Heavenly Star (Web Novel)
chapter-81

“Oh?” Ye Wuchen is somehow having difficulties in responding, he thought for a moment then said, “The Twin Lotus Flowers on One Stalk doesn’t require high painting skills but good judgement and control. This… is most unsuitable for you, sister.”

“Teach me.” Ye Shuiyao remained unmoved not even in the slightest degree, only repeating herself indifferently.

Ye Wuchen shrugged. “Okay. However, based on sister's current condition, to achieve perfection, even if she focuses all her efforts to painting everyday, it might take five years. Even so, would you still want to learn, sister?”

“Let’s start then.” Ye Shuiyao said coldly, not surprised with his words. For her, five years was not a very long time, too short even, to achieve the same caliber of painting as the renowned God of Sword of Tian Long. Even if within these years she lost touch with her other accomplishments in painting, her true painting abilities would continue to develop rapidly under the imperceptible influence.

“All right.” Ye Wuchen pondered for a moment, then said, “For this type of painting, the most important point is to be able to control the thickness of the ink. Too much or too little, even the smallest deviation can cause problems. The first thing that you must do, sister, is to imagine the entire process of the lotus flower’s budding stage until its blooming time. According to your thoughts, separately draw the pre and post blooming phase of the lotus flower. I think this will make it easier for you to succeed.”

Ye Wuchen picked up a brush, without any preparation, he started to quickly brandish it on the canvas. “I’ll paint some for sister to see, then you will compare them.”

After a few strokes, an outline of a lotus flower began to appear vividly on the paper. Ye Shuiyao’s pretty eyes watched the movements of his hands. The voice beside her ear began to fade the more absorbed he became, her gaze has involuntarily shifted to his face as if frozen; unable to look away….

While concentrating on the painting, Ye Wuchen felt the atmosphere shift. He glanced to the side to discover Ye Shuiyao staring blankly at him. Her eyes were obviously unfocused, almost silly. He could not help but stop his brush, waving his hands past her eyes, “Sister?”

Ye Shuiyao’s body slightly trembled as her eyes slowly drooped. Calmly, she said, “Never mind me, please continue.”

Ye Wuchen bowed his head, easily continuing the strokes that now formed the outline of the stem.

Ye Shuiyao did not change her gaze, her mind began to wander uncontrollably, the once peaceful heart thumping, rippling all around, difficult to calm.

Is he really little Chen?

He did not feel like a close relative, but rather an unfamiliar one--- she felt a peculiar feeling she had never felt before.

He was the first one to see through my heart, making me feel that I wasn’t alone. And yet, again and again, he stirred up the heartstrings from the bottom of my heart… but now, his brilliant rays became more dazzling. He is… what kind of person is my brother really? He is a relative, why then does my heart beat faster whenever I see him… and remain difficult to calm.

What is this feeling?

At that same moment, Ye Wei and Wang Wenshu were both perspiring heavily, mouth dry, and tongue hot, almost kneeling over in the hall from the amount of people...

“Superior Zhuge, friendship is friendship, but my daughter, compared to yours, is better in terms of beauty and talent. Young Master Ye will never fancy her, so don’t waste your efforts. Please leave early.”

“Utter rubbish! Your daughter is not fit to compare with mine. I’ve even brought her token of love, how dare you argue with me?”

“You two stop arguing. For an event such as this we must take heed from the order of arrival. I arrived here first, one step ahead, so you have no right to argue.”

……………………

The grand hall of Ye Family, once a solemn and respectable, has now become a marketplace. Important ministers of the imperial court were becoming more and more like hawkers, using any means to market their own daughters… There was nothing to be done. The Ye Family was classified as a family with a very good moral standing and reputation, plus they produced such a genius favored by the Emperor. Marrying into the Ye Family would guarantee nothing but pleasant dreams in the future. However, this was secondary to appeasing their spoiled daughters, used to their high living standards, who proclaimed that in this lifetime they would marry only the son of the Ye Family. So long as they could enter the Ye Family, they were very much willing to be his concubines.

Ye Wuchen’s performance, in the point of view of daughters who usually stay in their homes, was monumentally outstanding to the point of considering him a celestial being. Even Lin Xiao’s achievements were comparably almost nothing, and other young talented men accounted for even less. With such a perfect man, these young women of high standards would no longer be willing to marry other men.

As a result, majority of the fathers rushed over for the exact same reason.

Wang Wenshu thought angrily, ‘What of before? All those years I went to all these families to propose marriage, but one by one you avoided me like a plague. Now, hmph… you would know what is meant by having eyes unable to see. Why don’t you see whose son he is?

Of course, she would not say these words out loud. She could only give a bitter smile while dealing with them, “Gentlemen, please hold your horses. This matter will be personally decided by Chen-er. He will be here soon.”

Finally, Ye San, who was commanded to call Ye Wuchen over, came running with his head sweaty and without a shadow of Ye Wuchen. Wang Wenshu asked with some anxiety, “Where is Chen-er?”

“Madame, the servants from his courtyard advised me that he went out for a stroll and will be back in the evening.”

“This…” Wang Wenshu was startled. Ye Wuchen must be deliberately avoiding the event by reacting so fast. She addressed the room apologetically, “Gentlemen, Chen-er just went out, so this matter… Why not, once he comes back in the evening, I will ask his opinion for each of you. By tomorrow, we will give word to each of your houses to inform you of the outcome. How about that?”

“Haha, good! Your son even displays his hidden affections for the daughter of the Hua Family in front of a whole crowd, so he is probably a romantic young man. He will like my daughter. I, Ji, won’t trouble you anymore. I’ll take my leave.”

Since one person had started to leave, there was no room for others to push the matter further, and one by one, they each left. After sending them off, Ye Wei and Wang Wenshu were already perspiring all over, and the one who was actually the head of the entire Ye Family, Ye Nu, had already escaped without a trace upon his witnessing the situation.

Back in the grand hall, Wang Wenshu sat down, heaving a long sigh of relief, and then said, “It’s really troublesome this time, Chen-er had inadvertently caused so much trouble with these ladies. Let’s see how he will handle them.”

“.... I’m thinking, if Chen-er marries all these ladies, the power of our Ye family would expand to a very formidable level.” Ye Wei said, touching his nose.

Wang Wenshu spat lightly, displeased. “Marrying so many ladies, Chen-er might tire out. Moreover, based on Chen-er’s excellence, as a mother, I really don’t like such ordinary ladies. No one will be a suitable match for Chen-er; however, the young lady of the Hua Family is pretty good.”

“Superior Yu has arrived!”

The teacup in Ye Wei’s hand swayed and nearly fell. Wang Wenshu’s whole body welled up with the feeling of powerlessness, so weak as though she couldn't stand up anymore.

Translated by: Fatty_Uncle

Edited by: patrick_father_of_dragons & seriouspotato