The Tycoon's Mysterious Darling Wife
Chapter 257. Goodbye Ya Xi

Chapter 257: 257. Goodbye Ya Xi

Ya Xi was playing with a kangaroo when a figure suddenly appeared in front of her, looking at her with a smile, "Sister, are you also looking for Xiao Hui?"

"Is it called Xiao Hui?" Shen Qinglan asked in Chinese.

Ya Xi’s eyes lit up, "Sister, you are also from Z country, huh?"

Shen Qinglan nodded, looking at Ya Xi, "You too?"

"Yeah, I’m from Nancheng, but now I’m studying at university here."

"Oh, is that so, did you come here alone?"

"No, I came with my mother. She just went to buy something for me. Sister, are you here for fun?"

"Yeah, I’m here for tourism."

Upon hearing this, Ya Xi smiled, "Then you really came to the right place, Australia has many beautiful spots, and the scenery is great."

While speaking, she tilted her head and looked at Shen Qinglan, with a hint of doubt flashing in her eyes, "Sister, have we met somewhere before? I feel like I’ve seen you and find you very familiar."

Shen Qinglan’s eyes flickered, and she smiled slightly, "We probably are meeting for the first time. Maybe I look like someone you know."

"Yeah, could be?" Ya Xi was a bit puzzled but didn’t think too deeply. After all, people can look alike, "But sister, you’re really pretty."

Shen Qinglan smiled, "You’re also very pretty. What major are you studying here?"

"I’m studying fashion design, but I prefer photography. I often go out for inspiration with friends or my mom. There are many beautiful places in Xueli City. How long do you plan to stay here, sister? If you’d like, I can be your tour guide."

"I’ll be going back in a few days. Fashion design is good, study hard. Maybe when you become a famous designer, we might meet again."

Hearing this, a hint of regret appeared on Ya Xi’s face, "That’s too bad, but I will work hard to become an excellent designer. One day, I will design a unique piece of clothing just for you, one that only you will have in the whole world."

Ya Xi smiled with her eyes squinting, not knowing why, but she felt a very kind feeling towards the person in front of her.

Shen Qinglan smiled and nodded, "Sure."

"Sister, are those over there your friends?" Ya Xi asked, pointing in the direction of Yu Xiaoxuan and the others, who had been looking in their direction.

Shen Qinglan glanced over, "Yes, they are."

"They’ve been watching you, I guess they must be your friends," Ya Xi said.

Actually, Yu Xiaoxuan and Jin Enxi were not looking at Shen Qinglan but at Ya Xi.

"Has Ya Xi really forgotten everything?" Yu Xiaoxuan asked Jin Enxi since Jin Enxi had just told her that Ya Xi had forgotten some things.

Jin Enxi nodded, "Isn’t it better that she forgets? Those nightmare-like experiences should never be remembered. For her, the rest of her life will be much happier." As she spoke, a hint of envy crossed the depths of her eyes. If possible, she too would prefer to forget everything she experienced at Devil Base. Although many years had passed, occasionally, Jin Enxi was still haunted by nightmares.

Not just her, but the other few people felt the same way. Those endless assassinations and trials, licking blood off the Sharp Blade, and living on the edge were the entirety of their memories from the first half of their lives. If they forgot, they would be blank slates. Maybe that’s why everyone wanted to forget but didn’t choose to.

Jin Enxi silently sighed.

Yu Xiaoxuan looked at Ya Xi’s smile, as if seeing the Ya Xi she had just met, "Actually, forgetting might be for the best. At least now she is happy."

"Yeah." Jin Enxi replied. Let her be happy, who knows how long happiness can last in one’s hands.

Ya Xi raised her camera, "Sister, can you take a photo with me?"

Shen Qinglan agreed, but before they could take the photo, Zhao Jiaqing came back.

"Ya Xi, what are you doing?" Zhao Jiaqing called out, her tone revealing nervousness.

Ya Xi was startled and looked toward her mother, "Mom, you’re back. I was just about to take a photo with this pretty sister."

