The Tycoon's Mysterious Darling Wife
Chapter 460 - 462. Father and Son Recognition

Chapter 460: 462. Father and Son Recognition

Duan Ling suddenly froze, staring intently at Haohao, "Did your mommy tell you that?"

Haohao shook his head, "No, I guessed." This question had existed in his heart ever since Duan Ling looked at him with a very loving and indulgent gaze.

"Haohao..." Duan Ling looked into his son’s clear eyes, his throat rough, "I... ."

"Are you my daddy?" Haohao asked.

Duan Ling wanted to nod, yet hesitated. He had promised Pei Yinong that he wouldn’t acknowledge Haohao without her consent.

"My aunt said that my daddy has come back, so my mommy is unhappy. My mommy does not like my daddy. I have never seen you before, but mommy let me play with you, so I thought perhaps you are my daddy," Haohao slowly articulated with logical clarity.

Despite his young age, his maturity and the things he’d seen daily meant he knew far more than his peers. And Chu Yunjin and the others always assumed he was too young to understand adult conversations, so they didn’t avoid certain topics around Haohao, which led to him knowing even more as time went on.

Listening to Haohao’s analysis, Duan Ling felt an overwhelming sourness in his heart, but what was even more heartbreaking was yet to come. Haohao continued, "I’ve been without a daddy since I was little. My mommy and grandma raised me. I used to ask mommy why I don’t have a daddy like other kids, and she told me that my daddy had gone to a place far, far away for work and it would be a very long time before he could come back."

"But later on, I slowly understood that my daddy didn’t want me and mommy, and he went to a place far, far away."

"That’s not it," Duan Ling said with difficulty. "Your daddy never abandoned you." If he had known about Pei Yinong being pregnant back then, he would have never left her, never.

Haohao nodded, "I know. My aunt told me that my daddy didn’t even know about mommy having me. You wouldn’t abandon me if you knew, right?"

Duan Ling’s heart ached, his eyes heating up. His child, his five-year-old child, turned out to understand everything, "Yes, if I had known, I would have never left you." This was an acknowledgment that he indeed was Haohao’s biological father.

Yining, I’m sorry, I’ve broken my promise.

Haohao smiled, "I knew it." His face beamed with satisfaction, content at the thought that he wasn’t a child nobody wanted. However, this expression only made Duan Ling feel even more heartbroken.

"Haohao, do you hate daddy?"

Haohao shook his head, "My aunt said mommy and daddy are not together because they don’t like each other anymore, but they both still love me. I shouldn’t hate either of them."

Duan Ling hugged Haohao tight, the child’s sensibility only intensifying his heartache, "Haohao, daddy is sorry to you."

Haohao extended his hand, patting his shoulder like an adult, "Don’t be sad, mommy and I live very well. Mommy loves me a lot, and so do grandpa and grandma. I also have a beautiful aunt and a cute little brother. I’m really happy."

Duan Ling’s nose tingled, and tears finally fell. Holding Haohao, inhaling the scent of milk on him, he just wanted to slap himself hard.

"Even though you’re my daddy, I can’t call you daddy, okay? Mommy wouldn’t be happy. Mommy has worked hard to raise me, I don’t want her to be unhappy," Haohao’s childlike voice rang in Duan Ling’s ears, causing a painful ache in his chest.

"Alright, you can call me uncle," Duan Ling conceded, unable to demand Haohao to call him daddy since he had not fulfilled a day’s duty as a father.

Haohao stared into Duan Ling’s eyes, reaching out to touch, "Uncle, are you crying?"

Duan Ling shook his head, "No, uncle is just too happy to see you."

"Uncle, if mommy agrees later on, you can still see me. But I like Uncle Jiang more," Haohao didn’t forget to emphasize Jiang Chenxi’s place in his heart to Duan Ling.

"Is your Uncle Jiang good to you?" Duan Ling asked with a sad heart.

Haohao nodded without hesitation, "Yeah, Uncle Jiang is just like a daddy to me. I really like him."

