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Chapter 401: Resisting External Temptation
Translator: Lan Editor: Efydatia
His slender fingers moved in her hair. Qin Guan pressed her head fiercely towards his as they exchanged hot kisses.
Julia's mind had gone blank. She had forgotten to breathe and act. This man had occupied her brain completely.
She kissed Qin Guan back fiercely, her symbolic wide mouth feasting on him. She nearly bit Qin Guan's nose off as she kissed him and licked him.
"Wait..." Qin Guan was out of breath. "I want to use the washroom."
Julia hugged his head and whispered to him, "Beware of the mini camera."
Then she left, leaving him behind with a surprised expression.
"Good! Cut!"
It was a perfect day for the beautiful woman and the handsome boy, who had a love and hate relationship.
The whole crew left. Qin Guan was the last one there. He had to remove his makeup and change clothes all by himself. Famous actors had their own assistants and cars, but he had to rely on himself.
Qin Guan liked that feeling though. He put on some loose pants and sneakers and headed to the bus stop.
In November, his breath turned into mist outside. Lonely lamps were standing along the road. A large Buick business car was parked by the sidewalk.
Julia had pasted her face to the back window. Her cheekbones were flat against the glass.
Qin Guan nearly passed by her, when she suddenly realized the glass was between them. "Driver, lights! Lights!" Julia rolled down the window, shouting at the driver.
The lights made Qin Guan go dizzy.
He narrowed his eyes to see clearly who was annoying him.
A woman with a wide mouth was shouting and waving at him. "Qin Guan, over here!"
"Ouch!" The silly girl had overestimated herself and gotten stuck by the window.
Qin Guan burst into laughter at Julia, whose eyeballs had nearly fallen out of their sockets.
"Stop laughing at me! I just wanted to say hi. Cough, cough..."
Julia drew her head back. Qin Guan was standing outside the window, looking into her eyes with a smile.
Suddenly, she blushed. She was an experienced woman. She was no longer a pure girl. In front of that young man though, who was younger than her by more than 10 years, she couldn't help but smile and flush.
Looks were the best traffic permit. She wanted to help him even more.
"Not driving today? Need a ride home?" Julia was not a proud movie diva. She was actually very approachable in real life.
"Yes. My girlfriend has taken the car... Could you please take me to the nearest subway station, if it's not too much trouble?"
"No problem."
The car drove away, leaving the empty shooting location behind.
In five minutes, it pulled to a stop at a corner of the bustling New York City. A tall young man went into the subway station fast.
The window rolled up. As she stared at Qin Guan's back, Julia let out a long breath. Danny's number was twinkling on the screen of her phone.
"Hi, honey. I'm coming home. Okay. Love you..."
Temptation was everywhere in life. There would always be someone better, but one rarely had a chance to change their mind.
Julia's mind was filled with her sweet boyfriend. She had forgotten about the ripples caused by Qin Guan.
One had to choose the most suitable mate, not the best one. Mature people gave up on such unrealistic thoughts.
Qin Guan's only thought was that he would never let Cong Nianwei watch the film.
The next day, Julia greeted Qin Guan first when he rushed into the makeup room. Qin Guan sensed a change in her though. There was no longer embarrassment in her expression, just the concern a senior actor felt about a green hand.
That's better. He let out a breath of relief.
As a professional actress and a movie queen, Julia taught him a lot during the shooting. Qin Guan tried his best to learn from her experience.
This was a precious chance that he could benefit a lot from.
They had shot most of the movie already. The tears of his girlfriend made Chuck want to return to his normal life. He had his own thriving career, and his shows were always attracting public attention.
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Chapter 402: A Woman's Heart is the Worst Thing in the World
Translator: Lan Editor: Efydatia
The real reason was that his colleagues were dying one by one.
His guide had warned him not to trust anybody and then died the next day.
Qin Guan felt relieved. His guide had been the only one who had known about his identity. He could get rid of his secret identity now.
Oh, no. There was one more person. The woman who'd shared a happy memory with him and saved him from the Soviet State Security Committee. She had called him the night before his wedding ceremony, when he was about to marry his girlfriend, who was played by Drew Barrymore.
It was night in the single apartment. Cameras were placed in the corners and in the corridor. The director was sitting behind one of them, watching the splendid scene.
Julia was waiting for Qin Guan at home, wearing a sexy silk nightgown. They were going to talk about the deaths of their comrades.
Green porcelain cups were set on a black tray, filled with coffee she had made herself. The milk pot was surrounded by the cups.
Julia poured milk gently into two cups.
Qin Guan was wearing a fashionable flowery shirt of the 1980s. The buttons on his chest were unfastened, revealing his naked skin.
Looking happily at the warm coffee, he began his farewell speech.
This was their last meeting after all. Qin Guan had decided to be loyal to his wife, so he had to say goodbye to his lover, no matter how much it hurt.
"This is good coffee. I'd like to be a writer in the future. i want to write a masterpiece everyone will quote. I don't want to live an assassin's life anymore. I live in fear all the time. This life is not respectable."
