Faced with Xie Xuan's questioning, Xie Chi didn't know how to explain.

He rushed forward, trying to snatch the scroll back, shouting, "Don't touch my stuff!"

However, in the struggle, the scroll was split in two.

"…you!"

Seeing the torn scroll, Xie Chi was filled with rage and, without saying a word, slapped Xie Xuan across the face.

"Smack!"

"You bastard! You're supposed to be good at painting, yet you can't tell this painting was done more than twenty years ago!"

Xie Chi shouted loudly.

Xie Xuan was stunned for a moment, then quickly looked at the painting.

Yes!

This painting looks quite old; it wasn't created recently.

Therefore, the woman in this painting is not Su Muxi.

His father didn't like Su Muxi either!

Xie Chi carefully pieced together the torn scroll, gently stroking the face of the woman in the painting, his eyes filled with admiration.

The woman in the painting stands beneath a patch of red plum blossoms, wearing a white padded jacket. Her figure is graceful and her face is exquisitely beautiful.

Upon closer inspection, her facial features bear a striking resemblance to Su Muxi's, with about nine-tenths similarity.

However, the ugly red birthmark was not present on the left side of his face.

When Xie Xuan first discovered the painting, he thought his father had deliberately omitted the birthmark from his face.

In retrospect, he was wrong.

"Who is the woman in this painting? Could she be Su Muxi's mother?"

He didn't believe there could be such a similar person in the world; if there were, they must be a close relative.

Judging from her age, the woman in the painting could not be Su Muxi's sister, so the only explanation is that she is her mother.

But Xie Chi shook his head.

"No... Miss Su's mother's surname is Wei, not Miss Yun."

Miss Yun?

Before Xie Xuan could ask further, Xie Chi murmured an explanation: "Back then, I was just a poor scholar. On my way to the capital for the imperial examination, my last bit of travel money was stolen. Just when I was starving and freezing, I met Miss Yun."

"When I first met Miss Yun, I thought I was dead and had seen a fairy from heaven. She looked just like this, walking towards me from among the red plum blossoms."

"She not only gave me food, but also travel expenses. I asked her where she lived, saying that I would repay her kindness when I achieved success, but she said that making me a good official would be the greatest way to repay her."

She said her family was harmed by corrupt officials, and if it weren't for her husband, she probably wouldn't be alive today.

"Ah! She didn't wear a woman's hairstyle at the time, probably because she didn't want to get too entangled with me, which is why she referred to my benefactor as her husband."

I wonder if the beautiful Miss Yun ever got married, and who was fortunate enough to marry her.

Xie Xuan wiped his face again with his sleeve, strode forward, and spread a sheet of Xuan paper directly on the table.

"what you do?!"

"I'll compensate you with a Miss Yun ticket!"

…

After the incense had burned out, Xie Xuan put down his pen.

A painting identical to the previous one is completed.

However, the Miss Yun depicted by Xie Xuan had a more lively and spirited quality than Xie Chi's drawing, which brought tears to Xie Chi's eyes, and he couldn't help but murmur, "Miss Yun..."

Xie Xuan looked at the woman in the painting, his emotions indescribable.

When he paints, he thinks of Su Muxi.

Su Muxi's every smile and every word seemed to be etched into his mind, and he could only forget a little of it when he was drunk.

He initially thought that Su Muxi, after leaving the Marquis of Anyang's mansion, was restless and had hooked up with his father.

But after getting to know her, he realized that Su Muxi wasn't that kind of person; it must have been his father who had taken a liking to her first.

Although Su Muxi is not very good-looking, she is a very interesting person.

He felt relaxed and comfortable when he was with Su Muxi, which made him very happy.

No woman had ever made him feel this way before.

So after thinking it over, he concluded that he must have fallen in love with Su Muxi.

But just as he made up his mind, the Prince of Yong'an interfered.

Although it was an imperial marriage, if Su Muxi didn't like the Prince of Yong'an and was in love with him, he thought he still had a chance to be with Su Muxi.

But he didn't know what he had done to upset Su Muxi and make her angry.

He considered asking Su Muxi for an explanation.

But whenever he approached the vicinity of the Shan Ci Tang, he would feel timid.

She was afraid that seeing Su Muxi would once again reveal the look of disappointment in his eyes.

Several days passed, and he thought he could let go of Su Muxi, but now he has realized the truth.

No matter how much alcohol he drank or how many beautiful women he saw, he could never forget Su Muxi.

Although it was sudden, Su Muxi had just barged into his heart and he couldn't shake her off.

He picked up the teapot on the table, drank a lot of tea from the spout, and then slammed the teapot back onto the table.

The loud bang startled Xie Chi.

But what Xie Xuan said next really startled Xie Chi.

"Father, I like Su Muxi."

"…ah?"

"I said I like Su Muxi!"

Xie Xuan repeated loudly, almost shouting it out.

After shouting, he felt much better, and his eyes gradually regained their light.

If you like something, you like it; there's no need to hide it!

He'll go find Su Muxi first thing tomorrow morning and make sure she knows how he feels!

By the time Xie Chi recovered from his surprise, Xie Xuan had already left.

So, that rebellious son spoke to him so sarcastically before because he mistakenly thought he was trying to steal his woman?!

What a rebellious son!

Meanwhile, Ye Zerui, who had gone to the Su residence early in the morning for medical treatment, returned home reeking of alcohol, just like Xie Xuan, completely forgetting that Ji Cheng, whose leg had been broken, was still waiting for treatment.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!