The Versatile Master Artist

The blister broke, leaving a small wound.

She didn’t care at the time.

That night, she hummed a little tune, happily busying herself in front of the oven until midnight, remembering to add sugar and milk, finally making small cream puffs with just the right balance of sweetness and saltiness, fluffy and soft.

Koukou was confident that the things she made wouldn’t taste worse than the cupcakes baked by Mona.

Unfortunately,

No one eats them anymore.

Koukou noticed that Gu Weijing had been carrying a copy of "The Little Prince" around campus for a while.

She searched on Amazon for half a day but couldn’t find which version of "The Little Prince" had a white cover.

Instead, when she had nothing to do, she watched the 2015 French version of "The Little Prince" animated film that won the Annie Award.

In the director’s adapted animation, the baobab tree secretly falls in love with the Little Prince. It knows the Little Prince likes roses, so slowly, its branches and leaves grow to resemble rose petals.

Hoping to replace the image of the rose in his heart.

Unfortunately, a baobab tree is a baobab tree, and a rose is a rose.

When the real rose is willing to turn back, you, the "baobab tree," are instantly uprooted from his heart like a weed.

Koukou had a bit of a masochistic tendency as she pinched her fingers.

The burning pain in her fingers filled the void in her heart and made her keep ridiculing herself.

Childhood friends are truly childhood friends.

She found herself so vulnerable in front of Mona.

She did everything she could, yet Gu Weijing still preferred this Sandunu.

"Running back to me, what do you mean? Koukou, are you mocking me?"

Mona glared angrily at Koukou’s face.

Both stared at the person they considered a bitch and a villain.

After a few seconds of gazing,

They both felt something was off.

"The girlfriend Gu Weijing mentioned was not you?"

"Wasn’t it you?"

Koukou and Mona almost asked in unison.

Then they both fell silent.

The atmosphere became weird and awkward.

Had they been secretly replaced by another girl?

The two defeated women faced each other.

Koukou was astonished.

Mona was dazed.

Mona recalled the verbal clash between Miss Sakai and Assistant Xiaosong that afternoon.

She thought their wording was very... hmm, a bit "strange."

Especially Miss Sakai’s words, which made Mona feel uncomfortable and sour.

Mona had been stunned by such shocking news, thinking she was overthinking it.

Koizumi Katsuko and Gu Weijing? Such a stark contrast pairing seemed impossible.

At most, Miss Sakai admired his talent like the professor from the Central Academy of Fine Arts that Gu Weijing mentioned.

Dating?

This isn’t a fairy tale world; even in fairy tales, only a prince can be with a princess. Mona never truly believed that the dignified Yakai Shengzi would fancy Gu Weijing.

Hearing Koukou’s words, Miss Sande Nu incredulously contemplated the possibility.

"Is it really that mixed-race little painter!"

Shameless!

It’s much better to match that Koshiba Tarou, who is well matched and not bad looking.

Koizumi Katsuko had an ocean of pearls to choose from, yet she fancied the shell by her feet.

"Hmph, she’s just playing around, not truly interested in him. You’ll see, it won’t last long."

Mona angrily kicked the tree trunk beside the bench.

She ignored Koukou’s bewildered look, tucked her book under her arm, and turned to leave.

-----------------

"Mr. Gu, this Peony Painting of yours, using Dongxia’s words—’blossoming wealth,’ has some resemblance to Lang Shining’s ’perfect shape and spirit.’"

Gu Weijing hadn’t even stepped onto the small steps in front of the door when he heard the heavily accented and peculiar Mandarin from the bookstore.

He pushed open the glass door.

Sure enough, he saw the silhouette of the blonde agent Hanks.

This guy, who previously kept claiming he had business in Abu Dhabi, seemed to have forgotten all about it and lingered around their bookstore.

Hanks came by their bookstore every few days.

Sometimes bringing small gifts, sometimes bringing nothing at all, he didn’t disturb Gu Weijing’s painting, just stood there chatting with Master Gu.

Not only chatting but flattery too.

For Gu Weijing, it wasn’t the first time he heard Hanks praising his grandfather’s brushwork without even entering the door.

"Wow, is it really that good?"

Gu Tongxiang, lately with guidance from his grandson, had discovered the essence of Western-style Heavy Color technique.

Yet hearing Hanks’ flattery, he was still somewhat embarrassed, scratching his head.

Their bookstore primarily catered to foreign customers.

Seeing a few blond, blue-eyed foreigners wasn’t surprising to Elder Gu Tongxiang.

The surprising thing was that they came so diligently to flatter him.

To speak frankly and boldly.

Elder Gu Tongxiang lived on the Yangon Riverfront his entire life and served foreign clients his whole life.

Customers are God.

He always approached chatting with prosperous foreigners cautiously and cheerfully; never had he enjoyed such flattery!

The wheel of fortune turns.

Even with bald hair, Elder Gu Tongxiang unexpectedly enjoyed this reverse service.

"Great—"

The compliment from Hanks was halfway through when he noticed Gu Weijing entering.