torn between two choices

Indeed, except for Jake, no one else was interested in the painting. When Dirk made his bid, the audience was watching with a spectator's mindset, waiting for the host to finish his performance on stage so that they could move on to the next auction item.

Even Dirk, who bid, didn't care about the painting. He bid not because he liked it or saw any hidden value, but for Jake. Dirk had promised from the moment they arrived that he'd cover Jake's purchases. Though he didn't quite understand Jake's taste, he still kept his word.

However, before the gavel fell, Jake was worried. After all, this was a treasure worth tens of millions. What if something went wrong during the process and he ended up with nothing?

Fortunately, nothing untoward happened in the end, and the painting that no one else fancied was successfully acquired by Dirk.

"Dirk, you can consider this money borrowed from me," Jake said to Dirk.

"What borrowed? It's just a little over ten thousand. I promised you earlier that if you found something you liked, I'd cover it for you. Consider this my gift to you," Dirk said with a smile. "But your taste really needs some improvement."

Was his taste really that bad? Dirk probably wasn't the only one who thought so. Others likely shared the same sentiment, otherwise, there wouldn't have been a single bid in the auction.

However, Jake, who possessed the appraisal technique, knew that there was more to the painting than met the eye. It wasn't as mediocre as it appeared. Yet, Dirk firmly declined to accept Jake's money, saying it was a gift. This put Jake in a dilemma. If the money spent on the painting was considered a loan from Dirk, then Jake could rightfully claim ownership of the painting. Dirk didn't want it anyway. If Jake paid Dirk back the 160,000 afterward, it would be fine.

But now, Dirk firmly refused Jake's money, saying the painting was a gift. This complicated matters for Jake. If he kept the painting to himself, he'd feel guilty. Although Dirk had willingly offered the money, Jake would still feel uncomfortable keeping something he hadn't paid for. Dirk had provided the funds, and technically, the painting belonged to Dirk. If Jake accepted it, he'd be taking advantage of Dirk.

Should he reveal the secret of the painting? Jake was caught in a moral dilemma. After all, this involved millions of dollars. Even for Dirk, it wasn't a small sum. For Jake, it was astronomical. He needed the money; with a few million, he could finally secure his shop. If he claimed the painting as his own, he'd feel a pang of guilt. After all, Dirk had paid for it. In essence, it was Dirk's property. Accepting it would be a major advantage on Jake's part.

If he were unaware of the painting's secret, it would be different. However, now that he knew, Jake couldn't act as calmly. Should he tell Dirk about it?

Jake wrestled with his thoughts so much that he couldn't focus on the rest of the auction. He was visibly distracted.

Dirk noticed Jake's unusual behavior but didn't think much of it. He simply assumed that Jake wasn't interested in the auction.

The auction continued for over an hour before concluding. After paying, Dirk received the painting from the auction house staff. Once he had it, Dirk handed it over to Jake without hesitation.

"I... I can't accept this," Jake hesitated to say. Accepting a worthless gift was one thing, but this was worth millions. In the end, he didn't have the courage to take it.

"I didn't like the painting from the start. I bought it to give it to you," Dirk said.

With that, Dirk handed the painting to Jake and said, "The auction is over. Let's go." With mixed feelings, Jake followed Dirk out.

"Dirk, Jake, take care," Jaden, the manager of the auction house, came over to see them off. "I heard Dirk bought a painting. Is that true?" he asked, glancing at the painting in Jake's hands.

"Yeah," Dirk admitted. "My friend likes it, so I bought it as a gift for him."

"So, Jake is interested in collecting paintings?" Jaden remarked. "I hope you both can join us for the summer auction in three days. There will be many valuable treasures, including paintings and calligraphy by renowned artists, with much higher collectible value than the one Jake has."

Clearly, Jaden didn't see anything special about the painting, considering Jake was just interested in collecting. Jake didn't comment on it. Instead, he asked, "Manager Jaden, could I know who brought this painting for auction?"

"A down-and-out middle-aged man," Jaden said. "He claimed to be from the Jin family's descendants. But looking at him, he seems more like a drunkard, reeking of alcohol. He set the starting price himself, saying it's a treasure passed down through generations in his family, with immeasurable value. His ancestors instructed his descendants to preserve it well, so he didn't want to set the price too low. If he hadn't insisted, we wouldn't have priced the painting this high."

Is the price high? Others might think so, even considering Dirk a gullible person for buying it. But Jake didn't share that view.

"For specific details, I can't disclose them to Jake. Our auction house has a responsibility to maintain client confidentiality," Jaden said. Jake nodded in understanding. After a few more exchanges, Dirk, Jaden, and Jake left the auction house together.

"I've noticed that you attach a lot of importance to this painting," Dirk said in the car. "It's just an ordinary painting. If you're truly interested in collecting paintings, we can come back in three days. I can buy you a painting by a renowned artist."

Dirk was trying to strengthen his relationship with Jake. Thus, giving gifts to Jake was something he didn't mind. The gift he had given tonight wasn't very impressive in Dirk's eyes—a mediocre piece at best. He wouldn't have bought it if not for Jake's insistence. Dirk thought that in three days, he could purchase a truly fine piece of calligraphy or painting as a genuine gift for Jake.

Dirk's attitude, however, helped Jake, who had been in a constant state of dilemma, finally make a decision.