章 4: 3
On setting a foot into the house, Lin FenXiang was immediately greeted by the sight of Mother Lin standing at the centre of the hall with her arms crossed on her chest and foot tapping on the ground.
Her elegant face had a slight anxiousness seeped into her expressions. But as soon as she saw him and Lin QingLan enter the house, her anxious look faded away.
"A'Xian! Lan'er!" Mother Lin called out slowly as he made her way towards them. "Where were you two? I was surprised when I saw neither of you at home."
"Don't worry mom!" Lin QingLan smiled. "Ge and I went out for bit because Ge wanted to buy something. Then we went to the mall and ended up staying there for sometime." Mother Lin nodded at her words.
"I see. Alright you two go back to your rooms and freshen up quickly mother has called several designers to make clothes for us all. Your brothers and father will be here anytime soon," she paused then added. "Also, next time don't go out without telling me for the time being. Till your brother is fully recovered, understand?"
Lin QingLan nodded like a chicken pecking grains.
Lin FenXiang opened his mouth, frowning. "But mom, I think I have more than enough clothes. I don't need anymore." He remembered the amount of exquisitely made suits lined up in the walk-in closet owned by the original owner.
"How could that be?" Mother Lin waved him off. "It's a banquet we are hosting for you! I am not going to let you wear those old ones! My son has to look presentable– no, he has to look the best! Who knows you might catch the eye of some nice girls? Or some girl might catch your eye?"
Lin FenXiang became speechless. "..." At this rate how was he going to tell her that he was not into women?
"Enough, mom," Lin FenXiang coughed, stopping Mother Lin. "Your son hasn't done anything for him to marry a girl yet."
Mother Lin refuted him righteously, "Nonsense! You used to be the captain of the First Special Ops team. How is it not doing anything? You are still young, you have plenty of time ahead of you to be accomplished."
"Now, go and freshen up! Listen to mom, you two!"
And that is how Lin FenXiang was very insistently taken back to his room. Now standing behind the closed door, Lin FenXiang sighed.
Might as well go then.
Walking into the bathroom, Lin FenXiang washed his face and then settled to check on the supplies he'd bought.
Although the texture of these colours wasn't the same as the ones available back in his time, they were still acceptable. He sighed and set up the canvas for him to paint on.
Sitting on the easel, he took a shallow breath, closing his eyes he positioned the paint brush just above the canvas.
A knock interrupted him even before he could draw a simple experimental stroke. Witholding a frustrated sigh, Lin FenXiang stood up and opened the door.
Concealing his impatience behind a stoic face, he glanced at the servant who'd knocked on his door.
"Yes?"
"Madam is asking for you, the designers have come."
"Alright." Closing the door, Lin FenXiang walked back to the easel, tidied up brushes and paints before walking out.
Walking down the flight of stairs he saw, Father and Mother Lin sitting on a sofa as they talked to some strangers. Whereas, Lin ZhiHuang, Lin FengYuan and Lin QingLan sat a little farther away from them, talking amongst themselves.
Without much thought Lin FenXiang walked to his siblings and took a seat beside Lin QingLan. The latter eyed the former critically as she gave his attire a once over.
Lin FenXiang wore a loose white button-down tucked in his black slacks, with its first two buttons undone and its sleeves rolled up all the way to his elbows.
The loose collar exposed his delicate clavicle and the sleeves exposed his fair complexion. Half a year of not being exposed to the sun had done quite a few things to this body.
Lin QingLan, having scrutinised her brother, nodded, seemingly satisfied. She raised her thumb at him. "Gege has a good fashion sense."
Lin FenXiang just nodded in response, grumbling slowly. "Why do I need suits? I already have more than enough of those."
Lin FengYuan heard his words and smiled at him. "Oh, Xiao Xiang, you can wear those on haydays, it's a banquet we're hosting and you're the star."
Lin ZhiHuang quietly agreed, "There's no such thing as enough suits or socks."
Lin QingLan giggled and shook her head when Lin FenXiang shot her a look. In the brief silence Lin ZhiHuang's phone beeped, prompting him to check it.
After a moment of staring at the screen, the eldest son of Lins raised an eyebrow. Lin FengYuan glanced at him and then at his phone before talking.
"You got the news?" He asked, his words directed towards his elder brother.
Lin ZhiHuang exhaled softly and nodded. "Yeah."
"Who's the buyer?"
"Bai TianXiu."
"Bai TianXiu, that sly old lad," Lin FengYuan snorted. "Sure enough, only he's going to go crazy after paintings."
At the mention of a familiar word, Lin FenXiang perked up slightly, probing. "Paintings?"
"Xiao Xiang doesn't know?" Lin ZhiHuang asked. Closing the phone, he placed it beside him. "Bai TianXiu, the second uncle of Mr. Bai, your batchmate, notorious old collector. That's what he is. He has this hobby of buying authentic paintings of renowned painters from history."
