Chapter 273: Chapter 273: It Must Be Related to Cousin Wanting to Marry Me
Hearing that voice, Zhi Wan didn’t even need to look to know it was Wei Jinyi.
She had just raised her head when her eyes met Wei Jinyi’s look of contemptuous disdain. The malice in her gaze was blatant and undisguised.
Zhi Wan saw it but paid it no mind. In fact, she found it rather amusing.
’Wei Jinyi keeps targeting me. It must have to do with the fact that her cousin is going to marry me.
She’s jealous of me!
Only when she sees me humiliated and mocked will Wei Jinyi feel satisfied.’
With this in mind, Zhi Wan lowered her eyes and said with a wry smile, "I am indeed no one of importance. When I received the invitation yesterday afternoon, I had originally planned to prepare some nutritional supplements as a birthday gift. But then I considered that Grandfather doesn’t lack such things, so I thought I would paint a picture to celebrate his birthday instead.
I may not be anyone important, but I still wanted to show my filial piety to Grandfather.
But now it seems I was indeed being presumptuous." With that, she drew back her hand, intending to put the brocade box away.
But Mr. Wei reached out first and took the painting from her hands. "Don’t you listen to a word of Wei Jinyi’s nonsense. As long as it’s a gift from you, no matter what it is, Grandfather will love it. What’s more, this is a painting you made with your own hands."
Zhi Wan paused for a moment, then said softly, "As long as Grandfather doesn’t mind."
"I don’t mind, I don’t mind! How could I possibly mind? Quick, get up," Mr. Wei said hastily.
"Yes." Zhi Wan did as she was told and stood up.
Seeing this, Wei Jinyi nearly ground her teeth to dust. ’That bitch Zhi Wan really knows how to feign retreat to gain an advantage.’
She was just about to speak when Mr. Wei shot her a severe glare. "Wei Jinyi, where are your manners? How did our Wei Family raise such a snob?"
Wei Jinyi’s expression changed. "Grandfather..."
"It’s a good thing everyone in this room is family. Otherwise, you would have completely disgraced the Wei Family!" Mr. Wei interrupted her, his voice low and displeased.
He was not only disappointed in this granddaughter, but also utterly disappointed in his eldest daughter-in-law who managed the household, Lady Xu.
Zhi Wan had just said that she only received her invitation yesterday afternoon.
’What is Lady Xu trying to do?
What family invites guests without sending the invitations several days in advance? Yet Lady Xu sent it only yesterday afternoon. If this isn’t deliberately making things difficult for the girl, what is?
And after the girl went to all the trouble of preparing a birthday gift for him, she still had to be ridiculed by Wei Jinyi.’
The more Mr. Wei thought about it, the more upset he became.
’This mother-daughter pair is simply too senseless.’
Feeling wronged, Wei Jinyi clenched her fists tightly.
’What’s gotten into Grandfather? Why is he taking an outsider’s side?’
Lady Wei had been furious, but seeing that her father had already scolded Wei Jinyi harshly, she let it go. Still, she made a mental note of Wei Jinyi’s transgression.
She said to Mr. Wei, "Wan’er may not be a renowned scholar or artist, but she put her heart into this painting. In fact, she stayed up all night to finish it. That’s far more sincere than certain people who just buy something from a shop to pass off as a birthday gift."
The "certain people" she mentioned was, of course, a reference to Wei Jinyi.
Wei Jinyi was furious.
’Aunt used to be perfectly nice to me, but now she’s mocking me for that bitch Zhi Wan.’
Feeling indignant, she spoke up, "Aunt, how are my siblings and cousins supposed to feel when you say that? Even if the gifts we gave Grandfather were bought, we still chose them with care. You can’t disparage your own nieces and nephews just to defend your future daughter-in-law."
As soon as she said this, the younger generation of the Wei Family, who had been watching the drama unfold, all turned to look at Lady Wei.
They didn’t dare let anything show on their faces, but inwardly they were quite displeased.
’What Aunt said was really out of line.
