Almighty painter

Chapter 747 Who Sees the Truth First? (Part )
Gu Weijing stared at the check held between the woman's fingers and was silent for a moment.

He shook his head.

"I reject this deal."

"Why? The vast majority of art has a reasonable price."

After a brief loss of composure, Anna regained her composure and rationality.

Her sentimental and emotional side is rarely shown in front of others.

In her calm state, she turned back into the mysterious noble person.

Miss Anna is in a rational state, handling all kinds of mental games well, and just needs to breathe easily.

"The amount written on this check is beyond what is generally reasonable."

Her voice was low.

The woman took a slow breath and thought to herself - a person's refusal of an extremely reasonable offer usually means that he has irrational intentions for what he has in his hands.

He turned down a price far above market value for a painter who was historically unknown.

just.

But he also said that he knew nothing about Kara's true identity.

"big liar."

Miss Elena said quietly in her heart.

“I don’t want to sell, that’s all.”

Gu Weijing had a blank expression on his face.

He was too lazy to explain too much to the woman in front of him. He thought that he had just said so many words so seriously, but the other party had never listened seriously.

"100 million euros."

Anna also doubled the price expressionlessly, bringing it to seven figures.

Gu Weijing had previously thought that this was a woman who could say "look at me" as seriously as "I'll offer one million pounds."

Now he realized he had been wrong.

It’s not that I overestimated the solemnity of the moment, but that I underestimated the ease of the moment.

When the woman actually offered one million euros, she made it sound as if it was just paying a cafe bill.

He has also seen truly rich people, such as Uncle Sakai and Brother Hao.

Hao Ge has a gold watch, a Bentley, an airplane, custom-made clothes and an art collection worth tens of millions of euros.

In terms of the cash flow he has handled, Chen Shenglin, who has been involved in the underworld, money laundering, and made a fortune, may not be inferior to the woman in front of him.

But the sense of plain leisure is totally incomparable between the two.

If you put 100 million euros in the hands of Hao Ge or Kazunari Sakai, you would think it is a glittering check that tempts you to commit a crime. But if you put it between the fingers of the woman opposite, you would only think it is more ordinary and unnoticeable than the coffee stains left on the table.

That price tag would buy a Honda jetliner or a painting by Monet or Henri Matisse.

It reached the highest price range ever for a female Impressionist artist, so high that Gu Weijing couldn't even understand the price.

He once imagined that the painting "Old Church in a Thunderstorm" in his hand might have the potential to be sold at a very high price.

But that was many, many, many years later, when this work had gained a certain degree of fame in the collecting circle and his and Katsuko Sakai's paper had been brewing for a long time and finally gained wide recognition in the academic community.

Having the potential to sell at a high price does not necessarily mean that someone will actually offer a high price right now.

Second.

What is the upper limit of the price of this painting?

Normally, even if the conclusions of the paper are later supported by strong evidence from the outside world like an axe cutting through iron, it will become an unquestionable iron law and axiom in the academic community.

At best, Carroll's place in art history is no more than that of Mary Crosby today.

This is a very idealistic and even romantic idea.

Even with the romantic imagination as the background, the advantage of "Old Church on a Thunderstorm" compared to Mary Cosart's oil painting is that it is rare and unique. The disadvantage is that Carroll is not as famous as Mary Cosart and does not have as many well-known background stories to support it.

The art market is essentially a cultural market.

Art transactions are essentially cultural transactions.

Collectors buy not only the work, but also the story behind the artist.

One increase and one decrease, the two cancel each other out.

Unlike avant-garde art transactions where prices fluctuate dramatically, the Impressionist investment market is already very mature and the price range is very stable.

In the case that the external investment environment maintains the scene -

Gu Weijing estimated that the future market ceiling for "The Old Church in the Thunderstorm" should be around one million US dollars.

This is a price ceiling that satisfies all best imaginable needs.

just now.

Miss Elena gave this price out of the blue, an incomprehensible price that completely exhausted all the market potential surrounding the identity of "Carol".