"And this time, that old man had the guts to buy a painting for 87 million dollars!" Lin FengYuan lightly slapped his thigh as he spoke. "Spending money like water."
Lin QingLan sniffed with disdain, "What do you know about art? Of course original paintings ought to be expensive."
"I'm not against collecting!" The second eldest of them defended himself. "I'm envious of spending money like water on paintings that are damaged."
"Be envious when you are as rich as dad and Mr. Bai and what's a little damage to masterpiece?"
"Guys," Lin FenXiang spoke up, feeling a little muddled by all the talks about money. "What painting are you talking about?"
Lin ZhiHuang looked over at him, then glanced at his phone and answered. "I'm not sure about the exact name but I think it's called 'Winter of Thames'"
For a split second, Lin FenXiang froze. Stiffly he said, "The artist?"
Lin ZhiHuang helplessly stared at his little brother for help. Lin FengYuan nodded.
"It's indeed, 'Winter of Thames'. It's a painting by… Martin Huxley? Yeah, it's his painting."
Martin Huxley, Martin Huxley…
"I, I see," Lin FenXiang breathed out. "Call, call me when it's my turn, excuse me." Standing up from his seat, Lin FenXiang quickly strode through the hall and climbed the flight of stairs, skipping two steps at a time.
Striding towards his room, he closed the door and leaned against it, his breath came pinched. Panting as he did so, not from the exertion or the strides but rather the overwhelming, new information.
Martin Huxley.
His friend, perhaps his only friend and a fellow painter whose greatest ambition was to be famous across time and era. Martin was a painter he'd become acquaintanced with with during his stay in London.
Later, they continued to be in contact through letters. His friend was famous, actually famous! In this era!
Oh Lord, oh dear Lord, Lin FenXiang pressed a hand against his chest, striving to stabilise his breathing. His panting became faint and slowly, his chaotic breathing returned to normal.
Covering his face, Lin FenXiang broke into an unbridled grin, a happy and genuine grin. A ragged laugh bubbled from the back of his throat as he barely suppressed a scream of sheer delight. Pacing back and forth in his room, he willed himself to calm down.
Just as he opened the door to return downstairs, his face, alight with genuine happiness for the first time, fell.
If Martin became famous, what about himself? Did he remain the same little more known commission artist?
Did any of his works ever become famous? Probably not.
Lin FenXiang shook his head as he descended the stairs and made a b-line towards his siblings.
"What happened, Gege?" Lin QingLan asked inquisitively. "Why did you suddenly rush upstairs?"
Shaking his head with renewed tranquillity, Lin FenXiang answered. "No reason."
"Oh," Lin QingLan shrugged, playing on her mobile phone again. "Keep your secret."
Secret. Hah.
"Jin'er! A'Yuan! A'Xiang! Lan'er come here!" Mother Lin called them, beckoning towards herself. "Time for measurements."
"Yes, mom." All of them answered in unison and walked to their parents. With Lin FenXiang being a little more dazed than usual.
Martin really got it good, huh? Lin FenXiang thought as he obediently let them take his measurements.
He was happy for his friend but at the same time a little thwarted. It wasn't about him being famous but about his beloved being known through his paintings.
About the declaration as to whom the arrogant and prideful, lovely Duke belonged to.
Lin FenXiang sighed, "Alas."
-
"Gege!" Lin QingLan barged into Lin FenXiang's room, leaving him disoriented for a moment.
The paintbrush in his hand hung in mid-air as he turned to her.
"What?"
"What time is it?" Lin QingLan asked, looking at his face smeared with paint. Then she walked closer to him, "What are you painting?"
Lin FenXiang moved a little away from the easel, "Nothing really, it's incomplete." Lin QingLan frowned.
"But what is it?" She asked, peering at the unfinished canvas. "A landscape?"
"Um, something I randomly decided to make." Lin FenXiang nodded, creating precise strokes on the canvas.
Utter silence engulfed the room as Lin QingLan found herself drawn in her brother's momentum. A strange peace and compulsion surrounded him as he painted, making her unable to look away.
The painting under his brush seemed to come alive, the lush green hills, the flowing moist river cutting through the valley, the sun setting far away. All of it seemed so vivid, so.. alive. It was as though she could hear the gushing of the river, rustling of the emerald trees, trilling of birds, everything.
Barely extricating herself from the poise of Lin FenXiang's painting, Lin QingLan looked at her brother in horror.
"Ho, how?" She stammered, flabbergasted. "Why are you so good at this af, after just a week? No! Impossible, who are you? Where, where is my philistine brother?"
She wanted to grab him by his shoulder and shake him. But looking at him painting so seriously, she didn't dare to touch him lest she should cause him to spoil the art.
