Chapter 78: As it happens, I know a little

Sister, what are you looking at?

Seeing Shu Shu unmoving for a while, Pei Muyin walked over puzzled, stood beside Shu Shu, and also looked at that painting, her gaze scanning up and down.

The next second, Shu Shu turned, walked to the prep area, pulled out a Western knife, went straight back to the painting, and in Pei Muyin's astonished gaze, with a "shlick" sound, the wrapping paper of the painting was torn open from top to bottom.

Shu Shu put down the knife, and with decisive motions pulled the paper apart to both sides, only to see that the smooth canvas inside had several big black holes poked through!

How... how could this be?!

Pei Muyin stared in shock: "I, I didn't touch it at all; after receiving the package I just moved it onto the plane, and the outer wrapping was clearly fine."

So it goes without saying, the painting was already ruined before it was wrapped.

These marks clearly show they were made by violently stabbing with a sharp tool, completely destroying what was originally a beautiful ink-wash painting.

I need to tell Grandma, the painting is ruined.

Pei Muyin hurriedly asked the flight attendants for a satellite phone, but when she dialed the number it kept showing "call connected" yet no one answered; she grew frantic, about to dial again, when Shu Shu gently pressed her hand ah, and soothed:

Muyin, it's okay, you don't need to call.

Ah?

Shu Shu looked at her daughter's innocent face, took the satellite phone from her hand, and returned it to the flight attendant.

Because this call, it's likely impossible to get through.

"What should we do now?" Pei Muyin said helplessly: "That old gentleman's birthday banquet is tomorrow night at eight thirty; in such a short time, where could we find a painting of his little disciple? Even if we wanted to change it to another birthday gift, it wouldn't work, Grandma said the gift list has already been handed to the Xu family."

But if we give this ruined painting to the old gentleman, that would be terribly rude; Grandma would surely be angry.

However, the reality is far more complicated than just the rudeness Pei Muyin mentioned or Grandma getting angry.

The Xu family of Gang Cheng has been aristocratic since ancient times, producing among its members a highly respected literary figure, a master of ink-wash painting who excels at plum, orchid, bamboo, and rock.

The Xu gentleman hosting this birthday banquet is a descendant of that literatus; his painting style solely inherits the ancestral line, and aside from his former identity as head of the Gang Cheng Xu family, he is also an artist of both virtue and talent, highly esteemed.

A painting with an elegant conception, fresh and light, a genuine work, is worth a fortune.

Thus it's easy to imagine how many heavyweight figures from all circles will attend the ninetieth birthday banquet of such a person.

If Shu Shu were not accompanying her this time, when the gift-giving segment arrived, the unaware Pei Muyin, in the name of comforting the Xu gentleman's affection for his lost little disciple, would offer up the ruined painting she herself had brought; the atmosphere would plummet to freezing point, and Pei Muyin would directly become the target of everyone's resentment.

From her daughter's words, she had never attended such an occasion before, so she would find it puzzling that Grandma actually proactively suggested bringing her along.

As it turns out, Song Yunqiu had this idea in mind; she wanted to make Pei Muyin the biggest laughingstock of the day's birthday banquet.

To strike the birthday star Mr. Xu's face in front of everyone, the consequence... heh.

A chill rose in Shu Shu's eyes.

Pei Muyin was so anxious she wanted to cry; her first reaction wasn't fear of escaping responsibility, but trying to think of a way to make amends, while also blaming herself: a ninety-year-old grandfather rarely gets to celebrate a big birthday.

On this day he ought to be happy and cheerful, but if he learned that his little disciple's painting had been destroyed like this, how sorrowful would he be?

Just as she was anxious and panicked, a pair of soft-feeling hands took hold of Pei Muyin's hand, like a feather fan gently brushing over, the breeze instantly calming her panic, and then they told her:

Muyin, leave this matter to me; I'll handle it.

Pei Muyin stared blankly, lifted her head, met Shu Shu's gaze; the latter raised an eyebrow lightly and asked, "Do you believe me?"

Even though Shu Shu hadn't yet proposed any concrete solution, for some reason Pei Muyin almost without hesitation nodded: "Mm, I believe!"

Shu Shu smiled: "All right."

…

It was nearly eleven thirty at night.

Pei Muyin's pink private plane steadily parked on the helipad atop the five-star hotel.

Before departure, Pei Muyin had reported the hotel where she would stay to Song Yunqiu; when the staff led Pei Muyin and Shu Shu to the suite, they handed Pei Muyin an invitation to the Xu family banquet tomorrow night.

And Song Yunqiu's personal phone has still not been reached.

Shu Shu was not surprised; she had anticipated this earlier, and before the staff left, she walked over and whispered something into her ear.

Having slept on the plane, and after learning the painting was destroyed, Pei Muyin had no sleepiness; Shu Shu took out pajamas, handed them to the girl, and gently pushed her shoulders to have her take a bath first.

Waiting for Pei Muyin to emerge from the bathroom absentmindedly, not seeing Shu Shu in the room, she thought Shu Shu had gone to another room to wash up, then went to the living room and saw Shu Shu arranging something on the smooth coffee table.

Walking closer, she saw it was a simple easel.

On the felt lay a paperweight, beneath it spread clean xuan paper; beside it were placed pigments, a brush washer, ink, and other painting tools.

Sister, this is——

Shu Shu said: "Oh, it's the method I thought of."

Yes, what is it?

Since the painting is damaged and cannot be repaired, we might as well paint an exact copy; coincidentally, I know a bit of ink-wash painting copying." Shu Shu curled her lips.

Ah?" Pei Muyin stared, the girl explained: "Sister, I'm not questioning your meaning; I just heard that Mr. Xu is an artist in ink-wash painting, so wouldn't copying be seen through at a glance?"

No.

Shu Shu blinked playfully, reassuring Pei Muyin.

The tools and materials she had the hotel staff buy were top-notch; although they weren't as precious as those the old artist used, there was no need for preciousness—the ruined painting used exactly what Shu Shu had in her hand.

Pei Muyin obediently sat on the nearby sofa, watching Shu Shu skillfully do the preparations; she was somewhat surprised and impressed that her sister could paint, how amazing.

But soon she began to feel wistful, for that little disciple was so beloved by Mr. Xu; surely his artistic guidance came directly from him, so Sister's copying would certainly not be a simple matter.

However, a moment later.

Pei Muyin's initial worried expression gradually turned into a sense of wonder.

Only saw Shu Shu, switching between bold strokes, a painting of thin white snow on branches with red plum blossoms took shape under her hand.

Compared to that ruined painting, it's not merely similar; it's virtually identical, even the several holes that had been stabbed are completely filled in, the positions not off by a bit.

Heavens, good, so amazing.

Pei Muyin exclaimed in astonishment: "Sister, how do you know those spots are like that——"