Gu Weijing had no idea where the profit margin of this transaction was.

It is completely understandable that some collectors are willing to take greater risks than others when purchasing art.

But being willing to take greater risks than others for almost no reward is a trade only a psychopath would make.

Gu Weijing was a little nervous.

He crossed his fingers, rested them on his chin, and stared at Anna Elena in front of him.

Gu Weijing has experienced things that ordinary people have not experienced, so he has feelings about many things that ordinary people do not have.

When a person offers an unreasonable price for a work of art, it means that she also has unreasonable intentions for the work of art. It's a simple truth, Gu Weijing thought quietly in his heart.

"I don't understand. Why?" he asked.

"So we have a deal?"

The woman opposite seemed to sneer.

Contempt made her lose interest in talking further. She just folded the check she had written with her fingertips in half several times, tore it apart, put the crumbs into her wallet, and prepared to write a new check for double the amount.

Gu Weijing pondered for a moment.

From any perspective, accepting this offer is a logical approach.

joke.

This is a full one million euros, the highest asking price.

It's not even a question of how much the price is. Miss Elena's willingness to buy "Old Church on a Thunderstorm" from him is even more significant than the amount on the check in the field of art.

Whether the woman opposite bought the work as a top collector or as a contributor to a top art review magazine, they are the strongest endorsement of his thesis.

Give an inappropriate example.

In the treasure house of Emperor Qianlong, the greatest collector in history, there are actually some items whose authenticity is questionable.

But as long as the seal of the Ten Perfect Man was stamped on it, at least during the reign of Emperor Qianlong, no minister or painter would be so ignorant as to jump out and say, "Oh my, the paper used for this painting is not right, this is not a painting by a Song Dynasty artist!" Have you been fooled?

Miss Irena just bought his painting.

It is equivalent to having the seal of the Elena family stamped on "The Old Church in a Thunderstorm". The value and persuasiveness of this seal alone may be even stronger than his thesis of several thousand words.

The name Gu Weijing is an unknown figure in the art world.

The surname Irina is No. 1 on the list of powerful figures in the art world.

In the near future, the team of Oil Painting magazine will hold a discussion with him on the paper at the art center.

Just think about it, the magazine's column manager just spent 100 million euros to buy the rights to "Old Church in a Thunderstorm". He would not turn around and make things difficult for himself at the exhibition, right?

Gu Weijing was not sure whether it was a win-win deal.

He also had no idea where the profit point of the woman's offer was.

Think before and after.

At least this is a deal that has only benefits for him and no harm.

to this end.

In order to "please" the other party, he tied Irena's family and even the entire "Oil Painting" magazine to the same front as him when facing the controversy about the paper.

For a rational person, let alone 100 million euros, even one-tenth of it, or even euros, would be a very good deal and he should sell it.

The world is so big, with people everywhere.

He would never find another buyer as suitable as the one before him.

If you miss this opportunity, you will never have it again.

however.

Gu Weijing is not a completely rational person.

He appears calm on the outside, and he can calmly analyze the pros and cons of various options on the phone with curatorial assistant Bonnie Lampcher, like an actuary who is proficient in profit and loss calculations.

Deep down, young people have some little persistence that is difficult for ordinary people to understand.

That small, insignificant, stubborn persistence is something that cannot be outweighed by a check for one million euros, a private jet or a Monet painting.

Only a mentally ill person would offer such a price.

Only another person with a mental problem would refuse such a deal.

In this silent gaze between two seemingly calm irrational people, Gu Weijing slowly leaned back on the chair behind him, turned his head, and spoke seriously.

"Sorry, I refuse."
-
Miss Elena's anger was about to break down.

This gesture.

You are completely sure of me, right? You are too lazy to even try to hide it? If you hadn't known about the connection between Kara and Elena's family, if you hadn't been sure that she would tolerate unreasonable offers, who would directly reject a million-dollar offer?
"very good."

