Chapter 22: Collection

Xiao Miaomiao watched as she ordered a golden tangerine, lemon, and passion fruit drink, with a note to add more passion fruit.

The maid happily went back to the kitchen, then came back out and asked, “Madam, where should we deliver this to you?”

“No need, I’ll come get it later. Just leave it on the dining table, less ice.” Xiao Miaomiao smiled at her.

“Okay.”

“Come on, I’ll take you to see my collection of paintings. Let’s go see the one in my and your grandmother’s bedroom first.” Grandpa Li stood up and said he wanted to take Xiao Miaomiao to see it.

Xiao Miaomiao nodded when she heard about her grandmother, and followed him.

“Go ahead.” Grandma Li was going to sit in the flower room for a while, so she didn’t go to see the paintings with them.

“This is the one, Miaomiao. Look at this painting, doesn’t it give you a feeling of peace and harmony?” Grandpa Li pointed to the painting on the wall and showed it to Xiao Miaomiao.

Xiao Miaomiao’s eyes widened in disbelief. It wasn’t the painting that shocked her, but that she had painted it.

“Isn’t it excellent? But unfortunately, this is the only painting we could find. That art exhibition didn’t receive any more paintings from this artist afterwards, which is a pity.” Grandpa Li said regretfully.

Xiao Miaomiao was even more embarrassed when she heard this. “Grandpa, this painting…”

“What, you want this painting too? Not yet, give Grandpa a little hope. If Jingcheng asks for it, I’ll give it to you as a gift.” Grandpa Li waved his hand and said.

He picked up a clean towel nearby and started wiping it. Since Jingcheng’s accident, he had been the one wiping this painting.

Xiao Miaomiao thought that she would be painting at home in the future, and although she was a little embarrassed, she still spoke up. “Grandpa, I painted this.”

Grandpa Li turned around to look at her in disbelief, his eyes full of disbelief. “You painted it?”

“Yeah, MM is my artist name.” Xiao Miaomiao said awkwardly. “The art exhibition you mentioned should be called Yixi, right? That’s my senior brother’s, it was his first exhibition, he said he didn’t have enough paintings, so he took this one. This was originally my graduation project, and I had to paint another one later.”

Grandpa Li knew it was her when he heard that it was her senior brother’s exhibition.

The organizer of the exhibition had introduced it that way, saying it was taken from his junior sister.

Grandpa Li laughed. “It’s true that you can’t tell who’s in the family without being together.”

“Didn’t your grandma say she’s going to make a studio for you at home? When you finish painting, just hang it up. We’ll hang your paintings on the walls of our house, no need to sell them. I’ll give you a reward, how about one million per painting?” Grandpa Li looked at Xiao Miaomiao and asked.

“One million?” Xiao Miaomiao gasped.

“Is it too little? How about five million per painting?” Grandpa Li thought she thought it was too little, after all, her paintings were really worth that price.

“No, Grandpa, it doesn’t have to be that much, five hundred yuan is enough.” One hundred yuan for paint, four hundred yuan for labor.

She considered it a side hustle, it felt good to earn money herself.

She could paint one piece in two days, fifteen pieces a month, which would be seven thousand five hundred yuan a month. Not much, but it was still income, and it was money she earned herself, which made her happy.

“My senior brother bought this painting from me for only five hundred yuan.” Xiao Miaomiao said honestly.

“Five hundred yuan? Your senior brother only gave you five hundred yuan? I bought this painting for five million.” Grandpa Li looked at her in disbelief.

“Yeah, my senior brother is a bit poor, five hundred yuan was the most he could give me. Later, I heard that the exhibition was doing well, but after that, his father was diagnosed with cancer, and he sold the studio. My senior brother said he sold my painting for five million, but at that time, he needed money to take his father abroad for treatment, and he said he only wanted five hundred thousand, and the four million five hundred thousand was a loan to me.”

“I didn’t ask for it, after all, I made a deal for five hundred yuan, and the painting was his. It’s his ability to sell it for whatever price, and naturally the money is his.” Xiao Miaomiao explained, so that Grandpa Li wouldn’t be angry, her senior brother was a very good person.

“So that’s how it is, I wonder why they changed people and even changed names later.” Grandpa Li nodded, this senior brother was indeed a trustworthy person, he could say he only wanted a five hundred thousand commission out of five million, his character was good.

Xiao Miaomiao also agreed, her senior brother was a very trustworthy person.

“Okay, how about one thousand yuan per painting. It’s been a year now, not to mention anything else, the price of paint has gone up, the extra will be considered as your hard work fee. That’s settled.” Grandpa Li didn’t give her a chance to refuse.

“Your grandpa is so poor that he only has money left, you can’t refuse.”

“Okay, thank you, Grandpa. I’ll buy you a gift when I earn money.” Xiao Miaomiao said jokingly.

“That’s still me earning money, giving you a salary, and you’re going to buy me a gift with your salary.” Grandpa Li laughed.

“That’s my filial piety to you, and to Grandma, Dad, and Mom. I’ll include Jingcheng’s share of filial piety to you.” Xiao Miaomiao was serious, not joking.

“Good, good child. Jingcheng is a quiet boy, we only receive gifts from him during the New Year and festivals. When he was in school, we would still receive gifts he bought himself. Later, when he took over the company, we would be lucky to receive a gift he personally picked out on his birthday.” Grandpa Li said pathetically.

This was just Grandpa Li, if Jingcheng knew, he would jump up and down, the gifts he gave his family were all personally chosen, okay?

But Xiao Miaomiao didn’t know, she thought it was normal, after all, Jingcheng was so busy, how could he have time to buy things. It was Hong Wenbin who prepared things for the family, she was the one who bought them, she had heard before that he let his assistant buy them.

“I’ll buy them for you in the future. Although they may not be as precious as Jingcheng’s gifts, I’ll choose them carefully.” Xiao Miaomiao didn’t think there was anything wrong with that.

Grandpa Li was even happier when he heard this. No wonder his wife and daughter-in-law both wanted a daughter, it was true that daughters were more considerate.

Grandpa Li didn’t have any intention of deceiving Xiao Miaomiao, they would also prepare things for her, and she also had Jingcheng’s black gold card, so she didn’t have to worry about money.

He was right about one thing, they were indeed poor and only had money left.

Grandpa Li took her to the collection room, there were indeed many famous paintings and antiques. Xiao Miaomiao didn’t take anything, it was fine to leave them here, she could come and see them again if she wanted to, especially since she heard that there were people who specialized in maintaining these famous paintings and antiques, she wouldn’t easily take them out of this room.