During this conversation, Pei Yinong had arrived. She got out of the passenger side and saw Haohao sitting in Duan Ling’s arms, the two not knowing what they were talking about.

"Haohao, Mommy is here to pick you up and take you home," Pei Yinong said.

Duan Ling stood up, watching Haohao run towards Pei Yinong. He glanced at Pei Yinong’s car and saw someone in the driver’s seat, but he couldn’t make out the person’s face. Pei Yinong merely nodded at Duan Ling and then took Haohao’s hand and walked away.

Halfway, Haohao turned back and waved to Duan Ling, "Uncle, goodbye." Duan Ling smiled and waved back, watching them leave.

As soon as Haohao got into the car, he saw Jiang Chenxi, "Uncle Jiang, so you were here."

Jiang Chenxi laughed, "Aren’t you happy to see Uncle Jiang?"

"Happy. Uncle Jiang, you haven’t seen me for several days," Haohao said with a hint of grievance.

Jiang Chenxi looked apologetic, "It’s Uncle Jiang’s fault, I’m the one who’s wrong. Won’t you please not be angry?"

Haohao giggled, "I wouldn’t get mad at Uncle Jiang. You’re the best, Uncle Jiang."

"Did you have fun playing with that uncle today?" Jiang Chenxi asked.

Haohao nodded, "Yes, but it wasn’t as fun as playing with Uncle Jiang."

Jiang Chenxi laughed heartily, "Then next time, Uncle Jiang will take you to play."

Pei Yinong looked at her son amused, "All you think about is playing. Have you had dinner?"

"I have. Uncle took me to eat steak," Haohao recounted in detail.

Jiang Chenxi dropped the mother and son off at their home and was about to take a cab back when Pei Yinong stopped him, "Just take my car directly. It’s hard to catch a cab here. You can pick me up for work tomorrow morning."

After some thought, Jiang Chenxi nodded and accepted Pei Yinong’s suggestion, "Alright. Haohao, then Uncle Jiang is heading home now."

"Uncle Jiang, goodbye," Haohao smiled with his eyes squinted.

Before going to sleep at night, Pei Yinong bathed her son. Haohao looked at his mother, "Mommy, are you happy?"

Pei Yinong looked down, "Why do you ask?"

"Mommy, I’m so handsome. How could you not be happy looking at me?"

Pei Yinong laughed and pinched her son’s cheek, "Why is your skin so thick?"

Haohao shook his head, "Mommy, don’t pinch, it’ll make me less handsome."

Pei Yinong bent down and kissed her son’s little face, "Then a kiss from Mommy should be okay, right?"

"Mommy, I’m a boy, and you’re a girl, you can’t kiss me," Haohao said with a serious little face.

Pei Yinong was amused by her son, "Where did you learn all this?"

"From TV."

Pei Yinong felt strongly that she needed to suggest to her own mother not to watch those messy TV dramas in front of Haohao when she had nothing else to do.

After the bath, Haohao clung to Pei Yinong’s bed, refusing to go to his own room. Pei Yinong had no choice but to comply, "Then Mommy will take a shower first, you wait for Mommy."

Haohao obediently nodded. When she came out, Haohao was still awake. Seeing Pei Yinong out, he scooted over, "Mommy, I warmed up the bed for you, so you won’t be cold." He smiled innocently, and warmth filled Pei Yinong’s heart.

"Mama, the uncle we met today, I’ve seen him before," Haohao whispered as he lay in Pei Yinong’s arms.

Pei Yinong shivered and looked down at her son, "When?"

"Last time, when I went to the amusement park with auntie, I met that uncle in the bathroom, and also when I went to piano lessons, I saw him there."

"Did that uncle say anything to you when you were playing with him today?" Pei Yinong tentatively asked him.

Haohao shook his head, "No, but I know he’s my daddy, I figured it out."

Pei Yinong was startled and stared at her son, "Haohao..."

"Mama, I’m already five years old, I’m a big kid now. I know you like Uncle Jiang, and I like him too, so Mama, I won’t let you be with uncle. And I love Mama, I won’t leave Mama either."