She was angry in her heart, but she said, "Compared to the hypocritical interpretations just now, your direct attitude of wanting more is more pleasing to me. Our previous conversation should have been like this, saving those details and just talking about the price."

Except talking about price.

There's nothing else I want to talk to you about.

"Since you want to talk about money, then let's talk about money. Everything has a price in the art market, whether it's Carol's or... Kara's."

Anna rewrote the check.

Pushed across the table.

"Take your money and get out of my sight. Now, the painting "Old Church in a Thunderstorm" is mine."

Gu Weijing's eyes swept over the numbers on the check.

"3" - It was a check from a personal account at Bank Julius Baer, ​​for exactly three million euros.

The price has climbed to three times the record for a work by a female Impressionist painter.

The additional premium, which is twice the current top market price, has completely moved from an incomprehensible asking price to an incredible bid price.

The items on the table changed from Monet's entry-level oil paintings to Monet's small-scale "Water Lilies". The second-hand price of a Honda JET that can carry four people and complete short-distance intercity routes has changed to a Gulfstream IV intercontinental private jet that can carry fourteen business elites and fly across the Pacific Ocean.

At the beginning of this year.

When he spent more than a thousand dollars at the calligraphy and painting auction to buy that dirty old oil painting, could he have imagined that a few months later, he would have a check worth 300 million euros in front of him?

When Gu Weijing walked into the house holding the old oil painting, could he have imagined that he was holding Monet's water lilies?
In the art market, some incredibly high prices have a lot of room for water.

They are not real transactions.

Maybe there is speculation or money laundering behind this. Maybe the buyer and the seller are the same group of people, who are shuffling money in and out of their pockets in the market just to raise the average price of the painter. The transaction price seems to be tens of millions, but only the transaction tax needs to be paid. Or maybe the transaction price is really tens of millions, but in order to complete the transaction and find a buyer willing to pay this price, the seller paid an astronomical commission to the powerful market broker.

just now.

None of these situations are true.

Gu Weijing knew that as long as he stretched out his hand, the check in front of him would truly be his, and 300 million euros would be deposited into his account instantly.

As the woman opposite, she would not fool him about this.

The heavy 300 million euros was placed in front of him.

within reach.

Miss Elena on the opposite side also believed that Gu Weijing would not be able to refuse such a price, and did not even give him a chance to refuse. Instead, she gave him orders in an imperative tone, asking him to take the check and leave.

"puff."

Gu Weijing looked quietly at the series of numbers on the check and suddenly smiled.

Read the error-free version at 69shuba! 6=9+shu_ba is the first to publish this novel.

laugh.

Miss Elena was also sneering in her heart.

She turned her head away and didn't look at him, indicating that since he had agreed, he should just take the money and get out of her sight, and not let this ridiculous stage play continue.

"Is the painting in Singapore? I'll send someone to pick it up from you in a few days—"

"I reject."

The young man's voice came into the woman's ear.

Anna turned her head back again.

Gu Weijing leaned back in his chair with a faint smile on his face. He looked at her and repeated, "Ms. Elena, I reject your proposal."

When he was faced with the check for one million euros just now, he really hesitated for a moment.

the strange thing is.

Once he made up his mind to refuse the check with triple the amount, Gu Weijing didn't even look at it for even a second glance, and raised his head without any reluctance.

Anyone who makes a choice based purely on considerations of self-interest will definitely not refuse the check from the Elena family.

Anyone who makes a choice based purely on profit considerations will definitely not refuse the price offered by Brother Hao.

Gu Weijing's personality has a gentle side, but also a stubborn side.

I don't want to sell my paintings to Brother Hao, whether it's one million dollars or three million dollars.

There is no other reason.

I simply don't like it.

It's simply that he has his own life and he doesn't want to have anything to do with Brother Hao.

I don't want to sell Carol's work to the Irene family, whether it's one million euros or three million euros.

There is no reason.

I simply don't like it.

