At the same time, in the Lu Household……

  After Lu Chuwan left, Madam Lu played mahjong with her friends until 4.30 p.m. While they were taking a break, she suddenly brought up the orchid she had put in the greenhouse. “My youngest son bought it back from overseas. It’s called Tianyu Lotus Orchid. Do you guys want to see it?”

  All the upper-class ladies in Yu City had taken a liking to growing orchids in the past few years. This was because the more expensive the orchids they had at home were, the more they could show off their status.

  All of her friends nodded in assent and began to move toward the greenhouse.

  Even though she had lost money during the earlier mahjong game, she still felt great since she could show off her orchid in front of her friends. The group soon arrived at the greenhouse. The moment they opened the door and entered the greenhouse, Madam Ma exclaimed out loud before they could even get near the Tianyi Lotus Orchid. “Ah! A worm! It’s eating the orchid!”

  Madam Lu’s heart skipped a beat. She looked in the direction where Madam Ma was pointing, and her eyes grew wide in surprise at the sight.

  A white worm was wriggling on the plant. The spots where the leaves should be were gone, and the only thing left was the flower in the center.

  Madam Lu could not believe that an orchid plant that cost nearly 3 million yuan had been destroyed by a small worm. By the time she came back to her senses, she stamped her feet in frustration as she called Mama Liu over. “Quick! What are you still waiting for? Hurry up and kill the worm! Where’s the gardener?”

  Mama Liu grabbed the worm, threw it on the ground, and squashed it with a stomp. Then, she said, “The gardener only comes twice a week, madam.”

  As she was talking, another white worm emerged from the pot of the blue-colored flower next to the Tianyi Lotus Orchid. It rolled and wriggled across the leaf, and strangely enough, it seemed to not be interested in eating the plant.

  “Madam, look……”

  Madam Lu looked at the blue-colored flower and her eyes flared up in anger. She finally knew where the worm had come from.

  It was Fu Zhi again!

  Madam Lu was so angry that she nearly had another heart attack. “Didn’t I tell you to throw this flower away? Why did you put it next to my orchids?!”

  “I…… I put it in the corner.” Mama Liu did not know who had moved the flower to the center of the greenhouse. Besides, she remembered that there had been two flowers in the pot, but one of them was missing right now.

  Madam Lu wanted to throw the flower away, but Madam Ma stepped forward and stopped her. She said, “I think this flower is quite beautiful. Besides, it’s a gift from your granddaughter, and it would be kind of a waste to throw it away. After all, the heart of a kid is more valuable than an orchid, don’t you think so?”

  Madam Liu nodded. She had been very quiet ever since she’d entered the greenhouse. She fixed her eyes on the blue flower with rapt attention as she said, “Maybe it’s a rare species.”

  “Rare species? Hah! It’s just a wildflower that she plucked by the roadside! There’s nothing special about it at all!” Madam Lu shouted back in exasperation.

  Madam Ma wanted to say something, but Madam Lu was not in the right mood to listen to it. She picked the pot up from the ground and handed it over to Madam Ma. “Take it if you like! I can’t afford to keep such wildflowers!”

  All she wanted to do right now was go back to her room. She wanted to call Lu Jingqing and have him educate Fu Zhi. After all, if Fu Zhi had not given her the blue flower, the worm would not have gotten into the greenhouse. If the worm had not gotten into the greenhouse, then it would not have been able to eat her Tianyi Lotus Orchid. Therefore, it was all Fu Zhi’s fault!

  “Hold up, Madam Lu……” Madam Liu wanted to say something, but she paused halfway through her sentence. She had watched the documentary about the Valley Orchid several days ago, and it was very similar to this flower. However, she could not be sure if they were the same, so she did not say anything in the end.

  She decided to go home and ask her son, who was a professional botanist. She was certain that Fu Zhi must have more than one pot of the blue-colored flower, and if the flower was really a Valley Orchid, she was going to tell Madam Lu about it on her birthday as a birthday gift.

  The Mysterious Heiress: Researcher In Disguise  

  Chapter 222: Do You Want To Learn More About The Valley Orchid? – 1

  Fu Zhi and Lin Hui had been explaining to Ma Mingquzn for more than half an hour, and it was only when Xu Wei called Fu Zhi that she was able to leave the rest to Lin Hui and go home.

  After she finished dinner, Fu Zhi went back to her room and began studying the book about autism.

  She knew that there were two ways to help a person with autism: psychological treatment and medication with incense.

  Unfortunately, the laboratory did not have the herb necessary to make the mind-tranquilizing pill in the ancient medical book.

  As she was thinking about where she could get the herb, someone knocked on her door. Then, Lu Yumo’s head, which was wrapped in a blanket, emerged from the gap of the door as he whispered, “Zhizhi……”

  Fu Zhi was stunned for a while, but she soon regained her composure. She turned her body sideways and said, “What do you have for me?”

  Lu Yumo tiptoed into her room, looking like a burglar who had just committed theft, and said, “Look at this……”

  He opened up the shop he had set up in Taobao and added, “Someone wants to buy our ointment, but he said it’s too expensive……”

  One small bottle of the ointment cost 400,000 yuan. It was extremely expensive considering its size, not to mention that it was a brandless product and his shop had just opened a few days ago. Although he had used Lu Jingqing and Xu Wei’s account to give his shop a 5-star rating, no one had bought anything from his shop yet.

  He reckoned that the buyer, whoever it was, had to be in a desperate situation. Otherwise, no one would visit a shop that was obviously dishonest and ask about a product.

  *

  In a certain part of the capital……

  Chu Hao, who had been born into a traditional Chinese medicine family, was the 180th patriarch of the Chu Family. He led a smooth life, and he had never come across any huge challenges throughout his entire life. However, as people said, one had no idea when life would throw one a curveball.

  A year ago, while his disciple, Lin Qingrang, had been concocting a pill, the cauldron had exploded, causing extensive burns on his body. Chu Hao had tried countless types of treatments, yet the effect had been minimal. Not only that, but Lin Qingrang’s voice had been permanently damaged due to the excessive intake of medicine.

  Before the unfortunate incident, Lin Qingrang had been a handsome young man praised by the people around him for his impeccable appearance. However, he had now become a hideous monster in those people’s eyes. Not wanting his disciple to lose hope, Chu Hao spared no effort to help him. He had sought many professional doctors in hopes that they could help his disciple, but his efforts had yielded no effect.

  The disciple-accepting ceremony of the Chu Family was going to happen in a month, but he had still found no solution to help his disciple. One day, a friend of his suggested he try his luck on Taobao, as Taobao basically had everything they needed, including medicine and folk formulas.

  Not wanting to give up just yet, he had gone to Taobao and begun to search for a folk formula. Then, the shop [Definitely Not A Dishonest Shop] had rammed into his eyes.

  He’d clicked into the shop and realized the shop was only selling one type of product. He clicked into the product and began reading the description. There was no mention of the ingredients, and the description only said that it was an ancestral prescription, so it was very effective.

  The Chu Family had been in the medical field for more than 100 years, so Chu Hao was certain that some folk prescriptions passed down from ancestors were real.

