Chapter 67: An Honored Guest Arrives

Arriving at the door of his eldest brother Yu Feihu’s office, Yu Sihai knocked politely before pushing the door open.

Yu Feihu hurried forward, expecting someone important, but upon seeing Yu Sihai, his expression darkened. “Sihai, who told you to come up here? Didn’t I give orders that I have distinguished guests arriving, and no one is to come up?”

Yu Sihai quickly explained, “Big brother, please don’t be angry. I didn’t know which guest you were expecting, but I’ve brought two distinguished guests for you.”

Ye Tianci and Lin Qingqian stepped inside behind him.

Yu Feihu was momentarily stunned when he saw Ye Tianci, then hurried forward. “Doctor Ye?”

Ye Tianci nodded with a gentle smile. “Mr. Yu, we meet again.”

Yu Sihai’s eyes widened in surprise. “Big brother, you know Mr. Ye?”

“Of course. Doctor Ye recently saved my father-in-law’s life—he’s done me a great favor.”

“Sihai, how did you come to know Doctor Ye?” As Yu Feihu spoke, he warmly invited Ye Tianci and Lin Qingqian into the office.

Yu Sihai pulled Yu Feihu aside and whispered a few words. Yu Feihu’s eyebrows flicked up, his face clearly showing his shock.

Returning, Yu Feihu grinned. “Doctor Ye, your visit truly brings honor to the Fierce Tiger Group!”

“You’re too kind, Mr. Yu.”

“I heard from Sihai that Doctor Ye is the son-in-law of the Lin family, and you’ve come for the project funds?”

“That’s correct.” Ye Tianci nodded.

Yu Feihu grew serious. “It’s only right to repay debts. Doctor Ye, please wait a moment.”

He immediately called the finance department. “Transfer the project funds owed to the Lin family to a card and bring it to my office.”

In less than two minutes, the finance staff arrived with a bank card.

Yu Feihu respectfully handed it over to Ye Tianci and said, “Doctor Ye, you’ve come at just the right time. Soon, I’ll be meeting a very important person.”

“I think it’s necessary for you to meet him as well.”

“What sort of important person?” Ye Tianci asked with a calm smile as he accepted the card.

Yu Feihu stood up with an air of mystery. “Let me keep you in suspense for now. This person is truly a prominent figure in Shu City, a collector of antiques and paintings. He’s coming specifically for one of my treasures. Doctor Ye, take a look.”

He gestured to a painting hanging on the wall.

Ye Tianci glanced at it a few times and said lightly, “This is the ‘Snow Accumulated on Mountains’ by Wen Zhengming, a talented scholar of the late Qing dynasty.”

“My goodness, Doctor Ye, you’re knowledgeable about paintings too?” Yu Feihu was visibly astonished.

Just then, there came a knock at the door.

“My distinguished guest has arrived!” Yu Feihu immediately got up and hurried to greet them.

Two people entered: an elderly man with silvery hair and a young woman in her prime.

The girl wore a white dress, her waist slender, her delicate features seemingly sculpted to perfection, without a single flaw. In terms of beauty, she was every bit Lin Qingqian’s equal—stunning and exquisite. The only unsettling thing about her was the hint of arrogance in her eyes.

She was none other than Miss Shen Ying, whom Ye Tianci had slapped in Dongyuan’s shop not long ago.

Ye Tianci saw Shen Ying, and Shen Ying saw Ye Tianci.

“You!” Shen Ying’s expression turned cold.

She caught sight of Lin Qingqian beside Ye Tianci, and was instantly captivated by her beauty—a clear look of jealousy in her eyes. She hadn’t expected Shu City to have a girl as beautiful as herself.

Annoyed, Shen Ying looked at Yu Feihu. “Mr. Yu, my grandfather is here as your guest. Why have you invited unrelated people?”

Yu Feihu quickly apologized, “Miss Shen, Doctor Ye is a benefactor to me and my honored guest as well. He arrived just before you and the old gentleman did.”

“The misunderstanding between you and Doctor Ye was just that—a misunderstanding. Perhaps it’s best to let it go.”

Shen Ying snorted angrily.

The white-haired elder spoke up. “Ying’er, what’s going on?”

Shen Ying pouted. “Grandfather, I went gift shopping recently, and this man refused to let me have what I wanted—he even slapped me.”

“Oh?” The old man’s eyebrows arched, his sharp gaze fixed on Ye Tianci. “Did you truly slap my granddaughter?”

He seemed to have no imposing aura, just an ordinary elderly man, but his eyes were as piercing as blades.

Yu Feihu tensed instantly. “Old Mr. Shen, Doctor Ye, he—”

A single look from Old Mr. Shen silenced Yu Feihu; he dared not defend Ye Tianci any further.

Ye Tianci remained calm, his voice even. “Yes, I did.”

“If given another chance, what would you do?” Old Mr. Shen asked indifferently.

“The same.” Ye Tianci replied, neither servile nor overbearing.

Unexpectedly, Old Mr. Shen burst out laughing.

He looked approvingly at Ye Tianci, stroking his snowy beard. “I, Shen Cangyun, haven’t seen a young man with such spirit and courage in many years!”

“Good, very good!”

“Grandfather!” Shen Ying pouted, pushing Shen Cangyun and complaining, “He hit me! Why don’t you scold him, but praise him instead?”

Shen Cangyun’s face grew stern. “It’s right that others refused to give you what you wanted. You’ve been spoiled since childhood, getting whatever you wish for. Your parents can’t discipline you, nor can I. Now that someone dares to strike you, it’s good for you! Let’s see if you remain so willful and domineering in the future.”

Shen Ying puffed her cheeks in anger and said nothing more.

Seeing that no conflict had erupted, Yu Feihu breathed a sigh of relief and quickly put on a smile. “Old Mr. Shen, you truly are wise and fair!”

Shen Cangyun waved his hand. “Others might favor their own, but I, Shen Cangyun, do not. Enough about that—Mr. Yu, I’ve come for your ‘Snow Accumulated on Mountains’ painting.”

Yu Feihu hurriedly led him to the desk, gesturing to the painting hanging on the wall. “Please take a look, Old Mr. Shen. This is the ‘Snow Accumulated on Mountains’ that I’ve treasured for many years.”

Shen Cangyun put on his reading glasses, carefully examining the scroll, and couldn’t help but marvel. “Snow is difficult to paint, and accumulated snow even more so. If I’m not mistaken, this is a masterful imitation by Hu Yong, representative of the Wu school in the Republic era, modeled after Wen Zhengming’s original.”

“Brilliant! It could easily be mistaken for the real thing.”

Yu Feihu eagerly praised him. “Old Mr. Shen, what an eye you have! It is indeed a high-quality imitation by Master Hu Yong.”

“The authentic ‘Snow Accumulated on Mountains’ by Wen Zhengming was destroyed in wartime decades ago. Every collector knows it. This imitation is now the most valuable—someone once offered me three hundred thousand, but I refused to sell!”

Shen Cangyun laughed. “Three hundred thousand? In my view, even as a replica, it’s worth at least five hundred thousand!”

Yu Feihu seized the opportunity. “Old Mr. Shen, since you like it so much, I’ll give it to you as a gift—not a penny needed!”

“How could I accept? A gentleman does not take what another cherishes. If you’re willing to part with it, I’ll pay a million for it—so you won’t lose out.”

Shen Cangyun was generous.

Yu Feihu knew Shen Cangyun disliked haggling, so he nodded at once. “Very well, I’ll do as you say.”

“If you really sell it for a million, you’ll regret it,” Ye Tianci suddenly interjected from the side.