{Chapter: 148 Yan Ruyue: I'm so ashamed, Lin Yuan wants to give me a valuable gift in return!}
Tomorrow, at the Mei Family's Banquet, Lin Yuan planned to present Mei Yuxian with a special gift.
The banquet was originally meant to celebrate Mei Yuxian's birthday, but over time, it had evolved into something much more. Due to the Mei Family's powerful influence and Mei Yuxian's exceptional abilities, what was once a simple birthday gathering had turned into a high-profile social event. It was now an exclusive gathering where the wealthiest and most influential families came together to discuss business affairs, form alliances, and strengthen connections.
Despite the grandeur of the occasion, it was still Mei Yuxian's birthday, and etiquette dictated that attendees should bring gifts. Typically, these gifts were presented by the elders of each family, while the younger generation merely attended to enjoy the festivities. However, Lin Yuan had a different plan in mind—he intended to personally give her a gift as part of his strategy to win her trust and build a stronger relationship.
The gift he had chosen was none other than Wang Mian's famous painting, The Ink Plum Blossom.
According to the original novel's plot, Mei Yuxian had a deep appreciation for plum blossoms, and this particular painting was something she had long desired to own. She had tried to acquire it in the past, but by the time she attempted to purchase it, the Yan Family had already sold it. To make matters worse, the Yan Family had never disclosed the identity of the buyer, leaving Mei Yuxian disappointed.
If Lin Yuan could track down The Ink Plum Blossom and present it to her at the banquet, it would not only impress her but also significantly improve their relationship.
With that goal in mind, Lin Yuan sent a message to Yan Ruyue:
Lin Yuan: "Did your family sell 'The Ink Plum Blossom'? Do you remember who bought it?"
—
When Yan Ruyue saw Lin Yuan's message, her heartbeat suddenly quickened.
'Why is Lin Yuan asking about The Ink Plum Blossom all of a sudden?' she wondered.
Yan Ruyue had never been particularly interested in paintings, but she had a vivid memory of this one. When she was a child, her father had often shown her The Ink Plum Blossom, pointing out its artistic beauty and historical value. However, due to financial difficulties the Yan Family faced later, they were forced to sell the painting to recover some losses. Even now, Yan Ruyue still felt a little regretful about it.
But why was Lin Yuan asking about it?
A thought suddenly crossed her mind—could it be that he wanted to buy the painting as a gift for her?
After all, she had just given Lin Yuan a pair of handmade gloves, and he had seemed genuinely touched by the gesture. Was he planning to return the favor by gifting her a valuable painting?
'Yes! That must be it!'
As soon as this idea took root in her mind, a wave of excitement spread through her chest, making her feel warm and giddy. It was as if she had just eaten several skewers of tanghulu—sweet and satisfying.
Without hesitation, she replied to Lin Yuan:
Yan Ruyue: "I don't remember who we sold it to, but wait, I'll ask my mother right away!"
She wasted no time rushing to find her mother, Song Xuan.
"Mom, do you remember who bought The Ink Plum Blossom from us?" Yan Ruyue asked, trying to sound casual despite the anticipation in her voice.
Song Xuan gave her daughter a suspicious glance but still answered, "Let me think… Ah! I remember now. It was an old gentleman from the Cui Family—Cui Yunrong. He purchased it at an auction."
Hearing the name, Yan Ruyue's heart skipped a beat.
"Why are you suddenly asking about this?" Song Xuan asked, narrowing her eyes.
Yan Ruyue's face turned slightly red. "No reason… I just suddenly thought about it and felt nostalgic," she replied, trying to sound nonchalant.
With her answer secured, Yan Ruyue quickly sent a message to Lin Yuan.
Yan Ruyue: "The painting was bought by Cui Yunrong of the Cui Family."
Lin Yuan read the message and repeated the name in his mind.
Cui Yunrong… Cui Yunrong…
That old man was no ordinary figure. The Cui Family was one of the most powerful families in Yanjing.
'Tomorrow night is the banquet, and I need to secure the painting before then…' Lin Yuan thought.
Suddenly, a realization struck him. Cui Yunrong was mentioned in the original novel.
