When Jiang Ci returned home, Zhou Mingli, the two children, and Huang Zheyue were not there; they must have gone out and hadn't returned yet.
She went to the kitchen to see what other dishes were left. There was soup that Zhou Mingli had brought back in the lunchbox. Knowing that her cooking skills were only so-so, she heated up the soup and steamed some mixed flour buns.
As for the food, Jiang Ci had just stir-fried a garlic sprout and egg dish when the door was opened.
“Smells so good!!”
"It tastes like meat broth!!"
"Mom is back!"
Zhou Yang and Zhou Miao chattered away as they rushed into the kitchen, where they found Jiang Ci cooking.
They immediately pounced on her, the two children each grabbing one of Jiang Ci's legs.
"Where did you go to play?" Jiang Ci moved the pot she was holding to another spot and asked the two children.
Zhou Miao: "Let's go to Brother Zheyue's house!"
Zhou Yang: "Dad met with someone, and my sister and I went outside to play with Brother Zheyue."
Jiang Ci understood what they were saying. Huang Zheyue had found a tenant and asked Zhou Mingli to help persuade him.
She turned her head to look outside and saw that Huang Zheyue also looked happy.
Zhou Mingli walked in and took the spatula from her hand. "They were a newlywed couple. I was telling them about Huang Gong's family when Huang Gong and his wife arrived. They were quite shrewish and they scolded Huang Gong and his wife away on the spot."
"They are very satisfied with the house in Zheyue, paid six months' rent, and moved in today."
"A newlywed couple in Beijing, no place to live? They actually rented a place for six months?" Jiang Ci asked in surprise.
Zhou Mingli ladled out the dishes Jiang Ci had cooked and said, "It's because their family is very biased; the two of them were kicked out."
Zhou Mingli succinctly stated, "They probably took all the money from their house before leaving, and then rented the place for six months directly."
Couples who rent houses are also both employed. Although they will be allocated housing, there are very few houses available now, and the waiting list alone takes a long time. It is uncertain whether they will be allocated housing even after six months.
Jiang Ci burst out laughing.
Zhou Mingli took out a few more celery stalks, preparing to stir-fry another dish. "This dish is ready to eat as soon as it's done. You can go out now."
Jiang Ci knew she couldn't be of much help here, and the kitchen was so small that it was difficult for two adults to even turn around. So she didn't hesitate and left the kitchen.
She took out the paintings she had bought and placed them on her desk.
The two children and Huang Zheyue were all there, watching Jiang Ci's actions with curiosity.
"What is this?" Zhou Yang stood on tiptoe and peered at the edge of the desk.
Jiang Ci then carried Zhou Yang and Zhou Miao to the chair.
Upon seeing what was placed on top, Zhou Miao blurted out, "I know! It's a drawing! Mom, our teacher taught us to draw!"
Jiang Ci smiled and said, "That's right, this is a painting."
Huang Zheyue hesitated for a moment before finally saying, "They're cracking down on this now, so you'd better be careful."
“The red armbands have all been disbanded, and nobody checks for these kinds of things,” Jiang Ci said. “Besides, I only buy landscape paintings; there’s nothing that would warrant a report.”
Huang Zheyue looked at the paintings and found nothing particularly offensive, so she swallowed her words.
The children clearly preferred the bright and vibrant Western paintings, exclaiming in amazement at the six pictures.
Jiang Ci, however, focused all her attention on the silk painting.
The most famous painting of apricot blossoms and parrots in the Song Dynasty was painted by Emperor Huizong of Song. That painting was bought by a man named Yamamoto Teiji and later donated to an art museum in the United States.
Another painting of a parrot, also on silk and colored, was painted by Huang Jucai, the head of the Song Dynasty painting academy. He painted this painting with his father in the Shu Kingdom. After the fall of the Shu Kingdom, Huang Jucai later served as an official in the Song Dynasty.
Although both paintings depict parrots, Emperor Huizong's parrot is an apricot-blossom parrot.
But the one in her hand is a pear blossom parrot.
Because apricot blossoms and pear blossoms are so similar, people often confuse them, so some people call this painting "Apricot Blossom Parrot".
She gently stroked the silk scroll and couldn't help but smile.
Jiang Ci certainly didn't have the ability to distinguish the authenticity of such easily counterfeited cultural relics, but she clearly knew that this silk painting was Huang Jucai's genuine work.
Because she had seen the painting before, touched the original silk with gloves, and heard experts explain its origins and differences from imitations.
When she saw the painting, she drew upon her memories to identify it.
Whether examining the texture of the silk fabric, Huang Jucai's painting techniques, skills, or the aging marks on the seals and the silk itself, Jiang Ci can be 100% certain that this is Huang Jucai's Pear Blossom Parrot.
Huang Zheyue felt a chill run down her spine when she saw Jiang Ci staring at a painting and smiling strangely. She subconsciously left the room.
He bumped into Zhou Mingli. "What's wrong?"
Huang Zheyue waved her hand, "No, it's nothing. I saw that Aunt Jiang really liked a painting she bought. She was so engrossed in looking at it that I didn't go over to disturb her."
Zhou Mingli glanced into the room and saw Jiang Ci holding a painting and looking at it.
He didn't ask any questions, he just called people out to eat.
If you are not active in eating, there is something wrong with your thinking.
Jiang Ci carefully put the painting away and went out to eat.
After washing up, Jiang Ci stared at the painting again. Her heart was surging with emotion, and she couldn't help but laugh out loud.
Zhou Mingli heard her giggling incessantly, and went over to see her still holding the painting. "What is this?"
"You haven't seen it before?" Jiang Ci's face was full of smiles as she pointed to the painting in her hand.
Zhou Mingli frowned. "I don't remember having this painting when we moved here."
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