CH 047

TL: Moonlit

Qi Yuyu frowned, looking at the woman in front of him as if he was meeting her for the first time.

Yi’s parents, both renowned artists, held positions in the Fine Arts Academy and had trained numerous students, wielding considerable influence in the art world.

When outsiders mentioned this couple, they were mostly filled with respect and admiration.

With the scandal of Yi Wusheng’s plagiarism, which had lasted for quite some time, recently settling down and the truth being revealed, Qi Yuyu thought that they would be saddened or angry about Yi Wusheng’s actions. He never expected this kind of reaction from them.

Ordinary parents might say such things out of doting on their children, but for professors who were original artists and educators, it was unbelievable that they could say such things.

Unable to bear it any longer, Yue Hong tried his best to maintain his respect and said, “Yi Wusheng’s plagiarism is an undeniable fact, with so many people providing evidence…”

“That’s not plagiarism!” Mother Yi interrupted Yue Hong’s words directly, refuting him with dissatisfaction.

Yue Hong was at a loss, not knowing how to convince this stubborn old lady, and could only turn to Lin Hanchuan for help with his eyes.

Lin Hanchuan pondered for a few seconds and asked Mother Yi, “In your opinion, does this not count as plagiarism?”

Yue Hong couldn’t figure out what was wrong with that statement, but Qi Yuyu suddenly turned his gaze toward Lin Hanchuan.

“Of course, it’s not plagiarism,” Mother Yi responded coherently, “Calligraphers start by copying others’ works, musicians begin by singing other people’s songs. How can we say that artists imitating others’ styles is plagiarism?”

Her words left everyone in the room stunned.

However, Lin Hanchuan remained unfazed. He continued to ask, “Have you always known about Yi Wusheng’s actions?”

Lost in grief and anger, Mother Yi thought that Lin Hanchuan was trying to manipulate her words and said whatever came to mind, “Of course…”

Just as she uttered two words, her expression changed, and her voice abruptly trailed off. Suspicious and wary, she looked at Lin Hanchuan, “Are you trying to trap me with your words?”

Although Mother Yi had only said half of her sentence, the meaning behind it was already evident. She had known about Yi Wusheng’s actions from the beginning, but she didn’t consider it an unforgivable mistake.

She had tacitly approved of Yi Wusheng’s behavior. In fact, she was an accomplice.

Feeling a chill in his heart from Lin Hanchuan’s piercing gaze, Mother Yi couldn’t fathom how her indulged and wayward youngest son had such a calm and sharp gaze.

Taking a step back, evading Lin Hanchuan’s oppressive aura, Mother Yi confidently ordered him, “Regardless of the circumstances, you must issue an apology statement and clarify everything.”

Yue Hong took a small breath and clenched his fists tightly.

Ignoring Mother Yi’s command, Lin Hanchuan looked at her with an inscrutable gaze, his expression uncertain.

From childhood to adulthood, due to the favoritism of Yi’s parents, Yi Qinglou had endured suffering and injustice. He had no choice in the matter.

In the quiet of the night, while tossing and turning, the young Yi Qinglou curled up under the covers, comforting himself: Yi Wusheng has higher artistic talent, so his parents need more time and energy to cultivate him.

It took Yi Qinglou more than a decade to reconcile with himself. Thanks to Qi Yuyu’s words, he finally managed to acknowledge the differences between himself and Yi Wusheng and accepted his parents’ favoritism.

All of this was because of Yi Wusheng’s superior artistic talent, which made him receive more love from his parents.

Now, Lin Hanchuan discovered that Yi Wusheng was merely a thief stealing inspiration from others, and yet Yi’s parents, knowing the truth, still chose Yi Wusheng and ignored Yi Qinglou.

Lin Hanchuan could feel the soul that belonged to Yi Qinglou mourning in silence.

A gentle force grasped his hand, catching Lin Hanchuan off guard. He looked down and met Qi Yuyu’s cautious gaze.

Qi Yuyu knew about the messy affairs of the Yi family better than anyone else. He had his own family matters to deal with as well. He understood Lin Hanchuan’s feelings at this moment more than anyone else.

Encouraged by Lin Hanchuan, Qi Yuyu had chosen to pursue his dream and distance himself from his own family. Now, Qi Yuyu wanted to give some strength to Lin Hanchuan as well.

Their gazes met, and their emotions were clearly reflected in each other’s eyes. Finally, Lin Hanchuan was the first to avert his gaze, gently withdrawing his hand from Qi Yuyu’s grasp.

As the warmth that covered the back of his hand dissipated, that warmth remained in Lin Hanchuan’s heart, slightly warming his cold heart. He smiled and reassured Qi Yuyu in a low voice, “I’m fine.”

Mother Yi noticed their subtle interaction in private, but she didn’t care. “Now, immediately, write the statement for me to review. Once I’ve approved it, you can post it online directly.”

Raising an eyebrow, Lin Hanchuan replied, “I refuse.”

Just three simple words, resounding and powerful. Yue Hong couldn’t help but applaud, clapping his hands. “Well said!”

Applause echoed in the gallery, like a series of slaps on Yi’s mother’s face.

In the midst of Mother Yi’s angry gaze, Yue Hong glared back at her with force, speaking harshly and rudely to the elderly woman for the first time since he was born. “Lady, didn’t you hear what he said? He refused. He won’t do it. You should leave now. You’re not welcome here.”

