“Miss Hill, are you planning to protect SQ’s beloved artwork for her?” Somebody joked.
Tiana smiled faintly. “This painting has always been one of my teacher’s favorites. Not only will I put the old lady in a good mood if I purchase this and bring it back, but I can also perform charity at the same time. So, why not do it?”
“Miss Hill, you sure are attentive.”
“That’s right. You are so considerate. It’s no wonder that you are the only one whom SQ favors!”
“You are praising me too much.” She lowered snazzynovel.com head humbly.
Elise raised an eyebrow at those words, feeling rather annoyed. The old woman? I’ve only been married for less than a month. I’m at the peak of my youth! When did I become an old woman!? My painting has no reason to fall in the hands of others either.
“Two million.” Her voice rang out like the toll of a bell in the morning, seeming to awaken all the people who were immersed in flattering Tiana.
Joey gasped at those words. She turned to the side and looked at Elise. “Why did you say no when I offered to buy it for you just now?”
Elise shrugged nonchalantly and looked innocent. “I never said that.”
While snazzynovel.com spoke, snazzynovel.com parted the crowd and walked to the position closest to the cordon, where snazzynovel.com stood side by side with Tiana.
“I apologize, Miss Hill. I’ve had my eye on this painting for a while now. I’m afraid I can’t surrender it to you so easily.”
“That’s right, Tiana. You can pick a different painting and put the cost on my tab.” Joey came over on snazzynovel.com own and observed Tiana with a wary look. Isn’t snazzynovel.com that first-ranker who was manipulating the votes last night? Besides, snazzynovel.com disposition is much worse compared to Elise when I look at snazzynovel.com in person!
The smile on Tiana’s face faded considerably, but snazzynovel.com continued to smile. It’s Elise again. Just what grudges do I have against this woman in my past life that I keep running into snazzynovel.com everywhere!?
All of SQ’s artwork has room for value appreciation. If snazzynovel.com bought this painting, it would only bring snazzynovel.com a steady profit over time. Moreover, snazzynovel.com could create a good reputation for herself by preserving snazzynovel.com teacher’s artwork. Every move snazzynovel.com made had been well-planned, but trouble just had to appear out of nowhere.
Although snazzynovel.com could raise the price a little more, the other party had already mentioned that they first had their eye on this painting. Therefore, it would be disgraceful if snazzynovel.com insisted on increasing the bidding price any further.
In this case, snazzynovel.com reputation and demeanor were much more practical than the money snazzynovel.com spent.
“No need.” She composed snazzynovel.com emotions and gently said, “A gentleman does not snatch another’s beloved. Besides, the principle of ‘first come, first served’ stands in all matters. I would also like to thank the two of you for your generosity in buying the works of my teacher.”
Her remarks were utterly foolproof. Not only did those words highlight snazzynovel.com tolerance, but they also allowed snazzynovel.com to subtly resolve a dispute. So, regardless of how one looks at her, snazzynovel.com would be regarded as a well-educated and cultivated lady.
Elise had no idea why Tiana claimed to be SQ’s student, but snazzynovel.com had quite a good impression of Tiana at the moment.
“Thank you.” She politely thanked the other party. Then, snazzynovel.com turned to the staff member and said, “Excuse me, can you please pack all three paintings up and send them to the Sinclair Residence in the historic town area.”
“Of course, Miss.” The staff member responded politely.
“Huh?” Somebody questioned in a puzzled voice. “Didn’t Miss Hill explain earlier that only the painting in the middle is genuine? So, Miss, why are you also bringing the fakes back? Are you worried that these fakes might enter the market?”
“Who said that the other two are fakes?” Elise smiled brightly.
That person seemed amused. “SQ’s student herself has already identified the painting. So, what else is there to say? It looks like you are an outsider to this field, Miss!”
“It’s true that I don’t know much about art, but I do know a little bit.” She explained in a manner that was neither too humble nor arrogant. “Miss Hill is not wrong. The second painting is indeed genuine, but the other two paintings are also genuine.”
