On the Rue Saint-Dominique, near the opulent Saint-Germain district, an event is about to take place today. Many celebrities, wealthy businessmen, journalists, and art critics are gathered in one large gallery today.

They were all here to attend an art exhibition.

From the corridor to the hall, there are paintings that are either exquisite or vivid, faithfully recording the progress of the artist's painting skills and life experience over the past few decades.

At this moment, this well-respected old painter is standing in the center of the hall, being interviewed by several well-known newspapers.

"Mr. Durenburg, how are you feeling today?" A reporter stood next to an old man with a gray beard with a small notepad, "I'm afraid today is probably the biggest art exhibition you've ever held, right?" ”

"Needless to say? Of course I was excited! Unbeatable excitement! The old painter Durrenburg was full of excitement in anticipation, and even the wrinkles on his face seemed to have been smoothed out a lot, and his face was full of rosy, "I am so happy, thinking back to decades ago, that poor boy who had nothing just walked into Paris, and how he can get to where he is today...... I am grateful to my teacher, who selflessly taught me everything, and I am also grateful to France, which did not erase me from birth, but gave a fair chance to talented people......"

The reporter listened and wrote at the same time, and at the same time nodded frequently.

After decades of hard work in France, his accent has already been smoothed out, and his Parisian accent is much smoother than that of most provinces. Not just the accent, he knew exactly what he had to say to make the French happiest. To be able to make a name for himself as a foreigner in the fastidious and somewhat arrogant world of French painting requires more than just extraordinary talent.

The reporter asked questions one after another, although the old painter has already coped with the habit of dealing with it for decades, but after getting older, people always have limited energy, so slowly the painter gradually became tired. Several reporters are also veterans who have worked for many years, and after seeing the painter like this, they looked at them a few times, and then invariably stopped asking questions, and kindly gave the old painter a chance to rest.

The old painter, who had been emptied, kept pacing the hall, admiring the paintings on the walls, rubbing his hands together so that he almost trembled. Apparently the excitement has reached the extreme.

Of course, he did have the right to rejoice - just today, the old painter has reached the pinnacle of his art and life, with his biggest solo exhibition to date, and so many celebrities have come to cheer for it, all of which he has paid for with decades of amazing work.

What made him feel that his life had been fulfilled was not only painting and becoming famous, but also something else, that is......

His lovely students.

Although these students are all careful and thoughtful, and none of them are easy to deal with, which makes him very sad on weekdays, being able to guide so many smart and beautiful students is still the most proud thing in his mind.

………………

Fran took Charles' hand, and the siblings stepped out of the carriage and into the gallery. Fran still wears a plain white dress, a flower-shaped hairpin on her head, and no special makeup, but she vividly interprets the girl's style.

"Brother, I'm so nervous......" As she walked, Fran spoke, her voice trembling a little, and at this moment, the corridor in her eyes seemed to be too long to end.

"Don't worry, my sister." Charles patted his sister lightly on the head, constantly giving her passion and courage, "Your talent is unmatched, I knew it from the beginning, no one can compare to you." ”

Her grip tightened, but Fran's footsteps regained firmness.

"Yes, I must be the best!" Fran muttered softly to herself, as if to cheer herself up.

"Don't put pressure on yourself, you are still young, and it is not easy to let the teacher recommend you." Charles couldn't help but explain again.

………………

"Teacher!"

A greeting woke up the old painter, who was still in deep thought, and when he looked up, he saw that one of his most admired students had just appeared at the door.

"Miss Treville, you're finally here." The old painter laughed again, and only then did he notice the young man standing beside the maiden.

He felt a little familiar inexplicably, but he couldn't remember who it was.

"Who is this......?" He asked hesitantly.

"My brother, Charles." Fran immediately replied with a smile, "I'm here to exhibit today." ”

Charles bowed to the long-established painter as a sign of respect, without the slightest aristocratic presence.

"Mr. Dürenburg, I would like to thank you for your careful teaching to Fran and wish you every success in your exhibition."

"No wonder it sounds familiar!" The old painter suddenly realized, and then nodded to Charles as well, "Hello, Mr. Treville. It's the first time we've met, but your sister often draws you in her paintings, so we're not completely strangers......"

There was a bit of a joking tone in his tone, and he didn't seem particularly angry because of the first meeting. Apparently because of Fran, he had a good impression of Charles, and Charles was also very humble, which made him more satisfied.

Xia Er smiled a little awkwardly at this ridicule, but he was quite happy in his heart, and secretly pulled his sister's hand to show praise.

Fran's face turned a little red, and she tugged hard at her brother's hand.

While a few people were still chatting, two more people came in.

It is also a man and a woman, the woman is holding the man's hand, the man is a short and fat middle-aged man, and the woman is a girl dressed in gorgeous clothes. Judging from the age, it should be a father-daughter relationship.