Pei Yinong didn’t know what to say to her son; Haohao had said everything she wanted to convey. She hugged her son tightly, "Haohao, Mama loves you."

"I love you too, Mama."

At that moment, Pei Yinong felt so grateful that she had insisted on giving birth to Haohao. He was the best gift she could have received from heaven. Because of this gift, even the pain that Duan Ling had caused her didn’t seem so significant anymore.

Before sleep, Haohao, holding onto Pei Yinong’s clothes, asked softly, "Mama, will I be able to see that uncle again in the future?"

Pei Yinong looked down, "Do you want to see him?"

Haohao nodded, "Yes, but if Mama isn’t happy, I don’t have to see him. I love Mama the most."

Pei Yinong smiled, "Then, Mama will talk to uncle and ask him to come to see you."

Haohao leaned in and gave Pei Yinong a kiss on the face, "Thank you, Mama."

Pei Yinong’s smile was tender, and after speaking to Jiang Chenxi, she felt that her heart had broadened a bit.

Meanwhile, Duan Ling, who had returned to Cui Zeyu’s house, looked lost and forlorn. Seeing this, Cui Zeyu furrowed his brows, "What’s the matter with you? Didn’t you say you were spending the day with your son today? Did Pei Yinong change her mind and not let you see him?"

Duan Ling shook his head, "I saw him. Haohao is very cute. We even had dinner together and watched a movie."

"Then why do you look like you’ve lost your soul?" Cui Zeyu was even more puzzled.

"Zeyu, I regret it. Why did I leave Yinong alone back then? If I hadn’t agreed to Jiamin, would everything be different?" Duan Ling covered his face and whispered. After parting with Haohao, regret was almost overwhelming him.

This situation was truly hard for Cui Zeyu to judge; there’s no medicine for regret in this world. Your regret won’t make someone turn back time and give you a do-over.

"Aling, try to see the bigger picture."

"How could I have done such a damnable thing back then?" Regret was evident in Duan Ling’s voice.

Cui Zeyu remained silent and then patted his shoulder, "If you’re feeling upset, I’ll go out for a drink with you."

"What about Bai Cheng?"

"He’s already asleep, and my wife came back today, so it’s no problem."

Cui Zeyu spoke and then went to the bedroom to check in with his wife. She was aware of Duan Ling’s situation and naturally would not object.

Duan Ling had drunk a little too much that night, his words slurred as he kept saying "I’m sorry." Cui Zeyu watched him with a soft sigh but didn’t call Pei Yining; after all, what’s the point in regretting now?

Cui Zeyu still couldn’t understand why, back then, he had left for another country due to a woman he didn’t love, abandoning Pei Yining. He once asked Duan Ling why he made such a choice, and Duan Ling had said, "At the time, I just felt that Gu Jiamin was very pitiful, she needed me more than Yining did. Yining is quite independent, and even without me, she would live well. I thought to stay with Jiamin until her last half-year and then return to Yining. Little did I know that half-year would turn into three. In fact, two years ago I went back but didn’t find Yining, so I returned."

"Look at you, things have come to this and now what’s the use of regretting? She’s not going to come back and wait for you," said Cui Zeyu upon seeing Duan Ling like this. Accepting it as it is, Cui Zeyu hoisted Duan Ling onto his back, "Ouch, what did you eat to grow up, iron? Why are you so heavy?"

*

Shen Qinglan knew three days later that Haohao had met Duan Ling just before the opening of her art exhibition.

"Cousin, why are you here today?" Shen Qinglan was curious since lately, Pei Yining was like a dragon, seen in head but not in tail.

Pei Yining smiled, "I came to see you. How are the preparations for your exhibition going?"

"It’s almost done. Shall we go in and take a look?"

"Let’s go." Pei Yining spoke, following Shen Qinglan into the exhibition hall where paintings already hung on the walls, while a few spots were empty, "Are these spots not being used?" Pei Yining asked.

"They will be, the paintings here are quite valuable, so they’ll only be hung the day before the exhibition," explained Shen Qinglan. She wanted to hang them directly, but Xu Xiangqian and Daniel were worried, given the past incident of the gallery fire.