  He kept scrolling, and when he saw the 400,000-yuan price, he was stunned. It was only now that he realized why there were only two customers buying from this shop.

  ‘If this isn’t a dishonest shop, then what is?!’

  *

  At the same time, Fu Zhi took the phone from her brother and read the text message. The intention of the buyer was clear. He did not want to buy the ointment at all. He was just warning them to close their shop, or they would face the consequences of their actions.

  Fu Zhi frowned and replied, [Take it or leave it. If you don’t have money, just leave.]

  Chu Hao was filled with exaltation. However, when he saw Fu Zhi’s reply, he flew into a rage and responded, [Who says I don’t have money, huh? Is your ointment made of gold, or is it made of herbs of superior quality? How can you sell it for so much money? Don’t you feel ashamed of yourself for deceiving consumers?]

  ‘Herbs of superior quality?’

  She replied, [Hah! Have you heard of the Valley Orchid before?]

  Chu Hao was stunned.

  It went without saying that he knew what the Valley Orchid was. It was an herb that was extremely effective against burns!

  The Mysterious Heiress: Researcher In Disguise  

  Chapter 223: Do You Want To Learn More About The Valley Orchid? – 2

  Chu Hao had previously attempted to purchase this kind of high-priced herb. However, due to several reasons, he had failed to develop an ointment suitable to treat burn wounds.

  Whenever Fu Zhi replied, the first thought that popped into his head was: “This guy must be a con man that knows his stuff!”

  However, what if everything he’d said was the truth and there was indeed Valley Orchid in the ointment?

  It was not that he could not afford 400,000 yuan, but he felt he had the obligation to expose such a fraudulent act.

  That was what he’d thought before his conversation with Fu Zhi. After he talked to her, he was reminded of his disciple’s worsening condition and he wondered if he should give it a try or not.

  With that thought in mind, Chu Hao then asked, [I’m going to use the ointment on a severely-burned patient. Can you give me a discount or something? Besides, if it’s ineffective, I’ll report you to the police!]

  ‘??? Is he threatening me?’ Fu Zhi thought. Then, she replied, [Please open your eyes and look closely. We’re merchants on Taobao. We’re not a charity organization or anything~]

  ‘Great, that’s the attitude I want!’

  After all, he would think she was bluffing if she really gave him a discount.

  After he placed his order, Fu Zhi’s attitude suddenly changed and she replied, [Thank you for your support. However, since there is a processing fee on Taobao, you can add me on WeChat. If you want to buy our ointment again in the future, you can let me know through WeChat~]

  Chu Hao was stumped. He felt a chill down his spine, and he nearly threw his phone away.

  That said, he still added Fu Zhi on WeChat. He opened up her WeChat Moments and realized there was nothing there other than a few unknown piano songs that she’d posted two years ago.

  He kept scrolling through her WeChat Moments for two hours straight, and the more he looked, the more he felt that she was not a professional doctor.

  In the end, he decided to run some tests on the ointment after he received it. If he found out that she was bluffing, he was going to report her to the police and bring the hammer of justice down on her!

  *

  Madam Lu summoned both Lu Jingqing and Xu Wei to the Lu Household and scolded them for the mess in the greenhouse.

  After Xu Wei returned home, she went to look for Fu Zhi in her room. Fu Zhi was reading a book about herbs, and there were a few stacks of completed homework neatly arranged on her table.

  She felt bad for her daughter. Her daughter was the most obedient girl in the world, and Xu Wei did not understand why Madam Lu had to treat her so badly.

  Noticing her mother, Fu Zhi turned around and asked, “Do you have anything for me?”

  Xu Wei decided to tell Fu Zhi everything. After doing that, she said, “Your grandmother’s birthday is around the corner. Your father and I want her to introduce you to everyone at her birthday party.”

  Then, she took a painting from behind her back and added, “During the celebration, you’ll give this painting to her and tell her that you’re the one who bought it. As for the orchid, your father will buy a new one for her. That should be enough to make her forgive you.”

  Fu Zhi knew Madam Lu loved to keep orchids to show off her status, but she did not understand. If no one had touched the worm in the Valley Orchid, how was there any possibility the worm could have moved to another plant?

  The painting in Xu Wei’s hand was a masterpiece of a certain master in their country, so one painting had cost them about 4 million yuan.

  It was expensive, and Fu Zhi did not think Madam Lu deserved the painting. Therefore, she said, “Keep the painting for yourself. I’ll get another present for her.”

  Xu Wei knew her daughter did not have much money, so she asked carefully, “What are you going to give her?”

  “I’m going to give her a calligraphy scroll,” Fu Zhi replied simply. “Written by me.”

  Xu Wei fell silent, as she did not know what to say.

  *

  The preliminary round of the Physics competition was around the corner. Ordered by Director Liu, Ma Mingquan compiled five sets of question papers and handed them to Fu Zhi.

  Fu Zhi was the team leader, but Ma Mingquan did not sense any apprehension or nervousness in her. After she took the question papers from him, she pulled a tiny vial out of her pocket and gave it to him. “I didn’t bring the medicine with me yesterday, so I’m giving it to you now. Tell your father to consume it daily, and it will speed up his recovery process.”

  Ma Mingquan was stumped.

  The Mysterious Heiress: Researcher In Disguise  

  Chapter 224: Face-Slapping Session During The Celebration – 1

  Ma Mingquan could find no words to describe Fu Zhi anymore.

  There was no way she could fake Lin Hui’s identity. He could not see through this student of his, and there was so much mystery about her that he felt she was a little scary.

  That said, his father’s condition had indeed improved.

  Therefore, after he got the medicine from Fu Zhi, he immediately took it to the hospital for his father during lunch break.

  Qian Wenrui was giving Lu Chuwan and Xu Tongtong an extra lesson. She had been watching Ma Mingquan the entire time, and when she saw him storm out of the office, she stammered, “Has he gone out of his mind? How can he trust the word of a student? Could his father be dying? Is that why he doesn’t care anymore?”

  Xu Tongtong chimed in, “Tian Nuo sent me a video through WeChat. In the video, Fu Zhi looks like a maniac and claims that her medical skills are better than Sun Sanzhen’s.”

  Lu Chuwan froze.

  *

  Several days later, Madam Lu’s condition had improved a lot thanks to Lu Chuwan’s medicine, and she began preparing the stuff for her birthday celebration.

  One day before the celebration, Fu Zhi made a trip to the stationery shop and bought a calligraphy brush, some papers, and an inkstone. After she finished preparing her present for Madam Lu, she contacted a local charity organization.

  *

  In the Lu Household……

  The Lu Family was one of the most prestigious families in Yu City, and Madam Lu had invited many wealthy women to her birthday party.

  There were two purposes for inviting them to the party. One of them was to show off her orchids, while the second one was to introduce Fu Zhi to everyone after Lu Jingqing promised her that he would take care of her eldest grandson.

  There was a group of security personnel outside the residence to keep everything under control. A few reporters from the local media had been invited as well, and all of them were taking photos of the stream of luxurious cars going in and out of the Lu Household.

