in agitation.

Qi Sanshi said with regret, “The age of the paper is indeed correct, and so are the ink pad and ink slab, but the painting is a forgery! The forger’s painting skills are incredibly lifelike; even I was deceived. If you just get close to the painting and smell carefully, you will detect the faint scent of ink hidden beneath the odor of artificial aging.”

An ancient painting that has been stored for a long time will lose its fragrance of ink.

“It’s really fake!”

“Who would dare to get so close to smell it? No wonder.”

“It indeed is a fake, I knew the ‘Longevity Map of Pine and Crane’ had vanished from history!”

Who would have thought that the forger was so clever to use paper from the Tang Dynasty to mislead the experts?

Huo Beiting could hardly believe his own ears, feeling as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over him, stiffening his entire body.

“No… It can’t be!”

Su Weiwei bit her teeth, her face red with rage, “Beiting, don’t listen to him. This old man…”

Huo Beiting shoved her away forcefully, veins bulging in his neck, “Shut up, meddlesome woman.”

Qi Sanshi sighed repeatedly, “What a pity, Young Master Huo. If only I could have arrived earlier… But this is a counterfeit, a fake that can’t become real. We also understand the rules of Jiade Auction House.”

No guarantee of authenticity.

Once the transaction is completed, it is the buyer’s responsibility.

Huo Beiting’s thirty-five million had gone to waste, and he was going to be ridiculed behind his back for not recognizing fakes.

The more triumphant he was earlier, the more embarrassed he was now.

Huo Xingzhou put down his teacup, speaking with a look of relief, “Cousin, thank you for bidding so high. The painting is fake, but this thirty-five million worth of filial piety is unmatched by anyone.”

Huo Beiting was so enraged that he felt a rush of heat, his throat filled with the taste of rusty blood.

His eyes rolled back, and he collapsed.

“Young Master Huo!”

“Beiting, don’t scare me! Call an ambulance!”

Huo Sijiao covered her mouth and laughed, “Haha, he fainted from anger, what a cycle of karma.”

“Let’s go.”

Huo Xingzhou said indifferently. His cold features lightly sketched a picture of abstinence.

Qiao Xi’s eyes tilted slightly upward as she pushed his wheelchair out. When he was in a good mood, she couldn’t help but feel happy as well.

Huo Sijiao followed alongside, chattering non-stop.

“He really can’t handle losing. If he had gracefully accepted the counterfeit, everyone would have said he had class. But instead, he fainted from anger, how petty.”

With pride, Huo Sijiao said, “Sister-in-law, my brother is different.”

“Hmm.”

Qiao Xi agreed.

“I’ve called the driver to take you home,” Huo Xingzhou said as they left the auction house.

“Ah? Do I have to part with sister-in-law so soon?” Huo Sijiao pursed her lips, “Well, I’ll go ahead then, I won’t disturb your time together. Sister-in-law, goodbye.”

“Goodbye, take care on your way,” Qiao Xi said, waving her hand and watching her get into the car.

Afterward, the driver helped Huo Xingzhou into the black Rolls-Royce, and Qiao Xi sat beside him. Her emotions couldn’t settle for a long time, today’s events were too tumultuous.

As night fell, the streetlights emitted a soft yellow glow, enveloping Qiao Xi in a warm amber light. Her eyes shone clear and tender, her black hair falling straight, covering her swanlike neck that shimmered white.

“Mr. Huo.”

“Hmm?” Huo Xingzhou turned his head casually, the tone in his voice was enticingly sultry.

She stared at him for a long moment before she softly and gently spoke a sentence to him.

“I think, today you… were a bit naughty.”