Chapter 59 - 48: Let Me Try
"Stop!"
"What for?"
CLICK!
"It’s beautiful. It’s perfect without any editing. I’ll send it to you guys."
"Since you brought us here to enjoy the hot springs, we’ll let you and Jinyu have the big pool in the backyard. We’ll go to the one in the front."
Xiao Wanqing was very considerate. She knew not to be a third wheel forever, so she pulled her two friends along to the hot spring pool in the front, which was just as luxurious.
Once the three girls had left, Liu Jinyu glanced at the Four Treasures of the Study next to them. Her face flushed as she said, "Are... are you really going to paint?"
"I am."
"Sigh, alright..."
When a woman willingly bares herself, it means she has truly accepted the man in her heart. It wasn’t about lust, but about something that should happen between lovers.
However, Liu Jinyu still gave him a final warning.
"Okay! Just painting!"
Su Ran’s eyes were resolute. He really was just going to paint. ’What else could I do? Her friends are in the front yard, after all.’
"Good boy. Mwah~"
Liu Jinyu blew him a kiss before getting into the hot spring.
Su Ran got out of the water, picked up the brush, and gazed at the beauty in the hot spring. Her skin was as smooth and clear as fine jade, like an Imperial Consort emerging from her bath.
Liu Jinyu slowly slipped the thin shawl from her shoulders. It fell onto the water’s surface and drifted away...
"Is this okay?"
Her lovely face was still a bit shy.
"Turn around."
"You..."
"This is called art."
"I give up. You win."
"Wait!"
"Now what?"
"Don’t turn all the way. Just turn halfway, understand?"
"To hell with your ’art’. Fine, fine, I’ll listen to you. I’m going all out. I’ll strike a pose."
"Perfect."
"...Okay, okay! Stop, just like that. Hold it."
Su Ran dipped his brush in the pigments. The wolf-hair brush danced across the Xuan paper, and a vivid portrait began to take shape on the page.
’Ding! Tang Bohu painting mission in progress.’
"Huh? Where’s the black ink?"
...
「The Front Yard.」
The three girls paid no mind to what the couple was doing in the backyard. They soaked in the hot spring pool for a while, somewhat distractedly. Deep down, the dream from last night was still affecting them, but each was carefully hiding it in her heart.
Feeling a bit hungry, the three of them got dressed and went to the resort lobby to find some food.
The lobby was bustling with tourists and artists. Some were critiquing the masterpieces, while others were haggling over prices.
The three girls each knew a thing or two about the four arts—zither, Go, calligraphy, and painting. After all, as art students, they all had some skills, just with different specializations.
Xiao Wanqing had studied traditional Chinese painting, so she could tell that there were indeed many incredible masterpieces here.
They admired the art while eating dessert, feeling quite content.
Suddenly, a cry of surprise came from nearby.
A middle-aged man named Wang Changyue was displaying a painting: a copy of Tang Bohu’s *Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix*, created by the contemporary master of Chinese painting, Shan Zhentian.
The painting was incredibly lifelike, with countless larks looking up at the noble Phoenix in the center.
It immediately drew bids from the surrounding crowd. One million, two million, three million...
This Wang Changyue was Shan Zhentian’s apprentice. The painting had been a gift from his master, and he had brought it out specifically to sell today.
The three girls ran over to join the crowd, naturally stunned by the painting.
At that moment, the price had been driven up to 4.7 million.
Xiao Wanqing rested her chin in her hand and gazed at the *Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix*. "The workmanship is incredible," she said. "Every single bird is so lifelike, especially the Phoenix in the middle. It could rival the one on Yiren’s back!"
However, Xiao Wanqing’s tone shifted.
"Legend has it... Tang Bohu painted a *Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix*, but no original has ever been passed down. Whether he actually painted it or not remains a mystery. Maybe he did, maybe he didn’t."
"But, regardless, this *Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix* painted by Master Shan Zhentian is a top-grade work. Its future value is limitless."
"Tang Bohu... he was a romantic scholar... he probably did paint it."
Xie Yiren admired talented and romantic scholars from ancient times like him. Plus, Tang Bohu was a legendary figure, so it was only natural that girls would admire him.
"If only Su Ran knew how to paint, too. Sigh~"
Xie Yiren sighed softly again. She had probably idealized Su Ran too much. Deep down, she wished he could do everything—that he possessed every talent she admired.
But on second thought, it was already impressive that Su Ran knew music. Even if he wasn’t musical and just used his ’money power,’ plenty of pretty girls would still like him.
So annoying~
At this thought, the young woman’s brows furrowed slightly as she corrected her own mistake: ’No, no, it’s better if he doesn’t have so many talents. It’s better to be ordinary, so he doesn’t attract girls everywhere he goes. He’ll end up with a mountain of romantic debt he can never repay.’
Xiao Wanqing: ...
’This is too much. The disaster for our group of friends has finally appeared—Su Ran.’
Xiao Wanqing silently prayed for Su Ran to just be ordinary. ’Please don’t be too ridiculously amazing,’ she thought. ’Otherwise, once he’s conquered our whole group, we’ll be completely wiped out~’
What girl could resist a dashing young gentleman brimming with talent?
’Anyway, *I* won’t be the one to fall for him.’ Xiao Wanqing’s eyes were firm.
"This painting is so beauti—Ah..."
Aina was just about to praise it when someone in the crowd behind her pushed forward. Aina lost her balance and stumbled, spilling the fruit juice in her hand directly onto the *Hundred Years Phoenix Painting*.
HISS~
Xiao Wanqing and Xie Yiren gasped.
Uh oh.
"I’m sorry, I’m so sorry."
Aina apologized profusely while reflexively trying to wipe the stain off the painting with her hand, only smudging it further.
Everyone at the scene was stunned into silence.
This was Master Shan Zhentian’s great work, *Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix*! To be ruined in the blink of an eye like this... everyone found it unbelievable.
At the same time, they offered a moment of silence for the unfortunate beauty.
One misstep, and millions were gone.
Wang Changyue was stunned for a few seconds before exploding in anger. "What do you think you’re doing? You’ve ruined my master’s painting!"