It's already 2026, how can we still talk about having many children and having many blessings?

Zhao Mingyuan finally understood the crux of the matter and roared, "Gu Qingyao, how could you be so heartless? Are you putting my father on the spot?"

Gu Qingyao gave him a cold look and ignored him.

Instead, he handed the fragment to the staff member next to him.

"Take it for testing immediately."

"Samples of the body, glaze, and pigments were taken and analyzed. Two copies of the analysis report were prepared, one to be sent to the Provincial Cultural Relics Bureau for record-keeping and the other to be kept in the company's archives."

"In addition, since you all witnessed the condition of this artifact, if it is convenient, please sign a witness confirmation form to confirm the sampling process on site today."

"Teacher Zhao." She turned around and looked at Zhao Qiming.

"Next, the company will review all the collections you have handled in the past one by one. Until the facts are clear, your position as chief appraisal expert will be suspended."

"Furthermore, please cooperate and check into the hotel I have arranged."

"Of course, you can refuse to cooperate, but I will have no choice but to call the police."

"Considering your years of service to the company, I can grant you some dignity."

Zhao Qiming looked at Gu Qingyao and sighed, "Qingyao, you've grown up."

He didn't say anything more and followed the security personnel slowly toward the door.

His back was much more hunched.

Zhao Mingyuan followed behind, glancing back at Gu Qingyao with reddened eyes, filled with shock, anger, and a hint of fear.

The senior members exchanged glances.

Old Qin handed his cane to Shi Qing and walked up to Gu Qingyao.

He didn't say anything, he just reached out and gently patted her shoulder.

"Qingyao, not bad, very bold. However, even we old folks can't accurately assess this celestial globe bottle. Who was the expert who gave you guidance?"

They're all shrewd people; they've already figured out the problem.

Ms. Zhou from Chen's Culture took off her gold-rimmed glasses, wiped them, and put them back on, her expression complex.

The Chen family and Sheng Heng fought for more than a decade, engaging in both offensive and defensive maneuvers in the auction market and the competition for talent, resulting in numerous grudges.

But looking at the scene before her, she felt a lingering fear.

If this happened to her own company, she wasn't sure she could handle it like Gu Qingyao did.

But who is the mastermind behind Gu Qingyao?

She felt an immense pressure bearing down on her.

No, we must find out who that expert is, and we must bring them over no matter the cost.

She immediately sent a message, asking her assistant to investigate which appraisers had recently been getting close to Gu Qingyao.

Gu Qingyao shook her head and smiled, "Seniors, there's no expert here. Just now, it was just that the security guard was careless. It was all a coincidence."

After she finished speaking, she saw the look in Zhou Yue's eyes, the president of Chen's Company, and suddenly felt a sense of urgency and impulse. She wanted to rush to Chen Mo and ask him what it would take to join Sheng Heng and help her.

"Dear seniors, I'd like to ask for your help with the upcoming appraisal meeting. I didn't sleep a wink last night and need to go back and catch up on some sleep."

The senior members exchanged glances and did not ask any further questions.

"Okay, that's good. Leave the rest to us. We'll talk to Zhao Qiming and get him to confess. We'll try to handle it in a dignified way, minimize the losses, and avoid going too far."

Gu Qingyao turned and walked out of the museum.

Once inside the car, she leaned back in the driver's seat and let out a long sigh.

She had only managed to doze off briefly since last night, her mind was buzzing.

She started the car, turned onto Cuihu Road, and stopped in front of a villa.

Gu Qingyao entered the house. The nanny was preparing dinner in the kitchen. She peeked out and greeted her when she heard the door open.

A woman holding a baby stood up.

"Qingyao, why are you back so early today?"

"Yes, I'm done." Gu Qingyao immediately instructed the nanny.

"Aunt Zhang, prepare a few more dishes tonight and have a high-class family banquet. I'm inviting one person, and my dad will be back too."

"Yes, Miss Qingyao, we'll get ready right away."

Gu Qingyao poured herself a glass of water and drank it, then went to the woman.

"Sis, let me hug my sweet nephew."

She held the child in her arms, but the child immediately started crying.

"Oh dear, you little ingrate, you cry as soon as Auntie hugs you."

"Haha, Qingyao, you like children, hurry up and have one, you're not getting any younger."

"When do I have time?"

Gu Qingyao returned the child to her sister, then took out her phone and found Chen Mo's number.

The phone call went unanswered.

She tried calling again, but still couldn't get through.

He put down his phone and frowned.

Who did you call? Didn't they answer?

"The people we're hosting tonight are probably busy."

Gu Qingyao dialed again, but still couldn't get through.

She sent a message to Chen Mo, but received no reply.

After waiting a few minutes, she called again, but it was the same.

Her expression changed.

Has something happened?

Zhao Mingyuan…

Could it be that Zhao Mingyuan guessed it?

"Qingyao, who is that person? Why are you so anxious?"

"The expert who saved our company." Gu Qingyao found Luo Li's number and dialed it.

The call was connected very quickly.

"Sister Li, call the person Chen Mo asked you to pick up last time and ask if she can get in touch with Chen Mo."

"OK."

A short while later, Luo Li called back.

"He's on a business trip and should be on a plane right now. He's supposed to be going to Ruili to attend some kind of auction. Zhao Siman doesn't really understand, and Chen Mo didn't explain it to her in detail. Is there anything I can tell her?"

Gu Qingyao breathed a sigh of relief. "No need, but there's something urgent I need your help with."

"you say."

"Use the resources of Jinming Law Firm to help me find out about Chen Mo, his basic information, family background, and social connections. The more detailed and faster, the better."

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone.

"Qingyao, did Chen Mo offend you?"

"No, he did me a huge favor, not just a little bit. I want to recruit him into the company, and even... so I want to know everything about him."

Luo Li was silent for a while. "Qingyao, if Chen Mo finds out about this, it will be bad for me and for the reputation of Jinming Law Firm."

"I always felt that Chen Mo was not simple, as if he could see through people's hearts."

She talked about the last negotiation.

Gu Qingyao was taken aback. "You have this feeling too? Never mind, Sister Li, just help me investigate. If he finds out and blames me, I'll take responsibility myself."

"I must win him over and get him into Shengheng's core."

She recounted what had happened in the past two days.

"Right now, I know nothing about his teacher, his background, or what he does, so I'm not at ease with him."

She knew it was dishonorable to do this, but she needed to know everything about him.

Otherwise, she wouldn't dare to gamble Sheng Heng's fate on him.

"Okay, I'll check for you. But let's make it clear beforehand, I can only check basic information, nothing private."

"Can."

After hanging up the phone, Gu Qingyao immediately called her assistant and asked him to change his flight to Kunming to the earliest one.

Shengheng has always invested in the jade industry, and has done so on a large scale. Yuyuan Workshop is a subsidiary of Shengheng.

"Chairman Gu, are we changing your team and ours, or are we changing the entire jade business unit team as well?"

"It's my own business. You and the jade business unit team just need to go according to plan."

A moment later, the assistant called, "Mr. Gu, it's been changed. The flight is for 1 a.m. Do you want me to pick you up and take you to the airport?"

"No need, I'll go myself."

Gu Qingyao told the nanny not to prepare a family dinner, saying she would do it another time, and then immediately took a shower and packed her luggage.

"Qingyao, why do I get the feeling that you're going to chase after your lover?"

Gu Qingyao smiled. "Sister, he really could become your brother-in-law."

"Oh? Really? Then I'm really looking forward to it."

Gu Wanqing, the mother of this child, had no idea who her brother-in-law was.