Julia seemed reluctant to end their affair. Rubbing her slender fingers, she said, "I miss you, Chuck. I always bury my emotions. Boston is a beautiful city. Maybe I could start a new life there."
Qin Guan smiled, but remained silent. His smile looked splendid and comfortable. Even the stars in the sky couldn't outshine his charm.
He pointed outside the window, showing Julia the city at night. Julia turned around and pointed to the photos along the corridor. His image was there, the symbol of her love.
They picked up their cups and toasted gently, looking at each other.
"To life... Cheers..."
The coffee was smooth as silk, moving down their throats and filling their stomachs.
Qin Guan stood up. He was ready to leave, but suddenly he fell down to the floor. "What's happening?"
He was rolling around on the floor, completely out of breath. Julia put down her cup leisurely and leaned slowly towards the soft bed. She looked like a guide to Hell.
"Wow! You look terrible. You should take a look at William. I took a perfect photo of him."
William had been a member of the secret service team.
"Keeler was much easier." She stood up and walked over to Qin Guan. "He would have travelled through half of the Earth to spend a night with me."
Keeler had been another victim.
Julia played with her long hair arrogantly. Grabbing Qin Guan's feet, she planned on pulling him to the washroom to get rid of his corpse.
She tried to drag him, but Qin Guan wouldn't move.
Julia was no athlete herself. A 186-centimeter tall adult was too heavy for her. After several attempts, the assistant director couldn't watch anymore. He wanted to put some kind of wagon under Qin Guan's body.
George stopped him though. They just kept watching.
"Wow, Chuck, you've gotten fat." Julia squatted down like a frog and pulled with all her might.
Bang! His forehead hit the wall around the corner.
Bang! It was his poor nose this time.
You are too big, Qin Guan! You should lose some weight!
The camera kept rolling. Qin Guan was still being dragged across the cold floor. His shirt had been nearly torn in the process. The crew couldn't bear to watch anymore. Qin Guan was crying internally, not because of his cruel treatment, but because of Julia's comments.
I'm not fat. My weight is average.
On the way to the washroom, Julia was murmuring to herself about her victory.
"I nearly failed with Bird. You shouldn't entrust others with something you could do yourself. He wanted to kill you. Do you know that? Such a silly guy!"
Qin Guan was lying on the floor of the washroom. Julia threw a fake posthumous paper at him, laughing at her defeated opponent.
"This sounds like your epitaph would have if you had written it yourself. Look, Chuck, I remember everything you ever told me. All your sweet words… By the way, say hi to Kari when you see him. I really liked him..."
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Chapter 403: The Affair
Translator: Lan Editor: Efydatia
She walked out proudly, her gown flying in the air. Suddenly, the situation was reversed.
She felt dizzy. The sky and earth were spinning around her. She fell onto the floor, unable to breathe. The poison Qin Guan should have drunk had taken effect on her.
Qin Guan stood by the door of the washroom at the end of corridor. The light behind his back outlined his perfect figure.
As she stared at him, Julia slowly fell down on the floor.
"When you looked out of the window, I switched the cups. If there had been no poison, everybody would have been happy. What's happening now though?"
She was the same person. yet there was no emotion left in Julia's eyes. Qin Guan walked to the kitchen quietly and took a clean towel that had been prepared for him. Then he got to work.
He cleaned the door, the sill, the floor and the bed. He had to wipe away all the traces he had left in the room. That was what he had learned during training.
Sad piano music filled the silence. Julia's body was lying on the cold floor, exactly where Qin Guan had been lying previously.
The hand that used to caress her body now stuffed a pen into her hand. Qin Guan helped her finish the letter on the paper.
George gestured to the camera, zooming out suddenly to a high angle shot.
Qin Guan left. The dying beautiful woman looked like a withered peach blossom fallen on the earth. Mournful, yet gorgeous.
In her hand were her last words.
The camera zoomed in on the paper, the crooked handwriting getting more and more distinct.
"No love."
Chuck returned home without any sense of guilt. He had put all of this into his book, "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind".
Julia's part in the film was finished. There was only one scene left, Qin Guan and Drew Barrymore's wedding.
Julia hugged Qin Guan before leaving. It was a farewell between two friends who appreciated each other.
Her body was soft in his embrace. The fragrance of roses lingered in his nose.
She kissed him on the cheek. It was a normal farewell kiss, yet Qin Guan saw some reluctance in her eyes.
It should have been a happy parting, not a sad one!
Acting scared, he tried to keep a distance from Julia. "Spare my life! Help me!" he shouted.
Everyone burst into laughter at the funny actor.
Julia laughed out loud. You don't like my kiss? How dare you!
She left amid the chaos. There was no lipstick left on her mouth. Qin Guan's face was covered in lip stains and saliva.
The photo ended up in the Sun, the most famous newspaper in the US.
"Oscar movie queen facing a marriage crisis!"
"She kissed a rising Asian actor for 10 minutes straight!"
The picture was not very clear, but it was clear enough for anyone to recognize the woman.