This time, in order to prevent any accidents, Daniel had specifically hired several bodyguards to guard these paintings day and night.

Shen Qinglan showed Pei Yining around, and then the two found a café to sit. Seeing the relaxed expression on her face, Shen Qinglan knew the issue must have been resolved.

"Cousin, is everything settled?"

Pei Yining lifted the coffee to her lips and took a sip, smiling, "Sort of. I laid it all out to Chenxi and told him about Duan Ling’s return."

"It seems like a good outcome," Shen Qinglan said with a faint smile.

"Qinglan, I also have to thank you. If you hadn’t spoken to Haohao, I wouldn’t know how to tell Haohao," Pei Yining said sincerely, with Haohao being the toughest part of this matter for her to deal with.

"As long as you don’t think I’m being too nosy," Shen Qinglan replied indifferently.

"Why would I? You helped me solve a big problem."

Shen Qinglan watched the brightness in Pei Yining’s eyes, a smile slowly spreading across her own. Pei Yining, puzzled, asked, "What’s wrong?"

Shen Qinglan said, "I was worried about you after knowing that Haohao’s dad came back and seeing your state at the time—I was afraid you couldn’t let go."

Pei Yining was taken aback, then laughed, "I was indeed shocked at first. Even after learning about his marriage, I thought I couldn’t let go. But after calming down, I realized many things had already been let go unconsciously, and many of the emotions I thought I felt were not as strong as I believed. But I can’t completely forget him; after all, there were warm moments in the love he gave me. We’re not friends, nor can we return to the past; better to treat each other as strangers from now on."

Seeing her calm demeanor and even tranquil eyes, Shen Qinglan breathed a sigh of relief for Jiang Chenxi; the years of waiting weren’t in vain.

"That’s very good," Shen Qinglan noted.

"Enough about me, let’s talk about you. Is Hengyi coming back for the exhibition?"

Shen Qinglan nodded, "I just spoke to him yesterday; he will be back."

For every significant day in Shen Qinglan’s life, Fu Hengyi would never be absent.

A hint of envy surfaced in Pei Yining’s eyes. The relationship between Shen Qinglan and Fu Hengyi was the best she had ever seen among her relatives and friends.

"Will he leave Beijing afterwards or stay here more permanently?" remembered Shen Qinglan the issue of Duan Ling’s coming and going, she inquired.

"I’m not sure, I haven’t asked," Pei Yinong said indifferently.

Shen Qinglan looked at Pei Yinong’s indifferent face and after some thought, hesitated before speaking, "Cousin, have you ever considered letting father and son recognize each other?" Although Haohao and Duan Ling both know their relationship now, there has been no formal recognition.

Pei Yinong was slightly stunned, "I’ve thought about this for several days, but I’ve been very hesitant. Qinglan, if you were in my shoes, what would you do?"

"I would let them recognize each other. Haohao doesn’t dislike his father, and children of his age need fatherly love. It didn’t matter before when he didn’t know who his father was but now that he does, they are ultimately father and son."

Pei Yinong thought for a moment and nodded, "I’ll take your suggestion into serious consideration."

Pei Yinong didn’t stay long and soon left.

When Shen Qinglan returned to the exhibition hall, she saw Xu Xiangqian with an urgent look on his face. Shen Qinglan’s expression changed slightly, "What’s wrong?"

"Miss Shen, a painting is missing."

Shen Qinglan’s face changed, "Which painting?"

Xu Xiangqian led Shen Qinglan to a corner where the painting that was originally hanging on the wall was gone, leaving only the description in the bottom right corner. Shen Qinglan looked at the description, her eyes darkening—she remembered the painting. It was an image of a sunrise.

"Do you know who did it?" Shen Qinglan asked in a deep voice.

"We’ve checked the surveillance; a staff member from the exhibition did it. I’ve spoken with the person in charge here. They were short-staffed and hired some temporary workers."

"Has the temporary worker been located?"

