Chapter 97: Ruan Liuzheng: In one word, five million, will you buy it or not?

Ruan Liuzheng casually glanced at Xie Wanning, a chill flickering across her cold eyes.

She said calmly, "Have you thought it through? If you don't make an offer, I'm leaving."

Xie Wanning's breath hitched. She stepped forward, extending her hand in front of Bai Huanqing, a protective gesture.

She raised her chin high, her eyes gleaming with disdain. "How much do you want? As long as you're willing to sell this painting to us, I'll pay any price."

Throughout their journey, only this painting, which Ruan Liuzheng had taken a fancy to, was unique and eye-catching.

In a few days, Huanqing would attend Professor Wen's birthday party. If she brought this painting with her, she would surely win Professor Wen's favor.

She might even break Professor Wen's rules and get him to make an exception and accept Huanqing as his apprentice.

After all, Professor Wen was a renowned art figure in Yuncheng and even the world. Accepting her as his apprentice would free Huanqing from the shunning of Yuncheng.

Xie Wanning recalled the sufferings Bai Huanqing had confided to her a few days ago, and a feeling of pity welled up in her heart.

Even though they had only known each other for a short time, Xie Wanning had already been moved by Bai Huanqing and truly considered him a friend.

Moreover, Huanqing had helped her…

Xie Wanning’s eyes flashed, and she looked at Ruan Liuzheng with a cold face, a glint of determination flashing in her eyes.

Ruan Liuzheng glanced at Xie Wanning, who was full of justice, indifferently, then turned his head, his eyes falling on Bai Huanqing behind Xie Wanning with a smile, his eyebrows slightly raised, “Are you going to pay for the painting alone, or are you two going to pay together?”

Xie Wanning frowned, her tone a little puzzled, “Does it make a difference?”

Ruan Liuzheng smiled, and looked at Bai Huanqing indifferently with his cold eyes, his eyes full of deep meaning.

The corners of her lips curled up slightly, a faint smile playing across her beautiful features. "Of course I do. If you don't explain clearly, how can I give you a price?"

Ruan Liuzheng's lips curled into a faint smile, a hint of amusement flickering across her elegant, refined features.

While these words were clearly materialistic, coming from her, they didn't sound offensive at all.

Instead, they felt almost natural.

Xie Wanning's breath caught in her throat, and the disgust in her eyes deepened.

She snorted, "I'm enough to deal with a woman like you. There's no need for Huanqing to intervene. So, just tell me how much you want. I can afford it."

Ruan Liuzheng chuckled softly, but she didn't answer Xie Wanning immediately. Instead, she raised her eyes and leered at Bai Huanqing with a half-smile. "Bai Huanqing, have you been hiding behind me all this time, watching your best friend stand up for you? And you haven't even shown any appreciation?"

Bai Huanqing's heart sank.

Seeing the challenge in Ruan Liuzheng's eyes, she slowly clenched her palms, a sinister glint in her clear eyes.

She took a deep breath, then, thinking of Xie Wanning beside her, stood up, a gentle smile playing on her lips.

"Wanning, this is the birthday present I chose for Professor Wen. How could I ask you to buy it for me?"

Bai Huanqing smiled as she walked over to Xie Wanning's side. Her clear eyes fixed on Ruan Liuzheng, her tone unusually gentle. "Sister Liuzheng, please make an offer. Although it's said that a gentleman shouldn't take away what others prefer, this painting is indeed very useful to me."

"You don't understand painting, and this painting would be a waste in your hands. So, I have no choice but to..."

Bai Huanqing paused at the right moment. She pursed her lips, her innocent eyes flickering slightly, the meaning already self-evident.

Ruan Liuzheng raised an eyebrow, a hint of a smile forming at the corner of her light crimson lips.

A hint of playfulness tinged her delicate eyes.

She raised her eyes, her expression indifferent. Without further ado, she said directly, "Five million!"

Bai Huanqing and Xie Wanning's eyes widened instantly, expressions of disbelief and shock.

Although they both came from wealthy families and had a fixed monthly allowance, often reaching hundreds of thousands, if they were asked to come up with five million to buy a painting, they would indeed be somewhat unable to do so.

Moreover, Ruan Liuzheng's offer was completely beyond their budget for the day.

The two, who had been so confident just now, now looked extremely grim.

Especially Bai Huanqing!

From the beginning, she had never imagined that this painting would fall into Ruan Liuzheng's hands, nor did she think that Ruan Liuzheng would actually have the money to buy it.

Ruan Liuzheng had already divorced Fu Yanci, so where would she get the money?

Before coming here, Bai Huanqing had carefully examined every painting in the exhibition. Only the painting before

her had the best chance of pleasing Professor Wen and gaining his favor at his birthday party in a few days.

Therefore, she was determined to obtain this painting.

Bai Huanqing frowned slightly, a glint of white flashing across her clear eyes.

After a long pause, she took a deep breath, bit her lip, and said, "Sister Liuzheng, do you really have to do this? To get back at me, have you even abandoned the most basic principles of being a human being?"

"That's right, you're clearly asking for too much! We all know the original price of this painting."