The sales volume of the newspaper spiked up. It even surpassed that of the New York Times.
The next day, Qin Guan had become a celebrity among the crew.
"Hey, Qin Guan! Did you see the newspaper today?"
"No, I haven't bought the New York Times. What happened?"
Qin Guan craned his head towards the newspaper with interest, only to see a picture of him and Julia hugging.
Fortunately, the photo was not very clear and his name was not on the paper, thanks to the regulations of the film industry.
Without permission from the producers and the film company, the media could not release relative information without running the risk of being prosecuted. They could only attract public attention with ambiguous titles.
Of course, there were also rumors published on the paper, which impressed Qin Guan a lot.
"Interesting... My face is not visible! I'm a nobody for the Sun."
He had a point. Thanks to his makeup, the reporter had had no idea about the background of the Asian boy. If he had known that Qin Guan was an Armani model, the title would have been much more interesting.
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Chapter 404: Open for Business
Translator: Lan Editor: Efydatia
The beauty left. The final scene and a second beauty, which was not inferior to Julia by any means, were waiting for Qin Guan.
Drew Barrymore looked at Qin Guan with a mocking expression. The power of the tabloids had taken effect already.
Qin Guan was grateful that Cong Nianwei never read entertainment newspapers. Otherwise, his acting career would come to an end.
The last scene was shot on a sunny day at a small town with a wonderful view. It was Qin Guan and Drew Barrymore's wedding ceremony, which would mark the end of his dark past and the beginning of his new life.
Qin Guan and Drew Barrymore walked out of the church slowly, hand in hand. They were wearing a pure white wedding dress and a formal suit.
White doves flew in the sky above them as the church bells chimed.
Meanwhile, in the graveyard beside the church, some people were about to bury a fresh corpse.
It was Julia. His bride was smiling in her wedding dress, while the other girl was about to be buried.
When they got in the carriage, Qin Guan decided to confess everything to his wife. Holding her hands, which were in pure white gloves, he said seriously and carefully, "Drew, I used to work for the CIA."
He was afraid to tell the truth, but he was eager to be understood by others.
"I have killed many people. Are you listening to me?"
His lips were trembling, and his eyebrows were furrowed. His long eyelashes were hanging low. His wife had stopped smiling. She was staring at Qin Guan in shock and horror.
Then suddenly, she started laughing. "Ha ha ha..."
The girl burst into unrestrained laughter, baring her white teeth.
Qin Guan felt awful. He blinked as his wife kept laughing like crazy. Her long pearl earrings were swaying back and forth.
He sniffled and sat up straight. "Ha ha ha!" Qin Guan turned his head around. She was still laughing. He turned around again, but she still kept laughing.
Fine, let's laugh together. Qin Guan grimaced awkwardly, exposing his own teeth as he exchanged a glance with his wife.
Okay, forget what I said. It was a joke.
As time went by, three old men, each of them holding a gun, were looking back at their lives. They could recall what they had done, what kind of people they used to be and what dreams they had harbored as young men.
The winner was the one who didn't commit suicide.
This was Chuck's latest show and the last scene of "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind". They had nothing to do with Qin Guan.
That was a common shooting process. Maybe they would never see each other again after the farewell toast. Amid the large film industry, only a small group of people could find new work anywhere at any time.
Qin Guan was working in his store after being forced by Cong Nianwei. He Ming and Lan Jin had sent them the first goods.
They had bought beautiful rattan Chinese baskets and a red carpet for the entrance. Their design paradise would be open soon.
When the J Clothing store opened, Guo was idling about, admiring the products in the small store. In his opinion, they could bring something new to the city.
Several designers were standing by the entrance, attracted by the proud name of the store: Beauty of the World.
Lan Jin was carrying merchandise out of his car. He had been forced to work as a labor worker for free.
"Hey, careful! Teacher Rong's goods are worth their weight in gold!"
Lan Jin grimaced and collapsed on a deck chair by the entrance. He sneered as Qin Guan took out the products one by one.
"I'm not blaming you, but just look at that rubbish! Your Teacher Rong is mediocre."
You try and say that before her.
"Look at this! A wooden mask! Why did you ask me to carry it from so far away?"
Cong Nianwei cast a supercilious look at him. "It's a Nuo Opera [1] mask. You have forgotten your ancestors."
As she hung the wooden mask on the wall, she explained its history.
"These masks are even older than tattoos and colored drawings. They showed the actors' expressions by using the five sense organs and different decorations. It was typical plastic arts. Look at the smooth lines... They are full of beauty, ferocity, savageness and moral integrity."
The masks looked as if they were alive. A gentle middle-aged man at the entrance spoke up when Cong Nianwei was finished.
"How much does it cost?" He pointed to the first mask.
"500 dollars."
Lan Jin held his breath.
The man's eyes were fixed on the mask. Despite the mess inside the store, he picked it up without hesitation.
[1] One of the oldest operas, which combined a sacrifice ceremony, singing and dancing. It can be dated back to the Shang and Zhou Dynasty (1600 BC-256 BC).
