Things began to spiral out of control.

“Please, everyone, quiet down!”

The host, who had been handling everything with ease just moments ago, was now shouting until he was hoarse. However, the audience’s emotions were running high and difficult to soothe. He straightened his crooked bow tie and cleared his throat forcefully. “Everyone, please…”

Just then, a refined middle-aged man stepped onto the stage from the left. He casually picked up a microphone from the media table, and his steady, powerful voice echoed through the entire venue. “I am glad to see everyone reacting this way.”

Many people recognized him.

This was the Chairman of the Provincial Art Association, the famous impressionist painter Zhao Yi. He held a significant position in the art world and was a specially invited judge for this city painting competition.

“Could everyone give me a few minutes of your time?”

The clamor slowly receded, and before long, the audience fell silent.

“Thank you, everyone.” Zhao Yi bowed solemnly. “I was just down there, and the most common question I heard was how a photograph could be allowed to participate in a painting competition, let alone win the Special Prize.”

A teacher leading a group from another school stood up. “This kind of absurdity is unheard of. We hope Chairman Zhao can give everyone a reasonable explanation.”

Zhao Yi nodded, his gentle gaze scanning the room. “What if I told you that this is, indeed, a painting?”

Time seemed to hit a pause button. Everyone’s shock, bewilderment, and disbelief were suppressed, fermenting in silence until they could no longer be held back. Then, they erupted like a volcano.

“What?! Did I hear that right? That is a painting?”

“How could that possibly be a painting? It is clearly a photograph!”

Others were filled with righteous indignation. “How can an oil painting be done this way? This is simply an insult to art!”

Zhao Yi did not stop them from venting their emotions. He stood quietly on the stage for ten minutes. Once they had all calmed down, he spoke again. “When I first saw this work, I also found it unbelievable.”

“In all my years in the art world, this is the first time I have seen someone paint an oil painting this way. Moreover, the artist is a young girl of only eighteen.”

“The most important thing in a painting is its atmosphere. A painting without atmosphere is a dead painting. No matter how novel the technique, if it lacks soul, it cannot be considered a good work. Therefore, at the time, I did not hesitate to remove this piece from the list.”

Zhao Yi smiled again. “But when I went home that night and lay in bed to sleep, as soon as I closed my eyes, that starry sky involuntarily surfaced in my mind.”

“The German philosopher Kant said: Two things fill the mind with ever new and increasing admiration and awe, the oftener and more steadily we reflect on them: the starry heavens above and the moral law within. I suppose I was also captivated by that unique starry sky. Art is tolerant; it welcomes all forms of expression, and every style deserves respect.”

“Now, I would like to invite the artist to come up and talk to everyone,” Zhao Yi bowed again, his smile warm. “To be honest, I also really want to meet this young girl.”

“Go on.”

A wave of warmth brushed past her ear. Ruan Mian nodded, released the man’s hand, and stood up, walking toward the stage step by step.

The cameras began following her the moment she appeared.

“Thank you, Chairman Zhao, for clearing up our doubts,” the host said, walking over with the microphone. He had regained his composure. “Wow, I did not expect such a beautiful young girl. The painting truly reflects the artist…”

“Apologies,” the teacher who had spoken earlier stood up again. “May I say a few words?”

Without waiting for the host to answer, he began speaking excitedly. “I do not believe this painting lacks atmosphere. Although it uses a unique technique of extreme realism on the surface, when I look at it, I am reminded of many beautiful things. It is as if I can feel a cluster of stars falling before my eyes. It is so real, yet so ethereal.”

“Every line and every star carries its own soul.” He spoke somewhat incoherently as he turned toward the audience. “Does everyone understand what I mean?”

“Yes, I feel the same way,” someone echoed. “My emotions were quite volatile earlier, but when I looked at this painting seriously, my heart suddenly became very peaceful.”

Many people fell into a simultaneous silence. It seemed they all shared similar feelings.

The host took the opportunity to redirect the conversation. “I would like to ask, Ruan Mian, how did you come up with the idea to paint such a piece?”

The camera zoomed in slowly, framing the slender figure standing in the center of the stage.

Ruan Mian’s gaze swept lightly across the faces, some strange and some familiar. Finally, it settled on a spot in the corner. She looked into those beautiful peach blossom eyes, and a faint smile gradually appeared on her lips.

As long as he was there, she was fearless.

“Because I cannot see this world clearly, I want to draw it clearly.”

