Chapter 39: Ridicule
Early on Saturday morning, Huo Xilin took Xu Qingsui to the Huo family's old house.
"Is this collection exhibition you are talking about held in your house?" Xu Qingsui asked puzzledly.
"Not at our house, but I have to go back to pick up my mother first." Huo Xilin replied.
Our home?
Xu Qingsui turned her head in surprise and found that Huo Xilin was still looking straight ahead and concentrating on driving. She thought he must have said something wrong accidentally, or she might have misunderstood something.
After having an unpleasant lunch at the Huo family’s old house for the first time, to be honest, Xu Qingsui developed a resistance to this place.
So when the car drove into the compound, she began to feel uneasy.
As if he saw through her thoughts, Huo Xilin parked the car and turned off the engine, then held her hand, seeming to pass on a kind of energy to her invisibly.
"Don't worry, I'll take care of everything." Huo Xilin's tone was unprecedentedly gentle.
Xu Qingsui's heart gradually calmed down. She turned her head and smiled at Huo Xilin: "I'm fine. Thank you, Mr. Huo."
"Since you are my wife, I should protect you, so you don't have to thank me." Huo Xilin opened the door and got out of the car. A complicated look appeared at an angle that Xu Qingsui could not see.
Xu Qingsui sighed. Sometimes Huo Xilin always gave her the illusion that their marriage was not fake.
She had to stay awake at all times so as not to lose herself in this illusion.
The moment Xu Qingsui got off the car, a pair of hands were placed in front of her. She looked up in surprise, and Huo Xilin said gentlemanly, "Let's go, my Mrs. Huo."
Even with a clear mind, sometimes you can't resist this kind of collapse.
Xu Qingsui put his hand into his palm blankly and was led forward by him.
"Brother Lin, you're back?" Yan Xisui was so happy when she saw Huo Xilin walk in that she quickly stood up from the sofa, but then she saw Xu Qingsui following behind him.
Finally, her gaze fixed on the two people's interlocked hands.
At that moment, jealousy was like a wildfire blown by a strong wind, soaring into the sky and unable to be extinguished.
With a smile frozen on her face, Yan Xisui suppressed her resentment and unwillingness, and asked tremblingly: "Brother Lin, why did you bring her back?"
"She is my wife, the madam of the Huo family. Isn't it natural for her to come back?" Huo Xilin replied calmly.
Yan Xisui bit her lip, tears welling up in her eyes: "She is the wife of the Huo family, she is your wife, then what am I? What is our past?"
Seeing Yan Xisui's gradually pale face, Huo Xilin frowned and said softly: "You also know that we have already passed it. You are my mother's goddaughter now, and this is also your home. If you are not feeling well, just rest and recuperate, and don't think too much."
"Xiaosui, why are you crying?" Mother Huo came out of the kitchen and hurried to comfort her when she saw this. "You will have surgery in a few days. You must not get angry at this time."
She sighed and turned her head: "You knew Xiaosui was sick, couldn't you just be more tolerant of her? Why did you have to..."
Mother Huo looked at the two people's clasped hands and was unsure for a moment whether her son was doing this on purpose because he couldn't let go of Yan Xisui, or if he really had fallen in love with someone else.
"Forget it, now that you're back, have breakfast. I've asked Auntie to prepare it."
"Xiaosui, go back to your room and eat. I'll ask auntie to bring it to you. Out of sight, out of mind. Don't look at unhappy things. Be good." Mother Huo coaxed Yan Xisui upstairs.
Without Yan Xisui's noise, the hall became much quieter.
The Huo family has always had very strict rules: people are not allowed to talk while eating or sleeping, and even the tableware is not allowed to clash with each other and make noises while eating.
Xu Qingsui finished his breakfast in fear.
Mother Huo wiped her hands and asked dignifiedly, "I heard from Xilin that you have some knowledge of the collection?"
"Mrs. Huo, I don't know much about it. I can only say that I know a little bit."
"You are quite modest." Regarding this point, Huo's mother was quite satisfied with Xu Qingsui.
"It just so happens that I have some interest in antiques, and there are some antiques collected on the second floor. Come with me to see if there are any fakes." After saying that, Mother Huo stood up and went upstairs alone without giving Xu Qingsui a chance to refuse.
"If you don't want to go, then don't go. I'll go talk to her." Huo Xilin gave Xu Qingsui a soothing look.
"I'll try." Xu Qingsui said courageously.
Huo Xilin helped her a lot, and she had no way to repay him. Perhaps making his mother happy could be considered a way of repaying him.
Xu Qingsui could see that Huo Xilin still cared a lot about his mother. No matter what his mother's attitude towards her was, Huo Xilin always stood in her shoes and considered things for her.
This touched Xu Qingsui deeply.
"Then go ahead. Call me anytime if you have anything. I'm in the study next door." After saying that, Huo Xilin took Xu Qingsui upstairs.
There is a special room for Huo's mother's collection. When Xu Qingsui walked in, he felt as if he had returned to his grandparents' collection room.
Suddenly a landscape painting caught Xu Qingsui's attention.
This landscape painting is very special because it is incomplete. The picture part is well preserved, but the inscription part has been soaked by water and has been blurred so that its original appearance can no longer be seen.
"Ms. Xu seems to be very interested in this painting?" Yan Xisui came to the collection room at some point and asked Xu Qingsui in a mocking tone.
Xu Qingsui shook his head: "I'm just very familiar with this painting."
Yan Xisui laughed: "This painting was collected by my godmother ten years ago. You were still studying at that time, right?"
"Godmother, some people like to pretend. It seems that Brother Lin has chosen the wrong person. From the way I see her, it's clear that she doesn't understand anything but is pretending to understand."
Mother Huo said solemnly, "Xu Qingsui, today's collection exhibition is extraordinary. If you really don't know anything, I won't blame you. I'll find a professional to accompany me. But if you go without real skills, it will be a disgrace to my Huo family."
"Mrs. Huo, as far as I know, antique lovers like you usually prepare tools and materials for repair at home, so that when it is damaged, professional personnel can come to repair it, right?"
Mother Huo nodded: "Yes, we have prepared it."
"If I can restore this painting, can that prove that I have the ability?" Xu Qingsui asked.
"What?" Mother Huo looked at Xu Qingsui in surprise. With such a young face, how could she have the courage to say such arrogant words?
Yan Xisui laughed at him, "Xu Qingsui, I really admire your ability to brag. You dare not change your expression. Do you know how difficult it is to restore this painting? So far, famous restoration masters in the country have not dared to take over easily, otherwise this painting would not have been hanging here for ten years and still be incomplete."
"Yes." Mother Huo said with some regret: "Since the death of the wife of Xu Songhe, the legend in the restoration industry, no one dares to restore this painting."
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