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Shen Hao set his brush aside and appraised the painting before him.

"Not bad!"

"Still, there are some imperfections. The clash between the icy and fiery elements isn't perfectly captured!"

"Ah well, it's my first attempt at an oil painting. It'll have to do!"

After laying down the brush, Shen Hao rose from his chair.

Understandably, after sitting for half an hour, his back was starting to ache.

"What do you guys think?"

Shen Hao turned to seek the opinions of Gu Yuan and Xu Tingting.

Neither Gu Yuan nor Xu Tingting responded to Shen Hao.

More accurately, they hadn't heard a word he said.

They were completely transfixed by the oil painting Shen Hao had created.

"What's gotten into you two?"

Shen Hao waved his hand in front of their wide-eyed stares, "Everything okay?"

"Ah!"

Xu Tingting let out a startled exclamation.

It was only when she sensed movement before her eyes that Xu Tingting snapped out of her daze.

"Mr. Shen, did you really paint this?"

Xu Tingting gazed at Shen Hao, utterly astonished, struggling to believe that such an impressive work was his doing.

"Of course I did!" Shen Hao replied, a touch of exasperation in his voice. "You've been watching the whole time, haven't you?"

Stars seemed to twinkle in Xu Tingting's eyes as she spoke incredulously, "That's exactly why I find it so hard to believe!"

"In just half an hour!"

"Mr. Shen, to create such a gorgeous oil painting is simply incredible!"

Admiration washed over Xu Tingting's face as she looked at Shen Hao.

"It's a masterpiece!"

Gu Yuan, too, had regained his composure and spoke with fervor.

"I may not be a painter, but I've admired the works of many masters."

He sighed, "Yet none can hold a candle to Mr. Shen's magnum opus!"

As his gaze returned to the Mount Tai Sunrise Painting, Gu Yuan was full of praise, "The composition, the colors, the brushwork – it's all top-notch!"

"Mr. Shen, you've truly opened our eyes!"

"I once thought your skills were merely average, but now I see I was foolishly mistaken!"

Hearing this, a smile played at the corners of Shen Hao's mouth.

He pulled out a tissue to clean the paint from his hands and then addressed Gu Yuan.

"Manager Gu, let's use this painting as a template for the designer to work from!"

Gu Yuan nodded promptly. "Rest assured, Mr. Shen. I'll take a photo and send it straight to headquarters!"

Without delay, Gu Yuan strode into the manager's lounge and emerged with an ostentatiously styled camera.

"Now it's time for my prized possession to shine!"

Gu Yuan brandished the camera, grinning. "This is one of my best purchases!"

He positioned himself carefully, finding the right angle, and snapped several photos of the oil painting.

Once the photos were taken, Gu Yuan removed the memory card and plugged it into his computer.

After some deliberation, he selected the perfect shot and sent it off to Patek Philippe's headquarters.

"All set!"

Gu Yuan shut his laptop and turned to Shen Hao with a smile. "Mr. Shen, the photo has been dispatched to the design studio at headquarters. They'll notify you once the designer has reviewed the plan."

"However, you'll need to wait another week to finalize the..."

His phone's ringtone cut him off mid-sentence.

Gu Yuan's brow furrowed as he glanced at the caller ID and swiftly answered the call.

The voice on the other end was chaotic and frantic.

Shen Hao, standing nearby, couldn't make out the words.

But Gu Yuan's expression was one of utter astonishment, as if he'd just heard something inconceivable.

"What? Can this be true?"

"Yes, that's the client!"

"He painted it himself—I witnessed it!"

"Alright, I'll consult him for his opinion."

"No problem!"

After hanging up, Gu Yuan turned to Shen Hao, his face still registering amazement.

"Mr. Shen, I have some news for you..."

Taking a deep breath, Gu Yuan revealed, "The head designer at headquarters has already responded!"

"One of the designers took on the project, and it's none other than the chief designer, Mr. Ivan Alpa!"

"What? Mr. Alpa himself?"

Before Shen Hao could react, Tingting interjected with a gasp.

Noticing Shen Hao's puzzled look, Tingting quickly clarified, "Mr. Ivan Alpa is the chief designer at Patek Philippe!"

"It's been quite some time since he's personally designed a watch!"

"It seems your painting truly captivated Mr. Alpa, Mr. Shen!"

"Xu is spot on," Gu Yuan acknowledged with a nod. "Mr. Alpa just mentioned on the phone how much he admires Mr. Shen's artwork."

"That's exactly why he responded so quickly and even broke protocol to design a custom watch for Mr. Shen!"

Upon hearing this, Shen Hao's face lit up with understanding. "Ah, that explains it. Please extend my thanks to Mr. Ivan Alpa."

"Mr. Shen, it would be best if you thanked Mr. Alpa yourself."

Gu Yuan chuckled and added, "Mr. Alpa expressed a desire to discuss things further with you over a video call."

"If you're amenable, we can set up the video chat."

Shen Hao smiled at the suggestion. "Absolutely, I'd be delighted!"

A video call connected Shen Hao and Ivan Alpa.

"Am I speaking with Mr. Shen?"

"It's a pleasure to meet you!"

Ivan Alpa's words were translated into Shen Hao's ears via the software.

"Mr. Alpa, the pleasure is all mine!" Shen Hao responded with equal courtesy.

Ivan Alpa appeared thrilled in the video, his enthusiasm palpable.

"Mr. Shen, I've been in awe of your painting; it's truly a work of master level!"

"I've drawn so much inspiration from it!"

"I'm confident that I can create an exceptional timepiece for you!"

Shen Hao's smile widened as he replied softly, "I'm eagerly anticipating your creation!"

After a brief pause, Ivan Alpa ventured, "Mr. Shen, I have a rather bold request."

"If you're willing to part with it, I would like to purchase your oil painting, and in exchange, I'll waive the entire fee for the watchmaking this time."

"What do you say to this proposal?"

As Ivan finished his offer, both Gu Yuan and Xu Tingting were visibly astonished.

The cost of a bespoke Patek Philippe was no less than 20 million!

And considering this would be a piece from Ivan Alpa, who had long been out of the public eye, its value was immeasurable!

"Random Mission: Ivan's Deal!"

"Ivan offers a free watchmaking service in exchange for the painting. Host, it's time to choose!"

"Option 1: Accept the trade. Reward: 100 million and a 50-point increase in Ivan Alpa's favorability."

"Option 2: Decline the trade. Rewards: A Jiang Jing Dalping apartment worth over 100 million and a 100-point increase in Xu Tingting's favorability."