Chapter 1489
Art
Yao Cheng was so frightened that he didn't even have a proper New Year.
The whole time was filled with anxiety and fear.
Because Zhang Yuan's Weibo post was clearly telling her that this matter was not over.
After all, I've already told you: you should leave the entertainment industry and stop being involved. Let's end it here.
Damn, you're posting on Weibo during the Chinese New Year.
Damn it, you have to "come back".
Where do you want to go back to?
Behave yourself, or else...
Face the storm!
Compared to his counterpart, Zhang Yuan had a relatively pleasant year.
It was just a little deserted.
Shu Chang took her whole family abroad to find Nezha.
As for Cheng Hao, the two of them still had no contact with each other.
Liu Shishi has earned some money over the years and has taken her parents on trips abroad.
They originally planned to go to Siam, but Zhang Yuan stopped them after he found out.
So they changed course and went to Australia.
Except for New Year's Eve, Yang Mi's schedule is packed with work every day. He's making so much money that he can't even get a chance to meet up.
It all started when Da Bai had some free time and came to his house.
Otherwise, the medicinal wine I made according to Teacher Yu Hai's recipe would have nowhere to go.
Anyway, he didn't feel whether the medicinal wine was effective or not.
But Baymax sensed it.
They stayed at his house and refused to leave.
He felt the results were quite good.
The key point is that Li Xiaoran looks fair, tender, and large, but in reality, she has reached the age where she is as virile as a wolf.
She was born in 76, but she has good genes and takes very good care of herself; despite her age, she doesn't sag at all.
The two of them together,
If it weren't for his work requiring him to travel abroad, this person would have clung to him and refused to let go.
After finally seeing this person off, I encountered a bunch of troubles before leaving the house.
It's still the New Year period, and there's not much help from family members.
The LFA that Toyota had previously given him arrived but was shipped back to China. He still has to go and collect the car and park it in the garage of the large courtyard house.
There were originally only 20 of these cars allocated to the entire China region, including Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan, and most of them ended up in the hands of people in Hong Kong.
There are only 5 vehicles with complete documentation in the entire mainland.
His car was custom-made and not included in the quota.
The largest Lexus 4S store in the capital city reserved a special work bay and a complete set of equipment just for his car, only to perform maintenance and repairs on that car. Other cars, even those of the same brand and no matter how expensive, cannot use this work bay. It remains empty all year round if he doesn't need it.
This is called "respect".
The so-called premium experience is simply "special".
As there's a saying in the luxury goods industry: what you're buying isn't the bag itself, but the way poor people look at your bag.
The poor are part of a game played by businesses and the rich.
The same goes for luxury cars; power doesn't matter, what matters is how quickly girls get in and the stares from the guys on the street.
I just put the car cover on, unplugged the battery cables, and wrapped them up.
Because it's impossible to use it frequently.
Su Youpeng called him to wish him a Happy New Year.
They then discussed investment matters related to some new projects.
He readily agreed, saying he would find time to have a meal and discuss things in person after the New Year.
After speaking for a while, the other party hesitated before finally speaking.
"That... Zhang Yuan."
"You said."
"I need to ask you for a favor."
"Why are you asking me to do this when we're such good friends? Just say what you want to say!"
"Okay, that's right, my old buddy is Wu Qilong."
"They contacted me a few days ago and wanted to say hello."
"I apologize for what happened before."
Zhang Yuan scratched his temple with a conflicted expression.
Are you looking for trouble?
I almost forgot about it if you hadn't mentioned it.
Oh……
Zhang Yuan immediately realized what was happening.
Ha ha ha.
It's estimated that Wu Qilong is well-informed, but not that well-informed, and knows about the Hengdian incident.
He often films in Hengdian, and upon hearing this, he worried about his safety.
When you see a bedbug, don't stomp on it; flick it away with your hand so it doesn't get in your way.
“Brother Youpeng, how much do you know about me and him?” Zhang Yuanxian asked.
"I have a general idea," the other person said, giving an awkward laugh.
“According to the rules of the martial arts world, losing a hand or a foot is to be expected,” Zhang Yuan added.
The person opposite gasped.
"However, times have changed now."
"And the fact that you're willing to call means you're willing to act as a guarantor."
