He unexpectedly becomes a father at the start of his life, and the mother of his child is a national

He Muqing hesitated for a moment, but still told the truth:

"150 million." She knew this price wasn't low, and Yu Mobai might think it was expensive, so after saying that, she quickly added,

"President Yu, I also advised him to lower the price, but he insisted on refusing, saying that the last painting sold for 160 million, which means his paintings are worth that price."

There was another silence on the other end of the phone, this time longer than the last, lasting about ten seconds.

He Muqing held her phone, feeling a little nervous, afraid that Yu Mobai would think the price was too high and refuse outright.

After a long while, Yu Mobai finally spoke slowly, his tone tinged with helplessness and regret:

"150 million? That's not a low price."

"That's what I told him too," He Muqing said with a wry smile.

"I told him that the last painting sold for 160 million because you and Mr. Lin were bidding against each other, which drove the price up."

It's not that his paintings are worth that much; normally, an unknown painter like him wouldn't sell for that price.

But he just wouldn't listen, and there was nothing I could do.

Yu Mobai sighed, a hint of helplessness in his voice:

"That's not how it works. Even without me and Old Man Lin bidding against each other, that painting, 'Autumn Wind in Ten Thousand Valleys,' would definitely be worth more than a few hundred thousand. It just didn't sell for 160 million."

This young man's talent is truly rare, and his calligraphy skills are solid; it's just that he's too fixated on the price.

He paused, then couldn't help but ask, "That painting... is it really as good as you say? Even better than the last one?"

He was still a little uneasy. After all, 150 million was no small sum. Even if he liked it, he still needed to confirm the quality of the painting.

"It's absolutely true, Chairman Yu. I would never lie to you," He Muqing quickly said.

"I'll take a few photos now and send them to you. You can see for yourself. I've taken both detailed and panoramic photos. After you see them, you'll know that I'm right."

After saying that, she hung up the phone, quickly picked up her phone, walked to the table, and carefully unfolded the "Lotus and Fish Playing" painting completely.

After adjusting the angle, I took a few panoramic photos to capture the entire lotus pond.

Then I took a few more detailed photos, focusing on the swimming fish, lotus flowers, and the dragonfly, making sure the photos were clear and the details of the brushstrokes were visible.

After taking the photo, she quickly sent it to Yu Mobai, and then waited patiently with her phone in hand.

She knew that Yu Mobai would definitely react after seeing the photos—either he would be moved or he would feel it wasn't worth it. She could only wait quietly.

About five or six minutes later, Yu Mobai called back. The moment the call connected,

He Muqing could hear the barely concealed excitement in his voice, and even a slight tremor:

"Manager He, this painting... this painting was really painted by that young man named Haolin? You're not lying to me?"

"President Yu, I absolutely did not lie to you, it is true," He Muqing quickly said.

"He brought this painting over in person today. I saw him take it out of his bag with my own eyes. It is definitely his own work, without any problem."

Yu Mobai remained silent on the other end of the phone, seemingly processing the information or perhaps admiring the painting in the photograph.

After a long while, he slowly spoke, his tone full of admiration and a hint of regret:

"This painting is indeed better than the last one. It's fantastic; it has far exceeded my expectations."

He talked on and on, his voice filled with excitement:

"Look at his composition, it's fuller than last time. The lotus leaves, lotus flowers, swimming fish, and dragonflies are arranged reasonably, with a good balance of density and sparseness, and it's not messy at all."

Looking at his brushwork, it is bolder and more delicate than before, with smooth and natural lines, without a trace of stiffness.

The ink tones are also richer, with a harmonious balance of light and dark, creating a strong sense of depth and perfectly capturing the essence of the lotus pond.

"Especially those fish, they are so lifelike, their eyes and postures are painted so vividly. You can't paint like that without decades of experience. This young man is so talented."

And that dragonfly, so tiny, yet so exquisitely drawn; the veins on its wings are clearly visible. It's a stroke of genius, the finishing touch!

Yu Mobai sighed for a long time before his tone changed, carrying a hint of regret and helplessness:

"What a pity, what a pity. I don't have that much cash on hand right now."

Manager He, could you talk to that young man and ask for a discount?

Even if it's 10 or 20 cheaper, I'm fine with it. I really love this painting and don't want to miss out again.

Hearing him say that, He Muqing felt a little embarrassed and could only give a wry smile:

"President Yu, I'm so sorry. I tried to persuade him for a long time, but he just wouldn't lower the price. He was very firm and said it was 150 million, no bargaining, not a penny less."

There's nothing I can do; after all, it's his painting, and he has the power to set the price.

Yu Mobai fell silent again, this time with a silence filled with helplessness and inner turmoil.

He genuinely loved the painting; having missed the last one, he didn't want to miss this one again, but the 150 million in cash...

He couldn't raise the money immediately, since he usually used most of his money for collecting calligraphy and paintings and for investment, and he didn't have much liquid capital on hand.

He Muqing looked at the painting on the table, hesitated for a moment, and tentatively asked:

"President Yu, how about this: I'll keep this painting for you, and you can try to raise the money as soon as possible. Is that alright?"

She also wanted to help Yu Mobai, since he was a big figure in the art world. Building a good relationship with him would benefit the gallery. Moreover, she hoped that this fine painting could end up in the hands of someone who truly understands and loves art.

Upon hearing this, Yu Mobai's tone immediately became urgent: "Really? Can you hold it for me for a few days? Manager He, thank you so much!"

He Muqing quickly said, "President Yu, please don't be so polite. There's just one thing I need to make clear to you: our gallery has rules..."

If another buyer takes a liking to this painting and is willing to buy it for 150 million, I can't refuse to sell it, after all, it's a consignment sale and I have to be responsible to the seller.

All I can say is that I'll try my best to hold out for you and keep an eye on things to prevent others from buying it easily, but I can't guarantee how long it will last. Please bear with me.

Yu Mobai sighed, his voice filled with gratitude:

"I understand, I understand, I know the rules. I'm already very grateful that you're helping me stall for time."

Don't worry, I'll raise the money as quickly as possible and try to get the painting done in the next few days. I promise I won't delay your plans.

"Manager He, please keep a close eye on things and make sure no one else gets there first. Thank you."

"Don't worry, Chairman Yu, I will do my best," He Muqing quickly replied.

"I will notify you immediately if there is any movement."

"Okay, okay, thank you so much, Manager He." Yu Mobai said a few more words of thanks before hanging up the phone.