Rebirth 93: Break off the engagement at the beginning and marry Bai Fumei

Jason's previously mocking face froze, as if he'd been doused with a bucket of cold water. Yoshida's eyes widened, his condescending attitude vanishing instantly. Yes, the method was outrageously simple, yet impeccably ingenious! Although fungi were too tiny to be seen with the naked eye, by dissolving them in water and then spraying them evenly, these microorganisms could silently adhere to the surface of the oil painting.

The crowd's eyes darted back and forth between the oil painting and Chen Yang, and they couldn't help but sigh: How could these so-called experts have collectively overlooked such a simple solution?

However, Chen Yang knew in his heart that this seemingly casual idea was not his original creation, but rather came from Carlos Pollock, a figure renowned in the world of art forgery. He recalled a later master describing Pollock's method: by selecting suitable fungal species and spraying them onto the surface of an oil painting using a special spray device, these microorganisms would act like magicians of time, subtly altering the texture and color of the painting. Within just a few weeks, a brand-new painting could exhibit the patina of years past, and this artificially catalyzed aging process was so subtle that even the most professional appraisers would find it difficult to detect the flaws.

"I disagree!" Jason abruptly stood up, his hands clenched into fists, knuckles white, his eyes flashing with unease and wariness. The young Chinese man's demeanor and composed attitude made him realize that things weren't simple. He gritted his teeth inwardly; this kid wasn't bluffing. Every glance, every detail, revealed his professionalism. He wasn't just putting on a show; he genuinely knew his stuff! If Jason actually found evidence proving the painting was a fake, then everything would be over.

“Pollock’s paintings,” Jason took a deep breath, deliberately slowing his speech to make his voice sound more convincing, “have been through so many different environments over the years, from galleries in New York to private collections in Paris, from damp basements in London to temperature-controlled showrooms in Tokyo.”

As he spoke, he walked slowly toward the painting, his leather shoes making a dull thud on the marble floor. A professional's seriousness appeared on Jason's face. He leaned forward slightly, his gaze sweeping back and forth across the surface of the painting: "You know, any famous painting, during its long-term preservation, will inevitably come into contact with various environmental factors. Humid air, temperature changes, and light exposure—all of these can lead to the natural adhesion of fungi."

His finger traced an arc in the air. "The complexity of the environment itself can cause this phenomenon, and it cannot be used as a basis for determining authenticity."

At this point, Jason suddenly turned around, as if he had found his last straw. His index finger pointed straight at the painting, a sly glint in his eyes: "Let's focus on what's really important."

A slight upturn to his lips revealed a smug smile, as if he had the game in the bag. "The paint is the key to the whole problem."

Jason slowly raised his head, his gaze as sharp as a knife as he stared directly at Chen Yang. He deliberately slowed his speech, enunciating each word clearly: "Young man, I remember you confidently declared that this painting used paints from the 1970s, right?"

His tone was clearly provocative, "Then tell me, how are you going to prove this argument? How are you going to prove that these pigments really came from the 1970s?"

His voice rose, brimming with the satisfaction of impending victory, "If you can't produce solid evidence now, then all your speculations are just empty talk. You're doomed to lose!"

"That's easy," Chen Yang shrugged slightly, a confident smile on his lips, leaning forward. "The method for identifying the age of oil paint is to analyze the adhesive composition using infrared spectroscopy. It's very easy to identify, don't I need to tell you?"

"The binders in oil paints undergo specific molecular structure changes over time, which create unique spectral characteristics." He gestured with his hands, as if he could see those colorful spectral images. "The acrylic resin of the 1970s is fundamentally different from the modern formula. An infrared spectrum can immediately distinguish the real from the fake."

"Chen Yang, sigh!" Dean Zeng suddenly called out to Chen Yang from the side, his brows furrowed and a hint of helplessness flashing in his eyes. He then sighed softly and gently stroked his chin with his right hand. "Your method is feasible, but it will take at least four or five days."

Her deep voice exuded professional authority: "Infrared spectroscopy analysis is not as simple as taking a picture. It requires sample extraction, slide preparation, equipment debugging, multiple sampling comparisons, plus data analysis and report writing. It's not something that can be done quickly."

"Damn it!" Chen Yang wanted to slap himself, his face burning as the heat spread to his ears. He suddenly remembered that the 2023 he lived in before his time travel was vastly different from the 90s. Technology in the 90s was far from reaching the level of later generations; there were no real-time analysis systems, no intelligent algorithms to assist with this kind of component analysis, which would take a considerable amount of time. He silently cursed his oversight, having momentarily forgotten the historical context.

“We can use chemical reagents too!” Chen Yang came up with another idea in a moment of inspiration. He snapped his fingers and his speech quickened. “For example, we can use specific solvents to test the solubility of pigments, or use acid-base indicators to detect changes in the pH value of the oil painting surface. Although these methods are not as precise as spectroscopy, they can at least give us a general time range.”

He looked at everyone present, hoping that this plan could save face a little. "I've seen this kind of rapid testing method in foreign magazines, and the results are quite good."

