Artifact Reading Inspector

She appeared to be in her mid-40s. She was much more graceful than the airlines CEO’s wife right next to her.

“Excuse me?”

Haejin knew why she was asking, but Haejin said so because he wanted to know if she recognized the cup or was just curious.

“That cup… is that for sale?”

“What? Haha!”

Haejin burst into laughter at hearing such an abrupt question. The woman thought she had made a mistake and apologized.

“I’m sorry. I just like that cup too much… could you sit here for a moment? Oh, sorry. I haven’t introduced myself. I’m So Hyeonjeong. It’s a little funny to say this, but my husband is the Financial Supervisory Service’s Chairman.”

“Oh…”

She was the wife of a powerful man. Haejin got it. However, hearing that openly didn’t feel good. It was also funny, just as she said…

She waved her hands as if she knew what Haejin was thinking.

“I didn’t say that to boast. I’m a housewife, so I don’t have much to introduce myself with.”

“It’s okay. Anyway, I am not planning to sell this.”

However, the airline CEO’s wife interrupted. She didn’t like that people were getting distracted by the cup.

“Can’t you talk about that later? It’s not like we’re at an antique shop in Insadong.”

Haejin thought he really didn’t like her but, to his surprise, FSS Chairman’s wife answered calmly.

“We’ve already been told that we will get compensation. Is there more to talk about? I just want my money back, that’s all.”

“Huh… Mrs. Hyeonjeong!”

“I am not going to disturb what you are doing. I’m just too curious about this cup.”

It seemed like the FSS Chairman’s wife didn’t like what the rude woman was doing, either. However, she couldn’t stop her, so she just sat there, and then, she got interested in Haejin’s cup.

This was enough to see how powerful Hwajin was. It had united the wives of powerful politicians and businessmen to accuse Eunhae.

“It’s not like…”

The rude woman tried to criticize the cup but, after looking at it, she couldn’t say anything.

The cup still had its silver glamour, it was also beautiful and delicate. It was enough to impress anyone, including ignorant people.

Haejin glanced at Eunhae. She was sighing in relief. She had been tortured by these women.

“Which country is it from? China? Or Japan?”

Hyeonjeong glanced at the airlines CEO’s wife as she asked. Even though she had openly objected to her, she had to be careful.

“It’s from Baekjae. As you can see, it has a bronze stand. However, as it is bronze, it has gotten rusty.”

“Oh… I didn’t know Baekjae made such beautiful artifacts. I only thought about the king’s golden crown when it comes to Baekjae…”

Hyeonjeong exclaimed and slightly touched the top of the cup.

When there was no concept of artifact preservation, anyone could meddle with artifacts, but nowadays, getting to lay a hand on an artifact was a great thing.

If it had been porcelain or a painting, Haejin would have never let her touch it, but as it was a silver cup, he didn’t stop her.

It wouldn’t be easily damaged unless she smashed it on the floor on purpose.

“That’s what most people think. You don’t have to be ashamed.”

“Then, could you please explain more about this?”

She looked sorry as she asked.

She was sorry because she knew Haejin was not going to sell it.

However, Haejin rather liked that. It wasn’t like she was ordering him to explain. She was showing her interest in the artifact.

Nevertheless, the situation was not right for that. Haejin wanted to leave the uncomfortable place as soon as possible.

“I’m sorry, but if you want to know more about this, please come to my art museum.”

“You work at an art museum? Which one?”

“Park Haejin Art Museum which is five minutes away from here. It has Picasso’s painting…”

People who cared about art all knew about that museum. Hyeonjeong’s eyes widened. She got up.

“Oh, you’re Director Park Haejin. Nice to meet you. I went to your museum a few days ago. I had to leave empty-handed as there was no painting for sale… it is so nice to meet you in person.”

Haejin wondered if he should naturally finish that meeting or just leave.

Judging from the situation, these ladies had gotten an order from Sungjun’s wife to press Eunhae.

If it wasn’t for that, they wouldn’t be protesting so rudely even after Eunhae told her that she would compensate them.

If Haejin explained about the cup to naturally make them forget about what they’d been doing, Hwajin’s plan to hurt Eunhae would fail.

Would assisting her that way help her in protecting the artifacts in Saeyeon Gallery?

At first, Haejin had thought helping Eunhae would enable her to protect the artifacts, but now, he thought it wouldn’t work that way.

Even if Haejin kept helping Eunhae, Hwajin would keep pressing her and, sooner or later, she would lose her place.

From now on, a rumor would get around among rich people that you shouldn’t buy paintings from Saeyeon. Eunhae wouldn’t be able to stand that.

