Sure enough, when they have in front of the painting, even Old Mrs. Chen who had already looked at it a million times was still drawn to it, never mind Mother Huo who had only seen it from afar once and Old Mrs. Huo who was seeing it for the first time.
Four Sons Offering Up Mythical Peaches was the first of Gu Shishi’s paintings that she used her living the painting ability.
It was filled with the respect and congratulatory meaning from someone of a younger generation to their elders.
Out of ten people who looked at it, at least 8 of them would think about their own children.
Huo ChuChu, who was still very young, didn’t have any particular emotions stirred up. She merely felt that the painting was excellent.
Mother Huo, on the other hand, was stunned. “It looked a lot like…”
She didn’t finish saying who it looked like but she already looked both sad and happy at the same time. She even looked like she was about to reach out to touch the scroll.
Touching a painting with one’s bare hand was a big taboo among collectors.
Even so, those who were appreciating the painting were all so absorbed in it that nobody tried to stop her.
Huo ChuChu was the only one who noticed it and quickly pulled her mother away.
Right after she grabbed her mother and before she could say anything, she heard her own grandmother muttered.
“Xiao Shen…”
Her aged voice made Huo Sishen shuddered.
She turned her head and saw that her grandmother’s face, which she had carefully applied makeup on before they left, was much paler than before and her aged and dimmed eyes had teared out…
“This is Xiao Shen…” said Grandma Huo again and she was almost in tears.
Standing next to hear, Mother Huo, how had just lost control of herself, snapped out of her trance when she heard the painful cry.
“What did you just say, Mom?”
She pinched the old lady sharply.
Never mind that Huo Sishen had been banished a long time ago. Even if he hadn’t, it would still be inappropriate to say that the child in the congratulatory painting looked like one that was cursed.
Huo ChuChu, too, had recovered from her initial shock. The worried look in her own mother eyes deeply saddened her.
If those from his own family were trying so hard to avoid him, what could they possibly expect from others?
Old Mrs. Chen, the only one who was not on the same wavelength as them, was secretly happy.
She hoped that Gu Shishi would have a good relationship with her in-laws. That way, if Huo Sishen ever bullied her, there would at least be someone who would be on her side.
The Chen’s were, after all, outsiders. The was very little that they could do.
“Speaking of, Mother Chuchu, your older son is about to get married. It had been so many years since those rumors and we shouldn’t take them seriously anyway. You should bring your older daughter-in-law to visit often,” said Old Mrs. Chen to test water.
Mother Huo’s face changed colored immediately.
Ever since the accident, the Huo’s had lost their pillars and had rarely participated in outside gatherings.
Mainly, they worried about others asking questions. That would not only rub salt onto their wounds but, as a mother, she also didn’t want to talk about how her husband died from her son’s curse.
She avoided by subject by saying that, “Our family has split already. They will do as they please.”
And that was how she declined Old Mrs. Chen’s invitation with one simple sentence.
Old Mrs. Chen’s face dropped immediately.
She didn’t think Mother Huo would turn her down so quickly.
Besides, she mentioned the wedding and, as a mother, there was so signs of happiness on her at all.
Huo ChuChu, standing to one side, witnessed it clearly. She couldn’t help but grabbed her mother’s hand feeling sad.
Old Mrs. Huo wiped away her tears from the corners of her eyes and finally recollected herself from the effect of the painting. “Sister of Chen’s, that bowl over there looks interesting. Why don’t you show that to us?”
She, too, had changed the subject with no desire to talk about her grandson at all.
Her face was calm, as though she wasn’t the one who was looking at the painting and missing her grandson just a moment ago at all.
Feeling a lump in her throat, Huo ChuChu looked down at the pattern on the tiles and also started to crying.