Chapter 27: Surprised? Didn't see that coming, did you?

Since Elaine did not understand Chinese, Xiao Ran did not avoid her and pressed the answer button directly.

The next moment, his father appeared on the screen, his face flushed with excitement. His mother, sitting beside him, was equally exhilarated, nearly dancing with joy. However, the moment they caught sight of Elaine, they both froze. Then, the smile on his mother’s face grew even brighter, and the flames of gossip began to burn fiercely.

"Xiao Ran, who is this girl next to you? She is truly beautiful," his mother asked. "Don't tell me she's your girlfriend? You've got game, kid!"

Xiao Ran shook his head quickly and began to explain. "Please, don't misunderstand, Mom and Dad. This is Elaine, she's French and also studying at UCLA. She lives in the apartment next door. We are good friends, but not a couple. She came over today because we attended that warehouse auction together..."

He explained his relationship with Elaine and introduced her to his parents. Upon hearing she wasn't his girlfriend, his parents expressed a hint of regret, though they remained very enthusiastic, chatting with Elaine for a while and inviting her to visit Beijing when she had the chance. During the call, his mother even encouraged Xiao Ran in Mandarin to "seal the deal" with this French beauty and not miss such a great opportunity. Xiao Ran could only mutter that he was trying his best to brush her off.

After a few moments of idle chatter, his father got to the point. "Xiao Ran, I found an old friend who works at the Palace Museum and sent over the videos and pictures of those four porcelain plaques. My friend then consulted a ceramics expert at the museum to verify them. I have to say, your luck is truly incredible—you’ve managed to stumble upon another high-value treasure!"

"The expert says these four green-landscape porcelain plaques are the work of Wang Yeting, one of the famous 'Eight Friends of Zhushan' and a master of modern ceramic art. These are from his peak period."

Although he had already suspected as much, Xiao Ran was still stunned by the good news, standing there in a daze. He quickly regained his composure and punched the air in excitement. "That’s amazing! I knew such beautiful plaques had to be the work of a master, and I was right!"

He then shifted the tone of the conversation. "I know who Wang Yeting is—he’s one of the Eight Friends of Zhushan and one of the most famous masters of modern ceramic art, especially renowned for his green-landscape paintings. But these four plaques don't have a signature or a seal. How did the expert at the Palace Museum identify them as Wang Yeting’s work?"

His father chuckled and explained, "If even you could tell these were masterworks, wouldn't the experts at the Palace Museum be able to see it too? Such exquisite composition and masterful technique aren't something an average person could produce. And the poems inscribed on the plaques—the brushwork is vigorous and shows profound calligraphic skill, which is also not something just anyone could achieve. By comparing the calligraphy, they could confirm these are indeed Wang Yeting’s works. More importantly, there actually is a signature, you just missed it."

"What? How is that possible?" Xiao Ran exclaimed, shaking his head vigorously. "There is absolutely no signature or seal on these plaques. I checked them thoroughly with a magnifying glass this afternoon and didn't miss a single corner. Is that expert a fraud, just teasing me?"

His mother laughed out loud, while his father replied indignantly, "That expert is a researcher at the Palace Museum; how could he be a fraud? The truth is, the signature is very clever and subtle; most people wouldn't notice it. Since you’ve looked up information on Wang Yeting, you should know he had a pseudonym: 'Chuidiaozi' (The Old Fisherman). The old man fishing in the lake on these plaques is actually his signature—a self-portrait of Master Wang Yeting himself!"

"How about that? Is it a surprise?" his father said triumphantly, as if he were the one who had made the discovery.

"Wow!" Xiao Ran gasped again and immediately looked at the plaques. Looking at the old man fishing in the lake now, it felt as if he had suddenly come to life. He almost imagined the old man hidden under his straw hat was smiling back at him, his eyes filled with a touch of playfulness.

"My goodness! I can't believe it. Master Wang Yeting was truly ingenious!"

His father laughed heartily. "If Master Wang hadn't played this trick and left this riddle, how could these priceless plaques have fallen into your hands? The expert mentioned that the Palace Museum has a similar set, also by Wang Yeting. That’s why he recognized their origin at a glance. He also said that for Master Wang to do something like this, these must be among his most prized works—they are incredibly rare and highly valuable."

Before his father could finish, Xiao Ran cheered and danced with joy. He even gave Elaine an enthusiastic hug, which made his mother’s eyes light up. He then filled Elaine in on the situation, not hiding anything from her. Hearing that these landscape plaques were valuable antique art pieces, Elaine was also extremely excited. Fortunately, they were inside the apartment, so they didn't have to worry about attracting any covetous eyes, even with their loud cheering.

After the celebration, Xiao Ran and his parents began discussing how to handle the set. "The expert estimates the value of this set at around 13 million RMB. What do you plan to do with them, Xiao Ran? They are so beautiful—why don't we keep them as a family heirloom? It’s too hard to come by treasures like these!" His father’s eyes shone with anticipation, and his mother looked equally moved.

However, Xiao Ran shook his head without hesitation. "Too many people know I found these—at least several hundred, and there will be more in the future. It’s not appropriate for us to keep them; it might invite trouble. Besides, with flights between China and the U.S. suspended, it would be difficult to send them home right now, and it’s not safe to keep them here. I’ve decided to sell them; it will be much less of a headache."

Hearing this, his parents fell silent. A moment later, his mother nodded. "Xiao Ran, you’re right. It’s not wise to keep them. Sell them." His father agreed, though a trace of disappointment and regret remained in their eyes.

Noticing their reaction, Xiao Ran quickly comforted them. "Don't be disappointed, Mom and Dad. I’ll be attending all kinds of auctions in the future. With my luck, I’m bound to find even better antiques and art pieces. When that happens, we’ll quietly collect a few treasures and not tell a soul!"

"Oh, you and your boasting!" his mother said with a laugh, and his father joined in. It was clear they didn't really believe he would continue to be that lucky.

After chatting a bit more and letting his parents admire the four green-landscape porcelain plaques one last time, Xiao Ran ended the call. He then entered his live-streaming room to start the broadcast. The moment he went live, hundreds of fans poured in like a tide, showing just how impatient they were.