Chapter 184 - CH: 182 The Ink Plum Blossom

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{Chapter: 182 The Ink Plum Blossom}

Many guests were completely stunned when they heard Mei Yuxian's words.

Someone in the crowd couldn't help but blurt out in disbelief, "One hundred million? Just to buy that worthless painting? Honestly, I feel like one hundred thousand would have been more than enough!"

A more knowledgeable guest standing nearby immediately corrected him with a disdainful tone, "You clearly have no idea what you're talking about. That is Wang Mian's 'Ink Plum Blossom' painting! It holds profound historical significance and is considered an invaluable treasure among the art collections of the Ming and Qing dynasties. Its artistic influence and cultural value are far beyond what you can imagine. If it were placed in an international auction, one hundred million yuan might not even be enough to win the bid."

"Tsk, tsk... one hundred million, just for a single painting..." the guest muttered again, though this time with less conviction.

Even though an explanation had been given, most of the guests were still reeling from the shock of hearing such an astronomical price for a painting.

Yet what surprised everyone even more was Lin Yuan's reaction. Faced with Mei Yuxian's extremely generous offer of one hundred million yuan, Lin Yuan's expression remained calm, as if he hadn't heard anything remarkable at all.

Then, with a gentle smile, Lin Yuan spoke, "Sister Yuxian, I'm sorry. I can't sell this painting to you."

"This…"

Hearing Lin Yuan's unexpected refusal, Mei Yuxian's brows furrowed slightly. She instinctively thought that Lin Yuan might be trying to raise the price or was playing hard to get. However, despite her doubts, she wasn't willing to give up on the painting so easily.

She really loved 'Ink Plum Blossom'; it was something she had desired for many years. Determined, Mei Yuxian lightly bit her red lip, hesitating for a moment before preparing to offer an even higher price.

"Then... how about—"

But before Mei Yuxian could finish her sentence, Lin Yuan raised his hand slightly and interrupted her.

With a gentle and reassuring smile, he said, "Sister Yuxian, this 'Ink Plum Blossom' painting isn't for sale. It's a birthday gift for you. You could also think of it as my way of repaying you for the beautiful imperial jade green Buddha sculpture you gave me."

"What?!"

The entire room gasped in unison, the sound of sharp intakes of breath filling the air.

Everyone was completely stunned once again, their minds struggling to process what they had just heard.

Giving away a painting worth one hundred million yuan — and as a gift, no less — was beyond outrageous. It was truly terrifying how wealthy and magnanimous Lin Yuan was!

Many of the guests instinctively turned their heads to glance at Lin Jianjun and Meng Yuelan, looking at the two as if they had birthed a monster of generosity and wealth.

But after a moment, they recalled an important detail: Lin Yuan wasn't simply living off his family's wealth.

He had his own company!

And it wasn't an ordinary company either—Lin Yuan had once helped his family trade stocks and earned over thirty billion yuan in a single day...

In comparison, giving away a painting worth one hundred million yuan was like someone else buying a cup of coffee. It was a negligible expense for Lin Yuan, an insignificant amount compared to the colossal sums he was capable of making.

Most of the people in the room would struggle their entire lives without even coming close to the wealth that Lin Yuan could casually generate.

What's more, the money he made wasn't tied up in assets or stocks—it was pure liquid cash!

Earlier, many guests had thought that Lin Yuan wouldn't be able to come up with a gift that could match the value of the imperial green jade Buddha sculpture Mei Yuxian had given him.

But now?

Lin Yuan hadn't just matched it; he had completely eclipsed it, presenting a gift that was at least ten times more valuable!

He was truly a man of immense ability, wealth, and generosity.

Not to mention, Lin Yuan was also strikingly handsome, possessed profound knowledge about art and culture, and carried himself with effortless charm.

For a moment, most of the guests couldn't help but admire Lin Yuan deeply.

Among them, Gui Qingtong stood frozen, her delicate mouth slightly open in shock. Her pink lips trembled as she tried to speak but couldn't form any words.

Her Brother Lin Yuan had actually gifted her mother such an expensive and precious painting!

Was...was he perhaps trying to win her mother's favor in order to propose marriage?

Gui Qingtong's heart couldn't help but race, and her cheeks flushed a rosy pink as she began to daydream.

On the other side, Qiao Siying also stared at Lin Yuan, her beautiful eyes wide with surprise.

This was the same Lin Yuan who had tricked her out of money several times before, using cunning schemes and sharp wit.

How was he now so generous, so willing to part with such a priceless treasure?

Was this truly the same Lin Yuan she thought she knew so well?

The more time passed, the less Qiao Siying felt she understood him.

At a nearby table, Qiao Jianye also wore a look of stunned disbelief as he stared at Lin Yuan.

"Why is this kid so ridiculously generous?" he thought to himself, almost doubting his own eyes.

Earlier, Qiao Jianye had already planned to find fault with Lin Yuan after the gift exchange and teach him a lesson for making his daughter cry.

He had been bracing himself, waiting for the right moment to confront Lin Yuan.

But he hadn't expected Lin Yuan to give away a painting worth one hundred million yuan as a birthday gift!

Compared to that, the gift Qiao Jianye had brought for Mei Yuxian suddenly felt... embarrassingly cheap.

Still, no matter what, Qiao Jianye thought to himself fiercely, he must find a way to teach this kid a lesson later!

