"I'm not asleep. You can say what you want. I'm listening." Tao Wan opened his eyes a little.
"Don't be in a hurry to agree to sell the painting to anyone. When I come back, we can discuss it again. I'll use the company's shares to exchange for it, okay?" Wei Shicheng said in a coaxing tone.
"I didn't plan to sell it. I think it'll be difficult for me to draw such a good painting in the future. Also, this painting took up too much of my energy. I can't bear to sell it, so I plan to keep it for myself. "Tao Wan thought for a while and said," I'll use this painting as my dowry, okay, Uncle Wei? "
"That's a great idea. Then it's settled." Wei Shicheng said excitedly, "No matter what other people say to you, don't be tempted. I'll rush back in two days. No matter what happens, wait for me to come back."
"I already said that I won't sell it. No matter how much money they give me, I won't be tempted. You can come back after you've settled everything there. Otherwise, you'll have to fly back in a short period of time. Wouldn't that be a waste of time? "
"Okay, I'll listen to you. I'll settle everything here first. You can ask for leave from school for the next few days. Don't go anywhere at home. Otherwise, those people will definitely pester you. "
"Okay, okay. I know. Hurry up and work. When you're done, come back early. I'm going to sleep. I'm so sleepy. "Tao Wan yawned again.
"Then go to sleep. Rest well for the next few days. I'm hanging up." Wei Shicheng looked at Tao Wan's tired appearance and felt a little distressed.
Tao Wan waited for him to finish and immediately hung up. He was still holding the phone in his hand, but he had already fallen asleep. That painting took up too much of his energy and mind. Even the system's recovery speed had slowed down. Tao Wan felt that even if he could draw a painting of the same level, he wouldn't want to draw again. At least for the next few years, he definitely wouldn't draw again.
After the two of them went public with their relationship, Tao Wan moved to Wei Shicheng's villa. Du Yi also lived there with him. Wei Shicheng even helped him transfer to a private elite school.
Tao Wan slept until noon. He still looked sleepy. If he didn't wake up because of hunger, he would have continued to sleep.
Du Yi was watching TV in the hall. Tao Yuan walked over and sat beside him. The butler came over and asked, "What would you like to eat, Master Du?"
"Seafood porridge," Tao Yuan said. "Make me a glass of milk first."
The housekeeper left and soon came back with a glass of fresh milk.
Du Yi turned to look at Tao Wan and asked, "Brother, aren't you going to school today?"
"Yeah." Tao Wan took a sip of the warm milk. "I'm resting at home these few days. I won't go anywhere."
"Is it because a lot of people want to buy your paintings?" Du Yi said. "These two days, your paintings have been on the news a lot. The news said that a lot of rich people from abroad have come to our country just to buy your paintings. But a lot of masters in our country are saying that they can't let you sell your paintings to foreigners. "
"You're only in primary school, but you're already watching the news? Shouldn't children your age be watching anime? "
"Not all primary school students like to watch anime, right?" Du Yi thought for a while and said, "Anyway, I don't like to watch it. The content is too exaggerated. I prefer to watch what happens in reality."
"Really?" Tao Wan said.
"Brother, will you sell your paintings to foreigners? I heard that they will pay a high price and help you immigrate. "
"I won't." Tao Wan said with certainty. "I'm living well in our country. Why would I want to immigrate to a place that I'm not used to at all? They must be crazy to think that. Our country is not worse than other countries in any aspect. I'm not crazy. Why would I agree to it? "
"Oh, I don't really want to go abroad. I think it's good to live in our country." Du Yi looked relieved.
Tao Wan looked at him funny.
"The news said that you can sell your paintings for a lot of money. So you're rich now, right?" Du Yi asked.
"You can say that." Tao Wan thought for a while and said, "Anyway, we don't have to worry about money anymore."
"When I start working, I'll give you all the money I earn." Du Yi said with a serious face.
"Okay." Tao Wan patted him on the shoulder and said, "Before you get married, I'll help you take care of it."
"Master Du, it's time for the young master to go to his piano lesson." The housekeeper put down the seafood porridge and said to Tao Wan.
"Okay." Tao Wan nodded and turned to Du Yi and said, "Go, have a good class."
"I'm leaving, brother." Du Yi stood up and said.
Students in aristocratic schools had to learn a few specialties. Du Yi chose piano and fencing. He wanted to learn horsemanship and fighting skills when his body was better.
Tao Wan looked at the news on TV. It was now reporting about him. He sighed. It seemed that he had used too much force this time. He would definitely be harassed by those people for a long time.
Tao Wan had two phones. Only Wei Shicheng and Du Yi knew the number of one. The number of the other phone was known by more people. Some teachers in the school, people in the gallery, and some masters of Chinese Art and Go all had his number. Now, they must have been calling him non-stop. He didn't dare to turn on his phone.
Tao Wan thought that he had overestimated his ability to cope. It was better to wait for Wei Shicheng to come back. During this time, he would hide at home.
Those people who wanted to buy the painting were looking for Tao Wan all over the world. Tao Wan could turn off his phone and hide, but Wei Shicheng's work phone couldn't be turned off. Those people who wanted to find Tao Wan wasted a lot of his time.
The exhibition director was going crazy. Since the painting had not been displayed, those masters had been forcing him to contact Tao Wan. They said that even if he had to spend all his life savings, he had to buy the painting. After the painting was exhibited, it immediately attracted more masters who were unwilling to leave. Then, the media came. After that, he was almost driven crazy by that person. However, he couldn't contact Tao Yuan no matter how hard he tried. There was nothing he could do.
