Chapter 147 — The Long-Awaited...

Huang Lin had not expected matters to end this way, and he could not help feeling both fondness and admiration for Yang Ce. It seemed his prospective brother-in-law was indeed a formidable man. By now Huang Lin's face had been amply saved, and Zhang Kentao was thoroughly humiliated; Huang Lin did not wish to press a man too hard—the ties between their two families were, after all, what they were.

This also had to do with Huang Lin's character, which was rather magnanimous. Had the positions been reversed, Zhang Kentao would never have let Huang Lin off so lightly.

"All right, all right—let's just say that settles it," Huang Lin said with a laugh, smoothing things over. "Though, Brother Kentao, next time you buy something, you'd best keep your eyes peeled. Don't let yourself be cheated again."

Zhang Kentao lowered his head and said nothing. There was nothing he could say; at this point, every additional word would only heap on more shame.

"Still, I must say this vase is quite exquisitely made. If it cost three million, I'd call that no great loss," Huang Lin said with a smile. "Since the vase is broken, let me cover the cost of it."

"No need. That bit of money is neither here nor there," Zhang Kentao said, shaking his head somewhat dejectedly. "I've learned my lesson today. I'll take my leave."

With that, he and his two dizzy lackeys hurried out of the villa. Only after they had all gone did Huang Lin instruct the servants to sweep up the broken pieces of the vase. Then he clapped Yang Juehuan on the shoulder. "Well, I never. I had you pegged as merely a master gambler. What's this—you're well versed in appraising antiques too?"

"I wouldn't call it being well versed," Yang Yongjin said, having no choice but to trot out his adoptive father; otherwise there would be no explaining it. "My adoptive father is Liu Yan. Being around him, I picked up a bit of knowledge here and there, just from watching and listening."

"What? Your adoptive father is Liu Yan?" Huang Lin was startled, then said, "I've even bought a jade carving he made."

"Heh, that would be the Hong Kong auction, I expect," Yang Hengye said. "I was there too."

"What a coincidence." Huang Lin nodded with feeling, then asked curiously, "But how were you so certain there was forged information inside this porcelain?"

"To be honest, I'm not entirely sure myself." Yang Duoran could hardly say he had seen it directly with his extraordinary ability, but he had already thought out his explanation, and so he began unhurriedly: "I'm simply rather fond of reading people's faces. When you said the vase was genuine, I noticed Zhang Kentao's expression suddenly light up, so I felt at once that there must be something wrong with the vase. That's why I cut you off and chimed in that it was fake.

Sure enough, the instant I said the vase was a fake, I saw Zhang Kentao's expression turn hideous for a moment. Though he quickly recovered his composure, I still realized I had probably hit on exactly what was in his mind.

As for how I knew the vase's secret was inside it—that I can only call a gamble. I had once heard my adoptive father mention a man called Hidden Swordsman, who is exceedingly skilled at forging antiques, but who always writes his own name inside the pieces he forges, to distinguish them from the genuine articles.

So in that moment it occurred to me at once, and I smashed the vase. And even if my guess had been wrong, it would have been no great matter—three million pounds or so is a sum I can afford to pay."

Everyone wore an expression of dawning understanding, and yet they could not help admiring Yang Juehuan's decisiveness—that he would dare risk smashing the vase to test his theory.

And in Huang Lin's heart, his favor toward Yang Ce grew all the more, and he was wholeheartedly, hand and foot, in favor of his union with his younger sister Huang Yan. A talent like this was truly rare.

"All right, everyone, disperse for now. I've prepared a lavish banquet for you all—let our gathering begin. Make yourselves at home," Huang Lin announced once the servants had finished clearing the broken shards from the floor.

To be continued.

885. Return to Songjiang

885 Return to Songjiang—Once everyone had dispersed, Yang Puqi turned and found the pink-haired fatty still standing beside him, and so he smiled and said, "What, shall we have another match?"

"No, no more," the pink-haired fatty said with great firmness. "I concede. You're formidable—as skilled with letters as with arms—and you're certainly worthy of Huang Yan."

Yang Xutang smiled at the pink-haired fatty's words. "You're decent enough at heart. In future, don't go mixing with Li Jialiang anymore."

But the pink-haired fatty shook his head and said, "Brother Li is a good man. Everyone looks down on me—he's the only one who'll spend time with me."

Yang Ce sighed. Each man has his own ambitions; let him be.

At last the day came to return to Songjiang, all that needed doing in Macau having been done. Yang Ce, Zhang Bin, Wang Mei, and Huang Yan boarded the plane bound for Donghai.

Yang Ce, Zhang Bin, and Wang Mei traveled as passengers—Wang Mei had already resigned from her job with the airline here, so her status had changed to that of a passenger as well. Huang Yan, however, was still traveling in her capacity as a flight attendant.

Huang Yan had no way to give up her job and stay at Yan's side in Songjiang, for her second brother was still in Macau, and the family business was there; she could not simply turn her back on all of that.

Fortunately, her flight route was precisely the shuttle between Donghai and Macau, so as long as she wished to see him, she could still see Yang Juehuan often enough.

Partings were inevitable. When Huang Yan actually saw Yang Ce carrying his luggage onto the plane, her heart suddenly felt hollow. Without her noticing, their feelings for each other had grown impossible to sever.

"Hey, Yang Ce, every time I fly to Donghai from now on, will you come see me?" Huang Yan seized the moment while helping Yang Ce and the others stow their bags, nudged his calf with the tip of her shoe, and asked softly.

"As long as I have time, I'll be there for sure." Yang Shuoxuan was reluctant to part with Huang Yan, and so he nodded solemnly.

"I'll hold you to that, then. And let me tell you, I still haven't gotten used to it—when I'm with you, it still hurts a little. If you don't come see me, I'll go find someone else to get used to it with." Huang Yan made her threat.

"You wouldn't dare." Yang Ce knew she was joking, but he still shot Huang Yan a glare.

"Hee hee," Huang Yan gave a silly little laugh and finished helping Yang Ce and the others put away his luggage. There were other passengers who needed help, and naturally she could not keep standing around with Yang Cenbin, so after giving Yang Puqi a smile, she went off to assist the others.

"Honestly, are you really willing to be apart from Lele?" Once they were settled, Wang Mei began to gossip.

"What good would being unwilling do?" Yang Jincong said with a smile. "Everyone has their own way of living. Huang Yan has family business to look after in Macau—there's no way she can just stay in Songjiang and never go back. It's like your parents: they want to stay in Macau, and you have no way around that either, do you?"

"That's true." Wang Mei nodded and said with some feeling, "I never would have thought that in just a few short days, both Lele's life and mine would change so enormously."

"Have you thought about what you'll do after you get back to Songjiang?" Yang Yanchuan asked Wang Mei. "You definitely can't go to Zhang Bin's and my jewelry company—I doubt you could keep it from Zhao Sisi; that girl is sharp. But it wouldn't be good for the two of you to run into each other either."