He unexpectedly becomes a father at the start of his life, and the mother of his child is a national

He Muqing led them into the VIP room on the second floor of the gallery, which was elegantly decorated.

There were several sofas and a long mahogany table, and several small paintings by famous artists hung on the wall, creating a very quiet atmosphere.

He Muqing first invited Chen Hao and Sisi to sit down, then personally poured tea, giving Chen Hao a cup of warm Pu'er tea.

I also gave Sisi a box of juice and a few cream cookies, all of which are her favorite flavors.

"Sisi, eat up, this is something Auntie prepared especially for you." He Muqing placed the juice and cookies on the coffee table in front of Sisi.

Sisi looked up, said "Thank you, Aunt He" to He Muqing, then picked up her juice, inserted a straw, and began to sip it.

He picked up another cookie, chewed it slowly, and sat quietly on the sofa, without making a fuss.

He Muqing sat down opposite Chen Hao, her gaze falling again on the painting tube he had placed beside her. She rubbed her hands together, her anticipation barely concealed, and asked cautiously:

"Mr. Chen, may I open it and take a look at your new work now? I can't wait!"

Chen Hao smiled and nodded: "Of course, I brought it to show you."

As he spoke, he stood up, picked up the painting tube, walked to the mahogany table next to him, opened the lid of the painting tube, and carefully took out the scroll.

The scroll was heavy, so he held it with both hands and slowly placed it on the long table. Then he unfurled it little by little, his movements as gentle as if he were protecting a rare treasure, afraid of breaking it by accident.

He Muqing also quickly stood up, walked to the long table, held her breath, and stared intently at the unfolding scroll, not daring to even breathe loudly.

She has worked in this industry for over a decade, handling countless works by renowned artists and seeing a wide variety of flower-and-bird paintings.

She had even seen a few of Chen Hao's "Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix," but she knew in her heart that Chen Hao's paintings never disappointed, so she had high expectations for them.

As the scroll unfolds inch by inch, the first thing revealed is the phoenix's long tail feathers. The dark feathers have a faint luster, and the texture is clearly visible, just like real feathers, gently swaying.

Next are the phoenix's wings, spread out, with an elegant posture, distinct layers of feathers, and natural color transitions;

Then comes the phoenix's body, with its smooth lines and noble posture; finally, the phoenix's crown, towering high, with a kind yet majestic gaze, immediately captures the viewer's attention.

The moment the painting was fully unfurled, He Muqing couldn't help but gasp, her eyes widening and her mouth slightly agape, speechless for a moment.

She stood there, motionless, her eyes fixed on the painting, her gaze filled with shock and disbelief, even forgetting to pick up her teacup.

She has worked in this field for more than a decade and has seen countless fine paintings, including works by older generation masters and masterpieces by contemporary renowned painters. However, this is the first time she has ever seen a painting like "Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix".

Whether it's composition, brushwork, color, or details, it's all perfect, even surpassing the works of some older generation masters.

The phoenix's posture is noble yet unassuming, majestic yet not fierce, like a respected elder standing quietly, receiving the homage of all birds.

The tail feathers trail down like flowing clouds or rainbows, creating rich layers and endless variations. Each feather is painted with meticulous detail, without a single flaw. The ink tones are just right, glossy yet not greasy.

Looking around at the hundreds of birds, each one is so lifelike, as if it would fly out of the paper and into view at any moment.

Some birds are flapping their wings as if about to take flight, with each feather clearly visible, as if you can feel the airflow from their flapping wings;

Some birds are depicted with their heads down preening their feathers, their movements so delicate that even the downy feathers are drawn clearly.

Some birds chirped and twittered, their mouths open and their eyes sparkling; you could almost hear their clear calls.

"This...this is amazing..."

He Muqing opened her mouth, but it took her a long time to squeeze out a sentence. Her voice was a little unsteady, clearly she was shocked by the painting.

She slowly moved closer to the scroll, carefully examining the details. The more she looked, the more surprised and impressed she became.

The texture of each feather of the phoenix is ​​clearly visible. The brushstrokes are delicate yet not fussy, with no superfluous lines. Every stroke is just right.

The smallest of all the birds, the sparrow, is barely bigger than a fingernail, but every single feather on its wing is meticulously drawn.

Even the eyes are drawn with extraordinary liveliness, as if they might jump up and fly away chattering away at any moment.

After looking at the details for a while, she stepped back a few paces to examine the overall composition of the painting.

The arrangement of the birds is well-balanced, with a clear distinction between primary and secondary elements. The phoenix sits firmly in the center, like the moon surrounded by stars.

All the birds surrounded the phoenix, facing its direction, creating a vivid atmosphere of worship.

Every inch of the picture is meticulously arranged, with no superfluous or missing parts. The whole picture looks harmonious and magnificent, inspiring awe in the viewer.

He Muqing stood in front of the painting for a full five minutes without moving, until her neck started to ache. Then she slowly straightened up, let out a long breath, and calmed her excitement.

She turned her head, looked at Chen Hao with admiration in her eyes, and said in a slightly hoarse voice:

"Mr. Chen, this painting is better than any contemporary flower-and-bird painting I have ever seen. It can even be said to be the best 'Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix' I have ever seen."

Chen Hao smiled and said modestly, "Manager He, you flatter me. I just tried my best to draw it well; it's not as good as you say."

"It's not a compliment, it's the truth, I'm absolutely not exaggerating." He Muqing quickly shook her head, her tone very serious.

"You know, over the years, I've seen many people paint 'A Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix,' but most of them have turned it into a 'Flock of Birds' painting."

Either the phoenix and the other birds are not ranked, the phoenix is ​​inconspicuous and no different from the other birds;

Either the birds are all acting independently, creating a chaotic mess, lacking any sense of reverence, and just looking very disorderly.

She paused, then pointed to a little sparrow on the scroll and continued:

"Your painting is different. The phoenix is ​​a real phoenix. Its temperament and posture are evident. You can tell it's the core at a glance."

The birds are truly paying homage to the phoenix; the posture and gaze of each bird are directed towards the phoenix, and that sense of devotion is immediately apparent.

Look at this little sparrow, its head is facing the phoenix, its body is slightly leaning forward, and its claws are tightly gripping the branch, as if it is bowing to the phoenix. How vivid it is!

You managed to capture the movement and expression of such a tiny bird; it's simply amazing...

It's simply a stroke of genius; I can't even find the words to describe it.

He Muqing took a deep breath, glanced at the painting again to calm herself, and then looked at Chen Hao with a serious expression, asking:

"Mr. Chen, what price do you plan to set for this painting? I'd like to give collectors a quote and highlight this piece."