NOVEL SIMPLE Chapter 57 Meeting Lan Xi
Chapter 57 Meeting Lan Xi
"You like paintings too, Mr. Ye?"
Hearing the voice, Ye Fan turned around.
Instantly, both of them froze, their eyes filled with surprise.
Lan Xi was surprised by Ye Fan's age.
He was too young!
On the phone, Ye Fan's voice sounded like he was in his twenties, even close to thirty, because of the calmness in his voice, which wasn't something a young person would have.
But the Ye Fan in front of her, how could he be in his twenties or thirties?
He probably wasn't even twenty yet!
Ye Fan was surprised by Lan Xi's appearance. She shared at least a seven-point resemblance to Ning Xi.
In an instant, he guessed the woman's identity.
Ning Xi's mother!
Realizing the woman's identity, the casual look in Ye Fan's eyes disappeared, replaced by solemnity and respect.
"I'm Ye Fan. Please, Madam, just call me by my name."
Ye Fan spoke, his voice deep and steady, not matching his appearance at all.
"I don't know your name yet, Madam."
"My surname is Lan. You seem quite young, just call me Sister Lan."
After the initial surprise, Lan Xi chuckled and introduced herself gracefully.
"Hello, Sister Lan."
Ye Fan readily accepted the offer, his words sweet and charming.
What? There's a ladder and he's not going to climb it?
Was he crazy?!
Lan Xi walked gracefully to Ye Fan's side and stood shoulder to shoulder with him, her gaze falling on the landscape painting on the wall. She asked softly, "Ye Fan, I saw you were quite engrossed in it just now. Can you understand it?"
It had to be said that language was an art.
Although her question sounded a bit interrogative, coming from Lan Xi's mouth, it didn't sound abrupt at all. Instead, it felt warm and friendly, like a chat with an older sister next door.
Hearing this, a faint smile appeared on Ye Fan's face. "I only understand a little bit, wouldn't dare to show my ignorance in front of Sister Lan."
"It's alright, tell me what you understand."
Lan Xi raised her hand and brushed her hair behind her ear, a hint of curiosity in her eyes.
"Judging by your age, you should be about the same age as my daughter. It just so happens that I also want to hear a young person's understanding of this ancient painting."
"In that case, I'll make a fool of myself."
Seeing that he couldn't refuse, Ye Fan didn't try to be modest.
One should be modest when appropriate, but not overly modest.
"If I'm not mistaken, this painting should be 'Snowy Landscape with Cold Forest,' by the Northern Song Dynasty painting master Fan Kuan."
"Fan Kuan was a landscape painting master as famous as Dong Yuan and Li Cheng, collectively known as one of the 'Three Great Masters of the Northern Song Dynasty.' He was highly praised by later generations."
His voice was gentle, making people want to keep listening.
"Even Mi Fu, who was always proud and arrogant, praised it in his 'History of Painting' as 'unmatched in this dynasty.' The Yuan Dynasty calligrapher and painter Zhao Mengfu praised it as 'a true masterpiece of the past and present,' and the Ming Dynasty painter Dong Qichang called it 'the best Song Dynasty painting'."
"This painting depicts the magnificent scenery of the northern mountains after a winter snowfall. Amidst the snow-covered peaks, there's a towering mountain, which is the main focus. Behind it are countless layers of mountains, vast and boundless, majestic and precipitous..."
Listening to Ye Fan's eloquent explanation, the surprise in Lan Xi's eyes became more apparent.
This young man, who didn't look very old, was so knowledgeable about ancient people and paintings, which was completely beyond her expectations.
Ye Fan smiled politely and said, "This painting seems to be made by splicing together about three pieces of silk, without leaving any trace."
"The brushwork is masterful, vigorous and full of life, the ink is used perfectly, and the composition is surprising, showing a very high level of painting skill and artistic accomplishment."
"People in the Song Dynasty didn't have the habit of signing their names on paintings. There are only four characters written on the trunk of a large tree: 'Painted by Chen Fankuan.' This is similar to his other famous work, 'Travelers Among Mountains and Streams.' It was probably painted by Fan Kuan specifically for the imperial court, and it's exceptionally detailed and exquisite."
After he finished speaking.
Lan Xi couldn't help but clap her hands, her eyes filled with unconcealed admiration.
"I didn't expect you to be so knowledgeable at such a young age. It's truly impressive."