Zhao Jiaqing tried to keep her facial expressions controlled, trying to look as usual, "Ya Xi, you shouldn’t bother people so easily, okay?" Then she addressed Shen Qinglan, "I’m so sorry; my daughter loves photography and might have delayed your plans. Please excuse her."

Shen Qinglan spoke lightly, "It’s okay, your daughter is very cute. My friends are waiting for me, so I should be going."

"Sister, see you next time," Ya Xi said to Shen Qinglan, with a hint of reluctance in her tone.

Shen Qinglan smiled faintly, "Sure, see you next time."

Watching Shen Qinglan’s departing figure, Zhao Jiaqing turned to her daughter, "Let’s hurry up and eat, and then we’re going home."

Ya Xi frowned and pouted slightly, "Mom, didn’t you say we would play here all day? I just got here, and you want me to leave."

"Haven’t you already finished taking photos?"

"No, I was just playing with Xiao Hui and then chatting with the pretty sister just now. I haven’t taken any photos yet, and mom, I want to go lake boating," Ya Xi looked longingly at the center of the lake.

Zhao Jiaqing couldn’t refuse her daughter’s request. Now, even her son Yan Shengyu wasn’t as important as her daughter. After thinking for a moment, she nodded, "Alright, we’ll go boating this afternoon, but we must go home after that."

Ya Xi stuck her tongue out playfully, "Got it, mom."

"The lunch is in the car. Go grab it," Zhao Jiaqing said.

Ya Xi nodded and headed toward the distant parking lot.

"Miss Shen, may we talk?" Once Ya Xi had left, Zhao Jiaqing approached Shen Qinglan’s group and spoke up calmly.

Shen Qinglan stood up and walked with Zhao Jiaqing to a secluded spot, then they stopped.

Zhao Jiaqing was silent, looking at the lake. After a while, she began to speak slowly, "The environment here is very good. Since Ya Xi came here, her asthma hasn’t acted up again. She’s fallen in love with photography, and every day, apart from studying at school, she likes to run around and take lots of photos. At the beginning, her photos were not very good, so I hired her a photography teacher. Recently, her skills have improved a lot."

"She really likes her university now and her classmates; she has made a lot of new friends. On weekends, she invites her classmates home, or she visits her friends’ houses—she has become more lively than before."

Zhao Jiaqing detailed every bit of Ya Xi’s current life, and Shen Qinglan listened without speaking, her eyes filled with contentment.

Zhao Jiaqing looked toward Shen Qinglan and spoke softly, "Ya Xi is doing very well now, so Miss Shen, please stop looking for her in the future. This is a mother’s most humble plea."

Her tone was full of begging; after all that had happened, she just hoped that Ya Xi could forget it forever and continue to live as happily as she does now.

Upon hearing this, Shen Qinglan was not displeased. She looked at Zhao Jiaqing and said calmly, "Auntie, I came here with friends to attend the art festival in Xueli City. Today was just a coincidence when my friend wanted to visit this place and we stumbled upon Ya Xi. Since I promised you that I wouldn’t disturb Ya Xi, I will certainly keep my word."

"Thank you."

"Now that I see Ya Xi so happy, I too am relieved. Auntie, my friends and I have something to do this afternoon, so we will leave first. Take care."

Zhao Jiaqing watched Shen Qinglan talking with the other two, and then they started packing up and quickly departed. She felt a twinge of remorse, but for her, her daughter was the most important thing, and she was willing to do anything for Ya Xi.

She watched as Shen Qinglan walked away, her eyes filled with complex emotions. She was grateful for everything Shen Qinglan had done for Ya Xi, but she couldn’t entirely forget that Ya Xi’s ordeal was because of Shen Qinglan.

"Mom, have the sister and her friends left?" Ya Xi said, holding a bag, as she approached.

Zhao Jiaqing looked lovingly at her daughter, "They’re just traveling. After they’re done visiting here, they naturally move onto another place."

Ya Xi looked regretful, "That’s a shame. I wanted to go boating with them this afternoon."

Zhao Jiaqing smiled and stroked her daughter’s hair, saying nothing.

