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

He Muqing's evaluation gave Chen Hao a sense of confidence.

It seems my judgment was correct; the quality of this painting has indeed been highly recognized by professionals.

But he remained calm and simply nodded, saying, "Manager He, you flatter me."

I never formally studied under a teacher, nor did I attend an art academy; I'd say I'm self-taught.

"Self-taught?" He Muqing was truly shocked.

To be able to learn to this level on one's own? This can't be explained by mere talent; it's practically monstrous.

She had met many talented painters, but most of them had some form of formal education, either from a family with a strong academic background or from a professionally trained institution.

She had never heard of anyone in her ten years of work who could reach such a level entirely through self-study.

But judging from Chen Hao's expression, he didn't seem to be lying.

Moreover, there's no point in lying about this kind of thing.

Suppressing her shock, she turned her gaze back to the painting, pondered for a moment, and then spoke:

"Mr. Chen, your painting 'Autumn Wind in Ten Thousand Valleys' has indeed reached a very high level in terms of artistic quality."

If this is a work by a renowned painter, it's possible that it could be priced at one million, or even one and a half million or two million.

[At this point, I hope readers will remember our domain name 12199.99]

In today's Chinese painting market, there is no upper limit to the price of masterpieces by top artists.

Her tone was serious, clearly indicating that she was telling the truth.

"However," she changed the subject, looking at Chen Hao with sincere advice in her eyes, "the price of a work of art is never determined solely by its artistic merit."

Especially in the art market, factors such as the artist's fame, status, academic background, past transaction records, and market recognition are often more important than the painting itself.

To put it bluntly, many collectors buy paintings not only for the art itself, but also for the artist's "brand" and future appreciation potential.

The shop assistant next to him nodded repeatedly.

Manager He's words hit the nail on the head.

That's how it is in the world of collecting; reputation is more important than anything else.

He Muqing continued, "You are currently completely unknown. Nobody in the art collecting circle knows who 'Haolin' is."

Even if a painting by an unknown artist is exceptionally well-made, it's extremely difficult for it to sell for millions.

Collectors may wonder: If I spend a million to buy this painting, will it appreciate in value in the future? Will there be anyone willing to buy it when I resell it?

If the painter doesn't become famous, then this million might be stuck with him.

She paused for a moment, then offered more practical advice:

"My suggestion is that we can start with a more reasonable price, such as 200,000 or 300,000."

This price is already quite high for a newcomer, but not so high that it would deter collectors.

If this painting is successfully sold, you will have your first sales record, and our gallery can also use this opportunity to promote your business.

Once you gain fame, the price of your next work can be gradually increased, reaching 500,000, 800,000, or even 1 million, all in a natural progression.

Her advice was professional and practical, and she was genuinely considering Chen Hao's best interests.

However, after listening, Chen Hao simply shook his head, his tone still firm: "Manager He, thank you for your suggestion."

But this painting of mine must sell for one million. Not a penny less.

He Muqing was stunned.

She had said so much, yet the other party still insisted? She looked at Chen Hao with some confusion:

"Mr. Chen, may I ask why? Why are you so insistent on the price of one million?"

"You see, if the price is too high and no one is interested, the painting may never sell, and its artistic value, no matter how great, cannot be realized."

Chen Hao looked at his painting and said slowly, "Because I think it's worth the price."

It's not because I think I'm anything special, but because the painting itself is worth a million.

Lowering the price to cater to the market and expedite a sale would be disrespectful to the painting.

He raised his eyes, his gaze calm and confident: "As for fame... I believe that truly good works will earn fame for themselves and their authors."

It's not the other way around, where fame comes first for a work to have value.

These words silenced He Muqing and the shop assistant.

Having been in the art world for a long time, they have seen too many painters who cater to the market and hype themselves up in order to become famous and sell their paintings.

It's rare to see someone like Chen Hao who is so confident in his work, even to the point of being somewhat "arrogant."

He Muqing actually admired this attitude.

A talented artist should indeed be persistent in their work.

But as a gallery manager, she had to consider the realities.

"Mr. Chen, I understand your thoughts." He Muqing sighed.

"But one million is really too high. How about five hundred thousand?"

Five hundred thousand is already a very challenging price; if you can close the deal at that price, it will be a huge success for you.

She still wanted to try.

This painting is so wonderful that she doesn't want to miss it.

If Chen Hao is willing to accept 500,000, she is willing to do her best to sell it, even if it is very difficult.

But Chen Hao shook his head again: "One million. If that doesn't work, I'll go look at other galleries."

As he spoke, he began to collect the paintings.

The movements were neither hurried nor slow, but the attitude was very clear—there was no room for negotiation.

He Muqing watched his actions, feeling extremely conflicted.

Reason told her that accepting a newcomer's work priced at a million was too risky. It could waste the gallery's display resources and energy, only to fail to sell it and become a laughing stock among her peers.

But emotionally, she really couldn't bear to part with the painting.

As a gallery manager, she has seen countless works of art, but very few can truly amaze her at first glance and inspire even greater admiration upon closer inspection.

This painting, "Autumn Wind in Ten Thousand Valleys," is one of them.

She had a strong feeling that if she missed this opportunity, she would definitely regret it in the future.

Moreover... this young man named Chen Hao has a special kind of charisma.

Calm, confident, and neither arrogant nor humble.

The look in his eyes when he insisted on a million-dollar price tag was not arrogance, but a confidence in his own abilities.

Could such a person truly create miracles?

While He Muqing was struggling with her inner turmoil, Chen Hao had already put away the painting, returned it to the brocade box, closed the lid, picked up the box, and turned to walk towards the door.

One step, two steps, three steps...

Just as Chen Hao was about to step out of the gallery, He Muqing finally couldn't hold back any longer.

"Mr. Chen, please wait a moment!"

Chen Hao paused at the doorway, turned to look at her, and asked, "Manager He, is there anything else?"