Chapter 1550 Once a Mother, Forever a Mother

The ushers gathered all the guests.

Iris and Jin Liwei followed everyone. Their disguised bodyguards positioned themselves strategically around the couple.

Waiters served everyone some refreshments. Jin Liwei took two glasses of champagne and gave one to his wife.

Ashandra Knightson also held a glass of champagne in one hand and the microphone in her other hand.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to my art exhibition! First of all, thank you very much for coming today. This collection, 'Generations', is the biggest and most emotional collection that I've ever created so far. I don't know how many times I had to stop myself and take a break while creating these art pieces because of my emotions. I even needed to attend a few therapy sessions to help me navigate all the plethora of emotions I was experiencing at that time."

Some of the guests gasped.

Most of them, however, didn't bat an eye. They just credited it to Ashandra Knighton's eccentricity as a genius artist. A lot of them believed that geniuses, especially creative ones like Ashandra, were a little unhinged anyway. Tales of super-talented artists going insane weren't too uncommon either. So the fact that she underwent therapy while creating her latest collection wasn't too shocking.

Iris, however, felt concerned about her friend. She grabbed her husband's elbow and squeezed it. She had already heard a little about Ashandra's struggles while creating this latest collection of hers when Ashandra came over to stay at her family's Parisian residence the night before Liberté's launch party. Iris sympathized with her friend, but she didn't know that Ashandra's struggles became so serious that she needed to undergo therapy.

"But please don't worry too much about me," Ashandra said. "I'm alright now. I've experienced a lot of negative emotions during the creation process of this art collection, but there were also a lot of positive emotions. Most importantly, I think that experiencing all this has helped me grow not only as an artist but also as a person. I feel that I've become a much more mature individual.

"I hope that this art collection, 'Generations', will also resonate with a lot of you as much as it resonated with me. 'Generations' is about family, about connections, and about legacy. Family is not only the one that we are born into but also the connections that we make by choice.

"Even animals that we choose to take care of become members of our family. They become part of our history, and eventually, even our legacy. Places are also important. Special places become our homes, and maybe in time, our descendants will also decide to take root in these same places, adding to our family history and legacy.

"Regardless of who we are or what we are, whether we are humans or not, we all have a desire to belong in a unit with the most important one being the family. Our family is our most important support system. It is also an important record of who we are, our origins, and what we have become. Even when we are gone on earth, these records will always remain. Not just the written records on documents, depictions on paintings, memories on photos or videos, but the most important of all, the DNA records we leave in our descendants. Our descendants are the most precious legacy that we can ever leave in the world.

"I hope that you all enjoy my collection, 'Generations'. I also want to thank my good friend, Madame Iris Long, and her husband, Monsieur Liam Jin, for gracing all of us with their presence. I also have to confess that their beautiful family has been a huge inspiration for this art collection."

Iris and Jin Liwei smiled and raised their champagne glasses to Ashandra Knightson. She responded by raising her glass and nodding at them.

The other guests all looked at Iris and Jin Liwei. Some of them had also attended Liberté's launch party, so they were familiar with the couple. Those who hadn't attended still recognized them because of the media coverage of Liberté's launch party and also because of Jin Chonglin's high-profile proposal to his now fiancée, a woman named Chen Fei.

The ones who attended Liberté's launch party knew that Iris was friends with Ashandra Knightson. The others didn't know, so they were surprised to learn that Ashandra Knightson was friends with the Asian couple. She even mentioned that their family was a huge inspiration to this latest collection of hers, "Generations."

"I would also like to mention for those who haven't been informed yet that a portion of proceeds from tonight's silent auction will be donated to my friend Madame Iris Long's charitable foundation, Iris of Hope," Ashandra continued. "Iris of Hope is one of the foundations that I trust to be transparent all the time. Their charitable projects are always relevant and meaningful. They are also very active in helping people all around the world. That's why it's my first choice whenever I want to donate. Please rest assured that a portion of your money will be put to good use in helping people who need it the most through Iris of Hope."