In the car, Yu Xiaoxuan looked at the silent Shen Qinglan and hesitated before speaking, "Qinglan, Ya Xi she..."

"She’s fine," Shen Qinglan said, and Yu Xiaoxuan didn’t say more. The car fell into silence for a while.

Perhaps encountering Ya Xi had made them all think of some unpleasant matters, and for the afternoon, they didn’t go anywhere and directly returned to their hotel rooms to rest.

The next day, a friend of Daniel invited them to play on the beach, and they all headed out.

The day after, the art festival opened, and Shen Qinglan got up early, then woke Yu Xiaoxuan from sleep. After breakfast, they set off.

The art festival in Xueli City is one of the world’s three major famous art festivals and a grand gathering for the painting world, showcasing more than five hundred works from over forty countries around the globe.

This year’s festival theme was poverty, freedom, and rights. The exhibitions were distributed across seven venues, and the Contemporary Art Museum was the one Shen Qinglan and her group planned to visit today.

There were other representatives from Z country attending the art festival, but Shen Qinglan didn’t join them as she had Yu Xiaoxuan and Jin Enxi with her.

They had just arrived when they were spotted by the organizers.

Daniel, as a gold-medal agent, was not only well-known in Z country but also had a certain reputation worldwide. Although he wasn’t a painter, his art appraisal ability was uncommon, and he was also an appraiser. He used to be a regular at some internationally renowned art exhibits; it was just that now he seldom appraised works for others.

"Daniel, you’re finally here. I’ve been waiting for you for so long," someone from the organizers approached and said to Daniel.

""

Daniel apologized with a smile, "Sorry for being a bit late, sorry about that. This is Leng Qingqiu I told you about." Daniel introduced Shen Qinglan to the organizers.

"So, you are Leng Qingqiu. I didn’t expect you to be so young and beautiful, yet with such profound painting skills."

Shen Qinglan’s gaze was cool as she shook hands with someone from the organizers, "Hello."

The representatives of the organizers, too, were aware that artists often had their own temperaments and did not feel snubbed, "Miss Leng, we are delighted you could personally attend this art festival." Originally, after knowing Leng Qingqiu’s low profile, they hadn’t anticipated a response when they sent out the invitation, yet unexpectedly, Leng Qingqiu had indeed agreed to attend.

Ever since Shen Qinglan’s "Redemption" had won an international award, the name Leng Qingqiu had gained a certain reputation internationally.

"You’re too kind. On the path of art, I am still a novice, with much to learn from my seniors," said Shen Qinglan modestly.

Though humble, these words particularly pleased the organizers and an elderly man who had just walked over, "The young people of today are very impressive. If the art world had more young people like Miss Leng, the future of art would surely be prosperous," the elderly man said warmly.

Shen Qinglan turned around and saw a stranger’s face. Daniel stepped forward to introduce them, "Qinglan, this is Mr. Frank Boyle, president of the Xueli City’s Art Association and one of the organizers of this event."

"Mr. Frank, nice to meet you for the first time," she said.

Frank Boyle, appearing to be in his fifties or sixties with graying hair, looked at Shen Qinglan with admiration in his eyes. He had seen too many young artists who gained fame early on and failed to regard the older generation of artists, but Shen Qinglan’s previous remarks had made a very good impression on him.

"Miss Shen’s earlier sentiment is correct. The journey of art is endless, worthy of our continuous exploration and practice. However, the youth today are too impatient. It’s rare to find someone like Miss Shen," said Frank, who knew Shen Qinglan’s real name, hence he directly called her "Miss Shen."

Following Frank were two young people, a man and a woman, whose faces showed discomfort upon hearing Frank’s words.

"Miss Shen, these are my students. This is Lady Catherine Boyle, and this is Brody."

Catherine was a Caucasian with blond hair and blue eyes, and a sharp nose. Along with her curvaceous figure, she was also a beauty, if one ignored her arrogant demeanor.

Brody looked around thirty, quite mature and steady. Hearing his teacher’s introduction, he smiled faintly and greeted Shen Qinglan, "Miss Shen, hello."