“I am his mother,” Mother Yi erupted in anger, barely maintaining her composure as she squeezed out those four words from between her teeth.

“It’s precisely because you are his mother that I have more doubts. Are you really his biological mother?” Yue Hong genuinely doubted it. If it weren’t for the fact that Yi Qinglou and Yi Wusheng looked exactly alike, he would have insisted on a paternity test for Lin Hanchuan.

As twin brothers from the same womb, Yi Wusheng received all the love and efforts, while Yue Hong had never heard before meeting Lin Hanchuan that Yi Wusheng actually had a younger biological brother.

Knowing about the parents’ favoritism in the Yi family, Yue Hong hadn’t expected them to be biased to such an extent.

Yue Hong didn’t dare to think too deeply about the life Lin Hanchuan had lived all these years. He was afraid that he would start crying while holding Lin Hanchuan and be killed by Qi Yuyu in the end.

Mother Yi took a deep breath, her gaze slowly sweeping over the people present, these people who rose to prominence by tarnishing her son’s reputation, as if she wanted to remember every detail about them.

Then, she turned around and left, just as abruptly as she had arrived.

The gallery returned to silence, but this time, the silence was filled with an awkwardness that no one knew how to handle.

Having suddenly learned about Lin Hanchuan’s family affairs, Yue Hong scratched his head. “Don’t worry, I won’t blabber about it.”

Lin Hanchuan didn’t even notice Yue Hong’s uneasy expression. He casually responded with an “Mm” and then turned to Qi Yuyu, saying, “Do you think it’s possible that they…”

Frowning, Qi Yuyu pondered for a moment. “It’s possible.”

Upon hearing this, Lin Hanchuan burst into laughter, a laugh that seemed genuine and heartfelt, sending chills down one’s spine.

Neglected, Yue Hong stood aside, feeling that he shouldn’t be there. He tried to blend in and asked, “What kind of riddle are you playing? Can someone explain it to me too?”

Lin Hanchuan sat back in his seat, opened his laptop, and chuckled lightly. “There’s a place where I need your help.”

Baffled, Yue Hong heard Qi Yuyu’s voice, filled with a chilling aura. “Do you know any of the students Professor Yi has taught?”

“I do.” Yue Hong became even more confused, obediently responding. The circle was not that big; Yi’s parents had hundreds of students under their guidance. How could he not know a few of them?

Without lifting his head, Lin Hanchuan sent a message to a private detective and said to Yue Hong, “Contact them and arrange to meet in person.”

Yue Hong wanted to ask why but didn’t dare.

When Mother Yi returned home, Father Yi was already there. They had both aged significantly, their hair completely turned white, and they appeared weary and worn out.

“What’s the result?” Mother Yi asked anxiously.

Father Yi shook his head helplessly and countered, “And what about you?”

Mother Yi shook her head, her expression grim.

They remained silent for a while, the whole house enveloped in an oppressive silence where one could hear a pin drop.

Ever since their housekeeper had quit, the household chores were supposed to be taken care of by Yi Qinglou. But with Lin Hanchuan moving out, there was no one left to manage the household affairs. Father Yi and Mother Yi, who had been detached from such duties for decades, didn’t even know how to turn on the kitchen stove, let alone do laundry or cook.

During this time, they could only eat at the school cafeteria or at outside restaurants. However, household chores had become a problem they couldn’t solve. They had chased away numerous maids and part-time workers, and now they were blacklisted by major housekeeping companies.

The room was cluttered with clothes, and the table had leftover food that had already rotted, but Father Yi and Mother Yi turned a blind eye to it all.

Father Yi sighed deeply, looking exhausted. “Zhang Xiwei is suppressing us. The judges of the Spring Breeze Art Exhibition dare not utter a word.”

Today, Father Yi and Mother Yi had decided to split up and approach the judges of the Spring Breeze Art Exhibition and Lin Hanchuan, Qi Yuyu, and the others. If either side would speak up and agree to issue a statement for Yi Wusheng, the matter could be resolved.

The best-case scenario would be both parties succeeding, with each side issuing a statement.

They had planned it all out before they left, but they ended up with the worst possible outcome.

“That Yi Qinglou, that bastard.” Mother Yi cursed, feeling regret at this point. “If only we hadn’t just stood by and watched.”

Of course, she wasn’t referring to the first time Yi Wusheng plagiarized.

“Yeah,” Father Yi instantly understood what Mother Yi was referring to and added, “When Qi Fenghua accused Qi Yuyu of plagiarism, we didn’t just stand by. We privately advised him to settle the matter peacefully, and it wouldn’t have escalated to this extent.”

Speaking of this matter, Mother Yi felt a bit angry. “The people Yi Wusheng was involved with before, whether male or female, were all obedient. How did he end up with someone as headstrong as Qi Fenghua?”

If it weren’t for Qi Fenghua creating this opening, Yi Wusheng’s actions would have remained hidden. After several years, Yi Wusheng would have been seen as a talented individual who died prematurely, and people would have lamented his untimely demise. He wouldn’t have fallen into the current situation where everyone is against him.

Whenever Mother Yi thought of this, it was hard for her not to harbor resentment toward Qi Fenghua.

Father Yi and Mother Yi sat elegantly on the sofa, criticizing Qi Fenghua, nitpicking his faults. No one could have imagined that, at this moment, their surroundings were in utter chaos, with buzzing fruit flies dancing around the rotting fruit on the dining table.