The two senior brothers had completely different personalities, one was cold and aloof, while the other was warm and gentle. However, whether it was the indifferent Ning shixiong or the gentle Han shixiong, both treated Jiang Yu with kindness. Their meticulous care and consideration were genuine, not something that could be faked.
“Where’s Du Song? Why isn’t he here yet?” Han shixiong handed the menu to Jiang Yu, smiling. “Take a look and see what you’d like to eat. Do you like crab? The crab pot here is excellent and they use only female crabs, so there’s plenty of crab roe. Oh and their crab roe sauce is also great. You should take a bottle home, it’s amazing with rice.”
“Du Song said he got stuck in traffic and will be late. He told us to go ahead without him,” Ning shixiong answered before adding, “Two orders of lobster!”
Pang Yu couldn’t help but laugh and said to Jiang Yu, “The lobster here is top-notch, flown in fresh from overseas. It’s incredibly tender. It’s also really expensive and normally, your Ning shixiong is too stingy to treat us to it. We’re lucky to have you here today.”
Ning shixiong kept a straight face. “When have you ever come here and not ordered lobster? And you call me stingy? Fine, cancel the lobster.”
“No way!” Pang Yu shrugged. “Little shixiong, you’re still as unfunny as ever.”
Teacher Shen whispered to Jiang Yu, “Ning shixiong was taken in as a student by our Master when he was very young. So, even though he is younger than Pang shijie, he’s actually our shixiong.”
Ning shixiong: “…”
I can hear you, you know.
Just as the dishes started arriving, the last senior brother finally showed up. Ever since Jiang Yu had been added to the group chat, Ning shixiong and Han shixiong had spoken up, but this particular senior brother had never said a single word.
Jiang Yu was surprised when she saw Du Song shixiong. He looked completely ordinary, just a slightly overweight middle-aged man with a rather greasy appearance. His smile had a bit of a shrewd, cunning feel to it.
Among the senior brothers and sisters, many were good-looking. Teacher Shen and Pang shijie were both beauties, Ning shixiong was practically the definition of a refined, handsome man and while Han shixiong wasn’t quite on Ning shixiong’s level, he had a gentle and elegant demeanour that fit the description of a true gentleman. Jiang Yu used to think that their Master had an unspoken rule of only accepting good-looking students.
Compared to them, Du Song shixiong fell short by quite a lot.
“Sorry for being late,” Du Song apologised as he entered and took a seat next to Han shixiong. Then, his gaze landed on Jiang Yu and his demeanour instantly turned cold. “So, this is the new student our Master took in? He told us before that he was too old to take on any more students. I actually believed him. Guess I was wrong, he went ahead and accepted a shimei after all.”
There was something off about his tone. It was obvious that he didn’t like Jiang Yu. The smile on her face faded, she was never one to go out of her way to please someone who clearly didn’t welcome her.
Han shixiong frowned and gave Du Song a warning look. “Our Master has his own reasons for what he does. As students, it’s not our place to question him. Besides, taking on a student depends on affinity. Shimei just happened to click with our Master and she has exceptional talent in painting. That’s why he made an exception for her.”
Du Song scoffed, his eyes filled with disdain.
He was naturally upset. He had once brought someone to Master, hoping they would be accepted as a student, but Master had dismissed them outright, claiming he wasn’t taking on any more students. And yet, not long after, he had taken in Jiang Yu. It felt like a slap in the face.
So, of course, he wasn’t happy with Jiang Yu. No matter how he looked at her, he disliked her and he even felt like picking a fight.
The atmosphere in the room grew tense. Han shixiong called over a server to bring some juice and beer. He poured a glass for everyone and said, “It’s been a long time since we all got together like this. If not for shimei, who knows when we’d have another meal together?”
Du Song’s expression visibly softened. He had a good relationship with Han shixiong, so he decided to let it slide. “That’s true. It’s been a while since we had a meal together.”
After a few casual exchanges, the mood lightened up a little.