Amidst a round of warm applause, the host’s mind went blank. Only that soft yet firm voice echoed in the air, and he suddenly forgot what to say next.

Qi Yan was also deeply moved. He gazed at the person on the stage, and his eyes slowly began to soften.

The girl had always been soft and delicate, but he had never seen such a look of confidence on her face. She was destined to continue down this path.

However, he knew of the knot in her heart; it was likely difficult to untie in a short time.

While he was lost in thought, Ruan Mian had finished her speech. When he looked up again, the leaders were presenting her with the award. As this process concluded, the ceremony drew to a close.

The host read through the script and then called all the winners back onto the stage for a group photo. The others began to leave.

Ruan Mian stood in the middle in her white dress, her smile like a flower. With a faint click, Qi Yan captured this image on his phone.

After the photo, Ruan Mian came down from the stage with her certificate and prize money. She was truly happy, joy brimming in her eyes. “Let’s go.”

Qi Yan nodded and followed her out.

“Where are we going next?”

Ruan Mian thought for a moment. It was still early, and she did not particularly want to go home, especially since the house was empty.

Tomorrow was the National Day holiday, and Ruan Mian had three days off. Ying Haodong had been missing for several days, and the mother and son had reportedly returned to their hometown. Even the nanny had been given the holiday off.

She did not want to go anywhere else; she only wanted to stay with him.

After her initial excitement, Ruan Mian remembered something. She asked curiously, “Did you not have an appointment with someone today?”

Did he specially cancel it to watch her receive the award?

This thought filled her with both secret joy and guilt.

Qi Yan gave an “mm” and checked his watch. “I hope I can still make it.”

“If you have no other plans, would you accompany me somewhere?”

“Okay.”

But where were they going?

The driver headed out of the city center, and the view gradually opened up. Ruan Mian looked out the car window and saw a vast lotus pond. The lotuses had already withered this season, leaving only withered leaves floating on the water, reflecting the shimmering sunlight as if they had regained their vitality.

She turned her head. “Are we going to see Mr. Smith?”

The impression had been too deep; she remembered the name after hearing it only once.

Qi Yan pressed his lips together and smiled, which served as a silent confirmation.

“Ruan Mian.”

“Mm?”

“What reward do you want this time?” He deliberately lowered his voice.

Ruan Mian could not handle this soft, weakening sensation. She gave a distracted “um” and said, “Actually, it is enough that you came.”

It no longer mattered why he had come. In any case, this man was remarkably capable and always found a way to know. The most important thing was that he was there.

For her, this was already the best reward; she did not need anything else.

The midday sun was abundant, and a patch of it rested on Ruan Mian’s lap. She reached out to catch it, her palm feeling warm and cozy. She narrowed her eyes in contentment.

She was so happy she wanted to sing, but it was just a passing thought: she would sing out of tune, very much so.

“Can I ask you a question?”

The man’s profile was hidden in the light and shadow, but his stretched, slender legs showed that his mood was also quite good. “If you like something and it faces doubt from others, should you continue with it?”

Qi Yan understood exactly what she was asking. She was merely feeling lost about her hyper-realistic style of painting.

“If you do not continue,” he looked at her, a smile in his dark eyes, “this girl named Ruan Mian will be like most ordinary people. she will successfully get into university, fall in love, work, start a family, and have children. She will likely be a very good wife and mother, leading a plain and warm life.”

“If you continue,” his tone paused, “then the world will likely have one more hyper-realist painter named Ruan Mian.”

A hyper-realist painter?

Ruan Mian’s heart pounded. She was incredibly moved.

“But she can still be a good wife and mother. She will navigate between the ordinary and the great, and she will be known by many, many people.”

“So,” his smile faded slightly, his gaze focused, “which one will you choose?”

“Which one do you think I should choose?” she asked softly.

“Do you not already have the answer in your heart?”

He hit the nail on the head.

He understood her deeply, perhaps even better than she understood herself.

A few minutes later, the car stopped in front of a quaint courtyard. Ruan Mian followed him out of the car and looked around curiously. She did not know City Z had such a place.

The Mid-Autumn Festival had just passed, and two festive red lanterns still hung from the porch pillars. With a creak, the wooden door was pulled open from the inside. A middle-aged woman who looked like a servant walked out. “Mr. Qi, Mr. Smith has been waiting for a long time.”

Ruan Mian rubbed her nose in slight embarrassment.

