Since the Huiying Academy next door has been upgraded to a national key cultural relics protection unit, the shops in Jimo Lane have been replaced by tourist souvenirs.

It's a pity that the door of the academy is open at the other end, and all the people who come to visit are walking on Wentao Street in front, Jimo Lane is almost "inaccessible", and the souvenir shop is closed down again, and the store can't go out and has to be empty. Coupled with the old city renovation plan of Qingchuan City, the commercial street and financial center were built in the new city, which was originally one of the most prosperous streets in the old city of Qingchuan, but was forgotten and neglected by the people in the city.

Meng Jin got off the car on Wentao Street and walked in along the mouth of Jimo Alley, the not wide stone alley, on one side is a courtyard wall mottled with mossy vines, and on the other side is a group of low-rise buildings with gray faces, next to the lively tourist area separated by a wall, but it seems to be isolated by the bustle, but there is a sense of pleasure outside the fireworks.

Sijizhai is located in the deepest part of Jimo Lane, and there are two pots of triangular plum swaggering in the wind at the door, and the fiery red flowers are in full bloom, adding a touch of color to this light alley.

Meng Jin walked up the stone steps and lifted the bamboo curtain at the door of the store, and the sensor behind the curtain sounded "Welcome", and as soon as he walked in, Feng Jiayu came up.

"Mr. Meng, you're here!" Feng Jiayu was dozing off on the table, and when he heard the sound of the sensor, he quickly ran over with a smile and a smile.

The bamboo curtain at the door of this store was replaced as soon as autumn came, blocking the wind, and there was a bell tied to the bamboo curtain, Feng Jiayu was not smart enough to replace this sensor.

Behind the partition on the right, Xia Keren sat in front of the large painting case, concentrating on the pigment.

Nowadays, the most common pigment for Chinese painting is the toothpaste tube, in a small box, 12 colors, 24 colors or more. Xia Keren taught the children to learn to paint is this kind of pigment, this pigment is easy to use, not people who have been painting for many years are particularly sensitive to color, and they can't see the difference.

However, for some discerning people, pigments are the most important thing.

Chinese painting pays attention to taking from nature and being used for nature, and the pigments for painting flowers, birds, fish, insects, plants, trees, mountains and stones also come from flowers, birds, fish, insects, plants, trees, mountains and stones, and the colors are lasting and bright. Therefore, before the advent of tubular pigments in the past, painters used natural mineral pigments, and for some exquisite painters today, mineral pigments are still the first choice, and the author of Meng Jin's beautiful painting is no exception.

Xia Keren compared several kinds of them, and then chose to use the mineral pigments of Bei/Jingtianya in full color.

When coloring, you need to put the pigment solids in the bottle into the milk bowl first, add hot water and other pigments to melt a little, remove the floating water on the upper layer, leave a little water, and then slowly knead the pigment with your fingers in one direction, and when it is completely soaked into a paste, add a little water to the pen.

Tianya's pigment is almost the same as this painting of a beautiful woman, at least with the naked eye, except for the garcinia yellow.

Xia Keren has tried all the garcinia cambogia that can be found in the world, but it is either gray or light, and none of them are fresh and bright on the beauty map.

Rubbing his slightly stiff neck, Xia Keren was worried, so he listened to the bookshelf, Meng Jin, who had already come in and had been waiting for a long time, said: "Let's go." ”

"Let's go?" Xia Keren was a little strange, just wanted to ask where to go, and remembered that when he called last time, Meng Jinren was abroad, and said that when he returned to China, he would take himself to Miaochuan Villa to find out if there were any clues about "Xihe", so he agreed, "Okay." ”

Xia Keren took a photo with his mobile phone aimed at the faint "Xihe" seal carving on the painting, and after putting the painting away, he went out with Meng Jin.

But not long after getting in the car, Xia Keren felt that something was wrong, the car was clearly driving out of the city, she sat in the passenger seat, and asked Meng Jin, who was driving herself: "This is not the way to Mushan Villa?"

