Wang Guan and the others naturally understood the mistake Elder Tao was referring to. Twenty years ago, he must have tried to restore the mural out of goodwill to enhance the viewing experience.

Twenty years later, he was also acting in good faith, intending to catch both the thief and the buyer in one net, serving as a stark warning. Unfortunately, in this world, good intentions do not always yield the desired results.

Both incidents became prime examples of well-meaning actions going awry, which is why Elder Tao was so full of regret. “They always say you forget the pain once the wound heals; there’s some truth to that, isn't there.” Elder Tao gave a wry smile.

“When one gets old, confusion is inevitable. If you hadn’t helped me retrieve the item, I might have regretted this for another twenty years.

So, this painting is for you; consider it a small token of my gratitude.” “It wasn’t us, it was Grandpa who helped,” Qiao Yu quickly waved her hands. “Besides, it’s only natural for a student to assist a teacher, even if a reward is offered.” “Take it; you should know that one does not refuse a gift from an elder, understand?” Elder Tao rolled up the scroll and firmly pressed it into Qiao Yu’s hands, leaving her no room to decline.

Qiao Yu had no choice but to accept it. After staying at Elder Tao’s residence for another half hour, she bid farewell to Wang Guan and Bei Ye.

“Teacher is really something, giving me a painting for no reason.” On the way back, Qiao Yu shook her head. “When should I give it back to him…” “Elder Tao gave it to you; if you return it, he’ll surely be displeased,” Wang Guan hesitated for a moment, then whispered, “Moreover, this painting is not simple.

You must keep it safe, never lose it, and certainly never trade it away casually.” “What do you mean?” Qiao Yu was completely puzzled. “Isn’t this Teacher’s painting?

From the tone of your voice, it sounds like there’s some hidden story.” “Elder Tao lied; this isn’t his painting,” Wang Guan shook his head slightly. “This is also a rubbed copy achieved through a marvelous sleight of hand.” “What?” Qiao Yu and Bei Ye were utterly astonished, their eyes showing disbelief.

In an instant, Qiao Yu came to her senses and frowned. “How is that possible?

Aren't rubbed copies usually imprinted on silk?” “Who told you it absolutely must be imprinted on fabric?” Wang Guan found it slightly absurd. “In the beginning, due to technological limitations, naturally, they could only make rubbings on specially prepared cloth.

But later, papermaking technology saw a breakthrough; the toughness and thinness of the paper greatly improved, so naturally, they could be printed on paper…” “So that’s how it is.” Qiao Yu seemed a little ashamed but was mostly perplexed. “Then why did Teacher say this was his work?” “If he hadn’t said that, you probably wouldn’t have accepted the gift,” Wang Guan chuckled.

“It was the old man’s thoughtful effort; you must take good care of this painting and not betray his trust.” “Of course.” Qiao Yu nodded seriously, then pondered. “You keep emphasizing this; does it mean this painting is exceptional?

Or does it hold some hidden mystery?” “Finally, you caught on,” Wang Guan flashed a bright smile and stated solemnly. “This is a rubbing taken from a Tang Dynasty mural.

Since the original mural is now destroyed, the painting you hold has become the ‘original artifact.’” “Of course, that’s just one aspect. The most important thing is the painting’s style…” Wang Guan paused thoughtfully.

“The delicate brushwork, the flowing lines—it gives me a feeling of familiarity, like I’ve seen it somewhere before.” “And then what?” Qiao Yu still didn't understand. “Have you seen it somewhere before?” Bei Ye asked curiously.

“Is that why it feels familiar?” “Exactly.” Wang Guan struggled to recall. “But I can’t place it right now.

However, I am certain this painting is extraordinary, truly extraordinary.” “That’s all there is to it? What’s so extraordinary?” Qiao Yu asked in astonishment.

“Why can’t I see it? Xiao Ye, can you see anything unusual?” “Don’t ask me; I don’t understand either,” Bei Ye laughed.

“Honestly, to this day, I still don’t get how they can deduce so much from just a painting.” “Exactly, exactly,” Qiao Yu strongly agreed. “They must have too much leisure time to obsess over this stuff.” “Hey, don’t say that in front of me,” Wang Guan was slightly exasperated.

This was cultural inheritance, or perhaps the ability to appreciate art. It was supposed to be a noble pursuit, but in their mouths, it took on a different meaning.

“That’s right. Who would pore over such things unless they were completely bored and had their bellies full?” Qiao Yu’s retort left Wang Guan speechless because she had a point.

After all, appreciating antiques truly requires a certain economic foundation. It’s not that you can’t afford it if you’re poor, but if you want to play the game well, substantial financial backing is necessary.

To put it bluntly, if you’re starving, you should stick to manual labor. Therefore, Qiao Yu’s comment that one must have ‘their bellies full and nothing better to do’ to study antiques was crude but not entirely inaccurate; it reflected a certain truth.

“How about this…” At that moment, Qiao Yu blinked. “How about I give this painting to you?” “Hmm?” Wang Guan was taken aback, then shook his head.