“Oh, okay… then I should go now.”

“Oh, you’re leaving?”

Hyeonjeong was sorry to see him go, but Haejin bowed and left with Sujeong. On his way out, he gestured Eunhae to meet her outside.

Eunhae ran out, looking at the people.

“I can’t help you much. I’m sorry.”

Eunhae’s face quickly darkened at Haejin’s apology. She realized that he was about to back off.

“No, you have helped me enough, and I’m really grateful for that.”

“You know, right? That although you’re trying to hold, rationally speaking, it won’t be easy.”

“That’s…”

“If you’re going to fail, and if you really want to protect the artifacts of this gallery, why don’t you change your mind?”

“What? How?”

“You will get fired soon anyway. So, why don’t you step down after making sure those artifacts won’t be sold.”

Both Eunhae and Sujeong couldn’t understand that. They looked at each other as if asking, ‘do you know what he’s saying?’.

“I don’t understand. How can I stop them from getting sold…” 𝙛r𝚎𝐞𝑤𝚎𝗯𝗻𝗼𝐯e𝚕.𝒄𝐨𝓂

“You should lease them before you step down. For a long time, about 30 years…”

Eunhae was shocked. Her jaw dropped.

“So, so I should lease them to other museums for years! And if I send them abroad…”

“Yes. If you sign a lease contract, even if they want to sell the artifacts, they wouldn’t be able to do that.”

“Wow… that is clever. And if I write each leased artifact on the contract, they won’t be able to siphon anything.”

Eunhae smiled widely. Haejin pitied her.

“After that, you will surely get fired.”

“Hu… although I tried not to think so, I knew it. I will get fired eventually. It was just a matter of time.”

She tried to look okay.

“Aren’t you sad? Your grandfather left you this place…”

“That’s what troubles me, but I will be satisfied with doing the best I can. Oh, and about the lease, I’ll contact you later.”

“Okay and send them away quickly. You’re about to leave, anyway.”

Haejin pointed at the office with his chin. Eunhae smiled.

“Haha, okay. I’ll just pay them.”

Haejin left the gallery after that. Sujeong poked his side.

“Oh… that was cool. I was a little touched. I was actually really scared.”

“I’m always cool.”

“Then, the artifacts from Sayeon Gallery will now go to your museum?”

“No, she cannot lease all those artifacts to one museum. She can’t do that, even if she’s about to quit. She will probably have to lease them to multiple museums and galleries. Then, Hwajin would never be able to mess with Saeyeon Gallery’s current artifacts.”

“Then, the new artifacts that come in the future won’t be protected.”

“Yes, even Ms. Eunhae cannot do anything about it.”

“Hmm… then she is about to become unemployed?”

“Probably. However, you don’t have to worry about her. She’s rich.”

“Yes, but…”

Haejin dropped Sujeong at the workshop, went home to get some sleep, then went to his museum.

The cup he had gotten from Yeonhwadang was in his hand, of course, but one of the visitors looked familiar.

“Good morning. Do you remember me?”

It was So Hyeonjeong who Haejin had met at Saeyeon Gallery yesterday. FSS Chairman’s wife…

“Oh, hello. Didn’t you tell me you came here once before?”

“Yes. Actually, I came to meet you.”

She looked at the cup as she spoke.

“Please come in.”

Her social influence was too big to just ignore her. In short, befriending her would do Haejin good.

Plus, Haejin was an appraiser. He was obliged to help people who inquire to him about appraisals.

Haejin asked one of his staff to bring them tea. Then, he and Hyeonjeong had a short, meaningless conversation. After setting the mood, she started to get to the point.

“There was a reason why I was interested in that cup yesterday. My parents used to have something similar to that. So, I was naturally dragged to it.”

“Oh… I see. Then, do you want to have it appraised?”

“No. I don’t need to have it appraised by you. Actually, when I bought that painting, I did think it was a little strange. Selling paintings at a hotel was especially weird… and it turned out they had sold fakes openly!”

Judging from what she said, she wasn’t here because of the cup.

“You might think that way.”

Haejin tried to be neutral as he couldn’t believe her yet.

“I’m so angry. Even if Hwajin is powerful, they shouldn’t have treated me that way…”

“I understand.”

Haejin couldn’t say anything except to agree.

“Anyway, that’s all in the past. I came here because I have a question for you.”

“A question?”

“Yes. First, take a look at this…”

She put her phone on the table. It showed the photo of a painting.

“This is?”

Surprisingly, the painting was Monet’s Haystacks series, which was supposed to be at Haejin’s museum.