Chapter 638: Chapter 636: A Good Idea
The housemaid broke in like that, and Wan Chuchu looked at the sky, pretending not to have heard anything. Painter Liu waved nonchalantly:
"It’s just some money, not worth mentioning. I really like this painting and have no intention of selling it. As long as you help me this time—no, help my wife this time—I’ll give this painting to your family."
Such an air of treating money like dirt, the housemaid clicked her tongue twice again, and Wan Chuchu was speechless.
Wan Chuchu was unmoved and said to Painter Liu, "I want to keep this painting. After all, it depicts a member of our family. You painted it without our consent, which infringes on our portrait rights. Of course, your painting skills are indeed excellent. I’ll have someone appraise it and give you 30% of its price. As for helping your wife, I’m sorry, I can’t. I won’t force my friends to do what they don’t want to do, nor do I have the ability to."
The meaning was: the painting stays, but there’s no help.
How domineering, Painter Liu was stunned for a moment, then said, "No way!"
So the two were at an impasse. Wan Chuchu was always proud and overbearing, never letting go of what she set her mind on, and Painter Liu had the persistence of an artist, neither willing to give in.
The housemaid glanced at one, then the other, and then the oil painting on the coffee table. She thought the painting was really beautiful, and it would add quite a bit of flair if hung at home.
But neither of them would give in. She wondered if the oil painting would end up destroyed. Didn’t TV often portray stories where something must either be perfect or destroyed? She thought that both Wan Chuchu and the painter might do such a thing.
"How about, you listen to my advice?" After thinking for a long time, the housemaid still mustered up the courage to intervene.
Wan Chuchu looked at her: "The painting must stay, people definitely cannot meet, and everything else is open to negotiation."
Painter Liu frowned, "No way!"
The housemaid quickly smiled kindly at both, then said, "I have a way to satisfy everyone."
Painter Liu asked, "What way?"
Wan Chuchu looked at her again.
The housemaid said, "Your wife just wants to know about that girl, but she really doesn’t want to meet your wife. I saw it clearly that day; the girl took one look at your wife and ran off as if something terrible would happen if she were a second late. So don’t make it difficult for that girl to meet your wife."
All these ’wives’ and ’ladies,’ Wan Chuchu’s mouth twitched, listening to this as if the characters walked out of "Dream of the Red Chamber," not a wife or mistress but a lady or young miss.
Upon hearing the housemaid’s words, Painter Liu’s face fell, and he said impatiently, "What’s your solution, can you get to the point? Stop dawdling. Sorry, I don’t mean you personally; I’m just discussing the matter. I’m in a rush, I’d appreciate your understanding."
The housemaid wasn’t offended by his impatience, she smiled and said, "Our house’s mistress... madam..." She also momentarily didn’t know what to call Wan Chuchu.
"Auntie, what are you doing, just call me Xiao Wan." Wan Chuchu frowned, quickly correcting her.
"Oh, Xiao Wan." The housemaid Auntie smiled, going along with it, feeling that it was more natural this way, "Our Xiao Wan knows that girl, how about letting Xiao Wan see your wife."
This didn’t feel quite right, Xiao Wan, wife, it sounded like Legendary Mother was becoming a little girl visiting an important figure. The housemaid felt uncomfortable, as if it belittled her family members, so she changed her tune:
"Let our Young Madam visit your wife, let our Young Madam talk to your wife about that girl. This way, no one is troubled, but your wife’s desire to know about that girl is satisfied. Isn’t everyone happy then?"
Wan Chuchu was given goosebumps by her ’Young Madam’ and ’wife,’ thinking that her housemaid had quite the foundation in ancient literature.
Painter Liu, usually not one to fuss over details, was also rattled by the housemaid’s tricky titles, but since this was someone else’s household, he knew to respect them, and forced himself to ignore those pretentious titles, focusing on her proposed method.
This solution was a solution of sorts. Obviously, he couldn’t get Ming Wan to come and see his loved one, so he reluctantly agreed for now.
"Alright, I agree, but I hope Ms. Wan can tell everything she knows. So my wife can get better."
Wan Chuchu raised an eyebrow, "I’m not a magical elixir, nor a doctor. I can’t guarantee your wife will get better. What if she hears about my friend and wants to see her even more? Then it becomes like drinking poison to quench thirst, the more you drink, the thirstier you get."
The housemaid thought, yeah, why hadn’t she thought of that? She laughed awkwardly twice, "Then you should discuss it further."
Painter Liu furrowed his brow in thought and said, "I’ll go home and check my wife’s attitude first." With that, he stood up to take the painting.
"You can leave, but the painting stays!" Wan Chuchu blocked him with an outstretched hand.
Painter Liu argued, "This is my property. You’re not agreeing to help, so naturally, the painting must return to its rightful owner!"
Wan Chuchu: "The people in the painting are me and my children; you’ve infringed on portrait rights!"
Seeing the two about to clash again, the housemaid quickly mediated, "Great artist, didn’t you say you weren’t leaving for good? Don’t you need our Young Madam’s help? Leave the painting as a gesture of goodwill."
These words made some sense. Painter Liu considered it, then agreed, and instructed, "Make sure my painting is well taken care of, don’t let it get damaged."
"Rest assured." The housemaid immediately guaranteed.
As soon as Painter Liu left, Wan Chuchu immediately picked up the painting and left.
The housemaid hurriedly asked, "Young Madam, where are you taking the painting?" She had just promised to take care of it.
Wan Chuchu corrected her, "Don’t call me Young Madam anymore."
"Oh, then where are you going?" the housemaid continued to inquire, concerned.
Wan Chuchu replied again, "In the future, stop watching ancient TV dramas and watch more realistic and new-age ones."
"Alright, but can you put the painting down first?" The housemaid anxiously followed her to the door.
"No way," Wan Chuchu replied. Without that abstract artist nagging, she naturally wanted to transfer the painting quickly and make it a done deal.
The housemaid pulled a long face, "I promised to take good care of that painting, and now you’re ruining my reputation. How can I explain this to others? I won’t be able to face anyone afterward."
Wan Chuchu winced, "You promised, I didn’t. You tried, but you can’t overrule me. If anyone complains, just blame me. Alright, I’m taking the painting back to the old house. If that Liu comes again, tell him to wait a day; I’ll go see his wife tomorrow." With that, she left with the painting.
This painting is well done indeed, taking it to the old house to admire with everyone.
