But calligraphy and painting are just too murky, even experts make mistakes, let alone these enthusiasts. Many paintings look good, but they’re actually imitative works.
“Right, Zheng, this is Mengmeng’s boyfriend.”
“Hao, this is Old Zheng from next door, and this is his nephew. They’ve come over for me to appraise some paintings!”
While introducing the identities, Guan Weimin also briefly explained why Zheng Guangrong and Zheng Xiaohai were at his house.
Actually, Zheng Guangrong wasn’t much of an issue, but with Zheng Xiaohai in his home, he was worried that his “son-in-law” would misunderstand.
“Hello, Uncle Zheng.”
Yang Hao courteously greeted him, then nodded at Zheng Xiaohai as a greeting.
“Hello, Zheng Xiaohai.”
“I’m a graduate from Sorbonne University, just back from France, planning to develop my career in China, please take care of me!” Yang Hao hadn’t intended to make much of an introduction, as it was just a passerby, after all.
Instead, the other party took the initiative to flaunt both their educational background and overseas experience.
This clearly was no ordinary passerby!
Furthermore, after introducing himself, his gaze unconsciously shifted to Guan Mengmeng.
His purpose was rather clear.
Understanding the other’s intention, Yang Hao then stated his own name, “Yang Hao.”
“Mengmeng’s boyfriend!”
He didn’t flaunt his education or overseas background like Zheng Xiaohai did, and simply casually showed off his status as “Guan Mengmeng’s boyfriend.”
Yet, to Zheng Xiaohai, it was a fatal blow!
Sure enough, the corners of Zheng Xiaohai’s mouth twitched slightly.
He then shot a glare at Yang Hao, cursing in his heart, “Old coin!!”
Show off, huh!
I’ll let you be happy for a few more days!
Your time to cry is coming!!
Zheng Xiaohai looked at Guan Mengmeng again with a gentlemanly smile on his face, “Miss Guan, hello. I went to high school with your cousin Feng Lina. We’ve met before.”
“Oh, hello.”
Guan Mengmeng nodded slightly as a greeting.
Her mind and attention were now on Yang Hao, and she paid no mind to this passerby, Zheng Xiaohai.
Mainly because the guy really didn’t have any attractive points—neither tall nor short, neither fat nor thin, neither handsome nor ugly, the kind that would just disappear into the crowd without leaving any impression.
“Is this painting really by Gao Qifeng?”
“Is it an authentic work or a fake??”
At that moment, Zheng Guangrong suddenly exclaimed.
He was a member of the Jiangcheng Calligraphy and Painting Association, arguably more professional than Guan Weimin, given that Guan Weimin’s application to join the Association had been rejected.
To join the Jiangcheng Calligraphy and Painting Association, one had to be either a practitioner or a collector.
And Guan Weimin naturally took the route of a collector, but the things he collected weren’t of much value, and the Association didn’t acknowledge his status as a collector.
Upon hearing this, Zheng Xiaohai’s attention was immediately piqued, and since he didn’t understand painting nor knew who Gao Qifeng was, he asked curiously, “Uncle, who is Gao Qifeng?”
“A great painter of the Republic of China, one of the ‘Lingnan Three Masters,’ and a founder of the ‘Lingnan School of Painting’!” Dive into more tales on m,vl-em-py-r
Zheng Guangrong, of course, knew about Gao Qifeng, the great painter. After answering his nephew’s question, he took out a magnifying glass from his pocket and started to examine the painting earnestly.
Guan Weimin was equally serious, as he also recognized Gao Qifeng.
But these days, Gao Qifeng’s paintings had become increasingly expensive; if this “Lion Painting” was authentic, it would be worth several million!
Zheng Xiaohai silently looked up Gao Qifeng, as well as the recent transaction prices of his works, and was astounded.
Information from a certain auction house showed that last May, Gao Qifeng’s “Pine and Crane Extending Longevity” sold for 4.2 million!!
A fake!
Definitely a fake!
Who would bring a painting worth several million as a gift just by visiting their girlfriend’s house!!
That’s what Zheng Xiaohai thought, but he said, “The calligraphy and painting market is really deep; there are forgeries everywhere.”
“If you want to buy an authentic work, you should look at contemporary artists…”
While he didn’t directly say the “Lion Painting” Yang Hao brought was a fake, he subtly expressed his opinion.
But at that time, no one paid him any attention, as both Guan Weimin and Zheng Guangrong were absorbed in examining the painting.
Guan Mengmeng gently tugged on Yang Hao’s sleeve, then tiptoed and whispered, “Your painting isn’t like our relationship, is it?”
Because their relationship was fake, after all.
So Guan Mengmeng was making a joke about the painting being a forgery.
“Yep, just like our relationship!”
Yang Hao smiled and nodded his head.
He meant that the painting was real, so, we are real too!
But now Guan Mengmeng couldn’t grasp his meaning and thought he was admitting the painting was a fake.
Guan Mengmeng didn’t really mind; she knew that calligraphy and painting could be quite a money pit, and not something common folks could afford.
So, where would so many authentic works come from!
They are all just mass-produced copies.
Yet, her own father was examining it very seriously.
And neighbor Uncle Zheng was equally serious…
After a while, both of them put away their magnifying glasses.
“Old Zheng, what do you think?”
Guan Weimin couldn’t wait to seek the opinion of his old neighbor.
“It looks like an authentic piece…”
“But this is a Gao Qifeng painting!!”
“If it’s an original, this painting would be worth several million, wouldn’t it?!” Zheng Guangrong said, unconsciously glancing at Yang Hao.
The guy seemed decent, but didn’t look like someone who would casually gift a painting worth millions!
And besides, he wasn’t actually the son-in-law, just dating Guan Mengmeng.