Bus

Seemingly sensing the warmth behind her, the young woman felt a bit annoyed, thinking the handsome guy looked good but turned out to be useless. She glanced back with resentment, wanting to vent her dissatisfaction.

However, when she turned around, she was startled to find the young handsome man had disappeared. In his place was a creepy-looking man with glasses, his face covered in pimples, and a smirk so lewd it was unsettling.

A scream escaped the young woman's throat, causing the bus driver to shudder and almost veer off course. Fortunately, his experienced driving skills saved the situation. Despite this, the bus still broke through the green belt and had to stop at the side of the road.

The young woman, now like an enraged leopard, extended her finely manicured nails and fiercely scratched at the glasses man's face.

The glasses man, caught off guard by the sudden attack, found himself covered in scratches from the woman's crimson-painted nails.

He howled like a pig being slaughtered, "Pervert... I'll kill you! How dare you take advantage of me..."

In that moment, Ye Haoxuan finally understood what had happened and thought to himself that this guy indeed had audacity to commit such acts in broad daylight.

Passengers on the bus, witnessing the scene, understood too. Several young individuals with a strong sense of justice stepped forward to apprehend the creepy man.

To everyone's surprise, the glasses man pulled out a knife from his waist, menacingly saying, "I dare any of you to meddle."

While there's no shortage of righteous men in the world, their actions depend on their capabilities. Faced with a glinting knife, the brave individuals hesitated.

Most passengers, seeing the situation, hastily exited the bus. After a while, only the young woman, the creepy man, and Ye Haoxuan, who hadn't managed to leave in time, remained on the bus.

Seeing the creepy man's sleazy appearance, the young woman was infuriated, her face flushed. She had a cleanliness obsession and couldn't stand being taken advantage of by such a creepy glasses man. She wished she could strangle him.

"Scoundrel, degenerate..." The young woman hurled a string of insults that made Ye Haoxuan feel embarrassed.

Unfazed, the creepy man retorted, "Bitch, it's your blessing for me to take advantage of you. Go inquire about who Glasses Brother is."

The young woman, visibly angered, retorted, "You..."

Ye Haoxuan, unable to bear it any longer, intervened, "Hey, buddy..."

"What? You want to meddle too?" the creepy man angrily shouted.

Ye Haoxuan raised his hand, saying, "Glasses Brother, right? I wouldn't dare to interfere in your business."

"Good to know. Mind your own business and get lost," the creepy man said, brandishing his knife.

At this moment, Ye Haoxuan swiftly approached, his right hand transformed into a palm, forcefully striking the glasses man's wrist.

The glasses man felt a piercing pain in his wrist, letting out a scream as the knife dropped to the ground. Ye Haoxuan seized his arm, delivered a side kick, and sent the glasses man's slender body flying out of the bus, crashing into the green belt with pine trees.

The glasses man let out a bizarre cry, the thorny branches of the pine trees causing discomfort. A group of young people quickly approached, subduing him on the spot.

Shortly afterward, the police arrived, loading the creepy man into the police car. Some officers went to take statements. As they were about to leave, Ye Haoxuan distinctly felt the resentful gaze of the young woman.

The turmoil finally settled.

The bus happened to stop near the antique street of Qingyuan. Although Ye Haoxuan had studied in Qingyuan for a few years, he had never been to this place. With nothing else to do, he strolled into the antique street.

Now in the afternoon, the antique street was not as lively as in the morning. Occasionally, a vendor set up a stall, but business seemed slow. The shops on both sides of the street were all antique stores, some specializing in jade.

At this moment, a man dressed as a laborer hurriedly walked into one of the shops.

The shop was named Antique Pavilion, and Ye Haoxuan followed him inside. The interior was decorated with an ancient charm, giving a sense of tranquility upon entering.

The laborer hesitated and asked, "Boss, do you buy ancient paintings?" Taking a long scroll from a lengthy package behind him.

The owner of Antique Pavilion had a shifty look, clearly the sly type of businessman. He approached, wanting to inspect the goods.

The laborer nodded, carefully unwrapping the package and unfolding a painting on the counter.

Ye Haoxuan had never dealt with antiques before, but now he stopped and watched with keen interest.

The scroll, almost a meter long and about forty centimeters wide, depicted a traditional landscape ink painting. The style was ancient, grand, and perilous, with delicate strokes and a clear layout. At the bottom right of the painting, a seal written in seal script had become somewhat blurry.

The Antique Pavilion owner took out a magnifying glass, closely examining the painting. He scrutinized it from top to bottom, then focused on the signature and seal, contemplating for a moment.

After a while, he put down the magnifying glass, uninterested, and said, "Although the signature on the scroll is Gu Kaizhi, the style suggests it's a later imitation. It doesn't hold much value. How about this, I'll give you a courier fee of a hundred yuan. What do you think?"

The owner's words weren't entirely wrong. Gu Kaizhi's paintings are often replicated, even by his students. Genuine works are rare.

Despite this, the imitation closely resembled Gu Kaizhi's style, showcasing skill and having some collectible value. However, the world of antiques is deep, and the laborer seemed a bit awkward. The owner naturally wanted to acquire the painting for the lowest cost.

"A hundred yuan? Isn't that a bit too little? Are you trying to deceive me?" The laborer hesitated, expressing disbelief in the Antique Pavilion owner's words.

Hearing this, the Antique Pavilion owner seemed greatly offended, patting his chest and saying, "Brother, I swear on the integrity of the heavens and earth. You can inquire around; Antique Pavilion is well-known. We prioritize honesty, never deceiving. I'm offering you a little compensation for your trouble. If it were someone else, this scrap of a painting would be treated as waste paper..."