Just as she had washed a plate of cherry tomatoes, Zhou Shen hurried in with a gust of wind. "Miss Mengran is back."
Mei Ran continued slicing the guava, replying offhandedly with a light smile, "She's back, then she's back."
Breathing heavily, Zhou Shen's chest heaved violently. "She's dressed up all seductive and bewitching this time. When she first walked in, I almost jumped out of my skin. The Old Madame was so happy to see her. She didn't say anything even though half her chest was exposed! You know, back when you wore..."
Mei Ran turned off the tap and dried her hands before asking leisurely, "You just said, what did Old Madame say about me behind my back for wearing shorts?"
Zhou Shen swallowed hard. "She said you were... corrupting public morals."
Mei Ran: "..."
"She's gotten muddled with age, leaning on an outward arm! Clearly, you are the young lady of the Mei family, and she..."
"Aunt Zhou," Mei Ran interrupted softly, "As long as she remains part of this family for one more day."
Having lived more than half her life, Zhou Shen knew her heart wasn't as clear-headed as this young girl's. She couldn't help but sigh. "Young Lady Ran, I just don't think it's fair for you. That Mei Mengran is constantly comparing and competing with you. Her tongue is sweeter than yours, she's better at pleasing the Old Madame. Now she's become some big star or something. I can't stand her high-and-mighty airs, thinking that a sparrow from the mountains changing its surname makes it a true phoenix?"
"There's nothing unfair about it," Mei Ran said. "I am me, she is she. She's not important enough to affect my life."
"Alright, let's take the fruit out."
"Wait a minute!"
Mei Ran was puzzled. "Hmm?"
Zhou Shen suddenly reached out and placed a hand on Mei Ran's waist, pulling her skirt up a little. "Hiding these white, straight legs away would just be a sheer waste of a good thing, wouldn't it?"
Mei Ran couldn't hold back a laugh.
In the living room, Old Madame Mei was laughing heartily. "Mr. Fu, I'm not boasting, but our Ranran has been adorable and well-behaved since she was little. Now she's become a popular big star, singing beautifully!"
Mei Mengran blushed beside her, coquettishly saying, "Grandma, I'm not nearly as good as you say!"
Old Madame Mei had broad shoulders and a thick waist in her youth; even in old age, her charisma hadn't diminished. When she smiled, the mole by her lip almost squeezed toward her eye. "You are the best in my heart!"
"Mr. Fu," Mei Mengran said shyly, "We've met a few times before, do you remember?"
Old Madame Mei exclaimed in pleasant surprise, "That's how fate works?" She patted Mei Mengran's hand. "Now that you're a big star, practically a household name, your grandmother is just waiting to bask in your glory!"
Fu Shijin thought for a moment. "I don't really remember."
The Old Madame's smile froze directly at the corner of her mouth.
"How is that possible?" Mei Mengran was so anxious she was almost crying. "Last time, you clearly..."
Mei Liangzhi hurriedly smoothed things over. "Ranran, maybe you remembered wrong. I heard Mr. Fu only returned to China recently."
At that moment, Mei Ran emerged from the kitchen. Seeing her, the Old Madame's eyes immediately lit up. "Mr. Fu, this is another precious daughter of my Mei family."
Her tone carried a note of triumphant one-upmanship, mixed with faint mockery. "Refusing to be a proper young lady, she insists on being some obscure doctor out there. I expect you haven't even heard of her either."
Mei Ran served everyone a cup of the freshly brewed tea. When it was Fu Shijin's turn, she handed him a cup of warm water. "You can only drink this."
He took it and looked toward the Old Madame. "As it happens, she is my personal physician."
A faint aura of chilly displeasure was already emanating from the depths of the man's eyes, but due to his upbringing, he didn't let it show on his face.
The atmosphere suddenly turned somewhat delicate. Mei Qingyuan inopportunely burst into loud laughter. "What a coincidence!"
Before he could finish, he was glared at fiercely by Old Madame Mei, leaving him smothered.
Fortunately, Zhou Shen arrived just in time. "Mr. Fu, Sir asks for you in the study."
Reading something from her surreptitious look, Mei Ran went along with it smoothly and followed out behind.
Mei Liangzhi also felt it was awkward, plus he was really tired, so he headed back to his room first.
Only three people were left in the living room. The Old Madame let out a heavy "Hmph!" from her nose. "This young man is far too arrogant. Ranran, how could you take a fancy to him?"
Distracted, Mei Mengran replied perfunctorily.
Mei Qingyuan rubbed his nose. "He has the capital to be arrogant. I heard his background runs deep. From the surface information I found out, he's an antique collector and appraiser himself. That antique shop Mingpinzhai in Shanghai is registered under his name..."
The Old Madame sneered. "Our prestigious Mei family... Wait, what did you say?" She drew in several sharp breaths. "Over a hundred million... just donated like that?"
The abacus in her heart clattered recklessly. Delighted pink sparkles seemed to shoot out from her aging eyes. "Ranran, this man is a rare find. If you marry him, you'll have no worries for this lifetime or the next!"
Upon hearing this, Mei Mengran seemed to spring to life like withered wood meeting spring. "Grandma, you also think I can marry him?"
"Not very likely."
Mei Qingyuan stroked his chin, looking thoughtfully at his adopted daughter. "The gap between you two is too great. To be honest, as far as family background is concerned, perhaps Ranran might be more suitable."