While the others drank alcohol, Jiang Yu stuck to fruit juice. Du Song glanced at her, then lazily said, “Shimei, why are you drinking juice all by yourself? This kind of place calls for alcohol. Here, let me pour you some…”
He reached for her glass, but Jiang Yu covered it with her hand and smiled. “Du shixiong, I don’t drink.”
The smile on Du Song’s face faded. “Are you refusing to give your shixiong some face?”
Jiang Yu kept smiling. “Du shixiong, I’m seventeen. I’m still underage. Drinking is illegal for minors, are you trying to encourage me to break the law?”
“Du Song,” Teacher Shen interjected playfully, “Shimei isn’t just our shimei, she’s also my student. Trying to get my student to drink in front of me? That’s not very appropriate, is it?”
Du Song’s face stiffened and he awkwardly set the alcohol aside. “I didn’t realise shimei was still so young.”
Ning shixiong lifted his gaze slightly, his voice cold. “If you don’t want to eat properly, then leave. Stop with the passive-aggressive remarks. It’s annoying.”
Du Song’s expression changed, but he couldn’t do anything about it. He forced a stiff smile and said, “I’ll just step out for a moment.”
As soon as he left, the tense atmosphere in the room instantly relaxed.
Teacher Shen huffed. “What’s his deal? He didn’t come here to eat, he came to pick a fight!”
Pang shijie turned to Jiang Yu and reassured her, “Just ignore Du Song. Last time, he tried to bring someone to be accepted as a student, but our Master refused. He’s been holding a grudge ever since and now he’s taking it out on you. Just don’t mind him.”
Teacher Shen agreed. “Du Song is getting more and more narrow-minded. Our Master refusing that person had nothing to do with Jiang Yu. Even if she weren’t here, our Master still wouldn’t have accepted them. If not for Jiang Yu’s outstanding talent, he wouldn’t have broken his rule to take her in.”
Han shixiong sighed, looking at Jiang Yu with sympathy. “Shimei, you’ve had to put up with a lot.”
Just then, Jiang Yu’s phone buzzed with a notification. She looked down and saw that Ning shixiong had sent her a red packet.
Jiang Yu: “…”
She couldn’t help but laugh and said, “Shixiong, shijie, I’m not that fragile. I really don’t feel like I’ve been wronged.”
People like Du Song didn’t matter to her. If he disliked her, that was his problem. She wasn’t going to be upset over it. In fact, she was more surprised by how warmly Ning shixiong and the others treated her. Du Song’s attitude, on the other hand, felt more realistic.
Seeing that she truly wasn’t upset, everyone finally relaxed.
Ning shixiong, still cold as ever, asked, “Why aren’t you accepting my consolation red packet?”
Jiang Yu smiled. “I’m not upset, so I don’t need a consolation red packet.”
Ning shixiong: “…”
After Du Song returned from the restroom, everyone seemed to have forgotten the unpleasant scene he had caused earlier. Even Du Song himself acted as if nothing had happened. He didn’t say anything to dampen the mood and the atmosphere remained relatively pleasant.
The seafood at this restaurant was truly excellent, fresh and tender. The lobsters, in particular, were enormous. Their meat was snow-white and when dipped in the sauce, the flavour was so delicious it made one want to swallow their tongue.
“Shimei, I heard that your painting is being exhibited at the Pang Yu’s gallery. That gallery has quite a collection of great artworks and it’s well-known in the art circle. You’re really lucky, your very first painting made it into an exhibition and you even had someone helping you. Unlike us, who have to struggle on our own. Some people really have it easier than others.”
Du Song had already drunk a few glasses of wine and his eyes looked a little hazy, as if he was getting tipsy.
Jiang Yu, as if not understanding the underlying meaning of his words, simply smiled and said, “I am lucky. My grandmother used to say that I was a very fortunate person. Being able to meet our Master and Pang shijie, it’s all proof of my good fortune, isn’t it?”
Being accepted as a student by Master, wasn’t that proof enough of her luck?
Du Song lifted his eyelids and glanced at her before asking, “I wonder how much your painting sold for? Ah, look at me, speaking without thinking. Shimei, you’re still new, with no reputation or credentials. It’s unlikely anyone would buy your painting.”
