41: Chapter 41 Private Collection

"Ring ring! Ring ring!"

Shortly after the organizer's call ended, Chen Guangke and Wu Ya called.

Shen Yan picked up the phone and asked, "Did you call the police?"

Chen Guangke replied on the phone, "We already did, but the police said it won't be easy to catch the person behind this."

Wu Ya chimed in beside him, "Right, that police officer said he's seen many cases like this, and usually, they all end up being dropped."

Shen Yan fell silent. It seemed calling the police was useless; he had to rely on his own methods to prove his innocence.

With that thought, he told the two of them on the phone about the call he just received from the organizer.

Upon hearing this, Chen Guangke was so angry he almost cursed out loud.

"The trending topic has only been up for half an hour, and the organizer is already desperately trying to distance themselves from us. This organizer is too despicable?!"

Seeing how indignant he looked, Shen Yan replied to Chen Guangke, "It's fine, this isn't important. We just need to clarify with everyone that we didn't plagiarize."

"As for how to prove it... I still need to think about it."

Chen Guangke sighed.

"Alright, alright. Then we'll head back to the hotel first. You come back too, and we'll talk inside the hotel."

Shen Yan acknowledged him with a sound and hung up the phone.

Just as he was about to put away his phone and hail a cab back to the hotel, he saw a new message pop up on his phone.

It was from Liu Hui.

["I saw the trending topic. Are you okay? I absolutely believe you didn't plagiarize. If there's anything I can do to help, just say the word. Grinning face with bared teeth.jpg"]

Honestly, he hadn't expected Liu Hui to send him this message.

Seeing that she was willing to trust him and offer help after only meeting him once.

Shen Yan felt a bit moved.

He thought for a moment and typed a few words into the reply box.

["Thank you for your trust, but it's fine. I will handle all of this myself. Grinning face with bared teeth.jpg"]

Back at the hotel, Shen Yan was pulled into the hotel room by Chen Guangke and Wu Ya to discuss the situation.

"What do we do?"

"If we can't clear the name of plagiarism, it will be very difficult for our studio to continue operating."

Shen Yan nodded without speaking.

Wu Ya continued, "Exactly. No industry allows plagiarism. Once this charge is confirmed against us, the studio will be completely finished."

Shen Yan continued to nod without speaking.

Seeing him nod for a long time without saying a word, Chen Guangke grew anxious.

"Say something! This is your studio. Aren't you worried at all?"

Shen Yan shook his head and replied, "Of course I'm worried, but worrying now is useless."

"Besides... this matter hasn't reached the point of no return yet."

Chen Guangke had known Shen Yan for many years and was deeply aware of Shen Yan's true nature.

Hearing him say that, he immediately guessed Shen Yan had another plan.

"Do you already have an idea? Tell us what you're thinking! We'll all work on it together!"

Shen Yan curved his lips into a smile: "That's right. My idea is that we don't need to do anything; we just need to wait."

Chen Guangke and Wu Ya looked completely bewildered. They didn't understand what Shen Yan was up to.

Although they didn't know what Shen Yan intended to do, they still chose to trust him and wait and see for now.

...The next day, Shen Yan received the daily ordinary wealth intelligence again.

[ordinary wealth intelligence: Please go to the Private Villa Collection Hall at No. 25 Yantai Street and purchase the painting with serial number 104. Someone will buy it from you at a high price in seven days.]

After reading the intelligence, Shen Yan set off without hesitation.

Although the plagiarism storm online was intensifying, it wouldn't stop him from making money.

Half an hour later, he arrived at the Private Collection Hall.

This private collection hall was much smaller than he had imagined.

It was only about two hundred square meters.

Upon entering, he began searching for the painting with serial number 104.

"Shen Yan?"

A familiar voice sounded from behind him.

Shen Yan turned around and saw it was Liu Hui.

He looked at her with surprise and asked, "Why are you here?"

Liu Hui walked forward with a smile and said to him, "That question should be mine. Why are you here?"

Shen Yan casually made up an excuse:

"I came to look at paintings. What about you?"

Liu Hui replied, "The owner of this private collection hall is my friend. I came to support him."

Just as she finished speaking, the owner arrived.

"A Hui, why aren't you upstairs yet?"

Hearing the question, Liu Hui turned to the owner and said, "I ran into a friend of mine here. Let me introduce you. This is my friend Shen Yan, and this is the owner of the Private Collection Hall, Chen He."

Shen Yan nodded to Chen He, and they shook hands.

"Let's go. The second floor is more interesting. I'll take you upstairs."

Liu Hui glanced at Shen Yan hesitantly, then said to the owner, "I... I actually prefer staying on the first floor. Why don't you go up first?"

The owner saw that Liu Hui wanted to stay with Shen Yan.

She frowned slightly, then smiled and said to Shen Yan, "It's fine, Mr. Shen. Would you like to go upstairs?"

Shen Yan surveyed his surroundings and asked the owner, "Are there paintings on the second floor too?"

The owner nodded without hesitation.

"Of course. The paintings on the second floor are even better than those displayed on the first floor. Are you interested in taking a look?"

So, Shen Yan agreed.

Since he agreed, Liu Hui naturally agreed as well.

The two followed the owner upstairs to the second floor.

The second floor was indeed more interesting, just as the owner had said.

It not only had paintings but also an entertainment hall and a buffet.

Since Shen Yan didn't understand art, he couldn't tell the difference between the paintings on the second floor and those on the first.

Just as he was looking for the painting numbered 104 on the second floor, the owner struck up a conversation with him.

"I see you seem very interested in paintings. Are you a private collector?"

Shen Yan paused for a moment, then honestly shook his head.

"No, I just wanted to come and buy a painting I like. I don't usually have an interest in painting, nor do I have a hobby of collecting art."

As soon as he finished speaking, he heard someone next to him let out a chuckle.

"Hahaha, a country bumpkin!"

The person said it very loudly, and everyone on the second floor heard her words, including Liu Hui.

"Madam, please apologize!"

The woman who called Shen Yan a country bumpkin glanced dismissively at Liu Hui.

"Why should I apologize to him?"

"I called him a country bumpkin, isn't that the truth?"

Liu Hui gritted her teeth in anger.

"That is certainly not the truth. Just because he doesn't know painting and doesn't have a hobby of collecting art, does that make him a country bumpkin?"

"Your standard for judging people is a bit too superficial!"

The woman leaned against a table behind her and flicked a handkerchief.