"We’ve checked and have already reported it to the police. The police are on the way to catch them, but Miss Shen, I’m worried that if we can’t get it back in time, we’ll be left with a gaping hole." The artworks in this exhibition were all Shen Qinglan’s masterpieces, each one quite valuable.

Shen Qinglan pondered for a while, "Here’s what we’ll do. I’ll paint a new one while you keep an eye on the police’s progress."

This was currently the best course of action. Xu Xiangqian nodded, feeling a bit guilty, "I’m sorry, Miss Shen. This was my oversight." It was his first official appearance as Shen Qinglan’s agent, and he had already made such a mistake.

"This has nothing to do with you, don’t blame yourself," Shen Qinglan said indifferently. It was clear from the surveillance video that the person stealing the painting was purposeful; it was a premeditated act. Against someone with a plan, being caught unprepared was inevitable. Moreover, the video only captured the thief’s back, without a single frontal image—it was obvious the culprit was well-acquainted with the layout of the exhibition hall, and his movements indicated he was a seasoned thief.

Xu Xiangqian was embarrassed; he had been hired by Daniel for a hefty sum, only to fail at the first task.

"Strengthen security; I’ll leave the rest to you and go back to paint another piece," Shen Qinglan simply said.

"Don’t worry, Miss Shen. I guarantee this won’t happen a second time," Xu Xiangqian said earnestly.

Shen Qinglan made another round in the exhibition hall and, detecting no further abnormalities, she then left.

Time flew by, and soon it was the opening day of Shen Qinglan’s art exhibition. This exhibition was the largest of all of Shen Qinglan’s exhibitions; there were many people, even Daniel had come personally from Country Y.

"Qinglan Baby, haven’t seen you for so long, did you miss me?" Daniel opened his arms in a hugging gesture.

Shen Qinglan looked at Daniel, who had lost a lot of weight, felt a touch of sourness in her heart, and thought of Jin Enxi, who was undergoing a second skin graft surgery. She stepped forward and gently hugged Daniel, "Daniel, long time no see."

Daniel was taken aback. Shen Qinglan had never been physically affectionate with anyone before. He was only joking, but a warm current surged in his heart, "Qinglan Baby, I’m fine."

Before Daniel could let go of Shen Qinglan, he felt someone tugging at his trouser leg. Looking down, he saw Anan pulling at the fabric, "Anan, do you still recognize Uncle?" Daniel squatted down to play with Anan.

Anan looked at Daniel with serious expression, "Mommy, mine."

Daniel laughed and turned to look at Shen Qinglan, "Qinglan Baby, your little one really has a personality to match Mr. Fu’s."

Shen Qinglan was also amused, looking down at her son.

Anan furrowed his little brow, still looking at Daniel, stressing once more, "Mommy is mine."

Daniel nodded, "Right, Mommy is yours; I won’t compete with you for her."

Hearing this, Anan was immediately satisfied and handed the lollipop he was holding to Daniel, "For you to eat."

Daniel was deeply touched, pointing to himself, "For me?"

Anan nodded his little head, "To eat."

Daniel took it and looked up at Shen Qinglan, "Anan is much more generous than Mr. Fu."

Shen Qinglan was speechless. Just now, you said he was just like Fu Hengyi, but now your tune changes so quickly. Where are your principles? All for a lollipop?

Daniel happily accepted the lollipop from Anan’s hand and popped it into his mouth, "It’s tasty."

Anan smiled too, he was always generous as long as no one competed with him for his mommy.

"Mommy, where’s Daddy?" Anan began to miss his dad.

Shen Qinglan looked around and didn’t see Fu Hengyi, "Daddy is busy right now; can you stay with this uncle for a while?"

Anan frowned, somewhat reluctant, but Daniel picked him up, "Come, Uncle will take you to find Daddy."

"Okay." Anan nodded. With the Crown Prince’s approval, Daniel carried Anan off.

"Oh, Miss Shen, long time no see." A familiar voice came from behind, and Shen Qinglan turned to see Frank. Shen Qinglan smiled slightly; indeed, it had been a long time since she had seen Mr. Frank, "Mr. Frank, it’s been a while."