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Chapter 405: The Art Dealer
Translator: Lan Editor: Efydatia
"Can I hold it and take a look at it?"
"Sure."
His hand touched the heavy wooden mask, which was made of solid wood.
Thanks to its rich, gorgeous paint and finely-ground wood, the mask looked as smooth and embellished as jade.
"I'll take it. I have no cash on me though. Can I use a credit card?"
Lan Jin almost hit his head against the wall. What? You'll take it? You should think it over. It's 500 dollars!
That was why people needed to be educated. The Nuo Opera was one of the symbols of the Han civilization and a piece of cultural heritage. Its price was quite reasonable.
Lan Jin had been born in a family of businessmen though. Each mask cost about 30 dollars, and the price got even lower at larger quantities.
Qin Guan was not in a rush to swipe the card. Instead, he told the man carefully, "Actually, we are opening tomorrow. I see that you are familiar with artwork though. May I ask what you do for a living? Are you perhaps a member of an art foundation or the owner of a gallery?"
The man was stunned. He looked at the Asian boy carefully.
He was handsome and graceful. He looked like a particularly modest, gentle fellow.
The man took off his hat, gesturing silently for a place to hang it.
Cong Nianwei took it and hung it in the closet behind the cash register, along with his coat.
"If I may introduce myself... I'm Resnais, the owner of a C-level gallery chain. I also work as a private art dealer in Los Angeles."
Wow, if you are an art dealer, this mask must be worth far more than 500 dollars.
Qin Guan remained calm when he heard his identity. He was clear about what the man was talking about.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York only exhibited traditional paintings and works of renowned artists. None of its albums and publications were about modernism.
The Los Angeles Asian Art Museum in California, on the other side, was a famous history and art museum with all kinds of exhibits, including famous paintings of different Chinese dynasties, as well as sculptures, stone carvings, furniture and clothing. That museum was dedicated to Chinese culture and history.
As an art dealer from California, Resnais was deeply influenced by the local art market. His trip to Chelsea Street had been a big surprise.
"Okay, you can take a seat here. The next artwork I'll be showing you will shock you."
Resnais nodded. Just as Qin Guan said, the first exhibit was a surprise.
Cong Nianwei took the pieces of art out of the box one by one. Lan Jin jumped up and rummaged inside the box, sensing a great opportunity. Money! They are all worth a lot of money!
"These are Tantou New Year pictures. They flourished at the end of the Ming Dynasty. Ordinary people loved them for their bright colors and pellucid, simple way of narrating."
"Chinese people traditionally purchased New Year pictures before the Spring Festival. They were like the customized oil paintings sold by B-level galleries."
"Oh, here it is!" Cong Nianwei showed Resnais a square wooden board.
"This is another form of a New Year picture. We call it a New Year wood-block print. Artists used to carve a picture on a wooden board and print it out. They were all three-dimensional."
"They have a history of hundreds of years. These boards are the origins of the press. Show Mr. Resnais, Cong Nianwei!"
"No problem."
Cong Nianwei brushed some ink and pigment on the board carefully before gently putting a thick rice paper over it.
After 10 minutes, she pulled the paper back gently to reveal a beautiful picture of "The Three Lucky Stars".
The calm, refined man looked shocked.
In most countries, an oil painting took an artist several years to complete. These prints were meticulously customized artwork though. They also had an outlandish feeling to them that customers of B-level galleries would love.
Resnais went into art dealer mode immediately. Pointing to the artwork, he asked, "How many do you have? Shall we have a talk about them?"
Qin Guan answered calmly, "Not that many. I only have one original, the one you have in your hand. The finished products are 20 pieces. I only have 10 Tantou New Year pictures... Plus the mask you like... 5,500 dollars in total."
Lan Jin nearly fell into the box.
Liar! That's just a broken wooden board!
After debating about it, Resnais and Qin Guan reached a final price. The man left the small gallery reluctantly.
That Chinese man is really cunning. He wants to bring a multitude of Chinese artwork to the US art market. That small store could be considered a C-level gallery.
A-level galleries sold only original artwork. They were of high professional level, and most of them were members of the National Chinese Merchant Union. They enjoyed a local influence in the US. B-level galleries were inferior in comparison. They sold copies of famous artists' works at reasonable prices. C-level galleries sold both artwork and other products.
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Chapter 406: Chinese Treasure
Translator: Lan Editor: Efydatia
It was a pity that his schedule was tight. He had to send them the contract by post after returning to California. He was eager to become an official collaborator of "Beauty of the World".
The lifeline of goods supply was totally in Qin Guan's hands though. The price of Chinese commercial artwork was pretty low. In China, those pictures could be sold for 30 yuan each.
American people really loved them though.
More and more goods were displayed in the store as the number of onlookers increased. If it wasn't for the board stating "Opening Tomorrow", which blocked the entrance, they might have rushed in and fought over the products.
Small displaying furniture with Suzhou embroidery was on the antique shelves. In the golden sunshine, the hairy kittens playing with balls looked almost alive.
