Chapter 54: Chapter 54: Others Laugh at Me for Being Too Crazy

Although the painting’s content is not something like “The Three Heroes Drive the Lu Bu Battle,” it is a depiction of a tiger roaring in the forest.

The entire scroll is over half a meter long, featuring a sickly-looking big tiger with a white forehead, lazily sleeping under a big tree. The painting’s technique is smooth and perfect, giving an impression of sophistication at first glance.

However, what makes people burst into laughter is not just this, but mainly the fact that the big tiger has half a string of leftover candied haws in its mouth, which is quite absurd.

Upon closer inspection, the two fangs that should be visible on the tiger are missing, or perhaps they were never there.

This is also why Lin Yi thought of the painting “Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles” – a toothless tiger eating candied haws is just ridiculous.

Seeing this, Lin Yi couldn’t help but shake his head, feeling that this might just be a playful drawing by a boring person.

Listening to everyone’s laughter, the frail middle-aged man blushed, realizing he had been fooled.

He looked down at the painting in his hand, and after holding back for a long time, suddenly spoke to the surrounding people, his face flushed and neck swelling with anger:

“I’m sorry to make a fool of myself, but let me be honest with you, I spent three hundred and fifty yuan collecting this from the countryside. But it’s a pretty good painting and would make a nice decoration at home. If anyone here wants it, I won’t ask for much, just three hundred yuan to take it away!”

After saying this, he cupped his hands towards the people around him, displaying a look of gnashing teeth, obviously feeling cheated.

However, in response to the middle-aged man’s words, those around just shook their heads, none intending to buy it.

“Three hundred yuan to buy this sick tiger? Who in their right mind would do such a thing!”

“Haha, let’s go, let’s eat first.”

Father Lin also shook his head at this scene. Even though he knew nothing about painting and calligraphy, he felt quite awkward looking at this painting.

But just as he called Lin Yi to leave, Lin Yi suddenly stepped in front of the middle-aged man called Monkey and said:

“Uncle, this painting really speaks to me. It’s got the same charm as the ‘Lord Guan Riding a 28-Bicycle’.

Lin Yi’s comment instantly drew more laughter from those around, but when Monkey heard this, he immediately got angry, feeling openly mocked!

Yet before he could scold the annoying kid, the kid continued:

“Haha, don’t misunderstand, I’m not mocking you. I really think this painting is interesting. How about this, I’ll give you a hundred yuan, and then I can hang this in my dormitory. It would look nice.”

The reprimand caught in Monkey’s throat was swallowed back after hearing Lin Yi’s words, and not only that, he also sighed long with relief because finally, someone was willing to take it.

Though a hundred yuan isn’t much, it still meant he earned a clean sixty yuan.

Being experienced in the Antique City, he naturally wouldn’t agree immediately. His eyes darted around, and his face instantly showed an angry expression:

“Little student, are you playing with me? You said it yourself, the painting technique is pretty good, and I just mentioned that I bought this for three hundred and fifty yuan. Selling it for three hundred means a fifty-yuan loss for me!”

Speaking of this, Monkey showed a hesitant look, then said:

“How about this, little brother, don’t make me lose too much. Two hundred and eighty, and the painting is yours!”

On the side, Empress Dowager Ye saw her son was going to spend three hundred yuan to buy a painting everyone around scoffed at, and she wanted to drag her son away, but Father Lin stopped her and shook his head.

Empress Dowager Ye opened her mouth but ended up saying nothing.

Two minutes later, Lin Yi had the “Tiger Descending the Mountain” in his hand, while Monkey had two hundred and fifty yuan in his pocket.

Although the number isn’t auspicious, Monkey didn’t care at all. He bought it for fifty yuan and resold it for a two hundred yuan profit. It would be nice if such good deals happened every day!

“Haha, let’s go, let’s eat.”

After carefully packing the painting he was holding, Lin Yi couldn’t hide his joy on his face.

Those around were puzzled, looking as if he had found a treasure. Alas, young people these days are too self-assured.

While everyone was laughing at Lin Yi, little did they know that Lin Yi was simultaneously despising these guys who hung around Antique City all year.

Especially that street stall owner, who spent all day here, yet couldn’t recognize such a treasure!

Of course, though Lin Yi was disdainful of them, he couldn’t help but feel amazed in his heart.

Ah, having a system is awesome!

Accompanied by Empress Dowager Ye and the others, he headed towards the food street. When passing by the entrance of Xuanrui Studio, he bumped into a little old man head-on.

“Oh, Brother Lin, Lin, Xiaoyou, haha, what a coincidence to meet again so soon!”

Elder Wang looked at Lin Yi’s family, was first stunned, then quickly walked over with a smile. However, when addressing Lin Yi, he suddenly stuttered.

He had no choice. He had just called his father Brother, and calling Lin Yi little brother afterward would sound odd, so he directly changed it to Lin Xiaoyou.

“Elder Wang, have you just returned? Have you eaten? If not, join us for some food?”

Father and son smiled and greeted Elder Wang, then Lin Yi looked at Elder Wang, who had just come from outside, and said with a smile.

To his surprise, Elder Wang slapped his leg: “Hey, I haven’t eaten yet. How about this? I know a good place at the back. Let’s call President Zhuang and go together?”

Uh, Lin Yi didn’t expect that his casual invitation would be accepted so eagerly.

Looking helplessly at Empress Dowager Ye and Father Lin, he could only smile and nod in agreement.

A moment later, Zhuang Yan, who had received Elder Wang’s call, came out of Xuanrui Studio with a big smile.

After greeting the three members of the Lin family, he led the way cheerfully toward the pedestrian street.

The group chatted as they walked, as if they were old friends.

Empress Dowager Ye looked at the middle-aged man chatting happily with their son and couldn’t help but tug on her husband’s sleeve in curiosity and asked softly:

“Who is this? Our son knows such an old person?”

Father Lin’s face flashed with pride and he said in a voice only both of them could hear:

“Have you heard of the Zhuang Group?”

As soon as he said that, Empress Dowager Ye was stunned…

[To be continued…]