Chapter 51: The Mysterious Painting
Chapter 51: The Mysterious Painting
Wen Sheng and Fan Rui arrived around noon.
A few days ago, Wen Sheng had looked pale, thin, and dull-eyed, almost blank. This time, though he was still thin, his skin was much fairer and had a healthy glow. The biggest change was in his eyes. It’s usually easy to tell if someone uses drugs by their eyes, but his eyes no longer seemed dull or drug-like.
“Master, I’ve been waiting for your return. If you hadn’t come back soon, I would have flown to Yun Di to find you,” Wen Sheng said warmly, quickly pressing a small gift box into Li Zian’s hands.
Li Zian felt awkward. “Brother Wen, you helped me so much, and I haven’t properly thanked you. Why are you giving me a gift?”
Wen Sheng laughed. “Don’t be so polite. I know you don’t care for money, so I got you a Hai Huang bracelet to wear. It’s just a small gift, please accept it.”
“Brother Wen, that’s very thoughtful of you. Thank you.” Li Zian couldn’t refuse and accepted it.
Typically, so-called masters were seen wearing sandalwood beads or Hai Huang bracelets. Wen Sheng giving him a Hai Huang bracelet would help him look the part.
Mu Chuntao brought out a pot of soup she had prepared and placed it on the dining table.
Li Zian said, “I made you this Dragon Tiger Soup. Have some, it’s good for your health. Take the rest home, put it in the fridge, and heat a bowl for each meal. If you’re lucky, after some time of taking care of yourself, your wish for a son might come true.”
“Then I must have two bowls,” Wen Sheng said cheerfully as he walked over.
Mu Chuntao had already served a bowl of soup and handed it to Wen Sheng.
Fan Rui walked over, looking eagerly. “Can I have a bowl too?”
Mu Chuntao smiled. “I knew you’d be craving the Master’s soup, so I prepared a bowl for you too.”
She served Fan Rui a bowl of Dragon Tiger Soup as well.
Fan Rui had just taken a sip when Wen Sheng said, “Brother Fan, you can only have one bowl. I’m taking the rest home.”
Fan Rui held his bowl, feeling awkward.
Wen Sheng looked at the few ingredients and herbs in the soup and asked curiously, “Master, there doesn’t seem to be much in this soup. Can it really help me have a son?”
Li Zian smiled. “The main purpose of Dragon Tiger Soup is to regulate your body. Once your body is well, what you want will naturally follow.”
“Then… Master, could you give me the recipe for this soup? I’ll make it myself at home,” Wen Sheng tentatively asked.
Li Zian had expected this request and replied generously, “The ingredients for Dragon Tiger Soup are actually quite simple: ox penis, snake bone, deer antler, cistanche, goji berries, red dates… But these aren’t the important part. The key ingredient is a bit of Furnace Body Blood. You can’t buy it; it’s a refined blood I make using the incense burner. Without that Furnace Body Blood, the soup you make won’t be my Furnace Body Soup.”
If Wen Sheng hadn’t helped him so much, he wouldn’t have shared this.
But he changed the explanation slightly. The Furnace Body Blood was actually blood from his cut palms used as the soup base, not something refined. Telling the truth would have been inappropriate.
Wen Sheng looked disappointed. “I see. Then if I want to drink your soup while I’m on Haijing Island, I’ll have to fly over.”
Li Zian smiled. “No need for that trouble. When you finish it, just call me. I’ll make a new batch, freeze it, and mail it to you.”
Fan Rui chimed in, “You could also ask me to bring it. I go there often.”
Wen Sheng felt relieved. “Then I’ll trouble you, Master.”
Li Zian also gave Wen Sheng a prepared package of Detox Ointment, instructing, “Take this Detox Ointment home and continue soaking with it. After you finish, that should be enough. Keep drinking the Dragon Tiger Soup, and your health will get better and better.”
“Master, you think of everything. Thank you so much.” Wen Sheng politely took the ointment.
Li Zian then took an IOU from his pocket and handed it to Wen Sheng.
The IOU was written by Yu Meilin, stating the loan amount and date, along with her signature and the New Star Company seal.
“I can’t accept this,” Wen Sheng said, quickly waving his hands.
Li Zian insisted, “Right is right, law is law. If there’s a loan, it must be repaid. If you don’t take this IOU, I won’t send you any more soup.”
“Then… I’ll take it. But if you try to pay me interest, I’ll be upset. I’m in no hurry for the money; repay it whenever it’s convenient for you.” Wen Sheng accepted the IOU.
Li Zian felt at ease. Even if he didn’t repay the money, Wen Sheng probably wouldn’t mind, but that wasn’t right, so he had to repay it eventually.
Fan Rui finished the soup in his bowl and looked longingly at the remaining soup in the pot.
Wen Sheng noticed and immediately put the lid back on the pot. Then he said, “I’m treating everyone to lunch today. Let’s go to Peace Hotel; it’s a nice place.”
Mu Chuntao smiled. “While the Master was making soup, he also cooked a few dishes. Let’s not go out; we can eat here. I’ll bring them out now.”
“Then I’m in for a treat. The Master’s cooking must be excellent,” Wen Sheng said with a big smile.