Xiefuchun Makeup Powder was in customized Tang tri-color glazed ceramic cases. Inside the transparent glazed bottles was hair oil used for hair-darkening, scaling, itchiness-relief and detoxification. The oil was made of borneol and musk and came from ancient, mysterious China.
American people were surprised by the products. The customers of the store would be rich, powerful people!
They would judge Qin Guan's shrewd nature by the price of the artwork. He sold ordinary products by the batch, but saved the top products for last.
Qin Guan opened the second to last box. He took out a handkerchief and wiped the dust off thoroughly. Then he put the snow-like silk handkerchief on the box and held it up in admiration. He slowly recited a poem.
"There is no jewellery on Earth that can surpass a pile of clay from Yangxian town..."
Most of the onlookers didn't understand what he was saying. He seemed very comfortable though. He looked like a Chinese scholar in a blue gown amid a bamboo forest, making a cup of tea with the dark-red enamelled pottery in his hand.
Everyone applauded.
People in America knew nothing about pottery, poetry and the special feelings of the ancient Chinese. What they admired was the person before their eyes, who was as beautiful as a painting.
Qin Guan smiled at them and gently put the pottery in the middle of a cabinet. It was a handmade piece made by Master Gu Jingzhou. Everybody followed his fingers with their eyes.
The lotus-like mini teapot revealed its real nature inside the dark cabinet.
It had a round belly with a clear decorative design. The slender handle was like the stem of a lotus leaf, giving off a summer vibe.
Its most mysterious part were the golden dots reflected on the pot, which symbolized dignity and loyalty.
White English-style teapots were like mud under a cloud. This teapot was the king of teapots.
The shocks came one after the other. Before they could come back to their senses, Cong Nianwei opened the last box and everyone went crazy.
It was a piece of brocade fabric from Nanjing.
Even during modern times, when textile technology was really advanced, Nanjing brocade still maintained its traditional features and qualities.
It owed its name to its bright splendid colors. The fabric was as beautiful as the rosy clouds in the sky. It was one of the four most famous brocade fabrics in China.
The brocade in Cong Nianwei's arms was custom-made, so it was the only one of its kind.
Using a base of red shusu, the masters had weaved golden, silver and copper threads, as well as natural silk and feathers of several kinds of birds and beasts together to form that piece of brocade.
Thanks to their complicated skill, the two-meter wide, five-meter long piece of fabric was the most expensive exhibit in the shop.
"Excuse me! Let me in!"
"Miss, could you please show us that fabric? We work for the Dior design studio."
Guo Nuoyan was nearly stomped on by the crazy women at the entrance. He was almost torn apart before Qin Guan could even speak.
"It's not for sale. We'll sell it at a public auction."
What? Poor designers can't compete with rich VIPs! Are you kidding?
Qin Guan glanced at Cong Nianwei, who opened a storage box and put the fabric inside.
"These small ones could be up for sale though."
Qin Guan took out the last products from the box. There were five beautiful concealed fibre containers that looked like kaleidoscopes.
He gently pulled the contents out. A silk scarf was presented to the crazy designers. It was as thin as a cicada's wings. The sunshine went through the texture, and its color was as bright and beautiful as a gift from the gods.
Unlike the brocade, it reminded him of the soft sound of the Yangtze river delta.
Silence prevailed in the room. Everybody's eyes were sparkling with determination. Everyone in here is an enemy.
The fibre containers were opened one by one to reveal the silk scarves, like maidens reaching marriage age.
Western people were born with an admiration of silk. The products from the Vermont embroidering studios were inferior to the real deal though.
The voices of the onlookers trembled.
"My dear boss, no! What is the price?" The scarves were swaying before their eyes in a dazzling way.
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Chapter 407: One of the Most Valuable Certificates in the US
Translator: Lan Editor: Efydatia
"Fixed price, 1,000 dollars each. It's out of stock this year." Lan Jin was about to say that he could shuttle between China and the US 10 times a month to bring more scarves, but Cong Nianwei covered his mouth and pulled him outside.
"I'll buy them all!" the fiercest girl shouted loudly. She came from France and she was one of the purchasing agents of Hermes. She had gone to the Chelsea Fair after the New York Fashion Week just to kill some time before returning to France.
She had found that fantastic store by accident. As a textile addict, she had gone crazy.
Hermes was the top scarf brand in the world, so an ordinary silk Hermes scarf cost thousands of dollars. Made-in-China silk scarves cost only 1,000 yuan each, which was nothing for her.
Her statement shocked everyone. No other designer had brought so much money along to buy silk scarves as thin as paper.
"I'm Sandrina, purchasing agent at Hermes, Accessories Department… Oh, I know you! You are the CK apparel model! You were in the inner pages of VOGUE... No wonder..."
Guo Nuoyan let her into the store through a small gap.
A golden credit card and a Hermes business card were dropped in Qin Guan's hand.
"I would suggest that you expand your business to France. Americans cannot appreciate the beauty of Asia. They are so rude and uncultivated. They have no history or civilization, so they know nothing about design."
