Super God Grandmaster
Chapter 1068 - 1068 1054 Another Painting of Mother

Chapter 1068: Chapter 1054: Another Painting of Mother Chapter 1068: Chapter 1054: Another Painting of Mother Ye Chen opened it excitedly, took a quick glance, and thought to himself that he could pass the time with it now that he had nothing else to do, yet he still said, “Regarding your daughter’s situation, I can only try my best. Whether it succeeds or not, we’ll have to leave that to fate.”

“You just need to do your best to help me, and whatever the outcome is, that’s my own business,” Shao Hengjiang said.

“Don’t worry, I won’t overdo it. After all, I promised you I would help, and you’ve given me the secret martial arts manual. What else is there to talk about?” said Ye Chen as he tucked the Secret Manual back into his embrace.

“She still thinks I’m a bad person, doesn’t she?”

“Of course, she must be harboring some bad idea now; anyway, you need to be careful and not take anything for granted,” Ye Chen murmured.

“Yeah, I’ll be careful.”

As they were talking, someone walked in, startling both of them—it was Nangong Yan. Fortunately, she didn’t overhear their conversation.

Nangong Yan entered like a ghostly presence, causing Ye Chen to doubt his own eyes. How could that girl step into Shao Hengjiang’s room? However, he soon understood—she must have come to snoop for information.

“Why, are you planning something shady, afraid that I might hear it?” Nangong Yan said coldly as she grabbed a handful of peanuts to eat.

Ye Chen glanced at Shao Hengjiang and said, “The worst plan is figuring out a way to get you to Iron Ten Thousand Island.”

To her astonishment, Nangong Yan saw that another painting had been hung up in the place where the portrait usually was—her mother’s portrait, no doubt about it. Anxious, she dropped the peanuts in her hand and exclaimed, “What are you doing, hanging my mother’s portrait again? Didn’t I warn you? Why won’t you listen?” she said as she began to climb up to take down the painting.

Shao Hengjiang, worried she might fall, quickly moved to guard her.

“People say ‘three times and you’re out.’ You’ve hung someone else’s painting in your room without their consent, and it’s really annoying,” Nangong Yan muttered. She speculated that Shao Hengjiang must have had feelings for her mother.

With a swish, she took the painting down from the wall.

“If someone likes to hang it, let them. Do you need to give permission? It’s not your painting,” Ye Chen argued defiantly.

“Of course, I need to give permission—it’s my mother’s painting.”

“Maybe your mother had given her consent for others to hang it. You just don’t know about it.”

Hearing this, a furious Nangong Yan slapped him hard on the shoulder.

Ye Chen didn’t dodge, continuing to eat.

Nangong Yan turned to Shao Hengjiang and asked, “I’m taking down this painting, but you’re not going to hang up another one of my mother, are you?”

Shao Hengjiang did not respond.

“If someone likes to hang it, let them. It means your mother is beautiful. If she were ugly, nobody would want to hang it,” Ye Chen said.

“You’re the ugly one.”

Shao Hengjiang sat sipping tea on the side, unsure what else to say.

The girl suddenly spoke up, “You don’t have any more of my mother’s paintings, do you?”

“I do have several more,” Shao Hengjiang admitted.

“Then hurry up and give them to me.” She was worried he’d hang them up again.

But Ye Chen said, “Even if I give them to you, he would still hang them if he wants. Don’t you know that Elder Shao’s painting skills are top-notch? Moreover, his most skilled work is painting your mother’s portrait. There’s no use in you taking them; he can recreate one at any time.”

Nangong Yan gave Ye Chen a cold glance, asking, “How do you know that he is most skilled at painting my mother?”

“Elder Shao said it,” replied Ye Chen.

Nangong Yan glared at Shao Hengjiang and exclaimed, “I don’t care what your relationship with my mother is, but I’m warning you not to paint her anymore, or I’ll burn this room down.”

An irritated Ye Chen retorted, “Oh, I don’t think you can control that. Whatever happened between him and your mother, you weren’t even born then. You talk about burning down his room without considering whose territory this is.”

Unexpectedly, that damned monkey was speaking up for him. She cried out, “No matter whose territory it is, it’s not okay to hang my mother’s painting in his room.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t hang it anymore,” Shao Hengjiang said.

“You also need to hand over the paintings of my mother that you’re hiding.”

“Alright, when the time comes, I’ll have someone move them to your room.”

Nangong Yan was somewhat surprised. She was so angry, yet Shao Hengjiang didn’t seem to mind, even agreeing to hand over the paintings. She couldn’t believe it—this was Shao Hengjiang, the feared Iron Chains, a man extremely cunning and sly. She began to doubt if this was the same bad guy from Iron Ten Thousand Island.

