Ella didn't react to Aunt Yu's snide remark. Instead, she turned toward the man holding the long velvet case.
At a gentle nod from her, the man stepped forward and gently unlatched the long velvet case.
The lid opened with a soft click, revealing a large painting carefully wrapped in silk. As the cloth was drawn back, the ballroom's lighting seemed to dim, as if holding its breath. A sharp breath echoed across the silent hall.
Mr. Yu stepped forward, eyes narrowing, then widening as if he were seeing a ghost.
"That…" His voice trembled.
The once-stiff posture faltered. He moved closer, one hand reaching out as if afraid the painting would disappear.
It was an oil painting, faded but preserved, with a dignified, old-world charm. A serene waterfall surrounded by vast forest, golden sunlight sprinkling in through the gaps between the trees. The brush strokes were unmistakable.
"This… this is Grandfather's," Mr. Yu's voice cracked, his eyes reddening faintly.
The hall stirred.