  Lu Chuwan was wearing a white qipao tonight, and a phoenix tail embellished with sapphire gems spread all the way from the collar to the hem of the qipao. She was currently walking down the stairs next to Bai Yao. In just a moment, all the reporters were attracted to her.

  “She’s the granddaughter adopted by Madam Lu? She looks so gorgeous that she doesn’t seem like she came from the countryside at all!”

  “No, you have the wrong person. This is Madam Lu’s own granddaughter, the only heiress of the Lu Family!” A reporter chimed in, “I heard from my nephew that not only does Miss Lu has an outstanding academic performance, but she’s also the goddess of many students at school. She’s far better than the adopted daughter……”

  “Yeap. Even though Yu City has been developing fast in the past few years, the countryside lags behind. I heard that the adopted daughter was adopted by a poor family before she joined the Lu Family. There’s no way she can be as smart and talented as Miss Lu, who has received higher education from a young age!”

  All the reporters began to talk about Lu Chuwan and Fu Zhi. Even though they all felt that Fu Zhi had been lucky to be adopted by Lu Jingqing, if she lacked the ability to convince the public, she would only end up becoming everyone’s laughing stock.

  Lu Chuwan heard their discussion but paid them no mind. She turned her head and asked her mother, “Are you sure that Fu Zhi’s present is Master He’s calligraphy?”

  “That’s what your dad told me. Your second uncle bought the calligraphy at an auction, so I’m sure it’s true,” Bai Yao replied. She pointed at the group of wealthy women not far away before adding, “Don’t worry too much. Your present is Master Liu’s drawing, and I’m sure your grandma will favor it. Besides, your father has invited Master Liu’s disciple to the party. All you have to do is seize the opportunity, and everyone will only praise you. No one will care about Fu Zhi and her petty gift at all!”


  The Mysterious Heiress: Researcher In Disguise  

  Chapter 225: Face-Slapping Session During The Celebration – 2

  Bai Yao patted Lu Chuwan’s hand and said, “Wanwan, when Fu Zhi shows up later, you must do your very best. You have to make mommy proud in front of Xu Wei and everyone. You have to show her who’s the rightful heiress of the Lu Family. Got it?”

  Lu Chuwan nodded. “Don’t worry, mom. I will.”

  Bai Yao felt relieved after getting a positive answer from her daughter. Since she still had to entertain the guests, she let Lu Chuwan go to Madam Lu.

  Madam Lu was talking to her group of friends. When she saw her granddaughter, her eyes glowed and she pulled her over. “You’re so pretty today, Wanwan. You look just like a fairy!”

  Lu Chuwan was delighted, but she did not allow her emotions to get the best of her. “It’s all thanks to my uncle. He’s the one who gave me the qipao, and I like it a lot.”

  “Your uncle? If my memory serves me right, your uncle is Mr. Dong Cun from the Dong Family, right? You’re so lucky to have him as your uncle, Wanwan. I’m sure you have a bright future ahead of you!”

  Everyone around them was praising Lu Chuwan, and Madam Lu was grinning happily like a Cheshire cat. However, her delight was cut short by a sharp voice. “Lucky? Well, she’s indeed lucky to have Dong Cun as her uncle, but don’t you think that studying hard and striving for a brighter future is what she should do at her age? How can she rely on her uncle so much? Anyway, sis, didn’t you invite all of us to admire your Tianyi Lotus Orchid half a month ago? Where is it now? Chop-chop, bring it out for us to see it.”

  The newcomer was Madam Zhao, who had a strained relationship with Madam Lu. She was fully aware that Madam Lu had lost her Tianyi Lotus Orchid, and she was there to laugh at her.

  As expected, Madam Lu’s expression changed and darkened when she heard what Madam Zhao had said. She stared at her with a frown as she said, “The orchid was still fine when I invited you all, but something happened and it’s gone now. I……”

  “What? The orchid is gone?” Madam Zhao exclaimed. “How could that happen? Sis, don’t tell me you invited us to your birthday party just to make yourself look bad? In fact, you don’t even have the Tianyi Lotus Orchid? It was all nothing but a lie?”

  “Who said that?” Madam Lu shouted back angrily. “Madam Ma and all the others can vouch for me!”

  Madam Ma nodded after Madam Lu shot her a look, but Madam Zhao did not buy it. She let out a sneer and continued to speak. “Even if it’s true, you could’ve informed all of us in advance so that we didn’t have to come all the way here to get disappointed. Do you think it’s fun to make us look like fools?!”

  “Even though the Tianyi Lotus Orchid is gone, my second uncle bought my grandma other orchids, all of which are expensive and have great ornamental value.” Lu Chuwan stepped forward and spoke with a smile, saving her grandmother from this predicament.

  “Can they be more expensive than the Tianyi Lotus Orchid?”

  “Of course!” Madam Lu shouted back. “My son is very nice to me, and he wouldn’t give them to me if they weren’t the best. Just you guys wait. The orchids he bought for me will certainly be better than the Tianyi Lotus Orchid!”

  *

  At the same time, a black Land Rover stopped outside the Lu Household, and the crowd of reporters was attracted by the sound of its engine.

  All of them turned their heads in unison and were immediately stunned.

  The girl standing beside Xu Wei had a flawless face. Her long black hair cascaded down her shoulders, her eyes were so innocent and captivating that they looked like the eyes of a deer, and she looked pretty even without make-up on. She was wearing a lime green spaghetti strap dress that exposed her arms and collarbone. Whenever she took a step forward, her dress would flutter around her legs, giving her the vibe of a fairy descending from heaven.

  She had just arrived at the Lu Household a few minutes ago, yet she had successfully become the center of attention.

  “Is she Mr. Lu’s adopted daughter?”

  “She is so gorgeous. Her face, the air about her…… She’s completely out of Lu Chuwan’s league!”

  “Now I see why they picked her instead of the other kids. She looks just like a girl born with a golden spoon in her mouth!”

  Noticing the commotion, Lu Chuwan turned her head. When she saw Fu Zhi, who was walking beside Xu Wei, a myriad of expressions crossed her face. Jealousy, anger, resentment…… All sorts of negative emotions cramped on her face, but she willed them away. She took a deep breath to calm down, and her expression had returned to normal by the time she opened her eyes again.

  The Mysterious Heiress: Researcher In Disguise  

  Chapter 226: Face-Slapping Session During The Celebration – 3

  Lu Jingqing turned to his daughter and said, “Zhizhi, follow your mom and your eldest brother to meet everyone. Daddy has to go say hi to your grandma first.”

  Lu Yushen was still receiving treatment in the hospital, so he had not come to the party. Fu Zhi nodded in understanding and replied, “Don’t worry, dad. I’ll take care of mom and my brother.”

  Xu Wei and Lu Yumo fell silent as a thought surfaced in both their heads. ‘We’re sorry for being such a burden!’

  Lu Jingqing chuckled and then went to look for Madam Lu with the orchid pot in his hand.

  When his mother saw him, a grin broke across her face and she said, “Jingqing, finally. Come on. Hurry up and show Madam Zhao the orchid that you bought for me.”

  Lu Jingqing nodded at the people around and put the pot on the table.

  It was a white orchid with several tiny blooms, but there were no leaves in sight.

