Su Ziye was infuriated beyond measure. She had initially thought that the toad Su Xiyang brought back could be easily manipulated and even used to discredit her. Now, it seemed her judgment had been severely flawed. This kid had a wickedly sharp tongue. Moreover, because Shen Fanyun had bluntly declared Chen Feng's gift a fake, both Su Ziye and Chen Feng instantly became the targets of public censure.
Chen Feng took a deep breath. After a long silence, he finally said, "Given my status and position, I wouldn't stoop to parading a fake around. You've picked a fight with the wrong person!"
Old Master Su stood with one hand on his cane, holding the Mountain and River Map in the other, his expression as dark as still water. It was no wonder he was angry. What should have been a joyful and celebratory occasion had been soured by Shen Fanyun's single comment. How could Old Master Su possibly be at ease?
"That's right. Young Master Chen comes from a distinguished Hangcheng City family; he wouldn't condescend to forgery."
"This boy must be slandering him!"
"Exactly. I think he's just jealous because Young Master Chen is in the spotlight after presenting such a grand gift, so he deliberately jumped out to cause trouble. What a posturing clown."
As some people began to stand up for Chen Feng, stating that his family was wealthy and he disdained such deception, Shen Fanyun glanced over at a fair-skinned, pudgy man in his early thirties who carried himself with a swaggering arrogance.
"How about we make a bet?" Shen Fanyun suddenly suggested.
The pudgy man, Wu You, was momentarily stunned. He snorted, "Bet on what?"
"If this item isn't fake, you can have my life."
"By the same token, if it is fake, you'll leave your life behind!"
Wu You was rendered speechless.
The crowd was equally stunned. Arguing over the authenticity of a scroll had escalated to a life-or-death wager? That was a bit extreme, wasn't it?
"Do you dare, or not?" Shen Fanyun pressed.
At this, Wu You completely lost his composure. His real objective was to curry favor with Chen Feng, but he wasn't about to bet his life for the man. Unless he had a screw loose, the right choice was obvious. In that moment, the well-off, middle-aged businessman's face turned deathly pale, and he couldn't even find the courage to meet Shen Fanyun's gaze.
"You... you..." Wu You knew that the longer he stayed silent, the greater his humiliation would be.
Shen Fanyun sneered. "You what? If you don't have the guts, then don't jump up and bluster. At the end of the day, this has nothing to do with you. Just watch the show. Did you really need to pipe in just to prove you're somebody?"
Wu You had no reply.
Though these words seemed aimed at Wu You, were they not also directed at every guest present? The crowd fell silent, some averting their eyes, others clasping their hands.
Chen Feng and Su Ziye exchanged glances, their thoughts diverging. Old Master Su clutched the Mountain and River Map as if it were a hot potato, not knowing whether to hold on or let it go.
"Is it real or not?" Su Ziye anxiously demanded of Chen Feng.
Annoyed, Chen Feng insisted righteously, "You know my character, don't you? Why would I bother with a fake?"
Su Xiyang had remained silent the entire time, like a mere bystander. However, seeing Su Ziye—who constantly bullied and suppressed her—so panicked and repeatedly thwarted was a sight she truly relished. She had originally worried that Shen Fanyun's arrival would spell huge trouble for her. But now? He was her powerful right arm, an invaluable ally! Without Shen Fanyun here, given the scale of tonight's banquet, wouldn't she have been utterly humiliated by Su Ziye? Su Ziye would never miss an opportunity to bully her!
"Whether it's real or not, a simple inspection will tell," Su Xiyang said, choosing to trust Shen Fanyun. This man, though enigmatic and unpredictable, gave her an immense sense of security.
"Hmph. Everyone in Hangcheng City knows what kind of person I, Chen Feng, am," he declared, waving his arm emphatically. "What exactly are you implying, Su Xiyang? Are you suggesting I would resort to forgery? Su Xiyang, you'd better think before you speak. You don't want to accidentally offend someone you can't afford to!"
"Oh?" Su Xiyang raised an eyebrow, replying coolly, "Since Young Master Chen is so confident... letting us verify it shouldn't be too much trouble, should it?"
CLICK. Shen Fanyun casually lit a cigarette as if no one else existed, his expression unreadable behind a veil of smoke.
Initially, everyone had gone along with Su Ziye's assessment, agreeing that Su Xiyang had brought back a good-for-nothing toad. Now, looking at him more closely, they found the young man increasingly profound and mysterious. Besides, to dare confront Chen Feng like this, he must have some backing. To provoke a rich scion like that without any connections... how is that different from seeking death? Could it be that Su Xiyang's luck had turned, and she'd attached herself to a young master from a family just as powerful as Chen Feng's?
"Actually, authenticating it is quite simple." Shen Fanyun suddenly strode forward, reaching Old Master Su in an instant. Before the old man could react, he gave the scroll a casual tug, and the Mountain and River Map unfurled completely. With a flick of his finger, the ink on the painting began to run and bleed. The experienced guests in the room saw it at a glance—it was a cheap copy.
In other words, it was fake!
"Ah? That's impossible!" Chen Feng was dumbfounded, a look of utter disbelief on his face.
Su Ziye's brow furrowed deeply. Watching the guests shake their heads and whisper, seeing the truth but choosing not to voice it, even a fool would understand whether the painting was real or fake.
"Is this thing even worth a hundred yuan?" Shen Fanyun asked with a smile.
The knot of anxiety in Su Xiyang's chest finally loosened, and all her prior worries vanished into thin air.
"Even if it's fake, it still proves Chen Feng put thought into preparing it! He was simply deceived and taken advantage of. Fundamentally, he did have the intention of giving a gift," Su Ziye argued, refusing to concede. "At the very least, that's better than someone who shows up empty-handed, isn't it?"
Chen Feng nodded silently. Su Ziye's well-timed defense had saved him a fair bit of face. His mood improved, and his earlier panic subsided.
"What kind of robber's logic is that? Deceiving someone with a fake and then glorifying it by saying at least he was thoughtful?" Su Xiyang's tone was cold, giving Su Ziye no quarter. "In my opinion, if he had truly been thoughtful, he wouldn't have presented a fake in the first place! Su Ziye, do you think our grandfather only deserves to collect forgeries? That a perfunctory gesture is enough for him?"
Su Ziye suddenly panicked. Opposing Su Xiyang was one thing, but offending the Old Master was a grave matter. "Grand... Grandfather, I didn't mean that. This was certainly an embarrassing mistake. I'm sure Chen Feng was a victim here as well. Please, be magnanimous and don't take it to heart."
Old Master Su said nothing, merely sweeping a cold, warning glance over Shen Fanyun. "Feng is a sincere young man. I am well aware of that. It's nothing!"