Chapter Nine, amidst the mountains and rivers, one doubts there is no way forward

Xue Yuan was extremely angry, following behind her, clutching her bag and heading outside

You are truly a perfect work of art, beautiful from every angle. I have finally come to fully understand him

Since I have known Li Youwei, although he often behaves frivolously, he usually presents a cheerful demeanor in front of her. It is the first time I have seen him with such a cold expression as he has now.

Her face was completely expressionless as she spoke, and an air of gloom surrounded her, making her seem like a different person from her usual self. Li Youwei suddenly felt the urge to embrace her, but ultimately gave up and helplessly patted his forehead: "You are approaching Li Tianming just based on this statement?"

Xue Yuan had never watched the sunset from such a mountaintop, and was deeply moved, thus murmuring to herself: "Rembrandt"

There is no one else but him

Luo Mingyu covered the corner of her mouth and smiled: "Miss Xue must have made a mistake. Perhaps Miss Xue is not familiar with my shop; otherwise, you would know that the paintings in my shop could never be forgeries"

"Zhuang Dongrong?" Luo Mingyu propped his chin on his hand, "I have not heard of this person."

Her expression suddenly changed, her face turning an unappealing shade of pale, and her chest heaved rapidly; Luo Mingyu was initially taken aback, but ultimately, the nature of a businessman took over, and he smiled to ease the situation: "Mr. Li, it seems your gaze has shifted, this Miss Xue truly has a strong personality. You should persuade her well, after all, girls need to be coaxed." After saying this with a smile, she withdrew.

That year, after she had completed her father's funeral, she returned once again to her empty home. Her house was located within an old building with white walls and gray tiles, accessible through a wooden door. She could not cry; she was exhausted, yet sleep eluded her. She went to her father's room, where the honest furniture and the grayish walls bore no trace of modernity. She began to tidy up the house bit by bit. Clothes draped over a stool, cigarette butts on the floor, a drawing board, brushes, paints, and bundles of paintings stacked in the corner. The dim light and the sound of the river's lament outside made it hard for her to stand; she slid down against the wall. At that moment, she saw for the first time the small box under her father's bed.

"You child, why are you being so polite?" Luo Mingyu is clearly only a few years older than her, yet his tone is remarkably mature. Strangely, the maturity does not feel out of place at all. "If you truly appreciate my words, just tell me, how could you think that the painting 'The Devil Playing the Flute' is fake?"

"Consider me a venomous snake or a fierce beast, how amusing," Li Youwei reined in his smile, "I thought you were very eager to find that painting."

Her gaze lingered on the painting for a while, and finally, she simply stood up and leaned in to examine it closely. Li Youwei glanced at her and noticed her palms tightly clenched, her focus unusually intense, and said: "This is a work by Chen Mengxian from twenty years ago, titled 'The Devil Playing the Flute.' There are many paintings here, and most of them are genuine; you can take a look around after you finish your meal"

Li Youwei smiled as he started the car. His driving style was completely different from that of Xiao Zhengyu; the former was quick and aggressive, while Xiao Zhengyu was much more cautious. Sitting in his car, although it was not exactly nerve-wracking, there was always a sense of unease that lingered.

Li Youwei gazed at her, "And then?"

Xue Yuan coldly threw out a sentence: "You don't need to worry about this, just help me find it."

The guest fell silent, his hands clasped behind him as he gazed at the paintings. Xue Yuan had no choice but to follow him, ready to respond to his peculiar questions at any moment. In the end, the two left empty-handed, as if their purpose for coming here was merely to look at the paintings. By the time they were sent off, nearly half of the afternoon had passed. Looking out the window, the sun was slowly moving westward.

Yes, we later learned to look for Zhuang Dongrong. However, he had disappeared, and we could no longer find him; that was probably about fourteen years ago. We lost the lead. I am unclear about the situation that followed, and my father did not mention searching for the painting again until he had the car accident. I found a clue among his belongings, which ultimately led back to Li Tianming.

Li Youwei folded his arms and looked at her: "What does it mean?"

The guest was dismissive: "That sounds quite plausible."

Li Youwei stood on a small clearing protruding from the mountainside, as if an ancient emperor were gesturing to command the landscape with a wave of his hand: "Please."

Looking down, the entire urban area comes into view; with a slight tilt of the head, the sunset has already arrived

Li Youwei's gaze was filled with nails, and his tone resembled that of a disciplinary director reprimanding a student: "Why are you throwing a tantrum for no reason! Do you think this is just any place! Did I bring you here for fun? What kind of people are Luo Mingyu and her husband? How many paintings pass through her hands every year! What you are looking for are paintings, inanimate objects that cannot speak or walk; ultimately, you are still looking for people. Don't be too naive; how could you possibly find them relying solely on formal channels!"

