Closer to Revealing My True Self
Chapter 98 - 90: Feeling Provoked_1

Chapter 98: Chapter 90: Feeling Provoked_1

Feng Yi stood outside the hospital ward, leaning against the wall and recalling the events that had unfolded that day.

He thought it was just an appraisal of a piece of python skin; he never expected it to send the client to the hospital!

When appraising the erhu, Mr. Zou was so calm that Feng Yi was happy his work could end early, and he could take the payment and leave, thinking today’s job was quite easy.

But he didn’t anticipate that the python skin brought out afterward was also a fake!

Even less did he expect the importance of that python skin to Mr. Zou was much greater than the erhu!

Mr. Zou had just finished boasting about weathering great storms, and Feng Yi thought there was no need for euphemism with such a big shot, only for the big shot to faint from the shock immediately afterward!

This was really...

Appraisal work did have its risks!

It seemed he still needed to be cautious in the future, no matter how clients boasted; he couldn’t be too blunt, but had to transition smoothly, to prevent any issues from too much stimulation, which likely could bring trouble to him. Receiving anger directed at him, standard procedure.

Fortunately, at the time, Mr. Zou’s assistants and others were downstairs, more familiar with Mr. Zou’s health condition, and after administering first aid and medication, they sent him to the hospital.

There wasn’t serious trouble with the person now, but he was originally in recovery from an injury and had not completely healed, his body weakened, and today’s shock was quite substantial.

Weakness + Stimulation

He fainted on the spot.

Now that he was awake, transferred to a ward, and had called his assistant and a few others in to speak, Feng Yi was asked to wait outside.

So, Feng Yi hadn’t left.

He was likely needed for the python skin matter.

Feng Yi played with his phone outside for a while before he was called in.

Mr. Zou was lying on the hospital bed, appearing emotionally stable, but analyzing the scent information related to the emotions emanating from his body, Feng Yi knew the man was still enraged.

He had quite the patience!

Seeing Feng Yi come in, Zou Fan gave a small smile, as carefree as when back home.

Feng Yi: "..."

Alright then.

I’ll pretend I know nothing.

"I’m really sorry, previously acquired injuries haven’t healed, and my body is weak," said Zou Fan.

Feng Yi nodded understandingly, "It’s good you’re alright."

"Let’s continue with the matter we didn’t finish talking about earlier."

Zou Fan paused, took a light breath, then slowly continued, "Since you could tell that it was fake skin, then you must’ve already identified what kind of material it is?"

"Medusa seventh generation," Feng Yi replied.

"Seventh generation..."

Zou Fan closed his eyes and fell silent.

His face showed nothing, but Feng Yi felt the intense fluctuations of emotions bursting within him.

The emotions were complex at this moment, not just anger, but others as well.

After a while, Zou Fan said to Feng Yi, "Thank you for telling me this. Later, I’ll have my assistant transfer you 300,000. You did two appraisals today and deserve to be paid for both. As for the remaining 100,000, take it as an extra token for your troubles today. I hope today’s matters will not be disclosed."

Feng Yi nodded, "You can rest assured on that point, I always respect client privacy."

He didn’t refuse the money, not because he was greedy for it, but accepting this money made Mr. Zou more assured.

Seeing Zou Fan showing signs of weariness, Feng Yi said his goodbyes and left.

Not long after leaving the ward, Feng Yi received a text message on his phone: 300,000 had been transferred to his account.

This big shot was indeed efficient.

With his work here done, he didn’t want to stay in the hospital any longer; the hospital’s scents were too complex, too depressing, too irritating.

Being here made Feng Yi feel edgy, fearing someone might pull him aside for a check-up.

He couldn’t withstand scrutiny now, not even a single cell could!

Zou Fan’s ward was on a high floor, and there weren’t many people around on this level; no one had yet crowded around the elevators.

Feng Yi waited in front of the elevator.

After a short while, the elevator arrived; it was coming down from above.

But when the elevator doors opened and Feng Yi looked inside,

An old lady was seated in a wheelchair, surrounded by over a dozen people of all ages.

Feng Yi’s foot had already started to step forward but then retreated.

Seeing him hesitate, the old lady gestured, "Come on in, dear, there’s plenty of room here!"

Feng Yi forced a smile, "No, thank you. I just remembered something; I’ll go down later."

Then he stepped aside to let a mother and daughter heading his way get into the elevator.

...

Feng Yi thought with this many people already, the floors below would have even more; though not necessarily crowded, people probably wouldn’t be able to get in later.

Yet on second thought, this hospital was usually busy, especially this building.

Therefore, better to take the stairs.

High floors didn’t matter; his physical fitness had improved.

Not in a rush, Feng Yi leisurely descended, and on the way down his phone rang – it was Lu Yue.

"Feng Yi, I heard Mr. Zou was hospitalized again?" said Lu Yue.

"Hm?"

"I have a relative working at that hospital, who just told me Mr. Zou was brought in. Is everything okay?"

"It’s fine."

"Did he find out that erhu was fake and get upset? Didn’t I tell you to be more tactful during the appraisal?" Lu Yue inquired.

That was something Feng Yi really couldn’t answer.

He couldn’t possibly tell Lu Yue whether those skins were real or fake or how Mr. Zou was upset; that was the client’s privacy, and Feng Yi maintained that professional ethic.

Moreover, just now I received an extra one hundred thousand as a sealing fee, which I can’t divulge.