Meanwhile, Mei Yuxian herself stood in place, her emotions in turmoil.

She had been prepared to bargain with Lin Yuan, to pay a fortune to obtain the painting she loved so dearly.

Yet, Lin Yuan rejected her offer without hesitation and instead gifted the painting to her freely and sincerely.

Her heart was filled with warmth and deep gratitude.

Although Lin Yuan had already stated clearly that the painting was a gift, Mei Yuxian still found it difficult to calm the waves in her heart.

After all, this wasn't just any simple gift.

The painting Lin Yuan was offering her was worth a staggering one hundred million yuan — not one million, not even ten million, but a full hundred million! That was a number that could make even seasoned businessmen hesitate.

Moreover, this Ink Plum Blossom painting wasn't just valuable because of its creator or its age. From what Mei Yuxian knew, it had once belonged to a powerful and influential figure. She had tried to track down its whereabouts in the past, using her connections to inquire about it on several occasions.

Yet, despite all her efforts, she had found nothing—no trace, no lead, no success.

She had long thought that the painting had disappeared into a private collection, locked away forever.

Who would have imagined that today, without warning, it would be given to her freely, and by none other than Lin Yuan?

As she looked at Lin Yuan, standing calmly before her, his expression neither proud nor boastful, Mei Yuxian felt an even greater stir in her heart.

His gaze was steady, serious, and filled with a quiet confidence.

It was as if the treasure he was gifting her wasn't a world-renowned masterpiece worth a fortune, but something as trivial as a scrap of paper blown by the wind.

The way Lin Yuan looked at her — so serene, so composed — was completely different from what she would expect from a young man nearly a decade younger than herself.

There was no trace of immaturity or fawning youthfulness.

Instead, Lin Yuan's eyes showed respect and equality.

Mei Yuxian realized that Lin Yuan did not see her as an elder to be flattered, nor as an authority figure to be won over.

He treated her as an equal.

As a woman — not simply as someone older or superior.

This subtle shift deeply moved her heart.

Mei Yuxian gave Lin Yuan a long, thoughtful glance, her charming eyes filled with complex emotions.

Then, a warm and teasing smile slowly blossomed on her beautiful face.

"Well then," Mei Yuxian said in a sweet, playful tone, "since our Xiao Yuan is so generous, Sister Yuxian will not stand on ceremony. I will gladly accept your thoughtful gift."

[Ding! Mei Yuxian's favorability +10! Reward: 500 Counterattack Points!]

[Ding! Mei Yuxian's view of the host has changed! Reward: 500 Counterattack Points!]

Just as Mei Yuxian's soft voice finished echoing in his ears, Lin Yuan heard the crisp notification sounds from the system.

A smile flickered at the corners of his lips.

His plan had succeeded perfectly.

When Lin Yuan met Mei Yuxian's gaze again, he could feel the difference instantly.

Before today, Mei Yuxian had always looked at him with the eyes of a senior—treating him like Gui Qingtong's peer, someone of the younger generation who should be protected, taught, and kept at arm's length.

That was an unequal relationship, a barrier Lin Yuan knew would be extremely difficult to overcome.

However, now?

Now, Mei Yuxian's eyes contained something new.

She no longer saw him as a child.

She had begun to see him as a mature, capable man.

Although there was still an age gap between them, the difference in how she regarded him was night and day.

And Lin Yuan was not in a hurry.

He knew that winning over a woman like Mei Yuxian was not a task to be rushed.

This was only the first step.

He would patiently build his place in her heart, brick by brick.

One step at a time.

Until one day, she regards him as a man and conquers her heart.

Mei Yuxian and Lin Yuan, in many ways, were surprisingly similar.

Both were confident, both strong, and both carried themselves with an air of certainty rarely seen in others.

They believed in themselves completely — and more importantly, they had the ability and accomplishments to justify that confidence.

When comparing Mei Yuxian to Yan Ruyue, often hailed as the 'ice-cold queen' of the business world, the differences were striking on the surface.

Yan Ruyue appeared aloof, distant, and frosty to those who did not know her well.

However, much of that coldness came from external pressures — family burdens, expectations, and a childhood filled with emotional distance.

Her icy exterior was merely a shell hiding her fragile heart.

Mei Yuxian, on the other hand, presented a different mask.

She was warm, friendly, approachable — the type of person who could easily charm any room she walked into.

Yet beneath that inviting exterior was a core of true coolness — an inner world that was guarded and hard to reach.

It was easy to be her friend, to share laughter and conversation.

But to earn her true recognition, to become someone she trusted and valued beyond surface connections?

That was incredibly difficult.

Lin Yuan understood this better than most.

He knew the things Mei Yuxian truly cared about.

And in those crucial aspects, Lin Yuan's personality resonated deeply with hers.

It was that rare similarity that made conquering her heart even possible.

Even so, Lin Yuan did not delude himself into thinking he could win Mei Yuxian over completely in a single day, even with a gift as grand as the Ink Plum Blossom.

Conquering the heart of a woman like Mei Yuxian would be a long campaign, not a swift battle.

However…

Tonight, Lin Yuan was filled with confidence.

Tonight, he was sure he could at least take the first step toward an even deeper relationship with her.

He was certain — absolutely certain — that by the end of tonight, he could sleep with Mei Yuxian!

*****

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