Exclusive Model for the Top Painter Chapter 17

The Tenderness of Light Intoxication

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The next morning, a film and television investment seminar was being held in A City. As the director of the Tian Han Group, Ji Xiuyuan was also invited to attend the conference.

During a break in the meeting, Ji Xiuyuan went to the corridor outside the venue to take a phone call and deal with some work-related matters. Just as he hung up the phone, someone next to him said, "Mr Ji, I have some personal matters I would like to talk to you about."

Ji Xiuyuan looked at the person in front of him, it was the same Zhou Hai whom he had met last night, and he spoke indifferently, "Sorry, we have nothing personal to discuss, for business cooperation, please contact my agent or assistant." After saying this, he turned around and left, without the slightest intention of staying.

Zhou Hai whispered from behind him, "Don't you want to know the story of the incident at the police station?"

Ji Xiuyuan paused: "No need to bother you, I will naturally find out."

"I'm afraid there are some things you won't be able to figure out," Zhou Hai said with a smile, "For example, the real reason why Liang Jin got into trouble with those gangsters. You wouldn't really believe his perfunctory rhetoric, would you?"

Ji Xiuyuan looked at him with a sideways glance, "So, what are you trying to say?"

"A'Liang is a person who, since his student days, has been full of an anachronistic sense of justice. To put it nicely, he is righteous and frank, but it can also be said that he is stupid. If he is serious about his friends, he will treat them with sincerity, and even if he has suffered a loss, he will not be concerned about the gains and losses." Zhou Hai took a few steps forward, "So even if he had taken a beating for someone else's sake, there's absolutely no way he would say it to their face. From what I know about him, he probably wishes that you would never know about it."

A hint of surprise swept across the bottom of Ji Xiuyuan's eyes.

Zhou Hai continued, "In short, someone slandered your painting, and then he got himself into trouble when he went to meddle in the matter." He took out a document from his briefcase and handed it to Ji Xiuyuan: "This person's name is Zhang Xuan, I've already checked it out, he's a gangster in the city, a local snake or something like that, it's rather tricky. But if Mr. Ji is willing to intervene, it will be no problem."

Ji Xiuyuan took the document and flipped through it for a while before asking, "What is your purpose?"

"There's no particular purpose," Zhou Hai smiled, "After all, this man has his eyes on me too, and if I let the situation develop, it would be rather unfavourable for me too. There's no telling what this kind of gangster might do. If A'Liang were to encounter any kind of danger... Neither of us would want that to happen, would we?"

Ji Xiuyuan suddenly thought of something, and immediately sent a text message to Liang Jin: Where are you?

Liang Jin: Playing a game in my room.

Ji Xiuyuan: Don't go out for the next few days.

Liang Jin: What's wrong?

Ji Xiuyuan: The security system of the villa has just been upgraded to the highest level, so stay put and don't run around.

Liang Jin: What is the highest level?

Ji Xiuyuan: Unless there is an earthquake or other natural disaster, generally speaking, no one can break in within a short time, and of course, you can't get out.

Liang Jin: ??? Is there a war outside??? Or are there zombies???

Ji Xiuyuan: A little situation, it will be solved within this week.

———

At night, when Ji Xiuyuan returned home, Liang Jin was applying ice packs to himself.

Ji Xiuyuan sat down beside him, seemingly in a good mood, "I heard something today."

"Hmm, let me guess, someone tried to kidnap you?"

Ji Xiuyuan smiled, "Why would they think that?"

"Why else would you upgrade your security system? That's not it, I see," Liang Jin placed the ice pack on his shoulder, "someone covets the paintings in your studio?"

Ji Xiuyuan shook his head, "It's about you."

"Me?" Liang Jin jumped up from the sofa, "No way? That group of people from yesterday have come here to seek revenge? Why don't I go live next to the police station for a while?"

Ji Xiuyuan pushed him back onto the couch, "Tell me, how did you get into trouble with them? Especially that one, Zhang Xuan?"

