Chapter 275: Painting
After a soothing bath that relaxed both body and mind, Shi Lan put on the pajamas Ye Ming had brought for her.
The pajamas were a silk top and pants, which felt cool, soft, and smooth to the touch. They were very comfortable, but the top had no built-in padding.
Shi Lan was too embarrassed to go out braless, so she put on a bra as well.
When she came out, she didn’t see Ye Ming anywhere, so she started wandering around his palace by herself to take a look around.
The palace was huge, and there were many housekeeping robots. Every room she passed had a dedicated cleaning robot on standby inside.
On the second floor, there was a long corridor lined with numerous paintings. She walked closer to take a look and saw that almost all of them were works by famous artists, with only a few she didn’t recognize.
Shi Lan glanced at the signature below one of the frames—Ye Ming.
She froze for a moment, then carefully examined each of those few paintings again. She discovered that Ye Ming had painted all of them.
The paintings covered landscapes, skyscrapers, sci-fi concepts, and more. The range of styles was so varied and distinctive that it was hard to believe they were all from the same artist.
Shi Lan was marveling at the art when Ye Ming came over to find her. She looked up at him with admiration in her eyes. "Ye Ming, did you really paint all of these yourself?"
Ye Ming nodded, seeming a little embarrassed as a faint blush appeared on his cheeks. "Yeah. I used to enjoy dabbling in painting for a while. I’m nothing compared to the great masters; it was just a way to pass the time."
"You’re being too modest!"
Shi Lan thought he was just humblebragging. His ability to paint in so many different styles was incredible enough, not to mention he had dabbled in everything from abstract and impressionist art to realism.
"They’re really, really good."
She praised him sincerely once more, and the blush on the tips of Ye Ming’s ears deepened.
His gaze swept over her pajamas. They fit her perfectly. The thought that she was here, in his territory, wearing his clothes, her scent matching his... It sparked a sudden impulse in him, a desire to have her leave more of her mark on the palace. He couldn’t help but ask, "Lanlan, would you be my model? I want to paint a portrait of you."
Shi Lan had been a bit sleepy earlier, but she felt refreshed after her bath.
So when she heard his request, she was eager to give it a try. "Okay! Let’s start right now."
"Okay."
Ye Ming led her to his art studio. The room was lit with numerous candles, creating a wonderful atmosphere. Easels filled the corners, and a transparent cabinet against the wall was packed with various artworks. Despite this, the room was very tidy, possessing the beautiful aesthetic of organized chaos.
As soon as she walked in, Shi Lan was astonished to see so many artworks. ’And he said it was just to pass the time,’ she thought. ’But he has an entire studio full of paintings.’
His "lie" having been exposed so quickly, Ye Ming felt a pang of embarrassment. Thankfully, the warm, yellow light of the studio made the blush on his face difficult to see clearly.
He brought over an easel and prepared a chair for Shi Lan, placing it in front of the curtains. "Lanlan, you can sit here."
"Okay."
Shi Lan pulled her gaze away from her surroundings and sat down. The chair, a comfortable, vintage-style mahogany piece, had a soft cushion.
She sat down quietly. It was her first time as a model, so, lacking experience, Shi Lan placed her hands primly in her lap.
Watching her, Ye Ming’s lips curved into a slight smile. "Lanlan, don’t be nervous. Just find a relaxed position that’s comfortable for you. It won’t take too long."
He painted very quickly, and besides, Shi Lan’s image was already deeply engraved in his heart; he didn’t need to constantly check the details of her features.
Shi Lan murmured an "Oh." Her body was still a bit stiff, but she managed to relax slightly, leaning at an angle against the armrest and resting her cheek in her hand, striking a pose with a touch of classic charm.
For the rest of the time, Shi Lan remained silent. The only sounds in the art studio were the ones Ye Ming made.
There was the RUSTLE of his brush against the paper, the soft SPLASH of him mixing watercolors, and, most of all, his smiling words of encouragement.
Perhaps worried that she would get bored sitting still, he would say something encouraging every two or three minutes, like, "You’re doing great, Lanlan. That’s a beautiful pose."
"You can move a little, Lanlan. It’s okay. Don’t tire yourself out."
"You’re so beautiful, Lanlan."
"Is your hand getting tired, Lanlan? You can put it down and rest for a bit."
"You’re doing so well, Lanlan. I’m already a third of the way done."
...
’This is the first time I’ve ever seen him be so talkative,’ Shi Lan thought. ’It’s like the quiet, reserved man I know has suddenly become a total chatterbox.’
After all, she was the model, so Shi Lan didn’t dare to reply. But Ye Ming didn’t seem to tire of it, continuing to praise her and give her progress updates from time to time.
His method was surprisingly effective. His encouragement kept her spirits up, and the progress reports gave her a clear sense of how much time was passing.
She didn’t feel bored in the slightest. Before she knew it, the painting was almost finished.
Finally, Ye Ming said, "All done."
Only then did Shi Lan fully relax and lower her hand, walking over expectantly. "Let me see."
As she drew closer, her eyes filled with amazement.
The studio’s overall color palette was a warm, vintage yellow. As it happened, the pajamas Ye Ming had given her also had a vintage, blue-and-cyan pattern.
So, at first glance, she, the subject of the painting, stood out clearly, with ruby-red lips, pearly teeth, and a radiant smile.
For the first time, Shi Lan realized just how pretty she actually was. Her features were delicate and well-defined, perfectly proportioned. Against the contrast of the surrounding colors, the skin of her painted self was so fair it seemed to glow, and her slightly upturned, almond-shaped eyes sparkled with a clear light.
She gasped, "This is too beautiful!"
"Ye Ming, you’re such a good artist. I love it so much."
Shi Lan’s praise was sincere, though she couldn’t recall smiling so beautifully while she was posing.
’I guess Ye Ming’s comments must have made me smile,’ she thought. ’I must have made that expression without even realizing it.’
Ye Ming was happy to receive her praise, but in truth, the painting still couldn’t fully capture her true essence.
Shi Lan didn’t know that her most precious quality was the peaceful gentleness that could soothe a person’s soul, or that her most unique trait was the stubborn determination hidden in her eyes.
These two seemingly contradictory qualities coexisted within her in perfect, logical harmony.
And Ye Ming was not yet skilled enough to capture those qualities in his art.
But now he had this rare mark of her presence by his side. For the first time, he acted selfishly and didn’t immediately offer to give it to her. Instead, he said, "If you like it, Lanlan, I’ll paint another one for you next time."
"Okay."
Shi Lan nodded. Ye Ming’s gaze fell to her hand. Unable to resist, he took it in his and began to carefully massage her fingers.
’That hand was propped up for a long time,’ he thought. ’Lanlan must be a little sore.’
In truth, Shi Lan felt fine. Perhaps because her spiritual power had grown stronger, her physical constitution was steadily improving, and such a minor discomfort was almost negligible. Still, she was very content to enjoy Ye Ming’s thoughtfulness.
For a moment, the only sound in the room was their breathing. After a few minutes, Shi Lan pulled her hand back. "It’s getting late," she said. "Shouldn’t we get some sleep?"
"I was being thoughtless. Lanlan, you must be tired."
Annoyance flickered in Ye Ming’s eyes. He remembered that Shi Lan had been yawning before they returned, yet she had still been willing to indulge his whim and pose for him.
He was the one keeping her from her sleep.