Guo Shuxian's face was as still as water as she said, "Continue!"
"After that, your daughter introduced me to the local customs and specialties of Hua City, allowing me to understand this city in a more vivid way."
"Isn't that a good thing?" Guo Shuxian asked in astonishment.
"The 'specialties' she talked about were which parlors had pretty masseuses, which ones offered threesomes, and which ones had masseuses with drugs on them."
"I also witnessed how a little girl her size could exchange the most authentic vulgarities with an old driver, dine and dash at a restaurant by placing a pre-prepared cockroach into the food, and how she hanged a brat that scratched her car on a tree to beat him.
When his parents found out, she immediately framed me for it, resulting in me being chased down the street with a kitchen knife by the boy's father for three blocks."
Guo Shuxian was completely petrified, looking at Hao Jian incredulously, "Xiaoxiao did all this?"
"If I have uttered a single lie, may I become a eunuch," Hao Jian swore intensely.
Guo Shuxian fell into a daze, murmuring in a trance, "Why has she become ? She used to be so well-behaved."
"She's not bad; she's just lonely. Pranks are the only way she can make her presence felt," Hao Jian said with a slight smile. "Her dad passed away early, and you've always been busy with work, leaving her to fend for herself at home. She had to find something to do, didn't she?"
"So she speeds in her car, smokes, drinks, and would rather turn herself into a bad girl than dare to tell you her true feelings. Because she knows you're the mayor, responsible for the people and society, she worries it might affect your job. Thus, she can only vent her loneliness through such self-destructive behavior."
Hearing what Hao Jian had said, Guo Shuxian remained silent for a long time. If it hadn't been for him telling her today, she would not have known about all the burdens Che Xiaoxiao had been bearing alone.
However, soon Guo Shuxian's expression became cold again, "This is our family affair, it's none of your business."
Hao Jian smiled but did not argue, because he knew Guo Shuxian had taken in his words.
At this time, the auction had already begun, with lots being presented one after another. About half an hour later, the painting Hao Jian had brought was finally on the stage.
"This painting is called 'Eastern Charm.' It was done by a talented young Huaxia artist who wishes to remain anonymous. It has been appraised by the well-known authority Old Master Qiu, and the starting bid is three hundred thousand!" Zhang Qiuya introduced its origin onstage.
Below the stage, however, Guo Shuxian's gaze had already stiffened, staring fixedly at the painting with an intense fervor, as if she were looking at her first love.
"Three hundred and fifty thousand!"
"Four hundred thousand!"
"Five hundred thousand!"
The bidders sporadically called out prices, which were mostly tentative because they did not know if the painting truly held that value and feared making a high bid that could lead to a loss.
At that moment, a voice that was not loud but extremely clear rang out.
Hao Jian looked at Guo Shuxian beside him, somewhat astonished. This woman was interested in his painting too?
But Guo Shuxian didn't notice Hao Jian's expression; she was captivated by the painting in front of her, a faintly infatuated smile on her lips.
From the moment she saw the painting, she knew she had to have it!
Guo Shuxian doubled the price as soon as she opened her mouth, shocking everyone present, who realized that she was determined to own the painting, so naturally, there were fewer bidders.
Of course, there were connoisseurs who kept bidding against Guo Shuxian, driving up the price to two million before they finally gave up.
"Two million for a painting, isn't that a bit extravagant?" Even Hao Jian felt a little embarrassed by now; Guo Shuxian was really giving him too much face.
Guo Shuxian glanced at Hao Jian indifferently, "What do you know? It wouldn't matter if it were twenty million; I would still get this painting!"
"Oh? Why?" Hao Jian became intrigued as there must be a reason for Guo Shuxian's enthusiasm for his painting.
With a distant look and a light smile, Guo Shuxian said, "Because the person in the painting looked exactly like me when I was young."
She wasn't joking. From the first glance at the painting, she was moved by the radiant girl depicted, only to discover the astonishing resemblance to her younger self.
She came from a small village and, as a child, while shepherding sheep, she would gaze into the distance just like the girl in the painting, dreaming of the world beyond the mountains.
Back then, she was as pure and passionate as the girl in the painting; looking at it, Guo Shuxian felt like she was brought back to those innocent days.
"Damn, really?" Hao Jian's expression became incredibly animated; he had created the painting on a whim, only to inadvertently strike a chord with Guo Shuxian.
Guo Shuxian smiled without responding, "Though I don't know how he did it, I truly feel that there's a soul in his painting; only a masterpiece has a soul, and this painting must come from the hand of a master!"
"Well, you flatter me." Hao Jian modestly waved his hands, embarrassed. Aw, shucks, I'm not as great as you make me sound!
"I'm talking about the artist of this painting, what are you being shy for? You're a rascal who doesn't know jack about art, I'm afraid you couldn't grasp the soul I'm speaking of even if you tried your entire life." Guo Shuxian looked disdainfully at Hao Jian.
"Probably." Hao Jian touched his nose, crying and laughing at the same time—he was the artist of the painting, after all.
"I'd really like to meet the painter of this piece," Guo Shuxian said with a smile, having not experienced such an elevation of the spirit for a long time due to her career. Yet, this painting had brought back that long-missed stirring of the soul.
"No, it might be better if you never meet him," Hao Jian mumbled, propping his chin with one hand and looking glum. If Guo Shuxian knew that he was the artist behind this painting, he figured she would regret buying it and devalue it utterly, so it was probably for the best that she remained unaware.
"Hick!" Guo Shuxian huffed discontentedly.
After leaving the auction, Hao Jian accepted Zhang Qiuya's lunch invitation, but she had to leave midway due to work, leaving him dining alone.
As Hao Jian was dining, Guo Shuxian walked over with her meal tray. She scanned the room to find the auction house's restaurant crowded, the only available seat being across from Hao Jian.
Guo Shuxian frowned deeply, the thought of dining with this detestable man made her feel uncomfortable all over.
But after a moment's hesitation, she still made her way over; as much as she disliked him, she couldn't very well eat standing up.