After the meal, they returned to the guest house to have tea and appreciate the painting.
Bo’s father meticulously admired the painting; he loved it immensely. He had always been a fan of Luo Lin’s works. Unfortunately, he had never been able to meet the artist, and her works were exceptionally rare on the market.
Fortunately, his son had now secured both the artist and her painting. In the future, he could have as many of her works as he desired.
Bo’s father was extraordinarily pleased, immensely so.
Seeing his old buddy so utterly captivated, Master He felt particularly smug— ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ꜰʀᴏᴍ 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵✦𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮✦𝓷𝓮𝓽
His disciple was naturally exceptional!
Bo’s father admired the painting in detail for a long while before reluctantly setting it down. He then gave Bo’s mother a subtle glance—
As parents, they were naturally prepared. It was the first time their son had brought a girl home, so they were, of course, ready with a red envelope as a greeting gift. However, the Bo Family’s greeting gift was rather substantial.
It was a villa, right here on this mountain.
Master He feigned surprise from the side, "Is this a greeting gift or a betrothal gift? My dear disciple, you mustn’t accept it rashly! If you accept it under the wrong pretense, you’ll belong to the Bo Family."
Gu Anxi really couldn’t stand her master’s teasing, but... with elders present, she could only endure it.
Bo’s mother laughed. "Of course, it’s a greeting gift."
Only then did Gu Anxi relax a little. But Bo’s mother immediately added, "However, the betrothal gift is also ready."
This time, Gu Anxi truly couldn’t take it anymore. She gazed at Bo Xichen, who smiled faintly. "I’ll take her to see the place."
Once they had left, Master He leaned in. "Old Bo, what do you think of her?"
Bo’s father looked at his old friend. "Could Xichen’s judgment be off?"
He continued, "Her looks are first-rate, her talent goes without saying, and she seems quite well-behaved."
Master He was immensely pleased with himself again.
Bo’s mother sipped her tea and said quietly, "Actually, twenty isn’t that young. She’s old enough to get married."
Master He and Bo’s father exchanged speechless glances...
Elsewhere, Bo Xichen took Gu Anxi for a walk, partly to aid digestion, and then led her to his living quarters, the Orchid Room. The Orchid Room was divided into east and west sections: a guest suite and a master suite. Each was equipped with a walk-in closet, a study, and a parlor, all elegantly furnished.
After they had seen the guest suite, Bo Xichen led her to his bedroom. Unlike the other areas, his bedroom leaned towards a minimalist Scandinavian style, with a primary color palette of gray and white. The moment they stepped inside, a cheerful voice exclaimed, "Professor Bo is back!"
Gu Anxi was startled. "Is this Fengxi?"
Bo Xichen smiled. "Yes, it’s Fengxi. She’s an artificial intelligence I designed. Her main system is installed here in the Orchid Room, but she has many extensions that are integrated into almost every aspect of my life."
Gu Anxi looked at him.
Bo Xichen stepped forward and gently put his arm around her waist. "Occasionally, she can be turned off."
Gu Anxi’s face was burning. Bo Xichen pinched her cheek. "What are you thinking about? That sort of thing is for after we’re married."
Gu Anxi bit her lip and glared at him. He, however, turned her around and gently held her from behind, murmuring, "I’ve long wanted to show you this painting: ’Se,’ your debut work."
His voice grew huskier. "’Se’ has been hanging here for four years, Gu Anxi."
Gu Anxi turned her head to the side. "Did you... know me before?"
He gave her a light, frustrated squeeze before whispering, "Master He always mentioned you. I was very eager to meet you... I actually had a chance the year before last, but I got into a car accident on the way. By the time I managed to get news of you again, you had already left Beicheng."
Later on, Gu Anxi also had a car accident, and then Luo Lin disappeared.
He never expected that the young woman he met on his trip to Qingcheng would be Luo Lin—the very person he had always wanted to meet but never had the chance to...
(Author’s note: I mistakenly wrote that Gu Yuntian passed away yesterday. Don’t worry, I’ve personally resurrected him! Please vote for the story!)