Xue Yuan felt a hundred unwillingness in her heart, but Li Youwei's expressionless face made her believe that what he said was definitely not empty words. Reluctantly, she had no choice but to return to her seat, sitting down numbly. The strap of her bag knocked over the teacup, spilling water all over the table, but she paid no attention to it

Xue Yuan twitched her lips, forcing out a reluctant smile: "Boss Luo, this painting is not a counterfeit. It was entirely my mistake, I apologize."

Perhaps it was because Li Youwei had a significant reputation, Xue Yuan generally described the situation of that painting, and Luo Mingyu readily agreed without even asking for a reason. She leaned against the counter, smiling charmingly at her: "Since it is your request, I will have someone look into the information. All the paintings I have handled here have photo archives. However, it may take some effort to investigate, and it could take some time. If you have any other information, please let me know. After all, more information means more avenues to explore." All the paintings I have handled here have photo archives. However, it may take some effort to investigate, and it could take some time. If you have any other information, please let me know. After all, more information means more avenues to explore.

Correct, there is none

"Even if you don't know, do you have the room to choose?" Li Youwei glanced at her; she still wore that defensive expression, which he found both amusing and helpless. Changing the subject, he asked, "Why did you think that painting was in Li Tianming's hands?"

Xue Yuan endured for a long time, finally suppressing the desire to punch him in the face

Xue Yuan's gaze was fixed on the distant horizon: "Hmm."

Li Youwei shook his head: "Li Tianming has never had an assistant, not once. What happened to Zhuang Dongrong later?"

Xue Yuan fell silent for a moment before saying: "The quality of this counterfeit is very high, and it was created around the same time as the original. Without a comparison to the original work, it is difficult to distinguish authenticity. However, there is a characteristic in Mr. Chen's early works; he would hide his name in an inconspicuous place within the painting, using traditional Chinese characters. In the lower left corner of this painting, his name is also concealed, but it is written in simplified characters. Moreover, the character '先' is written without the final stroke being flat, lacking the curved hook; however, in this painting, the vertical curved hook is very prominent"

The guest revealed a sarcastic smile: "But his works are not here now."

Xue Yuan was left bewildered by the scolding, feeling as if she had just awakened from a dream. She could only stammer without being able to speak, wishing she could bury her head in the table.

The dinner that night was exceedingly long. Li Youwei ate slowly and deliberately, taking a full three hours to finish his meal. His actions, reminiscent of slow motion, left her feeling both angry and helpless. However, due to his assistance, Xue Yuan treated him with particular courtesy, not uttering a single word of complaint.

But Li Tianming said that he does not have that painting, do you believe him

"Well, it is normal that you haven't heard of it," she said politely, "He must be an obscure person. Moreover, this was twenty years ago."

"You didn't say that just now," Li Youwei was determined not to let her off the hook. "You confidently asserted that this painting is definitely not an authentic piece. I have always had great confidence in your aesthetic judgment; I believe whatever you say. Why not share your thoughts with Mingyu as well?"

The two were originally close together. He glanced at her with a smile and sighed, "You are indeed easy to control." His voice carried both satisfaction and regret.

The guest, perplexed and confused, asked: "Why do you not engage in this? Generally speaking, the quality of oil paintings by Chinese artists is far inferior to that of foreign artists"

Xue Yuan suddenly became furious, slamming the table, causing the lid of the teacup on the table to spin with a "hiss". "Li Youwei, what exactly do you want to do? I already said I was mistaken, is that not enough!"

Xue Yuan sneered: "Are you trying to blackmail me?"

At this moment, Li Youwei finally revealed a hint of a smile

Luo Mingyu stared at her as if he were meeting her for the first time, and finally instructed a waiter at the restaurant to take down that painting

The wind on the mountain was strong, carrying a hint of humid warmth. It blew against Xue Yuan's face, disheveling her hair, with strands sticking to her fair neck and cascading over her shoulders. Li Youwei gazed at her, his fingers unconsciously moving, only to realize that his hands were empty, lacking a paintbrush. Yet, his palms itched uncontrollably as he lifted a strand of her hair and leaned in closer.