Shen Qinglan nodded in acknowledgment.

It was Catherine, however, who looked Shen Qinglan up and down. Though she masked it well, Shen Qinglan could still discern a hint of disdain in her eyes, and she raised an eyebrow.

"Miss Shen, I’ve often heard my teacher speak of you, and now I finally see you in person. You are even younger than I imagined," said Catherine. What sounded like an everyday remark wasn’t too pleasant to hear for Shen Qinglan and the group, prompting Jin Enxi to frown slightly.

Shen Qinglan, however, showed no reaction, merely smiling, "Lady Catherine is too polite."

Frank glanced at his student with a degree of dissatisfaction, but since it wasn’t appropriate to say anything in front of everyone, he suppressed his slight annoyance. Smiling warmly at Shen Qinglan, he asked, "Miss Shen, there is still half an hour before the opening ceremony. Would you like to rest a bit first?"

Shen Qinglan shook her head, "I’d like to take a look around the exhibition hall first, if that’s alright?"

Frank continued to smile warmly, "Of course, these exhibition halls are open to you and other artists for free during these days, you are free to visit at your leisure." He glanced at the man who had come to greet them; seeing the cue, the man quickly took a badge from his bosom and handed it to Shen Qinglan. She looked at it briefly, seeing it bore her name, and Daniel was given one too.

"Miss Shen, I’m very sorry. As we didn’t know in advance that your friend would also be coming, we didn’t manage to prepare a badge for your friend," the man said apologetically.

Shen Qinglan replied, "Please, don’t worry, sir. My friend is just traveling with me, there’s no need to make too much of it."

Mr. Frank Boyle had other matters to attend to, so he said, "Miss Shen, I’ll see you later."

"Okay, Mr. Frank."

Frank turned to Daniel, "Daniel, I’ve recently acquired a piece of artwork. Would you be interested in coming to appreciate it with me?"

Daniel’s eyes showed a flicker of interest; he worked in this field and was naturally very interested in such things. Since it was part of Frank’s private collection, it would be even more exquisite. Daniel looked at Shen Qinglan, and Shen Qinglan gave him a reassuring look.

"Let’s go then," Daniel said, following Frank. Shen Qinglan, along with Jin Enxi and Yu Xiaoxuan, slowly toured the exhibit hall, admiring the paintings on the walls or the sculptures that stood there.

Yu Xiaoxuan didn’t understand any of it and followed behind listlessly. Jin Enxi and Shen Qinglan could exchange a few words, but her own understanding was limited, so the conversation was brief.

There were only a few people in the exhibition hall at the moment, after all, there was still half an hour until the opening ceremony. Five minutes before the opening ceremony, Shen Qinglan found Daniel.

After appreciating Frank’s private collection, Daniel was still relishing the experience; the paintings that Frank had brought out were indeed excellent and of high collection value.

"Frank, your eye is getting sharper and sharper. You’ve managed to find such excellent pieces," Daniel said admiringly.

Frank laughed heartily, "It’s just luck, luck."

Those involved in art and antique collection, who happen to come across a treasure could make a fortune several times or dozens of times over with a single sale. But if someone inadvertently buys a fake, they could lose a fortune. Typically, art collectors have a keen eye for these things, even some are great painters themselves. Frank was clearly among the latter.

Shen Qinglan glanced at the treasure Frank had purchased. At first glance, the painting’s composition appeared exquisite. With a closer look, one could see the artist’s skillful technique, delicate brushwork, and the vividly lifelike character depiction, truly deserving of the term "treasure."

Shen Qinglan’s gaze fell on the bottom right corner of the painting, where a name she didn’t recognize was signed. She looked at Daniel, and he shook his head as well.

Stroking his beard, Frank’s eyes gleamed with a smug delight as he saw their reactions, "This is done by an artist I stumbled upon some time ago. Although he’s not yet famous, given his skill level, his rise to fame is just a matter of time." What’s important is that with his backing, it wouldn’t be difficult to promote a highly skilled artist who is already excellent.

