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

As he spoke, a confident glint flashed in Zhou Jiqing's eyes. He gestured for the staff to bring out the microscope and set it up. The atmosphere in the room instantly tensed, and everyone's eyes were focused on him. Zhou Jiqing took a deep breath and slowly put on his pristine white gloves, every movement exuding professionalism and caution.

Zhou Jiqing walked towards the oil painting with steady and elegant steps. When he stood in front of the painting, his eyes became focused and sharp, as if he wanted to imprint every detail of the painting in his mind. He carefully disassembled the oil painting, his movements as gentle as if he were handling a precious treasure.

Everyone present held their breath, afraid to disturb this crucial moment. Zhou Jiqing picked up the tweezers, his hands as steady as a rock, without the slightest tremor. His gaze swept across the painting, searching for the most suitable sampling location. Finally, he found an inconspicuous corner and gently removed a small piece of oil paint.

This small patch of paint may seem insignificant, but it could determine the authenticity of the entire painting. A faint smile appeared on Zhou Jiqing's lips as he carefully placed the paint under the microscope, preparing to begin his observation.

Just then, Old Geng keenly sensed something. His gaze swept back and forth between Zhou Jiqing and Chen Yang, secretly calculating in his mind.

Chen Yang sighed softly after listening, his brows furrowed. He slowly turned to look at Song Kaiyuan, a hint of grievance and disappointment in his eyes. He tried to suppress his displeasure, his tone carrying a touch of reproach, "Master, why don't you believe me? I'm your most prized grand-disciple! Your doubts make me really upset and disappointed! What happened to our trust?"

Upon hearing this, Song Kaiyuan frowned, a hint of guilt flashing in his eyes, but he quickly regained his serious expression. He took a deep breath, his tone tinged with helplessness and worry, "Stop talking nonsense! Things aren't as simple as you think."

As he spoke, he gave Chen Yang a slight glare, a hint of concern in his eyes, "You just suddenly ran up there like that, without even me, your advisor, having time to react. Do you know this concerns national honor? The slightest mistake could have unimaginable consequences! How could I dare to take such a risk?"

Song Kaiyuan paused, his tone softening slightly, "You kid, just how confident are you? Don't try to fool me!"

Chen Yang felt a mix of emotions after hearing this. He pouted in dissatisfaction, a hint of stubbornness flashing in his eyes. He sighed deeply, his tone tinged with helplessness and a touch of grievance, "Master, you have to believe me! I was absolutely certain, really! I put in a lot of effort."

At this point, his voice suddenly lowered, tinged with disappointment, "But now that you've questioned my judgment, Master, I'm not so sure anymore. Right now... I can only say I'm fifty percent certain."

Upon hearing this, Song Kaiyuan frowned even more deeply. He raised his head, his sharp gaze fixed on Chen Yang, his eyes revealing doubt and confusion. He then glanced at Zhou Jiqing and the others who were undergoing testing, his unease deepening.

He turned around, his tone stern. "What do you mean? Don't play games with me!" Song Kaiyuan's voice rose slightly, but he controlled it so as not to attract attention. "What do you mean I did this? Do you think the oil paints will change their age just because I found someone? What are you worried about?"

Seeing the advisor's excited expression, Chen Yang couldn't help but pout. He secretly glanced back at Zhou Jiqing and the others to make sure they hadn't noticed the commotion. Then, he lowered his head, mysteriously approached Song Kaiyuan, and said in a very low voice, "Advisor, don't be angry, let me explain. We all know that oil paints can't change their age on their own. But... but people can!"

Upon hearing this, a flicker of realization crossed Song Kaiyuan's eyes, but it was quickly replaced by even more confusion. Just as he was about to ask, Chen Yang spoke first.

Chen Yang's gaze turned serious, and his voice became even lower, "Master, look at this Zhou Jiqing and Smith's relationship for yourself. The way they talk, the familiarity they exude, it's obvious they're not just friends. Besides, Zhou Jiqing is an American, he might not be on our side."

"If you do this, he might tell everyone about it later. What will we do then?"

"Ouch!" Upon hearing this, Song Kaiyuan slapped his forehead hard, his face filled with regret and self-reproach. His heart was churning like a stormy sea, waves of remorse washing over him. He was truly getting old, his mind becoming sluggish; how could he have overlooked this situation? This wasn't helping; it was clearly digging a huge pit for Chen Yang! Song Kaiyuan sighed inwardly.

This was a classic case of trying to steal a chicken but losing the rice instead. Not only did it not help Chen Yang, it might have put him in an even more dangerous situation. Song Kaiyuan was filled with guilt; he felt he had let Chen Yang down.

Most seriously, Song Kaiyuan realized that this mistake might not only affect Chen Yang personally, but could also jeopardize the interests and honor of the entire nation. A wave of panic surged within him, as if he could foresee an impending storm. Song Kaiyuan's hands trembled involuntarily, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down.

"Yes!" Old Geng also realized the seriousness of the problem, and then anxiously asked Song Kaiyuan, "Old Song, what should we do now? This is a matter of national honor!"

Song Kaiyuan frowned, shook his head, and remained silent, his eyes filled with self-reproach and regret. He silently blamed himself for his rashness, took a deep breath, and whispered, "This time I didn't think things through. I must find a way to resolve this."

Chen Yang keenly observed his surroundings, his gaze shifting between Zhou Jiqing, who was undergoing testing, and the others. His mind raced, considering various possible countermeasures. Suddenly, his eyes lit up, as if he had thought of something.

“Okay,” Chen Yang said in a low voice, “we’ll see how things go in a bit. Let’s not alert them yet and observe Zhou Jiqing’s reaction.”

Upon hearing Chen Yang's words, both Old Geng and Song Kaiyuan nodded in unison. They knew that in such a critical moment, calmness and observation were of utmost importance.

Chen Yang continued, "If this guy surnamed Zhou doesn't say anything, then we'll consider it a false alarm; but if he does say it..."

Chen Yang's lips curled up slightly, revealing a sly smile. He lowered his voice, his eyes gleaming with mischief: "We won't admit it. We'll throw mud at the Japanese. We'll say the Japanese delegation was afraid of losing and deliberately framed us!"

After hearing Chen Yang's words, Old Geng and Song Kaiyuan exchanged glances, their eyes filled with surprise and a hint of hesitation. After a moment, Old Geng frowned and cautiously asked, "Will this work? The Japanese aren't stupid. They'll definitely object."

Song Kaiyuan frowned deeply, while Chen Yang, seeing the two elderly people's worry, shrugged dismissively. His eyes gleamed with confidence as he said firmly, "So what if they can't? They can't produce any evidence. Besides, we look similar to them; who else would we frame if not them?"

Seeing that the two elderly people were still somewhat hesitant, Chen Yang continued, "Think about it, in this kind of international setting, who would believe a foreigner's side of the story? Besides, we can say that they started the trouble first, and we were just forced to retaliate."

After hearing Chen Yang's explanation, the expressions on Geng Lao and Song Kaiyuan's faces softened slightly. However, they were still somewhat worried. Song Kaiyuan asked, "But isn't doing this a bit unethical?"

Chen Yang smiled and retorted, "Old Geng, what kind of morality are you talking about? You want to talk about morality with the Japanese devils? We'll be lucky if they don't frame us later!"

"Besides, do you two have any better ideas?"

The two elderly people fell silent; they knew Chen Yang was right. In this emergency, they truly couldn't think of a better solution.