"This is Noah," Frank introduced the person beside him to Shen Qinglan. Shen Qinglan glanced at the newcomer and smiled slightly, "Mr. Noah, I didn’t expect you to be here, too."

"Miss Shen, it’s a pleasure to see you," Noah said with a smile.

Shen Qinglan shook hands with him gently, "Mr. Noah, I heard you recently bought a famous painting; I wonder when I might have a chance to see the real thing."

"Miss Shen wanting to see it is just a matter of saying the word. Next time you come to Xueli City, please visit my place. I’ll show you my collection and ask for Miss Shen’s appraisal."

"Appraisal is too much to say; I just want to learn by looking at the works of the great masters."

"Hahaha, Miss Shen, you’re just being modest. Now, you’re a rising star in the art world. I still regret that I didn’t get to see your participation in the oil painting competition last time." As they spoke, some people began to take notice. Shen Qinglan knew that Noah brought up the topic to give her a public chance to explain, especially since her absence from the last painting competition left a poor impression on some veteran artists.

Shen Qinglan gave Noah a friendly smile, "An important friend of mine was in an accident last time, in critical condition, so I had no choice but to give up that rare opportunity."

"Miss Shen’s friend had an accident?"

"Yes, my friend had an accident, almost perishing in a fire."

"Well, that explains it. At the time, I even said to Frank that a modest artist like Miss Shen would never intentionally miss such an important event. The most precious thing in this world is life; if I were Miss Shen, I would have made the same choice."

Old Sir Jiang happened to hear this conversation and came over, "So that’s what happened, no wonder."

Shen Qinglan turned around and saw Old Sir Jiang, followed by several white-bearded elders, all important figures in the art world.

Shen Qinglan bowed slightly, "Old Sir Jiang, you’ve arrived." She considered herself quite fated with this Old Sir Jiang. He was the one who stood up for her during her first art exhibition.

Afterward, she also paid a private visit to the old gentleman. Old Sir Jiang was a man of profound knowledge, accomplished in both traditional Chinese painting and oil painting, and gave Shen Qinglan a lot of useful advice.

Because of her absence from the oil painting competition last time, Old Sir Jiang had personally called her afterward to speak on her behalf. Shen Qinglan might not mention these things, but she remembered them all and had tremendous respect for the old gentleman.

"Qinglan, you said you invited so many people to your art exhibition, but not me. Should I be angry?" Old Sir Jiang said with feigned anger.

Shen Qinglan wore an apologetic face, "It’s just a small exhibition. I didn’t dare to disturb you." Initially, Shen Qinglan had planned to invite Old Sir Jiang, but when she visited him last time and saw that he wasn’t in good health, she didn’t bring it up.

"You are a junior I look upon favorably. How could I miss your exhibition?" said Old Sir Jiang, his eyes filled with a smile.

After greeting several other artists, Shen Qinglan then escorted Old Sir Jiang to the lounge area to rest.

"Teacher Jiang, why didn’t you let me know you were coming? I could have had someone pick you up," Shen Qinglan said softly.

Old Sir Jiang waved his hand, "I’m not so old that I can’t walk anymore, nor do I need someone to pick me up. I just looked around, and there are quite a few artists here. You need to seize the opportunity. It was such a pity you didn’t participate in the last oil painting competition. What was the name of the person who won the championship, Jonathan?"

Shen Qinglan nodded, "Yes, Jonathan. He is also a painter from Daniel Studio, so in a way, he is one of our own."

"I’ve seen his paintings. His style is mature, and his brushwork is delicate—a very good painter indeed," Old Sir Jiang nodded. "If you had gone last time, the championship would surely have been yours."

Shen Qinglan smiled slightly, "To me, friends are more important than these."

"I know you are a child who values relationships, and that is good," Old Sir Jiang said gently.

After chatting with Old Sir Jiang for a bit longer, Shen Qinglan was sent away by him. His reasoning was that with so many artists around, if she only hovered around an old man like him, others might think she was deliberately neglecting them. He urged her to go and interact more with the others, as this was also a learning opportunity.