Liang Jin froze, "How do you know about Zhang Xuan? Wait, you know all about it? But, why do you know?"

Ji Xiuyuan smiled deeply, "Because I installed a camera on you, your every move, at any moment, I can see it all."

Liang Jin's face changed instantly, "You're too perverted! When was it installed? Where is it installed? Quickly, take it off immediately!"

Ji Xiuyuan's fingertips pressed on his collarbone and then worked their way down, gently roaming around his abdomen: "It's in a place you wouldn't expect."

Liang Jin looked at his playful smile and took a long time to respond, "You're tricking me again, Ji Shen!" He shoved his ice pack at Ji Xiuyuan's face, "Is it funny?"

Ji Xiuyuan took the ice pack and put it on the table, "In future, this kind of thing, you have to tell me first."

Liang Jin said, "It's not that big a deal. For a painter like you, there will be as many admirers who worship you as there are jealous people who slander you. Wouldn't you be too busy if you were told about each and every one of them?"

"I'm not referring to that." Ji Xiuyuan looked at him, "Your intention to defend me, and the consequences of that, I have the right to know and to be responsible for it."

His expression was gentle and solemn, Liang Jin was so moved at the sight, and he responded softly, "Oh... okay."

Ji Xiuyuan asked, "What do you want to eat tonight?"

"Are you going to cook?"

"Mmm."

"Wonderful, as long as it's a meal made by Ji Shen, I'm okay with it!"

At dinner, rather unusually, Ji Xiuyuan drank two glasses of wine.

Liang Jin paid special attention to this because he remembered that Ji Xiuyuan had told him that he would always drink about two-thirds of a glass.

He looked closely at Ji Xiuyuan's face, but he could not see anything unusual, it was really no different from the usual. Out of curiosity, he asked, "Ji Shen, are you drunk?"

Ji Xiuyuan's tone was the same as usual: "Maybe a little."

"Wow, you really can't tell at all!" Liang Jin came a little closer, almost as if he was armed with a microscope.

Ji Xiuyuan smiled gently, "Xiao Jin, do you want to consider signing with Tian Han? I mean, a formal long-term contract."

"… Probably not." After thinking for a while, Liang Jin declined the offer.

"Why?" Ji Xiuyuan was puzzled; normally, no model could resist the temptation of signing with Tian Han.

"I think I'm in a pretty good place now." Liang Jin said seriously, "Although I only have a private contract with you, this job is very meaningful and has elevated me a lot, and I want to do my best to do it well. Besides, I don't have any decent representation at all now, so if I enter Tian Han, I will inevitably attract criticism saying that I am relying on my personal relationship with you, which will not reflect well on you either. What I hope is that one day I can rely on my strength and sign with Tian Han in a dignified manner."

Ji Xiuyuan laughed softly in a low voice: "Okay, I respect your opinion. I recently received an invitation from the National Central Academy of Fine Arts to create a series of paintings based on the theme of 'Liaozhai Zhiyi'. Once you've recovered from your injuries, you'll get back to work." (Angel: Liaozhai Zhiyi, 聊斋志异, also known as Liaozhai or Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio, is a collection of short stories in classical Chinese created by Pu Songling , a Chinese novelist in the Qing Dynasty.)

"Mmm," Liang Jin said, "although it's a bit mushy to say, I really mean it. I feel very lucky to have met you, Ji Shen, and feel like I'm starting to get on the right track and have a direction to run to." Thinking that Ji Xiuyuan might be too drunk to remember, he relaxed a lot and expressed his feelings directly, "I really worship you and thank you for that."

Ji Xiuyuan looked at him in silence, a slight ripple at the bottom of his eyes.

‿︵‿︵ʚ˚̣̣̣͙ɞ・❉・ ʚ˚̣̣̣͙ɞ‿︵‿︵

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Translator Notes

Please feel free to comment any mistakes I made so I can improve and do better as I go through the book.

Translated: May 4, 2023