Jiang Yu just smiled and said nothing.
Seeing her reaction, Du Song seemed to become more excited. “Hey, don’t be offended by what I’m saying. It’s just that, even though Pang Yu is willing to help you, she’s still a businesswoman. You can’t just take up a spot in her exhibition for free, can you? That wouldn’t be right, would it?”
“Who said Jiang Yu’s painting didn’t sell? Du shixiong, who are you looking down on?” Teacher Shen couldn’t help but roll her eyes. She had never liked this Du shixiong, he was always so petty and materialistic. To him, paintings were nothing more than a means of making money. She never felt that he had any true passion for art.
Perhaps that was why, among all the junior and senior disciples, Du Song’s paintings had the lowest market value.
“It sold?” Du Song was visibly surprised, but he quickly dismissed it with a casual tone. “How much? A few thousand? Or tens of thousands? For a newcomer, that’s already a pretty good price…”
“Two million!”
Before he could finish, Teacher Shen interrupted with a bright smile. “Jiang Yu’s painting sold for two million in total!”
Du Song’s expression changed instantly. He blurted out instinctively, “Impossible!”
A newcomer selling a painting for that price? No way!
“Daidai isn’t lying. It really sold for two million. Just from commission alone, I got three hundred thousand.” Pang Yu smiled slightly, confirming Teacher Shen’s words. Her expression showed clear satisfaction, this was quite a profitable transaction for her gallery as well.
Du Song’s face turned sour. “Pang Yu, I know you want to save face for shimei, but no matter what, you shouldn’t lie like this. I remember that even a painting by Ning Zhiyuan was only worth around three million and Han shixiong’s paintings are priced at two million. Jiang Yu is a complete newcomer, this is her very first painting. And you’re telling me it sold for two million? Even if you want to make her look good, you shouldn’t make up such an unbelievable story. No one would believe it.”
“The buyer was Rong Jue,” Pang Yu said calmly, looking at Du Song with a hint of mockery in her eyes. “I, Pang Yu, have no need to lie about something like this. Everyone at the gallery can vouch for it, Rong Jue bought shimei’s painting and paid two million for it.”
Rong Jue… from the Rong family?
In the art world, the Rong family was an unusual presence. They had a deep appreciation and expertise in art and if a newcomer’s work was recognised by a Rong family member, its value would at least double.
Now that the buyer was confirmed to be Rong Jue, any possibility of fabrication was ruled out.
Pang Yu continued, “Even before Rong Jue made an offer, someone had already bid seven hundred thousand for shimei’s painting. Our Master once said that her work has incredible spirit. That wasn’t just empty praise.”
“How is that possible…” Du Song muttered, visibly shaken.
And how could he not be? He had studied painting for so many years and the highest price one of his paintings had ever sold for was five hundred thousand. Now, he was being told that Jiang Yu’s very first piece had sold for two million? To him, this felt like a blatant slap in the face.
“It seems your exhibition piece is really quite something,” Ning shixiong finally spoke after his initial shock. He wasn’t the type to be jealous, but he was genuinely curious now. “Do you have a picture of it? I’d like to take a look.”
Teacher Shen immediately took out her phone. “I do! I took several pictures at the time.”
She opened the gallery and showed them to Ning shixiong and the others. “I really love this painting too. The colours are incredible, so clean. And most importantly, the artistic conception is fantastic. Even our Master praised it.”
Even though it was just a photo, it was clear that the painting had a darker colour palette, yet it remained deeply captivating. The technique was exquisite, making it hard to believe it was the work of a newcomer.
Han shixiong rubbed his chin and commented, “Shimei, your painting is truly impressive.”
Thinking back to his own paintings at her age, tsk, they couldn’t even compare. What was most remarkable was that Jiang Yu had already developed her own distinct style, something only true masters achieved. Every renowned painter had their own unique artistic voice, rather than following trends. And Jiang Yu had already accomplished this.
“Are you really only seventeen?” Ning shixiong looked up at her seriously and asked.