Dear lady, it was a Chinese person who blocked you outside the store. Qin Guan shrugged as 5,000 dollars vanished from her card.
He returned the credit card to Sanderina, but kept her business card.
"Thank you for your words. Looking forward to cooperating with you in the future. Here is my card..."
Guo Nuoyan grimaced. On the card was the number of the QC accounting firm. Qin Guan was both the CEO and chief accountant.
Dude, you are so shameless. How can you be sure that you will pass the accountant exams?
Girls always admired students who majored in science.
The French girl left, looking back repeatedly with every step she took. What a pity! All the good men are married or already have girlfriends.
...
The fight ended and everyone was dismissed. The name of the store spread among the designers though.
Purchasing studio staff, gallery owners, art fair directors and exhibition sponsors all acknowledged the mysterious paradise of oriental artwork.
It was said that all the paintings belonged to Resnais, the best art dealer in California. Seldom would silk scarves made of the best brocade in the world appear in a store, which was what drove all those women crazy.
It was said that the staff of Hermes and Burberry had had a fierce fight over a thin silk scarf in that store.
Stories were already spreading. Besides, the boss opened the store irregularly. If she was in a good mood, the female shopkeeper would make small drawings for designers that seemed like real artwork.
Cong Nianwei was making good use of the spare room as Qin Guan focused on his exams.
Founded in 1887, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants was the most influential professional organization for accountants. It accepted applications according to nationality. As an international student, Qin Guan had to have his tutor sign his application form to be qualified to take the exam in a foreign country.
Putting on his glasses with a sigh, Prof. Martin tried over and over again to discourage him from proceeding. The boy seemed as tame as a quail though.
"It's the f*cking dean's fault for making the university a practical one!"
"You are a born economist, Qin Guan. Accountants deal with the stink of money. Will you get a Nobel prize for that? Or any kind of honor, for that matter?"
"I just want to make some money and open a small accounting firm..."
"What are you talking about?"
"Nothing, Prof. Martin. As you know, AICPA is the most difficult exam. After getting the certificate, I plan on saving Chinese corporations. I'll help them grow legally..."
Liar!
"Piss off with that form. If you fail the exams, don't come to my class again! What a shame!"
Qin Guan smiled at the old man and rushed to the library happily.
He could register for the exam every day except on Sunday, or in March, June, September or December.
Time was pressing. Christmas was drawing near. Qin Guan decided to take the exam just after New Year's.
The students in the library witnessed a terrible scene. Qin Guan, the fashion genius and leader of the Chinese freshmen, was working at an astonishing speed.
There were four piles of CPA paperwork, the simplest of which were the regulations.
His extraordinary retentive memory could tackle any subject.
That subject didn't occupy any of his studying time. All his attention was on Auditing, Financial Accounting and Reporting, and Business Environment and Concepts.
The difficulty of AICPA lay in the practical questions, namely the business cases, which would take up 40% of the total score. Each exam would take the candidates a lot of time.
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Chapter 408: Christmas Shopping Guidance
Translator: Lan Editor: Efydatia
Qin Guan had to enrich his experience by exercising.
He turned the pages, writing on them non stop. Only a rustling sound could be heard around him.
Papers were filled, and books were opened and closed one by one.
The campus celebrity spent only two hours on a whole book and two sets of test questions. Finally, the black boy sitting opposite him let out the breath he had been holding. He had remained stupefied as he'd watched Qin Guan work.
He had originally done so out of curiosity for the fashion star, but he had gotten shocked by him.
Rongzhi, who had just won an international robot contest, looked like a nobody compared to Qin Guan.
The nobody was snapping pictures of his idol from some secret corner.
It was rare to see Qin Guan in the library. This was a great chance to collect material. Every night he climbed over the wall between the US and China to make reports to Qin Guan's fan club.
"I saw Qin Guan on campus today. Here are some photos."
A snapshot of a hurried Qin Guan in J Clothing, holding some books, was sent by email.
"Qin Guan shot the posters for J Clothing today."
"These are the posters for the Armani perfume..."
He sent a picture of the Armani posters piled in a box.
Qin Guan's fans in China were all jealous of him. Show off!
Christmas Eve was the biggest holiday in the US, just like the Spring Festival was in China.
Qin Guan and Cong Nianwei wanted to buy some postcards from the mall. They had received cards from their schoolmates, thus learning about the tradition of sending cards to each other before Christmas.
The mall was crowded. People were purchasing cards, presents, decorations and colorful ribbons like crazy.
"Look at this cute card!" Cong Nianwei pointed to a card with a red-nosed reindeer. Before Qin Guan could say anything, a large hand took all 10 copies from the shelf.
Stunned, they looked at the strong man, who had taken all the cards and thrown them into a shopping cart. He headed for the wrapping paper without looking back.
Qin Guan tried to console his girlfriend, "We did not need that many anyway. Just take the leftover ones."
He was right. There were still several lonely cards left on the shelf. The sales assistant was in the warehouse. They might have to wait another hour to see the new products.
It seemed like Christmas shopping called for a special operation.
