Movie variety show soul travels between two worlds to become a rich man

Chapter 545 The Priceless Rose: A Mind's Prison
Is this painting valuable?

Ruqing took off her coat and threw it on the sofa, looking at Gao Dongxu with a slight frown. On the way back from the gallery, the man seemed to be bewitched, holding the rose oil painting with great affection, even holding it up to examine it closely while sitting in the car.

Back in his hotel suite, he was still like a child who had received a beloved toy, a smile he couldn't hide on his lips, his fingers carefully tracing the edge of the picture frame.

This question was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, immediately creating ripples. Ru Xin and Su Yan also involuntarily raised their heads, their three beautiful eyes focusing simultaneously on the seemingly ordinary oil painting.

"Is it valuable?" Gao Dongxu chuckled, his eyes gleaming with the sharp light of a hunter seizing his prey. "Go away. This painting of roses is a legendary masterpiece, lost for over a century. A wealthy man once offered a billion to buy it; it's currently the highest bounty on the world's black market for art..."

"A billion?!" The three girls gasped simultaneously. Ru Qing stared in shock, while Ru Xin unconsciously walked to Gao Dongxu's side, staring intently at the painting. Even the most reserved Su Yan was shocked and exclaimed in disbelief, her conscience rising and falling rapidly with her rapid breathing.

Gao Dongxu, enjoying their shocked expressions, slowly added, "That's right, one billion, and in US dollars."

"Who would spend a billion dollars on a painting?" After her initial shock, Ru Qing curled her lip in disbelief, her red lips slightly parted. "Unless that person has lost their mind." She leaned closer to examine the painting, but there was nothing particularly remarkable about it.

Her slender fingers hovered above the frame, hesitant to touch it: "This is incredible." Her voice was as soft as a feather, her gaze shifting back and forth between Gao Dongxu and the painting.

Su Yan stood a little distance away, the bright lights illuminating her fair and beautiful face: "This price is outrageous..."

"Hehe, the bounty is still up. This painting can be exchanged for two hundred million US dollars at any world-renowned auction house immediately."

Gao Dongxu chuckled softly and held the oil painting up to the crystal chandelier. The light pierced through the ancient paint, and the rose suddenly came to life, the dewdrops on its petals seeming ready to roll off at any moment.

"To you, this is an astronomical figure," his voice carried the composure of someone in a position of power, "but to some, it's just pocket change. Like..." He glanced meaningfully at the three men, "like if you had ten thousand dollars, would you care about spending ten?"

This metaphor made all three girls purse their lips simultaneously. Ruqing wanted to retort, but found herself unable to find the right words. Indeed, there was an insurmountable chasm between their world and that of the super-rich.

"Are you planning to sell it?" Ru Xin suddenly asked, her eyelashes casting fine shadows under the light, her bright eyes looking at Gao Dongxu.

“Of course,” Gao Dongxu’s answer was surprisingly straightforward, “Even the most beautiful work of art can’t compare to real gold and silver.” He turned to the floor-to-ceiling window, the city lights dancing on his sharply defined profile, “But we’ll have to wait until we return to China to contact the bounty hunter and have them conduct the transaction in China. Only on our own turf can safety be guaranteed…”

"Are you worried about being double-crossed?" Ru Qing keenly caught the caution in his words.

As Gao Dongxu turned around, a cold glint flashed in his eyes: "The temptation of a billion dollars is enough to turn anyone into a devil." His thumb unconsciously rubbed the edge of the picture frame.

All three women nodded in approval of Gao Dongxu's caution; after all, this was a billion dollars.

"Speaking of double-crossing," Ru Qing suddenly chuckled, twirling a strand of hair with her slender, pale fingers, "that police officer is probably crying into his pillow right now."

Gao Dongxu burst into laughter upon hearing this, the sound echoing through the luxurious suite. He picked up the oil painting again to admire it. "He's a smart man," he said, his voice suddenly turning indifferent. "When I mentioned roses, he immediately understood his predicament—either hand over the painting, or...the four of them would all go to their deaths together."

Ru Xin nodded knowingly, while Ru Qing giggled sweetly. Only Su Yan's face turned deathly pale, her slender fingers gripping the hem of her red blouse tightly.

"You...you really can?" Her voice was barely audible, and her dark pupils trembled violently.

Gao Dongxu watched Su Yan's beautiful, frightened face with great interest, like a cat admiring a mouse struggling beneath its paws. "Why not?" he said casually. "They're just four thieves. Many victims will thank me for ridding the people of this scourge."

Hearing Gao Dongxu's nonchalant reply, Su Yan's face paled, and her heart trembled. Gao Dongxu's contempt and coldness towards other lives made her even more afraid of him.

"Alright, it's getting late, time to sleep—" Gao Dongxu took the painting and walked into the bedroom.

Ru Qing smiled and teased the pale-faced Su Yan, "Want to sleep with the boss?"

"Ah?!" Upon hearing this, Su Yan immediately took a step back in alarm, her beautiful eyes widening, her face flushed red with embarrassment as she shook her head, her mouth agape and trembling as she refused, "No, don't..."