  Even though it was a delicate orchid in its own right, Madam Zhao burst into laughter as she said, “Isn’t this an Emerald Orchid? Besides, it’s not the latest breed either. Sis, isn’t the Lu Family one of the most prestigious families in Yu City? Why can’t you guys even get a decent orchid pot?”

  Madam Ma tried to stop Madam Zhao from talking, but Madam Zhao paid her no mind. She added, “Well, I can’t say I didn’t see this coming. After all, of all the kids across the nation, you had to go to the extent to adopt the worst one from the countryside, so it’s really not that hard to see that you have poor taste. In my honest opinion, I would say that this orchid really suits your taste, don’t you think so?”

  “Jingqing!”

  Madam Lu’s expression turned grim when she heard Madam Zhao’s remarks. The smile on her face disappeared without a trace as she snarled at her second son, “Where is the Tianyi Lotus Orchid? What is going on with you? How can you bring this kind of crap to me? Do you really want to make your mother a laughing stock?”

  Before Madam Lu could continue, Bai Yao, who had noticed the commotion, walked over. When she saw the orchid pot on the table, her smile dropped as she turned to Lu Jingqing and said, “Jingqing, don’t you think you’ve gone overboard this time? How can you bring this kind of crap to mom’s birthday party? You could’ve told me in advance if you were not willing to spend money on mom’s present. I would’ve bought the orchid myself!”

  Lu Jingqing frowned and replied, “The Tianyi Lotus Orchid can only be bought at auctions abroad. The Emerald Orchid is already considered the best orchid species.”

  Madam Lu’s expression darkened after she heard what Lu Jingqing had said.

  “If that’s the case, then you should’ve told us and discussed it with us instead of just showing up with this rubbish and expecting mom to accept it. Your daughter is the culprit. She’s the one who destroyed the orchid. Were it not for her stupid plant, how is there any chance the worm would have gotten into the greenhouse and eaten the orchid? Since you’re the one who insisted on adopting her, as her father, don’t you think you are responsible for cleaning up the mess she made?” Bai Yao said, her voice sharp, leaving no room for arguments.

  The few madams sitting around the table frowned, and their gazes were laced with contempt as they studied Lu Jingqing from head to toe.

  They had heard that Lu Jingqing had founded a company with his friends, leaving his own family business in the lurch. If this was not impiety, then what was it?

  Today was the day Madam Lu would introduce Fu Zhi to the public. Lu Jingqing did not want anything to happen, so he suppressed his anger and explained, “This is what we came up with after our discussion. If the Tianyi Lotus Orchid is what you yearned for, mom, I’m sorry for not being able to fulfill your wish. I’ll try my best to compensate you in another way.”

  “Compensate her?” Bai Yao scoffed. This was the best opportunity for her to get back at Lu Jingqing for wanting to beat her kids, so there was no way she was going to let it slip like that. Therefore, she said, “Jingqing, it’s your duty as a son to take care of mom. Even if she wants all your money, you have to give it to her without any questions! You knew that it was mom’s birthday today, but you still cared about your money more than you cared about your own mother. What do you think others will think of our family, huh? Just like mom said, you’re making us the laughing stock of the whole town!”

  Lu Jingqing stared at Bai Yao icily and asked, his voice bereft of any emotion, “So what do you suggest I do then?”

  “It’s too late to buy the orchid, so let’s just forget about it. After all, you’re mom’s favorite son, and we’re in no place to say anything. As long as you feel it’s fine to splurge a few million and donate a building to the school for your daughter instead of buying an orchid for your mom, it’s fine by us too.”

  Lu Chuwan shot a dissatisfied gaze at Lu Jingqing after hearing what her mother had said.

  “That’s enough!” Madam Lu shouted. She had never felt so embarrassed in her life before, so she just wanted to end this farce as soon as possible. She looked at Bai Yao and said, “Just shut your mouth if you don’t know how to speak!”


  The Mysterious Heiress: Researcher In Disguise  

  Chapter 227: Face-Slapping Session During The Celebration – 4

  Bai Yao muttered under her breath, “I was picking up the cudgel for you, mom! You’re his mother. You’re the one who raised him, yet he chose to side with other people!”

  “Don’t get angry, grandma. Mom just thinks that you deserve better. As for Second Uncle, I’m sure that he doesn’t want to treat you and Zhizhi differently……” Lu Chuwan chimed in. However, this did nothing to smother Madam Lu’s rage. Instead, she loathed Fu Zhi even more.

  Taking a deep breath, Madam Lu then said, “Forget it. You’re dismissed. I don’t want to see you right now.”

  Lu Jingqing knew his mother valued her reputation above everything, so he chose not to argue with her and end this farce.

  Filial piety was a traditional virtue, and more often than not, children would be branded as impetuous whenever they talked back to their parents.

  Before Lu Jingqing could go away, a clear voice was heard. “The only explanation for this incident is that someone must have done something to my plants. After losing its host, the worm had nowhere to go and could only crawl onto your orchid.”

  It was Fu Zhi!

  Lu Chuwan’s face turned pale, and she involuntarily took a step back.

  Bai Yao did not know what Fu Zhi was talking about, but this did not prevent her from lifting her brows arrogantly at her. She scoffed and said, “Stop making excuses. Do you have any idea how expensive a Tianyi Lotus Orchid is?”

  “Do you have any idea how expensive my plant is?” Fu Zhi replied, emphasizing every syllable that escaped her lips. There was nothing but calmness in her eyes.

  Lu Chuwan’s heart ballooned with fear when she heard Fu Zhi’s question. This was because several days ago, she had received a call from Dong Cun, who had confirmed the originality of the blue flower.

  Initially, she had thought Fu Zhi did not know that the blue flower was actually the Valley Orchid, but it now seemed to her that Fu Zhi was fully aware of it. Otherwise, she would not have asked that question at all.

  It was almost noon, and Dong Cun and Lu Ning would show up at the celebration at any moment. It had taken a lot of effort for her to gain Dong Cun’s trust, so if Fu Zhi exposed everything……

  She forcibly stopped herself from thinking any further, for she dared not imagine what would befall her if that happened.

  “Mom!” She called out to her mother as she pulled her back. She tried to calm down, offered Fu Zhi a smile, and said, “Since Second Uncle already bought another orchid for grandma, we will forgive you this time. Let’s turn the page, shall we?”

  Fu Zhi looked back at her with a spurious smile tugging at the corner of her lips. Just as Lu Chuwan thought she was not going to say anything, she chuckled and said, “I don’t think that is possible. At least, not given our current situation.”

  Lu Chuwan’s heartbeat spurred into a gallop, but she forced herself to calm down and said, “This is grandma’s birthday party, and you would only make the entire Lu Family the laughing stock of the city if you continued to act unreasonably. As the younger generation of the Lu Family, we should act more mature and protect our family’s reputation. Don’t you think so?”

  Madam Lu thought that Lu Chuwan was right. She pulled her hand and said, “Wanwan, I know you’re a good girl and you want the best for our family, but no matter what you say, there’s no way it could get through that thick skull of hers, so you can save your breath. Anyway, if my memory serves me right, you’re going to lead a team into the national Physics competition, correct? Right now, all you have to do is focus on the competition and make all of us proud. That’s what matters the most.”

