Chapter 111 A Chance Encounter at the Gallery
The two of them went down to the underground parking garage together. Daisy got into Felix's car and buckled her seatbelt.
"By the way, where's the exhibition?" he asked.
"In the old town area. There's an art district over there, and my grandpa rented a gallery there."
Felix smiled. "Actually, they didn't want to rent it to him at first. They thought his paintings weren't good enough and were worried it would hurt the gallery's reputation. My grandpa had to pay double the rent before they finally agreed."
Daisy couldn't help but laugh. "Now I'm really curious about your grandpa and what kind of paintings he does."
"Just so you know, I don't understand anything about art. All I can say is stuff like 'that's really pretty' or 'looks just like the real thing.'"
Felix laughed. "You're talking like I know anything about it."
Chatting away, they started the car and headed toward the old town.
After driving for about an hour, the car turned onto an old street lined with plane trees.
Both sides of the road were filled with old buildings that looked like they'd been there for years.
The gallery was behind a church at the end of the street.
It was sunset; the sky was filled with red clouds, and a flock of crows flew past.
Above the gallery entrance was a carved sign in cursive letters reading "Randall Connor Solo Exhibition." Though the carving was rough, it actually had a certain artistic feel to it.
Looking at the sign, Daisy couldn't help asking, "Did your grandpa do this lettering too?"
"Yeah, he carved the wooden sign himself. This is actually one of his more satisfying works." Felix smiled. "Come on, let's go in and take our time looking around."
The two walked in together.
The gallery wasn't big, but it was set up with care. The warm lighting shone on the oil paintings, making it look pretty much like a professional exhibition.
Most of the paintings on the walls were landscapes, with a few still lifes. The colors were very bold, with thick layers of paint creating a three-dimensional effect and daring brushstrokes.
Daisy didn't understand art at all. To her eye, these paintings really left her with nothing to say except 'pretty'; they were lively and colorful, with something of Monet's style.
Even though it was getting late, there were still quite a few people at the exhibition—mostly elderly folks with very few young people. They gathered in groups, chatting and laughing with each other.
She was staring at a painting when she suddenly caught sight of a familiar figure out of the corner of her eye.
Richard stood in front of a painting, hands behind his back, head tilted up, looking at it intently.
He wore a black tailcoat with a cravat at his neck, holding a gentleman's walking stick, and wearing a small top hat. His silver hair beneath the hat was neat and tidy.
The butler stood beside him.
Daisy hadn't expected to run into him here. She felt a bit awkward, not sure whether she should go over and say hello.
But Richard had already turned his head and clearly seen her. It would be rude not to say anything now, so she had no choice but to turn around and say with a smile, "Grandpa."
Richard looked at her, then his gaze moved to Felix standing beside her. He seemed like he wanted to say something, but his lips moved and in the end he only said "Mm."
In Daisy's awkwardness, Richard took off his hat and handed it to the butler behind him, then walked away leaning on his cane.
The butler looked back at her. "Ms. Hart, you..."
Just then Richard coughed lightly, and the butler quickly stopped talking and followed Richard out.
Daisy watched his retreating figure and pressed her lips together.
Was Richard... angry?
She suddenly remembered that last time they talked on the phone, Richard had said he wanted to give her some compensation and told her to come get it.
Three or four days had passed, and she still hadn't gone, which made Daisy feel very awkward.
"You okay?" Felix asked softly beside her.
Daisy shook her head. "I'm fine."
Should she make time to go over there this weekend?
As she was thinking this, she and Felix wandered over to a landscape painting when they suddenly heard someone nearby say, "Felix! I didn't expect to see you here!"
"Well, this is your grandpa's exhibition."
Daisy turned around to see a girl of fifteen or sixteen with curly permed hair, wearing a long dress, smiling brightly as she greeted him.
Felix smiled and said, "Oh, it's you, Rita Wise. You startled me. You came too? Where's your mom?"
"My mom's over there talking to people." Rita glanced at Daisy, her gaze circling around her face before returning to Felix. "Felix, who's this?" Rita asked.
Felix introduced her. "This is Ms. Hart, my friend."
Rita looked at Daisy again, this time with more scrutiny in her eyes.
She pressed her lips together, her smile fading a bit, and said nothing more.
Rita didn't leave either. She just stood there, staring straight at Felix with a hazy look in her eyes.
Daisy knew that scrutinizing gaze all too well.
Because she'd been that age too.
It was the way you looked at someone you liked—it seemed like teenage girls all over the world looked at the people they liked that way.
Daisy couldn't help glancing at Felix. His expression was natural, even looking somewhat dismissive. "Do you need something?"
Rita pouted and let out a soft huff, then turned and ran off.
Felix gave Daisy a helpless smile. "What do you think goes on in kids' heads like hers? So weird."
Daisy watched Rita slowly walk away, turning back to look at Felix several times, and couldn't help but laugh.
"You really can't tell? She likes you."
Felix froze. "Who?"
"Rita." Daisy replied.
Felix laughed. "She's only sixteen. I'm twenty years older than her. How is that possible! I've always thought of her as—"
Daisy looked at him. "Always thought of her as a little sister?"
"As a niece!" Felix pursed his lips, also finding it hard not to laugh. "I held her when she was little, and she peed all over me."
Then he added, "Her mom and my mom have been best friends since childhood. She's the youngest child in the Wise family, and her brother is even my classmate."
Daisy giggled. "Well, you sure know how to put yourself in the older generation."
Felix laughed too.
The two of them slowly wandered through the gallery when suddenly Daisy stopped in front of a painting.
It was of the sea. The overall tone of the painting was dark, the ocean a murky green with surging waves, the sky full of dark clouds with only a sliver of light in the distance.
Looking at the painting, she suddenly felt it looked familiar, as if she'd seen it somewhere before.
"What's wrong?" Felix came over.
"Nothing." Daisy shook her head, thinking it was probably Randall imitating some famous painter's work.
Just then, someone dressed as a server hurried over and said, "Sir, Mrs. Connor is looking for you. Please come quickly."
Felix raised his eyebrows. "My mom's here too?"
He turned to Daisy. "I'll go over there for a bit. Take your time looking around, I'll be right back."
Daisy nodded.
After Felix left, Daisy was getting a bit tired from walking around, so she headed to the rest area.
It was at the far end of the exhibition, with a few sofas against the wall and a table in front with some tea and snacks.
A few people sat there drinking tea and chatting.
She found a spot to sit down and poured herself some tea. Just as she took a sip, suddenly, around the corner, she saw Vanessa talking to a man.
From her angle, she could just see Vanessa's expression. She looked a bit angry and a bit impatient, but also like she had no choice but to try to placate him.
Daisy couldn't see the man she was talking to clearly. He wore a mask with his hat pulled down low, dressed in drab denim clothes.
Daisy's gaze fixed on him. Looking at the man's back, she felt he looked very familiar.