As they reached the door, a cold voice suddenly came from behind: "As long as you take one step out of here today, I guarantee you will never find that painting for the rest of your life"

Xue Yuan smiled: "Alright"

She raised her eyes and calmly met his gaze, responding: "I understand. I will go and apologize to Boss Luo shortly"

Like a rusty robot, Xue Yuan turned around stiffly, first her head, then her body

Xue Yuan was momentarily taken aback, as she never expected Li Youwei to be so indiscreet and to have summoned the restaurant owner so quickly

Li Youwei introduced with a smile: "This is the owner of this restaurant, her surname is Luo, and this is my friend Xue Yuan. She just said that this painting is a forgery. Mingyu, so I specifically came to you for verification"

At the halfway up the mountain, Li Youwei stopped the car, opened the door, and invited her to get out, as if he had learned diplomatic etiquette, his posture and demeanor impeccably polite. Xue Yuan thought to herself that it was truly remarkable that this person even knew how to write the two characters for "politeness," and she couldn't help but be taken aback, shaking her head and getting out of the car with a wry smile

Li Youwei leaned against the fence and said in a low voice, "If you want me to help, you must speak the truth"

Xue Yuan deeply bowed to her and said: "Thank you very, very much"

The scattered light blankets the earth. The clouds in the western sky roll and rush by in their beauty. No one knows where they drifted from, nor where they are headed. The sky is bright, with layers of clouds, yet they do not obscure the light. The light shines through the clouds, adorning a swift-moving cloud with a bright golden edge.

Luo Mingyu smiled at her and said, "I will remember. I will call you when I have news"

The car navigated through the streets of the city, with a myriad of bright lights lining both sides. Xue Yuan wanted to go back, but Li Youwei would not allow it; he drove in a winding manner, ultimately stopping in front of the quaint little house at home, and without any hesitation, pulled her inside.

On the mountain

Li Youwei asked him: "Why did your father sell the painting? And why did he want to retrieve it?"

The two individuals stood quietly at the mountain peak, gazing into the distance until the last ray of light vanished on the horizon before embarking on their journey back.

Xue Yuan fixed her gaze on him, as if trying to see the truth through his eyes. She bit her lip so hard that it bled. After an indeterminate period of staring at each other, she finally spoke: "It was my father who told me. He sold the painting to an art dealer named Zhuang Dongrong, who then said he sold that painting to a young man who claimed to be Li Tianming's assistant, and he offered a very high price."

Very well, let us continue to maintain this.

Li Youwei's casual smile appeared quite incomprehensible: "Calm down. You are the only girl I have ever seen who reacts so strongly to compliments."

Yes, Rembrandt. I have always wanted to achieve such an effect, but I have never succeeded.

Li Youwei flashed an ambiguous smile, took out his phone, and made a call. Moments later, a graceful and elegant beauty walked up the stairs and approached them. She smiled at Li Youwei, her gaze lingering ambiguously on Xue Yuan.

Xue Yuan slumped back into her seat, weak and breathless, and said: "I don't know if the others are genuine, but this one is definitely not."

Is there not a single copy?

Xue Yuan did not want to argue with him about anything, only saying: "I am not someone who does not understand gratitude"

Li Youwei pondered for a moment: "This is indeed correct; he did not deceive you. He does not possess that painting. He is not a person of noble character, but in this matter, he did not lie to you. Consider other options."

After returning that day, she felt both drowsy and exhausted, yet she could not fall asleep. After struggling in bed for a long time, she finally sat up and took a small box out of the wardrobe. On that sultry summer night, with the window open, the distant sound of cicadas echoed. Looking down at the familiar yet distant handwriting in her old-fashioned diary, she felt as if she had sunk to the bottom of the water

After sitting down, Xue Yuan glanced at the menu, and the prices were nothing short of shocking. Perhaps it was because the meal time had passed, there were not many customers. The two were seated in a private booth on the second floor, directly facing a landscape painting; on the other side, there was also an oil painting—a young boy playing the flute and dancing, followed by a group of children aged five or six.

Li Youwei noticed that his words had an effect, and his tone softened: "So even if you have attended two universities, you are still a student, lacking any sense of propriety. In this line of work, it doesn't matter if you are unaware of other things, but you must understand the concept of 'propriety'"

She shivered, glancing around to see that no one was nearby, rushed over to open the car door, got in, and then said: "Let's drive."

It is difficult, Xue Yuan whispered, such a sky may be a rare spectacle for us, but for the Netherlands, such skies are everywhere.

I have no other means

As the last two individuals were leaving, Li Youwei glanced at the moon in the sky and said, "Tonight, you truly exhibit a demeanor of arrogance followed by humility."

The painting, measuring about half a square meter, is placed against the wall and appears particularly vibrant when viewed from above. Luo Mingyu squatted on the ground, examining it with a magnifying glass for a long time. Suddenly, he laughed and reached out to pat Xue Yuan's shoulder: "You really are something, young lady. At first, I thought you were just like those girls from before, only chosen by Li Youwei because you are young and beautiful; but now it seems his taste has improved quite a bit. Do come by more often when you have the time, and I will treat you for free, dear sister."

