Rebirth of an Idle Noblewoman (1-200)

Chapter 179: A Brief Chat

Mr. Wu was the man in charge of this upcoming exhibition. He once was the president of China’s National Oil Painting Association. This exhibition was something he came up with on the whim. Even so, countless great painters were participating in the event. There was a significant portion of participants who thought that this event was hosted for the sake of promoting his apprentices.

Even the young man in front of him thought this initially. However, after this exchange, he was forced to change his thoughts. Cautiously, he asked to confirm that there was nothing wrong with his hearing. “You’re hosting this exhibition in order to single out this individual, and everyone else is irrelevant?”

“What do you think?” Mr. Wu posed a rhetorical question. He swiped his finger down the roster. “See these people? You can add them up and they’d still be worth less than this person right here.”

His finger then returned to a three-word name, printed in bold black ink over paper—Gu Xiqiao.

“I’ll overlook today’s incident. A word of advice, young man. Have more control over your impulses. Remember, only fools rush in. You were this close to ending your career today.” Mr. Wu lectured the young man sternly.

Powerful people roamed the Imperial Capital. You could point at anyone on the street and the person would likely be someone who could end your life with a snap of his or her fingers. One could never be too sure who his enemies were.

The young man wiped the cold sweat off his brows. Thinking back to how arrogant he sounded when he suggested striking that Gu Xiqiao candidate off the list, his knees buckled under pressure. “P-President Wu… thank you!”

His voice was trembling, reflecting the fear in his heart.

The task of hosting this art exhibition fell onto Mr. Wu’s shoulders. He had connections to the big shots of the art world and the event would be held at the state-owned convention center. In other words, it was a grand event and was also proof of how powerful Mr. Wu himself was, what more to say of the people backing him. However, it seemed that someone of even greater significance had appeared on the horizon.

The young man’s heart was beating so furiously it felt like it was going to pop right out of his mouth at any given time. Upon exiting the office, he propped himself up against a nearby pillar. Sweat was dripping down his forehead as he thought about how grave his mistake was.

He took out his phone and called Meng Yufan. “Miss Meng! You can tell it straight to my face if you despise me, I swear I won’t pester you anymore in the future. But! It’s not right to send someone to their death like this! Look, if you need any help in the future, look elsewhere.”

***

Meng Yufan was gazing at her artwork when she received the call. Staring at the smooth brushstrokes on the ink painting, she gently dragged her fingertip across the canvas. After hearing what the man said, the smile on her face gradually faded. “What do you mean by this?”

Her question was only met by silence. Turns out the person had already hung up the phone. When she called his phone again, he had already switched his device off.

“Sh*t!” Meng Yufan threw her phone onto the cold hard ground. What was he talking about?

‘Son of a b*tch!’ She tightened her fist. Meng Yufan had a copy of the list of candidates that were participating in the upcoming exhibition. Most of them were well-known artists, with the exception of the very last entry. She had checked that candidate’s background. She was an orphan.

“Miss.” Mr. Mu has always been at odds with the master. Let’s try negotiating with that candidate. I don’t think a mere orphan would dare to stand in your way.” The butler reminded her.