Therefore, Zhou Xuan could not guarantee that he would get clues from the painting at the beginning. This was just his starting point. If he could not get the clues he wanted from the painting, he would have to search for Jiang Yu'e through the public security system via Fu Yuanshan.
However, Zhou Xuan was indeed lucky. The information he obtained from the painting included not only Jiang Yu'e's image, but also images of Jiang Yu'e and Zhao Chengzhi together, including intimate images of them in bed. From these images, Zhou Xuan learned that the two were in cahoots and that this whole thing was a carefully planned trap.
What Zhou Xuan wanted to figure out was whether there were other people behind Zhao Chengzhi and Jiang Yu'e, and whether they were sent by his enemies. However, Zhou Xuan estimated that they were unlikely to be sent by his enemies, since he did not show his face in the antique shop very often. In fact, Zhang Jian was in charge of the shop, and most people did not know that the shop belonged to Zhou Xuan. Even the people Zhou Xuan had offended did not know this.
If they were to target the jewelry company, it would seem like they were trying to frame Zhou Xuan. But considering the amount, even if it were three times the original purchase price, it would only amount to a mere ten million. To frame Zhou Xuan, let alone ten million, even a hundred million or a billion wouldn't be enough to harm him. Therefore, Zhou Xuan estimated that it probably wasn't someone directly targeting him.
After thinking it over, the most likely explanation is that the two scammers just happened to be randomly selected from their store.
This scam was quite sophisticated; it wasn't something someone unfamiliar with the industry could pull off. Old Wu fell for it because he initially saw the genuine painting and, in his excitement, bought it at a low price. Although he was supposedly keeping an eye on Jiang Yu'e, he was clearly less vigilant, which allowed Jiang Yu'e to switch the original painting with the fake. Then, when Old Wu took it to the auction house, his accomplice Zhao Chengzhi bought the fake painting. This way, they could use a fake painting to swindle three times the compensation, while they had already earned over 700,000 yuan from the previous sale, totaling over 10 million yuan in cash. Meanwhile, the genuine painting remained in their hands. Anyone would want to do something like this.
Even if you call the police, they are unwilling to handle cases like this because it is a business dispute between Zhao Chengzhi and Lao Wu's antique shop. They either go to court or negotiate privately.
Zhao Chengzhi hadn't shown his face before; all he did was buy the fake painting and legitimately demand compensation—all of which were legal and reasonable. Did Old Wu want fame or money? But even if he didn't want fame, if a lawsuit broke out, as Zhou Xuan said, once a handwriting analysis confirmed the painting was a fake, Zhou Zhang Shop would definitely lose and have to pay three times the contract price.
All of this allowed Zhou Xuan to obtain images from the fake painting. It was also Zhao Chengzhi and Jiang Yu'e's bad luck. In this vast world, once Jiang Yu'e disappeared and stopped showing up, where could Lao Wu find her? Moreover, Lao Wu had no photos, no clues, and no way to search for her. Jiang Yu'e's name was fake, and the house she lived in was only rented temporarily. She vanished into thin air, making it impossible for him to find her.
However, when they encountered Zhou Xuan, a special person, Jiang Yu'e and Zhao Chengzhi's plan was exposed. Of course, this flaw was not a flaw to others; in fact, it was a flawless one. Even if the police came to investigate, without clues, photos, real names, or addresses, how could they investigate?
Zhou Xuan went through these thoughts in his mind, but didn't tell Lao Wu, only reassuring him.
Old Wu was still feeling uneasy and anxious, his eyes fixed on Zhao Chengzhi's car, wondering where Zhao Chengzhi was going, whether he was going home or going to find an expert to analyze his handwriting.
Zhao Chengzhi's car eventually drove into a residential compound. When Zhou Xuan and Lao Wu's taxi entered the compound, the security guard stopped them. Zhou Xuan poked his head out and said, "We're from building 77."
The security guard immediately waved for him to go in. Security guards judge people by their demeanor. If you appear imposing or fierce, they won't dare to stop you. Even if you are a homeowner, if your appearance is not good, they will stop you.
Zhou Xuan's superpower had already locked onto Zhao Chengzhi's location. After parking the car downstairs, Zhou Xuan immediately told the driver to stop, paid the fare, and then led Lao Wu around to the front of the building. After finding a secluded spot, Zhou Xuan focused his superpower into a beam to detect Zhao Chengzhi's whereabouts. He went up to the eleventh floor, entered Block B on the left, took out his key, and opened the door. The woman in the room should be Jiang Yu'e.
However, Zhou Xuan didn't tell Lao Wu this, as it was difficult to explain, so he simply kept quiet. After Zhao Chengzhi and Jiang Yu'e had discussed it, they went to their acquaintances to pull strings and get their handwriting analyzed at the police station. When they detected Zhao Chengzhi and Jiang Yu'e about to go downstairs, Zhou Xuan quickly said to Lao Wu, "Old Wu, when Zhao Chengzhi goes downstairs, please confirm whether the woman with him is Jiang Yu'e."
"Oh," Old Wu responded, but then he wondered how he could know Zhao Chengzhi was coming down? And how could he be sure that a woman was coming down with Zhao Chengzhi?
Although Lao Wu didn't understand, it seemed like a coincidence that Zhao Chengzhi actually came out of the building again, and there really was a woman with him.
However, Old Wu's eyesight was failing, and he couldn't see the woman's face clearly from a distance. He could only see her clearly when Zhao Chengzhi got closer to the woman.
Fortunately, the community's green facilities were quite good. Zhou Xuan and Lao Wu were hiding in a long clump of bushes about one person tall. Looking through the bushes, they saw Zhao Chengzhi and the woman approaching. Zhao Chengzhi pressed the remote key in his hand, and the white Toyota beeped. Then he opened the car door and got in. The woman went around to the other side of the car and got in. This side was only about two meters away from Lao Wu and Zhou Xuan, separated only by that clump of bushes.
