As soon as Gu Mingcheng returned home, he rushed into his room and began unraveling the rolled-up painting, hanging it on the easel.
He held his breath and focused intensely. With each inch the painting unfurled, the amazement in his heart grew.
By the time the painting was fully spread out and he saw the woman in red depicted in it, Gu Mingcheng was utterly mesmerized.
This was the first time he had captured a character’s spirit so vividly, even exuding a lifelike aura.
Just looking at this painting, one could almost feel the woman’s smile, as gentle as a spring breeze touching the face.
Gu Mingcheng slowly reached out, but just as his fingers were about to touch the paper, he drew his hand back and quickly spread out another sheet of paper next to it.
Back at Huaming Lake, Gu Mingcheng had lied.
He had finished this painting, but he couldn’t bear to give it to Xu Nianhua.
Privately, he wanted to keep this painting for himself. While looking at it, he planned to paint another identical one, one to send to Xu Nianhua, and one to keep for himself.
On the fifth day of the first lunar month, the entire Xu Qinghe family returned to Gaoliang County. They warmly invited Ji Lin and his wife, who declined citing motion sickness as the reason.
Xu Qinghe and Ji Ying didn’t say much else, only mentioned that they could meet again when there was time.
"Motion sickness? She clearly just looks down on our family." Xu Nian’an, sitting in the car, didn’t have a good impression of this aunt at all. He said, "Dad, Mom, when we build our new house this year, let’s not invite their family over."
Xu Qinghe spoke seriously, "Your aunt grew up in a big city. She’s not used to our countryside lifestyle which is understandable. Back then, your uncle even lent us money. You should not speak about the elders like that. People will say you’re ungrateful and lack manners."
"Dad, that was so many years ago. Besides, you and Mom have already paid back that money," Xu Nian’an quickly added.
If we’re talking about kindness, the second uncle and the youngest uncle have done much more than the eldest.
The wives of the second and youngest uncles might be a bit stingy, but they wouldn’t ignore us in times of need.
"What, Xu Nian’an, have you grown up thinking that only those who treat you well are your relatives?" Xu Qinghe said coldly, "If he helps you, it’s a favor; if he doesn’t, it’s his right. Just because he doesn’t help you, does that mean he isn’t your uncle anymore?"
"I didn’t say that." Xu Nian’an pouted, his original point about Cai Jianhong looking down on their family had somehow turned into a discussion about who to consider family.
"Mom, I’m just being factual, nothing else," Xu Nian’an looked towards Ji Ying, hoping his mother wouldn’t misunderstand him.
Ji Ying nodded understandingly and said, "Okay, I know Nian’an isn’t like that."
"You always side with him." Xu Qinghe glared harshly at Xu Nian’an, then closed his eyes again. Now on the bus, it would still take over two more hours to reach the county.
He remembered back when he had just married Ji Ying. They were very poor. His brother-in-law Ji Lin and Chen Jianhong had also just married. That year, Ji Lin earned some money, whereas they were so poor they couldn’t even make ends meet, and when their child got sick and they had no money for medical treatment, it was Ji Lin who secretly gave him three yuan to take the child to the doctor.
Three yuan, in those days, was quite a lot of money, and he would always remember that kindness.
"Brother, dad must be thinking of the past. If our eldest aunt and uncle don’t want to come, let it be. Our house is too small for them now, isn’t it?" Xu Nianhua quietly consoled, "I know that’s not what brother meant. The way brother always finds ways to help Shuyuan proves that."