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

He Muqing recalled Chen Hao's excessively youthful face, hesitated for a moment, and then shook her head:

"No... based on the information registered by the consignor and my contact with them, the other party... is very young."

"Young?" Lin Sinian immediately shook his head, his tone very certain.

"Impossible! Absolutely impossible! Manager He, it's not that I don't believe you."

But the artistic conception of this painting, especially the sense of desolation that comes with the passage of time and the ultimate control over the brush and ink, is something that young people can never possess!

Without decades of copying, sketching, reading, and contemplation, one could not create such paintings or write such calligraphy!

I'm certain that the true artist of this painting is not the registered consignor himself!

It's very likely that it's being sold on consignment, or... it might just be a counterfeit?

But to imitate such spirit in a forgery is itself the mark of a master.

The more he talked, the more reasonable his speculation seemed.

How can a young man paint landscapes with such a masterful style?

How can he still write such skillful calligraphy?

This completely violates the principles of art!

He Muqing listened to Lin Sinian's resolute analysis and her heart began to waver.

Indeed, Chen Hao is too young, so young that his painting seems out of place with its profound depth.

She was moved by the painting itself and Chen Hao's confidence and agreed to consign it, but deep down she also had her doubts.

Now that Lin Ssu-nien, this clearly knowledgeable old man, had pointed it out, those doubts resurfaced.

"Mr. Lin, you're right," He Muqing said carefully.

"The consignor insists that he painted the painting himself. But we really can't be 100% sure whether he painted it or not."

It's also possible, as you mentioned, that he was selling it on behalf of someone else, or... there might be other reasons.

Lin Sinian nodded, his gaze returning to the painting "Autumn Wind in Ten Thousand Valleys," filled with admiration, praise, and intense curiosity.

The painting's intrinsic value is undeniable, but the mysteries surrounding it are equally captivating.

Who exactly drew it?

Who exactly is "Haolin"?

What role does the young man who came to consign his item play?

Just as Lin Sinian was admiring the "Autumn Wind in Ten Thousand Valleys" painting and discussing it in hushed tones with He Muqing, a chuckled, aged voice came from behind him:

"Old Lin, what are you looking at so intently? I called you twice and you didn't hear me."

Lin Sinian didn't need to turn around; he knew who it was just by hearing the voice—his old friend, Yu Mobai.

Yu Mobai was a few years older than Lin Sinian. He was slender, dressed in a simple Zhongshan suit, and wore reading glasses. His refined demeanor was tinged with the seriousness of a scholar.

His identity is no simple matter; he is the president of the Huaxia Calligraphy and Painting Association and a leading figure in the field of calligraphy and painting appreciation and collection, with a keen eye and extensive knowledge.

"Old Yu, you've come at the perfect time!" Lin Sinian turned around, his face still brimming with excitement, and pointed to the painting on the wall.

"Come and see this painting!"

Yu Mobai had only come over casually to say hello, but seeing his old friend's expression, he was also intrigued.

He looked in the direction Lin Sinian was pointing and his gaze fell on the "Autumn Wind in Ten Thousand Valleys" painting.

Upon seeing this, the relaxed smile on Yu Mobai's face vanished instantly, replaced by a focused and intense scrutiny.

He took a few steps forward, almost touching the painting, pushed up his reading glasses, and scanned the painting inch by inch from the upper left corner to the lower right corner, not missing any detail.

After watching for a full three or four minutes, Yu Mobai slowly exhaled, his face revealing undisguised amazement:

"What a beautiful painting! A magnificent 'Autumn Wind in Ten Thousand Valleys'!"

His voice rose slightly with excitement as he began to offer detailed comments:

"Old Lin, look at this composition! It's grand and expansive, full of magnificent grandeur!"

The "Three Distances Method" is used with unparalleled skill, especially the "Deep Distance," which is layered and progressively advanced. The clouds and mist are handled with a skillful interplay of reality and illusion, instantly evoking a sense of boundless grandeur and making the mountains and valleys seem endless!

He then pointed to the rocks: "The brushwork is even more remarkable! The texturing techniques are varied yet orderly. He flexibly uses hemp fiber, axe-cut, and folded ribbon techniques according to the texture of the rocks. His control over the dryness, wetness, thickness, and lightness of the ink is exquisite!"

Look at the cliff in the foreground; the dry brushstrokes vividly depict the hardness and ruggedness of the rocks!

And these pine trees, each with a different posture, all possess a vitality that defies wind and snow. The depiction of the pine needles is both meticulous and free-spirited—truly remarkable!

He stepped back two steps to appreciate the overall atmosphere: "What's most precious is the artistic conception of this 'wind'! 'Autumn Wind in Ten Thousand Valleys'—the title alone is difficult to paint."

Many painters either only paint mountains without depicting the wind, resulting in a rigid style; or they paint the wind in a way that disrupts the mountain's stability, making it appear frivolous.

This painting uses a few strokes of light ink to sweep across the canvas, creating a sense of both reality and illusion, making the viewer clearly feel the presence, strength, and direction of the autumn wind, without disrupting the overall composition and majestic grandeur of the mountains!

This technique is truly a stroke of genius, requiring an exceptionally strong overall control of the image and a rich imagination!

Finally, his gaze fell upon the poem and calligraphy, and he nodded repeatedly:

"The poem is also excellent! 'The roar of ten thousand valleys has not ceased, while a thousand mountains stand solemnly as autumn leaves fall,' it is so fitting!"

"A long wind seems to sweep away the colors of the clouds, a mountain ridge of frost-red presses down on the traveler's boat"—a sublime image!

In just twenty-eight characters, the artistic conception of the painting is refined again with words, and the parallelism itself is perfect, with a desolate and majestic spirit. Only someone with a profound understanding of landscape could create such a work!

"Look at these characters again!" Yu Mobai's tone was respectful.

"The running script is vigorous and powerful, with a rigorous yet relaxed and natural structure and a well-arranged composition. It shows a profound foundation in copying model texts, but also incorporates the writer's own understanding, forming a unique style."

"Without decades of experience in calligraphy, one could never write such characters!"

He became more and more excited as he spoke, but then his gaze fell on the signature "Haolin" and the small seal, and his brows immediately furrowed.

"Haolin?" Yu Mobai murmured to himself, searching his mind rapidly.

Given his status and connections in the calligraphy and painting world, he can connect with almost any calligrapher or painter in China, whether they are established masters or emerging talents.

He wouldn't say he knew them by heart, but at least he remembered their names.

But this "Haolin"... I have absolutely no recollection of him!

He turned to look at He Muqing, who had been respectfully standing beside him, and asked directly:

"Manager He, who is this Mr. Haolin? Forgive my poor eyesight, but I have never heard of him before."

Is it a newly emerging master? Or a new pen name used by a famous person?

He Muqing quickly replied, "President Yu, I'm so sorry, I don't know who 'Haolin' is either."

The consignor of this painting was a very young gentleman who, when registering, claimed to be the artist, "Haolin."

"A young gentleman? Claiming to be an author?" Upon hearing this, Yu Mobai immediately shook his head vigorously.

"Impossible! Absolutely impossible! Manager He, you're not trying to fool me..."