Chapter 650: Chapter 650

The music ended, and the two of them finished the dance with a challenging three-hundred-and-sixty-degree turn.

Looking at Lin Chen, who was holding her hand and gazing at her affectionately, Sophina was somewhat taken aback.

She had never dreamed that Lin Chen could dance so well. During the dance, she made several mistakes due to a lack of practice, but Lin Chen managed to compensate for them all with his remarkable dance skills.

Thunderous applause erupted from around them, bringing Sophina back to her senses.

However, thinking that she was, after all, dancing passively, she still felt a little bit annoyed. She glared furiously at Lin Chen and walked away without turning back.

Cole, standing nearby, was so irked he felt itchy in his gums. Just moments before, Sophina had said she wouldn't dance, but then she had danced so passionately with Lin Chen that their cooperation seemed like a match made in heaven.

At this point, Lin Chen returned to the side of Pan Jing and the Xia sisters.

"Lin Chen, are you some kind of all-around champion? How can you do everything?" Xia Qingqing stared at Lin Chen with a puzzled look.

Lin Chen smiled faintly, "How is it? Aren't you falling for me now?"

Xia Qingqing nodded earnestly, "To tell you the truth, I really am falling for you. Lin Chen, I think you should just forget about that fiancée, and let the two of us sisters take care of you."

"Right, I'll be the mistress," Pan Jing chimed in with a teasing smile.

"Lin Chen, are the three of us really not a match for that ice queen?" Pan Jing asked, fixing her gaze on him.

Upon hearing their words, Xia Ruoyu's cheeks turned crimson, but she remained silent, clearly indicating her tacit agreement.

Lin Chen looked at the three fangirls with a helpless expression and laughed, "I could take you three in without an issue. But, you know, adding an ice queen to the mix wouldn't be bad either. You three give me babies, and that ice queen earns us money. Tsk tsk, such a life would be too perfect."

Hearing Lin Chen's shameless words, the three women were momentarily rendered speechless.

Watching Lin Chen getting along so well with the three beauties, Cole approached Sophina with a smile, "Sophina, that Lin Chen is obviously a pretty boy who fools girls. Look at those three, they must have been deceived by some sleazy tricks of his. You'd better not fall for him."

Sophina glared at Cole and huffed coldly, "Mind your own business."

Cole's brow furrowed, but he didn't get discouraged and quickly said, "I know, Miss Sophina, that you want to establish a good relationship with old man Xia to win over his jewelry business. Don't worry, leave that to me."

"You, you don't seem that familiar with Old Xia either," Sophina retorted with a scoff.

Cole smiled, "I have my ways. You just watch."

With that, Cole took a scroll out of his bag and walked towards Old Master Xia Qingtian.

"Old Xia, I am Cole from the Cook family. My father and you are friends," Cole said ingratiatingly.

Old Xia glanced at Cole, but his expression remained rather cold; after all, he had only met Cook a few times, and they were nothing more than business partners, hardly friends.

"What is it?" Xia Qingtian asked indifferently.

Cole smiled and said, "Old Xia, I know you're a fan of Master Tang's paintings, so I took the liberty of bidding on one of Master Tang's early works, 'Peach Blossom Spring,' at an overseas auction for you."

"What 'Peach Blossom Spring'?" Xia Qingtian's face changed slightly upon hearing the name of the work Cole mentioned.

Old Master Xia's all-time favorite works were those of Master Tang; he owned innumerable collections, but the 'Peach Blossom Spring' was the one he lacked.

"Hurry and let me have a look," Xia Qingtian said excitedly.

Cole unfolded the 'Peach Blossom Spring' painting, displaying a scene of the Peach Blossom Spring before everyone.

The peach blossoms within the painting were vibrant and lifelike, to the point where even the petals fluttering in the air seemed real.

Xia Qingtian put on gloves and, holding a magnifying glass, examined the painting of the Peach Blossom Spring seriously.

"A genuine piece, it's actually authentic," Xia Qingtian said, his hands trembling with excitement.

Seeing this scene, Curio's face broke into a smug smile.

After appraising the painting, an excited Xia Qingtian asked, "Curio, how much for this painting? I'll buy it."

Curio chuckled and said, "Master Xia, this painting is a gift from the junior to you. All I ask is for you to agree to a small request."

"A gift for me?" Upon hearing this, Master Xia was taken aback.

"No, absolutely not, I simply cannot accept such a valuable gift," Xia Qingtian shook his head and said.

Curio smiled and said, "Master Xia, as long as you carve out one-tenth of the share of your jewelry sales in T-country for Miss Sophina, then this painting is yours."

Upon hearing Curio's words, Xia Qingtian nodded, "Alright, I can carve out one-tenth of our jewelry sales share for her."

"Really?" Upon hearing Master Xia's words, Curio's face lit up with ecstatic joy.

Sophina also looked grateful. She had never imagined that Curio would sacrifice so much for her, and thinking about her own recent disdainful attitude towards him, she even felt a bit embarrassed.

Just then, a mocking voice rang out suddenly, "Curio, you sure know how to play the game, presenting Master Xia with a fake painting and then currying favor with my wife. Should I call you shameless, or simply shameless?"

Curio was feeling triumphant, but his expression changed at Lin Chen's words.

"Lin Chen, what nonsense are you spouting? This painting was auctioned in New York, what makes you say it's a fake?" Curio retorted angrily.

Sophina too looked upset, "Lin Chen, what do you mean? Master Xia has already appraised it, and he is a master in the field of antique appraisal."

Lin Chen smiled faintly, "Even a master can make mistakes, and this painting is obviously a fake."

With that, Lin Chen picked up the painting from the table and, without a word, tore it into shreds.

Suddenly, everyone was stunned, and Curio's face was filled with grief and fury.

He had spent twenty million on this painting at the auction, and now it had been completely destroyed by Lin Chen.

"You bastard, how dare you tear up a painting I spent twenty million on? You're dead, kid. Call the police and have him arrested," Curio screamed hysterically.

Xia Qingtian's face also took on an ugly cast as he glared at Lin Chen coldly, "Lin Chen, I expect you to give me and Mr. Curio an explanation."

Master Xia treasured the works of Tang Master very much, such masterpieces were the stuff of his dreams, and yet today, they had been destroyed by Lin Chen. Although he was somewhat fond of Lin Chen, this act of destroying an ancient artifact still enraged him greatly.

Lin Chen smiled faintly, "Alright, I'll give you an explanation right now."

As he spoke, Lin Chen walked over to the scraps of paper, picked up a piece, and handed it to Xia Qingtian.

Xia Qingtian's face changed slightly upon seeing the writing, "It's actually him!"

Curio spoke angrily, "Master Xia, don't listen to his lies, my painting is obviously genuine."

Master Xia cast a cold glance at Curio, "Mr. Lin is correct, your painting is a fake!"