After listening to Xu Qingqing's explanation, Xu Yan finally understood. Recalling the situation, he said in confusion, "Dad once said that Lin Zhenghong's paintings are priceless. Where did this nouveau riche come from?"
Especially a painting like *Bird Bell and Slim Bamboo* that only exists in legends.
"Brother, watch your mouth," Xu Qingqing glared at Xu Yan. It wasn't wise to call Song Fuqiang a nouveau riche right in front of so many people. Wasn't that just asking for trouble?
"Humph," Xu Yan snorted and fell silent.
After everyone quieted down, Song Fuqiang said with a smile, "This competition is simple. Just pick the authentic painting from ten. The one who gets it right will win the painting!"
Xu Yan's business sense immediately kicked in. He quickly calculated the current market price in his head. "The current market price of *Bird Bell and Slim Bamboo* should be around 12 million. If we hype it up, it could sell for at least 15 million."
Xu Qingqing's ears perked up, and she was eager to give it a try. Her father had wanted a Lin Zhenghong painting for a long time. If she could win this one for free and give it to him, he'd be overjoyed.
Besides the Xu siblings, Song Nuannuan was also eyeing the painting. She warned the appraiser Huang beside her, "I came to this stupid banquet just for this painting. You must help me win it."
She had spent too much money and had her credit card frozen by Song Fuqiang. She was desperate for some new shopping money. When she learned from the butler that Song Fuqiang was using *Bird Bell and Slim Bamboo* as a prize, she immediately checked its price online. It could sell for at least 10 million. If she could sell it, her allowance problems would be solved.
Among the other onlookers, there were also those determined to get *Bird Bell and Slim Bamboo*. The painting was like a huge piece of meat, thrown into a pack of hungry wolves.
Song Fuqiang clapped his hands, and ten servants carried ten identical paintings into the party. In the paintings, there was a birdcage hanging on a bamboo. Inside the cage, there was a cute thrush with its head tilted, playfully hooking the silver bell hanging in the cage with its claw.
At first glance, the ten paintings looked identical, but Xu Qingqing quickly spotted the differences. The color of the first painting was of poor quality. The shadows were too dark, not the deep green like the other parts but almost black. The color of the second painting was okay, but the thrush in it was too fat. The thin bell rope looked like it was about to break under the weight of the bird. The lighting in the third and fourth paintings was off. The whole picture looked gray and hazy. The other paintings also had their own flaws. Only the seventh painting caught Xu Qingqing's eye. The powerful strokes immediately impressed her. You could tell that the straight bamboo poles were drawn in one go, without any interruptions or the stiffness of using a ruler.
Not entirely sure, Xu Qingqing used her system to scan it and confirmed that the seventh painting was the authentic one.
"Which one do you choose?" Xu Yan asked for Xu Qingqing's opinion.
"I'll choose the seventh one," Xu Qingqing was the first to sign up.
Hearing that Xu Qingqing was choosing the seventh painting, a man wearing glasses looked panicked. He quickly reminded her, "The structure of the seventh painting is not good. It's obviously a fake."
"You'd better choose another one."
"Thanks, but I like the seventh one," Xu Qingqing looked at the man in confusion and declined his offer.
"Are you sure you won't change your mind..." The man looked nervous and strange.
Xu Qingqing frowned. She had already said she wouldn't change her choice, and the registration slip had been handed in. How could she change it now?
"The slip has been handed in. I can't change it."
"Okay."
Hearing Xu Qingqing's words, the man lowered his head and timidly handed his slip to the staff. The staff didn't even look at it and just put it in the box.
Xu Qingqing became even more suspicious. Logically, shouldn't the staff check if the number on the slip had already been chosen? Forget it. It wasn't her business.
A label would be put on the chosen paintings to remind people to choose the ones without labels.
When the ten participants had signed up, Song Fuqiang made a stop gesture. "Okay, everyone. The ten participants have been determined. Those who were slow are out of luck."
"Let's announce the choices. The person who chose the first painting is Li Chao, the second one is... The seventh painting was chosen by Xu Qingqing and Zheng Qiurong..."
Seeing that two people had chosen the same painting, Song Fuqiang frowned and looked at Xu Qingqing with a smile. "Miss Xu Qingqing, our staff made a mistake. Someone has already chosen the seventh painting, so your qualification to participate is void."
"What?"
Xu Qingqing couldn't believe her ears. She looked at Zheng Qiurong and realized he was the timid man who had just reminded her not to choose the seventh painting! It seemed that Zheng Qiurong had no good intentions. He was just worried that she would choose the same one as him. But this guy was so despicable! He clearly saw that she had chosen the seventh one and still insisted on choosing it himself.
"Both he and I chose the seventh painting. Why did you directly void my qualification? Shouldn't you ask who chose it first?"
Xu Qingqing protested coldly. "I remember I was the first one to sign up. Even if someone has to be eliminated, it shouldn't be me."
Xu Qingqing's words were reasonable, and Song Fuqiang was at a loss for words. Feeling embarrassed, he tried to play the emotional card. "Miss Xu Qingqing, Xiao Zhang is an employee of my company. This is his first time choosing an antique. I hope you can give this opportunity to him."
"Besides, the seventh painting may not be the authentic one, right?"
Song Fuqiang said with a smile, trying to persuade Xu Qingqing.
"I won't," Xu Qingqing refused coldly. Why should she give in? Sorry, she didn't have that kind of noble virtue! When it came to the antiques she liked, fighting for them was the right thing to do. There was no such word as "give in" in Xu Qingqing's dictionary.
Hearing Xu Qingqing's straightforward refusal, Song Fuqiang's face turned black and then green. He whispered to Jing Zhen beside him, "Isn't she your friend? Go and persuade her."
Jing Zhen had no choice but to come and persuade Xu Qingqing. "Xu Qingqing, actually I don't have to win. Why don't you give this opportunity to someone else..."
"Why should she give in? She was the first one to choose this painting," Xu Yan deliberately contradicted Jing Zhen.
Xu Qingqing also looked at Jing Zhen seriously. "Sister Jing Zhen, I really like this painting."
"Well... okay," seeing Xu Qingqing's determination, Jing Zhen didn't insist anymore. She shook her head at Song Fuqiang on the stage.
"In that case, the seventh painting will go to Miss Xu Qingqing," Song Fuqiang didn't look happy. When Jing Zhen returned to his side, Song Fuqiang gritted his teeth and whispered in her ear.