Chapter 693 (1/2)

It was a real honor for the Louvre to be open for one person. Upon entering the Louvre, Xia Lei felt as if his life was but a dream in the vast yet silent big hall. He couldn’t help but think, ‘If he didn’t have his current success, but was just a poor boy doing hard labor, would the world-famous Louvre open up just for him? Would the French young woman Jacqueline Eva try to fawn over him?

Of course not.

The world was always realistic. Having things just fall into your lap would never happen.

“Le Louvre was built in 1204. It was originally the French imperial palace, and 50 French kings and queens have lived here. It was the most precious building in the French art revival and its rich cla.s.sical drawings and carvings are world-famous. Le Louvre hosts three treasures of the world: the Venus sculpture, the Mona Lisa oil painting, and the Victory G.o.ddess stone carving, with more than forty thousand art items, including statues, drawings, arts and crafts, ancient Oriental, ancient Egyptian, ancient Greek and Roman and six other categories.” Jacqueline Eva really did serve as Xia Lei’s tour guide, and she spoke very quickly.

Xia Lei had already read about what she was saying on Baidu, but he still feigned interest. “I’ve already admired the Mona Lisa for so long. Where is it?”

“Mr. Xia, before I let you take a look at the Mona Lisa, can you tell me why you’re so interested in it?” Jacqueline Eva looked at Xia Lei with a special expression.

She had already asked this question twice, with one time being in the car. She was still probing.

“If I say it, don’t laugh.” Xia Lei chuckled.

“How could that be?”

“Then all right. I’ll tell you. I’m planning on buying the Mona Lisa. Are you guys selling it?”

“You really are…” Jacqueline Eva couldn’t continue.

The Mona Lisa was practically a rare and valuable treasure within the gems at the Louvre. It had a supreme worth, and to the French, it was also a symbolic artistic treasure. The insurance market had placed a value of fifteen hundred million pound sterlings on it, but if someone really did give them fifteen hundred million pound sterlings, would the French government really sell it? Of course not. Actually its value couldn’t be approximated with money anymore.

Xia Lei shrugged. “Forget it. Pretend I never said that. Just let me take a look. I can’t wait to see it.”

“All right, please come with me. It’s in the exhibition hall on the second floor.” Jacqueline Eva led Xia Lei over to the staircase.

The ancient staircase was somewhat precipitous. Jacqueline Eva first went up two steps, and when Xia Lei followed, he happened to be just under her b.u.t.t. With one on top and one on the bottom, he didn’t even need to stoop before he could peep at the perky b.u.t.t underneath the short skirt and into her rose-colored mesh. As the faint s.e.xy scenery appeared before him, a strange question suddenly appeared in his head. Was good ventilation actually that important?

Jacqueline Eva turned and glanced at Xia Lei with a faint smile on her lips. She clearly knew where Xia Lei was looking but her expression didn’t show any disgust. She only looked at Xia Lei and then turned back. As they walked, she asked, “Mr. Xia, are you really the vice-president of the Chinese Academy of Science?”

“Yes, I used to be just a scholar but they promoted me recently.” Xia Lei casually added, “But that’s just an inflated position, I don’t really care about it.”

“That isn’t an inflated position. With your success, you’re completely fit for that position. If you were to come to France, we would give you more honor.”

“Are you telling me to immigrate to France?” Xia Lei laughed.

“France would match up to your talent. The women in France are the most romantic women in the world. I’ll bet that if you were to become French, you’d definitely become the love target that they’d fight over. You’d also make Paris more romantic, don’t you think?”

“I’m Chinese. I can only be Chinese in my lifetime. While France is good, it’s not my home.”

“What a pity.”

As they chatted, Jacqueline Eva brought Xia Lei to an exhibition hall on the second floor.