Because of Mr. Luo's connections, the school is quite lenient with him in this regard, but it's possible that next semester he might have to represent the school in some competitions.

Alii smiled and agreed.

Over the past period, she had long grown accustomed to the idea that wherever the boy was, there was her home.

When Li Zhiyuan walked out of the courtyard, he saw the old man leading his sons and daughters-in-law in moving the lunchtime ingredients. The ingredients should have been delivered by the son or grandsons, but aside from him, it was inappropriate for any male to enter the courtyard.

"Young master, what would you like to eat for lunch?"

"You don't need to worry about me, just prepare according to the old lady's preferences. I need to go out for a while and won't be dining at home recently."

"Young master has important matters to attend to. You're busy."

After Li Zhiyuan walked away, the old man turned around, bent over, and called out to the boy's departing figure:

"Qinhuai Songxiang Building, young master, whenever you have leisure, please do come and have tea. I'll bring the kids to show our respect to you."

"I'll remember it."

Once Li Zhiyuan had walked further, the old man straightened up.

The sons and daughters-in-law exchanged glances. The old man was the one in charge at home, skilled and respected, with the restaurant still under his control, thus holding a very high position in the household and usually very stern-looking.

Since coming here today, the old man had seemed like a different person. If he were only that respectful towards the old lady, it would be understandable because of the master-servant relationship from before the liberation, but was it necessary to be so obsequious to this young man too?

The old man stroked his beard. Naturally, he noticed the confusion in the eyes of his sons and daughters-in-law, but he couldn't be bothered to explain.

The old lady had breakfast, with just three people at the table: her darling granddaughter and this young lad.

For such a family, even if there weren't any incense relationships from before, they should strive to serve them well.

How many people in this world spend their whole lives bustling about just for a few fragments of silver, but for someone like him, even if just a little slipped through his fingers, it might well bring prosperity and peace to the household.

"Keep young master's appearance in mind, and when he truly comes by someday, even if I'm no longer around, you must accompany your husbands, and serve them well."

The daughters-in-law immediately agreed.

The old man looked towards the old lady's courtyard, knowing it wasn't appropriate to cause a scene here, nor could there be loud noises, but he had made up his mind that once back home, he would have his sons bring their wives to kneel before him, where he'd give them a stern lecture.

Each one of them tirelessly worshiping in temples daily, sparing no expense for the first incense, thinking of their children's futures, wishing for health and peace, but how could worshipping clay idols compare to paying respects to a real dragon of this world?

"Remember, just like in the morning, only work without speaking, control your mouths, avoid speaking about white and black, and if anyone causes trouble these days, I'll exclude you from the will!"

He knew these daughters-in-law couldn't keep their mouths shut, constantly chattering away, but there better not really be any household matters discussed here that the old lady could overhear and think he was exploiting them by cooking for them.

Some things the superior can grant you, but you cannot proactively ask for.

At the mention of the will, the daughters-in-law immediately nodded, this time more vigorously than before.

However, unexpectedly for the old man, as soon as they entered the courtyard, they saw the old lady coming out from inside, sitting down on the stone bench in the yard, and pointing inside the room:

"Go, fetch some seeds and platters of fruit to accompany a chat about the gossip with me."

The daughters-in-law were taken aback for a moment and then collectively looked towards the old man.

The old man hurriedly waved his hand and said, "Why are you not going yet? Chat with the old lady to cheer her up. Your mouths run loose usually, here's your chance to put them to use."

The seed and fruit plates were prepared, but seeing that the daughters-in-law were hesitant, Liu Yumei said as she cracked seeds:

"Speak freely, talk about the trivial and petty things at home, I love to hear it, whoever talks more and better, I'll have Little Ma'er add weight for you in the will."

Hearing this, the old man laughed first, then quickly waved his hands encouragingly:

"Hurry, show your skills and get those tongues wagging."

Inside the house.

Alii walked up to the second floor, arriving at the space Liu Yumei usually resided in.

She opened a cabinet, took out an envelope from inside, and then went downstairs, returning to her study.

In front of the desk lay a piece of blank drawing paper.

The girl sat down, opened the envelope, revealing a thick stack of photos, all depicting scenes of slaughtered households, bloody and horrifying.

Alii looked over them one by one, occasionally taking a photo and comparing it to the corner of the canvas in progress.

The gruesome scenes depicted within did not frighten her, after all, growing up she had witnessed far worse many times over than the atrocities in those photos.

But she was serious about creating her framed piece.

She found that the scenes in these photos suited well to be painted onto this artwork, perfectly filling in the expansive blank areas.

However, simply copying the scenes from the photos alone was not quite right.

She needed to extract the individual families from the photos and harmoniously and neatly recreate them in the painting, making the overall composition more appealing.

As the girl pondered the layout of each photo, the fog in her "dream" grew thicker and more distant.

...

In the basement of the store.

Tan Wenbin couldn't help but laugh upon hearing Brother Xiao Yuan talk about returning to Nantong:

"Haha, my Brother Liang certainly has a taste for it now!"

After a pause, Tan Wenbin teased further:

"Remember the agreement made back then, about visiting once every few years? Seems like this agreement is primarily protecting the Bai Family's Lady."

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