Chapter 116

On the way back, Qian Youlai rode his bike while continuously muttering self-blame. He regretted bringing the master along, as it impulsively led the master to spend more than a year’s salary on a bunch of worthless paintings and calligraphy.

Song Haowen initially tried to comfort him, saying that these artworks were valuable and he wouldn’t incur losses. However, seeing Qian Youlai’s deep persistence, Song Haowen stopped explaining.

Back at the store’s office, Wang Li held these paintings, rumored to have cost 500 yuan, and couldn’t discern anything special. She asked, “Xiao Song, did you really buy these for collection?”

Song Haowen smiled and said, “Yes and no.” He took out two pieces resembling the works of Dong Qichang and Huang Gongwang from the eight paintings. The rest were casually priced between five and twenty yuan. “Please hang these six paintings up for sale, according to the prices I marked.”

Wang Li said, “Selling these six paintings at the prices you set won’t make much, maybe just a few dozen yuan. Are the two paintings you took really that valuable?”

Qian Youlai wryly smiled, “Master didn’t listen to my advice. If he thinks they’re valuable, then they are.”

Song Haowen patted Qian Youlai on the shoulder, “Don’t worry, I guarantee a profit.” With that, he placed the two paintings in the safe.

That night, Zhu Hongyu and Ren Hua heard about Song Haowen’s high-priced purchase of paintings and became curious. They asked him to show the two paintings he had collected. After examining them for a while, they thought the paintings were good, but they had no idea about their value.

Song Haowen didn’t explain much to them. The next morning, he took the two paintings to the school and asked Professor Zheng Gang, an archaeology expert, to help authenticate them. On the way, he met Counselor Jin, who reminded him not to forget the afternoon interview.

When Song Haowen arrived at the archaeology department, coincidentally, Professor Zheng Gang had just returned from archaeological work in Jiangsu and Zhejiang. Seeing Song Haowen, he jokingly asked, “What treasures have you brought this time?”

After exchanging greetings, Song Haowen calmly unwrapped the package and revealed the two paintings. Professor Zheng Gang, upon seeing the paintings, first looked puzzled.

Then, he took out a magnifying glass and a small flashlight, carefully studying the artworks while asking about their origin. Song Haowen truthfully explained. Seeing the professor’s serious expression, Song Haowen felt his heart might leap out of his chest.

After about half an hour, Professor Zheng Gang put down his tools, sighed deeply, and called some colleagues from the next office to help examine the paintings. Excitedly, the colleagues said, “Professor Zheng, these two paintings are undoubtedly authentic and original. Where did you get them?”

Professor Zheng Gang glanced at Song Haowen sitting beside him with a meaningful expression and said, “A friend from the collecting community asked me to help appraise these. The national treasure list has suddenly gained two more entries. This is a significant event in the collecting world.”

Song Haowen felt his blood rush to his head, making it difficult for him to speak due to excitement.

“Professor Zheng… you mean, both of these are genuine?” he stammered.

Once the other teachers left, Zheng Gang closed the office door. “Yes, according to our assessment, this cursive script is a mid-career work of Dong Qichang, and ‘Tianping Shengji’ is undoubtedly the handwriting of Huang Gongwang.

These two pieces are priceless. You must take good care of them, don’t damage or lose them.” Zheng Gang wrapped the rare treasures and said, “Quickly take these away and store them safely. Don’t let anyone see them easily.”

Song Haowen thanked Professor Zheng Gang and took the wrapped artworks, quickly leaving the archaeology department.

Many archaeology teachers, just learning about the situation, rushed to see the extraordinary treasures, but Song Haowen had already left with the ancient paintings. They then detained Professor Zheng Gang, trying to uncover the truth.

Zheng Gang dared not tell the whole truth and only mentioned that a student had been entrusted to him to appraise the authenticity of a collectible. In his personal opinion, those works were genuine.

Song Haowen thanked Professor Zheng Gang and took the wrapped artworks, quickly leaving the archaeology department. Many teachers in the archaeology department had just heard about the incident and rushed over, eager to catch a glimpse of this unparalleled treasure.

