Li Rui was shocked again. Good lord, this Professor Liu was really rich. He could casually take out five million in cash. This was not an ordinary kind of wealth. Were all professors this rich these days? He smiled and said, "I'm sorry, this is not a matter of money. No matter how much Professor Liu offers, I can't sell it because I still want to exchange it for another painting so that I can give it to Principal Chi."
The assistant said curiously, "You don't have to exchange it. You can sell this painting first. After you get the cash, you can buy it from the artist. When the time comes, you can buy as many as you want. You can buy whichever painting you want."
Li Rui smiled and shook his head. "I'm really sorry. I won't consider selling it. Please apologize to Professor Liu on my behalf."
The assistant asked in disbelief, "Five million in cash for a painting that isn't Wenxing's original work. You really won't consider it?"
Li Rui thought to himself, If I really sold the painting to Liu Shiqi, he might just sell it. According to the market price of this painting, even if he only sold half of it, he would still make a huge profit. Of course, I don't care how much he earns, but I can't let him use Wenxing's seal to deceive others. Even if he isn't that kind of person, I can't give him such a chance. He couldn't be bothered to talk nonsense with the assistant in front of him and just shook his head.
The assistant smiled bitterly and said, "Alright, Professor Liu said that if you are not satisfied with this price, we can discuss it again. What is the reasonable price in your mind? Six million? Eight million? As long as you are willing to sell, we can discuss it. "
Li Rui couldn't be bothered to say a word. He just smiled and shook his head.
The assistant sighed and said, "Alright, it seems like Chief Li really doesn't want to sell it. Then I won't disturb Chief Li's rest. I'll go back and tell Professor Liu this result. You should rest. Good night." With that said, he turned and left the room.
Li Rui walked him to the corridor and watched him leave. He felt very proud of himself for rejecting the temptation of millions of yuan. This was not something that anyone could do easily. It seemed that his sentiments had risen to a certain level. Even if he was not noble, he was not far from it. Haha.
He returned to the house and went straight to the bedroom. He stood in front of the table and looked at the painting box on the table. When he thought of the incomparably beautiful little beauty, he couldn't help but admire her. That girl was really amazing. She could just casually draw a painting and it could be passed off as Wenxing's real work. She could even be bought at a high price of several million yuan. Even if the person wanted to buy Wenxing's seal, if her work was not up to standard, he was afraid that no one would buy it. Tsk tsk, she was really amazing. When he went back, he had to properly investigate her background and see if her relationship with Wenxing was really that of a father and daughter.
When he thought of this, he sighed and patted the painting box. It would have been fine if he didn't pat it, but when he patted it, the painting box shifted. Moreover, he felt that the box was empty and did not have much weight. Otherwise, it would not have shifted with just a few gentle pats. This was completely different from the feeling of heaviness when he held the painting box.
Li Ruixin was shocked. He quickly unlocked the box and lifted the lid. It was fine if he didn't open the box, but when he opened the box, he was shocked to see that it was empty. The painting was no longer there!
"How is this possible?!"
Li Rui was instantly stunned. His mind was in a mess. Where was the painting? Why did it suddenly disappear? He remembered that when he brought the painting box into the room, the box was still stable and strong, which meant that the painting was still in the box. Why did it disappear after a meal?
He was shocked and scared. He carefully checked the box over and over again, but he still could not find the painting. He looked under the table, around the room, and even went to the bathroom, but he still could not find the painting. He was so anxious that a layer of hot sweat appeared on his back!
The more things that happened, the more things that happened. Li Rui was immersed in the huge shock of losing the painting when his phone rang. He subconsciously took it out and saw that it was a message from Ling Shuyao. She wrote, "I accidentally ate too much just now. Can you accompany me for a walk downstairs?"
If Li Rui had received this message just now, he would have agreed without thinking. But now, facing the sad scene of losing the painting, how could he be in the mood to accompany a beauty for a walk? He calmed himself down and replied, "I can't go for the time being. Come to my room. I have something to do here." After sending this message, he walked to the door and opened it a little to make it easier for Ling Shuyao to enter the room.
He did not have any other intentions when he asked Ling Shuyao to come over. He wanted her to help him find the lost painting. If she could not find it, she could help him think about where the painting was most likely lost. That woman was very smart, and she might be able to provide some useful ideas.