“I’ll get some late-night snacks,” Shao Hengjiang said.

Nangong Yan stood up and said, “No need; I don’t want others to say that I came here to eavesdrop on matters.” She was about to leave, and she also gave an instruction, “Remember to hand over all the paintings and stop painting them.”

Ye Chen, however, said, “Don’t listen to her. This girl thinks she’s the Empress Dowager when she really is nothing. Lock her up, and she’ll wimp out.”

Nangong Yan pursed her lips and had already left the room, still looking at that painting. Shao Hengjiang’s style and calligraphy were indeed unique. How could such a bad person possess such fine skills and calligraphy? It truly seemed as if heaven was blind to bestow such talent upon him.

He was even able to paint her mother so beautifully, alas, what a pity, Nangong Yan shook her head.

Alas, if dad knew, he would surely be heartbroken. Mother, too—it’s not her fault for being beautiful when she was young and for others liking her.

After obtaining the Secret Manual, Ye Chen chatted with Shao Hengjiang for a while, then left.

The paintings were all moved to Nangong Yan’s room, where she admired them one by one. It’s true that although they depicted the same person, each painting was different, expressing a range of emotions: joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness—each harboring a particular mood.

It seems that Shao Hengjiang really was a man of deep affection.

Ye Chen jumped in excitedly and, seeing Nangong Yan in a daze, approached and said, “The paintings are really good; each one is full of lingering reluctance and deep affection, brimming with sentiment.”

“Scram, don’t block me,” Nangong Yan said, seemingly not satisfied with her admiration. She thought to herself that if she gave these portraits to dad, he would surely be especially happy, and it could alleviate his longing for mother.

“Don’t you want to know what the relationship was between your mother and Shao Hengjiang?” Ye Chen asked deliberately.

“What relationship?” Nangong Yan had, of course, entertained suspicions. It was clear enough—it was Shao Hengjiang who liked her mother; otherwise, why would he paint so many to remember her? Yet, she also found it quite shameful.

“It must have been no ordinary relationship; otherwise, how could he paint her so beautifully? I’m enamored just by word of mouth. If your mother were still alive, I would really like to meet her.”

“What are you up to?”

“I want to see the beautiful visage of your mother.”

“I knew you were up to no good,” she retorted.

Ye Chen moved to another chair and said, “Maybe I should change rooms. Man and woman alone, creating issues when there’s none—just afraid that one night you won’t be able to resist and throw yourself at me, making things happen for real.”

Glancing at Ye Chen, Nangong Yan said, “Is that what you think about every night?”

“Not at all; my taste isn’t that low.”

Nangong Yan saw that he was holding a book in his hand, walked over, took a look, and said, “Sacred Heavenly Technique.” She was nearly shocked speechless, and with disbelief, she asked, “Did you steal it from Shao Hengjiang?”

“How could I? Do you think the Secret Manual would be so easy to steal? He willingly gave it to me.”

Nangong Yan refused to believe it and muttered, “Why would he give it to you?”

“How should I know? Maybe he thinks I have potential worth nurturing.”

“How did you get it?” Nangong Yan asked.

“I’ve told you, he gave it to me willingly.” Ye Chen could not reveal the truth to her.

It looked like these two guys were really in cahoots, and quicker than she expected. She looked at him and said, “Did you strike some shameful deal again?”

You can’t underestimate this girl—she could guess so much. She wasn’t foolish after all. He replied, “Indeed, we struck a deal, one that can be told to everyone except you.”

Nangong Yan snorted, “I don’t want to know anyway.”

Ye Chen laughed after hearing this and said, “I think Shao Hengjiang isn’t that bad. We could become good friends.”

“I think you’re getting played big time,” she commented.

“Is that so? But he really did pass on all that he had learned to me,” Ye Chen said while looking at the Sacred Heavenly Technique.

“Maybe he’s already altered the content to lead you astray into demonic cultivation,” Nangong Yan said, trying to scare him.

“That won’t happen.”

“Heh, we shall see. Just keep practicing and find out what you can’t do,” Nangong Yan declared.

Ye Chen just chuckled and said, “I can’t be bothered to explain to you. I need to prepare a delicious meal,” and he stood up.

“I advise you not to get too close to Shao Hengjiang—you might get tainted and not even the Yellow River will wash you clean.”

“With you, I’ve been dirty beyond cleansing for a while now, but I don’t care,” Ye Chen replied.

Nangong Yan collected the paintings, put them into a chest, and pondered when to take them home to dad.