"You good-for-nothing!" The Old Madame spat. "Rotten mouth unable to utter ivory, with your elbow forever leaning outward! Tell me, what is worse about Ranran compared to that Mei Ran?!"
Mei Qingyuan shrank aside and stopped talking.
The Old Madame's favoritism had its origins. Of the two Mei brothers, only one was her own flesh and blood, and that was this good-for-nothing fool before her!
Her life had been supremely successful, rising from a small mountain hamlet, employed by the Mei family by chance to serve the Old Master. Later, she climbed into bed and smoothly became the Mei family's stepmother, eventually giving birth to a plump son.
The poverty and destitution of her first half of life seemed like a distant dream. She thought stability was assured for the rest of her days, but unexpectedly, the Old Master suddenly fell gravely ill, seemingly on the verge of departing from this world. The Old Madame wept as if the sky had collapsed, her head thudding loudly against the floorboards, crying for her father, her mother, her ill-fated life.
The Old Master, vexed by her antics, could only cling to his last breath, instructing his eldest son kneeling by the bed, "Divide the family property equally between the brothers, son, you must treat this stepmother well..."
After the Old Master's death, the Old Madame used this very statement to solidly secure her position as the head matriarch and devised various schemes to get rid of the eldest Mei son, a thorn in her side.
Mei Hongyuan, young and hot-blooded at the time, disdained competing with a woman and simply went out alone to carve his own path.
Years later, when he returned to his hometown in glory with his successful enterprise, accompanied by his beautiful wife and young daughter, the entire Mei family hailed him as the pillar of the clan, dazzling with boundless radiance.
As for Mei Qingyuan, spoiled rotten by the Old Madame from childhood, after squandering most of the family fortune, he ultimately relied on connections to land an idle post at the city hall, neither booming nor failing.
Countless thorns had long grown in the Old Madame's heart. Envy and hatred had made her replace her golden teeth many times over. Unfortunately, the tide had turned, irreversible.
Now, in this young man, she seemed to see hope once more—a chance to wash away her shame.
In the study, the lamplight was bright.
The tall, slender man stood before a painting, eyes slightly lowered. "This 'Landscape Painting of Serene Lake and Flowing Spring' uses gentle colors for shading and thick ink for bold splashes. The ink's charm is vivid, the artistic conception serene and distant. It is undoubtedly Tang Yin's genuine work."
The world knew that Tang Yin of the Ming dynasty Wu School was famed for a painting style that was "elegant, rich, and meticulous." His works represented a pinnacle of Chinese literati painting, with extremely high collection value, leading to a surplus of counterfeits on the market.
Fu Shijin was an expert in antique research and appraisal. If he pronounced it genuine, there was certainly no falsehood. Mei Hongyuan laughed heartily. "Then my money was not wasted."
"For painting and calligraphy authentication, we generally start from seals, paper and silk, inscriptions, collection stamps, documentation, and mounting," Fu Shijin's voice was slightly hushed, low and rather magnetic. "I've checked each one just now, and there were no issues. Beyond that, there's one more basis."
"Oh?" Mei Hongyuan was very interested. Mei Ran also looked over, a faint smile at her lips.
"Intuition." Fu Shijin gave a light laugh. The soft light dissolved the smile in his eyes. "I once had the fortune to purchase a partial damaged scroll of Tang Yin's 'Eight Views Painting' from a Singaporean businessman. I would examine and appreciate it night after night, knowing it intimately."
He turned, his gaze landing meaningfully on the person opposite. "Everyone's speaking voice has its characteristics; one can recognize them by sound alone. That's identifying the form by sound. The principle is similar with painting and calligraphy authentication."
Seeing Mei Ran lower her head, he slowly, inch by inch, drew his gaze back.
"Excellent, excellent." Mei Hongyuan nodded repeatedly, looking at him with added appreciation. "You have your maternal grandfather's manner from back in the day."
He and Old Master Fu were old friends. The Old Master had been a prominent figure in the antique collection world back then. To think his grandson now surpassed even his predecessor.
At the mention of his grandfather, Fu Shijin's expression grew somewhat somber. Orphaned in childhood, he had lived with his grandfather. The house was filled everywhere with jades, porcelain, and famous paintings from past dynasties, and his grandfather had taught him to identify them with his own hands. Looking back now, his path in life was inextricably linked to the old man.
Unaware of the night growing late, the three of them left the study together. Mei Hongyuan's bedroom was in the southeast corner, a different path from theirs, so they parted at the doorway.
Mei Ran seemed preoccupied, even her shadow appearing heavy. Fu Shijin didn't speak either, walking quietly beside her.
The sudden ring of a cell phone shattered the silence. "In my most beautiful moment, meeting you was my fortune..."
This was the ringtone specially set up by Yu Sheng with a helping hand. This call from her came at a most inopportune time. Mei Ran felt a bit guilty. She answered, said a couple of words, and hung up.
From behind her came the man's clear, cool voice, its tone so faint no emotion could be discerned. "This is MR's 'Encounter'?"
"Yes... Yes," Mei Ran struggled to keep her voice sounding calm. "What a coincidence... Ah, Mr. Fu, you know of MR too? I like her quite a bit."
Instead of answering, he turned sideways to meet her gaze. Mei Ran's heart was a tangled mess, beating irregularly. The deep, abyssal depths of the man's eyes resembled the clear, starry night sky above them—mysterious and distant... No, sometimes they felt very close, so close she could clearly see the tiny reflection of herself within them.
"Is that so?" The man's warm breath brushed against her cheek. "I also quite like her."