Simply because Elena's family didn't respect him and she never listened to him seriously, I guess she wouldn't take Carol's works seriously either.

He didn't want to sell the work that meant so much to him to someone like this.

You have the right to offer a high price, and I also have the right to ignore your high price.

That's it.

He just laughed suddenly, on the one hand because he found that saying "no" was not as difficult as he had imagined, and on the other hand because he found that fate was a wonderful thing.

Gu Weijing still remembers the day when he found "The Old Church on a Thunderstorm". Coincidentally, that morning, he was just angry about the vicious joke in the "Moon News" that offended Miss Elena.

Time passes.

A few months later, one evening, he and Anna Elena were sitting face to face in a cafe in Singapore, discussing the topic of "The Old Church on a Thunderstorm", and Gu Weijing himself... became the one who offended Miss Elena in person.

Such an offense happens beyond one's comprehension.

Such a change of identity is both ridiculous and laughable.

So, Gu Weijing really laughed.

He once thought that Miss Elena was a strong person, someone who was enthusiastic, emotional, and had a warm heart. It was only after they actually met that Gu Weijing understood.

It’s really powerful.

But she is like many people in the world, cold and numb.

She doesn't listen, she just makes an offer.

She was like a naughty Disney princess who waved a checkbook and thought she could buy the world.

If she thought he could get whatever he wanted from her, she was totally wrong.

Gu Weijing refused to accept the threat.

Regardless of whether such a threat is worth three million euros.

"You act like a willful prince in a fairy tale. Do you think that with Kara's work in your hand, you can wield a sword over the Elena family and ask for anything you want?" Anna was completely angry. "You won't get what you want so easily. I can choose to get it, or I can choose not to get it."

Who does Gu Weijing think he is?
Kidnappers holding hostages for ransom?
Elena's family is the best buyer of the work in Gu Weijing's hands, and the buyer who will pay the highest price. She really doesn't mind paying a little more for the work that may be Grandma Karazu's.

But if this is the case, the other party will think that they can take advantage of you and threaten you.

Then.

He is totally wrong.

Anna Elena has never been one to accept threats from others, whether or not the other person has Kara's work in his hands.

The other party may have made a mistake.

For her, the most important thing is to confirm that Cara's work exists in the world, to confirm that the flower has bloomed somewhere in the world, and to confirm that "however, the butterfly has consciousness", rather than necessarily owning it.

Possession certainly means a certain kind of perfection, but it is just icing on the cake.

If his greed is too excessive, Anna can simply announce to the public that the Elena family will have no intention of purchasing or collecting the painting "Old Church in a Thunderstorm".

No matter who in the collecting community is hyping this work, everyone knows that at the end of the game of passing the parcel, the most ideal recipient can only be the Elena family.

After the Elena family announced the news.

Not only will Gu Weijing lose his best natural buyer, but for art market investors, without the support of Irina's family, market confidence will also be greatly reduced.

"One last time, 300 million euros, one price."

Anna sat at the coffee table, her body straight, her shoulders balanced, and said indifferently: "I assure you, this is the final and final cash offer you will get from me. No counter-offers or negotiations will be accepted. If you shake your head, the door to the deal will be closed to you. If you say no, the door to the deal will be closed to you. If you leave this cafe, the door to the deal will be closed to you."

"I won't pay even one more cent for your ridiculous, teasing greed."

The woman looked into the man's eyes and felt an inexplicable pain in her chest.

There is no point in pursuing what just happened.

But at the last moment of the conversation.

She still couldn't maintain her perfect calm and composure.

"I have expectations for you, you know that! Gu Weijing, I really have expectations for you! Whether it's that paper or the suspicion of plagiarism in the works at the exhibition. I really want to believe you. But you really disappoint me."

The woman gritted her teeth and said bitterly, "A few minutes ago, you were still insisting that you didn't know the relationship between Kara and Elena's family. You were still insisting that Kara was not Ms. K in the motto of Oil Painting magazine. You were still insisting that you didn't know that Kara was the female painter who was locked in the cellar and died."