Jiang Yu remained silent, but in her heart, she answered:
“I’m actually thirty…”
Teacher Shen sighed dramatically, “I even wanted to buy this painting! I offered three hundred thousand, but who would’ve thought it would end up selling for two million?”
Jiang Yu was a bit surprised. “Shijie, why didn’t you tell me you wanted it…?”
“If I told you, you would’ve just given it to me for free.” Teacher Shen rolled her eyes. “If I want something, I’ll buy it. I’m not about to take your work without paying for it.”
Du Song reached over and grabbed Teacher Shen’s phone to take a closer look at the painting. After staring at it, his expression turned odd. The way he looked at Jiang Yu became strange, an eerie excitement flickered in his eyes.
“I didn’t expect you to be so good at painting, shimei. I originally thought Master accepted you because…” As he spoke, he gave Jiang Yu an apologetic smile and said, “Shixiong owes you an apology. I misjudged you. You are a true genius, no wonder Master bent the rules to take you in as a student. Please don’t be mad at me.”
“…”
Teacher Shen and Pang Yu exchanged glances. The Du Song they knew was not someone who would apologise so easily. This was completely out of character for him.
Jiang Yu blinked and said, “It’s okay, Du shixiong. I’m not mad at you.”
Du Song stood up, raised his glass to Jiang Yu and said, “It was my mistake. I’ll punish myself with a drink. How about we let this drink erase all grudges between us as fellow disciples?”
With that, he downed the entire glass.
Jiang Yu smiled, “I was never mad at you, Du shixiong.”
“That’s good, that’s good!” Du Song chuckled, then turned to talk to Han shixiong and the others. “Our shimei is truly impressive. This is the first time I’ve seen a newcomer sell a painting for such a high price.”
“I used to think I was a genius, but I didn’t expect shimei to be even more talented.” Han shixiong rubbed his chin, unable to help but sigh.
With a genius like this around, they seemed even more ordinary in comparison. How could they even compete?
Ning shixiong shook his head and said, “I can’t compare to shimei.”
His words were merely stating a fact. At seventeen, he had already gained some fame in the painting world. As their master’s student, he had often been taken along to events. Even back then, his paintings could sell for hundreds of thousands. But compared to Jiang Yu’s work, his past paintings paled in comparison.
Jiang Yu felt a little guilty. To others, her level of skill at this age was almost monstrous, but only she knew the truth, she had simply taken advantage of being reborn. In other words, she was completely cheating.
“Alright, alright, stop chatting and eat your food,” Teacher Shen said, picking up a piece of pork rib and placing it in Jiang Yu’s bowl. “You all can starve if you want, but Jiang Yu is still growing.”
Hearing this, Han shixiong smacked his forehead and said, “Eat, eat! Otherwise, the food will get cold. Shimei, eat more while you can, once we’re back in S City, you won’t find food like this anymore.”
As he spoke, he quickly picked up food and piled it into Jiang Yu’s bowl.
Jiang Yu: “…”
Although the atmosphere was initially tense due to Du Song’s earlier remarks, things eventually took a turn for the better. Du Song no longer spoke sarcastically and was even surprisingly friendly toward Jiang Yu, to the point where it seemed odd to the others.
“Shimei, do you have a phone? Let’s exchange contact information. If you ever need anything, you can call me,” Du Song said as they were about to part ways, taking out his phone.
Han shixiong chimed in, “You reminded me! I almost forgot. Shimei, save my number too.”
In the end, Jiang Yu saved everyone’s contact information.
“You’re leaving tomorrow. Get some rest tonight and I’ll drive you to the airport in the morning,” Han shixiong said as he dropped them off at the hotel.
Teacher Shen waved a hand dismissively. “Got it, got it, shixiong. You’re acting like a mother hen.”
Han shixiong retorted, “I wouldn’t be so worried if it weren’t for you. I still remember how you used to stay up all night playing on your phone during university.”