Seeing Feng Yi unwilling to elaborate, Lu Yue didn’t ask further about the reason Zou Fan was hospitalized.

"That’s good nothing was wrong this time. Were you scared this time, kid? If I have friends who need someone to appraise python skin, would you take it?"

"Of course," Feng Yi said.

Why not take it? I still need to earn a living!

Although startled today, I made three hundred thousand, enough to eat for a while. This trip was worth it!

Hearing Feng Yi’s tone, Lu Yue knew Zou Fan was okay. After getting the information he wanted, they chatted for a bit more before he hung up.

Feng Yi continued heading downstairs, thinking about that Mr. Zou.

To prompt Lu Yue to call and probe, Mr. Zou must be quite capable. It’s just unclear how he will react after today’s shock.

Both the erhu and python skin in Mr. Zou’s hands were certified; when they were authenticated, experts definitely appraised them, so it was impossible for them to be fakes at the time of collection.

The python skin today was replicated using Medusa Generation 7 skin, which hasn’t been on the market long, indicating the replacement must have been recent.

Nowadays there’s no shortage of clever people; as soon as the new faux skins hit the market, the aging technique keeps pace!

To craft such a replica requires commissioning expertise, having someone age it, and a wealth of knowledge about Mr. Zou’s own python skin—nearly identical in length, pattern, with matching weathering technique—it must have been a long-term scheme!

Probably a showdown between big shots.

Luckily, Feng Yi was out of the picture. Maybe after recovering the python skin, Mr. Zou would want Feng Yi to appraise it again, but at this moment, Zou Fan certainly didn’t want to see Feng Yi.

Every time Mr. Zou saw Feng Yi, he would remember Feng Yi’s words, "This skin is fake."

An endless loop; a blood pressure spike.

So the sooner Feng Yi got out of there, the better. His presence was an unwelcome reminder.

However, he really hadn’t expected Mr. Zou to care so much about that python skin.

Upon careful analysis, the reason became clear.

After all, the erhu was his grandfather’s, not his; he was merely its custodian.

What Mr. Zou really wanted was a python skin erhu of his own, a kind of fixation. No matter how advanced the technology, or how good the replicas, even if the sound exceeded that of the genuine skin, it wouldn’t be acknowledged by him.

Just as Feng Yi couldn’t understand Mr. Zou’s obsession with genuine skin for his erhu playing.

Perhaps this was human fixation.

A belief reinforced through self-indoctrination, unshakable by others, becoming a form of psychological sustenance.

With the loss of the python skin, his spirit was halved.

Seeing Mr. Zou’s pale face in the hospital room earlier, part of it was due to illness, and part was a deep wound from the psychological impact, a stab to the heart.

As for what’s next, probably another storm of blood and violence.

But it couldn’t be publicized wildly; the topic of wild old python skin was too sensitive.

If it really came to light, both Mr. Zou and his company would face public scrutiny.

As Feng Yi was thinking "Even big shots aren’t omnipotent," at the stairwell corner, he bumped into an old man who cried out in pain and fell to the ground, his bag of apples scattering all over.

Feng Yi: "..."

The old man continued to cry out in pain on the ground.

Seeing people starting to come upstairs, Feng Yi thought for a moment and stepped forward to ask, "Are you okay?"

The old man reached out a hand: "Quick! Help me up! I still need to take these apples up to my grandson!"

Struggling, he began to pick up the apples from the ground.

"You hold onto the railing; I’ll pick up the apples."

Feng Yi helped him up and then gathered the apples off the floor, put them back in the bag, and handed it to the old man.

"Thank you! Young man, be careful when you use the stairs, don’t bump into people. If you had bumped into some other old man or lady, they might not have had as good a temper as mine. This is a hospital, after all; it’s the perfect place for a scam."

Carrying the bag of apples, the old man waved his hand at Feng Yi and continued his way upstairs.

Mumbling under his breath, "Young people these days... built like stone pillars..."

Feng Yi stood there, pulling out a tissue to wipe his hands.

Upstairs, the old man with the apples had just exited the staircase was stopped by two men.

Two robust men cornering an old man drew glances, and as someone was about to intervene, one of the younger men showed a badge.

Upon seeing it, the person backed away immediately, looking at the old man with suspicion, and told those nearby, "It’s the police; they must be catching a thief!"

The old man, on hearing this, was not pleased, "Who are you calling a thief! That’s slander! What did I steal? You want to frisk me? Go ahead! If you find something..."

Before he could finish, an undercover policeman pulled out a bottle of medicine from his pocket.

As if choked, the old man’s eyes bulged, "I... this... just now... wasn’t..."

"This bottle of medicine isn’t yours," said the policeman.

The old man’s complexion turned ashen, staring blankly at the bottle in the policeman’s hand, as if struck by a significant blow and psychological trauma.

This shouldn’t be happening!

He was sure that he had already taken this bottle of medicine...

Listening to the commotion above, Feng Yi continued walking downstairs, even stopping in the restroom to wash his hands.

Sniffing them.

Almost all the medicinal smell was gone. Not as pungent as before!

He hadn’t driven to the hospital, so he had to take a taxi to the parking area near Mr. Zou’s residence, then drive home.

Feng Yi wondered whether to take a taxi first or eat something.

He was hungry.

Before he had made up his mind, as soon as he stepped out of the hospital, he was stopped by someone.

Looking at the badge the person presented, Feng Yi: "..."

Damn!

Shouldn’t have taken the stairs!