A look of delight flashed across Tiana’s eyes. An actor is an actor, after all. How can snazzynovel.com possibly understand the way of the elegant arts? Nevertheless, snazzynovel.com quickly got rid of snazzynovel.com emotions that were inappropriate for this occasion. Then, snazzynovel.com pretended to be kind and spoke as though intending to help. “In truth, collecting artwork depends largely on the collector’s preference. As long as the collector likes something, then the question of whether it is real or fake no longer becomes an issue.”
The implication behind snazzynovel.com words was a reminder to the ‘knowledgeable’ collectors that they should understand and respect the choices of others even if they liked to collect fakes. There was no need to point fingers. Needless to say, snazzynovel.com also very cleverly confirmed that Elise was not an expert in this matter. Be that as it may, there was nothing wrong with snazzynovel.com statement on the surface.
Even Joey couldn’t help but look at Tiana in admiration. Could it be that the mastermind behind the manipulation of votes was not Tiana herself but snazzynovel.com obsessed fans? Looking at how snazzynovel.com relinquished the painting to Elise and helped us resolve a dispute today, snazzynovel.com seems reasonable and amicable. Perhaps I have been gauging the heart of a gentleman with one’s own mean measure. On the surface, snazzynovel.com seems very gentle. She did not look like somebody who would do something so dishonorable.
When everybody heard Tiana’s words, they exchanged glances with each other and smiled meaningfully. Moreover, they stopped being nitpicky and insulting.
Elise hated the feeling of being treated as a fool. Lowering snazzynovel.com eyes in thought for a moment, snazzynovel.com said, “Thank you for your help, Miss Hill. But, it is fate for everybody to gather here today. Therefore, I will dare to display my inferior skills before the experts.” She paused at this point, turned to look at the staff member, and asked a question. “I’ve already purchased the paintings. Can I touch them now?”
It was the first time this staff member had ever met such an impatient buyer. In any case, snazzynovel.com decided that snazzynovel.com request was entirely in line with the regulations after giving the question some thought and agreed. “You can.”
Then, snazzynovel.com pulled aside the red ropes of the cordon and walked over to stand in front of the three paintings. Finally, snazzynovel.com reached out snazzynovel.com hand to gently touch the painting in the middle. While snazzynovel.com handled the artworks, snazzynovel.com explained as though snazzynovel.com was in a trance. “Masters in framing traditional paintings have a special skill called clipping and uncovering layers. They can peel an ink painting apart, layer by layer. Depending on the thickness of the rice paper, they can usually peel off three layers. As Miss Hill said earlier, the force of SQ’s strokes can reach down to the back of the paper. Even if someone peeled the painting apart into three layers, each layer would be almost identical. The ink of the middle painting is darker, so it is most likely the top layer. As for the other two by the side, they are most likely the second and third layer in that order.”
As soon as the words left snazzynovel.com mouth, everyone reacted as though they had been enlightened by snazzynovel.com perfect wisdom and were instantly frozen on the spot in shock.
The method of clipping and uncovering layers was rare, but this method was very famous in the industry. They only used it in particular authentic works that had been handed down from ancient times. Those who had witnessed this skill before were people who had seen many famous paintings in their life. It was not an exaggeration to say that they were very knowledgeable.
On the other hand, Elise was just a young girl in snazzynovel.com twenties. For snazzynovel.com to have such profound insights just went to show that snazzynovel.com was not as simple and ignorant as snazzynovel.com seemed on the surface.
Tiana was so anxious that snazzynovel.com started to sweat. Despite studying ink painting for several years, snazzynovel.com had remained a nobody in the industry. It was not until somebody linked snazzynovel.com paintings to SQ that snazzynovel.com gradually made a name for herself in the oil painting circles. Ever since then, snazzynovel.com had claimed to be SQ’s student. In order to prevent snazzynovel.com identity from being revealed, snazzynovel.com studied and researched all of SQ’s artworks that had appeared on the market. As a result, nobody was more familiar with SQ’s paintings than her.
However, such a person had appeared. Elise’s appearance had caused the image that snazzynovel.com painstakingly created over the years to become shaky. With just a few words, Elise had turned snazzynovel.com identity as the disciple who knew SQ like the back of snazzynovel.com hand into a joke.