"Then I'll compromise and just tell him to stay away from me in the future, so I don't have to see him."
"I told you you're very generous, thank you," Brother Youpeng quickly replied.
We still need to cooperate, find a pretext, adjust the explanation, and give him face.
I only went out after I finished all that.
Board an international flight and fly directly to France.
It will land in Paris first.
"Hi hi hi!"
Upon arriving at the hotel in the city, a beautiful figure appeared as soon as the door opened, leaning against the door and waving to him with a smile.
"Happy New Year!"
Little Dragon Girl made a dazzling entrance, dressed in a festive red woolen coat and bright red leather shoes.
"You didn't bring your mom, did you?" Zhang Yuan quickly slipped into the house and asked at the same time.
"I didn't bring it," she replied.
"That's good."
“My mom flew directly to the Alps.”
Zhang Yuan: ...
Hehehe.
The little girl covered her mouth and laughed heartily when she saw that he looked constipated.
"Who told you not to spend time with me properly?"
"Can't I even ask my mom to come with me?"
"This is what happens when you misbehave." She stepped forward and stroked his chin like she was petting a cat.
Although I had arranged to come to France with Sissi, this trip wasn't just for fun; there was also work to do, and things even more important than work.
"Don't be too busy. It's not good to push yourself too hard."
“The strings will snap,” she said, then reached up with both hands.
"There's nothing I can do; I'm destined to be a workaholic."
"Let's go, let's go buy some things first." He smiled and pulled the other person out the door.
The girl was very happy, skipping and hopping all the way, her steps light and cheerful.
Although they had visited Paris before and had many wonderful memories there, this was not their main destination; they came primarily for shopping.
Because there are so many people in Paris during the New Year, they are more likely to be recognized when they go out on the street.
24 Rue Saint-Honoré, a suburb of Saint-Honoré.
This is the location of the famous Hermès headquarters.
I don't usually come here to buy bags, but today is a special case.
Wow, this is so beautiful!
The company representative brought out a pink Birkin bag, a limited edition made of ostrich leather.
More than 20,000 euros.
"I picked it out, it's for you."
"This is a New Year's gift."
"Thank you, I really like it." She hugged it tightly to her chest, clearly delighted.
Zhang Yuan felt that cherry blossom pink was not "luxurious" enough, but she liked this color that was not easy to get.
“If you give me something, I have to give you something in return,” she said to him quickly, turning her head away.
"Okay."
Just then, a staff member carefully took a cocker case, put on gloves, and gently opened it in front of him.
Inside was a burgundy velvet bag with a white drawstring and a sterling silver metal sleeve that secured the drawstring.
Upon opening the bag, the staff member handled it with the gentle touch of someone caressing a baby, taking out a floral leather bag and placing it on a tray lined with velvet.
"How about you give me this?"
"This looks so pretty!" Sisi peeked at it and then sniffed it.
Is this a men's style?
"Yes."
"Then I'll pay, it's yours for the taking." She patted her chest.
"Okay." Zhang Yuan nodded with a smile.
"It's a bit expensive, it costs 40."
“You deserve good things,” she replied without blinking.
“Euro,” Zhang Yuan continued, stating the unit.
Now all she could do was blink.
Even though he's earned a lot since his "comeback" in recent years, a bag costing 40 euros... that's just too extravagant.
Why do we always hear about people collecting Hermès Birkin bags as an investment product?
Because it's a limited edition item.
For example, the bag in front of him is a men's "Himalayan Platinum" bag, a collector's item made of Nile crocodile skin.
Regular Hermès bags depreciate in value as soon as you buy them, and the same goes for many regular Birkin bags. Only ultra-high-priced bags, costing at least 100 million or more, can steadily appreciate in value.
"Haha, look at your little face." Zhang Yuan pinched her cheek.
"I'll pay for it, I don't need you."
"I have business purposes for this, not for personal use."
"I wouldn't dare use such an expensive bag."
“I was thinking, although you’re very good at making money, this is a bit too much,” she nodded.
"Of course, I don't spend much on my own expenses. All my expenses throughout the year are spent on entertaining guests and giving gifts."
Zhang Yuan's face darkened.
"After all, my Zhang family has been farmers for generations."