"Tsk tsk, Frank, you’re getting craftier by the day," Daniel remarked, not afraid of offending him as they had known each other for many years and had a reasonably good relationship.

Frank smiled, "I’m nowhere near you when it comes to having an eye for talent," he said, glancing at Shen Qinglan.

Daniel chuckled but didn’t take the bait.

Soon, the opening ceremony began. As the person in charge of the event, Frank naturally had to give a speech. Shen Qinglan sat below, scanning the surroundings—mostly unfamiliar faces. Although she painted, she was not well-informed about the art world, let alone recognizing anyone.

Daniel whispered introductions in her ear of a few globally renowned painters from the art world; most were older individuals, with only a few young ones. Looking around, Shen Qinglan was the youngest in the entire hall, and coupled with her appearance, she attracted quite a bit of attention.

Some recognized Daniel beside her, which led a portion of the crowd to guess her identity.

After the opening ceremony came the free activity time for the painters, and the exhibition hall officially opened to the public. In an instant, the once-empty hall was packed with people from various industries and all over the world.

Shen Qinglan looked out over a sea of people, her brows faintly furrowing as she was not fond of such throngs.

"Daniel, let’s head out," Shen Qinglan suggested.

Daniel hadn’t expected there to be so many people either, and he nodded, naturally taking Jin Enxi’s hand, "There are too many people here; it would be problematic if we got separated," he said with a smile.

Jin Enxi didn’t say much. As soon as Shen Qinglan led Yu Xiaoxuan out, Yu Xiaoxuan took a deep breath and said, "It’s just the opening ceremony of an art festival, so why are there so many people coming? Could it be that the entire Xueli City has flocked here?"

Hearing this, Jin Enxi laughed, "It’s not just people from Xueli City here. Didn’t you see the many media reporters inside?"

Yu Xiaoxuan casually glanced around and indeed saw many people holding cameras.

Despite the crowd, the order was well maintained, and no one was noisy.

The man who came to greet them brightened up when he saw Shen Qinglan and her group, saying, "Miss Shen, Mr. Frank mentioned he would like to invite you to his estate this afternoon for a visit. I wonder if you would be available?"

Shen Qinglan didn’t refuse Mr. Frank’s kindness, but it wasn’t until after arriving that she realized Mr. Frank had invited not just them, but also several others, including the ones Daniel had just introduced to her.

The moment Shen Qinglan appeared, she caught their attention.

"This lady is the young painter, Miss Leng Qingqiu," Frank introduced to everyone. As he spoke, everybody knew, because before Shen Qinglan arrived, they had been discussing her exhibition piece "Night of Dawn."

"So she is Leng Qingqiu," someone whispered, "I didn’t expect her to be so young. I thought she’d be at least thirty-five or six, but she looks barely in her twenties."

"Hello, everyone." Shen Qinglan greeted them with a smile. Only Daniel and Shen Qinglan had come to the estate this time; Jin Enxi had taken Yu Xiaoxuan elsewhere to enjoy themselves. Since they weren’t painters, they had no interest in such a grand gathering, and Shen Qinglan wasn’t worried about Yu Xiaoxuan with Jin Enxi around to take care of her.

Finding a place to sit, Shen Qinglan ended up next to a man who was much younger than most attendees, in his mid-thirties, dressed casually, and somewhat out of place compared to the others.

He glanced at Shen Qinglan when she sat down but then looked away without even the intention of greeting her.

Daniel found the man amusing and watched him curiously.

"Hey, Daniel." A blond, blue-eyed man came over to greet Daniel with a laugh, "Christopher, long time no see."

"Yes, indeed," the other man responded with a smile.

"Qinglan, this is Mr. Christopher Crock, a famous oil painting collector from M country," Daniel said.

Shen Qinglan nodded and smiled at the man as a greeting.

Crock smiled like a gentleman, "Miss Leng Qingqiu, I am honored to finally meet you. You must not know, but I have several of your works in my collection. ’Redemption’ is my favorite, but Daniel told me that painting is not for sale. I wonder if Miss Leng would consider selling it; I’m prepared to pay any price." His tone conveyed regret and expectation as he looked at Shen Qinglan.

