Traveling back thirty years to Conan, intercepting Princess Eri

Chapter 283 Does it really have a soul?

“This is what’s called the celebrity effect,” Yusaku Kudo laughed. “The same words have two different effects when spoken by an ordinary person and a celebrity.”

“No matter what he says,” Lin Xiuyi leaned against a pillar in the exhibition hall and shook his head lazily, “I still think this kind of abstract painting is ugly, like a rag stained with paint.”

"Vulgar!" Tomizawa Chikage rolled her eyes at him, annoyed.

"So what if I'm vulgar? It's fine to be an ordinary, vulgar person," Lin Xiuyi smiled nonchalantly. "It's better than becoming mentally ill like Van Gogh."

"Onii-chan, I'll be an ordinary, mundane person with you," Reiko said, clinging to her brother's arm like a clingy kitten. "Chikage-neechan is a refined person, so let's not influence her."

The girl deliberately emphasized the word "elegant".

Little brat, you're trying to sow discord between me again!

Tomizawa Chikage pursed her lips, took a deep breath, and forcefully suppressed the urge to retaliate.

After making a fuss for a while, the group continued walking inside.

After turning a corner, they arrived at an exhibition hall on the side.

The lighting here is much dimmer than in the main exhibition hall, creating a mysterious historical atmosphere.

Rei Furuya suddenly exclaimed, "Wow, there's knight's armor here! And this sword... could it be a real knight's sword? Is it sharpened?"

As he spoke, the boy couldn't wait to reach out and touch it.

Lin Xiuyi was about to stop him, but someone stopped him from the side.

"Little friend, you can't touch this."

The speaker was a middle-aged man in a sharp suit with a kind expression.

"Uncle, is this knight's sword real?" Furuya Rei looked up, his finger still pointing at the gleaming longsword with reluctance.

“Of course it’s true,” the middle-aged man said with a smile. “This set of knight’s armor and longsword has been around for hundreds of years. Moving them around carelessly can easily damage them.”

“We must wear clean gloves when cleaning and maintaining them.”

"Uncle, do you work here?" Chengshi asked timidly.

“Yes,” the middle-aged man smiled and patted the head of the adorable little Narumi. “My surname is Ochiai, and I am the curator here.”

Director Hideichi Ochiai couldn't help but take another look at the other person.

“The armor is well-maintained,” Kudo Yusaku stepped forward and examined it carefully. “There’s not a trace of rust.”

“Of course,” Director Ochiai smiled proudly. “Every piece here is like a child to me.”

As he spoke, his gaze gently swept over each exhibit in the exhibition hall.
“I always take great care of them.”

After chatting for a few more minutes, Director Ochiai went to attend to his work, while Hideaki Hayashi and the others continued their visit.

As they walked, the group arrived at the deepest exhibition hall in the art museum.

The lights here suddenly became brighter, and there were noticeably more visitors than in the other exhibition halls.

On the largest wall in the center of the exhibition hall hangs a huge landscape painting of Mount Fuji, its frame shimmering with golden light under the spotlight.

Two uniformed security guards stood on either side of the painting, watching the passing tourists warily.

"It's so beautiful!" Narumi exclaimed, her eyes wide, her little hand instinctively covering her mouth. In the painting, Mount Fuji appeared a dreamy pink under the morning sun, and the lake at its foot reflected the snow-capped peaks, a breathtaking sight.

"Is this the painting that sold for over 200 million yen?" Reiko's eyes gleamed with the light of gold coins.

"This is Master Kisaragi's work?"

Rei Furuya looked up at it for a while, then suddenly scratched his head, looking puzzled, and said...

"Mount Fuji is indeed painted very well, but it doesn't have the feeling that the master was just talking about."

"Don't talk nonsense again," Tomizawa Chikage reached out and smacked Furuya Rei on the head. "This painting can sell for more than 200 million yen, so it must have its merits."

"Tch," Furuya Rei pouted, rubbing the spot where he'd been slapped in a huff, "Then tell me, what's so good about it?"

“I don’t quite understand either. When you were commenting on those paintings, you kept talking about soul and emotion,” Lin Xiuyi interjected. “Like this painting in front of us, apart from the fact that Mount Fuji is painted beautifully, does it really have a soul? I just can’t feel it.”

"That's because you don't understand painting!" Tomizawa Chikage scoffed. "This painting, in terms of both composition and the pressure of the brushstrokes, is a masterpiece among masterpieces."

“This painting,” Yusaku Kudo couldn’t help but say, “I also feel like something is missing.”

"Hey, how come you've become so vulgar too?" Tomizawa Chikage stomped her foot in annoyance. "If this classic work had so many problems, how could it have sold for 200 million yen!"

What she said made so much sense that even Yusaku Kudo began to reflect on whether his judgment was truly flawed.

Just then, a deep voice suddenly rang out: "The quality of a painting should not be measured by money!"

Everyone turned around and saw that the speaker was none other than Master Ruyue Fengshui, whom they had just met.

He stood in front of the painting of Mount Fuji, his hands behind his back, his expression serious.

Sunlight streamed through the skylight in the exhibition hall, illuminating his bald head and thick mustache.

Whether it was Lin Xiuyi's imagination or not, he always felt that the master's gaze towards the painting of Mount Fuji contained both reluctance and disdain.

“This painting is indeed problematic,” Master Ruyue murmured to himself, “It has technique, but no soul.”

“Master, they’re just talking nonsense…” Tomizawa Chikage tried to explain.

“No, they are not wrong.” Master Ruyue shook her head, continuing to stare blankly at the painting, and said nothing more.

It's all your fault!
Tomizawa Chikage glared at Hayashi Hideichi and Kudo Yusaku.

The atmosphere became somewhat awkward, and since no one wanted to stay any longer, they turned around and left the exhibition hall.

Lin Xiuyi chuckled and said, "Even the masters say we're right, and you're still clinging to your classic work."

He deliberately imitated Tomizawa Chikage's excited tone, making Reiko giggle.

“Hmph, Master was just being polite,” Tomizawa Chikage retorted, unconvinced. “This painting is his masterpiece. Without this Mount Fuji, Master Kisaragi’s fame would not be comparable to what it is today.”

"If there were any problems with a painting like this, someone would have pointed them out long ago. How could it be your turn to say anything!"

“Judging from Master Kisaragi’s reaction just now,” Kudo Yusaku stroked his chin, “there might be more to this than meets the eye.”

"No matter what the hidden story is! The fact is, it can sell for over 200 million yen!" Tomizawa Chikage's voice rose eight octaves with excitement. "That's proof of its value!"

No sooner had the girl finished speaking than a piercing scream suddenly rang out in the exhibition hall where the painting of Mount Fuji was displayed, followed by a chorus of exclamations and hurried footsteps...

(End of this chapter)