Old Wu looked closely and realized that although the woman was wearing different clothes, her face was exactly the same as the woman who had sold him the painting—it was Jiang Yu'e.
Although Old Wu's eyesight was failing, the antique trade has always been a profession that hones one's eye; he could remember the distinctive features of people and objects at a glance. Therefore, when Jiang Yu'e approached them, Old Wu recognized her immediately and could be 100% certain that it was Jiang Yu'e.
Zhao Chengzhi started the car and drove out of the residential area. After the car turned the corner, Old Wu hurriedly said, "Xiao Zhou, it's Jiang Yu'e, that woman."
At this point, Lao Wu was truly certain that he had been tricked by these two people; they were in cahoots, and it was all a scam.
But Zhao Chengzhi and Jiang Yu'e drove off, how could they catch up? There were no cars available.
Old Wu jumped out and said urgently, "Xiao Zhou, they've driven far away. We need to find another car to follow them quickly, otherwise we won't be able to catch up!"
Zhou Xuan chuckled and said, "Old Wu, there's no need to chase after them. As long as we confirm that these two are in cahoots, things will be much easier. I'll have my friend handle this matter, and I guarantee that not a word will leak out."
“But…but…how will we know if we don’t follow them…” Old Wu said anxiously, but Zhou Xuan immediately interrupted him.
"Old Wu, as the saying goes, 'The monk may run away, but the temple will.' Now that we know their address, what's there to worry about? Don't worry, I'll handle everything. Let's go back."
Once outside the residential compound, on the sidewalk, Zhou Xuan took out his phone and called Fu Yuanshan.
"Brother, it's me."
"I know, Miss Wei already told me that you don't need to take responsibility for this anymore. I've already sent someone else. I'll find a place for us tonight, let's have a drink together," Fu Yuanshan replied on the phone, sounding quite pleased.
Volume 1, Chapter 407: Don't Judge a Book by Its Cover
Chapter 407 Don't judge a book by its cover
Zhou Xuan chuckled and said, "Brother, I need your help with something. Could you check if a couple named Zhao Chengzhi will be going to the police station's technical appraisal department to authenticate the handwriting on a painting? I just don't know which branch they'll go to. Could you help me find out and detain them? These two set up a scam against our antique shop and are demanding ten million yuan in compensation from us."
Fu Yuanshan paused for a moment, then immediately asked, "Is that so? Good, don't worry, as long as they come, no matter which branch they're in, I can detain them for you."
Now that Fu Yuanshan has been promoted, it's no big deal for the deputy director to detain people in the branch office.
Zhou Xuan then told Fu Yuanshan Zhao Chengzhi's address. Fu Yuanshan chuckled. Zhou Xuan had already figured out this opponent. His intervention was just a convenient move. However, Zhou Xuan's abilities were too mysterious, so this was a minor matter.
Then Zhou Xuan told him about Zhao Chengzhi and his wife's affair with Lao Wu before hanging up the phone.
In fact, Fu Yuanshan didn't even ask Zhou Xuan about the cause and effect of the matter. Even if Zhou Xuan hadn't told him, Fu Yuanshan would have handled the matter for him. Zhou Xuan explained the matter clearly, just to let Fu Yuanshan know that he wouldn't let Fu Yuanshan do unnecessary things for him, and that he wasn't using underhanded tactics.
Fu Yuanshan would love to do as many cases as possible like this. No one in the public security system would not want to solve a case without much effort; for them, this is a political achievement.
Having almost finished the task, Zhou Xuan prepared to return to the antique shop with Old Wu. However, upon reaching into his pocket, he felt two hard objects. Pulling them out, he realized they were two diamonds given to him by Fu Ying. Only then did he remember what Fu Ying had asked him to do, and he quickly said to Old Wu, "Old Wu, I have something to attend to at the jewelry company."
Old Wu nodded, hailed a taxi, got in, and said to Zhou Xuan through the window, "Xiao Zhou, I'm going back to the shop now. You go ahead and get busy."
Zhou Xuan smiled and waved, then said, "Old Wu, don't worry, it's alright. It wasn't a mistake on your part; it was a trap set by Zhao Chengzhi and Jiang Yu'e. They simply switched the painting. Don't worry, I've already had my friend in the Public Security Bureau secretly detain them. Everything is under control. I'll call you when things are settled."
After Lao Wu left in his car, Zhou Xuan thought for a moment and then hailed a taxi to head to the city center. Since he had nothing else to do, he figured he might as well go to a large shopping mall and buy a piece of jewelry for Fu Ying, his mother, and his sister.
Zhou Xuan was planning to check if there were any new styles in the store. If he found a style he liked, he would have his two diamonds processed. Given the quality and size of these two diamonds, if he were to hire a famous designer or store to design them, the finished product would definitely cost over 100 million yuan. These diamonds are truly rare.
Zhou Xuan didn't know when Fu Ying took it from the rock wall. If he had known it would end like this, he would have taken a few himself. He was worried about the consequences of taking the diamonds, but then he realized that taking the diamonds had no effect; only taking the Nine-Star Beads would have an impact.
The largest commercial building in the city center is the International Building, which has a floor area of over 10,000 square meters. The first to seventh floors are occupied by the world's most famous department stores, and the third floor is a jewelry store.
Zhou Xuan got off the bus at the International Building station, then took the elevator from the first floor to the second floor. The second floor was a department store, and it was incredibly crowded. He went to the back and followed the crowd up to the third floor.
The third floor is a pure jewelry market, with branches of most famous jewelry, watch and other jewelry stores from around the world, including Zhou Xuan's Zhou's Jewelry.