“I’m not willing to spend a single penny.” “So you don’t need to buy me anything, I’ll just use a bag sponsored by a brand.”
“These kinds of extravagant things are affecting my on-screen image.”
Is it appropriate for me to be carrying a 40 euro bag and playing the role of Yu Minhong, a country bumpkin?
The audience would be pulled out of the story just thinking about it.
That's why he disconnected the battery from that LFA; he wouldn't drive it often, and he certainly couldn't drive it around all the time to show off or go for a stroll.
But actresses are different.
Just like female performers in the old society, the more beautiful and expensive their clothes were, the happier their male fans were.
That big gold ring was bought for her. She's wearing it, which means she loves me!
It's all this kind of stuff.
On the male actors' side, they play basketball in baggy shorts and eat roadside barbecue in flip-flops, and the audience is happy to watch.
Even this bag was ordered for him by Yang Shouchen; otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to buy it.
That's why they're so careful when we bring it up at headquarters.
Moreover, this is not the limit; there are quite a few bags worth 2 to 300 million euros.
The disparity in wealth is staggering.
Zhang Yuan wasn't talking nonsense; he genuinely couldn't bear to part with it for his own use.
I'm going crazy!
Buy this thing.
Pack it up and wrap it up.
That shameless bastard spent 40 euros and didn't even give me a Coke suitcase.
He was so angry that he turned around and left after being told that a single purchase would cost 1 euros.
After finishing their work, the two took a car to a charming architectural complex in the western part of Paris.
They stopped in front of a building with a somewhat medieval feel and quickly went inside.
"Where is this place?"
Sisi was particularly curious when she saw that the interior was decorated in a retro and luxurious style, but it was somewhat dark.
“A private auction,” Zhang Yuan replied.
Have you ever attended an auction?
"No, there isn't." Little Dragon Girl showed an excited expression.
She's so fresh.
What made her even happier was that Zhang Yuan always managed to bring her something new.
"If you see anything you like later, you can take a picture, just don't price it too high."
"I don't need you to pay for it. I'll buy what I like myself."
She made a peace sign and then looked around.
Confirm your identity, get your bidding license, and find your seat.
It's not a big venue like Christie's or China Guardian.
It's small and quite exquisite.
He's not here today to pull off some clichéd treasure hunting or appraisal show.
It's for something even more "vulgar".
After sitting down, we drank red wine, chatted, and waited.
"Oh, I'm going to make a phone call."
Sisi suddenly ran to the side and didn't return until a while later.
"what happened?"
“My mother originally planned to travel to Siam with my aunt after the Chinese New Year, and everything was already booked.”
"I just saw the news."
Yesterday, a tour bus carrying a Shenzhen tour group overturned on its way from Pattaya to Bangkok.
More than a dozen people were injured, several of them seriously, and the situation is quite dangerous.
In fact, this kind of thing is not uncommon; it happens every year, and every year Chinese people are injured.
Because not only is the infrastructure there inadequate, but many of the buses are also outdated, and the drivers are not necessarily licensed.
In short, despite Siam's reputation for a thriving tourism industry and its high GDP contribution, the quality of tourism there is actually quite poor.
Or rather, the whole of Southeast Asia is a veritable makeshift operation.
Take the bus hijacking case in the Philippines two years ago, which was 10 years ago, for example. Eight Hong Kong tourists died. Was that reasonable?
The police have been reduced to a makeshift mess.
"This is all good news," Zhang Yuan muttered.
"Huh?" Sisi turned her head.
"What I mean is, if you and your mom get nervous after seeing the accident, you won't go."
"If we don't go, we'll be safe. Isn't that a good thing?"
“That’s true,” she replied softly.
Zhang Yuan then took out his phone and sent a message to Jia Shikai, telling him to pay attention to the news and remember the task he had given him before the New Year.
If you're looking for juicy gossip about traveling to Siam, this is the place to be—it's all good news!
The auction began shortly afterward.
These private auctions have both advantages and disadvantages compared to large-scale auctions.
The authenticity of the items cannot be guaranteed.
In fact, it's not necessarily true whether the items at Christie's and China Guardian are genuine.
But this is what the auction item is like.
In the old days, there was a famous shop in the capital called Rongbaozhai, which was taken over by Huaxia Publishing Group after liberation.