Our birthday gifts for Grandfather may not have been handmade, but they were still a token of our affection.
After what Aunt said, our sincere intentions suddenly seemed worthless.’
"Since Aunt keeps praising Miss Zhi’s painting, it must be exceptionally good. Grandfather, please open it quickly and let us broaden our horizons," someone immediately said.
"Yes, let us see Miss Zhi’s artistic skills for ourselves," others chimed in.
Lady Wei’s brow furrowed, and she shot a cold glance at Wei Jinyi.
’She had underestimated this niece. Who knew she was so good at fanning the flames?
She had clearly been talking about Wei Jinyi, but Wei Jinyi had insisted on twisting it to be about all the nieces and nephews.
Naturally, her nieces and nephews were unhappy to hear that.
But they didn’t dare criticize her, so they turned their aim on Wan’er instead.
Didn’t she say Wan’er’s painting was good?
So they’re using Wan’er’s painting to make an issue of it, trying to use it to slap her in the face.
Too bad for them, they had no idea that Wan’er’s artistic skills were exquisite.’
Thinking this, Lady Wei said nothing. In any case, they would all shut up once they saw Wan’er’s painting.
Seeing that her words had indeed riled up her cousins and turned them against Zhi Wan, Wei Jinyi felt a flicker of triumph.
’If Zhi Wan’s painting is even halfway decent, fine. But if it’s not, then she can just wait to be humiliated, despised, and rejected by everyone.’
How could Mr. Wei not know what the younger generation was thinking?
He was displeased and, at the same time, worried for the Wei Family’s future.
’The Wei Family is truly getting worse with each generation.’
In that instant, Mr. Wei seemed to age several years.
He sighed inwardly and ignored the crowd’s clamor. He slowly opened the brocade box and took out the painting.
The younger members of the Wei Family, led by Wei Jinyi, all crowded closer to look.
They had already decided in their hearts that Zhi Wan’s painting would be mediocre, and they were ready to mock her for it.
But when they saw the painting unfurl in their grandfather’s hands, they instantly fell silent.
Even if they didn’t understand art, they couldn’t go against their conscience and say the painting before them was clumsy or ugly.
Even Wei Jinyi, who had been waiting to see Zhi Wan make a fool of herself, sullenly shut her mouth.
Looking at the Pine Crane Longevity Painting in his hands, Mr. Wei was utterly amazed.
He had expected the painting would be good—otherwise, Zhi Wan wouldn’t have given it to him.
But he never imagined her artistic skills were *this* good.
A single Pine Crane Longevity Painting revealed the technique of a true master.
Coming back to his senses, Mr. Wei said the word "Good!" several times in a row, then praised, "This skill is truly remarkable. In my opinion, it’s not the least bit inferior to that of a renowned master. Wan’er, you are so thoughtful. I love this painting you’ve given me."
"As long as Grandfather likes it." Zhi Wan breathed a sigh of relief.
She could tell that Mr. Wei genuinely didn’t mind her gift, and his words were sincere.
From the way he had just reprimanded Wei Jinyi, she knew he was different from the rest of the Wei Family—a virtuous elder.
Seeing her father praise Zhi Wan made Lady Wei happier than if she had been praised herself. She had someone bring in the birthday gift she had prepared and said with a smile, "Jinzhi is away from the Capital City on an errand for the Emperor, so he is unable to celebrate your birthday, Father. Zhenbei should be arriving later. This Turtle Shell Birthday Screen is a gift from my husband and me. Please accept it." With that, she pulled the red cloth off the gift.
When the red cloth was removed, everyone was stunned.
It was a Turtle Shell Birthday Screen.
The screen’s frame was carved from huanghuali wood with a cloud-and-bat motif. The central panels were an inlay of turtle shell, intricately crafted to depict three scenes: Cranes and Turtles of Longevity, the Banquet at the Jade Pool, and Peng Zu Seeking the Dao.
The images on the central panels alone were breathtaking, to say nothing of the entire screen.