Secretary Li pursed her lips slightly, gently brushing a stray hair from her forehead with her right hand. Her eyes narrowed, revealing a hint of disdain and mockery. "It will take at least a day or two. You didn't know that, did you?"

Her voice was clear yet sharp, “And it requires a professional chemistry lab and equipment, things you can’t carry around. Besides…” She looked around, pointing to the priceless oil painting, “Do you think anyone would allow you to take samples from such a painting for chemical experiments? This is a work of art worth millions of dollars!”

"I..." Chen Yang was momentarily stunned, his mind racing yet completely blank. What a joke! The technology of this era was so backward; even a simple chemical reagent analysis took a day or two. This completely disrupted his plans. He unconsciously clenched his fists, already seeing Jason and Yoshida's smug faces before him.

If they really had to wait that long, who knew what tricks these people would pull? They could easily use that time to switch things out or tamper with the samples. The thought that his carefully planned scheme might be disrupted by this unexpected stumbling block of time filled Chen Yang with anxiety.

Chen Yang felt a wave of embarrassment wash over him, his expression instantly freezing. He unconsciously clenched his fists, his nails digging deep into his palms. He had been so careless, forgetting even such basic common sense. He saw Jason's smug smile grow even wider, and he could already foresee their increasingly unbridled smugness in a moment.

Even if they could make chemical reagents, who has the time to wait that long? Besides, it's not impossible that Smith and his group might tamper with the results. This is crucial evidence that determines the entire case's direction; he absolutely cannot allow it to be tampered with right under his nose. His gaze swept back and forth between the painting and the people present, his mind frantically searching for a way to prove his point in a short time.

Time was like a sword hanging over his head, putting him under unprecedented pressure. Regardless of whether these people were willing to perform reagent analysis, the time spent waiting for the results was enough for the other side to calmly make their plans. If they were given the opportunity to operate in secret, then this contest would truly be lost.

Chen Yang took a deep breath, his mind racing. He had to come up with a solution that was immediately feasible in the current situation, otherwise the appraisal would be a complete failure. But what other options were there? The future had only mentioned these two methods, and he didn't know any others!

The atmosphere at the art exhibition suddenly became tense, with everyone's eyes focused on Chen Yang, awaiting the final outcome of this authentication process. Although Chen Yang was quite certain that this so-called "Pollock masterpiece" couldn't withstand professional testing—because Carlos had indeed tampered with it historically, it was just that no one at the time had thought of such a simple method to verify it—now, proving it himself had become a troublesome matter!

Seeing this, Song Kaiyuan asked Old Geng in a low voice, "The infrared spectrometer that Chen Yang just mentioned, should be available in Gangcheng, right? Can we try to get one?"

"Old Song, are you kidding me?" Old Geng shook his head with a wry smile. "Even if we could be transferred here, didn't you hear what Dean Zeng said? It will take many days to wait for the results. We can't let these experts wait here for several days."

"Hahaha!" Jason threw his head back and let out a piercing laugh, filled with contempt and sarcasm. He took a few exaggerated steps forward, then held out his gleaming, custom-made Italian leather shoe to Chen Yang, a repulsive smile playing on his lips. "Looks like this self-important Eastern brat is finally speechless. Young man, you've lost. Now, obediently prove your sincerity by kneeling down and licking my shoe!"

“Mr. Jason,” Chen Yang said with a slight upturn of his lips, revealing a meaningful smile. Although a sense of unease rose in his heart, his expression remained calm and composed, and his eyes gleamed with wisdom. “I’m afraid you’re celebrating too soon! This contest is far from over. You’re declaring victory prematurely.”

With his hands in his pockets, he looked confident. "Where did I lose? At worst, we'll just go through the proper procedures for testing and wait for the results! In the face of science, all lies will be exposed."

"Listen to this, all of you! Open your eyes and see!" Yoshida suddenly jumped out like a clown, his face contorted with rage and flushed red. His finger trembled as he pointed at Chen Yang, his voice filled with obvious sarcasm. "This is typical Chinese trickery, resorting to cheating again! You haven't disappointed me at all!"

Yoshida's eyes gleamed with disdain. He turned to face the other experts present, waving his hands exaggeratedly. "Who do you think you're talking to? These are all top international art appraisal experts! Who has the time to sit here with you and wait for the test results?"

He approached Chen Yang with a cold smile, lowering his voice to threaten, "I can tell you clearly, this isn't over today. Don't even think about using delaying tactics to get away with it. I think you'd better be smart and kneel down obediently, kowtow a few times to admit your mistake!"

"Well then, our dear Eastern friend," Smith strolled forward slowly, a fake smile on his face, his hands outstretched exaggeratedly as if performing a farce, "now what other brilliant ideas do you have to offer..."

"Wait a minute!" Anderson suddenly interrupted Smith, stroking his thick, gray-white beard as he thoughtfully looked at Chen Yang.

A glint of wisdom flashed in his eyes. "I think we have another feasible method!" His voice was steady and firm. "We can verify it using a microscope!"