Lin FenXiang paused, putting down the paintbrush, he picked up a cloth to wipe his hands. His motion of wiping his fingers was elegant and practised, as though he'd done it countless times.
He looked down, his eyelashes casting a shadow over his cheeks, his eyes hidden by them.
"Maybe I woke up to my talent after all," he replied, standing up. "Why are you here?"
"Oh right!" Lin QingLan smacked her forehead. "You made me forget why I was here. What's the time right now?" Lin FenXiang paused, checking his wrist watch.
"5:30 PM?"
"And what's today?"
"… What?"
"I knew it!" She pointed her finger at him. "I knew you would forget! It's your banquet in half an hour!"
"Oh, right." Lin FenXiang nodded, remembering the date.
"So, get ready, Mr. Protagonist!"
Lin FenXiang sighed, covering the painting with a white cloth, he prepared to put away the easel.
"If I'm not wrong, girls take longer than most to get ready. It should be you who's getting ready, not me. I'll be done in a few. You should go to your room, Qing'er."
Lin FenXiang deadpanned at his sister's stunned face of realisation.
"Ri, right! I'll go, you get ready too and wait for me. We'll go together."
With that, she was gone like a hurricane. Lin FenXiang sighed yet again, walking into the bathroom as he did so. Standing in front of the mirror, he washed his hands carefully scrubbing off the residual paint from them.
Then, walking into the closet, he made his way towards a suit hanging there innocently.
It was an exquisitely designed, midnight grey three-piece suit with white dress shirt, waistcoat, trousers and black tie. Out of all the suits lined up in front of him, this suited best with his skin's cool undertone.
Lin FenXiang ran his hand on the suit and donned it like a warrior wearing armour for the battlefield. In hindthought, this banquet was nothing less than a battle.
Standing in front of the full-body mirror, Lin FenXiang calmly arranged his suit and fixed his tie, brushing his hair neatly revealing the smooth forehead underneath. He put on the cufflinks and a watch, he changed into leather shoes and walked out of the closet.
The shoes made a clicking noise as they landed on the floor. Gracefully, he walked across the room, to the door and opened it with a gentle click.
Trudging to his sister's door, Lin FenXiang knocked on the door.
"Are you done, Qing'er?" He asked.
"Almost!" Lin QingLan's muffled voice sounded from behind the door. "Come in, Gege."
Lin FenXiang nodded, twisting the handle slightly, and he opened the door.
He saw Lin QingLan sitting in front of the vanity mirror, Lin FenXiang nodded in approval.
Lin QingLan wore a wine burgundy off shoulder tulle evening dress. Her hair was put up in a messy waves low bun.
But it was missing something.
Walking to her, Lin FenXiang took out a delicate hair comb with ivory pearls, vines and twigs. He gently put the headpiece in Lin QingLan's hair.
"Now it's complete," he smiled, clasping her shoulders. "Let's go?"
Lin QingLan reached out and felt the headpiece, she praised. "Wow, where did you get it?"
Lin FenXiang answered, dryly. "I casually bought it."
"Right."
The two of them walked out of the room together, descending the stairs elegantly.
"There they are," Mother Lin smiled gently.
"You look great," Lin FengYuan gave them a thumbs up.
Lin QingLan giggled as Lin FenXiang nodded gracefully. Lin ZhiHuang also gave a slight nod of appreciation. The four of them standing together looked like a group of elites from the upper echelon of society.
An indifferent and shark-like rich business man, an calm and sunny CEO of entertainment company. A refined and youthful beauty and lastly, an elegant, aloof and noble artistic young man.
"Come on, the guests are here," Mother Lin smiled, leading her husband to the door with her.
Soon enough, guests started trickling in the banquet hall. Many of them carried gifts and bouquets. And as the protagonist of today's event, Lin FenXiang was forced into the limelight.
Although these things were rather abrupt, Lin FenXiang—to his credit—took it in strides. His etiquettes not lacking in the slightest.
Being born in the Georgian Era, in a nobility—declining or not—at that, had its perks. Especially the etiquette of that Era reinforced in his bones and mind with extreme rigour.
Lin FenXiang effortlessly dealt with the throes of people coming at him, much to his siblings' surprise.
"When did Xiao Xiang's social skills improve so much?" Lin FengYuan teased.
Lin FenXiang, refrained from rolling his eyes, due his education. "I don't know?"
Lin ZhiHuang chuckled quietly, Lin FenXiang slowly shook his head and excused himself.
After socialising for a long time, Lin FenXiang heaved a sigh, walking to the bar, he poured himself some champagne and took a slight sip. Sitting there, he observed the atmosphere.
Just when he took another sip, he felt someone tapping his shoulder. Turning around, he saw a cute—probably currently popular looking—woman. He somehow felt that the woman was familiar.