Before liberation, what did foreigners do when they came to the capital to buy antiques but couldn't distinguish between the real and fake?
It's simple; once Rongbaozhai stamps it, everyone assumes it's genuine.
But as long as you have money and connections, you can get Rongbaozhai to stamp your seal.
The same is true in modern times, where certain individuals and organizations have seized the power and discourse power to set standards.
Even if it's fake, once you've gone through the process with their certificate, it becomes genuine.
He can say you're fake, or you're real, and treat you as fake too.
In fact, the entertainment industry is rapidly converging with the art collecting world, and the power of discourse is quickly becoming centralized.
Just like Zhao Benshan's line in "Red Sorghum Model Team".
I think working people are the most beautiful people!
When the power of aesthetic discourse is in the hands of the working people, that is indeed the case.
However, when the power to express aesthetic values shifts, the working class gradually becomes the most "ugly," "vulgar," and "bad" people on the screen.
The same goes for the items auctioned here; many of the artworks are incredibly ugly.
The problem is that, in order to stand out from the crowd and create an aesthetic divide between you "lower class" people, the so-called "upper class" people will deliberately promote some strange and unusual things.
That hit Little Dragon Girl right where it hurts; she likes strange and unusual things.
The good thing is that she can earn money, but she doesn't spend it recklessly.
Upon seeing the prices of these artworks, her curiosity turned into disgust.
It felt as if my intelligence had been insulted.
"The next piece in our collection is a modern art piece, an oil painting titled 'Fatherly Love'."
The host spoke in a standard Parisian accent.
"You haven't had a chance to raise your sign the whole way."
"Remember to raise your hand for the next item," Zhang Yuan said, turning to Qianqian.
Are you interested?
"I guess so." He blinked.
Little Dragon Girl was quite curious about what kind of oil painting could interest him.
And then... that's it.
The style is quite postmodern, with a broken pink rag doll placed among a pile of gray books.
Even Sisi could sense that the title "Father's Love" seemed somewhat ironic.
I can feel the oppression, Yu Yu.
It felt like I was being forced to study, and I felt uncomfortable all over.
"Are we really going to film this?" Sisi turned her head and questioned.
"That's why I came here."
The starting bid was 10,000 euros. After Sisi raised her paddle, three or four others immediately followed suit.
"Again."
"Again."
"Raise it, don't stop."
"Lift him up high."
The price kept rising until it reached 12 euros!
“You…” Little Dragon Girl looked at him with great confusion.
Boom boom boom!
As the gavel fell three times, congratulations in French came from the stage.
Zhang Yuan raised his hand and clapped.
"How was your first time photographing something?"
"It's alright, it's kind of interesting."
"My heart was pounding when I was holding up the sign," she said, catching her breath. "It was quite exciting."
Thank you for giving me this opportunity.
"But... do you really like this painting?"
She still felt something was off, something was wrong.
Zhang Yuan then led her to a small private room inside the auction house to sign some documents.
After shaking hands with the boss, we chatted briefly and exchanged contact information.
The Frenchman finally revealed a sly smile.
"Now, I'll answer your question." Zhang Yuan only had time for her after he finished his work.
Whether I like this painting or not is not important.
“Because I don’t understand art, but I understand people, and I understand the survival rules of those who operate in the gray area.” Zhang Yuan leaned closer and whispered.
"Do you remember, ten years ago, we planned to go on a trip, but we encountered a little problem with our flight?"
"Yes!" She nodded vigorously, an experience she would never forget.
"After that, I met Song Jianguo, who had just undergone restructuring and later became the president of Air China."
"I haven't paid any money for my Air China flights over the years."
"What does this have to do with today?"
"Manager Song is retiring; he's reached the retirement age," Zhang Yuan explained.
"His successor is a president surnamed Huang."
"He's only in his fifties, in the prime of his life."
"And then?" Sisi was still puzzled.
"Then, the new president who will be taking over in a few months, his daughter went abroad to study at the École des Beaux-Arts in France, also known as the National Higher School of Fine Arts."
"Oil painting department." Zhang Yuan winked at her again.
"You." She paused for a moment, as if she understood.
Zhang Yuan took her hand and whispered.
"This is art."
"The art of the transaction." (End of Chapter)