Xue Yuan continued to smile: "Many people hold the view that those world-renowned paintings are not particularly beautiful and cannot fully understand how they became masterpieces. I do not know if you think this way, but when you see certain paintings, do you not ask yourself, 'Is this painting really beautiful?' or 'Why do I not feel it at all?' In fact, the reason why a masterpiece is a masterpiece is that it looks just as good two hundred years ago as it does two hundred years later. I do not know if you think this way, but when you see certain paintings, do you not ask yourself, 'Is this painting really beautiful?' or 'Why do I not feel it at all?' In fact, the reason why a masterpiece is a masterpiece is that it looks just as good two hundred years ago as it does two hundred years later. Our perception of it as unattractive is due to our lack of opportunity to see the original work. The essence and subtle details in famous paintings often disappear when replicated or photographed, and within those disappearing parts, there may be many elements that evoke deep emotions. To give a simple analogy, subtle details are like salt; although small, they directly determine whether the painting is vibrant and captivating or bland and tasteless." The essence and subtle details in famous paintings often disappear when replicated or photographed, and within those disappearing parts, there may be many elements that evoke deep emotions. To give a simple analogy, subtle details are like salt; although small, they directly determine whether the painting is vibrant and captivating or bland and tasteless.

Luo Mingyu speaks and acts with remarkable decisiveness, which makes Xue Yuan unable to help but develop a fondness for him

That afternoon, Xue Yuan was inexplicably irritable, yet she had to put on a smiling face to receive guests. The area she was responsible for was the oil painting section, and unfortunately, she encountered a particularly troublesome guest. The elderly lady in plain clothes remained silent from beginning to end, her face completely obscured by a wide-brimmed hat. However, it was impolite to stare directly at her, and she had no opportunity to see her face clearly. Judging by her gait, she seemed to be a person of considerable stature. Behind her, a middle-aged man resembling a butler or secretary casually examined the artworks on the wall. Although he appeared very polite, there was a faint hint of disdain in his eyes.

Sit down

Xue Yuan listened and did not change her expression at all: "The situation is stronger than the individual, what can I do"

Xue Yuan fully agreed with her viewpoint and said: "Boss Luo, if it is convenient, could you help me inquire about another person? His name is Zhuang Dongrong. Back then, this painting was handed over to him. At that time, I was too young to know his identity and background; I only knew that he was a young man around twenty-five or twenty-six years old and this name."

As long as you fulfill your promise, I will also fulfill mine

As a result, they took the highway and left the city, truly arriving at the small mountain on the outskirts of the city. Over the past twenty years, this city has developed at an unimaginable pace, and the small mountain outside the city has also been opened up, dotted with various resorts and villas. The journey up the mountain was not dull either

"If you had come last week, you would have been able to see his works. The timing is not right now," Xue Yuan continued to explain with good temper, "Managing contemporary Chinese art is our philosophy. You see, replicas are also created by contemporary artists, which directly determines that the quality of the replicas varies. The level of the artist dictates that they can only produce replicas that match their own skill level. Therefore, the original works of the artist are more valuable than their replicas, whether from a collection perspective or an appreciation perspective"

Xue Yuan emerged from her memories, fell silent for a moment, and then spoke: "I went home to sort through my father's belongings and found a few notebooks. They contained scattered records of his years searching for paintings, all of which ended in failure. However, the last one was different; it contained only one sentence: 'The painting is still with Li Tianming.'"

Xue Yuan replied, "Generally speaking, this is the case: the level of Chinese oil painting is not as high as that of foreign countries, which have developed for several hundred years, while the history of oil painting in China is only a few decades. It is difficult to surpass in a short period of time. However, this cannot be generalized. For example, the works of Teacher Li Tianming are of very high artistic quality"

No

Xue Yuan's voice was tightly strained: "I don't know. What if I don't believe it? I probably will never be able to prove it in my lifetime"

I did not know that this commitment also includes being treated lightly by you

"Indeed," Li Youwei said, "the sky in the Netherlands is always like this, clear and clean, with diffused light everywhere, even in the crevices there is light. Rembrandt's paintings, his inspiration, all come from this."

His voice was soft, and coupled with Xue Yuan's shock and urgency, she did not fully catch what he said. However, just the first sentence had already sent chills down her spine. She crossed her arms and took two steps back, glaring at him: "What do you want to do this time?"

From the exterior, it is impossible to tell that this is a restaurant. Inside, it is elegant throughout, and upon entering, one can immediately see a large landscape painting.

Xue Yuan's irony: "Once bitten by a snake, one is afraid of a grass rope for ten years"

After work, she kept dawdling while tidying up, even contemplating whether to hide outside. However, as soon as she stepped out, she saw the eye-catching car parked outside the gallery's entrance. Li Youwei, resembling a star, leaned against the car window and smiled at her

A few minutes later, Xue Yuan realized that the road was wrong and couldn't help but frown: "Where are you going?"

She heard her own shriveled voice: "The Boyi Gallery does not deal in replicas; we only have original works"

A middle-aged man asked Xue Yuan: "Why are there no replicas of Western masterpieces in this gallery"