Chapter Eleven First Encounter

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  They soon arrived at Changyuanbo's residence, Changhetang.

  Ye Chengli and Xue's wife first went to pay their respects to Changyuan Bo's couple, then busied themselves chatting with the two brothers and sisters-in-law. There was also a group of nephews and nieces who came forward to greet them, and just this courtesy took half a day's effort.

  Ye Qinglan stood beside Ye Qingfu with a solemn expression and lowered her head. No matter what Ye Qingfu did, she followed suit, so as not to be rude or make mistakes.

  Taking advantage of everyone's casual conversation, Ye Qinglan discreetly observed the crowd with a sideways glance.

  The first one to notice was naturally Changyuan Bo Ye Sheng.

  Ye Sheng was already in his sixties, but he looked extremely spirited. His hair and beard were all white, his face solemn, and he exuded an air of authority without even being angry. Facing his son and daughter-in-law whom he hadn't seen for several years, he didn't have much of a smile either, only asking a few perfunctory questions before falling silent.

  The old woman sitting next to Ye Jing was about fifty years old. Probably due to her good maintenance, she didn't look old at all. Her smile was kind and gentle.

  This was naturally Madame Jiang, the wife of Changyuanbo.

  Ye Qinglan's gaze swept across their faces before moving away.

  Two middle-aged men stood shoulder to shoulder with Ye Chengli, chatting leisurely. One was about forty-two or three years old, and the other was around forty. Although not as handsome as Ye Chengli, they were also dignified in appearance and majestic in stature.

  These two were naturally Ye Chengren and Ye Chengyi, the eldest and second uncles of the Ye family.

  It's strange to say, but the three Ye brothers didn't look much alike.

  Ye Chengren is mature and steady, not given to frivolous speech or laughter, and is very similar to his father Ye Sheng. Ye Chengyi, on the other hand, is affable and close, with a smile in his eyes. In comparison, Ye Chengli's appearance is the most outstanding. However, in terms of demeanor, he falls slightly short.

  Looking back, it was only Zheng Shi and Li Shi, the two elder aunts.

  Ye Qinglan looked at him with a subtle gaze, her lips pursed in silence, the corners of her mouth curving up into a faint arc.

  As expected, the expressions of Zheng and Ye Chengren were almost the same. The same reserve, the same indifference, the same courtesy, it was as if they were molded from the same template.

  When listening to Guiyuan's idle talk, he mentioned that his aunt Zheng was born into a noble family and was the eldest daughter of the Zheng Guo Gong Fu. Marrying her husband Ye Chengren was considered a low marriage.

  With such a strong family background, Zheng naturally had a superior status. Even Chang Yuanbo and his wife were always polite to her as their eldest daughter-in-law. It's no wonder that Zheng didn't quite put the two younger sisters-in-law in her eyes, with a somewhat careless smile at the corner of her mouth.

  Compared to Zheng, Li, who was adorned with pearls and jewels, was much more enthusiastic, chatting and laughing with Xue. However, upon closer inspection, it became apparent that Li's enthusiasm only extended to her words, and the smile did not reach her eyes.

  Xue Shi was unusually humble and low-key in front of her two sisters-in-law, always accompanying them with a smile.

  Ye Chengli and his wife were in a precarious situation at the Changyuan Bo's mansion.

  Logically speaking, the younger son should be more favored by his parents. But Ye Chengli's treatment after returning to the manor was not very good. What could be the reason for this?

  Ye Qinglan thought for a moment and suddenly understood.

  Osmanthus fragrans was vague at the time, but now it seems that Ye Chengli is not a legitimate child, but a illegitimate one. No wonder when he returned to the mansion, only the side door was opened, and there was only a housekeeper standing at the door to greet him.

  Looking at the younger generation again, each and every one of them has a good appearance. The oldest is about twenty years old, and the youngest is only five or six years old.

  Ye Qinglan's eyes swept over the crowd, and at first glance, she saw a slender and elegant girl in pink clothes.

  That girl was about thirteen or fourteen years old, with a melon-seed-shaped face, willow eyebrows and lips, and skin as white as snow. Even Ye Qinglan couldn't help but be taken aback by her beauty.

  The girl seemed to have noticed that someone was looking at her, and she glanced at Ye Qinglan with a faint glance. Ye Qinglan smiled politely at her, but before the smile had fully spread across her face, the girl had already coldly shifted her gaze away.

  ……

  So stylish!

  Ye Qinglan thought to herself, too lazy to continue flattering others, and also shifted her gaze away.

  She turned her head, only to see Ye Qingfu with a smug smile on his face: "You've hit the nail on the head! You really have no memory at all, leaving for a few years and forgetting Liu Jie's temper completely. She never liked to bother with people."

  Fortunately, I remembered to keep my voice down low and didn't attract the attention of people around me.

  Ye Qinglan smiled casually and didn't pick up the conversation. She also didn't have the mood to observe anyone else, so she focused on observing the decorations in the main room.

  The main house is very spacious and not heavily decorated, but each piece of furniture is rare and valuable.

  The precious red wood table and chairs emitted a dim glow, on which was placed a set of celadon tea bowls. The tea bowls were thin and had a bright glaze, like the sky after a rain shower, clear and bright. At first glance, it's obvious that they're not ordinary goods.

  A large marble screen carved with a landscape, like a watercolor painting, looks ordinary at first glance, but upon closer inspection, one can't help but marvel at its ingenious composition. It turns out that it is actually a landscape painting carefully carved along the veins of the marble. I don't know what kind of craftsman has such exquisite craftsmanship, making people sigh in admiration.

  On the wall hung only one calligraphy and painting, which was a picture of autumn mountains and cold forests. The painting axis was slightly yellowed, obviously having some years on it. However, the scenery in the painting was vividly lifelike, at this moment it was clearly warm spring, but the cool autumn chill came face to face.

  Ye Qinglan quickly glanced at the remittance and was suddenly excited.

  Agreed!

  This is the most famous painter of the Five Dynasties, with a strong and bold brushwork, specializing in landscape paintings. Only a few of his works have been passed down to later generations, and one painting can sell for at least several million at an auction house.

  I never thought that such a stunning painting would be casually hung on the wall...

  Ye Qinglan stared tightly at the painting on the wall, her eyes shining brighter and brighter.

  She had been interested in painting since she was a child, especially fond of traditional Chinese ink wash painting, and even studied calligraphy and painting for several years. After her parents passed away, she went abroad to further her studies and reluctantly put this hobby aside.

  After her career had some small achievements, she also regained interest in her hobbies. She often went to the museum to stroll around during her free time, and would stay there for half a day.

  Unfortunately, well-preserved antique paintings are rare and their prices have been hyped up. Although she has some savings, she cannot afford such a luxurious consumption. She can only admire from afar. Unexpectedly, today she had the good fortune to see with her own eyes the works of the great painter Guan Tong...

  Ye Qinglan's eyes shone brightly, as if magnetized, staring tightly at the painting on the wall.

  She involuntarily lost her composure, immediately attracting the attention of people around her.

  Ye Qingfu raised an eyebrow and said with a hint of teasing: "Aren't you the one who hates reading and writing the most? How come you're suddenly interested in calligraphy and painting?"

  Ye Qinglan gazed at him reluctantly for a moment before finally withdrawing her gaze and responding indifferently, "Just take a look then."

  Ye Qingfu saw her like this and lost interest in talking to her. She walked a few steps away and chatted with her elder cousin whom she hadn't seen for a long time.

  Finally peaceful!

  Ye Qinglan quietly let out a breath and involuntarily looked back again. Unknowingly thinking of something, her expression slightly changed...