Chương 11: The Calligraphy Master
At nine in the evening, Tang Qianmiao finished her personal matters and returned to the Feng household.
The Feng estate was vast, not merely opulent, but resembling a scaled-down version of a Western palace, dignified and grand. The estate was divided into two wings, East and West, with the main residence where the old master lived serving as the boundary. The younger son's family lived in the Eastern Wing, while the elder son's family resided in the Western Wing.
Ordinarily, the two sides lived their own lives, only gathering for meals in the main house on special occasions.
The old master arranged for Tang Qianmiao to stay in the Western Wing, as there was a girl of her age living there—the family's only granddaughter, Feng Chuchu.
After walking for a while, Tang Qianmiao arrived at the small hall where the old master practiced calligraphy.
The entire hall was adorned with authentic calligraphy masterpieces, and the tables and floor were covered with ink-drenched scrolls. The air was thick with the scent of ink.
Inside, there were only two people: the old master and Feng Chuchu, who was grinding ink for him.
Both were so engrossed in the calligraphy before them that they didn't notice her arrival.
Tang Qianmiao's gaze lingered on the calligraphy for a moment, a trace of thought flickering in her eyes.
Then, she shifted her gaze and knocked softly, "Grandfather Feng."
The old master looked up, his face breaking into a kindly smile. "Miaomiao, you're back! Come, come and see how Grandfather did with this imitation."
Tang Qianmiao's eyes swept over the original calligraphy briefly, and she asked, "Do you like this style, Grandfather?"
The old master smiled and nodded, "Indeed. Though it's the work of a newcomer, his mastery of strokes and structure is more impressive than many seasoned masters. His style is almost unique in its own right."
Just as the old master finished, Feng Chuchu chimed in with a sweet voice, "Grandfather, the author of this calligraphy is none other than Yuan Xin, one of the most famous figures in the field over the past few years. He's no unknown novice! This piece has won numerous awards, and I went through great lengths to get it for you."
The old master nodded with a smile, said nothing further, and then turned his gaze to Tang Qianmiao. "What do you think, Miaomiao?"
Tang Qianmiao smiled faintly, "The original isn't much, but your work is quite remarkable, Grandfather."
The old master burst into laughter, "You cheeky child, always knowing how to make me happy."
Feng Chuchu, however, muttered under her breath, "Flatterer. What does she know about calligraphy?"
"Chuchu, mind your manners," the old master's tone grew more stern.
Feng Chuchu pouted but remained silent.
The old master set down his brush and instructed the servants to carefully store the calligraphy before turning to Feng Chuchu with a serious expression. "Chuchu, now that Miaomiao has returned, what should you say?"
Feng Chuchu's expression changed instantly, her head lowered as she twisted her hands in reluctance.
Seeing this, the old master's face darkened. "Have you forgotten the rules of the Feng family?"
Only then did Feng Chuchu slowly lift her head, her eyes darting reluctantly toward Tang Qianmiao. "Last night, I misunderstood you... I... I'm sorry."
Tang Qianmiao recalled the events of the previous night.
She had returned late, only to be thrown out by Miss Feng, who had her luggage tossed out as well, all because a missing necklace had been found in Tang Qianmiao's room.
Later, Tang Qianmiao presented surveillance footage that clearly showed the entire process—it turned out that the family dog had dragged the necklace to her door, and a servant, assuming it belonged to Tang Qianmiao, had placed it on her dressing table.
Though the misunderstanding was cleared, the focus then shifted to why she had such surveillance footage, leading to suspicion about her intentions.
Tang Qianmiao had not bothered to explain herself, which led to her expulsion.
Coincidentally, she had some personal matters to attend to, so she left the Feng residence.
While in the car, she had spoken to the old master over the phone, assuring him that she hadn't left out of spite. The old master believed her.
She hadn't expected that today he would send Feng Xian to find her.
There was little to gain from pursuing the matter further, so she simply nodded, accepting Feng Chuchu's apology.
Feng Chuchu glared at her before giving a perfunctory farewell to the old master and leaving.
After she was gone, the old master turned to Tang Qianmiao and said, "Child, after last night, your Aunt Wan came to see me. She wishes to take you to live with her in the Eastern Wing. Would you like that?"
Tang Qianmiao's expression remained unchanged as she immediately nodded, "I'll follow your arrangements, Grandfather."
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