Xu Qingqing: Sister Yan Mo, I've finished asking. My sister Xu Yiyi is very willing to cooperate with your magazine.
Yan Mo: That's really great! [Smiling face]
Xu Qingqing, don't worry. As long as Xu Yiyi comes for a shoot in the future, I'll definitely be there.
Xu Qingqing: I trust you, Sister Yan Mo.
After dinner, when Xu Qingqing got home, she found that her express delivery had arrived. It was a specially customized picture frame.
It was for storing the painting "Bird Bells and Slim Bamboos" from last time.
Xu Qingqing took the painting "Bird Bells and Slim Bamboos" stored in the study and the bracelet she won back to the Xu family's house.
Father Xu was sitting in a wooden rocking chair in the living room, reading a book.
Xu Qingqing quietly put the gifts in the corridor, then ran to Father Xu with a big smile on her face. "Dad, guess what nice thing I've got for you."
Xu Yiyi craned her neck to look behind Xu Qingqing, but saw nothing. She took off her reading glasses. "What nice thing?"
"Take a guess."
Xu Qingqing bent down, picked up an apple from the tea table and took a bite, giving Father Xu a hint.
"It's something you've always wanted."
Father Xu rubbed his temples and fell into deep thought. After a while, he asked,
"Is it a massage chair? I mentioned to your mom the other day that the massage chair Uncle Wang uses is quite good."
"No, no! It's an antique!" Xu Qingqing continued to give hints.
"Did you bring back one of those bird - bodied and human - faced figurines you found?"
There was a look of anticipation on Father Xu's face.
Xu Qingqing curled her lips and joked, "Well, although I'd like to take one home as a souvenir, if I did, I might end up in jail!"
Father Xu really couldn't guess anymore. He waved his hand and put on his reading glasses again. "I can't guess. I haven't been wanting anything recently."
Xu Qingqing put down the half - eaten apple and let out a long sigh.
"Dad, how could you forget? It's the painting 'Bird Bells and Slim Bamboos'!"
"What did you say?" Father Xu was so surprised that his reading glasses slid down to the tip of his nose. He stood up in disbelief.
"Do you mean the 'Bird Bells and Slim Bamboos' painted by Lin Zhenghong?"
He had been longing for that painting for half his life but never got it. He had long regarded it as an unfulfilled wish.
"Yes. If you don't believe me, come and have a look!"
Xu Qingqing took Father Xu's hand and led him to the corridor. When Father Xu saw the "Bird Bells and Slim Bamboos" mounted in the picture frame and standing against the wall, he was instantly so excited that tears welled up in his eyes.
The painting he had been waiting for so long had actually appeared in his home!
"Xu Qingqing, tell Dad the truth. Is this a fake?"
Even if it was a fake, it was painted so beautifully that he would be satisfied.
"Dad, how could your daughter get you a fake painting? I've carefully appraised it. This painting is definitely genuine!"
Xu Qingqing seriously promised her father.
Hearing that it was a genuine painting, Father Xu was even happier. Father Xu, who usually didn't show his emotions, unexpectedly gave Xu Qingqing a gentle hug.
The green bamboo forest was lush and dense. The bamboo poles were long and straight, shooting up towards the sky, and the leaves were a vivid green.
The thrush in the birdcage was so lifelike, with its bright red beak, looking extremely cute.
Having finally obtained the long - awaited "Bird Bells and Slim Bamboos", Father Xu was beaming with energy and dancing with joy.
He was like a beloved child who finally got the toy he liked.
"Oh, my good daughter. I never thought you'd get it for Dad!"
Father Xu excitedly picked up the picture frame and walked towards the study.
Mother Xu, who was coming downstairs, saw Father Xu carrying a painting taller than himself upstairs with a beaming smile on his face.
Mother Xu curiously asked Xu Qingqing, "Why is your dad so happy? What's that he's holding?"
"It's the 'Bird Bells and Slim Bamboos' he's always wanted." Xu Qingqing explained with a smile.
Mother Xu understood and joked, "No wonder your dad is so happy. He even wrote this wish in his will."
"Mom, I've got a gift for you too." Xu Qingqing took out all kinds of genuine jewelry from her bag and gave it to Mother Xu.
Father Xu liked to collect calligraphy and paintings, while Mother Xu liked to collect all kinds of jewelry.
Seeing so many retro bracelets, Mother Xu was overjoyed. She hugged Xu Qingqing and kissed her on the cheek, then gathered all the bracelets into her arms.
"Oh, kiss my dear daughter. You still remember Mom."
Mother Xu picked up a jade bracelet and put it on her hand, showing it to Xu Qingqing.
"How about it? Does it look good?"
Her fair and delicate arm, adorned with the green jade bracelet, looked extremely elegant.
Xu Qingqing gave her a thumbs - up and praised, "Mom, you're the best at wearing jade bracelets. You look so beautiful in it."
"Your mouth is so sweet."
Mother Xu gently patted Xu Qingqing's face and took all the jade bracelets to the sofa to try them on one by one.
Xu Qingqing sat beside Mother Xu. "Mom, where's my brother?"
Hearing Xu Qingqing mention Xu Yan, the smile on Mother Xu's face faded a bit, with a hint of disappointment.
"Your brother has been working even harder since he attended that birthday party. He goes to the company at 5:00 every morning and often works overtime until midnight.
"Sometimes he doesn't even go home and just stays in the company."
Mentioning her son, Mother Xu began to worry. She had no mood to try on the bracelets anymore and grabbed Xu Qingqing's hand.
"Sigh, what should we do about your brother? I'm afraid he'll have a sudden death!"
Xu Qingqing had no idea what to do. After all, this was a heartbreak, and Xu Yan had to get over it by himself.
But Xu Qingqing thought it would take a long time for him to recover.
"Should we find a girlfriend for him and take him on a blind date? Maybe he can get over the pain of love." Mother Xu suggested.
"Better not. What if it backfires?" Xu Qingqing shook her head and refused, thinking this method wouldn't work.
Since seeing Xu Yan at the birthday party, Jing Zhen felt as if her heart had been hollowed out. She seemed unable to really let go of Xu Yan.
But she was already married and was no longer worthy of Xu Yan.
Jing Zhen sat with her back against the bed, recalling all the things she and Xu Yan had shared in the past. Tears welled up in her eyes involuntarily.
In the living room, Song Nuannuan asked Old Li to unfreeze her bank card because it had been frozen.
"Dad, please unfreeze my bank card. I promise I won't spend money recklessly anymore!"
Song Nuannuan knelt beside Old Li, clasping her hands in prayer.
Song Fuqiang was signing on a folder while impatiently saying, "Have you forgotten about the time you bought drinks for the whole bar last time?
"Do you know how much money that cost? It wouldn't be a waste if you spent the money on yourself, but you even dared to spend it on others!
"Do you really think my money comes easily!"
"No. You should reflect on yourself properly!"
After saying that, Song Fuqiang was about to push Song Nuannuan away.
Song Nuannuan stood up and angrily waved her arms. "Dad, you've spent more money on Jing Zhen than on me!
"You've been treating her father's illness, buying a house, a car, and luxury goods for her family. And you even wanted to hold a wedding for her!"