"Who said to go to Mushan Villa District?" Meng Jin stared ahead, turned a corner, and the car drove onto the intercity expressway.

"Aren't we going to Villa Miaokawa?" asked Xia Keren.

"Yes. Meng Jin turned his face slightly, glanced at Xia Keren, and then spoke, "Miaochuan Villa is in Bincheng." ”

"What?" Xia Keren was a little stunned, she always thought that the Mushan Villa area where she went back was called Miaochuan Villa for the first time when she saw Mr. Meng, but she really didn't expect Miaochuan Villa to be in Bincheng.

Bincheng is the closest city in the province to Qingchuan, and it takes three hours to drive there.

It's getting late now, and if it's past now, when will I be able to come back?

"This painting is my grandfather's. Meng Jin suddenly spoke.

Xia Keren wanted to say that I know, but hesitated for a moment, but still didn't say it.

Meng Jin continued: "My grandfather lived in Myocheon Villa in Penn for a long time in his later years, so I thought that if there was any clue about this painting, I could only go to Myocheon Villa to find it. ”

"Then why didn't you say earlier that this Miaokawa Villa is so far away. Xia Keren was a little helpless, "It's so late now, I probably won't be back tonight, so I'll bring some things all the way." ”

"You don't have to bring anything. Meng Jin returned, "It's all there." ”

When I arrived at Bincheng, it was already late at night, Miaochuan Villa was located on the bank of the Furong River in the west of the city, when Xia Keren got off the bus, the night sky was clear, and the stars in the sky were sparsely lit.

followed Meng Jin into the villa, the lights were bright, towels, slippers, hot tea, and fruits were all properly prepared, but there was no one to see.

"Grandpa's important things are in the study, come with me. ”

Meng Jin led Xia Keren to the second floor by elevator, as soon as the door of the study opened, the cool night breeze blew in his face, and the small round window behind the desk inside was wide open, and it rained during the day, and the rain sprinkled in, wetting a small piece of floor under the window.

"Grandpa didn't allow anyone to enter the study, and he even cleaned it himself. Meng Jin walked in and closed the window.

After Mr. Meng fell ill, only Meng Jin entered this study once in order to find paintings, but that time he came and went in a hurry and forgot to close the window.

Xia Keren followed Meng Jin in, the study was simply and cleanly furnished, with a wooden table and a wooden chair, and wisteria outside the window. A bookcase embedded in the wall is full of boxes for calligraphy and paintings.

On a wall on the left, there is a picture of Lou Shi's white banana leaf duckling, and on the right is Huang Binhong's smoke and rain mountain scenery.

Xia Keren walked to the middle of the study as soon as he saw it, and looked at the green banana leaves on the left, two ink-colored red-beaked, vigorous ducklings bent their long necks to peck at a little spider drooping under the leaves, and then looked at the hundred-foot green mountains on the right that were full of air, and the trees at the foot of the mountain were sparse, and there was a pavilion between them, and there was a little figure in the pavilion.

The left side is interesting and vivid, and the right side is ethereal and expansive, both of which are peerless paintings.

Meng Jin used to resist Chinese painting, so he never took a good look at it, at this moment he stood beside Xia Keren, looked carefully, only felt that the painting was not shaped, but it was universal, simple brush and ink can depict the world in it, no wonder so many people are so obsessed with Chinese painting.

Xia Keren couldn't see enough, but there was not much time, she retracted her gaze and said to Meng Jin: "Start looking, it's best to go back tomorrow afternoon, I still have classes in the afternoon." ”

"Good. Meng Jin nodded, turned around and walked to the desk.

The desk had two drawers, two cabinets, one of which was locked, and Meng Jin sat on a wooden chair, carefully looking through the unlocked drawers and the contents of the two cabinets.

The desktop is neat and elegant, and there is a pot of rain orchid next to the pen holder, but it has not been watered for many days, and the flowers and leaves have been a little wilted. Xia Keren just walked over, saw Feng Fenglan's expression moved, and after a while, he pursed his lips and smiled softly.