"Hehe, look how scared you are..." Ruqing teased with a charming laugh, "It was bound to happen sooner or later anyway."

Su Yan felt a jolt in her heart, her mind in turmoil, her beautiful eyes filled with fear. She lowered her flushed face, biting her red lips tightly, at a loss for what to do.

"Alright, stop teasing her." Ru Xin rolled her eyes at Ru Qing, then said coquettishly.

"It was only a matter of time before someone teased her. Now that she knows so many secrets, she has no choice but to become one of us. Rather than being passive, it's better to take the initiative. It will make him happier and get him better treatment..." Ru Qing glanced at Su Yan, who was looking down, raised an eyebrow, exchanged a look with Ru Xin, and continued to manipulate Su Yan, giving Gao Dongxu a boost.

Su Yan lowered her head, her pretty face flushed with embarrassment, and nervously picked at her fingers. However, what she didn't realize was that she agreed with what Ru Qing said about it being inevitable sooner or later, and it was an ending she had been mentally prepared for after being kissed by Gao Dongxu.

Ru Xin looked at Su Yan, sighed softly, stepped forward and patted Su Yan's trembling body. Their eyes met, and Ru Xin gently comforted her, "Since you have no choice, then adjust your mindset and adapt as soon as possible. Think about it carefully."

After saying that, she and Ruqing walked towards the master bedroom. Su Yan looked at the backs of the two sisters, her heart in turmoil. However, she quickly turned around and ran into the guest room with a blush on her face. She closed the door, leaned against it, her heart racing and her face burning red.

However, the laughter of the two sisters and Gao Dongxu lingered in his mind like a curse.

At the same time, a voice appeared in her mind, constantly telling her that as long as she submitted to him and obeyed him, she could escape the threat to her life.

At this moment, Su Yan was trapped in an inaccessible mental prison. Under the stimulation of the drastic external environment and the threat to her life, she developed Stockholm syndrome.

However, Stockholm syndrome, like an invisible hand, began to control her emotions.

Stockholm syndrome is a victim mentality in which a person, while suffering pain and torment, develops a dependence on and identification with their perpetrator. It's similar to how a kidnapped person might develop an emotional dependence on their kidnapper, and in some cases, even try to protect them from punishment.

This is what makes Stockholm syndrome so terrifying. It can distort a person's mind, causing the victim to seek false comfort and justification for their painful reality.

It can cause victims to develop an abnormal emotional dependence and identification with the perpetrator, and in some cases, it can even lead them to actively defend the perpetrator and help the perpetrator commit crimes.

In particular, when victims feel the perpetrator's overwhelming power and completely lose the confidence and will to resist, they will choose to completely submit.

The following morning, unable to sleep due to her racing thoughts, Su Yan finally fell asleep around 5 a.m., looking listless and pale. Ru Xin knocked on her door to wake her up for breakfast.

Wearing only a bathrobe and sitting at the dining table, revealing his long legs, Gao Dongxu frowned slightly when he saw Su Yan's bare face: "Didn't you sleep well?"

Su Yan blushed and lowered her head, not daring to look at Gao Dongxu, and gave a soft "hmm".

"Then after you finish breakfast, go back to your room and catch up on your sleep. This afternoon, you'll accompany me to various museums," Gao Dongxu said, frowning.

"Mmm..." Su Yan lowered her head and took a bite of her toast, feeling a sweet warmth in her heart at Gao Dongxu's concern.

Wearing white T-shirts and jeans, with rosy cheeks and brows full of spring, the two sisters, Ruxin and Ruqing, were clearly well-nourished. Looking at Su Yan's appearance, they couldn't help but shake their heads.

"You've finally come all this way to Paris, come shopping with us this morning," Ruqing said sweetly to Gao Dongxu.

"Okay, buy whatever you want, I'll pay." Gao Dongxu looked at the twin sisters who brought him endless joy with doting eyes and smiled.

"Don't worry, I won't save you any money. I'm going to sweep the entire Champs-Élysées!" Ruqing said with a happy smile.

While eating her breakfast, Su Yan glanced enviously at the Ru Xin and Ru Qing sisters.

"Su Yan, if you're not too sleepy, come with us. You can come back to sleep at noon," Ru Xin said with a smile, looking at Su Yan who was peeking at her.

"Ah? I...I..." Su Yan blushed shyly and looked at Gao Dongxu.

"If you're not sleepy, let's go together." Gao Dongxu said with a smile, seeing that Su Yan was clearly interested.

"Mmm..." Her heart raced, and a sweet feeling welled up inside her. Su Yan shyly murmured, the thought of shopping should immediately invigorate her and dispel her sluggishness.

While Gao Dongxu led three beautifully dressed women to sweep through the Champs-Élysées, JC went alone to the Countess's castle to study the diaries left by Countess Catherine's great-grandfather and great-great-grandfather, as well as the oil painting.

Having lost the animal heads and the rose, JC, not wanting to return empty-handed, pinned all his hopes on the shipwreck of the Undying, which Countess Catherine's family had been searching for relentlessly.

(End of this chapter)