Ye Feng, the protagonist, had encountered Cui Yunrong in Jiangbei under specific circumstances. If Lin Yuan acted fast, he could reach Cui Yunrong before Ye Feng did.
With a confident smile, he made his decision—he would travel to Jiangbei tomorrow and acquire the painting himself.
Lin Yuan replied to Yan Ruyue:
Lin Yuan: "Thank you for the information. Now I know that 'The Ink Plum Blossom' is in Cui Yunrong's hands."
Yan Ruyue's heart pounded again as she read his message.
She hesitated for a moment before asking:
Yan Ruyue: "Are you planning to buy it back?"
Lin Yuan raised an eyebrow at her question.
Lin Yuan: "Well, how did you guess?"
Yan Ruyue's lips curled into a smug yet sweet smile.
Yan Ruyue (to herself): "Hmph! How could I not figure it out? You're so obvious, Lin Yuan. You must be trying to surprise me with a gift!"
She had heard that people who were in love often acted foolishly, their IQ seemingly dropping when emotions clouded their judgment.
'Lin Yuan must have been deeply touched by my handmade gloves. That's why he's going through all this trouble to buy a painting for me!'
She giggled to herself, but she decided not to reveal her assumption. Instead, she would patiently wait for the moment he presented her with the gift—and then she would act surprised.
Yes, that was the best plan.
Little did she know, Lin Yuan had an entirely different person in mind when it came to gifting The Ink Plum Blossom…
Thinking about it, Yan Ruyue couldn't suppress the smile on her face.
Still, she hesitated and sent another message, laced with concern: "The painting is indeed beautiful, and I used to like it a lot, but it was auctioned for a very high price. It was sold for 50 million. Even now, it's probably worth more. You shouldn't buy it—it's too expensive."
Yan Ruyue feared that Lin Yuan, being sentimental, might make an impulsive decision and waste a fortune just to give her a gift in return.
Lin Yuan replied with a calm and reassuring tone: "I have a good idea of its value. It shouldn't actually cost that much. Besides, I'm not buying it just for myself—it's for someone very important. Even if it's expensive, it's worth it."
'Someone important…?'
Yan Ruyue's heart skipped a beat. Her fingers tightened around her phone as she read his message again and again.
'He doesn't care about the price because I'm important to him? That's why he's buying it?'
The corners of her mouth curled up uncontrollably, and the warmth spreading in her chest made her feel giddy.
She couldn't help but wonder: 'Were my gloves really that special to him? Did they move him so much that he felt the need to give me something grand in return?'
A painting worth 50 million!
The more she thought about it, the redder her face became. Her delicate fingers brushed over her cheeks, trying to cool the heat rising there.
"Well then, I wish you success in getting the painting," Yan Ruyue typed with a mix of anticipation and excitement before sending the message.
Even though she wasn't sure why she was so invested in this, she still wanted to encourage him.
Lin Yuan, not quite understanding why Yan Ruyue seemed so supportive about the purchase, simply responded: "Alright, thanks."
Setting her phone down, Yan Ruyue exhaled softly and reached for the plush bear beside her—a familiar companion during her private moments of reflection.
She had used this stuffed bear as a stand-in for Lin Yuan many times before. The once-perfectly symmetrical face was now slightly crooked from all the times she had hugged, squeezed, and even scolded it.
Now, she hugged it tightly, her long, slender legs curling up on the bed as she buried her face in the soft fur.
From time to time, her fingertips traced the bear's head, as if she were stroking someone's hair instead.
Closing her eyes, she could almost picture Lin Yuan's face—his sharp features, his deep, confident gaze, and that subtle, knowing smirk he sometimes wore.
'Ahh! I'm so embarrassed! He's really going to buy something so expensive just for me?!'
She rolled onto her side, clutching the bear even closer, her mind drowning in fantasies of how he would surprise her with the painting.
---
Meanwhile, on the other side of the city, Lin Yuan was deep in thought, processing the information he had gathered about "The Ink Plum Blossom."
Oblivious to the wild ideas running through Yan Ruyue's mind, he remained focused on his plan.
Though he didn't know it, at that very moment, a certain young woman was hugging a stuffed bear with flushed cheeks, dreaming up a completely different reason behind his actions.
And every one of her assumptions was completely off the mark…