A few days later, Wei Shicheng finally came back. After discussing with Tao Wan, the two of them attended the press conference together. Tao Yuan made it clear to everyone that he would not sell the painting "Penglai of Bliss" no matter how much money was offered. This was because he wanted to use it as his dowry. After he got married, it would be jointly owned by him and Wei Shicheng. It would be a testimony to their love.
Tao Wan had made it very clear that he wouldn't sell the painting to anyone, let alone to a foreign collector. As long as he was alive, he would never let the painting go abroad.
Tao Wan had made it public, but would those who wanted to buy the painting give up? Of course, it was impossible.
Tao Wan simply didn't go to school or live in the villa. He lived with Wei Shicheng in a villa in the suburbs. Every day, he would paint and play the piano. His life was quite comfortable.
Tao Wan knew that many people wanted to see him. These people were either rich or powerful, or had high positions. The Chess Saint Su Yongfu and some other masters had expressed their desire to see him many times. However, if he saw one of them, he couldn't refuse to see the others. Thus, he simply refused to see anyone.
Tao Wan could refuse to see anyone, but Wei Shicheng couldn't. He had his own helplessness.
"There's a guest coming tomorrow." Wei Shicheng said as he hugged Tao Wan.
"Who?" Tao Wan leaned into his embrace. His body was naked under the blanket. He put his leg on top of his.
"An uncle of mine. His surname is Liu." Wei Shicheng said, "I talked to him about a piece of land two years ago, but we couldn't reach an agreement. Recently, he suddenly contacted me and said that he was willing to talk to me. However, he requested for you to be there. I think he must be here for that painting. "
Tao Wan thought for a while and said, "Is he Liu Xiujie's grandfather?"
"Yes." Wei Shicheng said, "I didn't want to agree to his request, but that piece of land is really important to the company. Thus, I still wanted to talk to him. However, don't worry. I will never let you sell that painting to him. Even if it's ten pieces of land, I will not agree to let you exchange it with him. "
"Your uncle, does he like to play Go?" Tao Wan recalled the information he had found.
"Yes, he's a chess fanatic. But then again, his chess skills are quite high. Even the Chess Saint might not be his match. "
"Is that so?" Tao Wan looked absent-minded. He rubbed Wei Shicheng's chest with his finger.
"What? You want to play Go with him? "Wei Shicheng grabbed his hand and asked.
"I do have this idea." Tao Wan said, "You said that his chess skills are not lower than the Chess Saint. Then, he must be very confident in himself. Since he wants my painting, then I will bet with him. If he wins, I will give him the painting. If he loses, he will give me the land. What do you think? "
"Nothing." Wei Shicheng immediately rejected, "Your painting is much more valuable than that piece of land. It's not worth risking the painting."
"You don't have confidence in me?" Tao Wan looked up and looked at him with dissatisfaction.
"…" Wei Shicheng immediately coaxed, "This is not called not having confidence in you. This is called not taking risks that you shouldn't take."
As a man who was about to get married, Wei Shicheng had learned how to coax his wife. When faced with his wife's questions, sometimes he would tell white lies.
"Isn't that just because you don't have confidence in me? You think I can't tell if you change your words? Hmph! " Tao Wan snorted and said, "I want to play with him. Even if he is better than the Chess Saint, it's useless because the Chess Saint is not as good as me. I see that he is old, so I let him win."
"Baby, listen to me. It's not that I don't believe you. Even the Chess Saint can make mistakes, right? You can't guarantee that … "
"I don't want to listen, I don't want to listen! You just don't believe me! "Tao Wan turned over on the bed and covered his ears.
"Baby, let's talk about it again, okay?" Wei Shicheng hugged him.
…
In the end, Wei Shicheng failed to convince Tao Yuan. Tao Yuan felt that if he only had a 90% chance of success, perhaps he wouldn't take the risk. But he clearly had a 200% chance of success, so why didn't he do it?
The next day, Tao Wan was playing the guqin in the Tingshui Pavilion. Wei Shicheng was lying on the recliner beside him, resting with his eyes closed.
After the housekeeper came in, he reported behind the screen, "Sir, Old Mr. Liu and the others are here."
"Invite them in and greet them in the outer hall," Wei Shicheng said with his eyes closed.
"Yes."
After the housekeeper left, there was the sound of people entering the outer hall. Wei Shicheng stood up and walked around the screen.
Tao Wan continued to play the guqin. He would not stop until he finished a song. This was obsessive-compulsive disorder.
"Uncle, cousin." Wei Shicheng greeted the people who came in and asked them to sit down.
"Father insisted on coming. Shicheng, don't mind him," Old Man Liu's eldest son, Liu Wangyang, said.
"Cousin, don't say that. If uncle is willing to come, I welcome him with open arms," Wei Shicheng said politely.
Old Man Liu did not speak after he came in. After he sat down, he closed his eyes and listened carefully to the soft sounds coming from inside.
Wei Shicheng did not disturb him. After the servant served tea, he drank the tea and chatted with Liu Wangyang in a low voice.
"Who's playing the guqin?" Old Man Liu asked with his eyes closed.
"It's Qing Yu. He has the habit of not stopping until he finishes a song. When he's done, he'll come out," Wei Shicheng said.
"He's a strange person." Old Man Liu stroked his beard and said, "He can play chess, draw, and has such good guqin skills. Shicheng, even uncle can't help but admire your luck. "
Wei Shicheng smiled but did not say anything. However, there was a sense of pride in his smile that could not be hidden.
"Baby, I saw you on the foreign news. When did you draw the painting 'Penglai of Bliss'? Why didn't I know about it? "Wei Shicheng asked excitedly.
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