  “The national Physics competition? Is it the one that only three teams from each province can participate in?”

  Every guest was stunned, and they all looked at Lu Chuwan.

  “Yeah, and she’s going to participate in the competition as a team leader. Judging from her current achievements, if she is directly admitted into Tsinghua University, then she is gonna be a force to be reckoned with in the future!”

  “This is something that brings glory to the province. I didn’t expect the granddaughter of Madam Lu to be so awesome!”

  “As the proverb says, there is no laggard among the children of a talented man. Her father is a successful businessman, so it goes without saying that his daughter would inherit his might!”

  Plenty of teams participated in the competition. Each and every one of the participants was a genius of his or her own right, and only the best of them could emerge victorious from such an intense battle of wits.

  A grin appeared on Lu Chuwan’s lips when she overheard the discussion of the crowd. The fear in her heart was slowly ebbing away, and her confidence returned. She straightened her back, looked straight back at Fu Zhi, and declared, “Don’t worry, grandma. I will not disappoint you.”

  Madam Lu nodded in assent after getting Lu Chuwan’s promise. She pulled her aside and introduced one of her friends to her. “This is Madam Xu. She’s a member of the Physics Association, and she just returned from overseas not long ago. If you have any concerns or problems, you can share them with her.”


  The Mysterious Heiress: Researcher In Disguise  

  Chapter 228: Face-Slapping Session During The Celebration – 5

  “Nice to meet you, Madam Xu.” Lu Chuwan greeted her sweetly.

  Madam Xu returned the gesture by nodding before saying, “Your name is Chuwan, right? The purpose of the national Physics competition is to pick the best candidates to compete at the international competition. It’s a good thing that you will lead a team into the competition, so you have to do your very best. Don’t disappoint your grandma!”

  Lu Chuwan grinned meekly and replied, “I’ll keep that in mind, Madam Xu.”

  Just as Madam Xu was about to say something, a voice filled with doubt rang out behind her. “I thought only one team from No.1 High School made it into the preliminary round? Zhizhi is the team leader!”

  Madam Lu’s headache returned when she heard Xu Wei’s voice. She had a terrible impression of both Xu Wei and Fu Zhi. The former was an airhead who often failed to read the room, while the latter was just someone with a twisted personality. Right now, she was certain that Xu Wei was going to say her granddaughter had stolen the title of the team leader from Fu Zhi or something like that.

  Lu Chuwan turned her body sideways to look at Xu Wei and said, “Aunt Xu Wei, I’m pretty sure you’ve got it wrong. I’m the team leader. If you don’t believe it, you can go to the Education Bureau and check the registration form.”

  Before Xu Wei could say anything, Madam Xu muttered, “Zhizhi?”

  Then, as if she’d suddenly remembered something, her eyes shone and she exclaimed, “Zhizhi? Are you Fu Zhi? Are you from No.1 High School?”

  “She just transferred to No.1 High School not long ago. She used to study in No.3 High School, and her grades were bad!” Bai Yao immediately shouted.

  “You keep quiet!” Madam Xu shouted as she waved her hand at Bai Yao. She stared with rapt attention at Fu Zhi like a tigress locking on its prey. “Do…… Do you remember me?”

  The sudden change in the situation had thrown Madam Lu for a loop. She had never seen her make a blunder in public before. Initially, she thought Madam Xu had caught wind of all the bad things Fu Zhi had done at school—including that she had cheated in the examination—which was why she would behave so strangely in front of Fu Zhi. She was not sure about it, but that was the best explanation she had for Madam Xu’s odd behavior.

  Her expression darkened, but she did not say anything.

  Looking at Madam Xu, Fu Zhi shook her head and answered simply, “Nope. I don’t remember you.”

  “That’s fine, that’s fine! Zhi…… No, Miss Fu Zhi. As long as I remember you, it’s fine if you’ve forgotten me!” Madam Xu replied with a manic light in her eyes. After saying that, she turned to Madam Lu and said, “Actually, I came to Yu City to meet up with her!”

  ‘Meet up with Fu Zhi? Why does she want to meet Fu Zhi?’

  Everyone was dumbfounded when they heard what Madam Xu had said.

  Madam Lu then asked, “What do you mean?”

  “One year ago, at the national Physics competition, our country had a chance to shine on the international stage, but your granddaughter…… Do you know what she did? She withdrew from the competition after finishing the preliminary round!” Madam Xu was so excited that her eyes went red around the rims. “I was the one who marked her paper, and I was also the one who begged her to stay in the competition. Unfortunately, she refused to…… Just as I thought she wasn’t going to take part in the competition this year, one of my students called me and said that he had seen her paper! With her as the team leader, I’m certain that the national competition will be in the bag!”

  The more Madam Xu talked, the more excited she became. In the end, she even reached out for Fu Zhi’s hand.

  Fu Zhi took one step behind and said earnestly, “Don’t worry. I’ll certainly win the competition.”

  Madam Xu nodded, exhilaration creeping into her voice. “Good, good, good. I’m counting on you!”

  Her attitude toward Fu Zhi was completely different from how she had treated Lu Chuwan. Madam Lu could not believe the things she had heard, as this was something that she had never expected.

  Perhaps Fu Zhi might have performed brightly before, but that was already in the past. Besides, Lu Chuwan had told her that Fu Zhi had done so well only because most of the questions in the test paper had been retrieved from the question bank. Luck played quite an essential part in an examination, and Fu Zhi was the one who had hit the jackpot this time.

  She believed her granddaughter, and that was why she felt Fu Zhi was no match for Lu Chuwan. However, after hearing what Madam Xu had said, Madam Lu felt that she might be wrong.

  On the other side, anger was rippling through Lu Chuwan’s body. She clenched her fists tight, trying her very best to control her emotions. After all, the registration form had already been handed to the Education Bureau, so there was nothing they could do to change the name right now.

  The Mysterious Heiress: Researcher In Disguise  

  Chapter 229: Face-Slapping Session During The Celebration – 6

  At the same time, Bai Yao chimed in, “Are you certain you’re not exaggerating things? Fu Zhi’s performance is not stable. Besides, only one team from No.1 High School managed to make it to the preliminary round, and the team leader is Wanwan.”

  After Bai Yao finished speaking, besides Madam Xu, everyone else was stunned too.

  “Her performance is not stable? That just doesn’t make sense. If that’s true, then how could she have been chosen as one of the participants?”

  “Yeah, right. Could Lu Chuwan’s grades be better than Fu Zhi’s grades? Is that why the school authorities decided to bench her?”

  “If my memory serves me right, Fu Zhi came from the countryside, right? It’s normal for her performance to be unstable. I think the school authorities must have considered various aspects before making such a decision.”

  “Well, the good of our province must come first. Fu Zhi’s grades are decent, I’ll give her that, but Lu Chuwan isn’t bad either. Otherwise, there’s no way Madam Lu would think so highly of her!”

  Madam Xu’s expression grew darker as she listened to the discussion around her. She smacked the table hard and snarled, “Who allowed these changes to happen?”

