Chapter 196


    Shi Xuexin was unable to perform for her father on his birthday and ended up giving him this


    Chinese painting, so she was a little upset.


    Fortunately, she finally managed to regain confidence when everyone sang her praises.


    And sure enough, Shi Qing loved the painting. "Thanks, Xuexin. It was a thoughtful gift."


    Gu Qingqing nced at Shi Xuexin''s pine Chinese brush painting and felt she had some degree of


    talent.


    However, Gu Qingqing had already achieved this degree of mastery when she was just 12 years


    old. Even though she received far more praise than Shi Xuexin, she did not take it to heart at all.


    Hence, Gu Qingqing was unable toud praise like the rest of the guests.


    If memory served Gu Qingqing right, Master Liu was probably Liu Xueyuan. It was a fellow artist


    she used to know who was unable to surpass her skills. In that case, it could hardly be considered


    glory for Master Liu to think highly of Shi Xuexin.


    After all, Gu Qingqing couldn''t continue being an artist because of her husband''s ill health. That was


    the main reason Liu Xueyuan was finally able to make a name for himself in the trade.


    Li Juekai also didn''t react when he saw the painting.


    The moment Shi Xuexin saw their reaction, she felt they must know nothing about Chinese painting


    since they were from a small town. The same went for Shi Jin. No matter how good her work was,


    they were incapable of appreciating it. They probably never even heard of Master Liu in their lives.


    Chu Ling and Shi Xuexin had already presented their gifts to Shi Qing, so it was now Shi Jin''s turn.


    After all, Shi Qing had treated Shi Jin well during her time in the Shi family. Shi Qing and Old Master


    Shi were the only people in the n who treated Shi Jin like family.


    Shi Xuexin raised her chin and looked at Shi Jin. Everyone turned to look at Shi Jin as well.


    Shi Jin naturally didn''te empty-handed. She promptly took out a perfumed bag and presented it


    to Shi Qing with both hands. "Uncle Qing, please ept my gift. Happy birthday."


    Shi Qing took the gift. He didn''t appear to dislike it at all as he said, "Thanks, Shi Jin."


    "Try to wear it or ce it under your pillow," said Shi Jin.


    "Sure." Shi Qing epted the gift.


    Everyone secretly scoffed when they saw the perfumed bag and felt unimpressed by the gift. Sure


    enough, Shi Jin was from a small town. How could she give Shi Qing a perfumed bag on his


    birthday? From the looks of it, she must have bought it online for cheap with free shipping even.


    However, Shi Qing was gracious enough to ept Shi Jin''s gift without publicly rejecting it.


    Third Aunt promptly said, "Shi Jin, you are a famous artist now. I heard you won a lot of money for


    coming in second on the show. How could you give Shi Qing just that on his birthday? Shouldn''t you


    take the opportunity to show some gratitude to your foster father for raising you?”


    "Third Aunt, stop saying that. Shi Jin has always been a filial child. Shi Jin has been staying at the


    Shi residence all this time because she can''t bear to leave my parents," defended Shi Xuexin right


    away.


    Despite sounding like she was speaking in defense of Shi Jin, Shi Xuexin was in fact using Shi


    Jin of refusing to leave.


    Third Aunt shook her head hard. "Xuexin, you are too nice. How could Shi Jin be staying because


    she can''t bear to leave your parents? Can''t you tell why she is still around? Well, I certainly can.


    Now, even her parents are here to get cozy with us. Don''t you know why they are doing this?"


    Everyone secretly nodded in agreement. Judging from the way Li Juekai looked, he probably


    needed full-time medical attention. If Shi Jin could get close to the Shi family and they were in a


    charitable mood, the Li family could probably survive on just handouts alone from the Shi family.


    Li Juekai and Gu Qingqing certainly knew how to do their Math!


    Li Juekai and Gu Qingqing instantly looked annoyed! How could they think that of Shi Jin? It


    became clear to them the kind of life Shi Jin led in the Shi family!


    They always knew Shi Jin had a hard time while she was with the Shi family, but they did not know


    exactly how bad it was.


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    Gu Qingqing promptly wanted to defend Shi Jin. She didn''t care if they wanted to attack her, but


    they could not do it to Shi Jin. She was Shi Jin''s biological mother. How could she stand by and


    watch everyone treat her daughter this way?


    Shi Jin hurriedly pressed Gu Qingqing''s hand and patted Li Juekai''s shoulder and gestured for them


    to stay quiet.


    Although Li Juekai and Gu Qingqing were anxious to help their daughter, they respected her


    decisions, so they stopped and let Shi Jin do what she wanted.


    Shi Jin proceeded to step forward. She was a natural beauty who glowed and drew attention no


    matter where she was.


    Even Chu Ling could not resist looking at her just like everyone else.


    She looked at Third Aunt and asked mildly, "Third Aunt, why do you think I''m still living here? Do


    you mind sharing a pointer or two? I for one certainly don''t know what you mean."


    "I..." Third Aunt instantly stuttered when Shi Jin looked at her with her bright stern eyes.


    After all, Third Aunt was her elder, so she had seen her fair share of family drama in her life.


    She quicklyposed herself. "It''s no big deal. Our family is rich and famous. Even our servants


    have better perks than other help. It''s no surprise you want to continue living here and be close to


    us."


    "Third Aunt, are you saying I deliberately refused to leave the Shi residence so that I can use the


    family? Are you saying that I even got my parents involved?" asked Shi Jin rhetorically.


    "Thereabouts," replied Third Aunt.


    Everyone cast a knowing look at Shi Jin.


    Yu Xiuhua said, "Shi Jin grew up in the Shi family, so it ispletely normal for her to feel that way.


    The truth is, we can''t bear for her to leave either."


    In reality, Yu Xiuhua couldn''t wait for Shi Jin to leave. However, she had to continue pretending to


    be a doting mother to Shi Jin.


    Shi Jin nodded and smiled. "Okay. Let''s talk about this then. Auntie Xiuhua, Xuexin, and I were


    brought up by the Li and Shi families respectively for 12 years. Has anything unfair happened? Or is


    there anything we should do now to make up for the other family?"


    "Of course not. There is no need for you to make up for anything." Yu Xiuhua hurriedly shook her


    head. In reality, the Shi family was considered new to high society, so Shi Jin didn''t get to enjoy life


    while she was residing at the Shi family.


    Old Master Shi''s eyes were starting to deteriorate at the time and made a few losses when he did


    business, so the Shi family was not doing well. Shi Qing and Yu Xiuhua were busy trying to make


    up for the losses and did not pay much attention to Shi Jin. This was the main reason Yu Xiuhua


    and Shi Jin were never close.


    By the time Shi Xuexin returned to the Shi family, it was already financially stable.


    Yu Xiuhua felt Shi Xuexin brought the family good luck. Also, she was her biological daughter.


    Hence, she doted on her even more.


    In hindsight, Shi Xuexin had a much better life in the first 12 years of her life. Although she lived in a


    small town, she was brought up to be poised. Also, she did well academically and had the freedom


    to pursue her interests.


    Shi Xuexin and Yu Xiuhua felt Shi Xuexin was naturally talented and gave the Li family no credit


    whatsoever.