Shen Qinglan smiled helplessly and left the lounge. The exhibition had already begun, and there were quite a few people in the gallery. Just as she came out, she saw Daniel giving explanations to a few gray-haired old artists. When he saw Shen Qinglan, he waved at her, and she walked over.

"Qinglan, let me introduce you—this is Mr. Bernard. Mr. Bernard is a master of oil painting with deep achievements in the field," Daniel introduced, gesturing toward an old man with a hooked nose and gray hair.

Shen Qinglan bowed slightly, her posture respectful, "Mr. Bernard, hello. I am very pleased to meet you here."

Shen Qinglan’s respectful attitude pleased Mr. Bernard, who, stroking his beard, chuckled, "Miss Shen, your works are very spirited. I had only heard your name before, but meeting you today is quite a pleasant surprise."

Mr. Bernard was one of the organizers and judges at the last oil painting competition. He had a somewhat negative image of Shen Qinglan after she missed the competition, perceiving her as arrogant for not taking others seriously after achieving some success. Although he came at the invitation of Frank, he harbored some prejudice against her.

However, after seeing Shen Qinglan’s paintings here, some of the prejudice in his heart had lessened. At the very least, Shen Qinglan’s paintings showed her genuine talent. And her recent attitude had made Mr. Bernard feel more comfortable.

Shen Qinglan, who had done her homework, naturally knew who the man was. She smiled slightly, "Compared to you, I have much to learn. Your ’The Girl by the River’ is a masterpiece. I have been wanting to visit and learn from you ever since I saw it."

Everyone likes to hear praises, and Shen Qinglan’s words made Mr. Bernard very comfortable, his eyes smiling, "Miss Shen is very talented. It was a pity not to see you at the last competition."

"A very important friend of mine was at death’s door, which caused me to miss the competition. I regret it deeply to this day," Shen Qinglan said with a light smile as an explanation.

The knot in Mr. Bernard’s heart untangled, and he began to look at Shen Qinglan more favorably. In the corner out of Mr. Bernard’s sight, Daniel winked at Shen Qinglan, and she returned a smile.

Mr. Bernard’s visit this time was specifically arranged by Daniel, who had asked Frank to extend the invitation. It was a thoughtfully arranged opportunity for Shen Qinglan to clear the air face to face.

Daniel went on to introduce the remaining artists to Shen Qinglan one by one. As she followed the distinguished guests, they admired her paintings and commented softly. Most of the comments were praise, but there were also a few constructive pieces of advice, which Shen Qinglan took to heart.

"Miss Shen, it’s time for your scheduled brief interview," said Xu Xiangqian, rushing over and speaking softly into Shen Qinglan’s ear after they had toured most of the gallery.

Shen Qinglan nodded, "Excuse me, teachers, I have something to attend to and must leave for a moment."

The attendees all nodded their agreement, and Qinglan glanced at Daniel. After receiving an assuring look from him, she walked away with ease.

The interview was arranged by Xu Xiangqian, and because Qinglan was reluctant to show her face, she only answered a few questions. The interviewer, a well-known weekly magazine journalist from the Han Group, asked questions that Qinglan had reviewed in advance, all of which avoided personal privacy issues. This was one of the reasons why Qinglan agreed to the interview.

Over the past two years, aside from her artworks, Qinglan and her family rarely appeared in public. Even her social media updates never featured a front-facing photo of her. If you counted it up, Qinglan was a painter with very little exposure in the art circle.

The media were also aware of the formidable relationship between the Shen and the Fu families, and naturally, they would not publish photos without her permission. Overtime, some people even began to forget what Qinglan looked like.

This was exactly the outcome Qinglan wanted. She wished to quietly paint and lead a calm life, not wanting herself and her family to live under the spotlight, especially after Anan was born, her desire for privacy became even stronger.