"Your answer is so disappointing. This is not the answer I want to hear, nor is it the answer I should hear. Gu Weijing, I gave you the opportunity to gain friendship, and you wasted it. Now, I give you the opportunity to gain money, but I hope you will think carefully before you intend to get further entangled. This is your last chance to get something from the Elena family-"

This is a powerful threat.

Miss Elena glared hatefully at the man who had made her so upset.

The other party probably didn't expect her to make such a decisive statement.

The young man sitting across from the coffee table was stunned.
-
Gu Weijing, who was sitting behind the coffee table, was stunned for a moment.

He no longer cared about what the woman in front of him was saying. There was only one voice echoing in his mind.

"——A few minutes ago, you were still insisting that you didn't know the relationship between Kara and Elena's family. You were still insisting that Kara was not Ms. K in the motto of Oil Painting magazine. You were still insisting that you didn't know that Kara was the female painter who was locked in the cellar and died——"

A strange change of attitude on the part of the exhibition organizers.

In the car, Lao Yang gave him vague warnings, saying that he would take him to meet Miss Elena, and repeatedly told Gu Weijing to leave a good impression on the team manager from Oil Painting magazine no matter what, no matter how much he practiced smiling.

The interview with Oil Painting magazine was always shrouded in a dark and uncertain cloud.

During the conversation just now, the woman in front of him had an incomprehensible curiosity about Kara's identity, and she had given him several vague hints that seemed like illusions.

"It's okay, you can tell me whatever you think, I will protect you."

"You really don't have anything to say about Kara's identity? Anything is fine."

"You won't get what you want easily. I can choose to get it or not."

"I want to believe you, whether it's about this paper or the suspicion of plagiarism in the exhibition."

"This is not the answer I want to hear, nor is this the answer I should hear."

And the price of the check the woman wrote was so high that she couldn't understand it.

In an instant.

As Miss Elena said this, finally, like lightning illuminating the night sky, all the clues that Gu Weijing had grasped were connected together in detail, and all pointed to an obvious conclusion -

This woman wants to bribe me.

It’s this woman…she wants to harm herself!
Understood.

Gu Weijing understood everything!
He shuddered in his heart, looking at the flawless face of the woman in front of him, a chilling feeling rushed into his mind.

The other party had set up a trap from the beginning... Like a hunter, she had set her sights on the paper that she and Katsuko Sakai co-authored.

300 million euros.

It is not the normal price to buy the painting "Old Church in a Thunderstorm", it is... the price to buy one's own soul.

The price of bribing myself to endorse the Elena family.
-
after many years.

When biographers look back on the first meeting between Gu Weijing and Anna Elena, they always sigh that it was a conversation full of pride and prejudice, just like Jane Austen's novel reflected in reality.

The two talked for a long time in the cafe.

On half of the questions, the two of them had a magical tacit understanding, as if they were in telepathic communication. One asked the questions and the other answered them. The questioner and the answerer, the one asking the question and the one answering the question, had different tones but expressed the same meaning.

As for the other half of the problem, the two people were clearly saying the same thing and facing the same thing, but because they were in different positions and looked at things from different perspectives, they talked about completely different things and were not on the same channel at all.

The more they talked, the further they got from the truth of the matter, and in the end they both succeeded in getting pissed off.

Neither of them could imagine each other's world, and both of them lived completely different lives.

Their hearts are full of arrogance and prejudice.

A person who is used to being strong, she sits on the top of a mountain overlooking the world, and speaks of her concern for others as if it were an unconditional threat.

The other person is used to being sensitive.

He stood on the river bank, watching the waves in the wind crashing against the shore. When others opened their arms to him, he still closed his eyes out of habit and waved his Zen stick at the air.

Faced with just the right amount of tacit understanding.

Sloths and cats.

At first they all thought it was a trap set up by the hunters.

(End of this chapter)