Shen Qinglan replied with a trace of a smile, shaking her head gently, "I am sorry, Mr. Crock, but I gave that painting as a gift to someone, and I’m not prepared to sell it at any price."

Crock showed clear disappointment, "That’s truly a pity. However, I believe Miss Leng will create many more excellent works in the future. If you ever wish to sell any, please consider me first."

He was sincere, and Shen Qinglan didn’t refuse, "Okay, definitely."

Crock smiled with satisfaction.

Frank came over; as the host, he had been busy greeting others and had only now made his way to them. He noticed the silent man sitting beside Shen Qinglan, his eyes lighting up, "Jonathan, so you’re here. I’ve been looking for you."

Shen Qinglan’s eyes flickered slightly. If she wasn’t mistaken, the artist’s name on the painting Frank showed to Daniel this morning was "Jonathan Adrian." Could this be him?

Indeed, Frank’s next remark confirmed Shen Qinglan’s conjecture, "Miss Shen, let me introduce to you, this is Jonathan Adrian, the talented and promising painter I mentioned. Jonathan, this is Miss Leng Qingqiu, the author of ’Redemption’ and ’Night of Dawn.’"

Jonathan then glanced up at Shen Qinglan once more and quickly averted his gaze, still showing no intention of even greeting her.

Shen Qinglan raised an eyebrow, thinking that if this man wasn’t asocial, then he must be so arrogant that he can’t see anyone else in his eyes. However, from her observation, this man seemed to fall into the former category.

Frank’s face carried a tinge of awkwardness, his eyes on Jonathan showed annoyance. He apologetically looked at Shen Qinglan, "Miss Shen, I’m sorry, Jonathan is quite reclusive and doesn’t enjoy socializing with others."

Jonathan showed no reaction to being called reclusive in his presence; he just sat there blankly. Frank, feeling helpless, knew after having interacted with him for some time that Jonathan was truly a loner. You could talk to him for ages, and he might respond with just one sentence or not bother at all. If it weren’t for Frank’s cajoling, threats, and bribes, Jonathan wouldn’t even have agreed to come here.

"It’s okay, everyone has their quirks," Shen Qinglan said indifferently, her face showing no sign of dissatisfaction.

Frank chuckled, "Miss Shen, there are a few artists over there who would really like to meet you. What do you think..."

Shen Qinglan caught the hint and spoke up, "This is a rare gathering, and I’d love to interact and learn from the esteemed artists present. I’m not familiar with them, so I’d appreciate it if Mr. Frank could facilitate some introductions."

Her humble approach improved Frank’s impression of her by another notch, "Hahaha, I knew I wasn’t wrong about you, Miss Shen. You’re indeed a hardworking young person."

Shen Qinglan followed Frank, while Daniel caught sight of some friends and went over to greet them.

It seemed that Frank truly valued Shen Qinglan; he introduced her to several world-renowned masters and famous art collectors. With Frank acting as a mediator and Shen Qinglan’s intentional modesty, the group enjoyed a jovial conversation.

Daniel was keeping an eye on the situation and saw that Shen Qinglan was fitting in nicely, allowing himself a slight smile. Sometimes even Daniel couldn’t help but admire Shen Qinglan; as long as she was willing, she could mingle with anyone.

By the time Shen Qinglan left Frank’s estate, many had changed their perception of her from a low-profile young painter to a genius artist. In the short afternoon conversation, they discovered that Shen Qinglan had never undergone systematic training in painting. She had been holding a brush for less than ten years, and to achieve such success in this brief period was something they admitted they couldn’t do themselves.

For someone like her, there was indeed the capital for pride, but in their presence, she was so humble that when an elderly painter pointed out flaws in her work, she even eagerly sought his advice.

Shen Qinglan would never anticipate that her humility that day would lead those artists to mention her on various occasions after they returned, not only affirming her artwork but also her character. As a result, her paintings were revered by countless people and eventually were auctioned off for sky-high prices, making her "the world’s most expensive living artist."