  Hearing the question, Bai Yao lifted her head proudly and replied, “Shen Hui, the director-general of the Education Bureau. He knew Wanwan was a better candidate, so he agreed to change the team leader.”

  Fu Zhi chuckled when she heard Bai Yao’s answer. Lifting her brow, she looked at Bai Yao and said, “Are you sure that he’s changed the team leader?”

  Even though Fu Zhi was just asking for confirmation, the way she looked at Bai Yao with her brow lifted and her apathetic tone gave Bai Yao a hunch that she was challenging her.

  She had always known that Fu Zhi was different from other students. Not only did she have a flawless appearance, but she was very smart as well. Be that as it may, she still believed that her daughter was the best. Therefore, she straightened her back and replied, “What do you mean by that? Are you saying that I’m telling lies? You’re the one who knows your own abilities the best. Wanwan is better than you in every aspect, so that makes her the most suitable candidate to lead the team. Director-General Shen saw through her potential, which is why he decided to change the leader!”

  Then, she took a deep breath before adding, “Anyway, what is done cannot be undone. I don’t want to waste my time arguing with you anymore, and you should stop acting unreasonably here. Leave Wanwan alone so that she can learn more from Madam Xu and bring glory to our province!”

  Madam Xu felt disappointed. She opened her mouth, but before she could say anything, a strong male voice echoed from the back, prompting everyone to turn their heads in unison toward the source of the sound.

  “Who told you that I saw the potential in Lu Chuwan?”

  The newcomer was none other than Shen Hui, who had just finished his work at the office. His countenance was ashen, and he added, “Fu Zhi is the hope of our province! Her grades are absolutely top-notch, and if you want me to say it, she’s on a whole different level compared to Lu Chuwan. She’s the perfect team leader, so there’s no way I would replace her!”

  Of course he would not replace her, or to be more precise, he would never have done it.

  First, Li Nanli had given him a warning. Then, he had been given a good beating while walking home in the middle of the night. All his suggested projects had been rejected, and no one had been willing to offer him any support while he’d been seeking help. It was only then that he’d realized many people were supporting Fu Zhi from behind the scenes, not to mention that all those people were both rich and powerful. Therefore, unless he wanted to die, there was no way he would change the team leader and give the position to Lu Chuwan.

  “Director-General Shen!” Bai Yao’s expression changed. Gone was the prideful and arrogant woman she had been. Her voice was trembling slightly, and her eyes were filled with disbelief. “But that’s not what you promised us the other day!”

  “What did I promise you? I just said that Fu Zhi is a budding youngster, and you guys should focus more on her. How can you blame me if you misunderstood my words?” Shen Hui could only do his best to deny everything Bai Yao said. “I have full faith in Fu Zhi. As for the other students…… you guys couldn’t make it past the qualifying round, so what makes you all think that you can judge her? In my opinion, it would be better if you put your extra time and energy to good use and worked harder so that you can perform better next year.”

  Shen Hui’s words were a huge slap in the face for Lu Chuwan and Bai Yao. On the other side, Madam Lu wanted to say something, but no words came out of her lips.

  A commotion began to break out amongst the crowd.

  “So that means that Lu Chuwan’s been lying to us?”

  “As a good student, how can you lie like this? I’m really disappointed in you!”

  “Can’t you see that Fu Zhi’s just standing there and looking at them as if she’s watching a show? They are just like a bunch of clowns in front of her……”

  Everyone chose to believe Shen Hui. After all, he was the director-general of the Education Bureau. Therefore, the only people who were telling lies right now were Bai Yao and her family.

  Just as Bai Yao was about to say something, Madam Lu went forward and stopped her, as she knew that it would not do them any good if they displeased Shen Hui right now. She then said, “It’s a misunderstanding……”

  Shen Hui harrumphed, then turned to Fu Zhi and said, “Don’t feel too stressed. Just treat the competition as a normal examination. I wholeheartedly believe that you’re going to do very well!”

  The anger in Lu Chuwan’s heart grew even more intense when she saw Fu Zhi nod at Shen Hui indifferently. Her fists were clenched so tightly that her knuckles were turning white. Just as she was about to lose control of her anger, she remembered the painting……

  The Mysterious Heiress: Researcher In Disguise  

  Chapter 230: Face-Slapping Session During The Celebration – 7

  The birthday celebration started at 11:30 p.m. sharp, and more and more guests kept walking into the Lu Household.

  There were a dozen or so tables in the spacious courtyard. All the guests that arrived went to the center of the courtyard and greeted Madam Lu.

  Most of the guests that Madam Lu had invited were business tycoons that had a professional relationship with the Lu Corporation or her own friends. All of them were rich, so the presents they had prepared were either gifts made of jade or Buddha scriptures.

  Seeing that it was about time, Bao Yao gave Lu Chuwan a nudge, and the latter went upstairs to fetch the painting from her room. She held the painting in her hand, walked up to Madam Lu, and offered her a warm smile as she said, “Grandma, I know you like paintings, so my mom and I bought one from overseas. It’s one of Master Liu’s masterpieces, and we hope you’ll like it.”

  After saying that, she slowly unfurled the painting, and a lifelike depiction of plum trees in snow appeared before everyone’s eyes.

  This painting had been bought by Bai Yao and her family to win the favor of Madam Lu.

  As expected, Madam Lu’s eyes glowed. As she studied the painting, she overhead the discussion of the crowd. Some people were talking about the painting, while the rest were complimenting Lu Chuwan for her present and her heart.

  The painting cost about 30 million on the market.

  She nodded and said with a smile, “Thank you, Wanwan. I like it very much.”

  Even though she did not pay her granddaughter many compliments, everyone could see that she was very happy with the present.

  Bai Yao and Lu Chuwan exchanged a glance, and then Bai Yao looked at Fu Zhi. “Today is your grandma’s birthday, as well as the day she’s going to introduce you to the public. What kind of present have you prepared for her?

  “After all, you took eight million yuan from your grandma. I suppose your gift must be very grand, right?”

  “Of course. The present I prepared is better than this painting,” Fu Zhi replied. She knew what Bai Yao was trying to do. She had been putting up with her this whole time, but that did not mean that she was all bark and no bite. She looked straight back at Bai Yao and replied in a serious voice, “That eight million yuan is what I deserved for saving her life after she was nearly killed by the medicine your daughter got from a quack doctor.”

  Upon hearing those words, the guests who had heard about Madam Lu’s near-death experience began to whisper amongst themselves again.

  Lu Chuwan’s smile froze, and her expression turned ugly. She did not know why Fu Zhi would bring this matter up on an occasion like this one, but whatever her intention was, she was making her look really bad in front of the guests.

  When Madam Lu saw that her own granddaughter was gritting her teeth, unsure of what to say, she stepped forward and scolded Fu Zhi. “Why do you have to be such a killjoy? Today is my birthday, and if you don’t know what to say on an occasion like this, just keep your mouth shut and stand aside.”

  “That’s right. Since you said you’ve prepared a great present for your grandma, why don’t you show us? Don’t be all bark and no bite,” Bai Yao added.

