As the date of the fashion runway drew closer and closer, Shen Nanyue’s studio was also working intensely on clothing designs.
Her original intention remained unchanged— She wanted modernized traditional Chinese fashion to enter the public eye.
So these past few days, she and the senior and junior members of her studio had been passionately discussing the designs for the competition.
“Senior Sister, the double-sided embroidery you collected from the town last time could be incorporated into a modern qipao design. The embroidery itself is already incredibly vivid. We could make it into a reversible garment—it would definitely amaze the audience.”
One of the junior members offered her suggestion.
Shen Nanyue nodded.
“I’ve thought about that too, but first we need to settle on a theme. I already have a few ideas.”
She handed out printed documents to everyone attending the meeting.
These people were all talented prospects Shen Nanyue had gathered from school.
Before long, lively discussions erupted around the conference table.
A group of passionate people gathering together to pursue something they loved seemed to possess endless energy.
Very quickly, everyone finalized the theme.
After assigning tasks, Shen Nanyue returned to her office with barely concealed excitement.
This fashion show was an important milestone for her studio, and now that the designs were progressing smoothly, she truly felt happy.
Then Zhu Yuan’s call brought her another piece of good news.
“Xiao Qi already sent me information about the collector. Are you free right now? We can go visit him.”
“I’m free. Send me the address.”
After hanging up, Zhu Yuan immediately sent the location.
Shen Nanyue packed up the documents on her desk and left the studio.
When Lin Siwan arrived, Shen Nanyue’s car had just happened to pass by hers on the way out.
She went to the front desk looking for Shen Nanyue, only to be told that she had already left.
Lin Siwan didn’t insist.
Instead, her eyes slowly swept over the receptionist.
Faded jeans paired with an out-of-season T-shirt, thick round glasses on her chubby face—her smile did look rather comforting.
But she looked so poor and shabby.
An eyesore.
Suppressing the disgust in her heart, Lin Siwan smiled at the receptionist, calculation flickering through her eyes.
“Little sister, I’m your boss’s younger sister. My name is Lin Siwan. What’s your name?”
…
After driving for two hours, Shen Nanyue finally arrived at a winery west of Fengcheng.
Zhu Yuan had already arrived.
The moment she saw Shen Nanyue, she immediately walked over.
“Did you read the information I sent you about the collector?”
Shen Nanyue nodded.
Before getting in the car earlier, Zhu Yuan had already sent her the collector’s profile together with the address.
The collector’s name was Xiu Mingshi.
His wife was Chen Yuan— Chen Mu’s aunt.
Xiu Mingshi’s family background wasn’t as powerful as the Chen family’s, but he was still someone capable of supporting a household through his own hard work.
His parents had died early.
He had no elders above him and no children below him.
The only passions in his life were wine and collecting antiques.
The winery before them was something he had built entirely from scratch.
Zhu Yuan’s expression looked somewhat troubled.
“I heard my mom mention before that some time ago, Old Master Chen suddenly went crazy and threatened to sever ties with his biological daughter. Not long after that, Xiu Mingshi started selling off parts of his antique collection. The two families are probably having some kind of conflict.”
“An’an’s painting was likely brought out of the Chen family by Chen Yuan.”
After all, Shen Nanyue had previously seen An’an’s artwork in Chen Mu’s sister’s room.
If that were true, then this clue once again pointed back to the Chen family.
Going inside to ask questions might end up meaningless.
Moreover, Shen Nanyue’s broken engagement with Chen Mu had become a huge public matter.
Chen Yuan probably wouldn’t think kindly of her either.
Shen Nanyue had considered this possibility too, but she still refused to give up.
No matter what, as long as there was even the slightest trace of An’an, she would never abandon the lead.
“It’s fine. Let’s go in and take a look.”
Zhu Yuan could only follow her inside the winery.
Xiu Mingshi truly loved wine.
Despite not being especially wealthy, he had built the largest winery in Fengcheng.
The moment they stepped inside, the crisp fragrance of wine rushed toward them.
The winery had been designed in the style of an ancient Chinese garden estate.
Along the antique corridors grew colorful flowering trees, with small bridges, flowing water, chirping insects, and birdsong all around.
At that moment, their minds seemed to be quietly soothed by the scenery.
A man dressed in a tailcoat, looking much like a butler, stepped forward and gave a slight bow toward Shen Nanyue and Zhu Yuan.
“May I ask if you are Miss Zhu and Miss Shen?”
“Yes.”
“Mr. Xiu has been waiting for quite some time. Please follow me.”
As he spoke, the butler turned around and led the way.
Shen Nanyue and Zhu Yuan exchanged a glance before following behind him.
It seemed Xiu Mingshi didn’t dislike them as much as they had expected.
The three of them passed through winding corridors and arched gateways before finally arriving at a separate courtyard.
Xiu Mingshi was already waiting beside a desk in the courtyard.
“Mr. Xiu, Miss Shen and Miss Zhu have arrived.”
Xiu Mingshi looked toward Shen Nanyue and Zhu Yuan but didn’t stand to greet them.
Instead, he casually waved a hand.
“Come sit.”
The two women sat across from him.
Shen Nanyue quietly observed Xiu Mingshi.
The man appeared to be in his forties.
His hair was somewhat long, styled into a wolf-tail cut resting against the back of his neck, with a few loose strands falling across his forehead.
His features were upright and refined, especially his sharp, spirited eyes.
Overall, he looked energetic and full of vitality.
Xiu Mingshi poured wine for the two of them.
There were no dishes on the table.
After thanking him, Shen Nanyue lifted the wine glass and took a sip.
The mellow, rich flavor slid from the tip of her tongue straight into her stomach.
The intense fragrance of the wine instantly invaded her senses, carrying with it a faint refreshing peach aroma that felt wonderfully pleasant.
Shen Nanyue nodded in praise.
“I heard Aunt Chen’s favorite fruit is peaches. Mr. Xiu truly adores his wife—even this fruit wine is made with peaches.”
Xiu Mingshi looked at her in surprise.
“How did you know my wife likes peaches?”
“I used to interact with the Chen family quite often. I heard about it before.”
Only then did realization dawn on Xiu Mingshi.
“Oh right, you used to be Chen Mu’s fiancée.”
Setting down his wine glass, he finally looked seriously at Shen Nanyue.
“Your friend said you came because of the painting.”
Shen Nanyue nodded.
“I want to know how you obtained that painting.”
“You’re worried it came from an improper source?”
It was perfectly normal for buyers to verify the origins of an item with the seller.
Shen Nanyue didn’t answer.
Xiu Mingshi continued, “My wife brought that painting back from the Chen family a year ago. Chen Ting bought it from the market.”
Chen Ting— Chen Mu’s younger sister.
At this point, Xiu Mingshi sighed.
“I liked that painting a lot too. It looked incredibly lifelike, and the brushwork was mature and sharp—it was clearly the work of a master. I even specially framed it with golden nanmu wood. If I hadn’t run into financial trouble and urgently needed money, I never would’ve sold it.”
Shen Nanyue had no interest in his sentimental feelings.
She simply said calmly, “I heard the artist of this painting stopped painting three years ago, and this piece had never circulated on the market before then. So where exactly did Chen Ting buy it from?”
“Well… that I really don’t know.”
Xiu Mingshi frowned awkwardly, appearing genuinely unaware.
Just as Shen Nanyue was about to continue questioning him, a cold female voice suddenly came from behind her.
“Shen Nanyue, what exactly are you trying to find out?”
— The end of the Chapter–
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