"Hehe... if this painting turns out to be genuine, Lili, you can give me a back rub when we get back. If it's fake, I'll cover all your living expenses until graduation."
Lu Fan's words were plainly lewd, but the fiery Mao Lili hesitated for only three seconds before agreeing, leaving her three sisters staring in shock.
"Young Master Lu, are you sure you'll keep your word? My monthly allowance is two thousand. I'm only in my second year, so there are more than twenty months until graduation. That's tens of thousands."
"Tch, you're looking down on me. The bag I bought Mengran cost more than that."
"Hehehe... then this little sister thanks Young Master Lu for his generosity."
Mao Lili smiled until her brows curved. She was already imagining how comfortable life would be with four thousand a month, and all sorts of things she normally could not afford were suddenly within consideration.
But Liu Mengran, standing beside her, felt a trace of unease. Lu Fan's smile was far too sly. In the past few days she had known him, she had never seen him take a loss.
But that painting was obviously fake at a glance. What could Lu Fan possibly use to win against Mao Lili?
Lu Fan pulled the suspicious-looking Top Campus Belle Liu straight into an upscale antique shop.
"Jubaozhai! This one!"
"Boss, do you buy things?"
Lu Fan held up the ancient painting with a smile. Behind the counter, an elderly man in reading glasses had been sipping tea and reading a book. When he saw customers enter, he immediately stood up with a genial smile.
"Of course an antique shop buys items. Are you looking to sell a painting, young man?"
"Of course. This is Tang Bohu's genuine Crouching Tiger Painting. It's worth tens of millions."
Unexpectedly, the old man's smile vanished the instant he heard Lu Fan's words. It was obvious that he had lost every bit of interest in this so-called genuine Tang Bohu painting.
Liu Mengran, Mao Lili, and the other two awkwardly took several steps to the side, their faces practically saying that they did not know this guy.
Anyone who could run such a large shop in the capital had to be an expert among experts.
You were bringing an obviously fake painting to sell like some idiot. It would be strange if they gave you a pleasant look.
"Young man, you must be joking. Tang Bohu's authentic works are treasures sold at auction. Why would one be brought to my little shop?"
The old man sat back down and did not even have the interest to spare Lu Fan's painting another glance.
"Hm? So you can't come up with that much money?"
"Young man, if it truly is a genuine Tang Bohu work, we can absolutely afford tens of millions. Jubaozhai's reputation is among the best in the antique trade."
The old man took a sip from his teacup and spoke with a proud expression.
Lu Fan directly spread the scroll out before the old man. What he had not been sure of earlier, he was now one hundred percent certain of—the painting was genuine, because the points on the panel in his mind had increased by one.
He now needed three more times before his next draw.
He only needed to be scammed three more times before he could begin the draw.
Last time, he had drawn a skill that controlled shit. He wondered if the system had any rewards that could turn him into a superhero.
The old man cast a disdainful glance at the painting before him. Even a three-year-old could tell from the crude workmanship that it was fake.
Liu Mengran and the other three were already so embarrassed that they covered their faces. Only Lu Fan, that idiot, looked smug, failing to notice that the old man's mouth was twitching in disgust at the painting.
"I can't appraise this painting, young man. You'd better take it somewhere else."
"Boss, take another careful look. I bought it for five hundred yuan. I was counting on it to earn me a supercar."
"Five hundred yuan? You think that painting of yours can earn you a supercar? You won't even lose—huh! This painting... something's wrong!"
The old man's disdainful expression abruptly changed. His hand had instinctively brushed over the scroll just now, and his keen perception immediately detected that something was off.
The old man's expression drew Liu Mengran and the others closer. Only Lu Fan's expression remained unchanged. From beginning to end, he had been brimming with confidence.
The old man gravely picked up a magnifying glass and a flashlight, then carefully examined the scroll.
"A hidden-object layering technique! Heavens! This is actually a hidden-object layering technique! Could there truly be an authentic painting hidden beneath this scroll?"
The old man's face changed dramatically. No matter how foolish Liu Mengran and the others were, they knew there was something unusual about the painting now. Mao Lili, in particular, guiltily glanced at Lu Fan.
The two of them had a bet going. She had never imagined that Lu Fan could win. If she really had to give him a back rub, how could she ever face Liu Mengran and Lu Fan again?
The old man carefully rubbed the side of the scroll several times, and an interlayer was actually rubbed loose from its edge.
"This... young man, forgive this old man for being blind. This painting is the legendary hidden-object layering technique. There's another layer concealed beneath the scroll."
"I need to peel away the upper layer to determine what painting lies beneath it."
"Hehe... then peel it. I'm not in a hurry."
Lu Fan sat down in a nearby chair. The boss's attitude changed instantly, and he personally poured tea for them.
"To peel the painting, I'll need to call over an old friend. He's an expert at separating paintings. I'm only half-skilled in this area myself. It would be troublesome if I damaged the treasure underneath."
"You need to call someone over? Don't tell me I'll have to wait all afternoon?"
Lu Fan frowned and checked the time. It was already past four in the afternoon, and he still had to go to Aunt's house for dinner that evening.
"Rest assured, young man. He's at the shop next door. He'll be here in moments."
As the old man spoke, a white-haired old man hurried in through the entrance. Before he had even entered, his booming voice was already shouting.
"Where's the hidden-object layering technique?"
The next second, the old man's gaze swept over Lu Fan and the others before settling on the scroll atop the table.
The old man took a magnifying glass from his bag and began studying the scroll. Seeing how seriously the two men were examining it, Mao Lili grew increasingly uneasy.
"It truly is a hidden-object layering technique. I've lived more than seventy years, yet I've only seen such a thing twice."
"Young man, are you certain you want this old man to peel open the scroll? Once it is peeled apart, the upper painting will be destroyed. The person who concealed the item left no room for error back then. Only one of the two paintings can be preserved."
The two old men stared eagerly at Lu Fan, making him feel thoroughly uncomfortable.
It would have been fine if two beautiful women were staring at him like that, but what was with two old men who were practically one foot in the grave?
"Hurry up and peel it. I still have to go home for dinner tonight."
The two old men exchanged a glance and immediately got to work.
The table was soon covered with tools: scissors, utility knives, water, and candles.
Seeing this, Liu Mengran directly took out her phone and started recording.
A painting hidden within a painting—such a fantastical thing was happening right before her eyes. She had to record this moment.
After more than twenty minutes of work by the two old men, the upper layer was gradually peeled away, revealing a stunning tiger painting beneath.
At the sight, Liu Mengran and the other three girls covered their mouths in shock, scarcely daring to breathe.
The two old men were even more excited, their aged faces flushed red. The sense of accomplishment from personally uncovering a painting was likely something only the two of them could understand.
"The Crouching Tiger Painting! Heavens! This is Tang Bohu's genuine Crouching Tiger Painting!"
The owner of Jubaozhai shouted in excitement. The other old man simply stared blankly at the painting before him, clearly unable to process what he was seeing.
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