But now, the word "lost" was not accurate because Li Rui clearly remembered that when he moved into the room, the painting box was still heavy. After entering the room, he did not open the painting box again, so there was no possibility of the painting being thrown around. After that, he went to the banquet with Li Jing and the others. When he returned to the room, the painting disappeared. Of course, the painting could not have grown wings and flown away. So now, the only possibility was that the painting was stolen. It was stolen by someone! But when the painting was stolen and who stole it, he still needed to think about it.
A minute later, Ling Shuyao quietly came to Li Rui's room.
Li Rui saw that she did not close the door, so he deliberately walked to the door and closed it.
Ling Shuyao noticed his small movement and frowned slightly. She looked at him with a strange expression and asked, "Why did you close the door?"
Li Rui was not in the mood to tease her. He said bluntly, "I have something important to tell you. I'm afraid that others will come and overhear."
Ling Shuyao did not believe him. She pursed her lips and said, "Who else would come to your room? Male cadres? Female cadres? Why would the male cadres ask you to come here? To play cards? You are not familiar with the male cadres in the city government and the Education Bureau, right? There are only three female cadres in total. Mayor Li will definitely not come. Xiao Jin is taking a bath in the room and will not come either. Who do you think you are guarding against? Or do you have other ideas? "
Li Rui laughed and scolded her, "What other ideas do I have? If it were any other time, I might have some ideas. But now, I feel like crying. "
Ling Shuyao was still doubtful. She said, "Why are you crying? Are you messing with me? "
Li Rui did not waste any more time and told her about the disappearance of the painting.
Ling Shuyao's expression did not change much after hearing this. She looked around the room and walked around. She asked, "You didn't look for it carefully?"
Li Rui said, "I looked for it, but where could I find it? Besides, I didn't even need to look for it. Ever since I came to the room, I have not taken the painting out! I highly suspect that the painting has been stolen. "
Ling Shuyao's expression changed. She cried out, "What? It has been stolen? What evidence do you have to prove this? "
Li Rui then told her his analysis in detail. Finally, he said, "I have already analyzed it. The painting was stolen when we were at the banquet. It was still in the box before I went to the banquet, but when I came back, it was gone. I am now wondering who stole the painting. Listen to my analysis and help me deduce. "
He organized his words and said, "This painting has a certain value. Just now, someone offered five million yuan to buy it …"
Ling Shuyao was dumbfounded when she heard this. She waved her hand and said, "Wait a minute … What did you say? This painting is worth five million yuan? Are you kidding me? You spent five million yuan to buy this painting as a gift for Principal Chi? Who will reimburse you? Does Mayor Li know? You … "
Li Rui interrupted her and said, "I'll tell you in detail about the value of the painting later. For now, you just have to listen to whatever I say. Continue … The value of this painting is very attractive, but only people who know its value will be envious of it and want to take it for themselves. So far, there are only three people who know the value of this painting. One is Principal Chi, one is his assistant, and the other is the dean of Shannan University's School of Art, Liu Shiqi, who helped Principal Chi appraise this painting. Liu Shiqi is also the one who asked someone to buy the painting from me. "Among the three of them, Principal Chi is open and aboveboard. He once rejected this painting, so there's no need to suspect him. His assistant is also very warm-hearted and friendly. Besides, he was by Principal Chi's side during the meal just now. He didn't have the time to make a move, so he has an alibi. The only one left worthy of suspicion is Liu Shiqi. However, he doesn't seem like the kind of person who stole the painting because he just asked the principal's assistant to ask me to buy the painting. If he really stole the painting, why would he spend money to buy it?"
"Who said so?" Ling Shuyao easily detected a flaw. "Couldn't he have put on a show for you? He knew that you would very likely suspect him, so after stealing the painting, he deliberately asked someone to buy it from you to avoid being suspected by you. Besides, he achieved his goal, so you don't suspect him now, right? "
Li Rui seemed to wake up from a dream as he slowly nodded in agreement with her deduction.
Ling Shuyao continued, "It's also wrong for you not to suspect the principal's assistant. Who said that he couldn't steal your painting just because he was at the banquet? Couldn't he have sent his men to do it? By the same logic, Principal Chi might also be a suspect. He rejected it on the surface, making you think that he didn't take the painting to heart. However, if he secretly sent someone to steal it, wouldn't you be kept in the dark? In fact, the reason why he held a banquet at night might even be to deliberately invite you out of the room so that his men could create an opportunity to make a move. "
Li Rui didn't know whether to laugh or cry when he heard this. He said, "Now that you mention it, all three of them are worthy of suspicion. Who do you want me to start with?"
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