“That’s a gift from Elder Tao…” “It’s fine. It might be complicated with others, but if I give it to you, Teacher certainly won’t object,” Qiao Yu’s face bloomed into a sweet smile, but a glint of cunning flashed in her eyes.

“But I can’t give it away for free. You’ll have to trade a Jiao Pearl for it.” “So you haven’t given up on that yet,” Wang Guan said with a half-smile.

“No matter how good a Jiao Pearl is, it’s still just a somewhat special pearl. Its roundness and luster might even be inferior to a top-grade natural Hepu pearl.

Why are you so fixated on it?” “How can that be the same? A pearl is a pearl; a Jiao Pearl is a Jiao Pearl.

Different names mean a world of difference,” Qiao Yu sniffed. “Don’t think I don’t know—you say you want the Jiao Pearls for research, but in private, you’ll definitely pick the best ones to make a necklace for Xiao Ye, right…” Just then, Bei Ye glanced over.

Setting aside whether Wang Guan actually had that intention, could he possibly say no at this moment? “Fine, you guessed right,” Wang Guan immediately conceded.

“Then I’ll give you… one Jiao Pearl.” “One?” Qiao Yu’s eyebrows shot up like an angry little cat, her eyes wide. “You stingy merchant!

No wonder you didn’t even hesitate to sell me out just now. It turns out in your heart, our many years of friendship are only worth one bead.” “Then how many do you think it’s worth?” Wang Guan asked, torn between laughter and tears.

“At least ten or eight, I suppose.” “Why don’t you just rob me?” “I am doing it right now… Xiao Ye, your man is too cheap. Dump him and come live with me.” “…” They haggled all the way back to the Qiao residence but reached no agreement.

Finally, they set a date to continue the battle tomorrow, exchanged goodbyes, and retired to their rooms. The next morning, Wang Guan went to bid farewell to Fourth Master Qiao, preparing to return to the capital.

“Didn’t you say you were going to Hong Kong? Why the change of route back to the capital?” Fourth Master Qiao’s eyes were full of suspicion.

“I need to return first to take care of some trivial matters,” Wang Guan explained. “Tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow at the latest, we will be there.

Old Master, you just prepare accordingly.” “Very well,” Fourth Master Qiao agreed readily. “Then I wish you a safe journey.” “Thank you, Old Master.

See you later.” After bidding farewell, Wang Guan stepped out of the mansion. When he reached the main gate, he finally understood why Fourth Master Qiao had so easily agreed to let them go.

There, behind Qiao Yu, stood eight large men in black suits and sunglasses, lined up perfectly. The spectacle, the imposing aura, was truly enviable.

“What’s there to envy?” Qiao Yu glared. “Is this what you call ‘the sea is vast enough for a fish to leap, and the sky is wide enough for a bird to soar’?” “…Well, actually…” Wang Guan gave a strained laugh and immediately changed the subject.

“Let’s go; if we’re late, we’ll miss the plane.” Experience is the best teacher. As he made his hasty retreat, Wang Guan inwardly sighed that Fourth Master Qiao was indeed shrewd, calculating, and would never let anyone take advantage of him easily.

“Indeed, you can’t trust a merchant’s words…” Qiao Yu was quite dissatisfied, but after Bei Ye’s gentle persuasion, she reluctantly accepted the reality and was escorted to the airport by the group of bodyguards. After passing security, they boarded smoothly and soon arrived at the Capital Airport.

A moment later, they exited the airport and gazed at the endless stream of people and vehicles. Wang Guan couldn't help but feel a pang of emotion: “Beijing is still so… hot…” Yes, hot—not bustling, but the oppressive heat of high summer.

The airport was already crowded, making the heat feel even more intense, so much so that they didn't want to linger for a second longer, quickly hailing a car to speed away. Half an hour later, they arrived at Old Man Qian’s grand courtyard residence.

Entering felt like stepping into a world entirely different from the outside—cool and refreshing. From this, one could see that the courtyard designs developed over millennia of trial and error by the ancestors were incomparable to the reinforced concrete buildings that sprang up in modern times.

Setting aside other aspects, the fact that the residence remained naturally cool without air conditioning fully demonstrated the rationality of the eaves and dougong bracket structures. Each eaves was shaped like a conical hat, functioning like enormous umbrellas that blocked the scorching sunlight, ensuring the courtyard remained shaded and cool.

It was a pity that such residences were commonplace over a hundred years ago; even ordinary folk could build a rudimentary version. But now, the average person couldn't afford to live in one, which naturally led one to question: has society progressed, or has it regressed?

Wang Guan felt that in terms of housing, society had certainly regressed; it was clearly moving backward. After vehemently criticizing the current state of Chinese housing, Wang Guan walked familiarly into the main hall of the residence and immediately spotted Old Man Qian, who was savoring tea at that moment.

Wang Guan envied Old Man Qian’s lifestyle—so comfortable every day. He would stretch and practice boxing in the morning, read and drink tea after breakfast, summon friends to study antiques when inspired, or visit friends… In short, one word could describe it: enjoying a life of pure bliss.