As soon as he entered, the middle-aged man nodded at the old painter from afar, as if to congratulate him.

The old painter smiled apologetically at the siblings, and Charles shook his head to say it was okay. Then the old painter walked straight over, as if intending to talk to the other person face to face.

Charles didn't feel anything at first glance, but he quickly recognized the middle-aged man.

Isn't this the same big banker I saw that day at the home of the Foreign Secretary (now Prime Minister), Baron de Beauwon?

"That girl over there is one of my classmates, Miss Lola de Beauwon, and she has a lot of money! Frequently distribute small gifts to students...... The one next to her seems to be her father, who seems to be very fond of his daughter, and it is said that the teacher was able to hold this exhibition, or he got a large amount of sponsorship......" It seemed that he had discovered his brother's doubts, and Fran explained softly, "What's the matter, do you know them?" Brother? ”

Charles understood. No wonder the old painter planned to go over to greet him when he saw it, but it turned out that he had met a great patron.

That's right, they are father and daughter. Baron Pierre-de-Beauvang and his baby daughter Lola came to the exhibition to celebrate the exhibition.

At the thought of this, Charles decided to look away from him so as not to be recognized.

However, it was too late.

The middle-aged man had already seen Charles, and after a few seconds of confusion, his eyes widened slightly, as if he had recalled the memories of Charles in his mind. Then he tilted his head to his daughter, as if to ask something.

Oops, recognized! He secretly screamed in his heart that it was not good. The brain is racing to find a solution.

The other party is now obviously asking about Fran's identity, and her daughter will surely answer the truth.

"Fran!" Charles called out to his sister.

"What's the matter?" Fran was a little surprised by Charles's suddenly solemn tone.

"Wait, if anyone asks, you can say that I am your cousin, that is, Charlotte's brother Eugène, remember." Charles whispered his request.

When she heard Charlotte's words, Fran's face darkened slightly.

"Weishenme?"

"There's no reason, just a need, get it? Brother needs you to do this. Charles's tone was extremely solemn, even a little urgent.

Fran's eyes widened, looking a little overwhelmed, but she quickly regained her composure.

"Haode, brother, I see. I'll just say that if anyone asks......"

Charles breathed a sigh of relief.

"But......" Fran suddenly thought of something, and became a little hesitant, "Didn't we already tell Teacher Durenburg just now?" He already knows you're my brother......"

"That's a good explanation, because you're shy." Charles's voice grew calm again.

"Shy?" Fran was a little confused.

"Because I'm your cousin and your betrothed, you're embarrassed to say it in front of the teacher for a while, so you have to say it's your own brother, which is normal." Charles voiced his considerations.

To be honest, he could make up such a round lie in an instant, and he faintly admired himself.

It's just that he seems to underestimate his sister's endurance.

Fran's face turned red in an instant.

"You...... You...... How can you say such a thing! She almost shouted.

A few lines of sight swept over to the side in an instant.

Charles secretly said that it was not good, and hurriedly dragged his sister away.

"Betrothed...... How could you say such a thing to your sister! Fran was now flushed as if she was dripping, her eyes were thin, and her breathing was heavy and rapid, "This...... This ......"

"Isn't that just a lie? So what are you doing when you're angry! Charles's face was also a little embarrassed, "I don't want to do this either, but you should help your brother once!" All right? ”

After saying that, he gently patted his sister's head.

I don't know how long it took, but Fran's breathing finally calmed down, but her face was still red.

"I know, my brother is really ......"

[Once you accept this kind of character setting, it's actually very good=.] =】

While the brother and sister were arguing, and the old painter was greeting the big banker, Baron Beauwon, another large group of people walked in.

As soon as the old painter saw the comer, he hurriedly said goodbye to the banker and walked over there.

Walking in the middle of this group of people is an old woman, her face is a little wrinkled, she looks sixty or seventy years old, although there is no longer the youthful beauty of the past, but the arrogance and serious expression between the eyebrows still reveal a majesty, but her body is a little too thin, the description is a little withered, and her face is also very pale, and she looks like she is in a disease.

As the group entered, the gallery, which had been a little noisy, suddenly became silent. The "big shots" that Durham had promised to Fran were finally in attendance at the scheduled time.

The only surviving sister of the current king Bixia (born in 1777), the "Lady of Adelaide", who enjoys a great reputation among the people, Louise Marie Adelaide Eugenie de Orleans Bourbon, who lived in seclusion in the Tuileries Palace because she never married, finally came to attend the exhibition according to her previous promise.

"Carl, don't let me down this time." The lady's elegant, playful, and tired voice echoed in the gallery, "I've been looking forward to your exhibition for a long time." ”