  Madam Lu looked at Fu Zhi. Lu Jingqing and his family were rich, so even though she did not like them, she was quite looking forward to her present.

  However, unlike Fu Zhi, who was calm, Xu Wei and Lu Jingqing seemed a little nervous.

  The painting they had bought had been drawn by Master He. Even though Master He was also a skilled painter in his own right, his works were several grades lower and much cheaper than Master Liu’s works. It would not be an issue if they present the gift before Lu Chuwan, but now……

  Xu Wei clutched the present tight. Just as she did not know what to do, Mama Liu came out of the hall with another painting in her hand. The painting looked normal and it was not even kept inside a gift box.

  “Madam, this is the gift that Miss Fu Zhi asked me to prepare for you,” Mama Liu said, her jaw was set tightly. The painting had been given to her by Fu Zhi. However, she did not know what Fu Zhi was trying to do.

  On the other side, Xu Wei was so shocked that she was tongue-tied. The present that she had prepared for Fu Zhi so she could give it to Madam Lu was still in her hand. In other words, the painting in Mama Liu’s hand had been painted by Fu Zhi herself. If Madam Lu found out, things would turn really ugly.

  The Mysterious Heiress: Researcher In Disguise  

  Chapter 231: Face-Slapping Session During The Celebration – 8

  Xu Wei’s face turned pale as she shouted, “No! That’s not what Zhizhi prepared!”

  Upon saying that, she rushed forward and stopped Mama Liu with her arm. Then, she pulled out a box, unfurled the painting in her hands, and said, “Mom, this is what Zhizhi prepared for you. It’s one of the masterpieces made by Master He!”

  Master Liu’s name was known by many people in the literary world. As for Master He……

  Madam Lu was not interested at all. She let out a scoff, and just as she was about to dismiss them, Bai Yao exclaimed and walked up to Xu Wei. She pushed her away and snatched the painting out of Mama Liu’s hand.

  “Master He? Who’s that? Anyway, I’m sure that’s not the present your daughter prepared, right? After all, she proclaimed that her present is much better than Master Liu’s painting, so it’s impossible that she would buy a piece of art made by an unknown painter! I really can’t wait to see this painting. I’m opening it up now, so all of you open your eyes and look closely!”

  “What do you think is inside? I think it should be a master’s artwork, or else Mrs. Bai wouldn’t be so excited……”

  “A master of calligraphy who’s even more famous than Master Liu? I’m afraid that other than Master Fu Jiang, no one’s better than him.”

  “But Master Fu Jiang retired ten years ago, and it costs an arm and a leg to buy his artwork! It would really be a blessing if we saw one of his masterpieces today!”

  Everyone started getting pumped when someone mentioned Fu Jiang. All the guests gathered up around Bai Yao as they waited with bated breath for the reveal.

  Bai Yao chuckled. She knew the painting had been drawn by Fu Zhi herself, so she just wanted to humiliate her in front of everyone.

  Xu Wei wanted to stop, but it was already too late.

  Bai Yao unfurled the painting slowly, and the first things that came into view were a depiction of a lotus flower and a line of calligraphy written using the Hairpin flower small regular script. The line spelled the words: “Do not leave a good deed undone no matter how petty the deed; do not engage in evil no matter how trivial the deed.”

  Each stroke was sharp and clear, and the lotus flower in the painting was lifelike.

  “I remember that Master Fu Jiang loved to draw lotus flowers! Could this really be his artwork?”

  Madam Lu was genuinely stunned when she saw the painting as well. She approached the painting, and just as she was about to compliment Fu Zhi, her expression changed when she saw the name written on the painting.

  On the other side, Lu Jingqing and Xu Wei felt even more embarrassed and did not know how to explain when they saw the painting either.

  Everything about the painting was perfect. The calligraphy, the lotus flower…… Nobody would complain about it, and they would have thought that it had actually been drawn by Master Fu Jiang if the name “Fu Zhi” had not been written on the corner of the painting.

  Every guest turned their head and looked at Fu Zhi incredulously.

  “You…… You…… How dare you!” Madam Lu shouted angrily. Her fists were clenched tightly, and were it not for Lu Jingqing, she would have started beating Fu Zhi already.

  Seeing her chance, Bai Yao pointed at Fu Zhi and cast aspersions on her. “What the hell were you thinking, Fu Zhi? How can you give this kind of crap to your grandma as a present? Do you really want to make us the laughing stock of the whole town?”

  After she took a few deep breaths, she looked and gestured at Master Liu’s disciple, who was sitting not far away. However, the man was looking at his phone, so he did not see Bai Yao’s gestures.

  Setting her jaw tight, Fu Zhi gazed straight at Bai Yao and said calmly, “This painting is valuable.”

  “Valuable? Don’t make me laugh, please! Fu Zhi, do you think that you can become a master of calligraphy and painting as well just because you share the same last name as Master Fu Jiang? Your grandmother took pity on you and allowed you to join us as one of our family members. She even wanted to introduce you to everyone she knows tonight, and this is how you pay her back? Hmph, what an ingrate! You should get out of the Lu Family!”

  Everyone looked at Fu Zhi in dissatisfaction.

  Today was her grandmother’s birthday, and if she was a three-year-old kid, they might have just shrugged it off and forgiven her for her innocence. However, she was a 17-year-old young lady now, and it was truly shameless and unforgivable for her to do something like this on an important occasion.

  The Mysterious Heiress: Researcher In Disguise  

  Chapter 232: Face-Slapping Session During The Celebration – 9

  On the other side of the courtyard, Huang Song slowly lifted his head and then was stunned by the scene before his eyes. He patted his cheek and muttered, “Is today my lucky day?”

  His voice was low, and nobody noticed him, as everyone was too occupied with the things happening in front of them.

  Madam Lu made a decision inside of her. She turned to Lu Jingqing and said, “Bring her away! I don’t want to see her anymore, and I will never acknowledge her as my granddaughter! Never!”

  “Mom!” Just as Lu Jingqing was about to say something, Huang Song smacked the table and stormed straight into the center of the commotion. “Yes, yes, yes. You can’t acknowledge her!”

  “Master Huang!” Bai Yao shouted excitedly. When she saw Madam Lu’s puzzled face, she explained, “Mom, this is Master Huang Song. He’s the last disciple of Master Liu. Wanwan personally invited him to celebrate your birthday!”

  The He faction and the Liu faction had a strained relationship, and both factions thought they were the best. Therefore, Bai Yao was waiting for Huang Song to shower Fu Zhi with more criticism.

  However, Huang Song paid her no heed. He stared at the painting in Bai Yao’s hand with rapt attention as he muttered under his breath, “The writing…… is phenomenal. It would be such a waste for someone like you guys to keep it!”

  Huang Song’s remark successfully threw Bai Yao for a loop. She had no idea what had gotten into this man’s brain, but that did not prevent her from lashing out at him. “Master Huang? Do you have any idea what you are talking about?”

  “Stop! Don’t move! You’re going to destroy this piece of art!” Huang Song shouted back, causing Bai Yao to freeze in shock. Then, he carefully took the painting from Bai Yao and said, “Fascinating. This is truly fascinating!”

