On the way back, Chiang Songhai was silent for a long time, and Chiang Xiao didn't speak either. She had said too much at Secretary Yao's house and was a bit tired.
People in the mountain village went to bed early; by eight-thirty, not even nine, most of the household lights were already out. At that time, the village had not yet installed street lights, and every family had a flashlight, which they brought with them when they went out.
Chiang Songhai carried Chiang Xiao on his back, and she held a flashlight to light the way.
Many alleys in the village still hadn't been paved with cement; they were gravel and dirt roads, which was fortunate as it hadn't rained; otherwise, the mire would have made the night walk very difficult.
The wind was cold, which somewhat cleared the grogginess from Chiang Xiao's mind.
Ge Liutao was waiting for them with the gate open.
"Why did you take so long to come back? Did Secretary Yao get angry?" Ge Liutao first sighed in relief at their return, but then her concern flared up again.
Chiang Xiao had insisted on going to the Secretary's house, making her anxious at home.
"It's cold outside, let's go in and talk," said Chiang Songhai as he carried Chiang Xiao into the house. Ge Liutao hurried to lock the courtyard door, entered the main room, and closed the door behind them.
Chiang Xiao was still not accustomed to the dim, yellowish light bulb, but looking at her grandparents sitting in front of her, she felt immensely grateful to be able to live again.
Ge Liutao brought over two cups of hot water for the pair. After drinking, they both felt warmer and involuntarily let out a sigh of relief.
Without waiting for Ge Liutao to ask whether Secretary Yao had been angry, Chiang Songhai was already looking at Chiang Xiao with a solemn expression, "Little, tell Grandpa, when did you learn how to paint?"
This question had been weighing on him heavily.
When Chiang Xiao sketched that lifelike teacup, he had struggled hard to contain his shock.
Chiang Xiao was raised by them, but they had never known she possessed such a skill!
The art teacher at Siyang Village Primary School, whom Chiang Songhai knew, was just someone who had learned for half a year from an educated youth sent to the countryside; he could teach the village kids some basics, but his own drawing skills were not as good as Chiang Xiao's.
So, to say that Chiang Xiao learned from him, Chiang Songhai would never believe it in a thousand years.
Revealing her ability to paint was a decision Chiang Xiao made on the spot when she saw Secretary Yao preparing to decorate that old wall. However, she didn't regret it because once she had recovered, she was definitely going to paint regularly, which she couldn't possibly hide from her grandparents.
On the way back, she had already thought about how to answer this question. Moreover, she wanted to take the opportunity to find out about the Magic Brush; where exactly did Grandpa get it from all those years ago.
In her previous life, she had never known about this. And it was because Deng Qingjiang had guessed she had a treasure on her that he coaxed her out of the village.
She needed to figure it out so she could be prepared when Deng Qingjiang came back.
Chiang Xiao put down the cup and asked Chiang Songhai in return, "Grandpa, do you remember the pen you gave me when I was little?"
Chiang Songhai was taken aback for a moment, then his eyes filled with a flicker of surprise and uncertainty.
"Didn't you say that pen got lost?"
Chiang Xiao shook her head, "At first it was lost, but later I found it again."
"Does your ability to paint have something to do with that pen?" Chiang Songhai asked in a lowered voice.
Chiang Xiao had already decided that in this life, she would tell no one about the existence of that pen, including her grandparents. Otherwise, they would just worry about her.
"To say it has nothing to do with it wouldn't be true. Grandpa, Grandma, do you remember Uncle Min?"
"Do you mean Doctor Min?"
Chiang Xiao nodded, "Yes, him."
Speaking of Doctor Min, he had some acquaintance with Chiang Songhai, but they weren't close. Moreover, he hadn't shown up for many years. Chiang Songhai and Ge Liutao didn't know the reason, but Chiang Xiao knew that Doctor Min had already passed away from illness.