"You flatter me, Sister Lan."
Ye Fan's expression remained calm, showing no trace of complacency. He said modestly, "I only have a superficial understanding, it's nothing to brag about."
Lan Xi smiled but didn't say anything, not dwelling on this topic.
"Have a seat."
"Thank you."
They sat down facing each other.
Lan Xi looked at him with her beautiful eyes and asked with a smile, "How old are you this year? Are you in college or..."
"Senior year of high school."
"Oh?"
"My daughter is also in her senior year."
Lan Xi looked at Ye Fan curiously and asked, "With the salary I'm offering, the applicants should all be graduates from top universities. How do you plan to compete with so many outstanding candidates?"
To be honest, she admired Ye Fan.
Although he was young, he had a calm personality and an eloquent manner of speaking.
There was no trace of restraint in his words and actions, and he was very polite.
Such young people were very rare.
However, Lan Xi wasn't optimistic about Ye Fan. Although today's interview was just a formality, there would still be a necessary test.
She wouldn't just hire anyone to tutor her daughter.
Facing numerous graduates from top universities, a high school student...
He didn't seem to have a chance.
Ye Fan's expression remained calm as he faced his future mother-in-law... could he call her that?
Was it okay?
Hmm, it was okay!
Sooner or later, she would be.
Besides, she didn't know...
"Ahem!"
Facing his future mother-in-law, Ye Fan sat calmly and said, "Sister Lan, in the job advertisement, you didn't mention any requirements for educational background, which means you don't value it that much, right?"
"Right."
Lan Xi nodded slightly and said, "Educational background doesn't mean everything."
The corners of Ye Fan's mouth curled up slightly. This was good news for him.
"My daughter and I are both in our senior year of high school. This is not a bad thing, but rather a good thing."
"Oh? Tell me why."
Unconsciously, the initiative had shifted to Ye Fan's hands. Meeting Lan Xi's curious gaze, his eyes were filled with clarity and sincerity.
"I'm more familiar with the high school curriculum and I know the key points of the exam questions. I can provide your daughter with efficient and targeted tutoring."
"Don't use 'you' so formally, just use 'you'." Lan Xi corrected him.
"Sorry."
Ye Fan nodded and continued, "After saying all this, Sister Lan must be thinking that even though I'm more familiar with the high school curriculum, my knowledge base and problem-solving skills are definitely not as good as those graduates from top universities."
"..."
Lan Xi was stunned.
This young man named Ye Fan, how... was he a bit...
Why could he read her mind so clearly?
Strange!
Ignoring Lan Xi's strange look, Ye Fan continued, "There are so many candidates, but Sister Lan only needs one tutor. If I'm not mistaken, there should be a test in today's interview, right?"
"..."
"Y-yes."
Lan Xi nodded subconsciously.
With Lan Xi's confirmation, Ye Fan became even more confident. He smiled and said, "As long as I outperform the other candidates in the test, I'll naturally get the job."
"Actually, it's quite simple."
"..."
This time, Lan Xi was speechless.
Simple?
A high school student, wanting to beat a dozen top students from top universities, he called that simple?
But...
Ye Fan's tone was so calm that Lan Xi couldn't sense any bragging in his words, as if it was just a matter of fact.
This—
"Good luck!"
Lan Xi took a deep breath and didn't say anything more.
"I'm looking forward to your performance."
She stood up gracefully and said softly, "Ye Fan, please wait a moment, the other candidates should be arriving soon. I'll go upstairs to take care of something."
"Take your time, don't mind me."
Ye Fan also stood up, not daring to be disrespectful in any way.
After all, this was his first meeting with his future mother-in-law. He had to leave a good impression.
In his previous life, he had never met Ning Xi's family.
This time, by chance, he had met Ning Xi's mother. To be honest, he was a little nervous, afraid of making a bad impression.
Lan Xi left.
Ye Fan sat on the sofa, lost in thought, recalling his conversation with Lan Xi just now.
He seemed to have been a bit too... mature.
But it was decent enough.
At least, he hadn't been rude.
"Excuse me, are you the student who needs tutoring?"
A sudden voice interrupted Ye Fan's thoughts.
Looking up, he saw a man in his mid-twenties standing in front of him, wearing gold-rimmed glasses and a formal suit. His aura as a top student was unmistakable.
"What do you think?"
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