Chapter 125: A Tarnished Legacy

"Could you take a look at this for me as well? Is this part of a pair with the one that gentleman gave me?" Zhong Huayan looked at another brown bowl, similar in shape to the first, and murmured.

"These two are not a pair, though they are from the same period. This is called a public-collection *li* tripod furnace. Although it lacks any ornamentation and looks rather plain, it is worth double the previous item."

Zhong Huayan began to regret revealing her profession. Now, every guest in the courtyard was clamoring for her to appraise their treasures, following her live stream, and even trying to hire her privately. It was all because for every item, she took at most ten seconds—and sometimes as little as two—to identify it perfectly, without a single error. Everyone wanted to use the opportunity to cozy up to the Fu and Guan families while getting their antiques appraised. In the world of antiquities, where there is rarely a consensus and unscrupulous appraisal firms often label genuine items as fakes just to buy them cheap and resell them for a fortune, her accuracy was gold.

"Grandson, your girlfriend is quite something. At least she isn't just a pretty face; she has genuine ancestral skills. More importantly, she’s patient and willing to help everyone for free. She’s very warm and approachable," Elder Wang Yudong said, patting the man beside him on the shoulder with genuine sincerity.

"Since you like your granddaughter-in-law so much, why not give me the project as a wedding gift? I intend to marry her," Fu Yanyan said, watching the woman across from them who was busy and tireless in her appraisals. She was always so warm-hearted. He smiled knowingly, a fleeting expression, though he felt an immense sense of pride inside.

"You aren't good enough for her. Take my advice and don't marry her. Look at how she isn't driven by profit at all. How can you, a man reeking of greed, have the nerve?"

Fu Yanyan sat beside the host, exuding an extraordinary aura—natural, yet keeping others at a distance. He was wrapped in a cold, monastic radiance, neither restless nor inappropriate. He didn't look like a man who prioritized profit above all else, yet his words and actions carried an aggressive edge.

"Fine. Your grandson has suffered. I’ve struggled alone in foreign lands for so many years; if I hadn't developed this 'stink of greed,' I’d be dead already. Where did you even meet those freaks from the Guan family?"

Wang Yudong extinguished his cigarette and began rotating the walnuts in his hand again, looking thoroughly annoyed.

"Don't. You only look refined; in reality, you are the one reeking of greed—you are a hypocrite. Tell me, can I really trust you? How are they freaks? They seem more authentic than you. The Guan boy's parents died young, too. His mother was my junior fellow apprentice; she helped countless people in Harbin back in the day and was pursued by many prominent figures. It’s a pity her judgment was poor, and she married abroad."

Fu Yanyan pondered this for a moment, fiddling with his white jade Buddhist prayer beads, and spoke simply. "Grandfather, you still don't understand me. I am not a hypocrite. Don't you know? Your grandson has a mental illness. When my mind gets clouded, I am capable of anything. Since you refuse to acknowledge me as your grandson, I’m afraid you might lose your reputation in your twilight years."

Wang Yudong was startled, nearly dropping his teacup to the floor. His eyes widened in fury, but after a moment, he let out a sigh. Who could he blame but his own past mistakes?

"You brat, how dare you be so unscrupulous as to threaten your own grandfather? You want this project that badly? You aren't short on money, why bother? You refuse to build ties with the Guan family and want to push them away—you just want to monopolize everything!" Wang Yudong leaned in and whispered, his words sharp and heavy.

Guan Yujing, sitting nearby, hadn't heard exactly what the two were discussing, but he didn't need to guess to know it was about the distribution of the project. Fu Yanyan, clearly tired of these excuses, grabbed Wang Yudong’s arm and said lightly, "One word: are you giving it to me, or not?"

Disregarding the guests, Wang Yudong slammed his teacup onto the table, nearly crushing the walnuts in his hand. "Tonight, you and Xiao Jing will go to the stables. Whoever reaches the finish line first gets the project."

Fu Yanyan and Guan Yujing exchanged glances. They were well-matched, each holding absolute sway in different markets and fields, their power, wealth, and status on par. They remained silent for a moment before shaking hands, silently accepting the proposal. Guan Yujing was used to business rivalries; regardless, he had been a naturally gifted horseman since childhood.

It was clear the old man didn't trust his own grandson and would rather give the business to an outsider than to his own flesh and blood. It showed that Fu Yanyan’s private reputation was one of cold-blooded ruthlessness—a man who would stop at nothing.

"I am truly tired of you both. One is my daughter’s child, the other is the child of my only fellow apprentice. I won't play favorites; let fate decide. I have always hated making choices."

After finishing the topic, Elder Wang Yudong called for the feast to begin. Zhong Huayan was encouraged by her uncle to drink white spirits. She was a capable drinker; in her younger years, she could down a thousand cups without getting drunk, often turning to alcohol when troubled. She downed a glass in one gulp, drawing applause from those around her.

"Impressive! Young lady, I'll join you!" Her uncle, a bold man, followed suit.

The pear-wood table was laden with a decadent feast—the rarest delicacies were served. There were dishes ordinary people had never seen: beef garnished with gold leaf, sashimi-grade blue crab... dish after dish appeared. The suckling pig was marinated in night-blooming cereus, there were two-meter-long beef bone racks, and freshly air-freighted tuna sashimi. Zhong Huayan had grown tired of such food as a child; as she grew older, she found these extravagant displays bloody and overly complicated—nothing compared to the simplicity of a neighbor's home-cooked meal.

"Ah-Hua, I just had someone fetch some wine I brewed myself a few years ago. Won't you try it? It's sweeter and more potent than this sauce-aroma white spirit." Fu Yanyan’s expression softened, his eyes turning tender—a change he likely didn't even notice himself.

She nodded while chewing on some beef. Wang Yudong and Guan Yujing, hearing this, were both startled.

"Isn't that young lady named Li Yanyan? Why do you keep calling her Ah-Hua?"

"Shh... Grandfather. I have a bit of a condition. When I'm with a woman, please, don't speak."

Elder Wang Yudong rolled his eyes and muttered, "Yes, I can see that. You are definitely sick."

Guan Yujing chuckled, his voice low but strangely crisp. As a man, he understood Fu Yanyan’s motives. He had loved and lost; his beloved had died in a fire. Now, encountering someone who resembled her so closely, he was likely self-indoctrinating, repeating the name until he almost believed the woman before him was the one he had lost.

"There are many people in this world who look alike, but to have such similar mannerisms is rare indeed. It's a pity... her personality is too flighty; compared to her, she lacks a certain steadiness."

Guan Yujing spoke casually, but Fu Yanyan let it go in one ear and out the other; he didn't want them to know the truth. However, the comment drew Zhong Huayan’s gaze. She was surprised—this "bastard" actually understood her quite well. She hadn't met him many times before the fire, yet he was able to compare their expressions so accurately.