"Excuse me..." Slender fingers stretched over and picked up a reel of colorful ribbons from above two ladies' heads.
Before the old ladies could come back to their senses, the thief had disappeared. That was the advantage of having long arms.
Cong Nianwei pushed the cart while Qin Guan grabbed goods. They were the perfect match for a robbery.
"Oh, my beautiful lady! Your makeup is so elegant..."
Standing by the gift counter, Qin Guan was flattering a girl, his eyes fixed on the decorations in her hands.
"These are too old for your Christmas tree. Look, they are a little torn. I can see the sales assistant coming. You'll get the most beautiful decorations for your tree. I'll deal with these for you."
Qin Guan smiled as the girl flushed.
"Okay… Here you are..." The girl covered her burning cheeks and handed the decorations to Qin Guan.
Qin Guan threw them into their cart fast. They had walked three meters away, but the girl was still standing there, lost in thought.
Qin Guan craned his head towards Cong Nianwei, expecting some praise. "See? Only 20 minutes!"
Cong Nianwei poked at his head with her index finger. "Liar! The supplier restocked the shelves 10 minutes ago. The girl will have to wait for another 20 minutes for the next supply."
Qin Guan made a face, grinning cheekily. "It doesn't matter. She is still thinking about my smile. When she comes back, she will find new stock."
What a shameless guy!
They smiled and talked like tasting honey from a jar. After they decorated it, their small nest looked very festive.
What played the most important role at Christmas though? Food, of course...
Uninvited guests came to their apartment in the afternoon with the shameless intention of enjoying a traditional American Christmas feast.
The turkey was sizzling in the oven. Qin Guan had bought the semi-finished turkey from a store and seasoned it with black pepper, salt and butter.
He set the cold dishes carefully. Sliced oranges were a must, as they stood for the best Christmas wishes.
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Chapter 409: Uninvited Christmas Guests
Translator: Lan Editor: Efydatia
Before dinner, the guests suppressed their hunger with candy, hot chocolate and ginger snaps.
Cong Nianwei was making a traditional American mince pie on the stove. If it wasn't for their inspiration to have a traditional holiday, they would have chosen Chinese cuisine.
She put baking powder and salt and softened some vegetable butter into the pie crust. The stuffing contained onions, meat and butter.
Unlike a Chinese pie, which had to be fried in a pan, the mince pie had to be baked in the oven for 10 minutes.
Ding! The oven turned off automatically. Putting on thick oven gloves, Qin Guan took the large turkey out of the oven using a tray.
Then he placed it on a big white porcelain plate, decorated with rose petals. Everyone could smell the butter and pepper coming from it. There was no oil dripping around the turkey, which meant that it had been cooked perfectly. Its golden skin was cracking because of the low temperature in the room. The skin must be crisp and tasty...
The Batiste brothers carefully carried the large plate to the table and on the fine embroidered tablecloth.
"Ouch!" The white tablecloth betrayed Coulibaly, who was trying to stretch his black hand towards the turkey.
Cella hit him with his own gift, a crystal truncheon. She used it like the Spear of Judge.
When the brown pie and tasty polenta were on the table, the guests turned into hungry wolves.
"Shall we thank God before dinner?"
"For what? For the food? Just thank all the Chinese gods. Let's eat!"
"Okay, let's tuck in!"
They all stretched their hands. The chicken legs were taken by the Batiste brothers. Who said that the French had good table manners?
Joseph was gloomy. His strong body couldn't beat those shameless guys. By the time Qin Guan picked up the wine, which was mixed with brown sugar, orange peels, almonds and raisins, only the bones of the turkey were left.
The glasses were filled one by one. Not a single drop was left in the bottle. A glass of warm wine after a satisfying dinner was the most wonderful thing.
"Hey, guys..."
"May the glory of God bless the Earth with peace and men with goodwill..."
Eight members of a choir were going around the building in Santa Claus costumes.
"And..."
"Hark the herald angel sing…"
There were singers everywhere on the streets. They were not professional ones. They had just taken this chance to get together with their friends.
The foreigners knew that that night was doomed to be a sleepless one.
Wrapping paper was lying in the corner, the gifts from their friends arranged by Cong Nianwei.
They were planning on working overnight, when someone unexpectedly knocked on their door.
An elegant china doll and her loyal guard were standing outside the door.
"Er... Merry Christmas."
They went into the apartment leisurely. "Sorry to trouble you, Qin Sang [1]. I just wanted to stay here for the night..."
"What?" Cong Nianwei went out of the kitchen, her eyes wide open. "Qin Guan, who is she?"
"She is the chairman of my Japanese fan club. I met her while I was in Japan..."
Cong Nianwei frowned as the mountain-like fat man beside her suddenly kneeled down on the floor.
"Take us in, Qin Sang. Please!"
You're scaring me! I think you might perform hara-kiri like the ancient warriors.
If hara-kiri made sense, Dashi might actually commit suicide.
Actually, most of Yamaguchi Tsutomu's strongholds had been taken over by the New York police, but she had escaped successfully.