Shen Junyu was a doting brother, and naturally went along with anything Qinglan said, while Fu Hengyi was a dotting husband. Proprieties were exchanged in advance on both sides, so even if some bold paparazzi managed to sneak photos of Qinglan or her family, not one website or publication dared to print them. In time, even the paparazzi lost interest in capturing Qinglan’s private life.

The interview proceeded unhurriedly, with Qinglan answering the journalist’s questions, when suddenly the noise from outside grew loud. At first, Qinglan intended to ignore it, but as the clamor intensified, she had no choice but to stand up and step outside.

Today, there were quite a few visitors at Qinglan’s art exhibition, including many well-known figures in the art world—a gathering of celebrities.

Everyone was quietly appreciating the artwork, with journalists occasionally taking photos of the paintings on the walls. The gallery maintained a well-ordered atmosphere.

At that moment, a woman in her forties, holding something in her hand, stormed in and splashed it onto one of the paintings on the wall. The red paint stained the canvas blood-red, instantly ruining a masterwork.

The incident was so sudden that by the time everyone realized what had happened, three of Qinglan’s paintings were destroyed. Just as the woman was about to attack a fourth painting, Fu Hengyi kicked over the paint bucket in her hand, spilling bright red paint across the floor and kicking the woman down in the process.

"What are you doing, and why?" Fu Hengyi asked, his face stern and his gaze icy as he stared at the cowering woman. She shrank back, and when she noticed the crowd closing in and some people taking photos, she suddenly got fired up and started shouting, slapping her thigh, "Shen Qinglan has no shame! She plagiarizes others’ artwork. What a genius artist; she’s nothing but a shameless thief stealing from others. She’s shameless!"

Her outburst caused a great uproar. Whether it’s the art or literature circles, plagiarism is the most dreaded accusation. Once labelled a plagiarist, an artist or author can hardly ever clear their name.

Many influential artists were present; if these allegations were substantiated, Qinglan could forget about her career in the art world. The higher she stood now, the harder she would fall.

Fu Hengyi was acutely aware of this and realized the gravity of the situation as soon as the woman spoke up. He exchanged looks with Daniel, who had hurried over. Daniel stepped forward, "Do you understand what you’re accusing her of?"

The woman, emboldened by the growing audience, defied Fu Hengyi’s intimidating look with a vicious face, "Of course I know what I’m saying. I’d like to ask Shen Qinglan, after stealing other people’s work, how could she have the audacity to hold an art exhibition? Does she have no shame?"

Fu Hengyi narrowed his eyes, wanting to drag this woman out who was spouting nonsense, but with a crowd already gathered and journalists present, doing so now might make Qinglan look guilty even if she was innocent of plagiarism.

Daniel’s face darkened too as he noticed the woman’s eyes light up with excitement when she saw the journalists and the crowd—an obvious sign that she intended to blow this up and tarnish Qinglan’s reputation.

After a brief eye contact with Fu Hengyi, Daniel spoke sternly, "You say Qinglan plagiarized; where’s the evidence? Without evidence, I can sue you for defamation."

The woman stiffened her neck, "Look at them, how arrogant they are, openly threatening people. If it weren’t for you all here, they might even resort to violence."

Daniel’s face turned black; when had he threatened her? He was just stating the facts.

Old Sir Jiang stepped out from the crowd, looking toward the woman sitting on the ground and causing a scene. As a scholarly man, he detested uncouth behavior the most, and his frown was deep, "You claim Shen Qinglan plagiarized. May I ask which work of hers you’re accusing her of copying, and from whom? We are all here today, and as the president of the Painter Association, I naturally cannot ignore this if it’s true."

The woman looked at Old Sir Jiang suspiciously, "Are you really the president?"

Old Sir Jiang stood up straight, "Of course, if you don’t believe me, you can ask others."

The woman waved her hand dismissively, "As long as you say it’s true, I’ll believe you this time. What I said earlier is all true. Shen Qinglan is a shameless plagiarist, posing as a genius artist—it’s laughable."

"You’ve said a lot, but it remains your word against hers. How can we believe you? You need to present evidence," Old Sir Jiang said with a frown.

"Evidence, I have it!"