Chapter 67

Scott’s Success

It was just an added hand, but the whole painting immediately became less cramped. Not only that, but it also made the viewer’s gaze naturally focus on that hand.

The central characters in the painting appeared to be the couple in the scene, but the true focal point of the painting was hidden in the curtains—the hand. When first seen, almost everyone would think this was the case.

The person whose hand was hidden in the curtain—how did they feel as they watched the couple outside? Yes, the hand’s owner clearly knew what the couple was doing outside, because the hand was trying to reach for the woman but ultimately released her, showing restraint.

In this way, what seemed to be a simple embrace of two lovers became a scene involving three people. The addition of this hand not only fixed the composition of the painting but also deepened its story. The image now told a tale!

As everyone stood before the carefully restored oil painting, they were all stunned by the transformation brought about by the single hand.

It was like a stroke of genius!

Soon after, an art historian recognized the connection between this hand and another famous painting, The Lover of Pope Cegozzi. Although the painting’s name referred to the Pope in red papal robes, standing by a window in an opulent room, clutching the curtains tightly with both hands, the curtains in the famous piece were blue—just like those in this new painting!

That legendary painting had disappeared long before the apocalypse, and it was famous not only for its exquisite composition and technique but also for the secret history it recorded. If this new painting and the famous one were indeed related, then…

“…Kid, how did you recognize that these were originally one painting?” The elder, who had been supporting himself with a cane, turned from the oil painting to look at Juan.

What seemed to be a simple puzzle, but to see that these two separate paintings had once been one… how sharp must his eyes have been?

“Just… intuition?” After thinking for a moment, Juan answered.

Actually, it was his sense of smell.

The two paintings seemed unrelated, but they shared the same underlying scent—one that came from oil paints that had once been mixed together, from the paper, and from the time they spent together. Before the paintings were split in two, they must have been hung in the same place, absorbing the same scent. Even though the smell had changed slightly after being separated, the underlying tones were the same.

Of course, he didn’t plan to explain all that.

“Unbelievable, it’s almost like a genius’s intuition!” Hearing this explanation, the elder couldn’t help but applaud. Looking at Old Briatch and his grandson, his eyes were filled with admiration and envy.

With his applause, others followed suit.

“Old Briatch, you’ve got a good grandson!”

“So your family has artistic sensibility too, huh? Haha, but be careful at future auctions—anything your little Briatch takes a liking to, I’ll definitely bid on it!”

Old Briatch laughed heartily, replying to his old friends and rivals: “Haha, this kid does have a bit of a talent for it. He’s studying art at university now!”

“Bid all you want! But I won’t lose to you,” another rival teased.

Responding to the banter with laughter, Old Briatch was clearly in high spirits. After all, these people had been his long-time rivals in business, and neither had ever outdone the other in terms of profit. It was always neck and neck, with the auctions being just another battleground for them. Winning at this auction was far more satisfying than sealing any business deal, as his wealth had already reached a point where no sum could truly excite him.

The auction organizers even wanted to buy the painting back at a high price, but Old Briatch wasn’t interested. He flatly refused.

In such a good mood, he made a few calls. By the time they had finished the luncheon hosted by the auction, were heading back to the hotel with their spoils, and were seated in the car, Old Briatch looked at Juan, sitting upright like a pine tree. He tapped his fingers on the armrest below.

“Intuition, huh? Such a fascinating thing. So, did you rely on intuition to buy the Larkin base too?”

Looking at the smiling elder, Juan was a bit confused by his words: “Has something happened? How much is it? Do you need my card?”

Seeing how serious his grandson was, Old Briatch chuckled and said, “It’s already been bought! Keep your card, no need to pay me, consider it a gift from me to you! Well… that painting’s return gift!”

Earlier, when he’d been complimented, Old Briatch had gotten in a good mood and made a call to intervene in the purchase of the base. Once he stepped in, everything sped up. If the price negotiation had been slow, it was only because they hadn’t reached an agreement yet. With his good mood, he pushed the price to its highest, and as a result, the Larkin base quickly agreed to the deal. Now, the base belonged to Juan.

“They’ve already started organizing the residents’ relocation. Don’t worry, each household is getting a nice share of money, more than enough for them to gain residency in Moriqui City City, and they’ll even be able to find a place to live.”

“Although I don’t know what you plan to do with this base, are you happy?” Old Briatch looked at his grandson, who still appeared indifferent, worried that he hadn’t quite grasped the significance of the situation.

“I’m happy! Really, really happy!” The shout that rang through the car was Scott, who was hidden deep inside Juan’s mind. Overwhelmed by the sudden good news, he was stunned at first. But when Old Briatch asked if he was happy, Scott couldn’t hold back his excitement and shouted out his joy.

Of course, it was Juan who allowed him to shout.

Juan’s emotions were too calm; it wasn’t really appropriate for him to express emotions like “happiness” or “sadness.” Besides, this wasn’t something Juan himself wanted to do—now that the deal was done, the person who should be “happy” and thanking his grandfather was Scott, wasn’t it?

So, Juan took over the physical control of the body and left the speaking to Scott. He quietly receded into the background, leaving the body to Scott.

Both Old Briatch and Scott were startled by the sudden outburst.

Old Briatch, naturally, was surprised by the loud voice, but Scott was startled by the fact that he could suddenly speak.

However, Scott quickly understood Juan’s intent. After staring at Old Briatch for a moment, he stuttered, “Thank you, I mean, for you buying the Larkin base… I’m really, really grateful…”

Even when alone with his grandfather, he still felt nervous, but thankfully, it was Juan controlling the body, so he didn’t tremble.