Li Zian smiled to himself. The Old Matriarch was picky about food. Over the past four years, he had cooked three meals a day for her, so his cooking skills were well-practiced.
After lunch, they saw Wen Sheng and Fan Rui off. Li Zian helped Mu Chuntao clean up.
“Brother Zian, I didn’t know Meilin borrowed twenty million from Wen Sheng until you showed the IOU. Is her company having money problems?” Mu Chuntao asked casually.
“She invested in a copper mine in Yun Di. It wasn’t producing ore before, and she owed the local government a Mineral Resource Compensation Fee. The bank loan wasn’t approved, so I borrowed money from Wen Sheng. Luckily, he lent it to us, otherwise I wouldn’t know what to do,” Li Zian said.
“You could have borrowed from me. I have some money saved up. If that’s not enough, we could mortgage this house for a loan,” Mu Chuntao said.
Li Zian stared at Mu Chuntao, feeling her words were a bit odd.
A smile appeared on Mu Chuntao’s lips. “I asked you something last night, and you haven’t answered me yet.”
“What was that?”
“You gave me so many cosmetics. What do you think of me?” Mu Chuntao gazed directly at Li Zian.
Li Zian suddenly slapped his forehead. “Oh, I remember! When I went out this morning, Teacher Xiao Tang said she had to leave this afternoon. I need to go back to take care of Xiaomei.”
He put down the dishes and hurried off.
Mu Chuntao opened her mouth to stop him, but the words never came out.
Tang Qing had really left. She left in a hurry, and he didn’t ask what was going on.
The Old Matriarch Lin Shengnan still sat in her armchair on the balcony, chanting scriptures. Li Xiaomei crouched on the floor playing with building blocks. She seemed to be trying to build a house but ended up with something that looked like an earthquake scene.
“Daddy!” Li Xiaomei threw down the blocks and ran over, burying herself in Li Zian’s arms.
Li Zian held her tightly, kissed her cheek, and felt like he was holding the whole world.
Lin Shengnan glanced over and grumbled, “What are you always busy with outside?”
Li Zian smiled. “Grandma, didn’t you say a man should have a career? I’m working on my career outside.”
“What career?”
“Making soup and treating people.”
“That’s okay then. Remember to make me Great Benefit Phoenix Claw Soup tonight. The black hair on my head is getting thicker. Your soup is really good.” A smile appeared on Lin Shengnan’s aged face.
It was rare for her to praise him and smile.
Li Zian said, “Grandma, I’m taking the child out for a walk. Kids need to experience new things.”
“Go on, go on. It saves me from being annoyed by you two.” Lin Shengnan went back to holding her prayer beads and chanting.
Li Zian carried Li Xiaomei toward the door.
Lin Shengnan’s voice came from behind. “Be careful on the road.”
Li Zian smiled.
Li Xiaomei replied, “Daddy has magic. Super safe!”
Lin Shengnan pursed her lips. “Your daddy is the best, okay?”
Li Xiaomei stuck out her tongue at Lin Shengnan. “Nyah nyah nyah!”
Li Zian patted Li Xiaomei’s bottom. “Don’t stick your tongue out at Great-Grandmother.”
“Daddy, are we going to Disneyland?”
“We’re going to see an art exhibition,” Li Zian said.
Li Xiaomei immediately pouted.
Half an hour later, Li Zian carried Li Xiaomei to the Shanghai Exhibition Center, then followed the signs to a relatively remote exhibition hall.
A banner hung at the entrance read “Shanghai National Academy Art Exhibition.” Many information boards about the exhibition stood on both sides of the door.
Li Zian took out the flyer, paid one hundred, got twenty back, and carried Li Xiaomei inside.
Li Xiaomei was so small that even if he wanted to buy a ticket, they probably wouldn’t charge him.
There were few people in the exhibition hall. A few students wearing Hanfu were explaining the exhibits to visitors.
“Daddy, this place is not fun at all. I want to go to Disneyland. I want to ride the bumper cars,” Li Xiaomei complained.
Li Zian coaxed her, “Daddy just wants to look at one painting, then we’ll go to Disneyland, okay?”
“Do you promise, Daddy?”
“Daddy never lies to Xiaomei.” Li Zian spoke as he walked, his eyes searching for the painting.
“Then pinky swear with me.” Li Xiaomei held out her little finger.
Li Zian smiled and locked fingers with Li Xiaomei.
Li Xiaomei said in her childish voice, “Pinky swear, it’s set for a hundred years!”
Mwah!
Li Xiaomei kissed Li Zian’s cheek.
As father and daughter chatted, they passed dozens of artworks. Then, suddenly, that painting came into Li Zian’s view.
Li Zian walked over and stood before the painting, unable to look away.
The flyer only had a small, incomplete photo. It was hard to see details; the only clear part was that Symbol, which seemed to be the photographer’s focus. Now, seeing the actual painting, it was more intricate than the small image. The Symbol was drawn on a human skull, with a desert and ancient city ruins in the background.
The whole painting felt full of mystery, with an eerie quality within that mystery.
“Sir, do you like this painting?” A woman’s voice came from behind.
Li Zian turned and saw a girl wearing Hanfu, smiling at him.