However, Chiang Xiao had no intention of seeking Uncle Lee; this time, she went directly to Mingchen Studio to find He Jin.
Although she did not want to treat painting as a way to make money, she had created three pieces recently that she was quite satisfied with, and naturally, she was willing to display them.
He Jin was very pleased to see her and even more excited to know that she had brought paintings. He personally hung her paintings in the gallery right away.
One was of red plum blossoms in the snow, another an autumn scene in a mountain valley, and the third was of a little girl picking mushrooms.
"I love all three of these." After hanging the paintings, He Jin stood with his arms crossed in front of them, continuously nodding in appreciation, "Especially this one of the little girl picking mushrooms! Never mind how lively and charming the little girl is painted, just look at this patch of grass and the mushrooms on it—it’s like they are still covered in dew, so fresh and natural that it makes one want to step into the painting and pick a few themselves!"
While He Jin praised her aloud, he was equally amazed in his heart.
Chiang Xiao’s paintings had this kind of magic, always wanting to pull the viewer into the scene.
The people she painted were particularly lifelike, as if they had a breath of life. The scenery and objects were incredibly vivid.
Such artistry, in theory, should not be possible for a thirteen-year-old girl to possess. Yet the reality was before him, and all he could say was that she was exceptionally talented.
"Thank you." Chiang Xiao was quite composed, and then she took a box out of her bag and handed it over, "This is homemade snacks from our house, for you to try, as a thank you for helping me sell my paintings for free."
He Jin had already said that he would not charge her any fees for selling her paintings at his place.
"Snacks? Are they sweet?" He Jin raised an eyebrow, not expecting much, since he was not fond of sweet things.
"Yes, sweet. You can give them a try." Chiang Xiao could tell what he was thinking from his expression, but she was confident—not many disliked these sweets. After all, the allure of Bamboo Hut Spiritual Spring Water was too strong.
Just as He Jin was about to reach for the box, a hand suddenly stretched out from beside him and snatched the box away.
"Snacks? I love them! He Jin, let me taste them for you!"
Chiang Xiao looked over and saw a young woman with the latest fashionable hairstyle. She looked to be in her early twenties, dressed in a light blue sundress with a sheer beige cardigan and a pair of black leather shoes.
The woman looked beautiful with bright eyes and white teeth, her eyebrows had a spirited and lively charm.
However, He Jin’s face darkened immediately, and he told Chiang Xiao, "Your stuff has been snatched, but getting it back from this woman might be difficult, so name your price—it might be easier to take her money."
"Hey, He Jin, what’s with that attitude? Aren’t we friends? Are you really going to haggle with me? Wasn’t this girl giving the snacks to you? Consider it a transfer to me, why talk about money?"
"I wasn’t planning on charging, so the snacks are still Chiang Xiao’s. Either return them to her or pay for them—it’s one or the other." He Jin still had a stern expression.
The woman shrugged her shoulders and turned to Chiang Xiao, "Fine, then I’ll pay, how much?" She said this while pulling out a florally embroidered wallet from her cardigan pocket.
She had already pulled out two bills from her wallet when Chiang Xiao said in a very clear voice, "Forty."
She had brought a box with two types to He Jin, with two pieces of tea-flavored and two of honey, hence the price of forty.
The woman, who was just about to hand over two bills, nearly stumbled over in disbelief, looking at Chiang Xiao, "How much? What did you say?"