However, they were disappointed to find that Song Haowen had already left with the ancient calligraphy and paintings. So, they detained Professor Zheng Gang, trying to uncover the truth behind the matter.

Zheng Gang, not daring to reveal everything, only mentioned that a student had been entrusted to him for authentication. Personally, he believed that those works were genuine.

Song Haowen practically ran all the way from archaeology department to the Store, feeling as nervous as if he were stealing something for the first time. On his way, many classmates called him out, but he was oblivious, solely focused on returning to the store.

When he arrived, Wang Li, seeing him anxiously clutching a cloth-wrapped bundle, asked if he had taken the calligraphy and paintings for authentication and what the result was.

Unable to reveal the truth, he lied, saying that someone had looked at them but couldn’t confirm their authenticity. She comforted him, saying it was only a few hundred yuan, not a big deal.

He should forget about it and not worry. Hearing her words, he couldn’t help but feel ashamed, forced a smile, and then locked the two paintings in the safe.

At lunchtime, Song Haowen had no appetite. Wang Li brought him a lunch box, He stared at the lunch box as if in a daze for a good five minutes before snapping out of it.

Realizing he had an interview in the afternoon and couldn’t afford to stand in line on an empty stomach, he forced himself to eat half of the meal.

To adjust his mental state, Song Haowen took a cold shower in the bathroom and shifted his thoughts away from the calligraphy and paintings.

He imagined possible questions from the interviewers and considered his answers. Satisfied, he set the alarm, closed his eyes to rest, and only woke up when the alarm rang.

Calmly, he made his way to the interview venue. Upon arrival, he saw dozens of candidates waiting outside the interview room. Feeling excited, he prepared himself mentally for the upcoming interview.

Finally, he was the last one to arrive.

After patiently waiting for the interview to start, when it was Song Haowen’s turn, a majority of the candidates had already been interviewed.

The initial questions of the interview were within Song Haowen’s expectations, and he answered them adequately. However, the subsequent questions were more challenging. One interviewer asked, “You are currently a famous Celebrity singer in China, often touring for performances. The field you’re applying for is an emerging and niche specialty that requires dedicated time for research to achieve success. How will you ensure the time needed for research?”

Another interviewer questioned, “Your interests are diverse, and you spend a lot of time practicing martial arts and participating in competitions. Does this conflict with pursuing a master’s degree?”

There was also a question about his aspirations, asking whether he intended to be a scientist, engineer, or continue as an entertainment star.

Given that the country is recruiting him for postgraduate studies with the expectation of significant contributions to the field, how does he plan to reconcile the conflicts between his professional and personal interests?

Facing these sharp questions, Song Haowen had pondered them in his free time. His initial response was that pursuing a master’s degree was primarily for obtaining a diploma.

Even if he pursued a Ph.D. in the future, it would be for the same reason – to have authority when establishing a technology-oriented company and to have weight in discussions with technology experts. As for the current master’s program, he had already learned most of it in his previous life and wouldn’t gain much new knowledge.

However, these thoughts were only known to himself. He couldn’t afford to reveal them to the interviewers. To ensure the interviewers’ approval, he had to tell white lies.

He claimed that if he pursued postgraduate studies, he would promptly give up his singing career, fully devote himself to research, complete the assigned tasks from the mentor with quality and quantity, strive to be an outstanding student, and contribute to the country’s scientific and technological progress.

This resolute statement of sacrificing fame and fortune pleased the interviewers, and they nodded in agreement.

After the interview, Song Haowen felt as if he had broken into a cold sweat. He knew that although postgraduate studies were more flexible than undergraduate studies, allowing for more independent time management, it was all relative.

If he encountered a professor with extremely strict requirements, or one who was demanding and only interested in extracting students’ labor, he could only hope for the best.

Song Haowen thought that whether he could successfully enroll still depended on the final notification. As for the professor he would follow in the future, he had a rough idea when he applied. Even if there were adjustments later, it might not necessarily be a bad thing; he would deal with it when the time came.

“Hey, Song Haowen, do you have classes this afternoon?” Gu Zimei, coming towards him, called out to Song Haowen.

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