When Han Zhujiu and a group of outlaws, including Mexican and Italian gangs, had destroyed all the Japanese forces, Yamaguchi Tsutomu had realized she had no place to go in New York. The failure itself was not devastating, but their very foundation was being pulled up by the roots...
Finally, she had thought of Qin Guan. She knew where he lived, but had never dropped in. If she could survive that night, she would fly back to Japan the next day and never return to New York again.
Thanks to the support of the government, the Japanese Mafia had forgotten about the cruelty of the law of the jungle.
The US was not a good place for the Japanese.
The fat man was kneeling on the floor of the small room. His black clothes still smelled of blood. The girl was staring at Qin Guan indifferently with her big, clear eyes.
Qin Guan was no idiot. He couldn't make Cong Nianwei worry. He picked up his phone and spoke gently.
[1] Mr. Qin in Japanese.
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Chapter 410: Top Brands
Translator: Lan Editor: Efydatia
"Do you trust me?"
Yamaguchi Tsutomu nodded without hesitation. The fat man on the floor looked up suddenly and stared at Qin Guan fiercely in question.
"Okay, I'll make a call."
The girl remained silent. As Qin Guan talked with somebody on the phone, Cong Nianwei made the girl a cup of tea.
The fragrance of the tea comforted her worried mind. She sat on the couch and gestured for Dashi to stand up.
"Okay, I know..."
Han Zhujiu had been waiting for Qin Guan's call. Without help, Yamaguchi Tsutomu could do nothing in New York. If she was able to return to Japan quietly though, Han wouldn't bully the woman or start a bloody feud with a foreign gang. Besides, Qin Guan had saved his life.
The next day, a small private plane took her away. Qin Guan didn't expect her to pay him back.
After New Year's, Director Zhang Yimou would be taking the cast to Los Angeles for the Oscars. Actually, Qin Guan didn't want to go. He planned on returning home during the holidays.
Sister Xue tried her best to convince his parents though, who didn't know that Qin Guan had only five minutes of screentime in the film.
The homeless boy was forced to fly to Los Angeles, and Sister Xue flew to New York like a haunting ghost.
She pulled Qin Guan directly to her office, which Guo Nuoyan had rented for her. Two guys from the CK and Armani operational departments were sitting in the room, looking at each other with hospitality.
As soon as Qin Guan entered, he knew that Sister Xue was plotting something. She preferred to have others asking help from her.
In six months, Xue Wanyi had been promoted. To avoid making a fool of herself in certain occasions, Professor Li and Teacher Rong had told her to grow up.
She smoothed her hair down gently and told the confused men, "Both of you work for top brands. You identify as truly talented people. Although Qin Guan is not your exclusive model, I have to inform you about some changes in his work schedule."
"His film will be nominated for an Oscar this year."
What? We had no idea about that.
The two men were confused. They were only in charge of the communications between the models and their companies. They had no idea about the general company policies.
Even Giorgio Armani had no idea about that, let alone those two.
"He will definitely walk on the red carpet, as well as appear before the large background of the award ceremony. His film is on the list of nominees for best foreign language film, so he will get some opportunities during the ceremony..."
The two men nodded repeatedly, waiting to hear her requirements.
"So, considering our past cooperation, can you, as experienced insiders of the fashion circle, give us some suggestions on formal wear?"
"He should definitely wear Armani."
"He should wear CK, of course."
They both shouted in one voice. Then the guy from Armani burst into laughter.
"What are you laughing at?" The CK guy looked both ashamed and angry. "Our apparel is really expensive. Our sales volume this year was twice as high as yours!"
The Armani guy stopped laughing and turned to Sister Xue.
"I can make the decision. We'll lend Qin Guan the latest Armani customized suit."
"Great! Thank you for your support."
Sister Xue made a decision without hesitation. The CK guy choked before falling silent.
What could he say? He wanted to offer the same thing, but he could not!
Although he was a calm person, Qin Guan was shocked by the suggestion.
Advanced suit customization was no small deal.
First of all, one had to spend a certain amount of money in store to get an invitation to an advanced customization launching event. Only then would one qualify to purchase something during the event.
Besides, customized clothing cost over hundreds of thousands of yuan, which was already too expensive for the average person. Hand-made suits could cost up to several million yuan.
An advanced customization suit could be considered a certificate inside a certain circle. People in your circle wouldn't laugh at your style or bad taste.
There were strict criteria for lending advanced customized apparel. A third or fourth level star would be an insult to them.
As for superstars, if they looked ugly in a rented customized outfit, they would be erased from the list and have to buy it the next time.
That was how advanced customization worked.
Qin Guan wouldn't turn down such a chance. He was no idiot after all.
The process was simple. Qin Guan would give Armani his schedule, and Armani would deliver the suit in time. After the award ceremony, they would take it back and check it carefully.
Before Sister Xue and Qin Guan went to Los Angeles, Sister Xue still had Qin Guan's career to consider.
"This year, the Armani perfume will be released. This is a good start. You have to become one of their three exclusive models."
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