Iris bowed her head to her friend and nodded at the other guests who raised their champagne glasses at her.

"Finally, I would like to welcome you once again! Please enjoy!"

Everyone gave a warm round of applause to the beautiful and talented Ashandra Knightson.

As soon as the speech ended, the other guests surrounded Iris and Jin Liwei. Of course, their disguised bodyguards also joined in to protect them just in case.

The guests were interested in knowing more about Iris of Hope. Iris was more than happy to explain her foundation's missions. Although she hadn't been aware that Ashandra was going to donate a portion of tonight's silent auction's proceeds to Iris of Hope, she wasn't mad at all. In fact, she was happy because her foundation would be able to help more people with the money.

"Did you know about this?" Iris asked when the guests finally left them.

"En." Jin Liwei nodded.

She gave him a side-eye, but there was a smile on her lips.

"Iris of Hope's president informed me about it some time ago," he said. "Ashandra wanted to keep it a secret from you as a surprise."

She could only chuckle while shaking her head. "Ashandra really knows how to give me a wonderful surprise. I wonder what she prepared for me later."

"Me, too."

The husband and wife walked while holding hands. Ashandra met their eyes. They only smiled and nodded their heads. Ashandra was too busy to keep the couple company.

Iris didn't want to hog her friends' time and attention, so she dragged her husband to enjoy her friend's art pieces. Jin Liwei would also bid for the ones his wife wanted.

There weren't only paintings in the art exhibition. In another wing, Ashandra also made some sculptures. Most of them were made of clay, but there were also a few carved from wood. One was even from marble.

Iris marvelled at the delicate details of the marble sculpture. It was a three-foot figure of a pregnant woman covered in a veil. Ashandra was able to carve the marble and make the veil look transparent.

"How incredible." Iris sighed in amazement.

She wanted to touch the sculpture but restrained herself.

Without even asking her, Jin Liwei took a paper slip and bid for the marble sculpture.

Then the curator called for everyone's attention.

"Please follow me to the special exhibition wing. This is Mademoiselle Knightson's most prized pieces in the collection. There are only a few pieces but every single one of them is extremely special. The starting bid prices for these pieces will also be higher than the ones you've seen in the regular wings."

Whispers of curiosity and excitement spread among the guests.

Ashandra Knightson found her way to Iris and Jin Liwei.

"Xiulan, follow me," Ashandra said before holding Iris' hand.

"Is the surprise inside?" Iris asked.

"Yes."

Iris couldn't hide her anticipation.

The curator opened the large, ornate doors to the special wing. Ashandra entered with Iris and Jin Liwei while the rest of the guests followed after them.

The art pieces inside were definitely on a different scale compared to the ones outside. There were huge paintings, and a few towering sculptures, including a ten-foot marble sculpture.

However, Iris' attention was soon drawn to the biggest, most conspicuous painting hanging on a wall. It was the only painting on that wall.

Its size was about ten by twenty feet, perhaps even bigger.

As soon as Iris saw it, tears flowed down her face. Jin Liwei hugged her close. He also felt a little choked up.

The painting showed a beautiful Iris lounging on a daybed while cradling two babies, Little Mochi and Little Matcha when they were only a few months old. There was also Ice Cream sleeping beside her. Popcorn was playing with his tail on the floor near her feet.

A white cat, Ketchup, sat smiling on Iris' other side. A black cat, Bacon, folded himself like a loaf of bread on top of the daybed's backrest near Iris' head.

There were also two German Shepherd puppies scattered on the floor, Pudding and Chowder.

Gentle sunlight streamed down on the beautiful scene making it glow and appear dreamy. Anyone who viewed the painting would feel the love and gentleness emanating from Iris' figure.

Ashandra also teared up upon seeing Iris getting emotional.

Iris hugged her. "Thank you, Ashandra. This painting is the most beautiful that I've ever seen. I love it."

Ashandra hugged her back. "It has been my pleasure to paint you with your children, Xiulan. I call it 'Once a Mother, Forever a Mother'."

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