Xia Keren rarely smiled, this sporadic smile attracted Meng Jin's attention, he held a stack of letters in his hand, and while opening it, he raised his head and asked her, "What are you laughing at." ”

"Maybe people of their age have this hobby. Xia Keren stretched out his hand and nodded a little wind and rain orchid, "My grandmother also likes to put this on her desk." ”

"Well, did you find anything in the letter?" Xia Keren asked.

Meng Jin shook his head: "It's all about catching up with old friends, and I haven't mentioned Chinese paintings, let alone any women." ”

"That's weird. Xia Keren frowned slightly.

"What's wrong?" Meng Jin asked.

"Old man Meng likes Chinese painting so much, why he reminisced with his old friends but didn't mention it. ”

"Most of my grandfather's old friends were made in the United States, and at that time, my grandfather was only interested in the business of МU, and never mentioned Chinese painting, which was gradually revealed after he returned to China in his later years. ”

Xia Keren nodded, and Meng Jin continued: "However, there is still a drawer that is locked, I don't know what is inside." ”

"Locked?" Xia Keren subconsciously reached out and picked up the pot of rain orchids, and there was a small brass key pressed under the tray of the flower pot.

Meng Jin was stunned, and Xia Keren was also a little stunned: "It's just that my grandmother likes to hide the key to the small drawer here." ”

Meng Jin picked up the key and opened the drawer, which was still a letter.

There is only one, nothing is written on the envelope, and there is no name in it when it is opened, only in the middle of some yellowed stationery, two lines of words are written: Time chases people, I am old, and I want you to too. I couldn't come back by all means, but when I got old, I came back, but I didn't dare to see you again.

Meng Jin raised his head, just in time to meet the gaze of Shangxia Keren.

The two looked at each other for a moment, looked away, and both felt that the "you" mentioned in the letter was the woman painted on the beauty picture.

But no matter how much I searched, I couldn't find the slightest bit of information about this woman.

"Why don't you look at the paintings? Xia Keren said, "Look to see if there are any other paintings painted by Xi He." ”

Although only the name is left on the beauty map, if you find other paintings, there are other traces left on it, even if it is just a small place name, the name of the museum, you can find some better.

The two of them kept finding that it was dark, and almost rummaged through all the paintings in the bookcase, but there was no second painting of Xi He.

Meng Jin put away the last scroll, glanced at Xia Keren's somewhat pale face, and said, "You sleep for a while, and I'll look for it." ”

"It's okay, it's dawning anyway. Xia Keren rubbed his hands.

"I'm not talking to you. Meng Jin put the scroll back in the brocade box, "The second room on the left hand side of the door is the prepared bedroom. ”

"Good. Xia Keren no longer held on, and looked at the paintings hanging on the left and right sides twice, and then went out, and as soon as he entered the bedroom on the left, the mobile phone rang.

Xia Keren answered the phone while looking at the room he had just walked into.

"Hey. "The room is not big and has everything you need.

"My lovely sister, where have you been? Are you still with Mr. Meng? You are a girl, how can you not go home at night? Make me worry so much!" Feng Jiayu's voice came from the phone.

"Myokkawa Villa is in Pennsylvania. Xia Keren sat down on the bed, she explained, and then said, "You help me notify the children's homes that the afternoon class will start an hour later." ”

"Ouch, then I'll rest assured, it's good to stay at night! Girls can also take the initiative, but people, seize the opportunity, this lonely man ......"

Before Feng Jiayu's words were finished, Xia Keren quickly hung up the phone.

Lying on the bed on his back/, he let out a soft breath, turned over and wrapped himself in the quilt, sleepiness hit, and he was just about to fall asleep when his phone rang again.

When I picked it up, it was still Feng Jiayu.

Xia Keren pressed the refuse expressionlessly, and within two seconds, the call came again, Xia Keren frowned, and this time pressed answer.

When I just called the students to inform them, Yu Yashi said that Yu Ruiqi ran out before dawn today, and searched everywhere, but no one was found!"