Of course, that was a story for another time.

In a corner of the estate, Lady Catherine held a glass of wine, looking discontentedly at the woman who was enjoying avid conversations with the elderly artists.

Brody approached, "Didn’t the teacher tell you to interact more with Shen Qinglan? What are you doing sitting here by yourself?"

Catherine frowned, "What’s there to interact with? She’s simply a rising painter. There are so many painters who rise and fall quickly in this field. Why should I bother flattering her?"

Her tone was disdainful. Brody frowned, "Catherine, Shen Qinglan does have great talent. You should settle down and not be prejudiced against her."

Catherine frowned, as if wanting to say something, but after a moment of thought, she held back, "I know. Go ahead first."

Brody could tell he was being brushed off and shook his head, deciding to leave her alone.

"Frank, I think now I understand why Daniel is willing to be her sole agent. That woman is impressive," remarked a man who had been quietly listening in without contributing.

Frank responded with a slight smile, "Of course, do you think that old fox Daniel would be so easily tamed?"

The man chuckled, "That’s true, after all Daniel is still... his eye is as vicious as ever."

"Noah, do you believe that within five, no, three years, this Shen Qinglan will definitely reach a new height in this field, and even surpass many of the artists present?"

Noah raised an eyebrow, "Does that include this ’genius’ you’ve discovered?"

"No," Frank shook his head, "Jonathan is a genius, yes, but Shen Qinglan is the one who truly has talent. Compared to her, Jonathan still has a gap to bridge. If you’ve seen her ’Redemption’ and ’Night of Dawn’, you would realize that her progress is astoundingly rapid."

Noah didn’t expect Frank to rate Shen Qinglan so highly—knowing Frank’s reputation for being picky, few people could earn his approval, let alone the kind of praise he gave today.

"Noah, if you trust me, after this exhibition ends, you should talk to her about buying her ’Night of Dawn,’ no matter the cost, believe me, you won’t regret it."

"Since you’ve said so, naturally I believe you," Noah smiled, and Noah could not have foreseen that his casual action today would later result in the painting being auctioned off at a staggering price, even saving his company on the brink of bankruptcy from its demise.

The two men spoke quietly, and no one else overheard.

"Daniel, who was the man sitting next to Frank today?" Shen Qinglan asked Daniel on the way back.

"Do you mean the one who didn’t speak, with the brown curly hair?"

Shen Qinglan nodded, "Mhm."

"That is Noah Lamar, ranked twentieth on the Forbes list and also an art collector, who has a close personal friendship with Frank. What about him?"

Shen Qinglan shook her head; the man had been sizing her up all day with inadvertent glances, but since there was no malice in his gaze, she paid him no mind.

Daniel was in high spirits, "Qinglan, believe me, after this arts festival, you’re going to be huge."

Shen Qinglan didn’t care about becoming famous at all; painting was her hobby, not her livelihood.

Daniel glanced at her and, seeing her expression, knew exactly what she was thinking, and felt somewhat helpless, "Qinglan, most people would be thrilled to become famous, can’t you show a little more concern? Your indifference is quite deflating for me."

Seeing that Shen Qinglan just gave him a nonchalant look without speaking, Daniel talked to himself, "Alright, alright, I surrender, but Qinglan, your paintings are sure to sell big in the future. Have you considered painting a few more after we go back?"

"I have no such plans," Shen Qinglan replied. She painted purely for enjoyment.

Alright, Daniel knew it would be like this, but if Shen Qinglan became someone who painted for money, it probably wouldn’t be the person Daniel admired anymore.

"But I did get some inspiration from my trip to Xueli City this time."

Upon hearing this, Daniel immediately cheered up.

"Right, Qinglan, we’re going to Chicken Heart Island tomorrow; it’s also an important venue for the arts festival."

Shen Qinglan had no objections, and at that moment, they couldn’t have imagined that what they thought would be a simple excursion would turn out to be such an extraordinary and thrilling ordeal.