Teacher Shen: “…”
Frowning slightly, Han shixiong pulled Jiang Yu aside. After a moment of hesitation, he said, “If Du Song calls you and asks you for anything, just find an excuse to decline. Whatever you do, don’t agree. Got it?”
Jiang Yu looked at him in confusion but didn’t ask why. She simply nodded. “Got it.”
The girl’s fair skin and delicate features made her look like a porcelain doll. Han shixiong, unable to resist, ruffled her hair and said, “Remember what I said.”
Jiang Yu nodded.
“Oh, right. Here’s a gift for you, a little something for our first meeting!” Han shixiong retrieved a paper bag from his car and handed it to her. “We weren’t sure what you’d like, so Ning shixiong and I picked this out together… Alright, go on up now.”
Jiang Yu obediently nodded.
“What did Han shixiong say to you?” Teacher Shen asked casually on the way back.
Jiang Yu shook her head. “Nothing much. He just gave me a gift. Shijie, you didn’t get one?”
Hearing this, Teacher Shen’s attention immediately shifted. “What did he give you?”
Jiang Yu gestured toward the bag. “I don’t know yet. He said it’s a welcome gift. It looks like Ning shixiong also contributed to it…”
Once they got back to their hotel room, Teacher Shen couldn’t wait. “I’m opening it!”
Jiang Yu nodded.
“Oh? A bracelet… Let me see… Diamond’s necklace?!” Teacher Shen opened a black box and immediately gasped in surprise. Then she muttered, “Back then, he gave me something from Diamond too. Han shixiong must really like their stuff.”
“And this… is a Rong Yan brand art set?” Teacher Shen opened a large box to find a complete set of high-quality paints inside. She rolled her eyes. “This is so typical of Ning shixiong… He even labeled everything with who gave what. This must be his handwriting.”
Jiang Yu hesitated. “These gifts… aren’t they too expensive?”
Teacher Shen waved a hand dismissively. “It’s their goodwill. Just accept them. If you don’t, they’ll feel uncomfortable. They also gave me gifts when I first joined.”
“Then, shijie, what should I give them in return?” Jiang Yu asked.
Teacher Shen thought for a moment. “You should paint something for them. That’s your specialty and they’ll appreciate it. If you give them expensive items, they might not be happy about it, they’re not lacking in material things.”
Jiang Yu nodded, already contemplating what to paint.
Seeing how calm she was, Teacher Shen couldn’t help but ask, “Jiang Yu, aren’t you excited?”
Jiang Yu was puzzled. “Excited about what?”
“Your painting sold for two million! For a newcomer, that’s practically a miracle. Do you really not feel anything?”
“I’m very excited,” Jiang Yu replied earnestly.
Teacher Shen: “…”
You sure don’t look like it!
Teacher Shen plopped down beside her with a sigh. “Painting is a tough field. It takes time, skill and reputation. No matter how well you paint, if you don’t have recognition, no one will care. Ning shixiong started learning at four years old and has been painting for years. Now, his work can sell for two million. But most artists remain unknown.”
As Shen Zhitang once said, in this industry, art is worthless while the artist is alive but becomes priceless after their death.
“You know Rong Jue from the Rong family, right? The one who bought your painting today. He may be from the Rong family, but he’s actually a music producer. Master said his paintings aren’t as good as Ning shixiong’s, but he’s good-looking and famous, with countless fans. His paintings sell for three million. Can you believe it?” Teacher Shen sighed.
Every industry was difficult. In recent years, the government had been supporting traditional painting and Chinese art had gained some recognition abroad, leading to more people studying it. But few managed to succeed.
Jiang Yu didn’t feel strongly about this. Since the beginning, her paintings had always sold at high prices.
A wealthy collector in her past life had once told her:
“The more I love your paintings, the more I want to own them… No matter what.”
For Jiang Yu, selling paintings was never a concern. She had already achieved recognition in her past life. Now, her ambitions were even greater.
“I want the whole world to know the name Jiang Yu. I want everyone to see my paintings…”
“What did you say?” Teacher Shen thought she heard something but wasn’t sure.
Jiang Yu shook her head and smiled. “Nothing.”
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