"Yes?" He asked, putting down the flute glass.
"You don't remember me?" She asked, peering at him.
"Sorry but no."
"Oh come on," she pouted. "I'm Bai LiuYao!"
Clearing his throat, he nodded. "... I'm sorry? Please excuse me." He stood up and walked towards Lin QingLan, who was chatting with her friends.
"Excuse me," he flashed her group an apologetic smile and took her away. "Hey, Qing'er, who's Bai LiuYao?"
Lin QingLan's smile faltered, she asked. "You met her?" He nodded.
"Oh crap! She's been pursuing you for years but you've always rejected her. She's Bai TianXiu's daughter and an actress."
He nodded slowly, showing a thoughtful expression. "I see."
"But why do I know her?"
"No, it's not that you know her," Lin QingLan shook her head. "Her brother is your friend, oh right, Her brother is an art curator!"
"Art curator?" He asked, interest."Is he here right now?"
"I don't know," Lin QingLan shrugged. "I didn't see him. I think he'll be here sometime soon."
"Then I look forward to meeting him." Lin FenXiang nodded and smiled. "Go back, I'll go now."
"Alright."
With that, Lin FenXiang walked away from her and returned to the bar. Bai LiuYao was still sitting there, waiting for him.
"I'm sorry, I had to go to QingLan," he smiled sheepishly. Bai LiuYao nodded elegantly.
"No matter. How are you?"
"Quite fine."
In this way Bai LiuYao persistently dragged the conversation despite Lin FenXiang's brief answers.
"Wh—"
"A'Xiang!" Lin FenXiang abruptly swivelled around to look at the direction of the call.
He saw Mother Lin smiling while beckoning him towards herself. Awkwardly flashing Bai LiuYao a smile, he apologised while walking towards his mother, feeling nothing short of relief at her call.
"Yes, mother?" He asked, casting a succinct glance at the young man by her side.
"Look who's here?"
Turning his attention at her reminder, he nodded his greeting to her company.
"You forgot me too?" The young adult placed a hand on his chest and feigned a hurt expression. Lin FenXiang couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.
"Bai XiNian, you friend?" That name did ring a bell in Lin FenXiang's head. Who was this? Bai LiuYao's brother?
"I'm sorry," he smiled apologetically. "I seem to have problems remembering people."
"Ah, no, no!" Bai XiNian smacked his arm and laughed. "No problem! I won't blame you. I'm sorry aunty, can I take him away?" He asked Mother Lin.
Mother Lin grinned, patting his shoulder she nodded, "Go, have some fun."
Bai XiNian nodded enthusiastically and dragged him with her, away from the crowd. After dragging him to a considerable distance from people, he smiled seemingly apologetic.
"You met LiuYao, right? Did she harass you? I'm sorry, I told her to mind herself but her lovesick brain is impossible to reason with."
Lin FenXiang kept quiet, letting Bai XiNian talk as he pleased. After searching through the original owner's memories, he could conclude that he trusted this man in front of him a lot. He was one of the only close friends the original owner seemed to have, whom he had lost contact with after enlisting into the military.
"—Hey! Are you listening to me?" Bai XiNian waved his hand at his face. "Why are you spacing out, bastard? Don't you feel ashamed after cutting me off completely?
"You know that I found out about your accident through LiuYao? What am I to you? Pork chops??"
Lin FenXiang stared at him, amazed. After so many years someone had dared to swear at him in his face. But honestly, this genuine concern was heartwarming.
"I'm sorry?" He offered an answer.
"What? Just I'm sorry?" Bai XiNian asked, incredulously. "After all you put me through, all you have to say is sorry?"
Exasperated, Lin FenXiang deadpanned at him, sighing, he relented. "Alright, what do I do for you then?"
"I heard—"
Before Bai XiNian could speak anymore, a minor commotion interrupted him. Lin FenXiang stared at the direction of the sounds and raised an eyebrow.
"What's going on?" He asked softly.
Bai XiNian shook his head, indicating that he had no idea. "I'll go take a look?"
"Alright."
Lin FenXiang stood there, sipping his drink and waited. After a while, Bai XiNian walked back to him and grinned.
"So?"
"Nothing," Bai XiNian shrugged carelessly. "The Yan family's patriarch and Madam are here, that's all. Their son couldn't make it, apparently, he's abroad on tour with his orchestra."
"Orchestra?" Lin FenXiang picked an eyebrow. "He's what, a classical musician?"
"Yeah, he's pretty famous. Prodigy they say," Bai XiNian picked up a glass and took a sip. "He's really, really good. I attended the orchestra's concert."
"What's the name of the orchestra?"
"... Last Symphony orchestra, I think."
"Last Symphony?" Lin FenXiang whispered to himself. The shadows behind him shrouded his face in darkness. "Last Symphony..."
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