Chapter 102: Old Master Bai’s Probe

Zhao Ling did not believe Yang Tianchen’s nonsense at all. She slapped his hand away and said angrily, “You still dare to make excuses? I saw with my own eyes that you went in here. Do you still think you can lie to me?”

“I…” Yang Tianchen was left speechless by her words and could only turn to Qin Feng for help.

Qin Feng set down his teacup, rose slowly, and walked up to Zhao Ling with a faint smile. “Miss, I think you’ve misunderstood. Tianchen and I were only discussing business. We did nothing to wrong you.”

“Discussing business?” Zhao Ling looked Qin Feng up and down, her eyes full of suspicion. “You? Discussing business? Who do you think you are?”

Qin Feng’s expression did not change, but his tone cooled slightly. “Who I am is not important. What matters is that Tianchen and I are aboveboard. I hope you won’t be unreasonable.”

“You!” Zhao Ling was so furious her face turned livid. She pointed at Qin Feng’s nose and, for a long moment, could not get another word out.

“Lingling, see? I told you we were innocent. Don’t be mad anymore. It’s not worth ruining your health over this.”

Yang Tianchen hurriedly seized the chance to persuade her.

Zhao Ling took a deep breath and forced down the fury in her chest. She looked coldly at Yang Tianchen and said, “Fine, Yang Tianchen, you’ve got skill. I’ll remember what happened today.”

With that, Zhao Ling turned and left, her high heels striking the floor with crisp, sharp clicks, as though venting her rage with every step.

Watching her retreating figure, Yang Tianchen let out a long breath, as if he had just set down a mountain from his shoulders. He turned back to Qin Feng with deep gratitude and said, “Brother, I really have you to thank today. If it weren’t for you, I honestly wouldn’t have known how to get out of that.”

“It was nothing,” Qin Feng said lightly. “No need to be polite. But your fiancée does have quite the temper.”

Yang Tianchen gave a wry smile. “Yes. She’s been spoiled since she was little, and her temper is fierce. But she isn’t a bad person; she just gets jealous easily.”

“Oh?” Qin Feng lifted a brow. “Sounds like your fiancée cares for you deeply.”

Yang Tianchen sighed and said nothing. A complicated look flickered through his eyes.

“By the way, you still haven’t said why your fiancée suddenly came here,” Qin Feng asked.

Yang Tianchen hesitated before saying, “Actually, I lied to her before and told her I’d come here for a business trip. I never expected her to follow me…”

At that, Qin Feng could not help but laugh. “Seems your fiancée really doesn’t feel at ease about you.”

Yang Tianchen smiled bitterly and remained silent, though inwardly he was crying out in misery.

“I’m heading back first. I’ll leave this place to you for now. If I don’t get back soon, by the time I do, I’m afraid the sky will have fallen.”

After Yang Tianchen left, the smile on Qin Feng’s face gradually faded, and his usual calm returned.

He went back into the antique shop and continued attending to the customers.

Today’s little farce did not seem to affect his mood. If anything, it made him savor the quiet even more.

Night fell, and the city lights came on one after another.

Qin Feng saw off the last customer and closed the shop door.

He stretched lazily and was just about to light a cigarette when his phone suddenly rang.

“Qin Feng, it’s me.” A clear, pleasant voice came from the other end.

“Ruoxi? What is it so late?” Qin Feng asked, somewhat puzzled.

“My grandfather wants to see you. Are you free to come over now?” Bai Ruoxi’s voice carried a trace of barely perceptible tension.

“Old Master Bai wants to see me?”

Qin Feng raised his brows slightly, puzzled, but he still agreed. “All right, I’ll come right away.”

After hanging up, he told Zhang Hu to take a taxi home, then drove his understated Audi A6 toward the Bai family villa.

The Bai family could be considered one of River City’s distinguished old families, and Old Master Bai was a highly respected elder of great moral standing.

Qin Feng did not have much affection for these wealthy households, but since it was Bai Ruoxi asking, he could hardly refuse.

Besides, he did not dislike the old man; unlike many others, the old master had always treated Bai Ruoxi very well.

Half an hour later, Qin Feng arrived at the Bai family villa.

As soon as he got out of the car, he saw Bai Ruoxi waiting at the door.

“You’re here. My grandfather has been waiting for some time.”

Today Bai Ruoxi wore a white long dress, and her dark hair was loose over her shoulders, making her look especially pure and lovely.

“Heh, let’s go.” Qin Feng smiled slightly and followed her into the villa.

In the living room, an energetic old man sat on the sofa with a cup of tea in hand, his deep gaze fixed toward the entrance.

“Grandfather, Afeng is here.”

Following Bai Ruoxi into the living room, Qin Feng saw an elderly man dressed in a traditional jacket, seated in a rosewood armchair, idly rolling a string of agarwood beads between his fingers as he smiled warmly at him.

“Old Master Bai, good evening.” Qin Feng greeted him politely.

“Xiaofeng, you’re here. Come, sit, sit.”

Old Master Bai pointed to the seat beside him, then said to Bai Ruoxi, “Ruoxi, go brew Xiaofeng a cup of tea.”

“There’s no need, Grandpa Bai. I’m not thirsty,” Qin Feng said quickly.

“You child, since you’re a guest, how could we let you just sit there?” Old Master Bai said with mock displeasure.

Bai Ruoxi covered her mouth with a smile and turned to make tea.

Old Master Bai studied Qin Feng for a moment and said with a chuckle, “Xiaofeng, I heard you opened an antique shop. How’s business?”

“Thanks to your blessing, it’s doing all right,” Qin Feng replied modestly.

“Mm. It’s a good thing for young people to have drive, but the antique trade runs deep. You must be careful,” Old Master Bai said earnestly.

“Thank you for the reminder, Grandpa Bai. I’ll keep that in mind,” Qin Feng said with a nod.

After chatting idly for a few moments, Old Master Bai changed the subject. “By the way, Xiaofeng, I recently acquired a treasure and would like you to help me take a look.”

With that, Old Master Bai picked up a brocade box from the tea table beside him and handed it to Qin Feng.

“Grandpa Bai, you’re too kind. I only know a little bit. How could I dare show off my meager skill before you?” Qin Feng said, though his hands accepted the brocade box.

The box was made from fine huali wood, exquisitely carved and faintly scented with a delicate fragrance.

Qin Feng opened it carefully and saw a classical painting inside, the scroll rolled around a white jade roller and tied with a Hetian jade seal.

He slowly unfurled the scroll and saw that it depicted a landscape with figures.

In the background, mountains rose and fell in an endless line, their peaks steep and shrouded in drifting mist. At the foot of the mountains stretched a dense forest, and through it ran a clear brook whose bottom could be seen at a glance, while several white cranes foraged leisurely by the water.

The composition of the entire painting was exquisite, the brushwork delicate, the figures vivid and lifelike. Every mountain and stream seemed imbued with spirit, making one feel as though they had stepped into the scene itself, into a realm of quiet distance and transcendent grace.

“Well? Xiaofeng, what do you think of this painting?”

Old Master Bai asked with a smile.