Si Yaqin couldn't stop smiling.
Of course, she was happy not because of the value of the gift, but because of how much the Lan family valued Yan Xiluo.
The Lan family's treasure pavilion houses precious items acquired at auctions over the years, including musical instruments, chess, calligraphy, paintings, and various other artworks, as well as valuable medicines and tonics.
The Li and Yan families were naturally not bad either.
He never gives away his collectible items easily; each one is worth millions, tens of millions, or even hundreds of millions.
"Hehe, Ah Kun really went all out this time. Last time I asked him for that painting, he absolutely refused to give it to me!"
The painting was bought back at a high price by Lan Weikun at an auction. Li Yaosen liked it very much and tried to persuade him to buy it, but he wouldn't budge.
Since the gifts were supposedly chosen according to their preferences, could there be that painting he's been longing for?
"Grandpa, you know what? Because you like it, Grandpa really had to reluctantly let me bring it to you!"
Hearing Li Yaosen complain about his grandfather, Lan Jingyan couldn't help but smile, and the tension she felt eased a bit.
Seeing Li Yaosen's expression, everyone at the dinner table smiled silently.
"He's really willing to give it to me? Last time he absolutely refused to give it to me, and I even offered to buy it for double the price, but he still wouldn't agree!"
Li Yaosen seemed to have heard something impossible. He had to confirm it again and again. After all, he had tried everything to get Lan Weikun to give him the painting, but Lan Weikun remained unmoved.
"Yes, Grandpa will be able to see it after dinner."
Lan Jingyan gave Li Yaosen an affirmative answer once again.
Li Yaosen nodded happily and ate a few more bites of food.
"Besides playing chess, your maternal grandfather also enjoys appreciating paintings, especially traditional Chinese paintings. He has collected many of them!"
Because Lai Yiu-sum liked them, Lai Sheung-cheuk frequently went to auctions to bid on the works that Lai Yiu-sum liked.
Do you know why I absolutely need that painting?
Lai Yiu-sum also deliberately kept things mysterious.
"Because it's a work by Master Mo Xuan, right?"
Yan Yinran was the first to answer; she knew the answer! From a young age, she knew that her grandfather's favorite painter was Mo Xuan!
"Yes, and not entirely!"
Lai Yiu-sum smiled mysteriously, as if he had something extraordinary that no one knew about.
So Grandpa likes Master's work? Yan Xiluo smiled slightly; she could have as many of Master's paintings as she wanted.
"Why is that, Grandpa?"
She didn't guess completely right? But she was quite curious about the real reason!
"Yes, Dad, why is that?"
Zhang Yiting was also full of curiosity. Having been married into this family for over twenty years, all she knew was that Li Yaosen liked Master Mo Xuan's works.
"Because that painting was created in collaboration with Hua Xin, Master Mo Xuan's prized closed-door disciple! And did you know that Hua Xin's calligraphy and paintings are not sold separately? Master Mo Xuan has stated this publicly before, but he didn't explain the specific reason. I heard that Master Mo Xuan only agreed to auction this painting with Hua Xin's permission."
This information was revealed to him by several of his friends in the art appreciation circle. Li Yaosen is also a skilled painter and will create a painting in his study during his spare time.
“I know about Hua Xin. Master Mo Xuan did publicly say last time that Hua Xin’s works are not for sale. Hua Xin’s works are indeed very good, and it is no exaggeration to say that the student has surpassed the master.”
When Zhang Yiting talked about Hua Xin, her eyes were full of admiration, but also a little regretful. She regretted that Hua Xin's works were not sold at all.
"No wonder Grandpa was reluctant to part with it; he considered it for a long time. Does that mean all of Hua Xin's works currently being sold are out of print? Only one piece, and it was a collaboration with Master Mo Xuan."
This time, Lan Jingyan finally understood the importance of the painting. When Lan Weikun handed it to him, he lingered, his eyes fixed on the painting with reluctance.
Yan Xiluo pursed her lips, appearing calm on the surface, but inwardly she was racking her brains, wondering when she had become so famous? Even her maternal grandfather and aunt had heard of her as the Painter of Hearts?
She has never sold her paintings, never held an exhibition, and doesn't have the title of a master like her master Mo Xuan, yet she's already being targeted?
"Why……"
After thinking about it for a while, Yan Xiluo shook her head and sighed.
"What's wrong with Luo Luo?"
Everyone noticed Yan Xiluo sighing and shaking her head, and Si Yaqin was the first to ask.
"It's nothing, it's just a sigh..."
She has only painted a handful of paintings. Could it be that someone took a picture of her when they visited her home to view her paintings, and that's how it got out?
Yan Xiluo was still thinking.
"Sister, something must be wrong. You're not usually like this."
Yan Yinran couldn't help but bite her chopsticks and tilt her head as she spoke.
"I'm really alright..."
Yan Xiluo smiled awkwardly. Was she supposed to tell everyone that Master Mo Xuan was her master while she was eating?
And she's the Hua Xin they're talking about? Mo Xuan's prized closed-door disciple?
I guess if I said that, we probably wouldn't get to eat this meal again, and they'd probably just... take turns praising her again...
"Oh~"
Yan Yinran nodded thoughtfully.
"Hehe, hurry up and eat, the food is getting cold."
Li Yaosen said with a smile. He was in a great mood and couldn't wait to finish his meal and go admire the paintings!
Seeing that Lai Yiu-sum said that, everyone stopped chatting.
Yan Yuze Apartment
"Come on, Ningning, drink your medicine. Luoluo asked someone to bring it back. We just happened to eat early today, so we have enough time to rest. It's best to drink the medicine while it's hot."
Yan Yuze placed the prepared medicinal diet on the bedside table.
Then I sat on the edge of the bed and adjusted Jiang Xuening's posture.
"Has Luo Luo made all the arrangements so quickly?"
Jiang Xuening was extremely touched, never expecting Yan Xiluo to be so efficient.
"Yes, come on, let me feed you. Be careful, it's hot..."
Yan Yuze picked up a spoon, scooped up the medicine, blew on it, and then brought it to Jiang Xuening's lips.
"Aze, it's so bitter..."
Jiang Xuening's expression was all scrunched up.
"Good medicine tastes bitter, but there's sugar to eat after you drink it."
Yan Yuze gently patted her head and patiently coaxed her.
"But there's still such a big bowl, and... I have to drink it three times a day..."
Jiang Xuening pouted, her lips trembling with bitterness. She was most afraid of bitter things. She remembered once drinking a strong herbal tea, the kind that was supposed to reduce internal heat, and it made her throw up.
"Then you can have your favorite candy every day, every single time, okay? You need to drink it to recover properly, and you can only dance when you're fully recovered!"
Yan Yuze continued to coax her.
"I know, I understand the reasoning..."
But the medicine is just so, so, so bitter...
"I heard that if you pinch your nose and gulp it down in one breath, it won't taste bitter anymore. Why don't you give it a try?"
He used to do this when he drank Chinese medicine.
"Hmm... let me mentally prepare myself..."
Jiang Xuening frowned.
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