Xie Wanning couldn't bear to see Bai Huanqing being wronged. She stepped forward, her chin held high, "We're offering you this price to give you face. Don't push your luck! Otherwise... believe it or not, I can have you kicked out of the exhibition immediately!"

Ruan Liuzheng tapped her arm with her fingertips, a chill in her clear eyes.

She was truly fed up with their tactics of threatening others when they couldn't win an argument.

She sneered, "It was you who said you wanted to buy the paintings. I just quoted the ideal price in my mind. What? Is it my fault that you don't have money?"

"Or do you think that Mr. Wen's paintings are not worth this price?"

Ruan Liuzheng looked at the two people in front of her coldly, with an expression of undisguised contempt and disgust.

Why does she meet people like Bai Huanqing everywhere she goes? She has already divorced Fu Yanci.

Why does Bai Huanqing still cling to her like a fly, even trying to interfere in her art exhibition.

If you don't have money, just say it directly. Why bother to keep jumping in front of her? Her patience is really exhausted.

Ruan Liuzheng closed her eyes, then opened them, and took a deep breath. "If you can't afford it, then please make way. I have something else to do and don't have time to chat with you here."

"You!"

Xie Wanning walked forward angrily, her beautiful eyes filled with deep anger.

Without even waiting for Bai Huanqing to stop her, she walked straight up to Ruan Liuzheng with a look of disdain, "In my entire life, no one has ever dared to describe me as 'poor'."

"You are a kept mistress, and you are so confused about your own identity. Believe it or not..."

Ruan Liuzheng couldn't bear to listen any longer.

She looked at the arrogant and dismissive Xie Wanning in front of her with indifference, and interrupted coldly, "Believe it or not, you can drive me out of Yuncheng with just a flick of your finger? You have already said this, there is no need to repeat it to me a second time."

Bai Huanqing's friend was indeed as foolish and conceited as she was.

Ruan Liuzheng chuckled twice, a hint of disdain etched across her delicate features. "You use your status to bully others when you lack the ability. Only people like you who think so highly of yourself would constantly talk about your origins."

"One word, five million, are you going to buy it or not?"

Xie Wanning was furious. She snapped, "I'm telling you, my last name is Xie! Mr. Wen, the organizer of this exhibition, is a family friend." "

So I advise you to quit while you're ahead and sell this painting to us at the original price."

Ruan Liuzheng chuckled softly, her cold eyes etched with undisguised impatience.

Her expression was indifferent, a hint of disdain etched in her voice. "I don't care what your last name is, or what your relationship is to Mr. Wen. This painting is my current owner, and I can do whatever I want with it."

"No money, no money. Why bother making excuses?"

Ruan Liuzheng's lips curled upwards, and she regarded the two men before her with a half-smile, her eyes inexpressibly playful.

Xie Wanning and Bai Huanqing's faces froze.

They stared at Ruan Liuzheng angrily, but no one spoke again.

Xie Wanning was rich, but she was asked to spend so much money at once to buy a painting, a painting that was of no use to her.

Her mother would definitely not agree.

Moreover, if she wanted to use such a large sum of money, she had to ask her mother's consent, and she could never make the decision on her own.

Ruan Liuzheng saw the hesitation of the two clearly, she smiled faintly, turned around and prepared to go to the next exhibition area.

She didn't intend to waste time on Bai Huanqing and the others.

However, just as she turned around, Bai Huanqing seemed to see something, her eyes lit up, and she trotted quickly in one direction.

Bai Huanqing smiled and took Fu Yanci's arm, her innocent and charming face brimming with joy. She softly said, "Brother Yanci!"

Fu Yanci's brows relaxed, and he looked at Bai Huanqing lovingly, "What were you doing just now? Are there any works you like today?"

"Cousin! You're finally here."

Xie Wanning approached Fu Yanci, as if finding a backer. She glared at Ruan Liuzheng fiercely, "If you don't come, Huanqing will be bullied to death by this woman."

Fu Yanci frowned and glanced at Xie Wanning, his cousin he had only recently met, his lips slightly pursed.

Ever since Xie Qingcen's last appearance, he had been trying to contact other members of the Xie family, hoping to one day join the Xie family and gain their recognition.

Xie Wanning's family was the only one of the Xie clan who hadn't rejected him, but instead offered him a helping hand.

So, no matter what, Fu Yanci couldn't stand by and watch Xie Wanning being bullied.

Now that he had encountered her, he couldn't just stand by and watch.

Fu Yanci's expression turned cold, and he raised his eyes to look in the direction where Xie Wanning was coming from, with a hint of sharpness in his dark eyes.

But when his eyes touched Ruan Liuzheng, he was stunned for a moment.

Fu Yanci pursed his lips and took two steps forward unconsciously, "Why are you here?"

Ruan Liuzheng raised his eyes slightly, his eyebrows indifferent, "What does it have to do with you!"

Fu Yanci's eyes sank.

His face turned cold in an instant, "Do you have to talk to me like this? Ruan Liuzheng, are you really so ruthless?"

His dark eyes stared at Ruan Liuzheng steadily, with a darkness in his eyes that was difficult to understand.