When it came to cooking, buying and preparing the ingredients beforehand and cleaning up afterward were the biggest hassles.
With Uncle Lin helping prepare the ingredients, all Chen Shi'an had to do was heat the wok and cook. That hardly counted as a hassle.
Because Chen Shi'an had discovered the photos she had secretly taken, Lin Meng Qiu did not want to say another word. She simply turned her embarrassed indignation into an appetite and wolfed down two bowls of rice.
After lunch came the most leisurely stretch of the afternoon.
Chen Shi'an and Uncle Lin went to the study together to mount the Chinese painting.
The traditional process of mounting paintings and calligraphy was complicated, broadly consisting of four steps: backing the artwork, adding borders, applying the backing layer, and attaching the rods.
Many masters of painting and calligraphy could not mount their own work. After all, this was no longer part of "painting"-it was purely a technical craft.
Mounting new works was actually relatively simple. Remounting antique works was the hardest part, involving procedures such as removing old backing and washing, repairing damage, and restoring colors. At that point, the mounting craftsman needed some grounding in painting and calligraphy.
"Shi'an, I don't know anything about this, so it's all up to you. Just tell me whenever you need a hand."
"Okay."
The afternoon sunlight spilled over the windowsill, casting light and shadow across the worktable.
Chen Shi'an laid the painting flat, reverse side up, then picked up a spray bottle and sprayed water over it.
Water was what paper feared most. The slightest carelessness could damage it.
Lin Ming knew this was the first step in mounting, but when he actually saw Chen Shi'an casually spraying water over his treasured painting, the principal still could not help feeling