Lin Wan had only met Qin Zhen once, and they barely exchanged a few words, so there was no foundation or relationship to speak of.
Chen Feng could only shake his head and give a bitter smile upon hearing this.
Wu Mengting didn’t continue on the topic and instead said, "The news about you buying that piece for your collection has been reported. Did you know?"
"Reported?" Chen Feng was surprised. "I don’t remember seeing any reporters there?"
Wu Mengting said, "It must have been Ms. Liao who revealed it on purpose, just to inflate the commercial value of Master Wang Yi’s works. The newspaper reported that you spent five million on a copy of the ’Lanting Preface’ by Master Wang Yi."
"Five million? Isn’t that just making things up?"
Wu Mengting laughed and said, "Her doing so is beneficial for you. If you ever decide to resell it, it will definitely fetch no less than five million. Of course, it’s also beneficial for Master Wang Yi as it increases the commercial value of his other works. It’s also beneficial for the art gallery that organized the calligraphy exhibition, as they’ve facilitated a multimillion-dollar transaction. It’s a good story to tell."
After thinking for a moment, Chen Feng smiled and said, "That’s really true."
"Do you think about reselling the painting? I did some checking these past few days, and you really got a deal for three million for this ’Lanting Preface’ by Master Wang Yi, as it’s now worth four to five million on the market."
"I haven’t thought about it yet. If I really were to sell it, I’d probably wait until after Master Wang Yi has passed away. The artist’s works become more valuable after they are gone."
Wu Mengting replied irritably, "You really are... Do you hope Master Wang Yi dies? He’s still alive."
Chen Feng shook his head and said, "I’m just stating the facts. From his appearance in our last video call, he probably doesn’t have much longer."
"Let’s drop this topic. Anyway, I think your investment in buying this piece was very insightful, definitely won’t be a loss."
"Yeah, I feel the same way."
"Then take good care of it and make sure you preserve it properly. Don’t damage it."
"I won’t, it’s framed, and even has a protective film over it, so it should be fine."
"Are you going to work this afternoon?" Chen Feng asked.
"My work hours are quite flexible. I can go to the office or just stay home in the afternoon."
"Your job really sounds comfortable. By the way, I’ve read up to Chapter sixty-five of your novel ’Golden Hairpin Fate.’ It’s pretty good."
Wu Mengting blushed but still thanked him with a smile.
"Looking at the performance on your website, you’ve got quite a few sponsors. Your initial performance must have been good."
"Hmm. It’s decent, I’ve made about three hundred thousand from my two books. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to afford a car."
"Wow, impressive. So you bought that car yourself!" Chen Feng looked at her in a new light.
"What else?" Wu Mengting asked, tilting her head.
Chen Feng laughed and said, "I thought it was bought by your family."
Wu Mengting said, "My family is pretty ordinary, both my parents are employees, although they have some money, it’s not a lot. I don’t want to use their money."
"That’s admirable!" Chen Feng sincerely praised.
"This isn’t about being admirable. I’m already at this age, I definitely need to be self-sufficient."
Chen Feng smiled and said, "What you’ve said is full of positive energy. It’s rare for a woman to have such awareness. Many men in their thirties and forties barely have this realization. They think their parents owe them and feel entitled to spend their parents’ money."
"Everyone has their own views. Some parents are willing to spend money on their children."
The two chatted idly and hit it off quite well.
It wasn’t until Lin Wan finished washing the dishes and came out with a resentful expression that the two ended their conversation.