章 100: Chapter 100

"Excuse me, Niu. You were going out of the line."

Xiaohui spoke calmly, her eyes staring blankly towards Niu as the woman scoffs and crosses her arms on her chest.

"I'm not talking to you."

"I'm telling the truth."

Meixiu steps forward, pushing Xiaohui gently away from her way as she looks coldly towards Niu. The smaller woman felt a little scared, but she didn't back down.

Remembering how she has more power than Meixiu, who's the useless daughter-in-law of the Zheng family.

Niu smirked at her, her eyes provoking the taller woman before she walked beside Tao and sneered her way.

"If you are, tell us what this stupid painting is about."

Meixiu knew what Niu wanted to do. She probably has someone with her if she's telling the truth.

She nodded, her hand lying as Tao put the painting in her hand. Meixiu held the painting, not even looking towards it as she opened her mouth to speak.

"This painting was from the last dynasty of our country. This is a valuable painting that can cost hundreds of yuan if it is sold to other people. I bought it for only a couple of thousands because someone didn't see any value in them."

Meixiu spoke half of the truth. The painting did come from the last dynasty of their country, the Qing Dynasty. It was a mere painting of the palace, which still stands to this day.

Yet, the value it has is not because of the palace painting but because of the painters themselves. Meixiu saw how the painting had a hint of good luck and money around; it signified the potential growth of the establishment.

The other half, which is the lie, is when she said she bought it for a couple of yuan. She went back to the antique market, walking towards the farthest store, where she saw the authentic antique shop.

It's where the real antiques, those that only range from a couple of thousands, lie. And it's one of these pictures: the Qing Dynasty's palace with blessings from the primary master of the said dynasty.

Niu didn't believe any of Meixiu's antics. Her mind traveled back to when everyone around her said that she was a big pretender.

Her hands quickly reached out to her pocket, dialing someone she knew who knew anything antique. This is clearly what Meixiu predicted.

The taller woman's eyes watched as Niu made a phone call; her gaze went towards Tao, who quickly went towards her side to whisper something in her ears.

"She's calling her father."

Possibly someone who knew a little bit about antiques. Either way, Meixiu waits until the smaller woman in front of her finishes the call.

She was quickly dragged away from the couple and Lijuan. Xiaohui's hands wrap around the taller woman's arms.

"Meixiu, we might get in trouble."

"Baby, trust me on this one."

Xiaohui couldn't help but be worried. Yes, Meixiu may have power as she's the successor of the most notorious mafia clan, but thinking still that she's laying low, how will she be able to save herself?

Although she doesn't know who Meixiu really is, aside from being the mafia boss, she doesn't know what's happening inside the woman's mind.

The taller woman smiled, seeing as the smaller woman looked worried. She quickly leans in, shocking Xiaohui in the process.

"My father wanted me to learn antiques; I know what I'm doing, my love."

Meixiu ruffled Xiaohui's hair before she was called by Niu. She looked behind her and saw the smaller woman with a middle-aged man beside her, smirking towards her.

She quickly went in their direction, with the painting still in her hand. She didn't see how Xiaohui reacted to her action.

The smaller woman felt her face flushing and her cheeks getting painted light pink. She cleared her throat, walked toward where the commotion was happening, and grabbed her glass of juice to calm herself.

She saw how Lijuan's eyes went towards her, causing her to walk towards her best friend and stand beside her.

"What did he say?"

"Still observing the painting."

Xiaohui looks at the middle-aged man, seeing how he looks between Meixiu and the painting in his hands. He quickly folded it gently, still looking serious, and put it inside the cylinder.

"Tell her dad, she likes to pretend like she's rich."

Niu said, waiting for her father to confirm that she was lying. She already has a lot of remarks to honor Meixiu and her wife.

Yet, when her father spoke, she didn't expect the things that came out of her father's mouth.

"She's not lying; the painting is from the Qing Dynasty."

Everyone in the restaurant gasped in surprise. When did Meixiu make some assumptions that became true?

Was it just this moment?

Wei, who has been watching happily as someone finally can tell that Meixiu is lying, chokes on nothing as his eyes and ears seem to be betraying him. The woman beside him quickly grabbed a glass of water to help him calm down.

"Are you alright?"

Wei's eyes went towards her, glaring as he scoffed and ignored her. He quickly stands up, walks toward where Niu and her father are, and interrupts their moments.

"Sir, Meixiu has a record of lying; I'm sure that painting is not true."

He said this, to which the middle-aged man replied with a glare. Niu's father's hands quickly made contact with Wei's cheeks, shocking the people around the area.

"Are you saying I'm lying?"

Niu didn't want her father to get angry, causing her to step up in the coming fight. She quickly pushed her father gently, smiling nervously towards the middle-aged man.

"Dad, I believe you."

Niu's father is known to have linked with multiple masters of antiques; he has studied with some of the well-known masters' who are serving rich families.

So it's no surprise that he'll get angry if someone questions his way of analyzing and what he's saying.

Even if he's not serving any well-known family around Jiangqiao, he's still dedicated to his antique skills.

Niu looked towards Meixiu before her eyes went towards Wei. She quickly stands in front of him, bowing down to pay her apology.

"I'm sorry if my father held his hands on you."

Niu saw how Wei drove into the venue in his luxurious car, causing her to pay more attention to him than any other guest.

The man, having none of her antics and his face blushing as he was humiliated, nodded before he went back to where his table was.

His girlfriend quickly went towards him, asking if he was alright, which pushed Wei's button. Niu looked back, smiling a little towards Meixiu before she rolled her eyes.

She quickly invited her father towards where their table was, not minding Tao, who was standing beside Meixiu with his mouth wide open.

His gaze darted towards his friend, who stood still even after Niu and the others left the commotion that had built up. His hands rise to pat the woman's shoulders.

"Damn, did you buy that for me?"

Meixiu looks at Tao, seeing as her friend looks at her with admiration. She smiled widely before inviting the man towards their table, where Xiaohui and Lijuan sat after Wei was slapped.

The two women seem to be looking at each other seriously, not letting one another get out of their place.

"You're my friend, Tao, and I want you to be successful."

"You don't know how much it means for you to be helping me."