Just as they stepped over the threshold, a tall foreign man strode out from the inner room. After greeting Qi Yan, he noticed Ruan Mian’s presence. A look of realization appeared in his deep blue eyes. “I was wondering why you arrived so late. It turns out…”

This foreign man actually spoke fluent Chinese.

However, once she saw his wife inside, Ruan Mian was no longer surprised.

Mrs. Smith was a Chinese woman with black hair and black eyes. Although she was approaching middle age, her temperament was elegant and approachable. She spoke gently and had an exceptionally pleasant voice.

“Qi, you arrived just in time. We were about to start the meal.”

“Oh, and who is this young girl?”

“Hello, Auntie,” Ruan Mian took a step forward. “I am Ruan Mian.”

“Ruan Mian. What a lovely name.” The soft Jiangnan accent made those two words sound extremely tender, making one’s ears tingle.

Ruan Mian blushed slightly.

The servant had already set out the meal, and the four of them sat down to eat.

Mrs. Smith’s name was Wen Wan. she seemed to particularly like Ruan Mian. After resting for a while after the meal, the men went to the study to discuss business, while she took Ruan Mian to the small garden to chat over afternoon tea.

“Are you in university yet?”

“Not yet,” Ruan Mian shook her head. “I just started my third year of high school.”

Wen Wan looked at her with affection. “No wonder you look so thin. The third year must be very hard, right? You should eat more delicious things and take good care of yourself.”

She was not usually a talkative person, but with this young girl, she seemed to have many heartfelt things to say. The affinity between people is truly a wondrous thing.

Unknowingly, Ruan Mian’s way of addressing her changed to “Auntie Wan.”

“Can I ask what he does for a living?”

Wen Wan asked in amusement, “Who is ‘he’?”

Ruan Mian lowered her head shyly as if her thoughts had been seen through. Her ears were so red they looked as if they might bleed.

Wen Wan stopped teasing her. “He and my husband are both venture capitalists. Many people call them risk capitalists.”

No wonder he has been alone all these years. It turns out he was waiting to fall into this young girl’s hands. How interesting.

Ruan Mian did not understand the inner workings, but she felt that it was a world very far away from her own.

Wen Wan then talked to her about how she and her husband met and fell in love. For someone nearly forty years old, her face glowed with a sweet radiance. “He really loves me. We once had a child, but there was an accident at the time. Between the mother and the child, he could only choose one. He chose me without a single moment of hesitation. Since then, my health has not been very good, and he refused to let me have another. So, to this day, we have no children.”

Ruan Mian deeply admired this kind of enduring love.

As they chatted, more than three hours passed, and it was already dusk.

The servant brought fresh tea and snacks. Ruan Mian kept looking at the uniquely shaped porcelain bottle, curious about what was inside.

Seeing this, Wen Wan picked it up and poured a small cup for her. “This is a specialty from my hometown. Would you like a taste?”

A tempting sweet fragrance brewed in the air. Ruan Mian lowered her head and took a small sip. The taste was clear and sweet, with a hint of osmanthus. She had never tasted such a delicious drink.

Wen Wan poured more into her empty cup.

Half an hour later.

Qi Yan came out of the study and was surprised to see the young girl he had brought along slumped on the table, asleep. Looking at the table, he understood immediately.

Wen Wan smiled and said to him, “I did not expect the girl to have such a low tolerance for alcohol. she passed out after only two small cups.” she also murmured to herself, “The concentration of this sweet wine is not high at all. I usually drink it like juice.”

He frowned slightly. Seeing that it was getting late, he had no choice but to pick up the girl and walk out.

The Smiths saw them to the door.

The black car gradually moved away in the twilight.

Inside the car, Ruan Mian leaned on the man’s shoulder with a red face, sleeping soundly and unaware. Her breathing was slow and steady, carrying a faint scent of wine.

In the confined space, her scent was everywhere, as was her warmth, which could be felt even through his clothing. Qi Yan could not help but feel a little restless.

Afraid she was sleeping uncomfortably, he adjusted her posture slightly. Unexpectedly, she complained by rubbing against his shoulder. Then, her head tilted down, and her soft lips lightly brushed against the protrusion of his Adam’s apple. He quickly reached out and caught her body in a full embrace.

An Adam’s apple is a sensitive spot for a man that should not be easily provoked. Because her action was unconscious, the sensation was multiplied several times over.

His body quickly grew hot. It was, quite literally, a killer.

NOTES

Sweet Wine: A light, fermented rice wine or flavored liqueur common in Jiangnan. Despite being low in alcohol, Ruan Mian’s lack of experience makes her “drunk” easily.

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