"But..." Lina's suspicion grew. "How do you know such a powerful artist? How do you know what she thinks?"
Her questions took Zuko aback, his mind racing to find a plausible excuse.
Suddenly, he remembered his brother's story about their parents' love story from their youth. Although he wasn't very knowledgeable about it, his brother had added some embellishments to make it more interesting.
According to his brother, their father had also hidden his true identity to deceive their mother.
He had heard that their mother had almost exposed their father's lies on several occasions, but he always managed to talk his way out of it.
He had heard...
But what had their father said to get away with it?
Zuko scratched his nose anxiously. The more flustered he became, the harder it was for him to come up with an excuse, especially when faced with Lina's clear and perceptive eyes.
If only his brother were there... He wouldn't blush when he lied, his heartbeat would remain steady, and his acting was so convincing. He was like a carbon copy of their talented actor uncle.
Lina persisted as he remained silent, growing more suspicious. "Zeke, how do you know her so well? And how did you get a VIP account on that website?
"You used to... forge IDs," she speculated further. "Don't tell me you also stole accounts?"
An idea suddenly struck Zuko, filling him with relief. Wasn't that a plausible explanation?
He slipped up. "You're so clever!"
"Huh?" Lina was taken aback. "Did I guess correctly?"
"Yes, yes, yes!" Zuko nodded enthusiastically.
"But why would you steal that account? You're not a professional auctioneer! And how do you know Madam Irwin's paintings are valuable?"
Once again, Zuko found himself dumbstruck, unable to come up with a response.
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