Chapter 299: Return to the Country, a Change of Curator at the Da Ying Museum
‘So that was his move: “I’ll buy it. I’m giving this 15 billion to the museum.”‘
“Alright, alright, alright.” As long as the higher-ups saw the money, there was nothing else to argue about.
Gu Shengsheng had been planning to keep watching the show, but a phone call interrupted her. “Shengsheng, I’ve found our forger. In that village you mentioned, there really is such a person.”
“Lu Shijing’s team confirmed it’s the same person.”
Gu Shengsheng nodded and said, “I’m coming back tonight.”
Then, she told Lu Shijing, “You keep an eye on Jack here. I’m going to see about the forger we need.”
“Okay,” Lu Shijing nodded.
“Stay safe.”
He watched as Gu Shengsheng hurried away.
‘Jack, on the other hand, thought his position was secure. That Gu Shengsheng must have failed and fled in shame!’
—
Gu Shengsheng quickly boarded a plane and returned to Huaxia.
She took a nap on the plane and had already arrived by the time she woke up.
As soon as Gu Shengsheng returned, Zhao Dehai was there to greet her. “Shengsheng! HAHAHA.”
“You really made a splash overseas this time!”
Gu Shengsheng said, “Not really. I didn’t spend much money, just went to watch the show. Let’s hurry to that village to see the artifacts they make.”
“I hear half the high-quality replicas on the market come from that village. We absolutely have to go take a proper look.”
That was true enough, but Zhao Dehai said, “You probably don’t know yet, but in the few hours since you’ve been back, something’s already happened at the Da Ying Museum.”
“That fast?” Gu Shengsheng had thought it would take until tomorrow at the earliest, but she hadn’t expected Lu Shijing to be so quick.
Because by then, several topics were already trending on social media.
#DaYingMuseumDirectorResigns#
#DaYingMuseumReputationDestroyedByFakeArtifact#
#DemandDaYingMuseumRefunds#
Seeing these, the frustration that had been weighing on Gu Shengsheng’s heart finally dissipated.
She said, “Jack got what he deserved. This is what happens when you’re insatiably greedy.”
Zhao Dehai couldn’t stop laughing, grinning from ear to ear. “Speaking of which, I knew you had a hand in this, didn’t I?”
“You’re really something else. He’s going to be utterly disgraced. And buying it for so much money… that was a fatal blow, wasn’t it? That man has scammed countless people. Now that he’s been scammed himself, there’s no way he can recover.”
“This whole thing just keeps getting more and more amusing. Shengsheng.”
“Mhm,” Gu Shengsheng nodded. “The Da Ying Museum is in complete chaos right now. We need to seize this opportunity and find that forger to go over there.”
“And then bring the real artifacts back.”
This made Zhao Dehai a bit worried. “I’m not trying to discourage you, Shengsheng, but this plan is inadvisable. We advocate for peaceful resolutions. What you’re suggesting isn’t right.”
“Besides, the artifacts must be retrieved openly and honorably. Bringing them back this way would damage our reputation. After all, we people of Huaxia are people of integrity.”
Gu Shengsheng said, “Don’t worry. I’m not planning to sneak them back in a few trucks.”
“I plan to buy them, and then pass through security with them openly. That’s why I’m here to find that person.”
If that was the case, Zhao Dehai was relieved.
“It seems with a plan like that, you won’t need help from any official agencies!”
Gu Shengsheng said, “Of course I’ll need help. At the very least, you need to make sure I don’t get scammed! In Eagle Country, my phone can get stolen right out of my hands while I’m just using it on the street.”
“HAHAHA, if it gets stolen again, I’ll buy you ten more.”
Gu Shengsheng laughed and said, “It’s a deal then!”
Then, still worried, Zhao Dehai said, “I have no objection to you going to that village. I’m sure plenty of people will look out for you, since everyone knows who you are.”
“But the person you’re looking for has been in prison. Do you have any idea what that means? He’s killed someone. He was in Tilanqiao Prison, did you know that? He’s emotionally unstable. Are you really not afraid?”
This was a topic Gu Shengsheng felt she could speak on.
It was because in a parallel timeline, she had seen information about his time in Tilanqiao Prison. She also knew how incredible his later forgeries were—so good they were indistinguishable from the real thing—and that he even had his own underground team.
The shock of discovering that information was matched only by how desperately Gu Shengsheng wanted his help now. In truth, he was the only one who could do it. After all, the museum staff in Eagle Country and the experts from all the appraisal agencies were no fools.
If she was going to have forgeries made, they had to be the best.
Gu Shengsheng looked at Zhao Dehai. “He’s a serious felon. Tilanqiao Prison holds people like him, as well as plenty of white-collar criminals. A lot of people say the inmates there are mostly master craftsmen, and they’re not wrong.”
At this, Zhao Dehai sighed. “How could they not be? The more brilliant the mind, the more terrifying the crime. Everyone in a prison like that is a high-IQ criminal.”
“But even so, are you certain he can make what you need? From what I know, he was locked up for ten years.”
Gu Shengsheng said, “He can.”
Seeing her place so much faith in a man she’d never met, Zhao Dehai could only chalk it up to her being young and having seen too many movies. There was nothing else he could say.
He said, “Alright, go on and do what you need to do.”
“It’s not the end of the world if it doesn’t work out.”
Gu Shengsheng nodded. “You shouldn’t come with me. I’m going as a private individual. If you come, you’ll be representing the Cultural Relics Bureau, and that would complicate things.”
Zhao Dehai said, “But I don’t feel right about you going to the village alone. That punk Lu Shijing nagged me over and over to take good care of you.”
“It’s fine, Lin Kai is here,” Gu Shengsheng said, gesturing toward Lin Kai.
From inside Lu Shijing’s luxury car, Lin Kai flashed a charming smile. “I’ll protect Miss Gu!”
Zhao Dehai didn’t argue further. He had a meal with the two of them, then left to attend to his work at the Cultural Relics Bureau.
As for Gu Shengsheng, she and Lin Kai promptly set off.
As he drove, Lin Kai asked, “Young Madam, have you and our boss made up?”
Gu Shengsheng: “Mhm.” She responded softly.
Lin Kai was ecstatic. “I knew you two would get together!”
“So, have you talked? How did you get together? Did you kiss?”
When he got excited, he tended to forget himself and blurt out the questions he was dying to ask.
“Ah, my apologies, Young Madam. I got a little carried away.”
This made Gu Shengsheng laugh. “Lu Shijing is usually so quiet. I’m surprised you two get along so well.”
“What are you talking about? Our boss is just reserved. You know, the quiet but passionate type?” Lin Kai said with a perfectly straight face.
“Don’t mind how aloof he acts, like he’s not interested in anything. That’s not the real him. When I’m gossiping, he’ll pretend not to care, but he’s definitely listening.”