Moreover—

“Calm down…” Scott told himself, forcing himself to stay composed. He made himself look into his grandfather’s eyes, taking a deep breath. After a while, he issued an invitation:

“To express my gratitude, may I take you around this city? Um… just some small places, I’m sure you haven’t been to them…”

The money he had was earned by Juan, and as someone with nothing of his own, the only way he could express his thanks was through the experiences of his past life—experiences that involved food, drink, and entertainment.

His wish had been fulfilled, and he had no further attachments in this world. Perhaps the next moment he would be gone, and before that, he hadn’t really spent time with the elderly man.

His grandfather…

Whether in this life or the last, the old man had always been kind to him, especially in this life.

Although Juan might be the one he admired, he had certainly felt the care of an elder from Old Briatch.

He had made the wrong choices in this life from the start, and hadn’t received care from anyone. But now, in his grandfather’s eyes, he finally saw the affection he had been missing.

“I want to thank him, in the final moments of my life…” he thought, speaking to himself and to Juan inside his mind.

“Go ahead…” He thought he heard Juan say this to him.

“Then… shall we go?” he heard his grandfather, who had regained his calm, reply.

“Alright!” A smile spread across Scott’s face as he knelt on the seat and knocked on the small door leading to the driver, signaling that their plans had changed.

Taking this opportunity, Scott visited more places he had often gone to in his previous life. Of course, he also returned to the “best restaurant in Moriqui City” that he had visited with Juan and Ped. Since it was his second time there, some of his old acquaintances recognized him, though not as close friends but rather as a “returning guest.” Nevertheless, the slightly more familiar attitude was enough to make him happy.

Like a regular local customer, Scott showed Old Briatch around, introducing him to various snacks and the stories behind them, chatting with him just as Juan had done when introducing and appraising paintings.

Everyone has their own field of expertise, and perhaps this was Scott’s. As an ordinary person living in an ordinary place, eating ordinary food, this was the realm in which he excelled.

Scott also took Old Briatch to a famous local clothing store to buy a new outfit, though it wasn’t the kind of formal shop Old Briatch had once taken him to. Instead, it was a store where local middle-aged (not elderly) people would shop. In his previous life, his father was still young, and not even middle-aged clothing was something he would wear.

Dressed in his new clothes, Old Briatch now looked like an ordinary local… well, still an elderly man.

Then, night fell—

It was either coincidence, habit, or perhaps because he still had some attachment to the place. In any case, after a few twists and turns, Scott found himself taking Old Briatch to a familiar place.

It was the piano shop he had worked at in his past life.

It was also the same piano classroom that faced the street, where his little dad had played last time.

Why had they returned? They had already seen each other, and Scott had heard his little dad sing. Juan had offered flowers for him. Although the tickets hadn’t been given out, the whole Larkin base had been bought, and the people there would evacuate by tomorrow night at the latest. The explosion wouldn’t affect his dads, nor would it affect anyone at the base…

“Piano? Is this a piano shop? Do you want to learn the piano?” Old Briatch wondered as he looked at his grandson, who was staring at the piano display window.

It was true—the display window was empty of any pianos, and Scott’s dads weren’t there.

After all, today was the day the base was bought, and with everyone busy, how could his dads be here?

Looking at the empty piano classroom, Scott smiled slightly and, after a moment, turned to Old Briatch, saying, “Actually, I can play a little piano.”

In fact, he could play much more than a little. He had learned to play with his little dad when he was young, and later, it became his livelihood. In his past life, he was actually quite good at playing the piano.

However, after so many years without touching the piano, he thought he might be rusty. But the moment his fingers touched the keys, they fell into place on their own. Simple notes gently echoed in the small space, and his other fingers naturally followed. Soon, a cheerful tune flew from his fingertips.

He actually remembered!

With a surge of excitement, Scott placed both hands on the keys and began to play in earnest. At first, his performance was a bit clumsy, but before long, his fingers moved more and more fluidly. He had no sheet music; all the pieces were in his mind. He joyfully played the songs his father had taught him in his previous life.

Playing made him so happy that a smile gradually appeared on his face.

Like a child’s pure, excited smile.

How could he not be happy?

All his memories of the piano were beautiful.

One dad would play and sing while he listened, entranced, while his other dad would pause his work to listen intently.

Because the dad playing the piano looked so radiant, and because his other dad would always stop and rest at those moments, he slowly began to want to try playing himself.

The first time he struck simple notes, the first time he played a complete song, the first time he found a job because of the piano, the first time…

As he played, Scott’s faded memories became vivid once again.

So vivid that, without realizing it, his face was wet with tears. The sound of his tears hitting the keys was like small notes joining the music.

Raising his hand, Scott wiped his tears with the back of his hand. Then, as he paused to wipe away the tears, he heard applause.

Though muffled by a glass window, the applause was unmistakable. Following the sound, he looked outside and saw—

His dads?!

Not just them—he also saw Ade, Julie, and so many friends and neighbors from his previous life!

Some he had seen recently, but many he hadn’t had a chance to see before.

People he thought he’d never see again were now in front of him, smiling and clapping for him.

He watched as one dad stuffed a bag into the other dad’s hands, then dashed off, returning shortly with a bouquet of flowers.

He handed the flowers toward him through the window. Scott saw the broad smile on his face.

With tears still in his eyes, Scott wiped his nose with his sleeve, then gave him a big smile in return. After a moment, he lowered his hands to the keys again, and another round of notes flew from his fingertips.

That night, Scott played many songs. When he finished, he accepted the invitation of the audience outside the window to join their celebration.

It was a celebration for them finally being able to move out of their old base and gain the permanent residency they’d longed for at Forest Hill Base.

He spoke with each of his old friends and neighbors and drank with them.

Finally, standing between his two dads, posing for a commemorative photo, he thought in a happy, tipsy haze, that his life felt complete.