  He kept complimenting the painting, and everyone was stunned.

  “Fu Zhi…… No, Master Fu. Master Fu Zhi!” Huang Song turned to Fu Zhi and asked, “May I ask you a question? Is Master Fu Jiang your master?”

  ‘Master? Nope, he’s my dad.’

  Fu Zhi shook her head.

  “What a shame. Your writing style is very similar to his!” Huang Song lamented. “That said, even though your writing styles are similar, yours has a style of its own, and I can say for sure that without several years of practice and experience, it’s impossible to make this kind of achievement!”

  Madam Lu was confused, and so were Xu Wei and Lu Jingqing.

  Huang Song then added, “You said that this is the present you prepared for your grandma? Can you sell it to me? I want to put it in my room and admire it every single day. You can just name your price. If you’re willing to sell this painting to me, I assure you that if you come across any problems, you can come look for me in the capital and I’ll do everything in my power to help you guys!”

  After Huang Song finished speaking, all the guests fell silent. For a moment, it was so quiet that one might hear a pin drop.

  It took the guests quite a few minutes to process everything in their brains before they finally came back to their senses.

  “He’s the last disciple of Master Liu. He must have a lot of connections in the capital. The Lu Family is really lucky to get a promise from him!”

  “Besides, have you forgotten Director-General Shen’s attitude toward Fu Zhi? In my opinion, Fu Zhi is really the lucky star of the Lu Family!”

  Even though most of the guests were praising Fu Zhi, some of them were also skeptical about everything that had just transpired. Since Huang Song had been invited by Lu Chuwan, they were wondering if there was any possibility that he was putting up an act to make the Lu Family feel less awkward on her behalf?

  “Madam Lu, since you don’t like this painting and you don’t want her to be your granddaughter, can you give both her and this painting to me?” Huang Song said as he stared at Fu Zhi.

  Xu Wei, who was in a dumbfounded state, finally came back to her senses when she heard what Huang Song had said.

  ‘He wants to take my daughter away? How can he make such a shameless request?!’

  Xu Wei pulled Fu Zhi behind her back, protecting her like a hen shielding its chicks from an eagle, and said, “In your dreams! There’s no way I will allow you to take my daughter away from me!”

  However, Huang Song refused to give up. He turned to Fu Zhi and said, “Master Fu Zhi, your accomplishments in painting and calligraphy are truly remarkable. In China, other than Master Fu Jiang, I have never seen anyone with better skills than you. Why don’t you come with me to the capital? I assure you that I will treat you like a master and make your name known in the rest of the world!”


  The Mysterious Heiress: Researcher In Disguise  

  Chapter 233: Face-Slapping Session During The Celebration – 10

  Xu Wei could not believe what she had heard. She covered Fu Zhi’s ears and said, “Don’t listen to him, Zhizhi. Common fame is seldom to blame, and leading a simple life is much better than becoming a famous person. Besides, even if you want to be famous, I can help you as well! There’s no need to go to the capital with him!”

  Fu Zhi did not know what to comment. After all, she was already very famous, and no people dared to oppose her.

  Madam Lu looked at the scene in front of her and something suddenly clicked in her brain. It was only now that she realized how great Fu Zhi was and how much value she had for the Lu Family. A myriad of thoughts flitted across her mind, and her eyes shone brightly. She hastily went forward and shouted, “I can sell you the painting, but she can’t go with you to the capital! She’s my granddaughter, and she has to stay by my side!”

  After saying that, she looked at Fu Zhi, offering her a warm smile.

  “Okay then.” Even though he could not take Fu Zhi away with him, at the very least he had gotten the painting.

  Feeling content, he said, “I didn’t bring my card because I was in a hurry when I came out just now, but you have to give me the painting first. I don’t feel confident letting you guys take care of delicate stuff like this. Anyway, I’ll pay you 50 million yuan afterward!”

  ‘Fifty million yuan! Does that mean that Fu Zhi’s painting is even more valuable than his own master’s artwork?!’

  Madam Lu was a layperson in the realm of art. Therefore, she was greatly amazed by the fact that a simple art piece made by Fu Zhi could actually bring so much profit to her. Not only that, but the Lu Family had even received a promise from the Huang Family, which was the icing on the cake.

  She decided that after today, she would ask Fu Zhi to earn money for her by producing more paintings and calligraphy scrolls. This way, she could use the money to take the Lu Family’s business to new heights!

  Madam Xu, who was standing on the sidelines, chimed in, “I thought this granddaughter of yours was only good at Physics, but I didn’t expect that she would also excel at painting and calligraphy. I’m certain that in two more years, she will become a force to be reckoned with in the realm of art!”

  “Two more years? Are you kidding me? Her skills are even on par with my master’s!”

  Lu Jingqing did not know whether he should feel happy or not when Huang Song compared his daughter to a painting master.

  On the other side, Lu Chuwan still could not come back to her senses. This was not the scene she had imagined. Why was everyone praising Fu Zhi? Should they not be criticizing her for her impudence and lack of common sense? Why was even Huang Song, the disciple of a painting master, complimenting her and giving her painting a high rating?

  Fraught by this sea of questions, Lu Chuwan snapped back to reality and said, “Master Huang, I know you treasure a talented person, but don’t you think it’s not suitable for you to praise a youngster like this to prevent her from looking too bad in public? It’s just too……”

  “If you don’t know sh*t, just keep your mouth shut. No one will say you’re dumb if you keep quiet,” Huang Song replied as he stared intently at the painting in his hand. “The reason why Master Fu Jiang is an accomplished master of calligraphy painting is that many years ago, he was the one who brought together the long-lost gilt Flying White Calligraphy Technique of a small country’s imperial family, the oracle bone script, and the regular script to form the Hairpin flower small regular script! When he showed the calligraphy technique to the rest of the world, it made a big splash in the realm of art! And right now, the calligraphy technique Fu Zhi used on this painting is exactly the same technique that Master Fu Jiang showed that year!”

  Bai Yao then interrupted. “That means she’s plagiarizing other people’s work, no? Then, there’s nothing to be proud of!”

  “The point is that Master Fu Jiang only showed the Hairpin flower small regular script once! If my memory serves me right, that particular art piece was sold for 80 million yuan at an auction that year. Therefore, it’s impossible for the rest of us to study it, and even my master has not mastered this calligraphy technique yet!”

  After hearing what Huang Song had said, every guest approached Huang Song to admire the masterpiece. However, Huang Song was not going to give them the chance. He rolled the painting up, caressed it as if it was a baby, and said, “You guys are breathing too much. It’ll speed up the oxidizing process and damage the painting.”

  Lu Chuwan and Bai Yao’s faces were grim. Bai Yao wanted to say something again, but Lu Chuwan stopped her, shaking her head at her mother to stop her from bringing more disgrace upon themselves.

  As for Huang Song, he turned around and made a call. After a short while, he spun back and told Madam Lu, “Well, right now, you only have to wait for your money.”

  The moment he finished speaking, Fu Zhi’s voice rang out. “Hold your horses. You can’t give her the money yet.”


  The Mysterious Heiress: Researcher In Disguise